Skip to main content

Le Jardin by Max Factor

Green Notes, Fruit Notes, Mint, Tarragon, Bergamot.
Cyclamen, Magnolia, Tuberose, Orris Root, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Muguet.
Sandalwood, Amber, Musk, Civet, Oakmoss, Cedar.

I recently picked up a 55ml. spray of this at a local discount store. Naturally, I spritzed it to make sure it  hadn't turned before shelling out the enormous sum of $.50.

My initial reaction wasn't to recoil or to swoon. The Garden it advertises may give one the suggestion of florals, but it's a generic attempt at best. To be fair, Le Jardin is actually pretty good as far as budget scents go.

The opening is what I deem as the deal breaker for those who don't care for this fragrance. Aldehyde isn't listed, but I'm guessing that Aldehyde Cyclamen was used here. Some have tagged it as a  "hairspray" accord and I can understand that. I get an effervescent mish mash of green and citrus. It's more fizzy than shimmering and I usually relegate certain Lutens as possessing the "hairspray" aura. Le Jardin doesn't give me that impression.

Once the first few minutes dissipates, Le Jardin settles into a rather nice spicy rose accented with green stem. There's earth tones here as well, but the theme of Le Jardin is surely floral.

Some reviewers have complained about the use of civet here and how imbalanced it is. I agree that it's imbalanced, but not because it's strong. I don't realize it at all and would have enjoyed it being more pronounced. As Le Jardin meanders its way into base and drydown, the florals remain, but make room for a slightly resinous wood and moss.

Sillage is good and longevity is approximately 5 hours plus on my skin. A Positive-Neutral rating from Aromi for Max Factor's Le Jardin. Naturally, a sample wear is highly recommended.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

                      Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme by L'Artisan Parfumeur

I read many reviews before or after I do my own and I seem to be at complete odds with the house of L'Artisan. I have previously said on basenotes that for me, L'Artisan Parfumeur is the most over-rated house I have come across. La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme does nothing to sway that opinion. Yet another linear, floral dominant scent that does nothing to stir me up or inspire me in any way. This house has "pleasant" nailed down to an art form......but damn...can't we go beyond that? The only attempt at polarization so far has been Dzongkha ....and I found it a jumbled mess. At these prices, move me, anger me, hate me.......but please don't bore me. Extreme in a nutshell is a toned down tuberose with assorted "blossom" thrown in the mix. Is it bad? No, it's an acceptable floral scent that's very timid and just lays on my skin smelling like....well....a toned down version of tuberose with blossom this or that added to it. I'm almost a...