Red Carnation / Oeillet Rouge
Ava Luxe

I wanted so much to like this one. I adore the true, spicy garden carnation scent, which is totally unlike the anemic florist-variety carnation. In my quest for a carnation perfume, I tested Ava Luxe, Comme des Garcons Series 2: Red - Carnation, and Dawn Spencer Hurwitz's Oeillets Rouges, having already tried Caron Bellodgia and found it too musty, too generic floral, for me. Fragonard Billet Doux was nice, but blander than I liked.Alas. On me, from the very first minute, this was a soapy, bitter mess. Under the bitterness, I can pick up a vague hint of clove. I had to scrub it off. Bleah.CdG was nice to start, but developed a hint of the same soapy bitterness 20 minutes in. My favorite of the bunch is the DSH, although I haven't tried the JAR Golconda or the Santa Maria Novella Garofano.

Pleasanly sweet and spicy, somewhat linear, beautiful carnation. This is scent that the flower industry has bred out of their flowers in exchange for a longer "shelf life." Long lasting, for sure. Clove and Carnation heaven!