What does Lily smell like?
Lily smells of a white flower in full bloom: a honeyed sweetness, a spicy facet reminiscent of clove, the green freshness of a cut stem and sometimes a powdery touch. It is airier than tuberose and less indolic than jasmine. Depending on the accord it feels watery and sheer or dense and creamy. It speaks mainly in the heart, then melts gently into musks and woods.
Origin and production
The Madonna lily, Lilium candidum, has been grown around the Mediterranean since antiquity, and other species such as oriental lilies are florist staples. Their scent resists extraction: a lily absolute has existed in tiny quantities, but the note is now rebuilt from eugenol, linalool, salicylates and green notes. It should not be confused with lily of the valley, another so-called mute flower that is also reconstructed by accord.
How perfumers use it
Lily sits in the heart, within white floral bouquets. It pairs with jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, ylang-ylang and musks, or with aquatic notes for extra sheerness and light. Issey Miyake's L'Eau d'Issey weaves it into a watery freshness, Cacharel's Anaïs Anaïs into a tender bouquet, and Estée Lauder's Beautiful places it at the top of a grand, generous floral bouquet.
How to wear it
Ideal in spring and summer, for dressy occasions as well as daytime. It suits lovers of radiant white flowers.
