Dragée by Reminiscence

To be fair, I didn’t like it; it has far too much hype. I tested it three times across different seasons and bought it blind, which was a mistake. It doesn’t smell of almonds to me, but rather of brand-new rubber dolls—a vintage vibe that is utterly unwearable. I’ve put it on my shelf to swap or sell. Edit 20/5/24: I absolutely love it now; a year ago I wrote the above, and my sense of smell has evolved to find it exquisite and essential. It is a delicious almond powder. Just don’t buy it blind.

Recently I picked up a gem on Vinted: the box containing the three 50ml perfumes from Les Notes Gourmandes. It was irresistible. This review is for Dragee. It smells of talc with a dominant almond note surrounded by orange blossom. It is subtly sweet, with a vintage touch that evokes an old dressing table. It doesn’t smell realistically of wedding cake as theory suggests, because the sweetness blends heavily with the florals. It is romantic and delicate. The trail is soft and lasts about five hours. Although it is discontinued and very similar, don’t go crazy searching for it; stick with the MSK 004 by Natalie Lorson for Zara, which you can test in store. Dragee is more discreet and natural, while the MSK is sweeter and longer-lasting. I will also compare it with Fragonard’s Daima. Scent 8/10, Longevity 5/10, Sillage 6/10, Value for money 6/10, Versatility 7.5/10, Packaging 7/10. Would I buy it again? Probably not.

First, I’d like to thank Cnidaria for the decant of this absolute gem <3. I feel honoured to have met the Les Notes Gourmandes twins; none have disappointed me, and Reminiscence stole my heart. The trio feels like a sweet fairy tale. Dragee, like Heliotrope, smells of sweet almonds; here it is so sweet yet light, ethereal, as if you were having tea with fairies in a springtime grove of blossoming orange trees. Almond biscuits and plum tea served in giant flowers. Unlike its sisters, I sense Dragee is more understated, like a beautiful lady who passes unnoticed even though she can't help but turn heads. Its opening is green as the gardens of Versailles yet sweet as Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. It achieves a sublime balance—cheerful, sophisticated, elegant, and never heavy. It's a faithful companion adaptable to any weather. Warning: it steals hearts. Once you smell it, it's hard not to fall in love. It doesn't do it with bad intent; it's its gift and curse. A beautiful oxymoron, strong yet fragile, making the trio perfect. Scent: 10/10, Trail: 10/10, Longevity: 10/10, Bottle: 10/10.

Thanks to Cnidaria for this decant of this gem <3 I feel lucky to have met the triplets Les Notes Gourmandes; none have let me down, and Reminiscence has stolen my heart. The trio smells like a sweet fairy tale, yet each has its own story. Dragee, like Heliotrope, carries that sweet almond note, but here it is so sweet and light it feels ethereal, as if you were having tea with fairies in a spring meadow filled with blooming oranges. Imagine almond cookies and plum tea served on giant flowers instead of plates. Unlike its sisters, Dragee is more understated, like an elegant lady who knows she's beautiful but prefers to go unnoticed, even if she can't help it. Its drydown is green as the gardens of Versailles yet sweet as Willy Wonka's. It achieves a sublime balance: cheerful, sophisticated, and elegant without being heavy or overpowering. It's a faithful companion for the whole day, adaptable to any weather or time of day. Watch out: Dragee steals hearts. Once you smell it, it's hard not to fall in love with its charms. It's not bad intent, it's its gift and curse. Dragee is the perfect oxymoron, strong and fragile all at once, closing the ideal trio. Scent: 10/10 Sillage: 10/10 Longevity: 10/10 Bottle: 10/10

This perfume simply had to have a review! Dragee is the pretty, cheerful girl amidst an orchard of almond and orange trees. It is a delicious, velvety gourmand… I sense innocence in its opening of mandarin and almond blossom, transporting me back to my childhood without being childish. Then a fruity note emerges, a very sweet and juicy syruped plum. Finally, close to the skin, a soft musk with a discreet but creamy vanilla. I don’t detect much cedar. I would wear it in spring for a romantic date or a lovely picnic. It reminds me of the smell of the letter envelopes I used to collect as a child. If you’ve ever heard of Cacharel’s Gloria, this smells very similar to it, though much softer.