Fleurs de Citronnier

Breath of heaven (even for atheists.) Superlatively lovely white flowers with startlingly true-to-life citrus blossoms. I have, and love, SL Fleurs d'oranger, for my money the most perfect orange-blossom fragrance there ever was, and this one is its equally-gorgeous lemony twin; they're both built on the same kind of chassis, yet each hangs together in its own unique and coherent way. For me the tuberose and musk are both incredibly discreet here - phew - and never allowed to crash in and bellow over everything else. The lemon blossom is sharp and clean - there's very little of the warmer, mellower, almost-narcotic bottom of Fleurs d'Oranger - but it never gets over-acidic, or soapy or artificial; it's extremely strong, with almost aggressive sillage on me at first, but never gets overwhelming - it just glows as if lit from within by its own beauty. It is not eccentric or organic or ground-breaking (there are no green/wood/earthy notes in there, as a more experimental or artsy house might try to sneak in) - in one way it's kind of a conventional, 'pretty' scent, yet nothing about it is generic or lazy. It is just the right thing, done the right way. Makes you think of blue skies and the cleanest possible white sheets billowing in a warm breeze in spring on a Mediterranean island. Makes me think of white lace and brides(?) and skipping through some immaculately-kept gardens of stately homes. (By the way, this is so far from my real life or the things I normally think of that it's hilarious.) Longevity on me is loads better than the average citric, but not barnstorming for a floral; it's pretty linear and doesn't morph much over time, but then to keep fiddling with something as close to perfection as this, would be a waste of time. Overall, to me, Fleurs d'O just edges it by a hair, but that is just a matter of which citrus fruit squeezes your heart and nose the tighter. This stuff is wonderful. ETA: But one warning note, for those with too many scents in their collections: its lemony zingy top dies away over time. My bottle faded - or mellowed if you prefer - to morph into a still lovely, slightly musky yet still clean floral which (to my stupid nose) smelled weirdly more like jasmine than anything else - and without the really sparkling, citric tang at the summit. It was still beautiful, but it then overlapped too much with other things I own. So, if you try it and love it - remember to wear it often, as it probably won't last much over 3-4 years even when carefully stored out of the light and at a constant temperature.

Plain and simple those who say that this smells synthetic or artificial do not know what lemon blossom smells like. When the lemon trees are in blossom in my green houses this is EXACTLY what it smells like, and my lemon trees are not fake. There might be tuberose in there somewhere but again if you think you can smell it clearly I seriously doubt you really know what natural living tuberose smells like because I grow it and am very familiar with it and I do not smell it at all clearly in this, however I'm sure if S.L. says it's there, it's there contributing something but it is not something that flashes out at you. Throughout the drydown white musk can be clearly smelled adding a sexy warmth. For those of you who say a man can't pull this off. Why not? It is quite close to a classic cologne, the most original unisex perfume variety of all. In fact colognes are so well accepted as being suitable by men that uneducated people who do not know better incorrectly call ALL perfumes marketed mainly for men, cologne. Also it might surprise some of you that there are some of us men out there who have enough class and sophistication to pull off wearing florals and no, this does NOT make us feminine because we don't want to smell fresh and sporty or reek like a locker room, so really this is a great shared perfume that truly smells like the fresh living blossom of a lemon tree. A fragrance that both men and women should wear and enjoy like that of all flowers as I have yet to see any flower intended to be worn only by women or only by men so why does the perfume industry try to do this?

Serge Lutens Fleurs de Citronnier The Serge Lutens line is renowned for heavy-hitting orientals mesmerizing spicy and sweet-rich cocktails which are distinctive and, in most cases, not for the faint of heart. Fleurs de Citronnier (FdC) has none of this - and it stands out because of its simplicity. This basically smells as if Mr. Sheldrek mixed 1/3 Fleur D'oranger (FDo) and about 2/3 Clair du musk (Cdm), taking away the resinous elements. For those who haven't had the chance to smell both FDo and Cdm: Open Fleurs de Citronnier and crisp neroli with white flowers in dry, powdery woods. Coming from a house known for lush, sweet, heavy orientals, this brisk and refreshing accord is a pleasant surprise. The citrus and woody structure here is almost astringent - it's that sharp! As the scent develops, some of the expected Sheldrake-Lutens sweetness appears, followed by the indolic, floral aspect of the lemon blossom. The two add a layer of warmth and complexity to what could have been a rather flat composition. Because none of the heavier notes are overdone, the overall effect is bright and dense. Once the drydown begins, the base, which is centered on light, sweet vanilla and clean, powdery white musk, remains close to the skin. If many Serge Lutens fragrances are sweet, thick cordials, Fleurs de Citronnier is more like a champagne cocktail: effervescent, a little tart, and unlikely to ruin anyone's appetite. A 10/10 in my book, as a floral maniac!

I broke my cardinal rule of never buying a Serge Luten's fragrance again because of the performance issues I have with this brand, but the notes sounded too beautiful to pass up. I am not disappointed. I love this. I don't find it skanky, dirty, or indolic at all. Nor do I think it smells anything like a bathroom or cleaning product. It's actually a very pretty lemon blossom perfume. It has a soapy quality that isn't cloying at all. It's very clean, as if you just washed with a luxury soap. The honey tempers the neroli and keeps it from being sharp or excessively citrusy. The lemon blossom becomes more prominent and lusher. It's joined by a slight spiciness and then a creamy tuberose emerges, but it never overwhelms the lemon blossom. That stays true to the end where it blends in with the musk and gets very soft, almost velvety, but this is not a powdery perfume. It's perfect for warmer weather, though I'm sure it would smell great no matter the time of year. Silage is nice, but not overwhelming. At least I can smell it without resorting to sniffing my wrists, which is more than can be said of other scents from this line. Longevity appears to be good as I could smell it clearly even after 6 hours of wear. So glad I went with my gut and blind bought a bottle. It's a real pleasure to wear.

A summertime lemon blossom scent, so light and airy — paler, less sweet than Fleurs d’Oranger. Gorgeous. The lemon is more of a lemon soufflé note, after baking where the lemon is no longer sharp but permeates everything with its joyfulness, and there’s the palest honey making this a floral scent rather than a citrus. Fleurs de Citronnier opens bright and somewhat shrill with a soapy neroli, powdery white musk, lemon and hedione and gradually harmony breaks out. The musk becomes more subtle as it sinks into skin and the flowers take their rightful place in the crown with petitgrain / citronnier rampant. There’s possibly a tweak of Peru balsam which, with the honey, grounds the lighter notes in the bouquet. I love this perfume’s bright, lemony-floral side which is the bulk of the sillage. The cool iris quietly establishing itself in the more intimate base. Fleurs de Citronnier plays in a higher register than most which means out of season it can misfire, seem a bit inconsequential. I recommend waiting for summer to come around before testing. This one needs the heat and sun to really lift off and when it does it shines.