The excitement of a new Frederic Malle release is so much fun, and Frederic Malle Eau de Magnolia doesn’t disappoint.
Eau de Magnolia was created by Carlos Benaim, with the intention of capturing the difficult to capture magnolia scent. He based his work on a study by Braja Mookherjee of IFF. He found that magnolia – ordinarily badly translated in perfume world – starts with a fresh citrus. That’s how Eau de Magnolia opens – bracing, crisp green citrus. There are softer notes that blend in and start to shape this magnificent magnolia. Woods and amber with a little moss and somehow buried in all of this lush woodsy green is a little magnolia. It starts small and blends outwards, incorporating everything that magnolia does, becoming bigger until it is the whole thing.
It’s really brilliant and subtle and lovely and something that I’ll be wearing all summer, along with Parfums DelRae Wit. It’s one of those fragrances that is much more than it seems. You could just call it a lovely floral, and it is all that, but it also laid out the scenery and the place and the setting and plomped that magnolia down in it, making it seems natural and perfect.
Boys, this one is for you too! I think this would be amazing on a guy, and many of you better be wearing it this year. Can I also just make a big, loud clap for Malle slowly working out unisex scents centered on traditionally “chick” notes and making them perfect for everyone. Portrait of a Lady was genius, and Eau de Magnolia is positioned to do the same thing for Magnolia that POAL and Le Labo Rose 31 did for the rose note.
Notes of bergamot, magnolia headspace, vetiver, patchouli, cedarwood, amber, and tree moss.
It’s available now at Malle boutiques and at Barney’s next week. Of course we’ll do a draw! I’ll give away 4 samples of this gorgeous fragrance to commenters drawn at random. Favorite Malle? And Why? I have so many favorites in that line, it’s obscene. En Passant, Vetiver Extraordinaire, Portrait of a Lady, Carnal Flower. Oh, it would be easier to list the ones that aren’t my favorites!
Malle is one of my very favorite lines. It’s a tie between Carnal Flower and Noir Epices for me. But I’ve just recently had a crush on Lipstick Rose. Thanks for the opportunity to try Eau de Magnolia!
I love most of the FM’s I have tried, my favorites are Lipstick Rose, Musc Ravageur and Lys Mediteranne
I love the FM line and have many of them. My favourite is probably Dans Tes Bras, although Une Rose and POAL are not far behind. Thanks for the draw!
I love several Malles: Carnal Flower; Dries Van Noten; En Passant really stand out to me.
My fav Malle is L’Eau d’Hiver. Minimalist. Sweet, simple. Scent of hay. Thanks for giveaway.
I’m also a Carnal Flower (which I have), and a Une Fleur de Cassie (nearly at the end of my decant – oh no!) lover. Eau de Magnolia sounds wonderful. Thank you for the draw.
I haven’t read all the comments but I wonder if I’m the first to say Bigarade Concentre is my favourite.
I haven’t had the chance to try any of the Malles but would dearly love to. Thanks for the opportunity 🙂
I would love to try this!
Please enter me in the draw! I can’t wait to smell this one.
My favorite Malle is Geranium Pour Monsieur because I associate it with my boyfriend. It’s how he would smell every day of the year if I could afford to keep replenishing it for him.
I think my favorite would be Eau de Magnolia if it is as good as it sounds. Other than that, Carnal Flower. Thanks for the draw.
Love Wit! It’s gorgeous.
I’ve been excited for this new Malle, but wanted to sample before I jumped in on a split. Favorite Malles are Iris Poudre and Carnal Flower – so far. Would add En Passant to the list but it only lasts about three nanoseconds on me, so sad.
I would love to try this! My favorite Malle is Une Rose, because I’ve never smelled anything quite like it, despite all the roses. But it is so expensive – I only own a bottle of Eau d’Hiver!
L’Eau d’Hiver is my favorite Malle! I just adore it! Would love to try the Eau de Magnolia. Thanks for the draw.
It would be a toss-up between Carnal Flower and En Passant, but a nod to Dries van Noten and I am coming around to Musc Rav. Thanks for the drawing!
Sounds like a must try for me! My favorite Malle is Lys Mediteranee, but I’m starting to appreciate POAL more as I test it. To my nose, POAL is just *too much* of everything all at once. I’ve found dabbing makes a world of difference, and the scent becomes much more manageable.
Musc Ravageur just does it for me in such a gut way. Wish I could afford a bottle! Love Lys Mediteranee and Carnal Flower, too.
It would be easier to list the ones I don’t like from the Malle line. It took me almost a year to like PoAL. It smelled wonderful on my daughter and I wanted to like it. But the first time on my skin, it was just overwhelmed and felt it didn’t work for me. But I stubbornly kept trying it on different occasions, until one day I fell in love with it. I feel like it earned the honor of being my favorite. My daughter says it’s my signature scent. Well as close to a signature scent as someone who owns a lot of scents can come.
Ive just got a sample of Carnal Flower and I am in love! POAL, Parfum de Therese, Lipstick Rose, En Passant and L’Eau Hiver are next in a very long Malle line. Yes, please enter me in this generous draw.
Carnal Flower is my favorite, which is unfortunate since it’s also the most expensive of the bunch. It’s so lush but in a way that does not induce a headache. A very gorgeous tuberose.
I’d love to try Eau de Magnolia. It sounds really good. I think my favorite Malle thus far is Musc Ravageur. It’s just yummy. But of the others I’ve tried, I also really like Portrait of a Lady, Carnal Flower and Iris Poudre.
My very first Frederic Malle (after doing the head in the chamber thing at Barneys for what seemed like hours) was Le Parfum de Therese and I love it still!
I have to jump on the Carnal Flower bus, but why oh why did they discontinue the Musc Ravageur oil,. It was divine. merde
My favorite is Carnal Flower..I’ve had people follow me and ask what I’m wearing more than once when I had it on. I love En Passant also…it eluded me and screamed dryer sheet at first, but then it suddenly clicked and the lilac came out.
i don’t have enough experience with Malle to have a favorite… but i would love to try! 😉
I haven’t tried a lot of their fragrances yet (I certainly plan to, with Eau de Magnolia being on the top of my to-try list ever since I first saw it mentioned on another blog!), but so far my favourite is Angéliques sous la pluie. I found it so evocative, and delicate and beautiful!
Without a doubt Le Parfum de Therese is my favorite. Ilove the citrus and melon note, and the white flowers. I can wear this fragrance anytime-work, going out to dinner, summer, fall. It’s perfect!
The only Malle I’ve tried is PoL and I love it. My dream is to buy the coffret so that I can try all of the FM scents (and the little bottles look very cute). I suppose if I wait long enough they may add this magnolia fragrance to the set.
I own and love Musc Ravageur, but have sampled others in the line that I would love to own as well only my dratted bank account won’t let me! I would love to give this one a try as it sounds perfect for the hot humid Florida summer that is already upon us. Thanks for the draw 🙂
Hope to have an FM bottle one day, but have not found The One yet.
Malle, I meant to say!
My favorite Mall is Vetiver Extraordinaire. Its Vetiver, with the cuddly warmth of ths lovely root but at teh same time light and airy so you don’t smell just like the root itself! I’m not sure if I’m exprseeing myself well… but it’s a wonderful scent!
Favorite Malle?!- No! How can I? Une Rose is the one I have had a strong appreciation for the longest. And then maybe En Passant. Fleur de Cassie is brilliant as well. And then Musc Ravageur. Oh, L’Eau d’Hiver is great too! And Lipstick Rose, and Portrait of a Lady… and I forgot Parfum de Therese. The agony. I could probably convince myself that Une Rose is my favorite, but I haven’t spent enough time with any of them (only testing in-store) to have a great idea.
Oooo, thanks for the draw! My favorite Malle is Une Fleur de Cassie — it’s the most unusual and addictive unsweetened floral I’ve ever sniffed.
I’ve only tried Vetiver Extrordinaire and POAL – both are so lovely. Thank you for the giveaway!
Oh, a new Malle is so exciting! My absolute favourites are Carnal Flower – like climbing into a beautiful flower; and POAL – I spent the first 10 minutes at least sniffing my wrist and saying ‘wow, wow…oh my goodness, wow!’
I’ve been eying the Malle sample coffret on STC because I want to sample a ton of them. I don’t think I’ve sampled any — not sure. Right now, magnolia trees are in bloom here in Virginia. I drove by one yesterday and rolled my windows down hoping to catch a faint trace of it, but it was too far away. The new scent sounds like a good approximation of magnolia. Thanks for the drawing Patty!
I loooove En Passant, it always feels bright, summery and happy to me. I have a sample of Carnal Flower that keeps telling me to wear it, but I keep telling it ‘not today, I don’t want to scare people today!’. So, one day soon, when I’ll be home most of the day I’ll wear it… Eau de Magnolia sounds gorgeous.
My favorite malle is L’Eau d’Hiver. Why? Because it captures a feeling of confort and an at-ease mood.
i sooooooooooooooooo want to try this…i have been magnolia hunting for a while now…i own le parfum de therese but i like so many…en passant would probably be next or dries van noten
I’ve enjoyed sampling the Malle perfumes, but the one bottle I actually own-En Passant- I haven’t worn for ages. I was really struck by Parfum d Therese, for its beautiful development and quality. As for Carnal Flower, it just not quite for me. I’m looking forward to trying POAL and MR one day, and of course the Eau De Magnolia. It has the notes I love.
Another Carnal Flower fan here but Misc Ravageur is right there too! I wonder if they’ll add Eau De Magnolia to the Coffret set? I’ve been eyeing that set for sometime now. Thanks for the draw!
I really love lipstick rose. It’s gorgeous.
I have not tried any Malles yet, mostly because I suspect once I get started I won’t be able to stop 🙂 Eau de Magnolia sounds amazing, too!
I thought I loved Géranium Pour Monsieur, but realized it was the opening that really blew me away. The drydown of white musks didn’t get it for me, wandering into generic and vaguely sweet territory. I suppose that leaves Vetiver Ex. as my next choice, but as someone who grew up in NC and lives there still, the magnolia holds a special place in my heart. In fact, I love Jardin du Poète because it reminds me of green magnolia pods.
Eau de Magnolia sounds lovely. My faves are Carnal Flower, POAL and Lipstick Rose. They are all pretty amazing.
it has to be Bigarade Concentree. nothing can beat that clean, crisp and classic cologne in summer.
It’s Une Fleur de Cassie for me, although I have been hankering lately for Geranium Pour Monsieur…. Thank you!
I haven’t tried many from this line, but Carnal Flower certainly is lovely.
Carnal Flower and Lipstick Rose are my favorite. I have never tried POAL. Eau De Magnolia is first on my list to try.
Thanks for the draw!
I’m still working my way through the Malles, love En Passant and at least intrigued by Lys Mediteranee and Geranium Pour Monsieur. Would love to try this too!
My favorite is Carnal Flower. But if money were no object I’d own at least four others, too.
Musc Ravaguer is definitely my favorite of those that I’ve tried, but there are lots of great Malles. THIS is the frag that I am most excited about launching this year. It sounds perfect in every way OTHER than price, but that’s what splits are for…
I have a decant of Musc Rav but haven’t gotten around to trying it. I’ve tried En Passant and love it even though the aquatic, yeasty thing gets to me. I do recall trying Carnal Flower, but can’t remember if I like it or not.
I love POAL for the spiciness of the rose notes.
Lys Mediteranee is my favorite Malle, but I love most of them. Can’t wait to try the new one!
Musc Ravageur, Une Rose and POAL are my favs from the line. Of course, since I haven’t tried even half of them, its all still up in the air. Musc Ravageur is the only one I’ve bought a full bottle of thus far. Would love to try the new one, of course!
There’s not many I don’t love, but its between Carnal Flower, Musc Rav and Lipstick Rose. I just adore how girlie pink and purple LR is 🙂
Carnal Flower was my gateway into perfume obsession. It had me at first sniff, it just hit me with how much I had to have it and buy a FB right then, and I am NOT an impulsive shopper. Although I haven’t had a chance to try them all, I’ve been able to sample a lot, and have really liked them all. So many I’d love to own! And I’d love to try this one.
Oh wow, I want to try this!! My favorite Malle is a tie between Dries Van Noten and Musc Ravageur. But there are a lot I haven’t tried. I’d love to get their sample kit someday.
Thanks for the drawing!
Ropion fan girl here–faves are Carnal Flower and Une Fleur de Cassie.
Love carnal flower and portrait so a lady, hope to try this one!
I love both Carnal Flower and POAL, but I think Carnal Flower is my favorite. The perfect spring fragrance, it makes me think yellow and green and fresh damp cool breezes and loveliness.