In this article, we are going to talk about the best perfumes that smell like Lily-of-the-Valley.
- Diorissimo by Christian Dior
- Muguet 2014 by Guerlain
- L’Eau d’Issey pour Homme
- Muguet des Bois by Coty
- Lily Of The Valley (Muguet) Yves Rocher for women
- Lily of the Valley by Penhaligon’s
Beginning of Spring
The lovely bell-shaped buds of Lily-of-the-Valley represent the beginning of spring, tenderness, love, hope, and purity.
One of the reasons why it represents love is that it has been said to encourage fertility due to its scent component called Borgeonal. Borgeonal supposedly alters the calcium balance of male gametes and consequently attracts them to the scent.
Its delicate flowers may look soft and sweet but the Lily-of-the-Valley plant is actually poisonous and dangerous to humans and animals when ingested. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe to smell.
Lily-of-the-Valley Accord
Lily-of-the-Valley, or Muguet in French, has an aldehydic, green, creamy floral scent with hints of spiciness. It has been a favored scent in perfumery because of its intense aroma that captivates and lingers.
Because of the strength of its aroma, Lily-of-the-Valley is often used as a base note in fragrances and blends nicely with sandalwood, patchouli, herbs, and vetiver. The sweetness is made prominent by woody and green notes without making it too overpowering.
But the Lily-of-the-Valley scent in perfumes is not actually made from the flowers itself. The many attempts at extracting its natural oils haven’t been successful at capturing the alluring scent the flowers exude as they bloom. This means that essential oils and absolutes from the flower don’t necessarily hold value in perfumery.
For decades, the Lily-of-the-Valley accord used in perfumes is created using synthetics and aldehydes like Lilial, Lyral, Cyclamen, and Hydroxycitronellal.
However, these three odorants had faced problems for possibly causing allergic reactions with longtime use. Limits were eventually set for the use of Hydroxycitronellal and Lilial. Lyral, on the other hand, has ultimately been banned.
Thankfully, perfume companies have developed replacers for the production of fragrances that make use of these materials. Starfleur 40, Mahonia, Lilflore, and Hivernal are now being used to replicate the beautiful Lily-of-the-Valley scent.
Perfumes that Smell Like Lily-of-the-Valley
Diorissimo by Christian Dior
No Muguet list is complete without the mention of Diorissimo by Christiano Dior. Originally released in 1956, the beloved perfume was previously discontinued but was then relaunched in 2009 as part of their Les Creations de Monsieur Dior collection with an updated composition.
Dior dubs Lily-of-the-Valley as his favorite “fortune” flower and Diorissimo is “the scented expression of his soul”. It is the Dior brand’s emblem of hope, happiness, and joy. And that is exactly what it smells like.
Diorissimo is bright and graceful. Designed by Edmond Roudnitska, the vision for the perfume was to come up with a simple and luminous scent resembling the Muguet that he was enamored with as he rested in his garden.
The perfume has Lily-of-the-Valley all over it with middle notes of Indian Jasmine and White Musk at the base.
Occasions and Performance
A perfect morning scent. The fresh and clean fragrance is a lovely delightful daytime scent that you can wear just about anywhere.
Diorissimo has modest longevity and moderate sillage as it is meant to be a light fragrance.
Muguet 2014 by Guerlain
Take a look at that gorgeous bottle! And the scent is just as pretty. Guerlain has made a charming Lily-of-the-Valley scent. The perfume opens with a sparkling Bergamot and then the middle notes of Lily-of-the-Valley, Jasmine, Rose, and green notes come through. At the base is a soft musk.
This is a more playful version of a Muguet. It is like a fun day in springtime when everyone just has a great time and a big, bright smile on their face. If you want a more youthful take on Lily-of-the-Valley then this would be it.
Occasions and Performance
This is a pick-me-up type of fragrance that has enormous sillage. You will catch everyone’s attention if you have this on and that spotlight will last for a really long time! This will take a long while before it fades so go easy on the application.
L’Eau d’Issey pour Homme
If you want a more complex blend that subtly introduces Lily-of-the-Valley, then this might be a nice choice. Jacques Cavallier was the nose behind Issey Miyake’s L’Eau d’Issey pour Homme. It was first launched in 1994 and was reintroduced in two editions in 2009 as L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme and L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme Intense.
This is a Lily-of-the-Valley scent that shows how well the flower performs alongside citrus and spicy notes. At the top are notes of Yuzu, Bergamot, Lemon, and Tarragon. You’ll find the Lily-of-the-Valley shining at the heart accompanied by a woody nutmeg and water lily. It ends strongly with base notes of tobacco, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, and musk.
The perfume opens up sharply with the citrusy and spicy notes but once the sharpness settles, the lovely floral comes through and the scent starts feeling like a warm hug.
Occasions and Performance
This is more of a warm-weather perfume perfect when the sun is bright and at its peak.
Wearing it at the start of your day is not a problem since the perfume has quite the longevity. It has a heavy projection at the start but it does calm down after a couple of hours.
Muguet des Bois by Coty
Lily-of-the-Valley can be dewy, sweet, and creamy all at the same time that’s why it’s so easy to be mesmerized by it. It is no wonder why this 1941 creation by Coty is still loved by many.
The man behind the scent is Henri Robert. It has top notes of Aldehydes, Orange, Green Leaves, and Bergamot. Cyclamen, Lilac, Jasmine, and Lily-of-the-Valley are at the heart of this perfume and have Sandalwood and Musk as the base.
Occasions and Performance
Spritz this on and it’s suddenly springtime. You would only be enjoying it by yourself though because the sillage is on the softer side.
For a soft fragrance, it lasts a decent four to five hours on the skin.
Lily Of The Valley (Muguet) Yves Rocher for women
Lily-of-the-Valley by Yves Rocher is an elegant floral fragrance that brings the sweet scent of spring. Just recently launched in 2019, this is one of the successful recreations of the floral scent.
This is a light Lily-of-the-Valley soliflore that will remind you of dewy spring mornings and garden blooms. It brings a quiet joy and some peace of mind maybe because it’s a linear scent. This scent from Yves Rocher will make you understand why the flower is a symbol of purity, love, and hope.
Occasions and Performance
The sillage is soft and you shouldn’t expect much longevity from it as well. The scent is better worn on calm days when you just want to relax in tranquility.
Lily of the Valley by Penhaligon’s
Another Muguet classic, Penhaligon’s Lily-of-the-Valley was launched in 1976 with Michael Pickthall as the creator. This makes the luminescent character of the flower stand out with top notes of Bergamot, Amalfi Lemon, and Geranium. You’ll find the sweet Lily-of-the-Valley in the middle along with Rose, Ylang-Ylang, and Jasmine. The perfume settles into base notes of sandalwood and oakmoss.
This Muguet scent by Penhaligon’s has stood the test of time and not just because of nostalgia. Floral lovers will be enamored by the sweet simplicity of Lily-of-the-Valley. It’s like taking a stroll in a garden of white flowers after a light shower.
Occasions and Performance
A wonderful daytime scent that brings joy to peaceful mornings and calm afternoons.
The sillage can be bigger but it fits the elegance of Lily of the Valley. You’d still get hints of it after several hours but this wouldn’t last more than eight hours on the skin.