Vanille & Narcisse by L'Occitane en Provence

What a delight, a blind buy that has completely won me over. It’s a succulent, linear fragrance with top-tier elegance. Smells like a lovely, powdery narcissus blended with fragrant vanilla and a very present tonka bean. The vanilla-narcissus duo creates a warm, opulent, and chic floral scent; occasionally it reminds me of vintage Shalimar. I love it without having planned to, and it has me hooked. The trail and longevity are moderate.

Sweet and vanilla-forward. I must say, I don’t notice the flowers they claim are in there: neither the narcissus nor the gardenia. Something to highlight is that in the final phase, it reminds me a lot of L’Occitane’s ‘Ambre’. It’s a warm and sensual perfume, ideal for evening wear.

The opening of this fragrance is very special; it smells of root beer. It’s not unpleasant, but it’s a scent you wouldn’t expect in a perfume. Once that stage passes, the vanilla emerges, subtle and enchanting. The best part is the dry down: it smells like the Polly Pocket from the 90s on my wrist. A sweet and subtle vanilla.

I popped into L’Occitane at Sambil Margarita today looking for my out-of-stock Eau de Vétiver and tried this one by instinct. It’s very feminine, ideal for girls under 20 and quite youthful, though a 30-year-old could wear it casually too. The vanilla and tonka bean smell distinctly of vanilla (hehe). The florals aren’t very distinct apart from the rose or geranium; the narcissus and jasmine smell almost identical. As the name suggests: Narcissus + Vanilla, with a delicate vanilla akin to Molinard, nothing cloying. A key detail: unlike other fragrances from this brand which are short-lived, this one lasts. I sprayed it on my wrist, arrived home after 30 minutes, had a shower and lunch; 45 minutes later and the scent is still intact, as if freshly applied. It’s atypical for the brand. It doesn’t evolve, smelling of vanilla and narcissus from start to finish. I recommend it for younger girls (under 30), vanilla lovers, and collectors.