We’re easing into fall here, so before it gets too late, I wanted to get this little beauty in under the wire. Like many of you, I’m a sucker for a gardenia scent. Not as keen on the super-blue-cheesy/mushroomy ones as some of you diehards are, and I tend to like ‘em a little more green and fresh, but there’s no doubt that I’m a gardenia gal through and through. And Gardez-Moi from Jovoy hits the spot quite nicely.
This one is lovely; not quite as true to life, IMHO, as Michael Storer’s Stephanie, and certainly not earthy or dirty at all, but every bit as pretty as other takes on the flower, including Van Cleef & Arpels, Estee Lauder, Arquiste and others, but not going over to the slightly soapy side like Kai (which I love, too).
Gardez-Moi opens with a hothouse feel, and shares that with Ineke’s Hothouse Flower. A wet, green bouquet comes to mind, and the watery aspect (but not veering into melon or aquatic territory, so never fear) lends freshness. A hint of other white florals pops up but not enough to mar the overall impression of gardenia. As it heads into the drydown, a little fruity character slides ever so gently into the mix, and that, joined by a touch of vanilla, sweeten it a bit. It’s not what you’d call gourmand, but something about it made me liken the barely brown edges of a just-past-its-prime gardenia bloom to a delicate edge of caramelized sugar on a creme brulee. I could happily wear this for three seasons, and perhaps even in winter when a visit to the gardenia bush might be most welcome.
My only quibble with this is that I wish it came in something smaller than that whopping 100-ml size. I really like this scent, but not that much. The bottle would probably give me twinges of perfume guilty conscience.
Notes (courtesy of Luckyscent): Coriander, aldehydes, black pepper, cyclamen, tomato leaf, ylang-ylang, Egyptian jasmine absolute, mimosa absolute, gardenia, white lily, styrax, musks, Virginia cedar, raspberry bouquet, oak moss, vanilla.
Gardez-Moi is available at Luckyscent, Min New York, and of course, the namesake Paris boutique.
Anyway, this is the first scent from Jovoy that I’ve tried. I’m glad my gardenia curiosity put this line on my radar as some of their other scents look interesting as well. But that’s for another day (or month, as the case may be).
Have any of you tried Gardez-Moi? Or do you have a fave scent from Jovoy?
I find a lot of gardenia scents smell like another white flower usually. I do like white florals so I don’t mind. Very few smell like true gardenia to me. There’s one whose name escapes me now that smells more like lily of the valley than anything else yet I’ve seen people rave about the gardenia in it. I haven’t tried the Jovoy one. I don’t recall if I’ve tried any Jovoy scents. I don’t think I have.
Hiya, Poodle! So true — very few gardenia scents can mimic the flower very closely. But I still kind of like them as they’re usually pretty. Not sure which one you’re thinking of, when you remember it, do let us know.
I am obsessed with gardenias, try them all, but only a luscious photorealistic gardenia will satisfy me, and there are very few of those around. Stephanie has been recommended to me, and I wish that I smelled anything like that in there. This is a new one to me, will undoubtedly try it if I can locate a sample
Hi, lady! This one is definitely worth a try — they have samples at LuckyScent. What was your take on the Stephanie? It’s funny, but on my skin it’s (the Stephanie) almost spot-on with the flower, but on another friend not anywhere close.
BTW, what have you found to be photorealistic? I’m always on the lookout for those, too.
The only one I loved so far enough to buy was Les Jeux Sont Faits, but I did not get a chance to smell Gardez-Moi (it wasn’t out yet at the LA Scentsation).
Hey, Tara! So glad you found one to love. I need to try that one as well — sounds nice. Thanks!
I just hope to be in Paris one day! And I’d definitely try Gardez-Moi, since I love gardenia. 🙂
Oh, yes, I sure hope so! Me, too, but at this point, it’ll probably take winning the lottery, ha!
Jovoy Poudre is nice. Not wonderful, but very very nice. It’s a powdery cosmetic violet scent.
Thanks, Susan! That one sounds nice; I have a soft spot for powdery cosmetic violet scents. Hope to try this one day.
I only recall the Jovoy Fouguere – your review makes me want to revisit the line, hopefully in Paris (“next year in Paris” ). I wrestle with gardenia. I want to love it. I should love it. sadly, I don’t. I don’t hate it – just don’t love it.
xoxoA
Hey, sweetie! Going to Paris next year, eh? Well, you are one lucky dog (and you deserve it more than anyone I know)! I feel your pain with gardenia; I wrestle with several notes — and they usually win, ha!
Hey there Ann,
Can I brag? He He He!! I’m going to anyway.
While in Paris earlier in the year Denyse Beaulieu (I hope i spelled it correctly) the author of The Perfume Lover and muse for Bertrand Duchaufour’s Seville a l’Aube took me to Jovoy. I was so smitten with her that I hardly noticed the perfumes at all. Sadly I missed the whole Jovoy line.
I managed to grab a Kinize Ten Gold edition next door though at the pharmacy, Vienna had sold out.
Portia xx
Oh, you lucky thing! But that just means that there’s more for you to explore down the line. BTW, I like Knize Ten but what’s the gold edition?
Well Ann,
They brought it out for the Knize Ten 75th Anniversary. Fragrantica says it has had its notes rearranged a bit. I still haven’t done a throwdown. One day.
Portia xx
A throwdown could be fun — would love to read about that!
I’ve sprayed some Jovoys in passing only once. I remember liking one particularly but I can’t recall which. Probably Psychedelique or L’Enfant Terrible.
Thanks, I’ve heard of both of those and need to try them. I realize that they’re not widely available to sniff.
I’ve never tried any of the Jovoy offerings so I can’t say if I like them or not. What does bother me with quite a few niche and some mainstream offerings is the bottle size. I have around 30 (not including backups) bottles already and can’t quite justify a huge bottle of anything anymore.
I heartily agree! I think Parfums de Nicolai is really onto something with the 30-ml bottles. Why not do that size and a 50-ml size and be done with it? Unless you are a signature-scent kind of person, who really needs 100 mls of anything? But I’m sure some people would beg to differ.
Amouage is about the only house that I would ever consider getting a 100ml bottle. They are so well made it is worth it.
I agree — Amouage would be one of the few 100-ml-worthy ones.