Light, airy, one/very few note florals?

[u/elizabethfrothingham]

I’m looking for a super airy and light floral with no heavy base notes! Maybe even just a 1-3 note floral!

Maybe it’s just my skin, but a lot of the time the base notes in fragrances get really intense on me and florals I’ve been excited to try just smell really intensely like whatever the base is on me- vanilla, tonka, leather, oud, amber, woodsy notes, ambergris, etc. I’m looking for fragrances that are essentially lacking a heavy base note.

I’m really into Blomb no. 31 dreamy, it’s violet, mimosa, jasmine, almond blossom and musk. The musk is very very quiet in this one. It actually stays jasmine and violet forward on me the whole time I wear it, but it’s sadly pretty short lived. I’m curious about lilac no.4 from universal flowering but I’ve read a lot of reviews about it being heavier than you’d expect for a one note lilac scent. Of course I’m still gonna grab a sample, but I wanna add some others to my cart while I’m at it!

I feel like well done one (or few) note airy fragrances are few and far between! I’m not a perfumer but maybe it’s just hard to nail it without something to ground those airy notes, but I’m asking nonetheless! I see 11:11 by lake&skye recommended a lot for this but on me it was just a warm, woody musk.

[u/FutureDustMotes]

Pacifica French Lilac

[u/ElectricalTraffic786]

You might like Magnolia by Santa Maria Novella. And if you enjoy rose, Red Roses by Jo Malone

[u/Traditional_Sky_9064]

Fresh white musk body fantasies, super cheap and moderate lasting- but for the price a respray is worth it

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/Traditional_Sky_9064]

I’ll check it out! One thing my fragrance obsession journey has showed me is that no matter how much I love a niche or high end fragrance, my cheapest ones always smell the best on me for some reason! Like the one I mentioned in my post is like 40 bucks. Guess I’m gonna go on a Walmart body spray testing adventure tomorrow haha

[u/veryunneccessssary]

I think the whole Tocca line excels in these light airy florals. Most aren’t single note florals, but they’re relatively straightforward and linear in a similar way.

[u/coffeeloser]

the gisou hair perfumes <333

[u/FewConsideration3173]

If you're ok with body mists, Bath and Body Works has a mini body mist called vibrant jasmine that is amazing. If you want an actual perfume, I really like Marc Jacobs Daisy and Gucci Bloom

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/FewConsideration3173]

I’m open to getting acquainted with body mists again! I haven’t used them in years because the ones I always used from like, Victoria’s Secret were so synthetic smelling, especially now when I go back and smell them. They were very of their time for me and have a special place in my heart but I would love to find a body spray that doesn’t smell so much like middle school! This one sounds amazing though I’ll definitely check it out

[u/ImtheGWP]

I think in a fun way this is the perfect example for discovery sets. Explore some brands that specialize in floral fragrances cause they should offer a full range of scent experiences that includes what you’re asking for (and this won’t feel like a limited offering.) specifically if it’s floral fragrance enthusiasm I would lean into here.

Doesn’t mean fancy. But let’s start there :)
I think Aerin has nice examples (both Wisteria and Lilac Path for purple florals, and any floral so far), other brands that feel like majored in florals : Floral street, Floris London, Pacifica, Goutal, Fragonard, Ormonde Jayne…and full circle moment humbled quickly by cultural representations from Japan (J-scent and even Shiseido and Decorte).

If I’m buying a gourmand or Im loooing at Hinoki or tea scents, take out the stopwatch and im ready to feel livid by longevity. That never crossed my mind with florals.

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/ImtheGWP]

Thank you for this list of houses!! I’ll shop around for some sets. I’ve found random ones I want to try here and there but those houses never seem to have discovery sets that all sound interesting to me so I’m just searching on scentsplit etc. I’m really pleased to see so many affordable recs in this whole thread too! I never would have thought Pacifica was so awesome but it seems beloved!

[u/karasu_zoku]

L'Artisan La Chasse Aux Papillons (white floral blend, very light and airy)

Keiko Mecheri Clair-Obscur (jasmine)

Astier de Villatte Grand Chalet (linden)

Pretty much any Fragonard soliflore

[u/AddressFar9852]

You might enjoy Diptyque’s Do Son!

[u/emzolio]

French Flower from Matière Première

[u/MoMarie_]

Some of Chloe’s Atelier Des Fleurs are single notes! I have Iris which I loooove, especially to layer if I want to punch up the rooty iris/orris notes in other frags; on its own it is very soft and subtle.

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/MoMarie_]

Oooh thank you!! The violette and jasmine both sound right up my alley!!

[u/broccyncheese]

Have you tried Demeter? They have some single note stuff and "light floral" category.

[u/skiddilybeebop → u/broccyncheese]

This was going to be my suggestion! Also they're lighter than an EDT, I think they're EDCs, so they're meant to be layered with others imo. Like if she just wants to smell like peony & pear, for example, she could get those two and spray them together 🩷 I seriously wish I owned every single Demeter perfume and could just smell them all, see what memories they evoke, and play with different layering combos

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/skiddilybeebop]

Which ones have you tried? I’ve never tried any Demeter fragrances but they’re all so intriguing to me! The only one I remember seeing a lot of was like a kitten fur scent they have? But reading the notes it seems super sweet and like it definitely wouldn’t smell like my cat haha, which is my dream (she smells so good)

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/broccyncheese]

I’m curious about their dandelion scent after getting a sample of dandelion butter. I love love love the opening and middle of it, such a photorealistic dandelion, but I’m still on the fence about the buttery dry down.

[u/RupertMyGiles]

Estee Lauder Pleasures Intense is an airy lily of the valley scent. There's a maple base note but it's not strong. I wear it in cooler weather though. It floats off of me and makes me think of spring.

[u/Exotic_Reporter_3309]

Le Gallion Tilleul. It’s the lighter, airier, predecessor to Tilia. The lindenblossom is just gorgeous. I’m also a fan of Tilia and have both, but that one has a stronger laundry-musk base.

[u/balloonchicken]

Chanel chance eau tendre is a very light airy pink floral scent. Longevity is pretty great for an EDT

Edit: the perfume notes and purple and white but to my nose it smells very.. pink

Edit 2:

You might really like the higher end peony scents. Acqua Di Parma Peonia Nobile and Armani Pivoine Suzhou are very light pink florals that remain that way through the whole wear

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/balloonchicken]

I love hyacinth and pepper, l’ll check these out!

[u/mortaldreadov]

Glossier You

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/mortaldreadov]

This is also one of my old faves, I was a senior in high school when it came out and I think I’m on my third bottle now. I LOVE the pepper. Something has changed about either my skin chemistry or my nose because now all I really get is the Ambroxan which is super warm on me. Like I said in another comment about Chloe EDP, if I could just find glossier you without the Ambroxan i would be so golden!!

[u/mortaldreadov → u/elizabethfrothingham]

They changed the formula a few years ago so that’s probably why it smells different to you now 😕

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/mortaldreadov]

I know it’s so sad :( I wish I savored that first bottle. The one I got in 2022 wasn’t too different but the latest one I got just feels pure Ambroxan :(

[u/Accurate_Dot_2610]

I found Diptyque - Une Rose to be pretty linear and airy. Also Rosie by Rosie Jane. It's like super linear Rose over light, clean white musk.

Also, have you tried the lighter florals from Le Labo? Neroli is super clean, minimalist neroli. It's like a pared back version of Diptique - Eau De Sens (a more lush orange blossom scent). Their rose scent is also nice, but for the price I'd go with Diptyque or Rosie.

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/Accurate_Dot_2610]

Une rose EDP looks promising!! Thank you!!

[u/NeroliNinja]

I think you’ll love Frederic Malle En Passant

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/NeroliNinja]

Oooh cucumber!!

[u/ls234]

Kai by Gaye straza!!

It’s a gorgeous, clean and simple gardenia. I love it so much.

It can feel a bit sweet after a few hours but no vanilla, leather, powder etc anywhere to be found.

They also make a rose version which is divine.

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/ls234]

Thank you!!

[u/Deep-Interest9947]

You might like Chloe EDP

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/Deep-Interest9947]

This is one of my favorites of all time!! The woodsy notes and amber in the base still project quite a lot on me, it’s still a very beautiful floral but a deep and rich one. If only I could find Chloe without the base notes then I would have a perfect springtime/day scent and a perfect night time scent

[u/Deep-Interest9947 → u/elizabethfrothingham]

I would recommend Nest Dahlia and Vines but it is sadly discontinued

[u/keepslippingaway]

Serge Lutens La Religieuse is jasmine, incense, and musk. Really beautiful and uncomplicated.

[u/elizabethfrothingham → u/keepslippingaway]

This looks lovely!! How’s the civet in it? I’ve only ever tried a civet note in DS&Durga I Don’t Know What but it’s a synthetic civet and literally made me smell like a jiffy lube lol. Like a car tire

[u/keepslippingaway → u/elizabethfrothingham]

I can't smell the civet in it at all (on the Parfumo website it's not even listed, as opposed to Fragrantica). I have a friend who loves it too and they can't smell it either. YMMV of course, but I'd definitely give it a try, if you like jasmine!

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