Perfume Review: Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia by Estee Lauder
August 12th, 2007
If this dress by Roberto Cavalli (Fall 2007 Ready-To-Wear collection) were a perfume, it’d undoubtedly be Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia by Estee Lauder. (I often turn to fashion when in search for visual equivalents, as you might have noticed, more so than art, simply because fashion has always been my preferred venue, albeit not chosen as career). You might wonder how this seemingly simple attire translates into a seemingly heady white floral with such prominent notes as tuberose and gardenia. The answer is in the overall effect: seamless, chic, and silky-smooth. Tuberose Gardenia flows like silk, clings like silk, and shimmers like silk. It is of pearly color with golden hues. This is as poetic as I can get, and if you asked me for a down-to-earth, judicious opinion, I’d say Tuberose Gardenia is the best new fragrance release in the past several months and is definitely a highlight of my fragrant summer.
The scent is said to be inspired by the 1973 release of Private Collection, an exclusive Estee Lauder perfume created for herself and closest friends. Tuberose Gardenia is an entirely new scent, a sort of modern response to the idea of exclusivity – it’s outstanding, well-developed, and available to the general public, although with limited distribution. It’s an intoxicating bouquet of white flowers – a perfume genre I highly respect, yet often shun (perhaps I’m yet to reach a floral stage, who knows). What I love most about it is its finesse: the notes are blended impeccably. It’s a seemingly straightforward tuberose-gardenia fragrance, with more emphasis on green, stemmy tuberose upon first application, and a lush, creamy gardenia drydown. Yet the bouquet also embraces such notes as neroli, lilac, rosewood, orange blossom, jasmine, white lily, carnation, and bourbon vanilla, and this is where the seamlessness of the composition is almost palpable. It is most decidedly a bouquet, where you can capture all the flowers individually as well as inhale its harmony. Its tenacity is never boring or cumbersome. I simply admire this gorgeous, timeless blend.
P.S. I should also add that I usually don’t click with most Estee Lauder floral scents as they often smell too artificial. White I cannot vouch for how many (if at all) natural ingredients were used in Tuberose Gardenia, I must give kudos to the perfumer for achieving such a credible effect, even if it is 100% synthetic.
Please visit Perfume-Smellin’ Things for Marina’s impressions.
Image source: style.com, neimanmarcus.com
Entry Filed under: Uncategorized
18 Comments
1. Judith | August 13th, 2007 at 7:04 am
I guess I need to try this again. On a first sniff, I wasn’t as impressed as you and M.
2. Marina | August 13th, 2007 at 7:14 am
Great review! That dress so totally fits the scent! I’d love to wear it whilst sitting by the pool in my picture, with a champagne flute in hand:-)
3. greeneyes | August 13th, 2007 at 9:15 am
It sounds so pretty! I can’t wear regular Private Collection, and I was wondering if that would affect my experience of this one, but they sound completely different.
4. Lucy | August 13th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
It does sound really good, and the bottle is very stylish…
I wonder if they may have overhauled their perfume ideas over at EL, it could be they have — the winds of change and all that. Tho the idea of tuberose plus gardenia in combination sounds like it would knock you down — but now after this second very positive review I am intrigued…
5. CindyN | August 13th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Ina,
Wonderful review! I , too, think that Gardenia Tuberose is marvelous–and have been waiting for your review. I have been wearng it now for about 2 weeks (and haven’t wanted to trade off daily with another scent as I normally do) and still am enthralled with its delicacy and vibrancy. Which to me typically denote to opposite frags–but not here. I was a late “blooming” floral lover (it hit in my 40′s) and now I adore them, especially white florals. Uh, well-done white florals, that is. Funny, I totally eschewed for many years, thinking they were too sweet, too heady or just gaggy. Not sure what changed, but I’m glad it did. Maybe you are coming over to the dark side, uh, make that the *light* side!
CIndyN
6. Victoria | August 13th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Estee Lauder uses more natural materials in their fragrances (of top quality, I should add) than most companies on the market. They do not skimp on quality raw materials, even in their flankers.
7. Ina | August 13th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Judith, yes, please try it again. It was quite a surprise for me, too.
8. Ina | August 13th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Marina, that pool of yours is beyond appealing. I’d love to join you wearing the same dress and the perfume.
9. Ina | August 13th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Greeneyes, yes, completely different. This one is extremely easy to wear.
10. Ina | August 13th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Lucy, it is indeed a masterpiece. Not heady at all – there is some headiness present but it’s so smooth and silky, it never bothers you.
11. Ina | August 13th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Cindy, LOL! According to Marina, my dark side has already past – in my aquatic floral loving stage several years back.
But I think I’m slowly converting to lush, white florals. Somewhat reluctantly, I guess. Ah, but it’s all good, right?
12. Ina | August 13th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Vika, I’m so glad you said that! This question has been bothering me ever since I first tried Tuberose Gardenia. It simply must be made with more natural ingredients. Good to know!
13. Flora | August 14th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Well, I wish I could say I loved this one, and I wanted to; I did for 5 minutes and then all the white flowers went away and I was left with the all too familiar “Lauder accord.” My skin does not usually eat white flowers like that, so I have to guess that it is a problem with synthetics. I too have had a problem in the past with Lauders smelling artificail – the only one I really like is good old Azuree. Even White Linen turns on me, as innocuous as it first seems. I had high hopes for this, and I am really glad it seems to work for a lot of people, but I am not one of them.
14. Aromascope » Best O&hellip | December 28th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
[...] Tuberose Gardenia by Estee Lauder Private Collection [...]
15. plewis | January 6th, 2008 at 9:13 am
live in melbourne australia would love to buy estee lauder tuberose and gardenia but not available
16. Rose Marie | January 29th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I bought a bottle of the Turberrose Gardenia and I am hooked. I am saving now so I can buy the Creme or Lotion as I like to layer and you don’t have to use much. I received so many compliments from people when we went to Church and then to the Mall, women and even one man stopped me to ask what Perfume I was wearing. I told him but then told him that here in our area you can’t buy it. I wish we could I love itI have a few sites I am going to see if they have it.
17. Mary | February 21st, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I have hated Estee Lauder perfumes in the past (artificial as many of you have already stated). But I kinda liked Beyond Paradise which is also a floral. However, it is a bit too strong. Does this new one bowl you over with strength? Does it smell anyithing like Beyond Paradise? I like to smell like spring flowers (especially gardenia) but in a very demure, ladylike, soft way. The synthetic ingredients turn me off — really! Why can’t they put the REAL oils in like they did when my grandmother used it and smelled so good that I remember it to this day!
18. Tuberose Series Part 2: E&hellip | February 9th, 2010 at 11:25 pm
[...] compliments: Yes Scent presence Average (2 spritzes last 5-6 hours), mild sillage. Review Report: Aromascope, Now Smell This, Bois de Jasmin, Perfume-Smellin’ Things, Beauty Addict, Perfume [...]