Belle en Rykiel

On spraying I get a bit of an alcoholic burst that dissipates quite quickly and the scent settles on my skin quite comfortably into its lovely warmish, woodsy, sweetish, slightly heady (for want of a better word) yumminess. There is no definite top, middle, base change. For me, BeR is rather linear after the initial burst. I think that slight headiness that I get comes from the lavender and the heliotrope, but it mingles just in the right dose with all the other notes. They all are so well put together that I only get the scent as a whole composition rather than being able to pinpoint the individual notes. That's why I wouldn't say BeR is a coffe scent per se. It's more than that. Everything works really well together, adding to the smoothness and the coziness of the scent. It has a unisex vibe to it and on the right male it could work really well, but I’d still say it is a feminine scent. When I sampled Reveal by Calvin Klein in cooler weather I thought it had some similarities to BeR (the overall vibe) but Reveal is lighter. In hot weather Reveal changes considerably and the BeR vibe is gone. BeR is a casual to semi-casual scent that works for about any occasion in every day to day life, pleasant, warm, and inviting enough to make people feel comfortable around you. On skin it settles quite quickly to a comfortable level – not a loud scent. On clothes it projects really well and lasts a long time.

Belle on Rykiel by Sonia Rykiel is a lovely concoction of coffee, lavender, incense, patchouli, and citrus. The perfume possesses a cozy, warm, and spicy elegance. When initially sprayed, you are hit with the sharpness of lavender and citrus, but that quickly warms to a powdery spice bomb. It is rich and sweet. The powder quality has a vintage vibe but the overall perfume has a modern feel. The powdery will intensify but eventually will smoothly fall back to reveal a warm woodsy sweetness. It’s the kind of perfume you would wear in fall and winter. It’s a cold weather companion. Who May Enjoy: Fans of Guerlain Shalimar, Molinard Habanita, YSL Opium, Dior Miss Dior Le Parfum, SPJ Stash, and Kate Walsh Boyfriend may enjoy this perfume. If are looking to dabble in coffee scents, this may tickle your fancy. If you want to experiment with powdery scents with a kick, you might find this one appealing. However, I must caution that this perfume has been discontinued and finding a bottle at a reasonable price is becoming more problematic. Would I repurchase? Absolutely! I am on my second bottle. I used my first one up two winters ago and last year I missed it. Thankfully, I recently scored a reasonably priced bottle and have been cautious about how often I wear it. It’s wonderfully warm and cozy. It pairs well with a good book, warm fire, soft blanket, and a hot cup of coffee.

This is Shalimar 2.0, the North San Diego County Edition. Like Shalimar is it is vanilla-sweet, almost balsamic with an earthy touch of patchouli. However, one of my most cherished memories from my time in San Diego involve notes that are particular to this perfume. I was entertaining out of town family members from MA with a tour to one of the lavender fields in the northern part of San Diego. This specific one was nestled next to an orange grove and as we were strolling through the fields of white, various shades or purple and pink, an easterly breeze sent this sweet citrusy smell from the neighboring orchard. Although most of my family was drinking wine and champagne while taking our tour, I was drinking coffee since I was driving. The combination of lavender, citrus, coffee was an absolutely transcendent combination. I thought I would never encounter that scent experience again until I received a sample of Belle from Amazon. And now, after a sweet and simple spritz, I am back walking among those pink and purple rows breathing in the citrusy air as I enjoy my French Roast.

Beautiful, warm, spicy, and cozy. Definitely unisex, although the opening smells and feels to me like classic ladies perfume--not vintage, per se, but just a smell from my past--a hug from my Sunday school teacher or my grandma passing me her hanky during church. It evolves past that, but that haunting quality is still there for me. I suspect the amber and heliotrope are what is giving me that bit of powdery nostalgia...mixed with the lavender and coffee it definitely is evoking memories of days gone by. The incense and mahogany only enhance that feeling for me, and are also what make this more unisex. This is perfect for Autumn/winter---but I can see it blooming in the heat, if worn sparingly. All in all, a very successful blind buy and I'm glad I managed to snag it before it's too hard to find.

Having read a review that this fragrance smells like an old lady I again do not understand why would anyone use that wording. The right word is "mature". Young ladies also have a mature taste in perfumes, as well as older ones love fruity or light "immature" simple scents. This EDP is not for those who prefer smelling like a strawberry or lily of the valley body spray. Coco Chanel said that she did not want to smell like a flower (I would also add a fruit), but she wanted to smell like a woman. To my nose Belle en Rykiel is very French. I LOVE the opening, unfortunately it does not last. Still I like this Sonia Rykiel fragrance.

It was not even on my test list, but a lovely member I did sample swap with added this as an extra. Surprisingly I started to love this from the first sniff, it's sophisticated, sexy, warm, cozy and very, very interesting. I don't get any fruity opening notes or lavander, on my skin it goes just right to the middle with wonderful spicy notes and my beloved coffee. Actually it even opened a little bit masculine at the beggining, but faded out fast. It's very warm, sweet (but spicy, so no sickly sweet here). I'm really surprised and thankful that I found this, because it is very beautiful.

It's the only perfume in my collection I'd be willing to drink if I didn't think that was a really dumb idea. Smells sooooo delicious, but isn't the typical gourmand you find these days and not overly sweet. It's very much a perfume, but it's creamy, dreamy and beautiful. Lavender, coffee, heliotrope. The incense lends a smokey aspect. Everything is just so so well blended in this and enjoyable. A perfect concoction! This is one I'm always excited for the season change to wear again. It's a cozy mood-booster. Unique and classy.

This perfume is like heaven for me. I absolutely ADORE Stella in Two Amber, but the tiny solid perfume just doesn't have enough oomph to project to my satisfaction. Belle has everything I love about Amber but with more oomph and a bit more sweetness. To be honest I don't find it that much like Trussardi at all and I use both and love both. Belle is much muskier, amber, creamier scent to me all the way through whereas Trussardi has a sharper beginning and a sweeter almost candy-ish drydown.

This is one of the most classy fragrances ever!! But it is quite strange for me how I discovered that fact!! In my first try out I thought, no not for me. But later in time, after reading Turin praising it, I tried it again. And THEN it showed it's true identity.... unvelievably polished.... I fell so much in love with it that I took it as my only perfume for a romantic weekend with my husband. I have a backup bottle on the way!!! Action

Beautiful marvel for colder weather, where the summer is gone and the heating is still off... I would describe it like fresh fruity woody fragrance, well balanced, nothing preveals, in the style of Theo Fennell, but Theo is warm, this one is cold, not heavy, more smoky light. On the beginning there is mandarin juice and in the dry down probably banana blossom, but the whole fine composition is hard to describe. Longevity about 12 hours.

On my skin, this opens with a lovely and rather original burst of lavender and milky coffee. The milky coffee stays but, unfortunately, the lavender leaves too soon. Then I'm left with a soft trace of sweet vanilla with something vaguely floral underneath. Easy to wear, elegant, close to the skin. I will go through my 50 ml of this, but won't repurchase because the lavender-coffee combo disappears all too soon.

I had some 7.5mils before I bought 40ml eau de perfum. Beautiful, warm, unusual smell. Longlasting. Beautiful scent notes. I would highly recommend it. Original fragrance notes: Somewhere coffee with milk, soft amber, vanilla, lavender combined rather unassembled separately, mahogany tree .. in the background. I really like this perfume it compete for being my favorite!

Interesting and original one. You just need to give it a chace. The contrast between strong green and lavander opening and sweet vanila cappuccino drydown may seem too strange at first. But, if your skin likes it, everything will just blend into something new.. and you will realize what a masterpiece this is. After that, you must love it!

Just beautiful! The coffee, orange, and incense are so well-blended in this masterpiece- along with everything else. Ugh, I love this perfume. I think it is perfect for autumn- can't wait for the fall to wear it! For now, every once in a while I just spritz it once on my forearm to enjoy it now.

Oh... how I adore this one!! I am most definitely a lover of the Oriental Spicy category! Together with this, XS Extreme girl the newly discovered Iceberg the Fragrance, all Oriental Spicy and all heavenly....

I wish to try this.. sounds exactly the balance I am looking for...nothing too floral or cotton candyish!!! Richer and a touch of masculinity...believe it would bode well with my chemistry. ..will let uou know

I find it perfect for winter, dry, powdery, maybe a bit harsh and not the least sweet. Has nice sylage and lasts for hours on my skin. I find very similar to Ambre Sultan. Is it just me...?

I agree with everything in Ingridp's review. This is original, different, very wearable, comforting, sexy and clean, snuggly, the works. Not very long-lasting, but a joy to reapply.

I had the same experience with it as Nathaliez the 1st time! That time I thought, oh no, not me... But the SECOND time I really fell in love really hard!! SUCH A SOPHISTICATION!!

I bought this perfume 6 years ago and it is a testimony to the quality of the ingredients that it hasn't turned. Still a beautiful, unique lavender-smokey sweetness.

Januda, you could not have explained this beauty better than you did!! I also think I might just drink it!!! :-)

One of THE most adorable coffee fragrances out there!!

The more I were the more I love it! Great for winter!

I'd like to preface my review by saying that this is NOT my typical fragrance. In fact, looking at the main accords, I would have seen balmy at the top and immediately passed it up... So I'm glad I was sent a sample along with another perfume I ordered. Upon opening the package that the sample came in I had to turn my head away. The vial had leaked a bit and the scent was a little overwhelming. I feel the same way when I first spray it. It opens with an odd creamy, warm, sour/tartness that I can't say that I really like. I suppose it's the orange and coffee and to me that's just a really odd combination. After trying it on I was quick to regret it, but it wasn't enough for me to wash it off immediately. Fortunately the initial tartness doesn't last long, and the midtones are where the incense comes in. It leaves a sweet warm smokiness on my skin that I actually, surprisingly, quite like! And then the dry down is a beautiful powdery vanilla, lavender, coffee scent that I just adore. I know people on fragrantica don't like fragrances being called "old" but I remember these notes on my grandmothers whenever I would give them a hug. It's comforting to me, since I can now no longer do that. It's not necessarily a fragrance I would wear all the time, simply because I do not like the initial spray. But, if the mid notes and dry down was it, I'd be glad to put a spritz on my chest when I lay down at night, or on a nice slow romantic evening. It's a soft comforting perfume, but it's loud and warm at the same time. Really really nice :)

BELLE EN RYKIEL is a remarkably nice fragrance, given its apparent cacophony of notes. After the sledgehammer disaster of Comptoir Pacifique VANILLA MOKHA (the barista tripped, dousing my paper white blouse with cappuccino), BELLE EN RYKIEL is a welcome surprise, a fragrance which also features coffee but in an artful, thoughtful way. It's somewhat difficult to believe that notes as seemingly discordant as lavender and coffee could manage to blend together so as to form an appealing perfume. But the lavender is light, and although the coffee is strong, it serves more as a spice than as the focus and is complemented by both incense and vanilla. The dominant note to my nose through the mid stage and the drydown is definitely patchouli. I realize that all of this sounds like a mess, but somehow it's a wrist sniffer with good sillage and staying power. I wouldn't want to wear BELLE EN RYKIEL every day, but it's nice on occasion. Probably too heavy for hot weather, but good for winter, to lift the spirits. Could be the caffeine...

The similarities between Trussardi Inside and Belle en Rykiel are striking. They both start out sweet, tart and slightly woody then share exactly the same caramel-like heliotrope heart with a fairly syrupy coffee note - Belle en Rykiel is even sweeter, I have the impression of smelling pure wild honey. Surprisingly, the drydown of Belle is powdery with a distinct woody touch - a creamy type of wood, cosy and nice but isn't natural - I think there's a fair amount of Iso E super or something similar lurking in there. Same for Inside by the way. The accord is a fairly common pathouli-vanilla combo a la Eau de Star and Neonatura Cocoon. Luckily the vanilla isn't overpowering, it's just balanced, too much of it often ruins oriental spicy compositons for me. Belle en Rykiel has slightly more sillage as well than 'Inside', and maybe it's a touch fresher and fruitier. Otherwise it's difficult to tell them apart after a few hours of wear. How odd that both perfumes were created in the same year by two different noses.

Wows.. Picked Belle just because I saw the bottle and realized that I haven't smelled any of Rykiel perfumes. Chossing one for test seems pretty difficult these days (lol). So. Rykiel is often called knitwear queen. Her clothes look soft, funny and first of all- very cozy. That's why I expected something comforting and warm outta golden shaded bottle. True, true- golden fits the scent very much. Note combo is absolutely amazing and unique - at first I thought it smelled pretty much like Mugler's Innocent. Sweet, kinda velvety and warm at the same time. Time passed, scent developed- It still a bit sweet, you can actually spot coffee and a little bit of warm incense framed with mahogany and thrown in sour drop of berries. Every time you smell it, it surprises you. Lasts long, sillage is good. I recommend this one if coffee in Trussardi is not much as desired. Further search may include- Trussardi Inside Lacoste Pour Femme > both pretty similar, but PF more creamy and suede like.

I get top notes of red currant and lavender, which seem to be lasting much longer than I've experienced in other perfumes. In fact, I don't seem to be getting any of the other notes. This is also the first perfume where the lavender note does not smell masculine on me. I know from prior rounds of testing that eventually a warm, woody, ambery base emerges, but unfortunately the coffee note never appears, and in the end I am left feeling undecided. Update: I found this to be an excellent warm-weather oriental! The lavender in the top notes was so addictively uplifting, and the sweetness of the base notes were so gratifying that couldn't resist adding it to my collection. It's not like anything else I've smelled!

This is my second bottle and now I love the pyramid all thru..I love the coffee-note - I didn't like it in the first bottle. I love the insence/Vanilla/amber/woody mix as well.. I think this is a fall/winter-scent and its beautiful. Longlasting on my skin. Adore it! A keeper. Detta är andra flaskan och nu kan jag säga att jag älskar hela pyramiden av dofter. Jag älskar kaffe-noten - det gjorde jag inte i första flaskan. Älskar Rökelse/Vanilj/Amber/trä-mixen enormt. Tror detta är en doft för höst och vinter och den är underbar. Hållbar på min hud. Avgudar den! En självklar doft på parfymhyllan.

First hour I dont like this at all. Its toffee-coffee sweet and a bit heavy. But when basenotes appear it gets calmer, like a whisper and very nice. Still sweet but the toffee-coffe-note is not longer the strongest. This will not be a favourite of mine, but it is ok. Longlasting. Första timmen gillar jag den inte alls. Kola/kaffe-söt och lite tung. Men när basnoten får komma fram så blir den lugnare, lite som en viskning runt mig och trevlig. Fortfarande söt men kola/kaffenoten är inte så stark. Denna blir aldrig en favorit men den är ok. Håller länge på huden.

This is as much a spicy oriental as HD With Love...in other words, not at all. This is a gourmand or possibly a vanilla oriental with enough incense tossed in to make it interesting. The heliotrope makes it sweetly powdery with only a slight coffee tone, similar to sniffing a Nip hard candy. I find nothing dated or masculine here, quite the opposite. It is a warmly comforting and very current scent perfect for cold weather and I plan to add a bottle to my collection as soon as possible. Update: Heavy patchouli in the bottom...I still like it tho'.

Belle is wandering around L'Instant ambery base in warmer seasons; and turns VERY powdery and dusty like L'Instant Magique in winter. While I enjoy the latter mostly on others, I don't mind smelling this Belle powder-powder on myself. Pls note that top notes here are very deceptive, that's why I didn't buy it 5 years ago: what I initially had fallen for, was gone from my wrist in 2 minutes. But in 2012 I thought the scent is kinda pretty and cozy anyway, wouldn't hurt having it D.

Just got this one and have been wearing it for about four hours - already had to respray once... It is lovely - rich coffee, some amber, tiny bit of sweet patchouli and a little lavender. It is warm & cosy and ever so comforting but not quite in your face enough for me and doesn't last very long either. It won't become my signature but will wear it during the day when I am pottering around...

inaspettatamente originale, questo profumo si basa sulla giustapposizione di caffè, vaniglia e lavanda. può sembrare strano, invece io ci trovo un bell'equilibrio di note gourmand non mangerecce, ma piuttosto mature e sofisticate. l'assestamento attraverso ambra e incenso ne fanno un accordo sostanzialmente invernale benchè non sia troppo caldo. bello, non invasivo e poco costoso.

I have a sample of this fragrance and i am still uncertain about it. In the beginning i smell nothing but incense and lilac and a little sweetness. it smells like an older womans fragrance for the first twenty minutes. And then later I smell the coffee in the drydown. Something similiar to a gingerbread latte. The drydown to me is the best part.

omg! this is nice! very sweet and warm fragrance: i can detect nice lavender and coffee scent in the beginning, vanilla in the background and hints of the incense. It last quite long on me, but stays close to the skin. I would recommend it as a winter fragrance.

I have fallen in love with Belle en Rykiel xoxoxo.I must admit I didn't like it at first but second wear was the charm. I've gotten so many compliments on it today making me love it more plus it last all day long...

Smelled very interesting on paper, rich and somewhat "full", sparkling, but not like a golden dust you put on your skin, rather a little diamond you wear in your nose. I regret it doesn't smell the same on me!

Light, creamy, sweet, cool, warm and fresh all at the same time. However, the lavender, though very well-blended, makes it something not for me. But very nice for those who love lavender.

I have an almost full bottle that I would want to swap for Gucci Rush. Anyone?

I neither like the notes or how they are mixed, both on paper and on skin. The warm and cool all-at-once thing smells like some kid took a couple of mommie's perfumes from her dressing table and dumped them together. To be more specific, a splash of some cheap cliche aquatic scent- typical synthetic note, and a couple of splashes of some drugstore vanilla-ish tonka-ish warm fairly sweet amber/musk blob with a vague hint of something that is not coffee but is claiming to be. Not harmonious or artful, not at all good. Another disappointment from Rykel. The bottle is cool. I'm finding that her scents are polarizing - some I find not even wearable, and others- at least one other- I love. Up for swap this one goes!

It's very aromatic, warm and heavy (for those who described this as light/delicate, are we really reviewing the same fragrance?) but not yet masculine in my opinion. The first notes were too harsh and even quite acrid for my throat, with strong lavender (which I'm not a fan of, since it mostly remindes me of moth repellent sachets). Unfortunately, I couidn't smell any coffee later on, and I developed a hell of a headache after testing this. So, give it a try if you like bold, daring and aromatic fragrances, but stay away from it if you're prone to perfume induced headaches.

not my type, and it would fit into oriental vanilla category more. Quite sweet on my skin, vanilla, vanilla and sugar sweetness. A bit of lavender, which I don't like a lot in fragrances either. And there are no spices even it is called oriental spicy. Longevity is quite poor as well.

On me this scent is just way to strong and overpowering. Maybe it's just that I dislike the scent but wow... it sticks with me all day. I am not sure what to compare it to it's heavy. Maybe on the lines of Shalimar. If you love Shalimar you probably would enjoy this.

Smells very similar to Betsy Johnson- Betsy Johnson perfume and Midnight Rain from LaPraire. Its ok and sweet, even though it is a Oriental Spicy(!) Cant smell the spice at all. Just a scent that i get tired of very quickly.

I let my 6 year old daughter sniff the bottle & she said "This smells like an old lady." And I .. couldn't agree more. It doesn't smell bad. It's a classic: powdery, heavy, mature. Definitely not my type of perfume.

I really, really don't like this. The notes don't blend together on me at all, and the coffee/lavender combo is bizarre and off-putting. This was a srubber for me...I just couldn't find anything about it to enjoy.

What a toothache! My decision regarding purchase was premature - I relied solely on note description and have just sprayed my wrists this morning and the first 15 minutes the fragrance was sweety-fresh but now it is becoming cloying and overly sweet minute after minute. It is like eating sweet pancakes with jam, honey, maple syrup, whipped cream, icing sugar and marshmallows :-( all at the same time. I am a gourmand fragrances freak, so you may think BER shouldn't bother my nose. But while Eg. Lolita Lempicka signature makes me go wild and I instantly crave to drink the content of the flacon, Belle En Rykiel makes my head go spinning and I have an immediate headache. I think it might be incense I cannot stand mixed with helioptrope. I also couldn't detect any red currant or coffee or in it, which is a great shame as I picked that perfume based on my love to these notes. If you ask me whether or not to try it - I'd say by all means try it but have a jar of aspirin handy, just in case... It is one of them either love it or hate it perfume. Unfortunately, the latter describes my feelings best.

I can only write this review because of a very generous decant from someone and im so glad that I had the opportunity to try it. I needed something warm, cosy, spicy and just a bit decadent, to stay in bed with one evening and chance had it that I was going through my samples and decided to revisit this. Belle en Rykiel by Sonia Rykiel, is a very sensual Amber Spicy fragrance, and it is really quite sultry, a real femme fatal kind of fragrance. This scent has a sense of mystery to it and an elegance, not found in many mainstream scents today. The Coffee, Incense, Amber, Vanilla, Patchouli and Mahogany are all prominent and giving this scent a smoky, resinous-sweet, booziness which is rounded off with the Lavender and Heliotrope and its like being in a cocoon. I have decided that I will own a bottle of this one day, as there is nothing quite like it. And its niche quality and design, before niche was niche. When designer still meant something.

What an interesting combination for the first notes--but not bad! I detect the lavender, and I can smell fruits in here, but I can't point them out. Ah, the middle notes. I definitely smell the incense. I tried to find the coffee, but to no avail! After a few minutes, it began to smell....watery? Perhaps it's the heliotrope that's doing this. The incense is still there....but slightly watered down. Then came the amber-patchouli-vanilla blend that I love. Unfortunately, I think the heliotrope ruined the rest of the fragrance for me. The end just had this soft "aquatic" feel to it that I didn't like. The woodsy note at the end (mahogany?) did give it a slight boost, but not enough. Sadly, this fragrance stopped smelling nice on my skin after the heliotrope gave it its one-two punch. May have to try this one again to see if it changes... For now it's as "Aaaahh, not so much" (or at least a "Thirds a charm" fragrance.)