I smell like freshly-cut grass.

No, not because it’s just stopped raining, but I have on me Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Flora Nymphea.

Aqua Allegoria scents are spring scents from one of the oldest perfume houses in the world. Over the past decade, Guerlain has delighted perfume lovers around the world with more than 20 versions of Aqua Allegoria. The scents have been inspired by the beauty of nature – citruses, herbs, spices and flowers. I already have Mandarine-Basilic as a firm favourite – and so was looking forward to falling in love with this floral nymph.

These scents are normally fleeting, light and evanescence – it’s almost a trademark for Aqua Allegoria perfumes. And they’re all beautifully presented in charming bottles, complete with the golden honeycomb top. Flora Nymphea is a little more special, as it marks the fifth anniversary of the very first Aqua Allegoria edition. The golden honeycomb is still there, but the flacon is slightly different – and capped with a golden bee.

Floral Nymphea was developed by Guerlain perfumer Thierry Wasser, and is inspired by a spring garden. The notes of this dewy floral include seringa flower, orange blossom, and honey, and the combination of these notes gives out a green-herbal-citrusy scent.    

The first time I sprayed this on, I was taken aback at how much I didn’t like it. It was just too green for me, not in a light manner, but every breath I took had me smelling something that was herbal-based. But this is a pretty persistent scent – and it just grew on me. After a few weeks, I found myself enjoying its fresh, green notes in the mornings at first spritz, the powdery orange blossom drydown, and the woody/earthy finish. I like it best worn on cool, rainy days. 

Like most Aqua Allegorias, the scent is an acquired taste. You might like it, you might not. But one thing is for sure – if you do catch a whiff of it, it’ll be one you won’t forget.

Guerlain has also presented a cute animated movie inspired by the scent, which you can view here. Enjoy.

Aqua Allegoria Flora Nymphea EDT (125ml) is available at Guerlain counters nationwide.