Cacti

This is one of my favorites. This is one of those perfumes that is greater than the sum of its parts. I find it quite difficult to pick out the individual notes here, but the overall effect really succeeds in feeling like cacti. It somehow manages to both smell like a fresh cut nopal, and like you are sitting near a fountain in a desert garden on a sunny day. It's not citrusy and it's only vaguely floral, and I think what I smell most is possibly the shiso and mate? It's quite watery though, and very fresh and pleasant, with just enough spice to make it memorable and interesting. It certainly doesn't smell like any other fragrance I've ever tried. My husband usually doesn't care at all about my fragrances, but whenever I put this one on, he says "oooooh the one I like," even if he is a few rooms away. As far as sillage, it's not overwhelming, and you would have a hard time overspraying this one, but a few spritzes will do just fine. It lasts all day for me and I can smell it on my jacket the next day. If I spray it in my hair and put it up, when I take my hair down it's like a fresh burst of fragrance all over again. I tend to buy decants unless I really love a fragrance, and usually I try to avoid paying this much for a fragrance, but the beautifully simple bottle and the absolute uniqueness of this scent made me splurge. At this price point, I am a bit precious with this scent, so I don't wear it every day, but if I were made of money I probably would. This for me is the standout of the Pour Tous collection. If you're something of a desert rat like me, I'd definitely recommend getting your hands on a sample of this.

I first smelled Cacti in the Arielle Shoshana store during somewhat of a smelling spree. I immediately loved it! It was beautiful! I only sprayed in on the tester strip and walked away. But when I realized I kept smelling and loving it, I ran back into the store and sprayed it on my skin. That is when I fell even more in love with it. I am a jasmine/amber lover and I could get a sweetened, amber and jasmine note when it dried down. The watery freshness mixed with the warm floral made me immediately think, summer by a lake. But the icing on the cake was the fact that this lasted on my skin up until the next day. It didn’t come off until I double cleansed my skin. I decided then that this had to be my summer fragrance. Previously, before deciding on Cacti, I had love Eau Moheli by Diptyque for a few months. I thought it was going to be my summer fragrance. But, Cacti took me away from Eau Moheli this summer. Maybe next summer, we will meet again. That being said, this is clearly a 10/10 for me! :D

I love this. I immediately get the scent of the water someone would offer you at a fancy spa somewhere near Joshua Tree - cucumber and shiso leaf are there, giving it a spicier edge vs. the way I more often see cucumber (with accompanying melon/sweet juicy notes). A perfect after-shower fresh scent for me. As someone who is fairly sensitive to ambroxan/white musks, and finds many contemporary "clean" scents lean industrial to my nose, I really appreciate that the dry down here stays fresh-vegetal-watery-clean and not synthetic-clean. Because this fragrance does not lean into those synthetic woody ambers for projection and longevity, it does mean the longevity is limited, and by 2-3 hours this is mostly gone - but personally I'm so happy to find something I can completely enjoy that I don't mind having to re-apply.

The opening is peppery and sharp, with a powdery vanilla accord. Once it settles, it's an ethereal, delicate green. I love all green scents, but this is distinguished from the crushed tomato-leaf note that dominates the category. It is gentler, more chic and refined. And complex! I can smell all of the listed notes, especially aloe, shiso, and cucumber. I find this to be a close-to-the-skin scent, but I almost prefer it that way. Shiso is nostalgic to me, and this fragrance feels like a personal secret garden. Cacti reminds me of standing in a shaded, well-watered garden of lush, verdant flora. I have worn this every night to bed, hoping my dreams will take me back to the rainy, petal-studded riverbanks of the Kamo River in Kyoto, surrounded by green, green, green...

This fragrance most reminds me of the scent of a prickly pear. It has a definite succulent presence, but is also sweet and fruity. I've lived in the desert and always noted that many desert plants are very aquatic. Aloe, one of the listed notes, is a good example. These plants grow in very dry places so they have to store their own water. They are thick and juicy. The prickly pear is the fruit of a cactus and it has a mix of that aquatic aroma and an almost tropical sweetness. Another interesting thing to note about this is that it is, to my nose, a feminine aquatic. Usually I find aquatic scents to be more masculine-leaning, but not here. This is a sweet and delicate aquatic. I do find it to be a rather unique fragrance and can't think of another perfume to compare.

I had a sample of this years ago, and it immediately became my favorite fragrance. I couldn't afford a full bottle at the time, then it was discontinued. I tried to find something that similar, but no dice. Thankfully, this was re-released, so I bought a full-sized bottle for myself this Valentine's Day. Top notes smell of wet, hot sand, tea, a vague, clean scent of aloe, a little bit of jasmine, and the more pungent shiso. As it wears, it starts to smell more of jasmine and warm amber. The sillage on this isn't extreme. In terms of longevity, at least on me, it wears for ages. Today, I sprayed it on my wrists around 7 am, and I can still smell it at 11 pm. This scent isn't for everyone, but it is certainly for me. I'm so delighted to own a bottle of this.

I love this fragrance. It's a very delicate accord, but at the same time very complex and relatively indescribable. The tea aspect is very gourmand/round without being sickening, and coupled with floral notes (a light jasmine, a fine heliotrope) particularly lively and comforting. It's aquatic and green, yes, but a far, far cry from the type of accords usually associated with those terms. It makes me feel like I'm nibbling on a pretty flaky pastry in a landscape somewhere between a huge white sand desert and a tropical greenhouse. Very interesting and delicate, and one of my favorite discoveries of the year.

This opens with an aquatic, peppery aromatic combination (something watery-shiso-mate-bergamot?) deceivingly reminiscent of popular men's summer freshies, except the drydown is surprisingly mellow, tranquil, docile. The heart of Cacti is subtle black tea, aloe, and cucumber, sweetened and softened by precious and fluffy heliotrope. There are energetic and sporty aquatic-green-freshies, and then there are leisurely ones like this. Pretty, chill perfume for summer daze. I like it so much that I'm beginning to rationalize purchasing a FB, even though it sits so close to and so quietly against my skin.

Far and away my favorite of the sample set thus far. Aquatic freshie with little to no citrus that lasts longer than three hours is my white whale: Call me Ahab because this might be Moby Dick. Gorgeous profile, heliotrope and sishu play beautifully with each other at the forefront of soothing cucumber, and the lasting power is superb. I neither want nor expect beastmode out of an aquatic; this projects softly in an intimate bubble for around four hours. Inoffensive yet unique, best suited for S/S. Can’t wait to bring this out next year.

Cacti is a vibrant and fresh fragrance that harmoniously blends the crispness of shiso leaf with the warm, earthy notes of black tea. The initial impression is a delightful mix of herbaceous and smoky elements, creating an invigorating experience. As it settles, the scent reveals a spicy and comforting depth, reminiscent of a serene moment spent enjoying sushi and tea. This fragrance embodies the spirit of a free-spirited individual, celebrating creativity and individuality.

I really like this perfume. The standout notes for me are aloe vera and heliotrope. It's a refreshing, sweet and powdery fragrance that reminds me a bit of an iced tea drink mix. Nestea? It's a really quiet scent that lasts a surprisingly long time for how subdued it is. It has practically no projection. It is also definitely unisex, not too sweet. I can barely pick out any Jasmine and is green and watery enough that the powder wouldn't be weird on a man.

This is what I think of when I think of a luxurious spa scent. Fresh, green, a little bit fruity, and a little bit floral, but so well blended that nothing shouts out at you. It sits fairly close to the skin, but lasts beautifully. Gorgeous on a really hot day, it smells and feels so fresh in the heat.

The absolute pinnacle of green spa scents. So bright and dewy and refreshing. Purely unisex. The exclusive price point is a real tragedy because there are no dupes, and is too niche to appear on discounter sites. I highly treasure my 15ml decant.

Cacti accurately captures the feeling of cracking open a fresh aloe vera plant. Succulent and splashy green, with a funny little shiso twist. Perfect for summer. Gives an aura of cooling serenity.

UGH. On my skin it’s a beautiful watery cucumber tea scent. So light and fresh, perfect for summer. I’d definitely buy a full bottle of this, but the price point it too high :(

So green and fresh and humid—like a greenhouse or a spa. An easy and beautiful daily scent. This was the full size I bought after working my way through the RdF discovery set.

This is one of the better tea fragrances I’ve tried. Jasmine tea. Herbal-minty from the shiso and aloe. A touch of cucumber. The heliotrope is subtle. Thank goodness!

more floral than i expected but in a refreshing way! the jasmine and watery aloe scent are soo lovely together. lasts like 30 minutes on my skin sadly.

SO FREAKING GOOD.. GREEN BUT COMPLEX! WOOD! something so soft, deep and fresh at the same time. lasts a long time on my skin! love sniffing it

the smell of plants and soil 6 hours after a late afternoon hot summer rain

What a glistening delight this is, truly reminiscent of DS&Durga's Sweet Do Nothing with its verdant snap and brisk, mouth-watering glow. My very first brush with Régime des Fleurs, and I am most pleasantly greeted with liquid light, dewdrops refracted through green glass, a stem breaking clean. That rush of green tea too, not the dry, flaky leaves, but as glass straws in a tall green drink, a water garden in Kyoto, aloe vera squeezed fresh from the stalk, luxury in a whisper. Not earthy, not woody—sappy. There’s this brightness too, like the first slice into a cucumber, fresh and fresh and fresh. A crisp, watery bite of cucumber aldehyde too gives the fleeting feel of cut grass and chilled air and satin pajamas on cold skin. I definitely spot a citrus undertone too, but less like citrus in the usual sense, not zingy but glowy. Something green rather than yellow. The feeling of zest, rather than zest itself. This isn’t a desert rose or a cactus flower scent—it’s the spine, the juice, the internal water of the plant itself. Not a mirage. Not a bloom. Just survival: hydrated, lucid, luminous. And yet for all that greenness, all that morning-sharp clarity, it’s not sterile but intimate. Skin-like transparency, like the breath of someone waking up in silk sheets and sunlight. A clean but not soapy musk trails the base, and the whole thing feels like the scent equivalent of chilled aloe on a sun-warmed shoulder. Not bad at all for a first toe-dip into Régime. Consider me intrigued. No resin. No floral drama. No drydown theatrics. Just clarity. And sometimes, that’s the most luxurious thing of all.

This was the scent that tempted me to order the RdF sampler set. And I liked Cati. Loved Cacti, even. When I have the funds, I might be compelled to buy the full bottle. But I don’t think there’s anything particularly novel about them. What starts off as an effervescent white grape spritzer ripens to cucumber-aloe spa beverage. Succulent. Literally. Longevity is decent for a watery green. It’s not a sheer/skin scent, but it’s definitely not a screamer. Fraternal twin to Elorea’s “Fire,” but with aquatic notes in place of the leather. Mental Snapshot: A Swedish massage in a leafy biosphere, desert plains yawning outside. Your masseuse cracks open the green leather of an aloe limb and balms its nectar into your already dewy skin. tl;dr: bottled spa 🌵💦 EDIT: over a year later, can't stop thinking about them. Making the Black Friday plunge. 2025 has been a year and I think we are all in need of a good zen scent.

Cacti by RdF is a beautifully short-lived roller coaster that starts in a uniquely green place - think white tea leaves, succulents, aloe, and cucumber against a watery background. After about 30-45 minutes of wear the mostly green top--notes have faded to a background of calone - think seaweed (Zoologist Squid, Byredo M/Mink, Jorum Firewater) and algae. The whole experience is a distant memory by the 3 hour mark, which is somewhat disappointing. But overall, I can't think of anything like it and, in an amazing way, this perfume conveys the entire cactus plant without being overly reliant on semiannual floral bloom references. Very cool, very weird and definitely worth a sample.

this one is so crisp and aquatic, i really enjoyed smelling it! i think the black tea, shiso, mate give it a slight edge, making it nearly spicy, but the aloe and other components really round this one out. it's a very true, unisex fragrance! i feel like i just took a cold plunge in the most purified water in the world. i do wish i got a tad more heliotrope (as a purple floral lover) but no complaints about this one, especially on the dry down. not sure if i'm buying a full-size quite yet, but i'm certain my sample will be done before the weather gets even hotter than it currently is

The name is quite deceiving. Do not expect a juicy, watery, succulent scent. I mostly get the shiso and bergamot, making it a fresh-spicy and citrusy summer fragrance, that's actually quite unique in the genre thanks to the shiso. This fades very quickly and dries down to a faint heliotrope and amber. I don't usually care much about performance but for the price it's actually insulting. after 20 minutes you practically have to touch your nose to the skin just to know it's there. Overall it's very pleasant, just not what I was hoping, and definitely not worth the price.

On my skin this opens with watery cucumber, giving Killian's Roses on Ice vibes--it's bright, citrus and green. In dry down, I get an almost photorealistic, sweet-leaning white floral note. It's really lovely overall, a kind of fairy in the woods perfume that reminds you of soap or spa products. Tea accords don't usually translate on my skin, and this perfume, for me, is primarily a green-cucumber aquatic with lively jasmine in the background. I suppose one could call the overall effect "tea."

It's a tea scent! Tangy fruit + zesty green herbs opening similar to Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon. This one is much more powdery, though, which seems to be the case for all the Regime des Fleurs scents I have tried. (Maybe the brand should have been called Regime des Poudres?) The green fruity notes + powder do evoke a kind of abstract vibe of cactus fruit. I like it, but it's not my favorite tea scent. Try if you like: tea scents, powder scents, cactus fruit/prickly pear

Lemony bergamot, effervescent tea and a little hit of watery musky cucumber open this perfume in a fresh wave. As it dries on skin it gets a tangy green feel mixed with tonka. It’s refreshing and perfect for a summer day. It also feels very clean. This feels like someone wanted to make a traditional type cologne fragrance that leans a bit feminine and feels modern. Lasts 4 hours on skin.

dewy and fresh and watery! i love that this focuses on aloe and cucumber for the green notes rather than something leafy or grassy, makes it feel unique and truly refreshing among the samples i’m trying. i thought i was picking up on a pollen/beeswax note but now i’m thinking it’s the tea? i don’t think this is full bottle worthy for me at the moment but maybe a decant someday.

Mimosa is listed in the notes on the RDF website, but it’s not listed here for some reason. Mimosa is by far the most prominent note to me. I was hoping for something crisp and cool, but I really just get...mimosa. It’s nice, but it’s not what I think of when I think of “cacti.” Thankfully I found a bottle of RDF Falls secondhand to satisfy that craving instead!

Go-to put together daytime scent - hands-down the longest wear for a green fragrance I have tried, feels like that one person who has such a distinct niche scent you spend years trying to figure it out. No ginger in the notes description, but that’s the only way I can describe how sharp and crisp the scent wears.

Not photorealistic but still invokes plant-y-ness, stems, bulbs, leaves. Cold-green waxy in a good way. Smells like an expensive spa. The amber note makes this wearable otherwise, this is borderline rich people's dishwashing soap. I mean, I kind of like it.

This reminds me of a cucumber agua fresca. It is spot on of the scent I get before drinking one. I could smell cucumber before reviewing the notes. It smells fresh but I’m not sure if I want to smell like it! It is very nostalgic scent to me.

Love this very very green fragrance––its sharpness reminds me so much of licorice/aniseed (!!) alongside black tea, snapping aloe vera leaves, and something wet and lily pad-y. An especially invigorating spa day!

This is absolute, pure heaven. Italian villa, sun, cucumbers. A little oily, in a good way. And a heart of tea and shiso leaves. Truly a fragrance whose notes actually show up in full glory. A new signature.

this isn't quite what i was expecting, but i can definitely pick out the notes from it. it's herbal and has that fresh spicy edge to it. if you told me this had ginger mixed in i would believe you.

A lovely dewey cucumber tea scent. Not earth-shattering, but just beautiful and easy to wear.

My disappointment with this scent is mostly my fault - I fall for a cactus note every time hoping for juicy, wet, vegetal, aloe, cucumber scents and they are always, always sweet like some approximation of the fruit (I have yet to smell one that is accurate even to prickly pears, however). The listed notes really got my hopes up, but I think the somewhat powdery and sweet heliotrope mixed with the amber and jasmine overpowers the green notes at least 2:1 and makes for a bit of a sweet floral with a hint of fruit. The first whiff is something like what I wish it would be, but it almost immediately explodes into a moderately sweet floral. It does indeed retain some green notes for some time, but they are not the predominant thrust of the fragrance I was hoping for. I'm not sure how "sweet", "floral", and "fruity" are not notes here because they are the most present for me. Nonetheless, if you like heliotrope, this is a well-done scent made just for you. It has that vintage quality that doesn't lean too powdery, and feels decidedly fresh despite the subservience of the green notes. I agree that at three hours in this needs reapplication, and I would say that it only has medium-low projection: make your judgments as to value for the dollar appropriately. It isn't exactly my style and just isn't what I was hoping for, but it's a nice fragrance for sweet and (very slightly fruity) floral lovers out there nonetheless. 8/10.

The opening I get is a nose prickling spiciness (reminiscent of freshly ground cinnamon or cassia...you know, when the volatile oils are interacting with air for the first time and the top notes remain...almost peppery,tangy freshness over the characteristic cinnamon smell) laid over a sweet, vanilla-extract-type heliotrope and a grassy jasmine. This is an odd but unique entrance for any fragrance. After the top notes dissipate, I get an easy to understand semi-feminine floral freshie. Jasmine, grassy notes by way of shiso and mate,a little bit of citrus,and some water. Nothing necessarily new here, but I'll enjoy my decant. I think this would be an interesting farewell to late summer and greeting for early fall. To this house's credit, I do smell all these unique notes(shiso, mate, aloe, cucumber) , but they create a familiar accord...which makes this an interesting take on a common genre. I imagine this fragrance would shine as the fragrance of a leisurely woman who can't stay away from the water. A woman who'd live her days out floating in pools and lakes with an empty mind if she had the luxury. It smells like being content by the waterside.So if that's you, consider a full bottle

I'm new-er to perfume so, to me, this is a very, very, unique green fragrance! I really enjoyed the scent on a test strip so I tried it on the skin... The first 5-10 minutes on the skin I did NOT enjoy at all and nearly washed it off. It started very strong and leaned dirty-muddy with a lot going on. As it wore on and warmed, I began to like it more. After an hour, it mellowed into the fresh, green I was hoping for and is a really bright smell. It's a moderate projection and didn't wear too incredibly long but had moderate staying power for something so fresh. I definitely like it, and how unique it feels compared to the rest of my collection, but not sure if it would be FB purchase worthy for me.

Thank god I sampled this first. The description and the notes are right up my alley, but on skin this is a spicy herbaceous powder bomb. That shiso is the poison in the well that takes this from a timeless and wearable green aquatic fragrance to a bitter and almost metallic headache. It's one of those notes that leaves a metallic taste in the back of my mouth each time I smell it. But beneath it, I can make out that chilly watery-green-goodness that I wish could be the star of this fragrance. It's a hair away from being a perfect spa-day-in-a-bottle.

This perfume falls flat for me. I find it boring. I definitely get those watery citrus notes with a tinyyyyy hint of the cucumber. Definitely a summer daytime scent. It’s okay. I wouldn’t say the price accurately reflects the actual perfume. This one was a let down considering how much I love other RDF fragrances.

Fresh and vegetably on me. Initially, it pulled on my skin in a way that reminded me of red pepper, almost spicy. It settled into a nice fresh scent, but with little else except a touch of sparkle.

This is not my favorite. I dislike the watery greenness in here. It's not very balanced. I had high hopes for this one because of all of the chatter around it, but it's not for me.

really pretty opening but it dries down to the smell I get on my hands after washing the dishes with a sponge that needs to be replaced soon

Smells like cucumber Gatorade, in a good way lol :) and has the usual RDF dry down DNA. I wouldn’t wear it, but it’s still very fun anyway.

Brings to mind having lemonade in a well tended kitchen garden. Unique.

This brand overpromises and under delivers to me every time. In this case, I'm excited to smell a cactus supported with watery notes and aloe. Instead I get a smooth blend of heliotrope, mimosa, vanilla and a hidden seaweed note; granted not disturbing at all. Overall, the scent evokes a soft feather-like honeycomb instead of cacti. It is not a bad scent, but definitely powdery, non-contemporary smelling and femme leaning. I can see this on an older lady, but I'm not finding the desert cacti perfume here.

A lot more warm and powdery than I expected. It smells like baby powder. Fresh only in the way a clean baby smells. Im a little disappointed that it doesn't smell more fresh and bright or anything like a desert Cacti smell. I am glad I did not blind buy.

The nostalgia hit me with this one. When I was 6, I have very vivid memories of my month long visit to Croatia (where my dad is from). While visiting, we went to local places as this was the country where my dad grew up. This scent brought me back to the long boardwalk stroll along the Adriatic Sea, looking down at the beautiful sea kelp growing on the rocks and jetties. The warm breeze is blowing salty sea notes along with freshness from freshly watered grape leaves at me. I’m looking forward to my lemon sherbet gelato treat after playing in the sun all day. I’m drinking aloe water and eating fresh watermelon to stay hydrated. My mom’s pretty bouquet perfume is lingering nearby. Wow, what a trip! Took me right back. Ok thank you for reminiscing with me but this is really beautiful. I want a full bottle just for nostalgia’s sake but that’s not a helpful review so here are more specific details. The shiso leaf and citrus is a bit heavy in the opening, giving it a lovely almost minty licorice feel. There’s a smooth hint of amber that relaxes the sharpness from the salty water and pungent aloe juice notes. The cucumber is a strong supporting role and the tea notes are good background cameo characters that blend the entire fragrance into an aromatic, spa fragrance. This is not a safe blind buy imo, but it’s very good and would be worth a try if you enjoy cucumber lime flavored drinks, the lemon and lime gummy bears, or BBW kitchen lemon hand soap. So refreshing!