Best Perfumes for Women

9 Best Gardenia Scented Perfumes for Women

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Gardenia is a fairly popular ingredient in many women’s perfumes. This white floral is both distinct in its aroma and well-loved by folks around the world. It often gets paired with tuberose and assorted greenish notes, but my list, will not be strictly limited to those types.

In the end, I have selected 9 ladies’ perfumes, which I consider to be the best gardenia scented fragrances on the market. Obviously, this is opinion, and there are plenty of other great ones but I wanted to keep things concise.

What are the Best Smelling Gardenia Perfumes?

Creamy Gardenia and Tuberose

Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion By Annick Goutal For Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.4 oz– Creamy smooth scent with the gardenia flanked by jasmine and tuberose. Gardenia Passion does have a noticeable orange blossom, in the mix, and this is a big time floral perfume.

It dries down with a bit of a greenish aroma, like plant stems, to go along with the flower petals.

It’s getting harder to come by a bottle, but it is still affordable, when you do. It’s got enough of an earthy edge to keep things interesting. Update: Yeah, it’s got very sparse availability nowadays.

Realistic Gardenia Scent

Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia 1 oz Eau de Parfum Spray Fragrance for Women– A very good entry from the Estee Lauder Private collection, it is of course highlighted, by the two namesake notes.

They sit at the top and dominate the fragrance, but the background players are actually quite noticeable in this one.

Rosewood, carnation, and some lilac play their parts and move in and out of the scent during the wear.

The gardenia is stronger than the tuberose, for the most part, but the tuberose does have its moments in the lead. Nice sweetness and a very lifelike gardenia note.

Armani Antigua

Gardenia Antigua by Armani– This is my newer addition to the list and one that I liked quite a bit when I smelled it. I don’t think it was massively popular since its release, but Antigua is worth checking out.

Gardenia Antigua is a sophisticated and classic use of gardenia. Light and gorgeous with a musky undertone throughout the wear.

Neroli and mandarin give it a touch of a citrusy aroma with ylang-ylang and jasmine providing the further floral backup of our target note.

Bright with enough sweetness to keep things delightful. It is apart of the more expensive Armani Prive line. So, it might not be a blind buy for everyone. Though, Antigua is a perfume that gardenia lovers should try to smell.

Gardenia and Fruit Blend

Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia by Gucci Eau de Toilette Spray 3.3oz for women– So, this Gucci is a change of pace on the list, as it isn’t a ‘pure’ floral gardenia. Instead, it also incorporate fruit notes such as berries and pear, to give the perfume a different dynamic.

Nonetheless, it is a supremely fresh fragrance, with sweet fruits and a clean aroma. The opening is the pear blossom, citrus/berries, and brown sugar. Freshness rather than some massive overpowering sugar bomb.

Frangipani also has a prominent role as the main floral attraction early on. But, the gardenia will then come much more into play, and become the focal point.

It dries down more floral than fruity, but that opening blend, is quite good and well worth a try.  Gorgeous Gardenia Review

Dewy Gardenia Perfume

Gardenia by Elizabeth Taylor for Women, Eau De Parfum Spray, 3.3-Ounce– An inexpensive option with more of a green aroma, than just entirely, flower petals. Gardenia by Elizabeth Taylor is a bold option that includes lily-of-the-valley and a dewy fresh scent.

It can start off strong, but moves quickly into a lighter scent, but with a great all day longevity. Dries down with musk to go along with the lily and gardenia. A good one to pick up, without having to spend much.

This one has more of an overall flower garden fragrance, like after a light rain, versus just being a collection of petals.

Popular Fresh Fragrance

Kai Eau De Parfum– Fairly straightforward, very feminine, and super gorgeous gardenia based perfume. Yes, there are other floral notes, which play the background, and create a bouquet effect. However, the gardenia note is in full bloom with Kai.

It is a very natural and classic sort of ladies scent, definitely one for the gardenia lovers. Kai has a fairly green profile, but with a airiness, to the entire composition.

best gardenia perfumes

Luxury Gardenia Scent

Creed Fleurs de Gardenia Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 2.5 Ounce– A higher end option from a designer known for using choice ingredients, in their fragrances. Gardenia is joined by lily and peony, for a floral based scent, but one that is different from the others listed.

Underneath that, is hints or rose and musk, and some pink pepper. Fleurs de Gardenia is a fresh bouquet with plenty of interesting earthy and green undertones throughout.

This is somewhat like the Elizabeth Taylor scent, listed above. This one has that musk note, however, and more of a soapy vibe.

Inexpensive Tropical Gardenia

Jovan Island Gardenia For Women Cologne Spray 1.5 Ounce– Another cheapie, but a very good gardenia scented fragrance.

Island Gardenia is a bit of a tropical take on this style of perfume, with light notes of peach and coconut, at the top.

The gardenia is joined by tuberose and features a creamy smooth finish with a bit of vanilla. Not too heavy, but a fantastic deal at the price, for those who love this ingredient.

Classic Style Fragrance

Penhaligon’s Gardenia Eau de Toilette, 3.4 fl. oz.– A soft and sweet blend of gardenia and tuberose, this one is a classic that has been around for ages. At times, it is green or sweeter, but it always ends with white flowers taking back control.

Other floral notes dance under the main attractions, providing bursts of lovely smelling petals, with that sweet attractive ambiance that the entire thing provides.

Very solid performance and just a wonderful all around wear. This one can be super pricey, just FYI.

Safanad by Parfums de Marly

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Today’s review is going to be of Safanad by Parfums de Marly. Now, I still have three or so fragrances from this house to do a write up on, from the samples I received a few months back. I’ve tried them all out, just need to organize my thoughts and post them on here.

Anyway, Safanad is our target for the moment. This PdM perfume was released in 2013. As usual, I will cover: what’s inside, how does it smell, develop, perform, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Safanad by PdM Smell Like?

Notes include: orange blossom, sandalwood, vanilla, pear, ylang ylang, iris, orange, and amber

Click here to try: Parfums de Marly Safanad for women Eau de Parfum 2.5 Oz./75 ml

Before we start let’s see how Parfums de Marly describes this perfume: Safanad “the Pure” Arabian breed, is personified through this Orange blossom note, leading to white flower bouquet, settling in a very sensual oriental base of sandalwood and vanilla.

My Full Review

So, the opening blast from Safanad is led by the orange blossom note and is flanked by ylang ylang and that familiar aroma of iris. It’s quite floral and does produce that bouquet effect that Parfums de Marly described it as.

The composition is dominated by the orange blossom, however, and the vanilla note emerges with is own sweetness to go along with the other floral notes. I do get a bit more of the iris than the ylang-ylang, but neither is particularly massive within the mix.

I’ve seen some other reviewers say that they get a lot of the ylang-ylang, but on my skin, it’s much less potent for whatever reason.

As it moves along, I do indeed pick up on a pear note in Safanad, it’s really not my favorite ingredient by any means but it is nice here. It’s there at the start, but gets overshadowed in my opinion, until things settle. A good little sparkle, but that’s about it.

About half an hour or so into the wear, it becomes a creamier sort of scent, with the iris and vanilla notes wrapped up in a warm and embracing amber.

It’s very well done and held together by the sandalwood base note. I’m not exactly sure what it is in this fragrance, but there is a very slight boozy element to Safanad, if I’m really paying attention. Can’t quite put put my finger on what is creating that vibe.

At the end, I get plenty of amber, vanilla, sandalwood, and orange blossom. Those are the notes that make it through and form the last dry down period.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Safanad has a moderate to strong sillage. I don’t find it overpowering, but wouldn’t want to go nuts with the sprays either. It’s exactly what it should be, not too powerful, but not wholly weak.

The longevity was decent on my skin, maybe 7 hours, but not more than that. Somewhat of a let down for something at this price point.

Not that you always need a perfume to go much longer than this. Though, it’s nice to know that it can when needed. I was expecting more, after it started off so strong.

Seasonally, this is a fragrance mostly for cooler weather. It’s like a comforting blanket, rather, than some airy fruity scent you’d find in the summer. It works for the autumn and winter. You could probably get away with it in springtime, also. I just wouldn’t like it in the high heat.

I don’t find this Parfums de Marly perfume to be particularly sexy, but it is attractive, and pleasant to smell. I’d say it’s a good daily wear, casual, or even formal.

It is definitely a more feminine fragrance and has a well put together vibe. Lovely, creamy, just not mouth watering.

Overall Impressions of Safanad

Overall, do I like Safanad? I do. It’s a nice floral scent for the wintertime and doesn’t go full on ‘green’ garden or bouquet the entire time. You get some lovely floral notes, amber warmth, creaminess/powdery, and a solid sandalwood peaking through.

This is a sweeter type of floral, without going full on sugary or becoming a cloying or immature mess.

The sweetness of the pear and the great orange blossom note are really a highlight. As is, the amber. I don’t have too many complaints with the way that this fragrance smells.

Again, maybe you’ll get more of the ylang-ylang than I do, but I also usually favor an iris note over that yellow flower. Just a preference and I also really enjoy orange blossom, in most fragrances.

The longevity isn’t amazing, but the performance here is pretty darn good overall. It’s a really pretty fragrance and one that has a unique-ish aroma, that will help one stand out from the crowd, while not being too in your face about it.

Safanad is among the better releases from Parfums de Marly. It gets overshadowed by Delina and some of the others, but is very good itself. If it sounds interesting to you, it’s well worth a try.

Women EDP by Calvin Klein

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So, Amazon randomly sent me a sample of the latest Calvin Klein women’s fragrance (note: I’ve updated this since), titled appropriately enough: Women. Released in 2018 Yeah, sure. Beyond the highly original name, I was actually curious to know how this one smelled, and whether or no there was a good perfume inside the sample vial.

As usual, I have worn it, and now have shared my thoughts below on everything Calvin Klein Women.

What does Women by Calvin Klein Smell Like?

Notes include: lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, cedar, black pepper, eucalyptus, orange blossom, musk, ambroxan, tea, and more

Click here to try: Calvin Klein WOMEN Perfume For Women 3.4 fl.oz(100ml) Eau De Parfum Spray

My Full Wear Review

Calvin Klein Women starts with an ultra-sharp citrus mix of lemon and grapefruit. It actually reminds me of a more feminine Sauvage, in that respect.

It seems like after every designer put out their version of a Sauvage clone for men, the women’s side had to also start adding heavy citrus and ambroxan and pepper to everything.

It comes across as strange though. Super citrus with spice, kind of messy. All of this sits on top of cedar wood and has a slight herbal tinge, from the tea note.

However, that sort of aroma at the start doesn’t last too long before Women shifts into more of a spicy orange blossom fragrance. I feel at times, as though I’m smelling bits of Light Blue by D&G, within this perfume’s DNA, but it never fully commits to smelling exactly like that fragrance.

As it dries down, I get more grapefruit than the lemon note, to go along with cedar and some floral notes…mainly, the aforementioned orange blossom, but a few others also.

The cedar seems to grow stronger the further along in the wear you are and the citrus still has that super sharp quality to it.

Once that initial blast wears off, Women becomes a very wearable, albeit not spectacular scent. I like the citrus, orange blossom, and fresh cedar pairing. Not too sharp anymore, but has a great cleanliness.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, Calvin Klein Women starts off really strong, and then dries down soft to moderate. It was weird how much it settled down from that huge sillage it has at the beginning. So, it’s ultimately a fairly moderate fragrance.

It’s one of the quickest turnarounds that I’ve ever experienced. Seriously, it bombs at first, and it settles into something lighter in record time.

Longevity was pretty good, somewhere in the 6-7 hour neighborhood on my skin, not great but usable. CK fragrances, tend not to be ones that go on for double digit hours. Depending on the price, the value of having this scent can vary a loot.

The citrus and floral notes makes this one seem like it’s suited to be worn on the warmer days of the year. Though, it could be safely worn whenever. It just really feels like a spring/summer sort of fragrance.

I’d call it a casual, everyday wear. One could probably wear it to work, but it’s not a nightlife or date kind of perfume.

Overall Impressions of Women by CK

Overall, do I recommend, Calvin Klein Women? Ehhh, it’s okay. I hate how this perfume starts out but I think it gets better as it goes along. Although, even then, it never blows me away. You get a citrus/woody fragrance with floral and herbal spice undertones.

I feel like it strays more towards unisex, than something designed specifically for women. But whatever, I didn’t design their marketing campaign. It’s decent, though. This Calvin Klein isn’t anything special.

The one strength that it really has is how easy to wear and versatile it is. It does everything else decently, but this one isn’t original, nor will it knock your socks off.

If you’re a big fan of Light Blue or similar scents, this might be one to check out. Goes in a different direction with the orange blossom, but has a style that is reminiscent of that popular D&G perfume.

Wonderstruck Enchanted by Taylor Swift

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Taylor Swift has been a giant pop star for a long time now. Add to that, her fragrance line has been around for about a decade, as well. Her Wonderstruck perfume was a rousing success, and was followed up by today’s review entry, Wonderstruck Enchanted.

Enchanted was released back in 2012. How does this T. Swift fragrance smell? What are the notes? How long does it last? Is it even worth a buy?

Update: Coming back to this years later, Taylor’s perfume line has been defunct for a long time, with no new releases since 2014.

What does Wonderstruck Enchanted Smell Like?

Notes include: pink poppy, wild berries, vanilla, peony, passion fruit, fressia, musk, champaca, woods

Click here to try: Taylor Swift Enchanted Wonderstruck Eau de Parfum Spray for Women, 3.4 Ounce 

My Full Review

Enchanted Wonderstruck begins with a burst of sugary berries and passion fruit. The berries occupy about 80% of the fruit blend, to my nose, and the rest to the more tropical aroma.

Very sweet and juicy, but I find it to be fun and delicious. Underneath, these fruit notes is an array of flowers. The floral notes, aren’t too noticeable for me, until about 5 minutes in. Then, I do get poppy and some peony. Still, they’re quite light in the composition.

Most of this wear, is going to be a fruity/floral, with emphasis on the fruity part. Once the initial fruit wave has passed, you start to get some musk, and creamy vanilla.

At this point, it becomes more of a berry and vanilla blend, with passion fruit playing very little role at all. It tones down a lot of the excesses of the sweetness, in terms of the fruitiness. But, the sugar will start to dissipate, as well.

This is most of what you’re going to get from Wonderstruck Enchanted. A woody base, does emerge, to give this fragrance some grounding.

However, it is still completely led by berries, vanilla, and musk. The floral notes are around, but pretty much just blend into a non-descript aroma.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, this isn’t a very strong fragrance. The projection isn’t going to make its way throughout a room. You can spray it fairly heavily and it will settle down closer to the skin, pretty quick.

That being said, the longevity was actually good for me. It was hanging around for 7-8 hours, at that point, it’s more about vanilla. Nonetheless, that’s still a great length of time, for the type of scent this is.

Seasonally, Wonderstruck Enchanted is cold weather dominant. It can venture into spring, but I’d keep it out of the heat. That sort of thick sweetness, will melt. But, within the colder months it is a very nice aroma and well worth a shot.

This Taylor Swift perfume definitely skews towards younger women. It’s not too childish or anything, so, someone older could wear this casually. Think wearing this to school, for casual wear, just to feel cozy, maybe a date. It’s not a formal sort of fragrance.

Overall Impression of Wonderstruck Enchanted

Overall, do I like Enchanted? I actually do enjoy this Taylor Swift perfume. The berries smell awesome, I know not everyone likes the sweet stuff, but I certainly do.

While I like the juicy fruit opening act, I particularly like when the vanilla and berries get to mix in the dry down. What a delightfully warm gourmand.

It’s not a super powerful fragrance or one that really projects all that much, but it actually provides solid longevity. Just an all around attractive wear for colder days, geared toward the younger set.

I believe that Wonderstruck Enchanted has been discontinued, so, you’ll have to grab a bottle online. It was inexpensive when introduced, but when supplies get limited, that can change. However, for the right price, this is a worthwhile try.

I wouldn’t pay a high price for it. If you’re getting close to designer prices, that’s probably too much. For a cheapie, this is a great winter sweet wear for a younger woman.

2023 Update: Yep, prices have officially gotten crazy for the limited bottles left. I’ve seen them selling for almost $200 a pop. Unless you’re a collector, it’s not worthwhile, at that price. Shame, this was a great value perfume, at one time.

Libre L’Absolu Platine by YSL

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Libre L’Absolu Platine is the latest version of this YSL line for 2023. I really hadn’t heard about it, but I saw an ad with Dua Lipa, and so ordered a sample of this a few weeks back. I’ve been testing this one out, to see how it stacks up versus other entries in the Libre series. How does it smell? Does it last long? Is L’Absolu Platine worth a buy?

What does Libre L’Absolu Platine Smell Like?

Notes include: citrus, lavender, orange blossom, white lavender, vanilla, amber

Click here to try: Libre L’Absolu Platine

My Full Review

Here’s how YSL describes it: The iconic structure of Libre, a tension between cool Diva lavender heart from France, crafted for Yves Saint Laurent Beauty and sensual orange blossom absolute from Morocco, reinterpreted in vibrantly metallic way. A juice with an exclusive concentration within the Libre range, enriched with a unique aromatic white lavender accord fashion by the master perfumers.

L’Absolut Platine starts off with cold and slightly metallic aldehydes coming through. Citrus, lavender, and orange blossom are all in the mix from the start.

It sort of reminds me of the beginning of Soleil Neige by Tom Ford. That one is a snowy cold with citrus and orange blossom. Platine is a metallic cold with an additional lavender note. Oh, this one is much more influenced by the classic aldehyde floral perfumes of the past.

Early, the orange blossom strikes me as being slightly stronger in the mix. That will quickly reverse and this one will have its various lavender notes coming in to dominate the blend.

I do like this cold and refreshing start. It’s pretty captivating, in that first hour or so.

After that, the lavender really comes into its own. That feature note, with the orange blossom still sticking around, and Platine smells a lot like the original Libre. Different, but strong similarities.

To my nose, L’Absolu Platine has less of the vanilla in the dry down. It is there, but not as much as what I got with Libre. Plus, the aldehydes still give this one a chilled brightness versus the original. Sort of soapy clean.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

L’Absolu Platine does start off very strong, with a powerful projection and a nice cloud around you, as you go about your day. Quite in line with what you get from the rest of the series.

However, I don’t think it maintains it’s strength as well as Libre or Intense. This YSL is a tad weaker than its predecessors.

The longevity here is somewhere in the 7-8 hour range, on me. On a t-shirt, this is like most everything else, and will go forever.

I do find it to be a step below both Libre and Libre Intense, in terms of its performance. Not bad, by any means, but both of those were great for mainstream designer perfumes.

Seasonally, autumn through mid-spring would be best for L’Absolu Platine. It’s a bit much for the summer months, but I like it in the cooler temperatures that I’m experiencing right now.

It is like Libre in its use cases. Daytime wear that can transition into evening. Has an attractive quality, not sexy, and isn’t a nightclub sort of scent. But, can be a signature or daily wear for many people.

So, L’Absolu Platine is a pretty darn unisex fragrance. Seriously, if you’re someone who though Libre EDP was ‘masculine’ this might seem even further in that direction.

Personally, I think the use of aldehydes keeps it more in the middle, but I can see how some who like more standard ‘girly’ perfumes might be put off by this.

Overall Impressions of L’Absolu Platine

Overall, do I like Libre L’Absolu Platine? I do like it more than Libre, but less than Libre Intense. I have a Le Parfum review to finish, but I’m not sure that Platine passes that one either.

I do think the start is interesting and it’s the highlight for me. I like that chilly and metallic sort of aroma that I get with the citrus and emergent floral notes.

The rest of the way, has a lot of the DNA of the original with a boosted lavender note and the remaining aldehydes helping to set it apart.

That being said, I’m not sure that you need this one, if you already have Libre. I think it’s at a higher price point too, so, no real need unless you’re a collector.

For others, I think that it is worth trying, especially if you’re a lavender fan. It’s a somewhat different take and one that I enjoy more than Libre EDP.

L’Absolu Platine isn’t one that I’d recommend on a blind buy. More of a test and see if you vibe with it.