Marc Jacobs (now called Marc Jacobs for women)
is a perfume that was created in 2001 by perfumers
Loc Dong and Steve Demercado. This was the
first women’s fragrance that Marc Jacobs
brought to market and was reasonably successful
for a number of years. It might be discontinued
in the near future as supplies are dwindling
apparently, although that would be a big mistake.
Fragrantica defines this as a green-floral,
but for me this is a modern white floral , slightly
sweet without being at all a gourmand fragrance.
Its opening notes are mainly gardenia and
bergamot, the middle notes are tuberose, jasmine
and white pepper as well as honeysuckle, and
among the base notes we have to mention ginger,
cedar and musk, though to be honest, I do not smell
any ginger or cedar, they must be hidden somewhere... Let’s say this perfume
leaves a rather sweet trail without being
cloying at all, which is remarkable to say
the least.
It is soft, elegant, and very well made. I
think it is very well composed and well-balanced.
As for its longevity, well, it's quite high,
 and the projection is average
but well-adjusted. If it ever seems to underperform
on projection, the feeling is quite deceiving,
because when you least expect it, you’ll
notice it again lingering around you but never
bothering you or being overbearing.
Well, these are the main features of the perfume.
Generally, what I would highlight above all,
is that this scent is relatively unknown,
at least in some areas of Southern Europe;
you never smell it on other people really,
and it is rarely found today in high street
shops, and it's getting less and less common in
online shops and discounters. I would not  dare call this
a hidden gem, but it is close to that status,
and it really deserves more attention.
It is true that this may have been one of
the last white florals that hit the market
before the fruity-floral invasion of the early
to mid noughties, and the current trend towards
gourmands.
Before 2000, there were very successful green
florals (like Gucci Envy or Chanel number
19) and heady white florals like Fracas or
Kai that were always standing; always valid, and also the aquatics
in the 90s, like L’Eau d’Issey. This Marc
Jacobs is trying to be a light white floral
with some watery undertones, let's say something in between. What I would highlight
in this perfume is the wonderful use of gardenia.
It is a masterpiece regarding gardenia because it doesn't come across as heavy. It is transparent, let's say, almost aquatic.
It's really watery, and you have those refreshing nuances all the time. It's great.
When smelling it, it has sometimes reminded
me of that smell and feeling you have when opening
a can of Seven Up or Sprite and approching
it to your face, you know,  to get that first sip of it, and the feeling that you get
when you're going to have that drink; the smell that you get from the can. Well this comparison may be a bit childish but it's what I get.
That thirsty and refreshing moment is what
I think of when I spray this, and Ilike it a lot.
I would also say that this very refreshing
gardenia that lasts some minutes is wonderful,
and then it gradually evolves and begins to
project a little more and is a sweet, delicate,
elegant fragrance that never turns invasive
or cloying. It is very well balanced. When
this scent reaches that stage, it will last
six hours approximately, without projecting much, but lingering
there, and it will remain linear. In this case,
this linear phase is welcome, because the
smell is lovely, so
why change it? As for the ocassions when you would wear this, when you could wear this, I would choose formal settings first and foremost, and then also casual
environments as well. It would be suitable for the
office, for a formal evening or a meeting with
your friends, for a special dinner, but definitely not for clubbing, it's too formal for clubbing. For someone who is 30 or
40-something and likes to look neat, this
is a must-have.
In my opinion the best season to use this
Marc Jacobs would be definitely
spring since it conveys that feeling of freshness,
pleasant temperatures, the need to wear fewer
clothes and overall, that longing for renewal
we all have in spring.
However, it would also be a good choice in
winter and in summer maybe, as long as you
do not overspray, of course.
In short, let me insist on this: this scent
shows distinction, it is sophisticated and
really stands out as a friendlier white floral
for the millenials, who would probably dislike
stronger options like Terracotta by Guerlain,
Fracas by Piquet or Truth or Dare by Madonna.
And in case you want to compare this with
any other scent, I would come up with Michael
by Michael Kors, the original one, the vintage one, which is quite contained
too, the problem with this one is that the recent
reformulations have slightly modified the
scent and I do not like it as much as before, unfortunately.
That’s all, I thought this perfume deserved
to be reviewed because there was no review
here on youtube whatsoever. Other Marc Jacobs perfumes like Daisy, Dot, Decadence, they're all very well-known nowadays
but they have a grandmother and she deserved some praise.
