u/Treehorn8

I actually enjoyed this. I wasn't really into green scents until I fell in love with the Hermès Jardins and things just snowballed from there. Considering how popular Philosykos is in fraghead reddit, I thought about fig fragrances in general and trying a bunch of them sounded like a good idea at the time. In random order, let's start with:

Diptyque Philosykos EDT

Somewhere in the Dyptique headquarters...

Exec A: What do you think about fig perfumes?

Olivia Giacobetti: I gotchu fam.

Okay, so they may have been more professional than that but Diptyque truly committed to the fig hardcore. Fruit? Leaves? Wood? Philosykos has it all. The tree slapped me in the face in the opening and I was impressed as hell. I've never smelled anything like this. I spent some time admiring the great sillage and projection. I eagerly waited for any surprises and got... none? I still strongly smelled of fig, but nothing really changed. My husband who grew up with a fig tree in the backyard of his childhood home was giving me strange looks. I walked around the house doing chores and feeding my dogs while smelling like the most beautiful and expensive fig tree on the planet. Four hours later, it had turned into a skin scent that smelled of (surprise surprise!) fig tree. If you really like green scents and would love to commit to the fig lifestyle and ONLY the fig lifestyle, I strongly recommend Philosykos. If you prefer layered and more complex scents, read on.

Note: This is not blind buy safe. Get a sample before getting a decant or a bottle.

Note 2: This smells amazing on my husband. On me, it's a one-dimensional tree. On him, it's a multifaceted scent: sweet, woody, green and fresh. I'm a little put out.

• Scent: 8/10 For commitment.
• Projection: 9/10
• Sillage: 9/10
• Longevity: 7/10

Hermès Un Jardin en Méditerranée EDT

According to Hermès, the perfume is supposed to "evoke a walk through a secret Tunisian garden exuberantly overflowing with trees and flowers." In Jean-Claude Ellena's book, the story began when he saw a smiling young woman in a Tunisian garden tearing up and sniffing a fig leaf.

Other Parfums Jardins I've tested usually start with a blast of greens and citrus so I expected the same thing. Instead, Méditerranée's opening was a burst of lemon and surprisingly sweet fruit. I was worried that something was wrong and it didn't suit my skin chemistry because fig leaves are not supposed to be sweet. I found out later that it was due to a rich black currant note combined with bergamot during the composition, although that note is not in the official list. To me, it emulated the scent of tree-ripened figs just before the bitterness of the leaves creep in.

It's like there's a fig tree in a citrus grove and they're surrounded by shrubs of white oleander, orange blossoms and deep woody cedar. Half an hour in, they all merge into a harmonious whole as the florals grow stronger. I took a nap and when I woke up four hours later, it had turned into a skin scent. It seems impossible but it smelled even better, a lot more balanced. Méditerranée offers a complexity that other fig scents wish they had. Once again, a creation by Ellena has left me speechless. If you like citrus, sweet fruits and woody florals, this is an excellent entry into your fig adventure.

Note: Layering this with other perfumes is a crime. Even if you're a layering addict and are itching to spritz some random body mist over or under this, just don't.

• Scent: 10/10
• Projection: 9/10
• Sillage: 9/10
• Longevity: 7/10 - This turns to a skin scent after a couple of hours but then stays on my skin for at least four more hours.

Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi EDT

I sort of made a review of this in a previous post. This was the first fig scent I've tried and I'm ashamed to admit that I got a decant because of the lovely name. I watched Equalizer III and was insanely envious of Denzel Washington because he got to strut around the Amalfi Coast with his cappuccino and handkerchief.

Fico di Amalfi is romantic. Yes, it mainly smells of a fig tree but, like Shrek, it has layers. Close your eyes and imagine this. You are surrounded by many, many fig trees clinging to the rocky cliffs with the lemon trees. It's warm, but you feel cool in the shade. The sea breeze wafts towards you along with the gentle scent of jasmine from the sun-warmed walls weaving amongst the leaves. Wearing this perfume is like experiencing a slice of Mediterranean summer, and I'm tempted to grab my laptop and passport so I can work remote while surrounded by the lovely scent of the groves.

Note: Longevity isn't great so you'll be spraying more often. Wonderful for spring and summer or for when you miss the warmth in winter. Take it with you on vacation, you won't regret it.

• Scent: 9/10
• Projection: 8/10
• Sillage: 8/10
• Longevity: 6/10

Prada Infusion de Figue EDP

The bottle is simple, ethereal and beautiful, the kind that should be a prominent vanity prop in a sweeping romance movie.

The opening is pure fig tree, like Prada is competing with Diptyque on who could make the figgiest fig of them all, followed by citrus. You will not find gentle florals here. Underneath the citrus and fig heart are the woody, piney and bitter base notes. The pretty bottle is misleading because there is nothing delicate about this perfume. The dry down reminded me of the Malin+Goetz' Atelier Bloem fig lotion from that obscenely expensive Kimpton hotel room. (I begrudgingly bought the obscenely expensive toiletry set but that's another story.)

If you're looking for something vegetal, wild and woody, look no further than Infusions de Figue. It's not for the faint-hearted. If you prefer sweet scents or florals, it is 100% guaranteed that you won't like this.

Note: Restrict yourself to 1-2 sprays if you'll be indoors with people especially in an office environment. This one is strong. I wonder if the rest of Prada's Infusions line are as aggressive.

• Scent: 7/10 - Not my type but it delivered what it promised.
• Projection: 9/10
• Sillage: 9/10
• Longevity: 7/10

Nest New York Indigo EDP

I have a complicated relationship with Nest because a sample of their Madagascar Vanilla oil almost made me throw up. I tried three more times on different occasions, thinking that it is impossible for me to dislike one of my favorite notes of all time and that maybe it was just the weather or hormones. Nothing changed, I found it so disgusting that it turned me off all vanilla fragrances for a entire year. It took hesitantly sniffing a sample of The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods to release me from that funk.

Anyway...

*sprays*

Now I understand the hype. Indigo is the perfect blend of black tea, bergamot, sweet figs and a soft woody base. The sweetness is exactly the same as what I smelled in Un Jardin en Méditerranée during a warm day.

It would have been easy for Indigo to get syrupy in the opening but the tea balances it. Like I'm watching my heathen cousin drop three sugar cubes in her cup as I sip my unsweetened oolong and let the warmth spread all over my body before biting into a ripe juicy fig. The citrus adds a freshness to the entire mix. The dry down is a beautiful soft focus of itself: the tea note gets stronger, the sweetness withdraws, and it's like being surrounded by a calming fragrant cloud.

I think Indigo is a year-round type of fragrance. I look forward to how it would be like in the cold.

Note: Why did I wait so long?

• Scent: 9/10
• Projection: 8/10
• Sillage: 8/10
• Longevity: 9/10

***********

There are tons more but I think I'll stop here. I'm a little figged out right now and I have all these samples and decants to use up.

Once again, this is a friendly reminder to not blind buy full bottles of fig scents. These are not the friendly vanillas and gentle white florals of your childhood. Forget the decants, just get samples. These fragrances can be expensive and are not guaranteed to suit or be loved by everyone. But when one gets to you, well, RIP wallet.

I wanted to smell like a candy apple. Sweet crackling bright red sticky candy coated ripe apples with some caramel apples thrown in. I've tried several but none were quite sweet enough or artificial enough. I bought Nina by Nina Ricci because someone said it smelled like a sweet apple. Turns out that it had the natural sweetness of a ripe and fresh red apple, an almost hyper-realistic scent that I ended up loving to bits.

But that meant my search wasn't over.

Boum Vanille & Sa Pomme d'Amour by Jeanne Arthes smells like a burst of the caramel candy apples of my dreams. It starts strong and stays that way for a couple of hours before turning into a skin scent. It's been four hours and I can still smell it on my hands. I smell like I hung out at the fairgrounds at Halloween and never left. Like all I ate were sticky dyed hard sugar-coated fruits that put tanghulu to shame.

It even looks like a candied apple! 🍎

The best part is it cost $8 and some change.

Perhaps the GLP-1 connection was right. I don't want to eat it anymore, I just want to smell like it.

I would see these bottles every once in a while when I shop online and I'm tempted to buy one every time because they're so affordable (~$10-15) and you get a lot for the price. I saw some reviews that mentioned the longevity wasn't good but it's so cheap I don't mind reapplying. Aside from spraying it on myself, I was looking for something I could spray on sheets, blankets, cushions, and throw pillows as well.

Has anyone tried them yet? The magnolia & fig, honeysuckle, and blue bell & sweet pea all sound good.

I currently have 24 bottles. Showing them off lol because I really like all of them.

Hermès Un Jardin à Cythère (Eau de Toilette) - My latest acquisition after my sample ran out. I tested a few from Hermès' Parfums Jardins collection and fell in love hard with the dry woody citrusy scent. Makes me want to visit Kythira just to see what inspired this perfume.

Ralph Lauren Blue - My love for 20 years. I've spent 10 years in the past owning and using just this. I no longer reach for it everyday especially after the reformulation but it's still one of my favorites.

Lanvin Éclat d'Arpège (Eau de Parfum) - Very light and fresh florals. Probably the best summer perfume I've ever smelled. Longevity isn't the best so I have to reapply more often.

Marc Jacobs Daisy (Eau de Toilette) - An old favorite since the 2000s. I like the green strawberry fields and fresh grass scent.

Dolly Parton Scent from Above (Eau de Parfum) - So pretty! I like the EDP version better than the EDT because it emphasizes the best things I love about this scent. It's a sweet floral that makes me think of warm summer afternoons.

Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc (Eau de Cologne) - Another old favorite from the 2000s. I don't think I've smelled a better tea-inspired scent. It smells so expensive and tranquil. Once this is done, I'm getting the new EDT version and hope it lasts longer.

Nina Ricci Nina (2006) (Eau de Toilette) - A blind buy that I ended up loving. It smells like biting into a just-picked ripe red apple. Not a candy scent.

The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods (Eau de Parfum) - The vanilla that made me love vanilla again. It's a deeper drier vanilla that smells delicious without being sickly sweet.

Dolce & Gabbana Devotion (Eau de Parfum) - Sweet lemon pound cake vibes. This is yummy but I have to be careful not to overspray or it would be cloying.

Cacharel Amor Amor (Eau de Toilette) - Everyone seems to have owned this as a teen ages ago so I got curious. It's a deep fruity perfume with a slightly powdery base that was much better than I expected. The longevity is impressive.

Zara N°03 Ebony Wood - This came with my order of Elegantly Tokyo in Mercari and it was a lovely surprise. It's fragrant, woody, and makes me smell like me but better.

Zara N°06 Elegantly Tokyo - Just a sniff brings me back to my birth country in Asia where jasmine sambac is plentiful. It smells almost purely of the small white blossoms. It's very strong on me, 2 sprays are plenty.

Issey Miyake A Drop d'Issey (Eau de Parfum) - The combination of almond milk and florals somehow resulted into the best shower in a bottle. Like slathering yourself with dove bar and lotion and walking out of the bathroom all moisturized.

Calvin Klein CK One (Eau de Toilette) - Throwback to my early teens when this perfume took over the world. Nothing smelled quite as cool and unisex as CK One. My husband and I share the bottle.

Dolly Parton Smoky Mountain (Eau de Toilette) - Dolly's perfumes are all light feel-good scents that boost my mood and Smoky Mountain is no exception. Smells floral but also energetic.

Early Morning Breeze (Eau de Toilette) - This is taking a stroll the park after sunrise kind of fresh. It's an inoffensive crowd-pleaser type of scent.

Burberry Brit for Women (Eau de Parfum) - This smells very professional. It's hard to dislike and it's very work-safe.

Nest Santa Barbara Strawberry (Body Mist) - Smells like strawberry ring pop. It's a green, sweet scent that lasts surprisingly long for a body mist.

Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '40 (Perfume Mist) - Smells like a lighter Vanilla Woods without the longevity. It smells absolutely delicious but I will not repurchase since I already have VW.

Bath & Body Works Pistachio Glaze (Fragrance Mist) - Nutty and yummy. I have the matching body cream and I love layering them before bed. I've never had a nutty gourmand before this and I'm sad that BB&W has discontinued it.

Bath & Body Works At the Beach (Fragrance Mist) - It's not ground-breaking but it's a nice, dependable summery beachy scent. I also spray it on my throw pillows in the living room.

Oakcha Sweven (Extrait de Parfum) - I bought this after using up my sample pf BR540. It scratched the itch for the burnt sugar scent and I don't even think of it as a dupe anymore because I like it on its own.

Dossier Woody Sage - Purchased this after my decant of JM Wood Sage and Sea Salt ran out. I prefer this to the original because it's a slightly deeper EDP with better longevity.

Dossier Gourmand Orange Blossom - Got this after my decant of La Vie est Belle ran out. I like it as it is, too. It's a sweet floral that's also crowd and work-safe.

Except for a few favorites or when there are no other options, I try to get smaller bottles (30 - 50 ml) since I'm afraid I would get tired of them and not use them all. I've had a few decants and samples that I loved but never bought bottles after they were gone because the decants alone satisfied me and I want to move on and try new ones.

I got some Hermès and Acqua di Parma decants and samples along with a couple of Zara bottles. All of them are named after specific places or locations. I thought I should do a review since some of them are rarely mentioned in the sub.

Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi by Acqua di Parma

My first impression was of a mix of fruits and all the greens that come along with them, almost like it belongs to Hermès' Parfums Jardins line. Then the scent of figs quickly make a strong appearance. And by fig, I mean the WHOLE tree--fruit, bark, leaves and attitude. Half an hour in, I still smell the trees but now it's as if they were planted near a beach. It feels like I'm sitting under the shade surrounded by their scent while watching the sea in the Amalfi Coast like I'm Denzel Washington with a cappuccino. The dry down is even better. The soft floral comes out and softens the sharp corners of the woody fig. For a green unisex perfume that smells like a tree, Fico di Amalfi somehow managed to be warm and romantic. 

Un Jardin à Cythère by Hermès

The opening was very herbal, and I wondered why the hell did Hermès sell this as perfume. But I wanted to give it a fair chance so I waited. In a few minutes, the abstract herb scent faded and then I'm suddenly in a grove of citrus trees. What kind of trees? I'm not sure. They're shady and surrounded by wildflowers. It makes me want to eat lunch outdoors with a bottle of wine and rustic bread drizzled with olive oil. I've never been to the Greek island of Kythira, but it makes me want to visit and see if it smells just as relaxing. 

Un Jardin sur le Toit by Hermès

Like Cythere, Un Jardin sur le Toit smelled herbal at first sniff. As the top notes fade, I realized that it smells very close to Fico di Amalfi, but the similarity disappeared as it settled longer on my skin. The combination of pear and apple trees along with grass--a lot of grass--emulated the scent of an orchard. I'm sitting here wondering if there are houses with whole orchards on the roof. The rosemary note explains the herbal opening, but I can't detect a hint of magnolia. Unlike Fico di Amalfi that blended into a harmony of greens and flowers on my skin, Un Jardin sur le Toit remained sharp and striking to my nose. It's not my favorite from the collection and it's not for me, but I can see it suiting someone who wants a garden without flowers. 

Un Jardin sur le Nil by Hermès

What does a garden on the Nile smell like? I googled it and found photos of lush flora by the river. I imagine getting on a felucca and sailing down the river to the botanical gardens because I enjoy the tranquil company of plants and trees around me. Un Jardin sur le Nil is an attempt to capture the spirit of a garden surrounded by the desert. The scent is very, very green but it softens in a way that Un Jardin sur le Toit does not. The lotus flower note balances the tart scent of plants. I really like it and it makes sense now because perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena also made the best green tea inspired fragrance in the world, Bvlgari's Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert. 

Elegantly Tokyo by Zara and Jo Loves

This one is more popular around here. I've never been to Japan although I have visited the countries around Japan. Probably because I have complex feelings about the place that devastated my birth SE Asian country, remained unapologetic about it, yet managed to capture the interest of many people around the world due to their unique culture and history (ISTG they have the best PR campaign). I mean, I brag about reaching platinum in Ghost of Yotei all the time so I'm not that special either. For this review, I'll try to imagine the city of Tokyo. No one is jaywalking even if they're in a rush. My friends tell me that Shibuya is overrated so they take me and my Jersey girl self to Kagurazaka for some culture where the old meets the new. Elegantly Tokyo embodies a cool level of chic that the city girl in me can appreciate while the gentle scent of jasmine and lilies wrap around me. I could wear this all year.

Bonus: Ebony Wood by Zara and Jo Loves

Not a place but the Mercari seller included a half-full bottle along with my order of Elegantly Tokyo (tyvm 💕). Jo Malone did it again! Ebony Wood smells mature but not in an 1800s kind of way. It smells like I've grown up and genuinely got my shit together. It's both sensible and elegant. Like I've left the office of my stable corporate job and went straight to a romantic dinner date to meet my husband knowing that he'll love how I smell. 

Conclusion: My favorite is Fico di Amalfi because it transported me across the ocean to the Mediterranean through scent alone. I could smell the wood and the waves, waiting for the sun to set.

- The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods

- Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 40

I swear these two are almost completely identical. The only difference is that Vanilla Woods is slightly deeper during dry down. I've owned SDJ 40 for a year now and although I love the scent, it has very little longevity as expected from a body mist. For a $25 small bottle, I expected it to last at least one hour, not 15-20 minutes. It's almost gone and I have no intention of repurchasing.

I got a sample of Vanilla Woods and it was like a sign from perfume heaven that I have to get it. It's sweet but not creamy or cakey. It's like a drier vanilla. The closest I could compare them to is the vanilla extract that I use for baking.

Vanilla Woods still going strong after three hours on my hands and wrist so let's see if it lasts longer.

​

I'm a millennial who usually gravitate towards freshies including soft florals and citrus-florals. Where I grew up, Amor Amor by Cacharel wasn't well-known and I've never smelled it. After all the positive nostalgic comments here, I decided to throw in a 30 ml bottle along with my Mother's Day purchases.

Istg this perfume is better than I thought it would be. It's sweet but not cloying. The fruit and floral notes are perfectly balanced. I normally dislike blackcurrant notes but in Amor Amor, it blended nicely with the grapefruit, bergamot, and lily of the valley. There's a whiff of jasmine but it doesn't overwhelm the other notes like most jasmine fragrances do. The dry down is absolutely delicious!

I can see why it was a hit back then. I wish I discovered it sooner because it shot up straight to my top 10. The 30ml bottle only cost me $16 so it's crazy affordable.

I'm glad I chose it for my last purchase since I've hit 25 lol I counted and I have 23. I still have space. 😆😆

I was going through Reddit looking for a perfume that smelled like candy apples. I used to own DKNY Be Delicious before (both the OG green and the Red Delicious flanker) and while I liked them a lot, I felt like something was missing. I saw some comments recommending Nina by Nina Ricci.

When I get something new, I submerge myself in it for a few days to figure out what I feel about it. I walked around the house surrounded by a cloud of Nina for an entire day feeling disappointed that it did not smell like candy apples. I don't want to return and waste the product so I considered asking my mom if she wanted it. I sprayed some before bed and again on my skin and clothes the morning after. As I sat down answering emails and absently sniffing my wrist, I realized why I did not give Nina a fair chance--I was so focused on finding what I wanted that I neglected to appreciate what it actually was.

On application, Nina smells like a burst of freshness. There's no particular identifiable fruit yet, but it's something tart and very juicy. After a few minutes, it settles into the scent of a freshly bitten apple. It's not sweet like candy, but it has the sweetness of the fruit's crisp red skin. For the next hour, I felt like I was working in the middle of an apple orchard while snacking on a fruit I just picked. My shirt smelled like I rubbed an apple against it just before biting into the fruit. The scent dried down to a light floral close to my skin but I could still smell a hint of apple.

I was too busy searching for something that I almost missed what was already there. I still want a candy apple perfume, but I don't think I'll be giving Nina away.

I work from home so people are safe from me blasting myself with perfume. ☺️ I wrote this review in case someone in the future is trying to find more info and they won't be misled into thinking that it's a "candy" type of perfume, and those who are looking for photorealistic fruits might want to check it out.

Someone did a post about their top 5 scents and I liked the focus on one's perfume capsule wardrobe. In no particular order, here are my favorites: 

Ralph Lauren Blue EDT - I've loved this for over 20 years. I got a bottle on impulse when it was newly released and I'm glad I did. I don't wear perfume to get complimented but this one gets me the most, which is funny because I also feel like it suits me perfectly. Blue is a delicate white floral (gardenia, lotus flower) that makes me feel beautiful from first spray for hours. 

Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc EDC - Ever want to smell like an expensive hotel or spa? Because this is it. The Blanc is an elegant white tea-inspired scent that exudes tranquility and luxe. Another one from the same line, The Vert, is green tea-inspired and just as timelessly lovely. 

Marc Jacobs Daisy EDT - This one is popular for a reason. Wearing it is like landing in a splash of petals and sunlight. Daisy smells cheerful, pretty, and lively. Like I'm ready to start the day and tackle my long to-do list and look and feel fabulous while at it. 

Lanvin Éclat d'Arpège EDP - I bought this without knowing what it smells like because of a post from someone looking for the perfume of his late wife (I teared up a bit and I hope the OP found comfort in finding the perfume). I read the notes but somehow still expected it to smell like a heavier floral. Maybe it was the impression from the purple color? I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's an airy blend of florals that's very fresh and light. Pure positive energy in a girly bottle. If there's a perfume that could suit everyone, I'm convinced that this is it. It's now one of my staples and I'm on my second bottle (my sister asked me for my first).

Scent From Above EDT - Last but not the least is a perfume from Dolly Parton. I recently wrote a review of her fragrances (see here) and Scent From Above has become a favorite. The initial flash of berry note fades into the prettiest sweet floral and I love it even more now than when I first tried it. It's a perfect spring/summer scent although I'd wear this any day of the year for a quick serotonin boost.

What are your favorites?