Gardenia Flowers and Perfumes

Last week I posted about a creamy white floral perfume comprising tuberose and jasmine notes. I can think of many favourite scents featuring/starring both of those white florals. But it’s another heady white floral that I struggle with mightily. I’ve never found one gardenia-dominant perfume I would wish for.

Perhaps, subconsciously in a narrow-minded way, I associate gardenia fragrances with being too feminine. But I don’t think so, as one might associate jasmine and tuberose with femininity, and I never have an issue with those particular florals. It must just be the way the note is conveyed in perfumery. It’s a hard note to nail, and none are particularly to my liking.

I’ve tried many of the “usual suspects” regarding gardenia fragrances. I didn’t get on with the two Tom Fords due to the overdose of musk, tuberose, and honey notes. Velvet Gardenia became too medicinal and overly sweet. And despite the name, Venetian Bergamot’s fresh opening burns away, leaving a soapy, musky mess behind. The musk in this Tom Ford made it screechy and unbearable. Casablanca Lily suffers the same fate as Velvet Gardenia – too sweet due to an overdose of honey. La Panthere and its woody, earthy gardenia notes bring the Narciso Rodriguez in the white cube to mind. But I’m unconvinced that gardenia is the main protagonist. It’s the best of these four, though.

I like most of Gardénia Antigua by Armani Prive, but the dry down leaves me cold. Armani lists ambergris in the base. I say it’s Ambroxan – artificial and offputting. Elie Saab’s range always hits the mark for me, but not Essence No. 2 Gardenia. And again, it’s the synthetic woody base. I’ll need to revisit Narciso, but I recall a sharpness in the far dry down. The biggest disappointment, though, is Chanel’s Gardenia. The dry down lacked character, and the perfume lacked gardenia.

Here are four I think I’ve yet to try. Three are from brands I know and respect. Santa Maria Novella and Tauer rarely disappoint me, and their Gardenia and Sotto La Luna Gardenia intrigue me. I don’t know if Une Voix Noire from Serge Lutens is still in production, but I’ll seek out a sample if it is. Those bell jars are costly, however. And finally, the note pyramid of Isabey’s Sir Gallahad seems like a winner with potential tobacco and woody facets. Somewhere, I’m sure I have a sample of this. I need to locate it. 

Although a gardenia perfume remains elusive, I love the flowers and their accompanying scent. Fortunately, gardenia flowers grow well in the heat and humidity here in Queensland. I had quite a few growing in my garden earlier in the year. Their fresh spicy tropical creamy scent is most noticeable in the evening around dusk. Here are a few more photos of my gardenias.

I’ve got enough fragrances anyway. But it would be nice to round out the collection with a gardenia scent. I’m looking for a more animalic, rough, and ready gardenia rather than a soapy one. For now, though, I’ll stick to my good old garden variety gardenias. What’s a note you struggle with? Do you have any suggestions for a gardenia scent? What are your favourites?

Note: All photos are my own.

17 thoughts on “Gardenia Flowers and Perfumes

  1. Great selection of gardenia perfumes! My favorite is Tauer’s gardenia and Gardenia Supercritique by Les Eaux Primordiales. Beautiful pictures!

    1. Thanks very much, Tetê! Ah yes, I need to revisit that one from Les Eaux Primordiales. I recall it had a fruity touch? I think I’ll enjoy the Tauer too.

  2. Beautiful blooms!
    It looks like the Lutens has been d/ced. It was stunning but maybe not to your taste. I found it voluptuously feminine like Billie herself.
    The Chanel EdT was better than today’s EdP but I had the vintage extrait. One drop filled a concert hall but it was very polished.
    If you’re going to look at Isabey, their Gardenia is my go to now. Big & blousy, made for curves, so again, give it a go, it may perform differently on you

    1. Thanks very much! And thanks for the clarifications on these gardenia perfumes. I thought the Lutens might have been discontinued. But I’ll give the Isabey a sample.

  3. Your photos are stunning!! Dame Perfumery makes a gardenia Soliflore that is over the top. Right now I am enjoying Dame’s Ruguir de Gardenia. A good friend sent me her bottle as she felt it was too soapy in her skin but it develops beautifully on mine.

    1. Thanks so much, Brigitte! Sounds nice, I’ll have to seek that brand out. Thanks for the suggestions.

  4. I haven’t tried many gardenia fragrances, although I remember liking Jovoy Gardez-Moi. It’s probably heavily swayed by other floral notes though. Your garden gardenias are beautiful.

  5. By the way, Daniel, beautiful photos. The two gardenia fragrances that reside in my collection currently are Gardenia by Santa Maria Novella, Boutonnière No 7 by Arquiste and Gardenia & Oud Absolu by Jo Malone. You might give those a try. You can also check out my own posts about this mesmerizing and captivating flower.
    Stories of Gardenia: https://perfumuschicago.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/1415/
    Gardenia & Oud Absolu: https://perfumuschicago.wordpress.com/2022/02/13/gardenia-oud-absolu-jo-malone-london/

    1. Thanks so much! I’ll try your recommendations for sure. Loved your posts. I tried to make a couple of comments, but not sure they went through? Hopefully, if you haven’t already you get a chance to try that Serge Lutens.

  6. Lovely shots Daniel! Gardenia is not a note I get on with either, but I would definitely recommend the Tauer, it’s rather unique, worthy of a sniff!

  7. Madonna being a huge lover of gardenia has two favorite perfumes. Fracas by Robert Pique and Gardenia Passion by Annick Guotal. Both gorgeous perfumes.

    1. Hey Shane. Great suggestions. And yes, Madonna she seems to have great taste in perfumes. Even though they’re not gardenia, POAL and Carnal Flower are among her favourites too I believe.

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