Pleasures Intense by Estée Lauder

If you’re dying for florals, especially white ones, don’t miss this. It conjures the image of burying your nose in fresh bouquets. The jasmine and lily of the valley shine, and since I adore jasmine, I’m utterly fascinated. As it dries down, it sweetens slightly with maple and vanilla, but the flowers remain ever-present. Ideal for heat.

It’s addictive; if asked what smells like spring, I’d say this. It has excellent longevity and leaves a trail. It’s one of my staples.

It’s my garden; it smells of small multi-coloured flowers dancing in a gentle breeze. At first, it’s the colour of the bottle, an intense fuchsia bouquet, but after 20 minutes, the garden arrives and stays until the end. It lasts 8 hours on the skin without issues; the sillage is invasive for two hours, then drops to moderate and decent. I highly recommend it. Edit: After years, I’ll say it’s always a flattering perfume, with brutal performance, wonderful sillage, and a sheer delight, just as its name suggests. Always in my collection.

It’s a florist in a bottle. Or a secret garden with uncut grass, trees, ivy, and flowers. The aroma comes from the stems, not the petals. Tiaré, jasmine, lily of the valley… flowers with special, strong scents. These are the literary gardens: Jane Eyre, The Secret Garden, Emma… concentrated. I discovered it in Venice, drawn by the fuchsia and wine, and stayed.

It’s very beastly; it lacks softness and roundness. I’m halfway through the bottle and don’t know if I’ll finish it. I like florals in summer, but the opening is a floral slap in the face. I think it should be calmer and silkier (without being creamy or soapy, which I can’t stand in florals, nor too sweet). It’s okay but tiring.

Pleasures Intense remains the standout offer, leaving all florals in its wake without mercy, not even to its sister. I have a bottle nearly fifteen years old, a bit aged, yet that floral poison remains intact and ready to strike. I wore it two weeks ago for a run, and someone told me I smelled of countryside and flowers wherever I passed (a meadow full of them), but when I smelled myself, I was certain it was me. It opens green and floral, especially with a devilish lily that crosses mountains, becoming neurotoxic in the heat. I’ve never seen a floral so potent, with such projection, tenacity, and an outrageous trail. It works all year, but use caution in summer. It never smells of bleach or painful aldehydes; it’s pure floral power. The lily and peony aim very high; they should have called it ‘caution’ in front, not behind. If you wear it in the morning half-asleep, you’ll feel like you’re on clouds, with a Simpson-like expression, skipping traffic lights and curbs until you arrive. The trick: one spray 30cm from the neck. I keep it to admire its purity and prove that when they want to, they can, though for an innocent yet intense floral I prefer its less intransigent sister, but I hold it in esteem because it will soon be a relic given the current state of florals.

If you like announcing your arrival from afar so everyone asks what perfume you’re wearing… this is yours. A scandalous and exquisite floral.

Too heavy! I couldn’t bear it for even a second. It was a huge mistake to buy it, and my biggest mistake… 🙁

Sensual, delicate, sweet, and very fresh. My husband gave it to me, and I loved it from the very first spritz. It’s very floral but nothing heavy.

A sharp and heavy floral that reminds me of Greenleaf sachets for wardrobes. And there might be more than one sachet that smells better.

Smells like a banquet, very intense and sweet-floral, perfect for romantic dates. In summer, only at night and with moderation. The fragrance clings terribly and lasts for hours.