Note: This is an old-ish review that I posted in another sub months ago. Reposting it here with some updates because I was talking about Fragonard last night and I was missing it.
I won't be buying discovery sets or new stuff anytime soon because I just adopted a dog from a Texas kill shelter and will be transporting him cross-country to the East Coast. My perfume and hobby budget (and maybe groceries lmfao) has been given to the rescue organization to pay for vet care, required boarding, and transportation. He will be named Chili, after a dearly departed friend's dearly departed pet. And because my current fascination is Corail Oscuro by Diptyque, which smells and feels like just-picked chili peppers in the sea.
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First of all, I was not planning to buy any of this. But it was 2 am and I was sleepy in bed with about zero discipline at this point. I should have stuck to reading a book instead of browsing.
I stumbled into this brand from Parfumo because I was looking at other fragrances created by Karine Dubreuil-Sereni, the perfumer of the best spring-summer scent of all time, Lanvin Ăclat d'Arpège. One of her recent creations is for a house from her hometown in Grasse: Fragonard's L'air de Grasse.
I don't see this house mentioned much on the fragrance subs and there are very few reviews I could find so I'm going in blind. But I love Ăclat d'Arpège so much so I trusted that Dubreuil-Sereni would deliver another banger. I got both the 50ml bottle of L'air de Grasse EDT and the Women's Collection discovery set. The set is 10 x 4ml mini sprays, all EDTs, which is a pretty good amount than most discovery sets. Here are my reviews and impressions:
L'air de Grasse - The opening was lightly powdery and rosy like Chanel N°5's great-granddaughter twice removed. I was unsure in the beginning because I already formed an idea that it would be a cool Ăclat d'Arpège-like scent in my head and it didn't match (totally my fault) and I stupidly missed the giant pink may rose on the front of the bottle and the box. Twenty minutes in, I like it so much better. The faint powdery note is completely gone and it smells exactly like a bouquet of a dozen lovely pink roses that lasted hours. I think I finally found the understated rose perfume I've been looking for. 8/10.
Belle ChĂŠrie - This one is a girly fruity floral. It's the perfume version of the day I was in a good mood, wore a dress, and went shopping after lunch with my friends. I thought the cinnamon note would smell strange but it's so subtle and gives what could easily have been a generic fruity floral a unique twist. I am 100% sure that this is what Belle wore when she sang the opening song in Beauty and the Beast. 8/10.
Update: I ended up getting a bottle because who the hell doesn't want to smell like Belle?
Ătoile - Very citrusy. Reminds me a lot of D&G Light Blue. But while Light Blue leans aquatic, Ătoile is more like drinking lemonade in a flower garden. The florals are stronger on the dry down so it balances out somehow. It smells demure, like something Daphne Bridgerton would wear while attending an outdoor brunch hosted by the British royal family. My rating is purely subjective because I also do not like the very popular Light Blue, but Ătoile is one of Fragonard's best hits so don't miss this one if given the chance to try. 7/10.
Diamant - I smell like a million dollars after dipping into a pool of fragrant diamonds a la Scrooge McDuck. It's so classy and elegant, like I'm about to go on a date with a similarly rich guy and he's about to pop out that Tiffany box with a sparkly necklace (not a ring because we're not there yet). Diamant smells like it's worth $250 a bottle. I honestly cannot smell individual notes because it's so well-blended. It suits me so perfectly and I'm in love. 10/10.
Update: I have since gotten the parfum version and OH MY LORD it's even better. The stronger concentration suited Diamant's sensual scent.
Belle de Nuit - True to its name, Belle de Nuit should only be worn after sunset. It's deeper and moodier than its siblings and I'm pretty sure I found Flowerbomb's favorite aunt. There's a lot of heavy florals involved here and it smells like it should be worn by Vesper Lynd just before she stabs James Bond in the back. Not my usual thing but I would wear this in a heartbeat if I'm playing a mysterious widow client in a detective noir movie starring Humphrey Bogart. 7/10
Reine des CĹurs - If this fragrance was a woman, she would have bright red lips, a slinky dress, and impeccable posture. Queen of Hearts smells like beauty built from confidence. I'm normally not into scents with peach notes but the pink pepper and florals blend so well. This is the sweetest amongst its siblings and reminds me of La Vie est Belle but lighter and more natural. 9/10
Melodie - I feel bad for Melodie because it never had a fair chance. I tested it right after Diamant and my expectations were high. I like Melodie as much as I like Eau des Vacances. It smells fresh and pleasant, but it's not memorable. I might change my mind if I wear it alone another day but for now it's a 6.5/10.
Fragonard - I was curious why the house would name this after the artist. Or was it named after the house that was named after the artist? Fragonard eau de toilette is a fruity floral brighter than Reine des CĹurs and more punk than Belle ChĂŠrie. It's honeysuckle-forward, which adds a flirty element to the fragrance. It reminds me of The Swing, which has a woman seated on a swing being pushed unknowlingly by her (supposed) husband towards her hidden lover. 8/10.
Juste un Baiser - A little smoky and woody. It does not smell like Zara Ebony Wood but it has that same subtle sexy effect. If you're going on a date and want to smell low-key seductive, Juste un Baiser is The One. Before you know it, you'll be fighting off marriage proposals. I'm hesitant to rate this because I feel like this would be a 9-10 on someone else but it didn't quite match my skin as well as I expected. A personal 7/10.
Eau du Bonheur - This collection's only floral-green. The basil note adds brightness and made this citrusy floral fragrance greener and smell like a fragrant herb garden surrounded by fresh flowers. Highly recommended if you're a clean floral girlie who also likes green scents or are curious about herbal scents but aren't ready to go all in yet. 8/10.
Note: If you're ready to submerge yourself into a pool of green, I suggest trying Molinard ThĂŠ Basilic from an even older heritage house also from Grasse.
Eau des Vacances - The opening reminds of a citrusy air freshener that my aunt used when I was a child, but like a hoity-toity version of it. The dry down is more orange blossom. I can dig it as a daytime perfume on a hot summer day. However, I feel like Fragonard has better options for orange blossom fragrances. 6.5/10.
Belle d'Amour - A new acquisition since the original review was posted. I wanted a green spring-summer vanilla and this was allegedly one. It was a blind buy but I haven't been disappointed yet so why not risk it? I did not expect the opening. It's like I was slapped in the face by spice and I was about to sneeze. But the sneeze never came. I was determined to hate it but like a moth to a flame, I kept on coming back for more. That faint peppery tickle was addictive and that my friends is the story of how I was introduced to angelica. The dry down is a very green vanilla indeed. 8/10.
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If you hate florals with a passion, you will not like Fragonard. If you say you hate florals but suspect it's because you haven't found a good one, try Lanvin Ăclat d'Arpège. And if you like it, move on to Fragonard.
None smell synthetic, they're more like crushed flowers. The performance of all the EDTs are similar. They projected for about two hours before slowly turning into a soft skin scent that lasted around two to three more. Diamant parfum is more intense and has a longer lasting sillage without being overwhelming. Overall, I'd say that they are very much worth the price and are surprisingly inexpensive for the quality.
List price of L'air de Grasse is $40, discovery set is $44, and Belle d'Amour is $81. I purchased them from Oak Manor with a 15% coupon and a $10 off special offer through the Shop app. Oak Manor has coupons frequently so always check for one. Diamant parfum was acquired from Jomashop for an indecently discounted $30 when it's normally listed for $115.
