Caron Farnesiana and Mazzolari Alessandro
Today’s Smell-alikes are Farnesiana by Caron and Alessandro by Mazzolari. If you consider the notes, these should be worlds apart. Farnesiana incorporates the notes of cassie flower, mimosa, bergamot, jasmine, lilly of the valley, violet, lilac, opoponax, vanilla, sandalwood, and musk. As a side note, thanks to Octavian, it doesn’t contain cassia tree bark - it’s cassie flower (Acacia Farnesiana), a member of the mimosa family. Alessandro is said to have the notes of bitter almonds, honey, heliotrope, and vanilla. Almond is not listed as a note for Farnesiana, yet almond is what I smell in both scents. The difference is perhaps in the overall effect: Alessandro is a powdery almond while Farnesiana is a balsamic, slightly spicy almond. I presume a combination of cassie flower, mimosa, opoponax, and vanilla is what gives Farnesiana an almond-like quality which I find extremely fascinating. Besides bitter almonds and vanilla, Alessandro also features heliotrope which in itself is similar in smell to opoponax (to my nose), so it’s no wonder I see the likeness here. Alessandro is hardly as complex as Farnesiana but it’s just as warm and velvety. In spite of an array of florals in Farnesiana, they’re so masterfully blened that my nose hardly detects them. I love both scents equally but would probably pick Farnesiana for more formal occasions and Alessandro - for casual ones. Note: I’ve used Farnesiana extrait in this comparison which is superior to the eau de parfum composition.
Farnesiana can be found at Perfumebay, 1stPerfume, Ebay as well as the Caron boutique in New York. Alessandro is available at Luckyscent, Aus Liebe Zum Duft, and Gabriele Kraetschmer.
Image source: www.parfumdepub.net and www.luckyscent.com
21 comments June 16th, 2006
Fracas and Agatha aren’t necessarily smell-alikes. What connects these scents together for me is the presence of a luscious, creamy tuberose. Fracas features the notes of bergamot, orange blossom, leafy green, peach, tuberose, jasmine, carnation, pink geranium, gardenia, lilly of the valley, iris, sandalwood, musk, moss, and cedar. The notes for Agatha are: jasmine, tuberose, spicy persimmon, passion fruit, woods, amber, and myrrh. Upon first application, they’re rather distant. Agatha starts out with a pronounced tuberose, fruit, and jasmine blend. Fracas, on the other hand, greets you with a subtle bergamot, peach, and orange blossom combo, gradually morphing into a creamy flowery tuberose. Fracas is definitely more complex in composition. If I had to describe them in short, I’d say Agatha is a fruity tuberose, and Fracas is a green flowery tuberose. They’re both quite heady and creamy. Upon drydown, Agatha stays faithful to the luscious, fruity tuberose with some amber undertones while Fracas reveals creamy tuberose with added touches of moss and cedar.
I’ve decided to add a new category called Smell-alikes where I’ll be featuring scents I find similar. Today’s picks: Jardins des Iles alcohol-free body spray by Yves Rocher and Intense Tiare eau de parfum by Montale. Both contain tiare, the exotic Tahitian flower. While Jardins des Iles is a much simpler (and cheaper!) composition, it manages to convey the scent of Monoi de Tahiti perfectly. I’d pick this on a humid summer day. In contrast, Intense Tiare is more complex, with additional notes of ylang-ylang, vanilla, coconut milk, jasmine, and rose. It has a superb staying power. I’d pick this for an evening wear on a humid summer night. I invite you to discover these luscious summer scents if you haven’t already. Jardins des Iles can be purchased at