Florentina

I can’t believe I haven’t yet reviewed Florentina, as I’ve been wearing it for a while and it is one of my top iris perfumes (my favourite note). I guess I feel so comfortable in it and reach for it so easily that I don’t often enough stop to consider its merits, as opposed to other perfumes in my collection which may be grander but actually get used much less. I can honestly say I know A LOT about iris/orris perfumes and this is one of the best ones out there. It does not get nearly enough attention. Sylvaine Delacourte worked at Guerlain for over 20 years, the woman certainly knows what she’s doing. Florentina (what a name ♡) is everything I want in an iris perfume. It is powdery, feminine, reminiscent of a world of glamour that is no more, just the right amount of sweet, long-lasting, projecting, angelical... just utter utter gorgeousness. I find the price very accessible too. And the brand communication, sample sets, etc are outstanding. I once got a compliment from the fishmonger, who was standing at least 2 meters from me, with a mask on, and there were hundreds of cold fish between us 🤣🤮. I can’t stand the smell of fish and I can only imagine what a breath of fresh air I was walking into his shop smelling so heavenly.

This is the most relaxing frag of my wardrobe, absolutely perfect for an evening spray after a stressful day. It opens with a soft scent of creamy almonds and muscs, evocative of a thin layer of precious toscanian earth on a foggy morning in spring. Then comes the sun, after an hour or so, with the growing scents of the finest iris and orange blossom, still enveloped by fading muscs and the green notes of vetiver underlining the floral notes. The remaining skin scent is a gentle (not gourmand) mix of white muscs and flowers with a hint of almonds. This frag illustrates well the skill of Sylvaine for choosing and handling natural ingredients, and I expected nothing less from one of the best noses of the Guerlain house. At Guerlain's this would be one of the better exclusives, like Ame d'un heros she created there. Hope her niche line will stay affordable as I used a quarter of the 100 ml flacon within a week ... could it be slightly addictive?

I love Sylvaine Delacourte. As Guerlains in house perfumer for years, her stamp on that house is indelible. This reminds me more of L'Instant Magic Elixer than L'Instant Magic. It goes creamy where LM goes powdery. I think they are only close enough to give you an idea, but very different scents. At the beginning I get the bergamot and lavender, but that fades fairly soon. What's left is a creamy almond/vanilla, slight heliotrope, very Iris forward scent. I wish the benzoin was heftier, the violet isn't really a huge presence for me either. The clove comes out late, but it's like all the other notes are an underpinning supporting those first three dominating notes. I really enjoy wearing this scent. It's French perfumery at it's most elegant, much like it's creator. I will echo another reviewer, the customer support is outstanding and prices are very reasonable for this quality.

Florentina is a wonderful perfume and I made it my signature scent almost immediately after smelling it! I have hundreds of perfume (samples) and this one just stands out to me. To my nose it smells a lot like a London Fog beverage: I get strong Earl Grey tea notes, mixed with lavender buds and sweet milk. Obviously it's the almond, iris and vanilla at play, but this is the effect on me. Strong but not suffocating performance (a male colleague came into my office just to sniff the air around me and then left saying he just wanted to take in the smell - creepy but kinda cool?). Price is good too, especially for niche. I much prefer this scent to the various Guerlains I have, it feels more natural and full-bodied. Well done Sylvaine, such a beautiful and solid offering!

Florentina is a very subdued fragrance, a shy girl of a scent decked in white cotton, speckled with talc and powdered sugar almonds and carrying a sprig of orange blossom. There’s a vintage feel to it brought on by a air of ‘50’s cosmetics. I bought these directly from the Sylvaine Delacourte website, they had a deal in four travel sizes or two x 15 ml, and this was one of my two. Use code VIP30P to get a 30% discount and free shipping worldwide. I will be getting a full bottle of this because it’s very pleasant, office safe, pretty and comforting. I usually gravitate towards big powerful fragrances with immense personality but this is a really nice alternative for reflective moments.

This is so so pretty, and so in line with what I love in fragrances! I was leery of the musc emphasis, but it stays very balanced here and leans more floral/powdery. Florentina is so similar to many of my loves, but seems to top all of them by fixing what annoys me about them! For example, it's similar to My Queen, but lighter and without the pepper. Like Swan Princess but softer powder and no rubbing alcohol. Like Apres L'Ondee, without the vaseline/carnation. Like Iris Dragees, but lighter on the almond and less soapy. So kind of the best parts of all of those! Violet, Iris, sweet, fresh and powdery. Very daytime, wear anywhere. I absolutely love it!

When I smell this, I imagine sexy black stockings, lacy lingerie and pin-up girls. The powderiness of this perfume makes me think of Dita Von Teese but this strong powderiness also made two of my friends cough (they still said it's a beautiful scent and said it was sexy and has something vintage about it), some people might be allergic to it... At first I felt that this perfume keeps very close to your skin and this is more for your sensual boudoir, but then it got a bit stronger after an hour. Very feminine, luxurious and wears more closer to your skin. It reminds me of L’Instant Magic edp by Guerlain (Sylvaine Delacourte was one of the creators).

This a beautiful bouquet of sweet powdery violet flowers (my favourites), but not the nowadays trendy sweetness and not a baby wipes-powderiness, but made of almond dust and heliotrope. It is nor extremely modern, neither a vintage bomb. It reminds me a lot of "Apres l'ondee" Guerlain with a fine touch of lavender, more intense flowery. This powdery-musky iris I get also from "450" from Farmacia SS. Annunziata. Like a mix of the two. Great longevity (10h) and sillage, no synthetic smell in there. I love it!

Florentina is my favourite from the musks. Powdery, but grown-up, with that hint of spice from the clove, and just so, so comforting. Sylvaine Delacourte wanted these scents to be like 'olfactory pashminas' as she states in the booklet that came with the samples. Soft, elegant and comforting. That is what all of the musks are like, and this one especially. I will be buying this in travel size with Dovana (2x 15ml bottles).

One of my favorites from the musk collection. It opens incredibly spicy and has a somewhat waxy feel. This dissipates somewhat quickly into a lovely lavender mid with a distinctly iris-lipstick feel. The drydown is a warm, clean musk with almond, so it's sweet and warm. Mild projection for an hour or so before becoming a skinscent for 7 or so hours afterward. I love this one. Perfect for spring, summer, and fall.

I have had the pleasure to meet Sylvaine in person. She is a very talented lady, with a lot of knowledge and wisdom. I recently read her book, which I highly recommend!!!! This perfume is one of my favourites in her collection! I was very surprised when I first tried her first collection: none of them 'smelled familiar' to me, meaning I found them original! Definately a perfumer to follow...

If I generously spray it on my scarf and come back in the room 15 minutes later, it’s all about crushed little violet candies on a very powdery base, but my nose gets more of cosmetic face powder than any gourmand flour. As in Météorites, a drop an acidic red fruit supports the mouthwatering purple sweetness. That’s all, and that’s really good.

I got a dicovery set 5 from muscs collection Andi have to say you can see she works for Guerlain Very nice scents all of them Florentina is original powdery musky floral spicy I feel there clove or cumin... Thinking to buy a bottle as i dont own any similar to it and i love podery scent

Florentina opens with a burst of those violet candies, remember in the purple and silver pack, and then goes soft and powdery iris and musk. Love this just wish it lasted longer.

Elegant, soft floral that is like no other. The more I am exposed the more I love this iris fragrance -- and I loathe iris generally. Delacourte has such a talented hand.

Sylvaine Delacourte Florentina is a total powder bomb; you really have to like powder to enjoy this one. But it's a sweet powder (unlike the more bitter powder bomb, Rose Noire, from Giorgio Valenti, that I do so love), presumably from the heliotrope, but maybe also the benzoin and orange blossom. It's very old fashioned and lovely, and very long-lasting, albeit as a skin scent -- but then it's not a big projector even from the get go. What it really reminds me of most is a slightly muskier, gentler version of Oscar de La Renta's gorgeous Esprit d'Oscar, homage to the divine L'Heure Bleue. Personally, I don't think Florentina is doing anything new, or even doing something old better than some of the Oldies But Goodies still do. For my money, I'd just as soon spritz on L'Heure Bleue (which adds a lovely incense note to the powder fest), Esprit d'Oscar, or even Rose Noire when I'm in the mood for powder. Incidentally, I also tried Dovana and Helicriss, also from the Musk collection, and Florentina was definitely prettiest and longer lasting. The other two were gone -- not even skin scents -- within 2-3 hours; very disappointing longevity for something that's not a cheapie. And both of those pack such a punch at first sniff, you would think they might hang around longer.

I think this one is my favorite of all the Sylvaine Delacourte fragrances. It is a bit cloying for me at the start but of the six I’ve tried on skin it has the most addictive and lasting dry down. Will continue to try, and see if there are any environmental effects that make it better or worse. Edit 10/16: I’ve now worn it several times and it is still pretty addictive for me. I think I have gotten past the baby powder vibe because I actually now find this gourmand! I think the almond, violet, vanilla combination just makes this delectable on me, like heavily candied Jordan almonds perhaps? But more complex than that image suggests. I was never a huge fan of L’heure Bleue despite trying to love it and wearing through a small decant; I think this is a more youthful sweeter cousin, and a lot more wearable.

The most gourmand fragrance among the Delacourte musks, but not really a gourmand per se. Florentina reminds me of an old-fashioned doll, it's so innocent, feminine and pastel-hued. If I could repackage this, I would put it into a lilac colored bottle. Almond and iris are the strongest notes right from the start. Violet follows quickly, rounded by the signature SD fluffy musk and a little vanilla and benzoin. This feels as soft as a pillow. It's very powdery and slightly creamy, sweet and subtly warm, never cloying or overwhelming like some other sweet powders can be. Absolutely inoffensive. Florentina is quite linear and not the most exciting fragrance, not as good as Smeraldo and Dovana, but nevertheless very pretty and likeable. While I think I would happily wear it if I had it, I wouldn't buy it.

This perfume takes me far back in time, to Victorian era. Would wear it to the theatre or opera. I immediately imagine innocent girl in a vintage dress as a wearer of this perfume. Very feminine. Opening is powdery & musky but unlike Dovana it is not soapy but floral. Initially I get amber (even though it is not listed) and almond but after several hours iris and lilac (maybe it is heliotrope – I am not sure how it smells like) kick in. Can't complain about lasting power – can still feel it on my wrist after 6 hours. Good scent overall if you like white musk floral. I personally find it ok, don’t hate it but it is lacking a wow-factor. Too mature for me.

From official website: Top notes: Almond, Bergamot. Heart notes: Orange Blossom, Violet, Carnation. Base notes: Vetiver, Iris, Benzoin, Musk. So, no heliotrope or vanilla, nor any spices (the slightly spicy accent must be from the carnation). It feels like a sibling to Villoresi's Musk (replace rose for iris). This is a masterclass to what a powdery musk scent should be. It's perfectly unisex. Also, I don't think it's that close to L'heure bleue. The latter has anise, which takes it into a whole different direction. Fiorentina is much better in fact.

Florentina starts with a very comforting almond, quite gourmand but not cloying. The talc comes out next, with wifts of marzipan as the bitterness of the almond softens. It reminds me of the calisson candy, also like a powdery l'eau d'hiver but without the sharpness and brightness. After it's all settled down Florentina is baby soft, innocent. Always comforting like a cocoon. It is a scent that is very easy to wear. I wish it's more long-lasting on me, for now it's the only thing that's holding me back. You need to like heliotrope.

Yes, well here the notes I have found today on the site of Delacourte. Here below (the other comment) the notes I have found yesterday with my nose. Notes are not ingredients as remind us Matvey Yudov here on Fragrantica about Olfactory Pyramids. And even this actually are a just trace. All modern molecule in all the collection. Same notes that with more or less intensity compose these 5 fragrances. Carnation Benzoin Bergamot Iris Lavender Violet Vetiver Bitter Almond Orange Blossom

This reminds me of The Blue Hour by Guerlain, but it is more vanillic and softer. My husband thinks it smells like vanilla pudding powder and wants me to buy a bottle right now LOL. I like it but it just isn't me. I prefer Dovana from the musk line. This to my nose has a lotion quality to it. It smells like a really fancy French lotion you find in a soft purple packaging. This is very girly, uber feminine. Almost fragile and melancholy.

Florentina is an Iris Heliotrope Almondy fragrance. Persistent traces of violette, rice, talc (borotalco), cotton, and vanilline/praline make this fragrance interesting. Departure very 1800 powder, perdure all time a very light make-up lipstick lotion sensation, became a bit more modern, cottony and gourmand step by step. Eatable. Sugary almonds. Very nice. It smell like pink oleander after a while. I love that.

I absolutely love the iris and almond combo! It's such a nice floral perfume. For me it's a bit too powdery and too floral, however. I love when almonds combine with sugary sweets and fruits, and I think I am missing a bit of that gourmand side. The fragrance also smells like a lipstick or high-end skincare. I thik the violet often creates that luxury effect.

Cloves, iris, vanilla, almonds. The heliotrope develops much later. There is a little greenness from the vetiver. A bit like a light Dyptique.. I pick up very little bergamot and no lavender. As pretty as this is, Florentina sits too close to the skin, for me to need a bottle of it.

My favourite of the musks so far, a sugared almond violet softly tempered with musk, vanilla and carnation. Delicate, warm and sitting close on the skin, this is a pretty yet sexy perfume.

Initial personal thought: oh wow, this smells like a baby When the boyfriend came home from work an hour later and gave me hug, his first words were, "You smell like a baby."

Opens with a comforting talc and settles into a soft, pillowy, creamy musk. Very long-lasting. I might get this for days where I want to feel comforted.

The fragrance evokes a light, airy feeling, with a prominent musk note and a soft, floral background of violet and heliotrope. The powdery iris and almond add to the feminine, comforting vibe of the scent. While it is elegant and pleasant, it may not be particularly unique or attention-grabbing. It's a suitable fragrance for warmer days when you want something soft and delicate.

Soft talcum powder with a creamy drydown. The iris and the violet notes are very present. The drydown slightly reminds me of candied almonds.I was not impressed by this one, also lasting power is very poor.

This one freaks me out a little bit. It's an uncomfortable smell and I can't see me wearing it due to a combination of powdery florals and a strange almond note. I'm sure I heard once that some poison like strychnine or Cyanide smells/tastes sweet like almonds (am I making that up?) but this has that deadly darkness to it, despite being a mild, appealing musky vanilla on the surface. Wouldn't surprise me if there's heliotrope in here as I always get a little creeped out by it. This is strange thing like a siren beckoning a weary sailor, you know you shouldn't but but something in you lusts after it. Having said all that, there's a lot to love, the opening had me pretty floored with a lovely almost fruity notes. My tastes just won't allow for it as I ultimately find it repellent, cloying and unwearable. It's funny because most of the time bases aren't the issue and even the worst top and heart notes can subside to a nice base but when it's the other way around there's no escaping the fact that I don't enjoy it.

My least favorite of the collection. Too darn spicy and extremely powdery.

Makes me think of porcelain dolls, linens and lace. powder. Powder. Violets. Crisp notes doused in sweet helitropic density, maybe too much of it. Like the smell you'd have in your drawer chest if your time measure is years instead of months. A mindset that seems lost now. What do I mean? It's the idea of "clean" but conveyed in a highly passionate way instead of the sterile soap and laundry white musks we are now used to. As much as it speaks of cleanliness, it is also about innocence in the old-fashioned sense of the word. L'Heure Bleue is a good starting point to reference Florentina: pure, a bit detached and a bit sad, some suppressed mild neuroticism here and there maybe, but on the surface it's all about calmness of an almost hypnotic, drug-induced nature. Violets, iris, heliotrope, maybe lavender. As always, I keep asking myself what is it in this particular bouquet that creates a dreamlike longing for something lost, a small bit of unexplained melancholic sadness that actually comforts you? Is it a purely cultural European Old World Belle Epoque Golden Age thing, or is it universal? Is it some smells I catched here and there through the years, or is it something else? On the scale of one to ten, how much subjectiveness does this hold?

I'll say, with the exception of Helicriss (which I found interesting but kind of gross), the musk collection from SD knocks it out of the park for me. All four are variations on the same kind of clean, slightly yeasty, slightly sweet, otherwise indescribable musk. I could wear these every day and be happy. I smell Florentina as a softer-around-the-edges version of Smeraldo (I believe Irene Farmachidi is behind both). Botanical and pretty with a backbone. I'm not a fan of almond, but I do really like what the almond adds to Florentina. Overall, i find the formula well-blended; looking at the list of notes, I can isolate and identify each one, but none stands out on its own- they work very harmoniously together. Sillage is reasonable and longevity is good! I don't think I could justify more than one full-size purchase from the SD musk collection- it's *almost* a toss-up between Florentina and Smeraldo, but at the end of the day, I think Smeraldo is a little more dynamic and interesting.

I rarely buy full bottles. Between what I already have, the samples I'm working through, the little decants I collect here and there and the extensive library of perfumes I make myself, I will never go through everything in a lifetime or two. BUT. Florentina is such a lovely, comforting, delicate, soothing scent that I bought a full bottle. The bottle is a rounded shape that feels delightful in the hand, it came in a rose-gold metal box with paper ephemera themed to the scent and it it's just lovely. Soft almond, light musk, slightly powdery (but not so much that this definite powder-hater shies away from it) lovely on all fronts. Florentina is flat out gorgeous. I disagree that it smells like baby powder, but perhaps it does on the reviewer who found it so. I abhore baby powder and baby lotion scents so this would be anathma to me were it so. On me, it's a comforting soft almond blanket.

I am a big fan of violet perfumes and have a fair few. This is one of my favourites. I would definitely say it is a violet perfume rather than an iris one, in that I do not get that austere, dryness that is characteristic of iris for me. This is sweeter, more fluffy and cloud-like. That I suppose can be attributed to the heliotrope and almond combo which creates the powdery, fluffy feeling and violet which gives the sweetness. It is rather like the expensive lotion of your dreams (which I have yet to find!). The musk is very gentle and ‘white’, there is nothing animalic about it. It is quite similar to Dans Tes Bras except that it is much cleaner and sweeter. It also reminds me very strongly of something I wore in the 1980’s. I think it may be Vanderbilt. Sillage is moderate and longevity is very good. Suitable for all occasions and leans slightly feminine because of the sweetness.

I have a feeling I'm going to like this considering it's coming from the house of the woman who created the best violet fragrance ever, Insolence. I'm positive she wouldn't release a purple floral scent that didn't come across feminine and beautiful. I love violets but I learned through my violet journey that it is a tricky note that has to be blended with soft, powdery sweet notes for it to not coming across too earthy and leathery but if overblended, can also be easily stiffled and buried under other notes. There are very few well done violet scents and I've discovered Insolence (all versions) are the best versions of candied violets. My next favorites are The Virgin Violet and Celeste by G. Di Toscana. Looking forward to trying this and smelling a beautiful purple floral perfume that I hope I will love enough to add to my ever-growing collection.

I’ve got a small partial bottle left, around 20-25 ml and every time I revisit it, I’m reminded of just how beautiful this floral composition really is. The iris–violet–heliotrope–orange blossom blend, wrapped in soft vanilla, is absolutely divine. It’s elegant, powdery, slightly sweet and unmistakably feminine... which makes it a bit challenging for me to wear confidently as a man. Still, that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it. I often find myself giving it a quiet sniff within the comfort of my own four walls, appreciating its delicacy and charm in private. It’s one of those scents that you may not wear often, or perhaps will never will, but you treasure nonetheless. Maybe on my next trip overseas, I’ll pass it on to my sister - I think she’d wear it beautifully.

The creator's philosophy is to create comforting soothing scents, not loud "in your face" noises. Well done. This soft powdery flowery fragrance reminds me of Artemisia by Penhaligon's, they both have a bit of nail polish smell. This, however, is a higher quality and a better performer IMO. Imagine a quite, gentle her (or him) in a cafe on a sunny morning, reading their notebook. Those people who are polite, not eager to impress, just enjoying life peacefully, this is how they smell like! :D The price is slightly high for my liking but I will use my voucher to get a bottle of this or Osiris.

I believe i saved the best for last! This is by far the best fragrance of the line. Calming almonds slightly creamy powder with tender vanilla and hazy musk on the background. Quite delicate and sexy to be frank. then something slightly sour and myrrh like comes in and combine with the almonds creating a slightly weird blend! but the almonds vanilla powder remains there but kind of weaker than the top note. It is quite sexy and delicate, i believe i need this to add to my collection! cause i don't have delicate fragrance so far, something could be quite sexy like this one here.

Florentina is Sylvaine Delacourte’s slightly updated version of Guerlain L’Heure Bleue. It is a little less dusty and smoky, and a bit more almondy, but the essence of LHB is unmistakably present in it. I have nothing bad to say about Florentina, except that it is completely unoriginal. Update: I am now wearing Florentina on my right hand against L'Heure Bleue on my left hand and, what can I say, LHB wins hands down. Yes, it is retro, and dusty, and perfumey, but that's exactly what makes it so great. Florentina comes off as a very pale photocopy, deprived of any character.

I really wanted to love this. 🥺. It could be my tastes changing perhaps? I normally love a soft powdery fragrance. I'm finding this to have a stuffy, dusty quality. Like the smell of sitting at the back of a bus on a hot day. Quite icky. Now it's not the first 'soft powdery' to make me feel this way recently. So there's every chance that it's my nose at fault! Objectively speaking, this is a soft powdery (very baby powder) with a subtle spicy edge. One spray from a sample bottle has lasted all day at a medium-close silage. I could even smell a trace after my bath tonight.

Sylvaine Delacourte relaunched online in late 2025 (https://www.delacourte.com/en). Only five of the original 15 perfumes are now available ( (Dovana, Florentina, Osiris, Vahina, and Valkyrie), and so far only in 30 ml (not 100 ml), but fortunately for me, the list includes three of my four Delacourte favorites. For my location, shipping has increased, but the price of the fragrance has decreased, so total for fragrance + shipping was around $80 at the end of 2025--only a few dollars more than my 2024 price. And Florentina seems to smell the same!

I can smell all the dominant notes in this composition: almond, violet and heliotrope, sweetened with vanilla and iris into a soft powder. Feels like a masterful blend but it doesn’t last long: 90 minutes before turning into a skin scent (I always add that it’s no fault of the perfumer as my skin is a sponge). It does remind me of Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue, so I won’t be considering a purchase since I already own this perfume. And L’Heure Bleue is a better performer, lasting much longer on my skin.

My favourite of the lot. It's where you can most see Sylvaine's influence from Guerlain (without all in all copying or taking too much influence). Iris done right, I have to say. The almonds and musk give this fragrance a longer lasting effect than the other scents, pushing it into the 4-6 hour range. The iris is almost fruity, fairly similar to the iris in Insolence, Apres L'Onder, or Coty's L'Aimant or L'Heure Bleue. Powdery, very floral. A bit spicy. I'd buy this.

At first I was getting Grey Flannel, which I dislike, due to the big iris, so I put this one back in my cute little cardboard pack and moved along. But now that I have been through the vanillas and come back to this, I really like it. Soft, creamy, musky, irisy. My favorite vanilla, btw, is Vahina, and I am not sure of my favorite musk. It could be this one or Lilylang, which is a clever name for working in the ylang ylang.

This is a very elegant and soothing fragrance; I imagine a lady dressed in a flowing white silk dress, slowly descending down the stairs in an opulent ballroom full of chandeliers and crystals... Iris is the star player of this well-blended perfume; I can only detect hints of almond and violet other than this. The other notes simply melt into the background to provide a calming, harmonious accord.

Iris, heliotrope, almond and musk all add up to one thing on me: musky baby powder. Bit weird, it makes me uncomfortable somehow. Like those old Love's Baby Soft ads with the woman dressed as a "sexy baby." Though it doesn't smell like Baby Soft. I just don't care for the juxtaposition. I do see the comparisons to L'heure Bleue. This is updated, not quite as musty. Still. Not my thing.

One review calls this "a ladies' powder - no baby powder about it; an aristocratic, powdery iris that Proust’s heroines would have loved." I usually like more straightforward reviews, but when I read that, I immediately imagined always wanting to wear this while reading my favorite old victorian novels. This is somehow an 'at home' perfume. Really quite beautiful.