Lilac Love
Amouage (2016)

I'm looking to expand my usual "go-to" unisex fragrances that are woody, resinous, amber-y, oud-y, etc with patchouli, ambergris and anything else resinous, spicy & dirty. I've always loved floral fragrance blends; I own (and have owned) a few rose-oud-incense blends. Something about the mixture of florals, along with the sandalwood & patchouli base caught my eye; so I decided to give Lilac Love a try.

And Jonathan, "The Perfume Guy" on YouTube raved about this fragrance. I adore Jonathan and I think he has a unique & exquisite perfume sense...the fragrance notes fit (sorta), so I decided to sample Lilac Love.

So, Lilac Love opens as a huge, heady, indolic floral bouquet with (some) lilac and many other prominent floral notes. FLOWER BOMB!! Within 5 minutes, I detect almond-y heliotrope struggling to make an appearance from beneath the grand floral bouquet opening. The heliotrope never becomes too prominent, or overly gourmand-y because it is held at bay by the mixture of floral notes twirling around. But heliotrope is strong and yes, it is definitely present in the middle as this fragrance develops. Thankfully, the heliotrope and indolic floral opening are (somewhat) tamed with a sharp, sour, powdery, extremely arid & dry, vanilla-woody (sandalwood), thin patchouli base. The patchouli dry down is one of a leafy, or "green" type, another note I generally dislike in fragrances. The persistent shout of nearly sour vanilla and almond (heliotrope), along with green, herbaceous patchouli is a near turn-off for me. Heliotrope & wet mossy earth are not necessarily notes I want to smell like all day long.

Longevity is moderate at 4+ hours. I've sampled and worn a few Amouage fragrances and silage is always low-to-moderate.

I purchased a sample of this fragrance after Jonathan raved about it. I usually agree with Jonathan 99.9% of the time...we have similar tastes in fragrances. But with Lilac Love, I'm afraid I have to part ways.

A neutral fragrance memory for me, at best. Definitely not intriguing enough to wear on a regular basis. As with all Amouage fragrances and EdPs, price-point is over-the-top.

A baby being rocked to sleep near a garden window, the breeze filtering through, carrying with it the scent of lilac blossoms, sweet and dewy fresh. So gentle, so peaceful, soft as a newborn’s cheek.

Olfactory-realistic lilac and powdery clean baby toilettes, warmed by hints of cocoa and almond. Superb.

I always have to try perfumes many times, and Amouage is the worst for morphing over time on me. This one went from a like to a hate over the testing period.

First try: It’s a lipsticky floral that I do like, very light and floral but it’s not nearly as gourmand as the descriptions make it sound. Also, no real lilac in this. It’s violet, lipstick violet. Very pretty, but doesn’t last very long. Undecided. Vanishes so fast and it’s so light, it’s hard to believe this is an Amouage. Lacks the layers and complexity of most Amouage.

Second try: Lipstick violet but with strong notes of berry or bright something or other that make it kind of sparkly. It’s very spring-y, for sure. Maybe that’s why I’m liking it more, Spring is close. On skin, it’s very sweet, very floral and yes, I get a hint of that gourmand feel that others have noted but I missed the first round. Still not very gourmand, but really really pretty, for all it’s sweetness. Kinda liking lots now.

Third try: ANNND not. There’s a fine line where the lilac-plus-puff-pastry goes over intoa nauseating doughy yeast smell that turns my stomach. Not wearable. Not keeping.

Think the older or more mature women will like this one. The jasmine and rose are the leaders in this band. Everyone is playing backup. The Gardenia note is the deal breaker for me. Be careful, this will stain your cloths with a pink color. Did a hec of a trick on the tester strip.

A big burst of sweet jasmine on top. All the other flowers are well-blended. Barely any lilac and no peony, for my nose. A mild, nutty confection in the middle. Slight smokiness at the base with mellow patchouli and vanilla. I only wish the top notes lingered awhile longer.

Overall a very lovely scent by this house.

If your idea of pampering is a full body slather of your favourite lotion after bathing, followed by lolling on the couch with a slab of rich milk chocolate, then Lilac Love could be for you.
It has a serious ooze factor; this is perfume as unguent. But what it does, it does quite well – embedding a heady jasmine-heliotrope accord within fold upon fold of an uber-creamy chocolate, tonka and vanilla dessert. I am reminded of cinema ads for chocolate from long ago which used to major on a constant pouring of the silken, brown stuff. Over time the composition does let in a bit more air and space as the chocolate seems to get consumed by and by and the floral notes breathe and expand – now there's a pinkish blush of peony in the mix, too.
Wear it with a light touch and this will provide gentle uplift and comfort; overdose and risk a headache.