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Post by Portia
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Hello Fragrant Friends,
I’ve had this 5ml decant of Mandarine for years. It has about 1ml left in the bottom so I thought I would use it up this week. When the decant first arrived I used it a lot but when it got down to nearly nothing I thought it should be kept for reference purposes. So when I went to grab it and realising this is my last wear from the decant I began looking for a bottle but BUMMER, D/C. Thank goodness for FragranceNet!
I think I’ve told parts of this story before but it bears repeating, mandarines are special to me for a few reasons. They used to be a perfect play lunch in primary school and became a lunchbox fave through high school too. Then when in India and the whole culture shock drama plays out if I’m lucky enough to be there at mandarine time they are a welcome respite from Indian food and Varun used to go to extraordinary lengths to get them for me. Lastly and most recently Jin loves mandarines, he has a favourite type that comes with a sticker and he looks all winter and ONLY buys these. They are sweet and nearly seedless and come easily away from the rind. Mandarines and their scent have such joyful connotations for me so a fragrance based on them was bound to hit my sweet spot.
Mandarine by L`Artisan Perfumer 2006
Mandarine by Olivia Giacometti
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Green mandarin, Ginger
Heart: Frangipani, Yellow mandarin
Base: Orange, Red mandarin, White cedar
Mandarine is simple, fresh, bright and sparkling. It has a soft pithy fleshiness that works beautifully against the juicy mandarine ripeness. Though I miss most of the ginger it does feel like there are some aldehydes lifting and gently expanding the fragrance. The frangipani reads like of coconut undercurrent my skin too but I am pretty sure it is meant to be the frangipani.
What I am surprised about is that this isn’t a bigger hit. L’Artisan is pretty much a general public fragrance house nowadays and Mandarine seems like it would be very popular as a spritz and go refresher fragrance, it has a lovely holiday vibe without feeling like the now ubiquitous salty jasmine. Not mentioned in the notes but I think there are a fair number of laundry musks in the base too, which seem to be highly sought after in the non perfumista arena.
Who would wear this? Well, me for one. Other than that I could see it being a really easy wear spring/summer go to or holiday fragrance. After an hour it does calm considerably so it would be very safe for work. Maybe Mandarine is just a bit too much like laundry softener or shampoo for the perfumistas but perfect for a gateway fragrance, or even a first step from the celebuscents. Mandarine is a little like a Guerlain Aqua Allegoria fragrance, maybe too close?
Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Bois de Jasmin
FragranceNet has $71/100ml before Coupon SOLD OUT
Sephora Australia has AUD$145/100ml FREE Delivery
Do you know or love Mandarine? I’d really like to hear from you if you do, how do you wear it?
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
i absolutely love the opening of this! Where it loses me though is that it pretty quickly turns into an all floral fragrance on me. I wonder if that is why it doesn’t get a lot of love. If you want a citrus scent you just don’t quite get it from this one except initially.
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Hey Ceil,
Good point. Didn’t even think of that. I suppose if you’re going to name it Mandarine then the note should star for at least half the journey.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia,
As a citrus junkie I can’t help but love mandarine! As a perfume junkie Curve Kicks is my most used mandarine fragrance – happy, cheap, and easy to wear anytime of the year. Loved this post and the fruit photo too!
Azar xx
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Hi there Azar,
Right! Does Curve Kicks stay citrus? When I tried it I was reminded a little of my favourite sizzling citrus Liberté by Cacharel, they’re not the same but have a little of the same vibe.
Portia xx
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Hey Portia,
No, it doesn’t really stay mandarine – turns into a sort of honey and melon citrus cookie thing. Very yummy, fresh with cedar or some sort of wood going on at the end. If I could only be more specific!
Azar xx
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HA! That’s pretty specific anyway. You sent me some so I still have a bit of it here somewhere. I’m going searching.
Portia xx
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I am wearing Eau d’Hadrien now and love Pamplelune, but don’t have any “mandarine” scents. L’Artisan never lasts on me. Pretty but poof it’s gone. I also have some Ateliers but the same problem. Cologne.
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Hiya Gina,
I have exactly the same problem with Eau d’Hadrian, sadly it’s a very short ride for me.
Interesting how different skins have different longevities.
Portia xx
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Hi gorgeous.
Just sprayed from a tester bottle I bought recently so do not hesitate to ask if you’d like some more Mandarine. I love the opening and I also got some pepper note which is not listed. This might be from the ginger and cedar combo. I am starting to get a little floral notes coming through now blending with the pepper and the fading citrus 30min into my wear…
Love the fruit itself and I often use the dried peel in many of my recipes.
XXX… T
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Heya Tim,
You are the sweetest ever. I may in the future take you up on your kind offer.
We need a catch up.
Now that you work down south it will have to be weekend.
Portia xx
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Pleasure would be mine to share my perfume with you.
Yes weekend catch up would be best if that works with your busy schedule.
XXX… T
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