Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.
If there is a theme in feminine perfumery that seems to be evolving over the past decade, it must be pink and sheer. Fitting with the light and transparent style of Fresh Index fragrances, Pink Jasmine cannot be described in any other way but pink, delicate and pretty. Whether these are positive or negative attributes would depend on personal preference; although, those who like sweet florals rendered transparent like chiffon and durable like nylon will find Pink Jasmine a good choice for the spring.
From its glittering top of oranges covered with flower petals to the transparent woody base, Pink Jasmine retains its airy floral sweetness. The splash of orange juice in the top notes immediately gives an appealing citrusy freshness which delicately persists in the floral heart. The fruity notes become more apparent as the fragrance dries down, with the sweetness growing more substantial, although never becoming cloying. …
Although jasmine is obvious among the floral notes, the composition is dominated by the fruity sweetness of freesia. The fresh and sweet accord is sustained through the development of Pink Jasmine, and even in the drydown, the floral quality retains its strength. The tenacity of this fragrance is impressive for a fairly light composition, and a couple of sprays seem enough to last for most of the day.
Those looking for the scent of jasmine in bloom will find that Pink Jasmine does not render it well, because above all the composition has a character of a silk flower corsage, rather than a jasmine bouquet. While not possessing any particularly original elements, it is pleasant, and those who like Fresh fragrances are likely to enjoy it very much.
Notes include red orange, freesia, spring lilac, magnolia, peony, fresh jasmine, tiare flower, precious woods, velvety peach skin, marsh mallow. Besides the EDP, the Fresh Pink Jasmine range includes a body cream and a soap. The pink jasmine body cream was one of Allure magazine’s giveaways this year. The body cream has the same scent as the EDP, however on the skin it is flatter and sharper. Nevertheless, like other Fresh body products, it has nice texture and good moisturizing properties.
Pink Jasmine is available from Fresh website, Sephora, and other retailers such as Saks5thAvenue, Neiman Marcus and Barney’s.
Photo: Pink Jasmine or Jasminum polyanthum, a flowering shrub from W. China. From kartuz.com.
22 Comments
violetnoir: There’s nothing wrong with being pink, floral and pretty. I love feminine fragrances. 🙂
I tried the body cream, even went for the Allure giveaway (did not get a jar). I find the fragrance very lovely, especially in the body cream. I bet the soap is nice, too.
Usually I like to wear a more complex fragrance, but love to have fun with all of the pretty bath pieces.:)Plus, I love freesia!
Hugs! February 1, 2006 at 11:30am
Robin: Cracking up at “durable like nylon”…
I like some of the scents in the Fresh line, but it is awfully expensive for what it is. February 1, 2006 at 1:39pm
Marina: Ah, freesia. One of the trickiest notes for me. Sometimes it works just fine, sometimes, like for example in Molinard’s Tendre Friandise (the scent I should have liked!) it absolutely refuses to cooperate with my skin chemistry. February 1, 2006 at 9:27am
Christine: I won Pink Jasmine body cream (yay!) and I liked it so much I already used up half of my jar. If the EDP is as nice as the body cream, I will have to buy it. Thank you for reviewing it! February 1, 2006 at 3:05pm
BoisdeJasmin: M, I do not mind freesia, but often it is very sharp and artificial. So, it is also hit or miss for me. February 1, 2006 at 3:26pm
BoisdeJasmin: R, no, there is nothing wrong with pink and feminine at all! I personally like a bit of dirt with the flowers, but Pink Jasmine is pretty. I agree that Fresh body products are great. However, I find them too expensive. February 1, 2006 at 3:41pm
BoisdeJasmin: V, I also like beauty.com–always very good service. I completely forgot that they have Fresh as well. Glad that you are enjoying Pink Jasmine. February 1, 2006 at 3:52pm
BoisdeJasmin: R, I like some fragrances too, but not enough to purchase. Pink Jasmine somehow does not appeal to me that much, even though it is nice. February 1, 2006 at 3:53pm
BoisdeJasmin: Christine, congratulations on your win! I prefer the EDP to the body cream, but if you like the body cream, you are certainly going to like the perfume too. February 1, 2006 at 3:54pm
Victoria O: I just got this last week from Beauty.com. I love that they have free shipping over $50, and no sales tax (for CA) and you also get rebates.
Jasmine is a love/hate thing with me, and done right, I do adore it. But it must be sweet and light, and this fits the bill.
Victoria O February 1, 2006 at 12:45pm
marchlion: “Rendered transparent like chiffon and durable like nylon” – I laughed all the way through the rest of your review on that one. Which brings me to my question (I’ve been struggling with it all day and still don’t have it quite right): Do you find a synthetic smell (“silk flower”) inherently objectionable/unappealing in a fragrance, or does it depend on the fragrance? Do you differentiate between a “synthetic” smell and something “impressionistic” — like a fragrance suggesting the idea of a rose? I don’t mean synthetic in terms of origin (I know fragrances are full of synthetics); I suppose I mean something that smells artificial, whether deliberately or not. February 1, 2006 at 5:48pm
Campaspe: “silk flower corsage, rather than a bouquet …” what a great comparison. I don’t even have to sniff this one to know it’s spot-on.
My favorite Fresh fragrance was Amaryllis Cassis, but it is DC. And when these folks discontinue a scent, that is it, the wind passeth over it and it is no more. Can’t be had anywhere. February 1, 2006 at 4:40pm
BoisdeJasmin: F, I also used to like Amaryllis Cassis, and in fact, it is definitely my favourite out of the whole line. However, like you said, it is discontinued and we are not likely to see it again. February 1, 2006 at 10:07pm
BoisdeJasmin: March, glad I could make you laugh. It is kind of difficult to answer this question, because by artificial I usually have something very concrete in mind. Usually, if I say that something is artificial, I usually mean sharp, lacking softness. Well, nylon vs. silk. I do not have anything against synthetics, and I like many perfumes that incorporate completely unnatural ingredients (salicylates, aldehydes–nothing about their smell is natural). I also like CdG Synthetic series. Diorissimo was made from a number of synthetics, but it nevertheless managed to preserve the idea of a flower in bloom, rather than have one think of a solution from a chemistry lab. On the subject of natural vs synthetic ingredients, I do not have much to say, as I think that the division between them is artificial. Both are necessary and the perfumery cannot be imagined without them. Despite all of the interesting jasmine synthetics, jasmine absolute is fascinating. On the other hand, jasmine absolute combined with hedione (synthetic ingredient with a scent of radiant jasmine) makes for such a unusual effect–jasmine turns dewy and radiant, attaining qualities it did not have before. February 1, 2006 at 10:34pm
Atreau: Oh I need to try this one, it sounds really lovely. February 1, 2006 at 11:52pm
marchlion: V, I knew I didn’t ask my question quite right! 🙂 Let us leave all judgements aside about natural vs. synthetic ingredients (I mean, that horse has been flogged to death.) I am asking you, someone whose perfume sensibilities I greatly respect and are really finely tuned, for just your one-woman opinion: do you in general dislike perfumes with some jarringly not-found-in-nature note, like plastic jasmine? (or rubber? Or, um, a really wink-wink fake-smelling rose?) Turning the question around: are there any perfumes you love that have some frankly fakey note in them? I guess I mean just floral notes… everything else is “fake” anyway, (watery accord, the smell of leather) I think. Your hedione jasmine is a nod in that direction, but are there any plastic flower frags that send you? Or is that too far over the line for you, V, personally? I know you love many of the more “impressionistic” ones, esp. roses… February 2, 2006 at 8:00am
BoisdeJasmin: S, I am sure that it will have many fans! Do try it. February 2, 2006 at 12:10pm
BoisdeJasmin: March, oh, I see what you mean. I do not mind fake notes and even some fake flowers, like blue rose in YSL Yvresse. I guess that everything has to do with how the note is used. Anything that is jarring (natural or synthetic) is a bad thing, because perfume should be harmonious above all. If something sticks out and bothers you, then it is not a good sign. In Pink Jasmine, there is nothing especially objectionable, but I like fragrances with more drama and complexity, so I suppose that is the reason Pink Jasmine does not appeal to me as much. February 2, 2006 at 12:19pm
marchlion: All right, then (taking the bait) how do you feel about Tuberose Criminelle? That’s certainly jarring. That sticks out and bothers — well, me, anyway. But it’s deliberate — it’s clearly supposed to be part of the story.
I’m going to mull over your “harmonious above all”… PS I am NOT trying to pick a fight! Actually, I agree with you, I find disharmony very alarming in fragrance. I am trying to decide whether I’m being reasonable, or whether I’m cheating myself of some aspect of the Perfume Experience. Think of this as a philosophical conundrum I’m wrestling with (although you can decline to wrestle with me!) PS I should confess I lifted an entire section of your Une Rose review and posted it (credited) in my Ode to my first rose fragrance love… you gave me the push. Thanks. February 2, 2006 at 9:39pm
BoisdeJasmin: March, hey, I am up for a debate anytime! In fact, thank you for bringing it up. I think that there are several ways to create a memorable experience in perfume. One, a harmony of notes, one melting into each other, a smooth form, like a polished marble sculpture. Another is a deliberate dissonance. For instance, in Shalimar, the top notes are very highpitched–cool, sparkling bergamot. The base is warm, smouldering vanilla and animalic notes. The two are almost the opposites of the olfactory spectrums, yet they complement each other. In Tubereuse Criminelle, the cool, metholated notes provide a foil to the warm, rich floral accord. Chypre is an example of dissonant elements that harmonize in a beautiful way–citrusy, floral, woody and mossy.
Bad harmony is when composition does not sustain its character, when it starts out as one thing and ends up someplace else, not connected thematically or artistically to the beginning. Even in the classical sequential compositions, the stages of development are very deliberately thought through.
I am very glad that I made you get over your fear of roses. Thank you for mentioning me in your Ode to Une Rose. It is stunning and impressionistic. Exactly the kind of rose I like best. February 2, 2006 at 10:12pm
marchlion: Thanks, V! That is precisely the kind of answer that allows me to think about fragrance in a new way as I continue my explorations. You are right — my beloved classic Guerlains contain deliberate dissonance, which is what makes them interesting. February 3, 2006 at 9:20am
BoisdeJasmin: My pleasure! I am looking forward to hearing what you discover. February 4, 2006 at 4:45pm