Welcome to ESScent — a weekly fragrance series, where we tantalize your senses with the latest scents and swoon-worthy launches. From floral fantasies to sultry musks, we’re here to guide you through the ever-evolving landscape of perfumery, ensuring you’re always one step ahead in the scent game. Get ready to embark on a fragrant journey that celebrates the beauty, power, and individuality of Black women through the art of scent.
Now that the weather has finally broken and summer is here, I’ve been obsessed with floral scents. And after sitting on the back of my shelf for several months, it’s finally time for Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia to shine.
This fragrance offers a blend of floral and fruity notes that perfectly capture the essence of spring and summer — think you’re favorite rooftop in Brooklyn for people watching and sipping cocktails, or your best friend’s wedding in an outdoor garden. While it’s not a new fragrance on the block, it’s likely new to many. Launched in 2021, Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia is a floral fragrance designed to evoke the beauty and sensuality of blooming gardenias. The scent profile includes a mix of fruity and floral notes including red berries and pear, which provide a fresh and fruity opening. The middle notes of gardenia and frangipani, offer a rich, floral core and as the scent dries down the patchouli and brown sugar comes alive adding depth and sweetness to the fragrance.
For me, what sets Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia apart from other floral scents is its masterful balance of sweetness and freshness. No — this is not your grandma’s floral bouquet. Many floral fragrances can be overwhelming or one-dimensional, but Gorgeous Gardenia manages to maintain a light, airy quality while still being richly floral. The inclusion of fruity top notes and a sweet base creates a multi-layered experience that evolves beautifully over time. It’s a fragrance that feels joyful and luxurious (two of my favorite things), making it perfect for both everyday wear and special occasions.
Why I love it: In a crowded market of floral perfumes, the distinctiveness of Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia is really what drew me in. Gardenia is often associated with vintage or overly mature scents, but here, it is given a contemporary twist. The addition of red berries and pear not only freshens the composition but also adds a playful, youthful energy. Meanwhile, the subtle warmth of patchouli and brown sugar grounds the fragrance, preventing it from becoming too fleeting or overly sweet. This blend creates a scent that is both timeless and current, appealing to a wide range of ages and preferences.
Perfect pairings: Because this isn’t an overly offensive floral fragrance, I love how many options there are to play with it. Layering this with floral fragrance such as Marc Jacobs Daisy will complement and enhance the gardenia scent because of its floral and fruity profile with notes of strawberry, violet, and jasmine. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb on the other hand is also a mix of floral and sweet notes that can enhance the overall sweetness and complexity of Gorgeous Gardenia. And if you’re looking for something more on the floral gourmand side of things, Prada Candy has caramel and benzoin notes that can add a delicious, warm sweetness to the floral bouquet.
While these are just a few recommendations, the key when layering fragrances, is to start with a light spritz of the base fragrance (in this case, Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia) and then add a few spritzes of the complementary fragrance. Experiment with different combinations to find the perfect blend that suits your mood and personality.
Now onto the downsides — this fragrance has about 3-4 hours of wear time before it starts to dissipate, so if you’re looking for a beast mode fragrance this probably won’t be the one. But if you’re like me, I always keep a travel size (or heck, even the full bottle) with me so that I can do touch ups throughout the day.
Realistically, wearing Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia is like stepping into a sunlit garden in full bloom. And if that’s the fragrance profile that you’ve always dreamed of, then you’ll make some really good scent memories with this one. Pricing starting at $135 for 50ml, when it comes to choosing your next signature scent, Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia stands out as a compelling option, especially when it comes to designer fragrances. Of course, when it comes to all fragrances, you’ll want to try before you buy (we’re not wasting money on blind buys in 2024, okay?!), and let us know what you think!
