Gardenia

I received this perfume as a gift when I was in middle school (I'm now a senior in high school, so about 3 or 4 years ago) and so I can't remember what it smelled like brand new. But, I do distinctly remember being complimented on it many times. I still have the bottle, and though it's obviously aged quite a bit (it's a much more amber color than it was when I got it) it still smells FANTASTIC! It's also got pretty good staying power; on me, it lasts about 5-6 hours, starting out heady and pleasant and softening as time goes on. I'll try to describe what it smells like... It's very floral, but there's a distinct depth to it. It's hard to explain, it's a kind of deepness to the floral that is more mature and straightforward than the flowery-fruity teen perfumes I smell on some of the younger girls at my school. The perfume has a sharp and exotic (maybe tropical is a better word) tinge to the floral, and for me it smells kind of a warm spice. Perhaps that's what gardenia naturally smells like...and if it does...AMAZING! I can't guarantee that this perfume is for everyone. It's a single-note perfume, meaning that there's no degrees or layers of scent. But for me, it's a lovely and timeless perfume, and I just ordered my second bottle! I couldnt find it in any stores, so I just ordered mine on Amazon, which is pretty cheap (about $20 including shipping). Oooh, another thing! It's a small bottle, but it's very concentrated, so a dab behind the ears and on the insides of my elbows is enough to last me all day! So don't let the size of the bottle sway your opinion of it! Thanks for listening!

When I visited a souvenir shop in Hawaii on a family trip in 2005, it was this TerraNova gardenia that captivated me. I have perfume oil, not the spray type shown in the photo. I didn't even know the name of the flower Gardenia yet, but the beautiful scent of the golden liquid in that small bottle stopped me in my tracks. I really wanted to have that beautiful scent for myself, so I remember begging my father for it. Since then, I have continued to search for tuberose scents using this as my starting point. ...Yeah, I thought it was strange, I bought gardenia oil at the time, so why am I finding the same scent in tuberose perfume? I found out the reason here, thank you. And...20 years later, in 2025, I still have that bottle in my possession. I don't use it, but I only smell it, but the beautiful scent and golden oil are still the same as they were back then. A rich tuberose scent. If I picked a lot of tuberose flowers, spread them out, and lay down in them, I'm sure I would smell something like this. The scent of tuberose is concentrated in just one drop. The scent of white flowers is overwhelming. However, it is not sweet, nor is it pretentious, but it is the scent of dignified fresh flowers. I feel this same scent in Tuberosis Laboratorio Olfattivo. It is so similar that I think that if you put this oil in alcohol and shake it well, you can make Tuberosis.

I have both the TerraNova Gardenia and Tuberose Perfume Essences, and they are both delicious; however if you are expecting gardenia from the Gardenia or tuberose from the Tuberose, you're in for dissapointment. We all know gardenia can't be extracted from the plant so it has to be reconstructed using different notes, in this case they used a massive dose of tuberose (you can smell the menthol clearly) and what I believe to be green jasmine to give the impression of gardenia. So no Kai or Monyette here, however this is my favorite of the two, it's just misnamed. The Tuberose one has a bunch of notes that mimic the tuberose flower for about 10 seconds in the opening and then it makes a 180 and resembles a fruity, citrusy rose, similar to Rose d'Ete by Rosine. At these prices I'd say completely worth it, one of the most underrated oils out there.

It seems pure and delicous...but where can I find the brand "Terranova"?I've never found it in the perfume shops i usually go to.Thanks for any help :-)

It seems that you can get all of the TerraNova products online. This review is for the Perfume Essence and the Cologne Mist pictured above. There's not too much difference in the two, only that the perfume is a bit stronger. Both tend to last quite a long time on the skin, and are, in my opinion, very beautiful. Is it a real gardenia? Well, no. Most perfumes with that name aren't, but some come closer than others. TerraNova here is really a big, fat tuberose. It starts with a strong blast of green tea that lasts a pretty long time. It's very clean, refreshing and lovely. Some other notes listed on the bottle are peony, lotus and lemongrass. I'm guessing that these were chosen to try and get the ever elusive creamy "green" note that is a hallmark of the gardenia flower. These notes, in combination with the beautiful tuberose at the heart of this perfume, do seem to suggest a big creamy gardenia in bloom - "suggest" being the operative word here. Tuberose is itself a very "creamy" smelling flower, which is one of the main reasons it is chosen so often in gardenia creations - this, cleverly coupled with carefully chosen "green" notes can end up being very gardenia - like. I noticed that TerraNova also sells a Tuberose Perfume Essence. I've not tried that. I'd be interested to know how similar/different it is from the Gardenia. Another note of interest - I happen to be sampling Annick Goutal's Gardenia Passion at the same time as the TerraNova, and they have remarkable similarities in their respective dry downs. The TerraNova is a much stronger perfume, but after about an hour, I could tell very little difference in the two. The TerraNova is sort of like a Gardenia Passion on speed. Both have that vegetal/tuberose profile, and both are quite lovely.

For folks who want a realistic gardenia at a great price, Terra Nova's Gardenia perfume oil and lotion are spectacular. I have the perfume oil, a few dabs garner a realistic gardenia perfume - lush, wet, green stems with gardenia and tuberose petals. This perfume would garner compliments from everyone, young, old, people on the street, and my hubby, who normally doesn't dig floral perfumes on me. I also like this layered over China Rain for a more musky/LOV take.