Fleur de Patchouli by Zara

A Jo Malone perfume that I absolutely love.

To me, it’s just a single note of patchouli, handled with great delicacy and elegance. It doesn’t overwhelm, but if you’re not passionate about patchouli, it probably isn’t for you. It has a soft trail and lasts about 5-6 hours on my skin. I agree it has nothing to do with Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel. What it does remind me of a lot is the So Elixir Bois Sensuel by Yves Rocher, which I adore and can’t find in the UK. That’s why I’ve never included it in my collection, but I use it when I’m staying at my mother’s house. The Yves Rocher has added vanilla, making it sweeter and I prefer that. But if you don’t like very sweet perfumes, you might prefer the Zara one. Scent 7.5/10, Longevity 5.5/10, Sillage 6.5/10, Value for money 6.5/10, Versatility 8/10, Packaging 7/10. Would I buy it again? I didn’t end up buying it.

This excellent perfume is at Zara now with a great discount… unfortunately, that usually happens when it’s about to be discontinued… it’s a pity it’s disappearing from the regular range, as it’s quite different from what the brand usually offers most of the time.

Finally, I’ve found a Zara fragrance that I like, and I do. It has that hyper-domesticated patchouli found in the Kenzo Homme EDT Intense, which makes the leathery aspect bright and sparkling. The flowers are very shy, adding a touch of intoxication but staying in the background. It makes me think of a parallel dimension where oil is used for boiling and water for frying. It’s like bringing your nose close to an industrial deep-fryer in this strange world where this factor is inverted. A water that sizzles when you submerge donuts, yet still tastes so mineral like water, perhaps with a certain creamy texture, but maintaining its transparency, its crystal clarity and refreshment. A resting water that has taken on the dirty golden hue of the fried food, yet remains rabidly water, which our thirst demands with even greater force. I wish it were stronger, I wish I could dress this extra-dimensional object with greater potency, but then it would cease to be water and transform into oil.

HORRIBLE. Horrible, terribly powdery. I don’t know why people like it so much; I hate powdery notes. Ugly, leaning towards old-lady. Very strong and intrusive (in a nasty way). I couldn’t wait to get it off.

A delicious fragrance, super woody and earthy. It is a bit linear, yes, but I adore patchouli, and it’s the note that stands out most on my skin from start to finish. It reminds me a bit of Coco Noir but heavier than that one, as I wear it a lot in summer. The Zara one seemed more suitable for daily wear in cooler climates, perhaps on a spring or summer evening but not in extreme heat. A brilliant find.

Delicious, super woody and earthy, though somewhat linear. I adore patchouli, and it’s the note that stands out most on my skin from start to finish. It reminds me a bit of Coco Noir but heavier. As I use Coco Noir a lot in summer, this Zara scent seems more suited to cold climates, perhaps a spring-summer evening, but not in extreme heat. A great discovery 🖤

Although at first this Fleur de Patchouli feels floral and talcum-like, giving the impression of being feminine, you have to let it evolve to see its dry-down. It is totally unisex. The patchouli is present, with a woody note and a slight talcum quality which I suppose is due to the undeclared musk. This fragrance distils cleanliness and elegance. I think it could perfectly be an office signature scent. I also like Ebony Wood, but there is more wood and plenty of clove with a slight sweetness from some undeclared note. This doesn’t mean FdP is bad. Far from it… If you only like fruity and cloying aromas, FdP won’t be for you.

Disappointed, I can only say that, being consistent also in noting that it is a commercial fragrance from Zara (which has some excellent ones like Ebony Wood, which is wonderful). I chose it based on reviews and videos from various perfume gurus on YouTube who placed it in their top 10. To me, it has turned out to be a boring perfume, with an initial sensation of something very dated, with lots of talcum… the patchouli isn’t noticeable, the “fleur” is, to put it mildly. I’ll have to give it away.

Another Jo Malone line for Zara that I haven’t connected with. I don’t smell patchouli; what comes through most is a powdery flower with a cosmetic aftertaste. It’s marketed as a feminine scent, but I still don’t like it; it overwhelms me and gives me a runny nose due to that powdery side. The longevity is remarkable, but if you don’t regulate the spray, you can overwhelm those around you. Au revoir!

I find it very difficult to review this perfume, but it has surprised me so much that, although I don’t have clear ideas, I will proceed to describe it. I love it to pieces; it is a beautiful creation. It has reminiscences of those classic patchouli colognes but with an incredible twist. I see it perfectly as unisex; I am a man and it shines on my skin. It smells so good that I would love to have a bucket to bathe in it. And if I smelled this on a woman, I’d marry her. It’s captivating, addictive, brilliant. That is why defining the gender of these perfumes is irrelevant. If you like the scent, USE IT and that’s it.

The opening is too similar to Angel by Thierry Mugler, but a bit lighter and not so sweet. After an hour, it becomes much more floral. That said, my girlfriend and my mother both smelled it and commented that they feel it is more masculine than feminine. It lasts very little in the first hour; it is quite noticeable, but by the fourth hour, it’s already not felt at all.

This is one of my favourites in the collection. As it’s a Jo Malone scent, don’t expect a heavy fragrance with a thousand notes, but rather natural fragrances that blend well. This smells very woody and earthy, like wet soil; it has nothing to do with the citrusy touch of Coco Mademoiselle that people mention. The longevity and trail are excellent, even better if combined with another scent or applied generously.

A floral opening lasting about 30 minutes with a woody and herbal base. After that, around eight hours of a clean sensation due to that soapy sillage. Ideal and affordable compared to spiced and woody perfumes that are expensive solely because they carry a fashion house name.

Hello! You can tell the collection is high quality. The opening is alcohol-free and very friendly from the very first second. The clean patchouli is noticeable instantly, a real hit. Minutes later, the peony emerges, which keeps me torn between love and hate; up close it smells a bit ‘chiclosa’, but the dry-down is powdery. The evolution is soft, with a woody base that gains strength until achieving a homogeneous aroma, like two notes dancing on a score. Perfect for intermediate seasons or chilly mornings. Sillage is soft but longevity is 7-9 hours, similar to Antonio Banderas. I tested it with the discovery set sample and will definitely buy the bottle. I can’t resolve this internal conflict. If you want more, check out my YouTube channel: Perfúmate Con JL.