Moon Carnival

I received a 2ml sample of this perfume in my Liberty subscription box and was quickly blown away by it. Clearly, I was not alone in this sentiment, as it had sold out when I tried to purchase it shortly afterward online. I had to wait till today - a few weeks later - to nab a full-size bottle. Hooray - no more rationing of my sample now! On first spray I get a very brief pop of twinkly, fruity top notes; probably the passion fruit with an underlying hint of bergamot - enough to get the nose twitching. But the florals almost instantly follow - with freesia initially riding the waves of a tuberose that dances over the top throughout the perfume lifecycle. On my skin, this floral wash is beautifully underpinned by strong lactonic accords; a lovely milky, sexy, skin-clingy, sweet muskiness that puts me in mind of the dry down for Fragonard - with a smell reminiscent of a newborn baby, taking a nap after bathtime followed by a liberal dusting of talc. Yes, I admit it - there is a powdery element to Moon Carnival that instantly places it in the more mature female bracket. But whilst it's a scent I suspect would not appeal to those more "cutting edge" and under 30, by no stretch of the imagination does it give "old lady vibes" as one rather critical reviewer put it! By mature, I mean that to me it smells like a classic; a soft, musky and creamy skin-clinger that lasts a good few hours on my skin, and makes me feel as sexy as hell.

There's no coconut listed in the note? For me, this fragrance smells like tuberose + coconut dessert! The tuberose essence is not bubblegum-y. It is as if freshly extracted from the flower. If coconut is a ghost note here, gardenia is on the cast list but never shows up. Jean Claude-Ellena praised Chanel Gardenia in his book as his favorite reinvention of this flower. That fragrance is a drama played out somewhere between jasmine and tuberose. It does not smell of the flower but of happiness. Given the release date of many tuberose and gardenia fragrances, some reviewers associate these notes with aged women, however not at all for me. I am simply obsessed with their mesmerizing, sensual, and cheerful quality. In terms of creativity, Moon Carnival is not ground-breaking. It sits in the same realm as FM Carnal Flower, D.S. & Durga Durga, and Nasomatto Narcotic V, but is a slight gourmand variation. Carnal Flower and Durga are loftier, more like a deep pocket; whereas Narcotic V and Moon Carnival are more approachable and girly. Among these four, Moon Carnival has the weakest sillage and longevity. Even it is not the world's most unique, most beast-mode fragrance, I still NEED it in my collection, all blame to its superb packaging design. Being fragrant is an experience, and the bottle is part of that.

The ONE tuberose fragrance I will never live without! I've been on an extensive tuberose fragrance bender to locate a few tuberose-centric fragrances I love. Nishane "Tuberoza," Amouage "Love Tuberose" and THIS...Vilhelm "Moon Carnival!" Moon Carnival is an intoxicating fragrance. The opening is a perfectly executed mix of citrus, freesia and white florals. There's tuberose for sure. But the exquisitely balanced and perfectly blended notes create a supreme, white-floral, heady fragrance experience that has depth but remains airy at the same time... Despite its intense opening, Moon Carnival quickly settles close-to-the skin. Within minutes of applying, Moon Carnival wears as an ethereal, dreamy, gauzy, gentle white floral fragrance with a bit of powderiness, some creamy marshmallow, vanilla, a bit of tonka earthiness. And the DRY-DOWN!!! OMG...the dry-down is a melange of perfectly blended florals supported by slightly sweet marshmallow, vanilla and tonka. The addition of tonka grounds and balances the sweet base notes, so the fragrance never slips into juvenile silliness. Purchased a gently used, like new 100ml bottle off Mercari at a great price!! THIS! Moon Carnival! LOVE!

This is a beautifully blended white floral + vanilla fragrance. It's a little more unique in that it doesn't smell just like anything from the "Reminds Me Of" section above (which I love). Overall this is a softer fragrance, but still gives a nice silage with a good amount of sprays. It opens with freesia & some green nuances. Feels fresh and uplifting. I also get the tuberose too, but it's a softened tuberose note (reminding me more of the tuberose in Fracas)... I do not specifically get passion fruit - that note can be annoying if overdone, but here it is dialed back. As it dries down it becomes sweeter. I do get the marshmallow note but it's intermingling with the florals and vanilla too. The green accord I felt in the opening dissipates quite a bit as it sweetens up, but it's still there slightly. This is one of the best "fresh" florals that I've tried. Great for warm weather. It doesn't go too fresh & green - or sickeningly sweet either. This would make a great bridal fragrance in the Spring. It is feminine and lovely, modern take on a tuberose fragrance.

Among many other samples, I fell in love with Moon Carnival. It is absolutely well-blended, as other reviews note, and while many fragrances become skin scents instantly for me, MC retains sillage for a good couple of hours. For me, the experience of perfume is 80% the scent itself, 15% the bottle, and 5% the name. "Moon Carnival" is a stand-out for many reasons, but even with such a great name and bottle, I was wary of the fragrance living up to my preconceptions. It definitely has. MC has depth without being heavy; it's pretty, yet not terribly sweet. The marshmallow base is definitely there, and grounds the experience, which for me is a complex floral intertwined with bergamot– one of my favorite notes. I would call MC more than pleasant, unique, and luxurious without being pretentious. I think it would smell great on the right sort of man, but it almost beckons to be worn with a light dress. I would wear this anywhere, anytime. Think "The Night Circus" rather than an actual alien fair on the moon.

When I was young, my perfume introduction was almost exclusively comprised of Avon perfume ordered through my grandmother's hairdresser/Avon lady, who put my Nana's hair in curlers every couple months or so and sent her home with a box of hand cream, catalogues, and lip balm. My favorite of the Avon perfumes I ended up with was Flower by Cynthia Rowley, and I've been on the hunt for a comparable fragrance (in a less cheap-looking bottle) since it was discontinued. This one scratches the itch. I think what does it for me is the combination of tuberose, gardenia, and freesia. I will say, Moon Carnival's marshmallow note is particularly strong on my skin. While not listed, I'm getting a gummy, green patchouli. The gardenia is also particularly green on my skin. Medium lasting power and medium sillage. I think it's a perfect year-round floral. Definitely a unique white floral, and you can't beat the name! Just magical.

I'm surprised by how much I like this! It's not as sweet and heady as I expected it to be. I'm a big fan of white florals but extremely picky. On my skin, there is no "old lady/mature" or powder vibes to be seen! THANKFULLY!!! It's just a pretty blend of creamy white florals with a really nice base of sweetness from the marshmallow and vanilla. As it developed it started to remind me of VC&A California Reverie! A more refined, "graceful" sister of it. CR is my ride or die floral, I will always have a bottle of that in my rotation and because of the similarities in the two, I'm considering a full bottle of this! The projection and longevity were impressive. It out performed Poets of Berlin! The three that I've tried from this house definitely feel like "easy wear" fragrances but not mainstream (lookin at you PDM!) They have a 3 for $15 sample set on the website, it's absolutely worth trying out.

I love this perfume so much. After reading the notes I didn’t think I would be so into it, bc Im not exactly a tuberose gal, but there is something so comforting about this fragrance. Theres nothing sharp about this, its the very first time I’ve been able to understand when somebody says that a floral is “creamy.” Its SO pretty, the best way I can describe it is: it smells like how flower petals feel. Soft, white, dewy, airy, clean, fluffy, ever so slightly sweet. I’m a big fan! Update: I wore only couple sprays of this to work bc Ive been obsessed with it. I start my shift at 7 and at midnight my 11yo patient told me I smelled like a baby lmao. It didnt sound like an insult, but it felt like it! I still like it, but now I know Im walkin around smelling like a baby.

I bought a 2ml tester of this to try and omg this is the most gorgeous white floral scent I've ever tried. It's so beautiful. The freesia in this is heavenly. You really can smell it along with the gardenia and tuberose. I can't pick up the marshmallow nor the tonka bean at all though. But a hint of vanilla in the dry down makes this airy, heavenly, white floral so creamy and rounds it together so well. I can totally see how Moon Carnival comes in for the name. Smelling this, it makes me think of a large open green field in late spring/early summer. The grass is a bit dewy, the sun is nearly down, and you can smell the freesia in the air as you breathe in the beautiful scent in the air. Airy, clean, and simply beautiful freesia blend.

Ahhh Moon Carnival. I adore this perfume deeply. The first time I smelled it, I HAD to have it. I’ll start with the negatives - I think the longevity for the price tag is a shame, it definitely needs regularly re-application. The positives are...Well, everything else. This is a DOMINANT white floral with a green sharpness to it. It’s as though you cut the stem from the plant yourself. It then becomes beautiful and creamy, almost a banana-ry like sweetness to it which is likely coming from the tuberose. Its powdery dry down feels as though this perfume bordered on the vintage. Overall it genuinely makes me happy and I find myself sniffing the bottle every time I walk past. If you love heavy white florals, you will adore this.

This is so magical, gentle and beautiful. The name suits this perfume so well. Imagine attending mysterious enchanting night carnival under full moon in a secret forest... Firstly, the scent starts almost cold and fresh feeling with bergamot and different white flowers...but as the “carnival goes on” things start to warm up quite a lot and you start picking up more sweetness from vanilla, tonka bean and marshmallows. Those must be a sweet treats for the visitors of “carnival”. This perfumes perform really well on my skin, it lasted well over 6 hours. But I have to say it sits closer to skin. Which is fine with me, as long as I can still enjoy this moon carnival. 100% safe blind buy if you like white flowers

instantly a very warm and slightly sweet scent. after a moment, some woody scents come though (probably the tonka beans). the marshmallow seems subtle but in reality it is providing that smooth aspect to the scent along with the vanilla. the florals provide a lighthearted air that contrasts well with the sexy bottom notes. on me , this smells like warm and sweet flowers. i’ve seen comparison between moon carnival and tocca florence. while they both have white floras, florence shouts white floral and only white floral, while moon carnival blends the white florals with a lovely softness. i only wear florence when i want to smell like a garden. moon carnival is a much more complex scent with softer notes.

I love tuberose, marshmallow and vanilla and all of that comes together in this beautiful fragrance. I can definitely understand the comparisons to Narcotic V, which is also one of my favorite tuberose fragrances, but that one is really floral and slightly fresher, whereas this one leans a bit more towards gourmand. It is definitely sweet, I would say a bit bubblegummy. The marshmallow, vanilla and tonka base makes this suitable for colder days, but the tuberose gives it a spring feeling and the passionfruit adds something exotic. Quite a feminine fragrance. I don't think many men would like to wear this. Full bottle worthy for me!

I love this. On my skin, Moon Carnival is a marshmallow-y sweet freesia with a side of tuberose. This is far from overwhelmingly sweet though. The freesia is incredibly fresh. It is definitely the prevailing note in this fragrance. If you love freesia, you will love this fragrance. But if you dislike it, or are indifferent to it, you should definitely stay far away from it. Wearing this fragrance, you will absolutely be a refreshing ray of springtime sunshine each time that you walk into a room. I know that white flower fragrances can be a bit polarizing. But Moon Carnival is a love for me.

Moon Carnival is a fragrance that unlocks nostalgic childhood memories, though I can’t quite pinpoint what. It’s super fruity, reminiscent of bubble gum, and features florals that are anything but typical—there’s something ethereal and fairy-like about it. The freesia note stands out, bringing back Y2K nostalgia, similar to Britney Spears’ Midnight Fantasy but less sour cherry and more creamy, sweet, and soft. It’s incredibly good! The scent is fluffy, thanks to the marshmallow, and has a cloudy, dreamy quality. Update: 12/26 Kind of has a undertone that reminds me of my grandma.

My first thoughts: I'm immediately reminded of the discontinued Gardenia Lily from Bath & Body Works that my mom used to wear in the early 2000's. The freesia and bergamot are so sparkly and clear, they practically tingle with life, then they fade back into the florals at the heart. The dry-down was subtle, fluffy marshmallow and vanilla. The fragrance makes this beautiful transition from clear as glass, crisp, bright, and glittering, to a creamy fluffiness that lingers lightly on the skin. Really gorgeous. I do wish the longevity was better.

This is a stunning perfume. I was a bit wary of it, because some of the notes could have leaned too sweet for my liking, but the freesia and bergamot cut through the vanilla, marshmallow, gardenia, and tuberose like a knife. So balanced, so pretty. It pulls a slight spiciness on my skin that is so beautifully juxtaposed against the buttery florals. The only downside is that it smells a lot like Ralph Lauren Woman Intense. If the price tag for this is too high for you, check out Woman Intense. Totally suitable swap.

Finally a tuberose for my sensibilities! No bubblegum, not too sweet (and natural-ish, white floral sweet, not sugary candy sweet). If you're here for the trendy super sweet/fluffy marshmallow vibes don't bother with this. This is much better than those IMO. The marshmellow isn't the star of the show but it keeps things interesting. The freesia, citrus and tangy fruity top notes somehow keep this fresh enough to the very end. It's a unique floral. Not a gourmand. - the only marshmallow I've loved.

We are in the last weeks of winter and it is 85 degrees here in Los Angeles. February 28th... I’m in the back seat of an Uber on my way to see my grandmother who is in the hospital. I am holding back tears and anxious as can be. This perfume is bringing me peace and keeping me together as it invokes a sense of calmness that I really need right now. Moon Carnival, you will be a part of my story forever and I thank you for being here for me in this moment.

Absolutely beautiful. Moon carnival is feminine and magical! As a florist, I’m a sucker for floral scents but this one is beautifully complex. A gorgeous mix of fresh florals that lay on a bed of vanilla. Not too sweet like a gourmand but a floral vanilla that gives a subtle fluffy feel to the scent. The layering gives it a whimsical feeling that I just love. Plus I love the scent of freesia! It makes me feel feminine but in the way that the moon does.

Smells like a princess flowers in her hair dancing on fluffy marshmallow clouds. White florals, puffy sweet marshmallow. Creamy and smooth. I get more tuberose than gardenia, lots of marshmallow sweetness. And there’s a tropical undercurrent that can feel like coconut but I think it’s the passion fruit. For me this is a big yes, even tho I’m not that into white florals. Perfect for spring summer.

A beautiful, creamy white floral. I can’t get enough of this scent. I wear it in the summertime, because the heat adds a softness to the perfume. It mellows out throughout the day and reveals a subtle sweetness. You need to be a tuberose lover to enjoy this. The passion fruit and bergamot add a brightness, but the heart notes are what really stand out. I adore Moon Carnival.

The white florals in Moon Carnival are definitely the star of the show, then there’s a punch of brightness from the passionfruit and bergamot, and a softness from the marshmallow and tonka. This is a fragrance that envelopes you like a cloud. Think Do Son, but a bit more whimsical. Delicate, feminine and so fun to wear. I am in love with it. 10/10

holy and benevolent. the most beautiful white floral perfume i have ever known. so gentle and candied in the gourmand base and the juicy bright opening at the top. smells like a beautiful day in the spring as you get ready to go on a date to the butterfly garden. there was just something about this i completely drank up. need to get another asap.

So gorgeous!! It’s a beautiful, fluffy, airy floral. I’m imagining soft, white flowers. Tuberose and gardenia are the most prominent in this, but it’s balanced with some fruitiness from the passionfruit and subtle sweetness from the vanilla. There’s also a mild greenness in the background. Added immediately to my full bottle wishlist.

My favorite moon related fragrance. I wear it for Moon Day (Monday.) It gives me something to look forward to when I wake up on Monday morning and think, "It's Monday! Time to put on Moon Carnival!" I had a candle of this too but I used it up. I am planning to visit the Vilhelm counter tomorrow and get a refill.

Imagine you’re running through an enchanted garden in the middle of the night barefoot wearing a flowy chiffon gown. That’s what this perfume makes me think of. It’s sweet and a little mysterious. The white florals are stunning alongside the sweeter base notes. Perfect for a date night or late night escapade.

I don't really care for really powdery white florals, but this is like tuberose whipped cream to me. I don't detect the fruity notes per se, but I think they combine to give the fragrance a bit of freshness in the opening. Longevity is moderate on my skin. This is one of my favorite Vilhelm fragrances.

Very beautiful and young white floral. But it smells EXACTLY like Kim Kardashian 2009, Nishane Tuberoza, and Nasomatto's Narcotic Venus. If you own any of those, you already own this. It is very pretty, but it has a more designer vibe, not niche. Vilhelm is still one of my all-time favorite houses.

This smells so ethereal and reminds me of a garden party. I'm not sure if I'd get a full bottle having smelled Diptyque's Do Son EDP (same performance as this, and both ethereal-like), and Nasomatto Narcotic V. (which is the most ethereal and the best performing out of the 3).

I wanted to try this forever mostly because of the name. I’m so happy I loveee this on my skin. Beautiful scent. Light airy and sweet. Trying to choose between this and poets of berlin is going to be tough as I think the price is too high for both

I’ve always loved this perfume. It reads incredibly sweet on me, almost like I’m surrounded by sweet tarts (little heart shaped candies and all). This perfume is fun, whimsical, and delicious and a favorite of all the Vilhelm perfumes I’ve tried.

I just received a sample of this and it's just beautiful. You get the tuberose and it reminds me of FM Carnal Flower but nowhere near as strong. It really is a lovely fragrance that perfectly mixes the sexy with the gentle. Full bottle worthy

I know that this is “basic” but I’m in love and I can’t explain. It tickles my brain, fires my happy neurons. This smells like something from my childhood. One of my friends house from the 90s. It’s very nostalgic. It’s very fresh and happy.

Such a wonderful delight. A bright green citrus and a warm sweet floral. Will be in my spring and summer rotation for sure! It reminds me of my childhood but I cant place where I've smelt it before.

I absolutely love this fragrance. It is a beautiful, airy floral scent. Offers a strong scent bubble and just makes me happy when I wear it. It makes me feel pretty. My favorite of this house!

A delightful creamy tuberose! It's super feminine on me. It can be a little overbearing if it's oversprayed but when it's worn lightly it's absolutely beautiful!

A great floral full of Tuberose and other white flowers. Let's have fun and dance across the moon upon a summers evening.

Such a yummy, dreamy tuberose scent! The dry down slightly smells like lucky charms marshmallows, and I love it!

Gardenia bomb (laudatory) I might actually like this more than Gucci Bloom, which is saying something

This is the closest tuberose I’ve found to Michael by Michael Kors. Exact same vibe.

It's smells like a citrus and yellow bright flowers. Similar to Gucci Bloom.

My fav from this house! Pretty floral that is very unique.

the best tuberouse even created. 10/10

This is Another beautiful fragrance im glad I tried from the brand after revisiting them, but I must urge discretion if you're not a fan Tuberose, as you REALLY have to like Tuberose to like this 😭, I personally love it (when it's not cloying), but I can see how someone would despise this if they didn't like the note. It starts off with a fresh and sweet punch of fruitiness (I mainly get a lot of Banana and some passionfruit without the tangyness), accentuated by the star of the show which is Tuberose, after it starts to dry down, the fruitiness mellows out and attaches to the tuberose to give it an added tinge of fruityness+freshness, with a sweet yet understated Vanilla + soft florals joining in to make up the main scent profile it retains for the rest of the wearing; as a Guy I really like this scent profile but id never wear it publicly personally, but i would adore smelling it on a Woman. In terms of wearability this very much leans casual over formal imo, and it could be an excellent dumb reach fragrance for casual settings in general, id say its also relegated only to Spring, Summer(as long as it isn't blistering hot) and Autumn, with it very much being catered to women as stated above and seen in the consensus among the votes. Projection on my skin was firmly moderate with it becoming more of a skin scent after 5 or so hours but I was happy with its consistency in its staying power, and in terms of longevity it stayed on my skin for about 6-7 hours with it being nigh unnoticeable approaching 7. Overall despite quite liking this, I dont have much else to say tbh lmao, it's a good fruity (Banana-Passionfruit) Tuberose fragrance that has a beautiful vanilla floral base, with the high quality also being apparent in every whiff. Memorable, Uplifting, Invigorating. Final score is a 7.6/10

As a white floral lover, this is gorgeous. The freesia is most apparent at the opening, Gardenia in the mid and tuberose at drydown. These flowers are balanced and blended to perfection so that none overpowers the others at any point. I detect a soft fruity nuance, but nothing specific to me. This is mostly about the flowers with a touch of sweetness in the base. It is soft and high quality. It's not as rich and buttery as say, Saks For Her. I have and adore that perfume, but it's as full-on, candied tuberose as it goes. This here is more subdued and refined. There's an almost effervescent quality that keeps it lifted and never suffocating, as tuberose sometimes can be. Though not heavy, it does project and persist. I still smell it on my skin the next day after a whole day's wear. Speaking of drydown, this is a lovely example of how a perfume should fade. It never goes stale or musty on the skin as it loses its top notes. It retains a refined pureness throughout the entirety of its wear, which just speaks to quality. This was a blind full bottle purchase and I don't regret it. I love it more each time it touches my skin.

If there's one word I can use to describe this, it's soft. It's a woman with bleach blonde hair in rollers in a soft lacey nightgown waking up in June on a sunny warm Sunday morning with a slight breeze. She waters her window boxes spilling over with flowers and picks berries from the bushes in her yard to make jam to put on a fresh croissant. This all happens decades ago; the memory is tinged with a soft white haze, a peace and comfort that nostalgically can never be returned to, the sense of an eternal perfect sunny Sunday because in your memory, it will always be this way. It's a soft, sweet, freshly bloomed floral, powdery morning with powdered-sugar pastries you want to take a bite out of. This fragrance has longevity and intimacy. My partner can always tell when I'm wearing it. You are not so much wearing a perfume as you are perfuming your skin. It is for those who want to project as comforting and ethereal. At this price, I'd say it's suited for a wedding, baby shower, museum date, any sort of magical, innocent affair. It would be gorgeous for everyday if one was willing to shell out the money.

Edit: I gave this one a second chance, as I wanted to wear a white floral and I remembered thinking I liked that Moon Carnival had not gone at all green on me, which I liked. My favorite fragrances are usually dewy, light greens and citruses, but I love a good white floral that does NOT lean that way. I sprayed this one time, sneezed twice, and immediately got a headache. I am noticing more this time around how “dry” Moon Carnival is. Every now and then, I get a whiff of straight up baby powder. However, I wouldn’t describe it as “powdery”, if that makes sense. I find that I enjoy this once it has completely dried down for its softness and warmth, but waiting for that point is pretty brutal due to the almost stinging dryness and “perfuminess”. Initial thoughts: Reminds me pretty much of all the other gardenia/tuberose frags out there, and there’s no difference here that’s worth the price tag jump. It doesn’t give me a headache, which some more powdery versions do, but it’s also nothing new or unique. Save some coin and get Gucci Bloom if you’ve been eyeing both of these.

I really like Moon Carnival, I have a 2ml sample. I almost blind bought it just for the name and notes and bottle. I’m glad I didn’t because it’s too fruity for me to wear. It’s a VERY beautiful well composed and leaning on complex, fragrance. Just not perfect for me. But I like it a lot. I would not compare this to Narcotic V. Obviously both are floral, but Moon has the citrus note and Narcotic has more of a peachy note, which too me puts them in way different areas of my scent brain. I would compare Moon Carnival to Sundazed by Byredo. I find them really similar in my mind. A citrus summer candy thing about them with the floral body. I do not have Sundazed anymore to compare for sure, so maybe someone else does. And I think the dry down/base notes are quite different if I remember right. I don’t think Sundazed turns cozy the way Moon Carnival does with the vanilla & tonka bean base notes. I think Sundazed stays brighter & candy like all the way through I do really notice the dry down change with moon carnival

slightly sharp opening, almost paint-like; then a milky white floral heart. something in this scent feels nostalgic, i think maybe my mother wore something similar when i was young. it's hardly revolutionary, but it is a very elegant, femme scent. i agree with the reviewer saying this is what galadriel from LOTR would wear. it smells smooth and a little cool, like moonlit silk draped over my skin. i'm getting a little freesia at first, immediately overtaken by a lot of very creamy, very lactonic tuberose - it almost veers into coconut milk territory. it doesn't feel heavy, though, even if the projection is pretty strong right off the bat. it maintains a certain watery freshness about it that keeps the whole thing from going overly sweet. it does get sweeter with the base notes: a pillowy, warm vanilla and marshmallow duet. i don't think it's unique enough to warrant the niche price tag and i wish it was slightly weirder/dreamier, but i like it. avoid if you dislike big white florals.