Review: L'Occitane Neroli and Orchidee

The latest addition to L'Occitane en Provence La Collection de Grasse line:
Neroli and Orchidee.

Wearing an orange-based body scent for me, or any citrus-based perfume for that matter, is quite tricky as some of these can leave you smelling like car freshener (Shaldan, anyone?) or household cleaning product (enter lemon-scented Pledge or Lysol). One of my favorite orange-centered perfumes, which I now have an empty bottle of, is Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarine-Basilic. Beautifully housed in an intricate gold bottle, it combines orange blossoms, mandarine oranges and the magic ingredient (for me, anyways) basil, which tempers the acidity of the fruit. It is a lovely fragrance which evolves nicely in warm weather, being fresh, sweet, tart and green, with an addictive soft dry down.

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarine-Basilic was lovely to the last drop!

Enter one of L’Occitane’s most recent addition to their La Collection de Grasse line: Neroli and Orchidee, a floral number, combining Mediterranean neroli (a.k.a. bitter orange blossom) and exotic Madagascar orchid. I loved this perfume on first whiff, testing it on my wrist a couple of weeks ago at Rustan’s. That day, I kept sniffing my wrist all afternoon while walking in the mall, and into the night (like a crazy person)! Finally, two days ago, I managed to get myself one of the last two bottles left on display at the L’Occitane section in Rustan’s Shangri-la. Oh, the restraint from keeping me from buying both bottles was quite admirable, if I may say so myself, haha.

L'Occitane Neroli and Orchidee. 

Though marketed as a floral fragrance, to my nose, it is a juicy, fresh floral scent with a splash of orange, and creamy musky notes as you reach its base. The orange is so subtle but blends so wonderfully with the floral notes. No smelling of car freshener or Lysol with this one! Too, it works great in this hot and humid weather I am in now. And although it is "fruity floral" or better yet, floral with a touch of fruit -- to me, it still manages to smell sophisticated, and I can see this being used from day to night. Also, the bottle is beautiful, and the spray delivers a substantial dose of fragrance (Don't you hate it when perfume sprays squirt out fragrance?!). Longevity is fair at about four hours after initial spritz, after which I had to reapply. 

I am so in love with this scent and shall be dousing myself with it on especially hot days – which conflicts me as I don’t want to run out. *Suddenly regretting not buying that last bottle* D'oh! 

(Don't mind me, that's junkie-speak right there.)