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Nicajeata – :
One of my favorite summer scents alongside Dior Homme Cologne. Atelier Cologne Clementine California is one of the best citrus I’ve ever smelled, and I’m considering buying a full bottle for next spring/summer season.
Initial spray can come off as being too sweet, but it calms down within minutes and some of the spices start coming out to make the scent a bit more masculine. In addition to the spices, there’s also vetiver and juniper berries that keep things from being a one-dimensional citrus fest. The scent doesn’t change very much once it dries down and the initial sweetness is gone. This might be good or bad depending on your preference.
It doesn’t project for long, but lasts for a good while as a skin scent.
nikmen – :
Clementine California is yet another playful, clean citrus fragrance that is easy to wear. However, after a few minutes the clementine note settles and becomes overripe on my skin, something that I do not enjoy. You can go with almost any Atelier Cologne fragrance and get a similar vibe (I am talking about their citrus-y fragrance offerings). Too bad the projection and longevity is the same as with the others – 3 hours tops. Nice to try in sample form, but it does not warrant a full bottle.
zzu698Unlogrere – :
Overly low sillage and longevity. Too feminine for a man.
v-piterskij – :
Every scent from Atelier Cologne falls flat and/or burnt on my skin (WHY are their wood notes so strong each time, I can’t be the only one who feels this way!)
HOWEVER! Although I honestly cannot make up my mind on if i love or absolutely can’t stand this scent, I keep wearing it, it’s like a trainwreck that I can’t look away from.
I love the opening so much, I’m a sucker for that sweet candied mandarin note in any perfume. Where it goes from there is a jumble – the sticky piney unisex juniper/cypress is… interesting, when added in, and then from there it’s like running nose first into a tree-shaped car air-freshener that hangs from your rearview mirror. Sweet, woody, rubbery, almost like a shellac-lacquer type bitterness. Lotta bark, lotta bite. Not the most long-lasting, but strangely addicting.
I keep the purse spray I bought with me and re-apply at work – sometimes it ruins my day, sometimes it lifts my mood. Rarely have I worn a scent with that much of a polarizing effect on myself!
Picibentuct – :
So nice but too masculine for my taste… it smells like it has cedar in it…
Gramm_2011 – :
everytime i smell this (i have a small bottle i received as a generous promo) i am instantly transported to a middle school dance. loads of the girls at the time wore clinique happy, perhaps the super fresh citrus notes remind me of that ?! or maybe it was the boys’ fragrance de jour, but i’m not sure what that was to cross check the notes. the juniper, cypress and vetiver underneath the fresh citrus surely make this lean more masculine.
BeloglazowaYlya – :
Atelier knows how to make fresh scents that smell extremely natural. I love this fragrance he longevity isn’t as bad as some other reviews have stated but it’s not beastly. And doesn’t need to be. This is a day fragrance that is suppose to be worn to refresh you while leaving an amazing scent for a short while moving into the evening so you could wear another fragrance and or continue wearing this scent. It is unisex. This has become my go to fragrance this summer. I own a big bottle of Clemente California and I overspray the living lights out of it because this cent will never be offensive to anyone. And a compliment getter
Scent: 9/10
Performance: 7/10
Sillage : 5/10
Compliment factor : 8/10
barselona – :
After years of testing and playing around with many scents I think I found my new signature scent.
I simply love this one. What a great mood booster.
It is a clementine and orange explosion but crisp and sweet.
After some time a very soft vetiver and cypress kicks in but the scent still remains citrusy. Perhaps I also detect a little hint of mint.
Fresh, sophisticated and modern.
On me it lasts a good 6-7 hours.
It is fantastic and I got compliments like with no other previous perfumes.
It`s now peak of summer and I`m curious to find out how this will wear in winter.
zdg715intitytek – :
Mouth puckering zesty. Just the nicest kind of fresh. Contrary to many reviews, the citrus sticks around surprisingly long. This is especially true in clothes. I’m on hour 4 and still getting whiffs. And the vetiver and sandal is definitely there. Close to the skin? Sure. But for a citrus frag? I’m very happy. And did I mention that is smells FANTASTIC?
dawinze – :
This is the elusive “rainy citrus.” It’s clementine, but not *ripe* clementine – still a little green. And while the fragrance itself is not necessarily aquatic, it gives the impression of a rainy spring day. Perfect springtime perfume, soft sillage but decent lasting time.
vyk394speagoessenda – :
Orange and citrus peel makes for a tangy, piquant juice. Very pleasant and drinkable.
nuanvatinny – :
Another Atelier Cologne that sets my mind to travelling: if this is what it smells like in California, then I’ll have to go! At its best, this house really excels at bright, happy citruses, good enough to eat – and with this one, they’ve nailed the clementine as well. I can even buy that it’s precisely a clementine, not a mandarin or an orange or any other citrus fruit: it has that particular mellow sweetness to it. In fact, it leans quite a bit towards candied territory, but I don’t think it’s too much; on the contrary, this sweetness goes very well with the spicy accord, which I like more than I usually do here because it’s just as mellow as the clementines. Wonderful, and it’s unlike any other Atelier Cologne I’ve tried before in that it doesn’t have that generic, rather masculine aromatic/musky base, which is an unexpected plus in my book. Longevity isn’t bad either; it does retreat close to the skin after an hour or so, but it’s still noticeable there at the end of the day. A winner, and I hope I haven’t neglected my sample for too long and it’s still available to buy somewhere…
Natalia_fromAF – :
Starts very juicy and sweet with a backbone of masculinity. As it dries down to the mid something goes floral. At complete dry down the Sandelwood comes in to add a dry texture to the floral. Kind of a cheap smelling sandalwood. … After a full wearing I think this ends up suiting a woman better than a man, but a man can definitely pull it off.
Dari.Niki925 – :
It smells pleasant, lightly sweet. It’s fairly linear though, and quite frankly I think the price is ridiculous for what it is. Almost seems as though you could find a body mist somewhere that smells the same.
tukaevi – :
I got a sample in my recent Sephora play box. All i can say is “eh”. It starts out with nice juicy citrus notes and then quickly turns, as someone said, into men’s cologne. Lasting power is less than an hour.
I mean its not a bad perfume but I dont think its a wow perfume and price is ridiculous for what it is.
I have same issues with Jo Malone because I do like several fragrances from her line but I got one small bottle for 60 dollars before and it was all gone in a matter of couple of months. and I was not even wearing it every day. IF the longtevity was up to par we would have something to talk about but for now, no thanks
Dreadnought100 – :
Fresh, sweet, juicy and even zesty mandarins. While the Fragcomm’s heartthrob Biggarade Concentree takes all the ‘plaudits’ for ‘best orange’, I have a little something to say – that this freaking stuff is at least 10x better. Literally
I’m the Top heavy (not literally) guy and do not take the warmest of likings to things of the orangey slant, so it’s really saying something that this blew me away.
Delicious; I sprayed it on just yesterday (rainy) and it still managed to pop.
It’s so simple, yet done with an elegance that is proof there are yet gems out there in the sea of mediocrity and tired ‘trends’, even in Niche.
What really wows me is it’s gentle hand; nothing is aggressive or cloying here.
This frankly makes Creed’s Jardin d’Amalfi, Malles BC, this houses own Orange Sanguine and Pomelo Paradis look like goofy amateurs.
PP is far too heavy handed on the sharpness of the citrus, and the ‘greeny’ side of the woods too harsh and acidified. Ditto BC; but that one came off too green and just oddly underwhelming in the end,, not the prompted ‘fizz’ I was hearing about. And I definitely don’t like Bitter Orange / Neroli vibes.
Jardin tries to hard to push out that orange ‘hue’ and just ends up a little forced and has a weird cloying effect on my skin.
This is like that Enlightenment tonic that more sprays just gets better – you can swim in it and take it in all day. Remarkable
I think the lowkey MVP here is actually the juniper; none of this madly harsh ‘yuzuu hiyaa, crack your nose’ bitterness stuff. The juniper is light-handed and itself beautifully rendered in it’s brightness and fruitiness and it’s citric/lemony asset helps on the sweetness than cut it – it sort of ‘dilutes it’. Brilliant.
For me at least; anything else with pronounced oranges in it, this will beat it.
It’s not just a top-note seller too – I find the gently musky and vetiver/sandalwood semi-creamy drydown just as magnificent – and respraying in high-heat over the drydown? Oo-la-laaa!
Women can pull this off quite easily too; it’s fully unisex.
Grossy underrated; a true star in the whole game. The price is crazy-good for what you’re getting too.
All hail the King of Orangey citruses. C’est plus bon!!
My rating: 9/10
surush – :
When compared to other niche houses like Nassomatto, Amouage, Frederic Malle, MFK, etc., Atelier is rather plain.
However, what Atelier does they do really well, and that is natural smelling, super fresh, vibrant, bright citrus accords and fresh florals. You see it in Orange Sanguine, Bright Neroli, Cedrat Enivrant, Bergamot Soleil, Pomelo Paradis, and again it will be found in Clementine California. Super juicy, mind-blowing realistic clementine orange. Though it is top heavy and a skin scent after 30 min, it might just be worth sacrificing performance to experience this blast of freshness on a sunny August day.
cheese666 – :
Sugary clementines. Mixed with juniper. This is sweet on me. Dries down a vetiver. I have to say this scent seems perfect for me. Full bottle worthy IMO.
eFess – :
Smells great! Hoping it lasts longer thank their other scents. I’ve had it on for about 35 minutes. Fresh orange morphing into a woody orange so yummy… so let’s see. I think for the super hot new mexico summer it might be pretty perfect
xld751Negeltzex – :
On paper: That’s not bad. Definitely smells like the orange side of citrus. I’d wear it.
On skin: A nice orange scent that’s definitely on the clementine side.
It reminds me of something at my grandparents’ old place… Can’t put my finger on it. It gave me a slight headache though, so I’d go with Orange Sanguine instead.
Furbunene – :
Fresh citrus aromatic scent, nice, but nothing special. Very soft stillage, basically a skin scent.
salminalex – :
I have a very generous deluxe sample I received by redeeming some “points through Sephora. The reviews were great, I own Cafe Tuberosa, which I never thought I would like but loved after sampling, so I decided to give this a try even though there is nothing in the notes that made me think I would love it. Well – I love it. This will be my Sumner 2018 fragrance. I don’t dislike citrus scents in general. I just find that so many of them can either be too artificial and not well blended. This is one of the first citrus scents I have ever experienced with true depth. It is so well blended, even though the clementine remains dominate throughout. It is my idea of a sophisticated summer fragrance. Full bottle worthy.
YBoiko – :
Beautiful mandarin scent!
Q_ake – :
I have a sample of this, and I like it! I am very biased for light, watery, and citrusy fragrances for the Summer, and this cologne catches my attention.
First off, the citrus notes definitely give an initial burst of straight-up orange juice. The cologne is telling you “Good Morning!” loud and boisterously. After the morning greeting, though, the fragrance immediately dries down into something more woody, green, and watery, which is nice. The end result is a very light and pleasant orange-green-wood fragrance that is perfect for the Summer. When I first smelled this, the first thing I thought of was eating breakfast on a weekend where I’m staying at a beach house, and it put a smile on my face. This is a very happy and light fragrance. Falls into the “aromatherapy” category, if you ask me.
I would love to buy the hand soap AND the cologne for my husband. I feel like this fragrance is light enough for my husband to enjoy (he doesn’t like wearing cologne/fragrances at all, really), and I know I would love to smell this on him.
kons3 – :
Lovely and fresh. Like a summer breeze. Clementine with a bit of woody, green backdrop.
Gegazx – :
Nobody here seems to have mentioned this but to me it smells kind of smokey. Like delicious, juicy citruses mixed with cigarette smoke. And while that might not be appealing to some people, I think that’s what makes the fragrance unique.
It’s not a typical citrus like Light Blue. It has a bite. It’s sharper and sexier. It’s white maxi dresses, European coastal cities, summer nights filled with booze and smoke. That’s what I get from it. I can definitely see this being unisex. Picked up the largest bottle they sell.
aragonija – :
I don’t wear this, but my husband does. It is his new signature scent. He’s a citrus lover, and, for at least a few years, has been on the hunt for something to replace his usual colognes. Along came Atelier with their wonderful selection of unisex citruses. For whatever reason, Clementine California makes him think this is how men smelled in the Old West, after they’d been to the barbershop. I have NO idea why this comes to his mind: Clementine California is NOT barbershop-y to me. It’s clean, crisp, delightful – and modern! A sample of this, by the way, was included in a package from another Fragrantica member. That is how he came to try it. Another successful introduction to a new perfume! Thank you!
fol337elipseskism – :
definitely jasmine in here. mostly a really nice clentine affair. Smells like someone is walking in front of me, eating a clentine, there’s a jasmine bush is across the street. 75 degrees little bit breezy and sunny. Makes me miss California.
qq – :
I am only a fan of Santal Carmin from this brand, and the rest are just eh on staying power. I prefer not to pay for watered down colognes with a high price tag. This is refreshing and pleasant, but it’s a no buy for me. I received a large purse spray as part of a gwp.
Vasilysk. – :
I have not found any Atelier’s that have lasting power and that bums me out since they make some of the nicest summer scents around. Within 20 minutes, Clementine California becomes a skin scent. I have tried seven Ateliers. I bought two different 7.5 ml sample sets trying to find a good summer scent for a Croatia trip, my favorite of the lot is Bergamonte Soleil, but that one has even less staying power.
If they decide to make an “intense series” or an eau de parfum, I’ll give it another go.
sazy – :
Definitely a complex citrus-herbal scent with a hint of sweetness. On my skin, I get not just clementine, but also kumquat and tangerine — juices and peels. The peppermint opens at the same time that the citrus notes do. Within a few minutes, the basil enters, and then the sweet star anise rounds out the entire perfume. The basil is the most dominant on my skin, making the perfume smell nearly identical to Isabella Rossellini’s “Manifesto,” also a sweet basil perfume. Above average silage (3-6 feet), above average lasting power (6 hours).
nionit – :
Such a nice sweet, floral clementine smell. So so nice. Unisex but would fit females more than males & yet still I want to wear it as a man.
What a lovely one from Atelier.
cron777 – :
I got a mini spray at sephora, so nice!! Juicy fresh but not overly citric, it has a warmer vibe also, and I am enjoying it on a cold winterish day! Now, i agree longevity isn’t best, still, i might buy a big bottle, not sure yet, I usually don’t go for citrus scents, but this is done creamy and smooth..,I think the drydown is maybe more generic, but I doesn’t get unisex on me…if I can grab it at a decent price, I wouldn’t mind owning it…but no rush !!
Keyn90 – :
Amazing aquatic scent with citrusy freshness. High quality juice and recommended for Summer season. Longevity 6-8 Hrs which is pretty good. Thumbs up for this fragrance.
bratva1990 – :
At first blast this smells like Clinique Happy to me. Sadly this Atelier Clementine California for me dissipates completely in less than an hour, more like less than half an hour. I am not saying this is a dupe for Clinique Happy, just..if you like this, you might want to try Happy, especially if this does not last long at all for you, like it does not for me. Happy for me lasts all day. Again, not a dupe, but close enough for me that I feel like I do not need both. And truthfully I think it is just as well to spend a fraction of this for Happy and get better longevity. Although I will say, Happy has a bit of synthetic smell, just slight.
All in all this Atelier Clementine California is a pass for me. There are many similar scents that perform better or just as well, many at a faction of the cost. Not saying any are true exact dupes, but definitely ones that if you like this, you might like that one. But if you like this and this lasts for you, awesome. For me it is really nothing remarkable or unique and the price tag does not justify the scent or longevity.
ngppuiszbh – :
This is one of my top three favourite fragrances from this house along with pomelo paradise and orange sanguine. I’ve worn this for almost 2 months straight in the summer and defiantly it’s something I can not get enough. Unfortunately, clementine california doesn’t last very long so I had to spray it more than 4-5 times per day.
dock4ua – :
Orange Sanguine is one of my favorite fragrances, followed closely by a few other citrus Atelier Colognes, so I was very excited to try this one – which at this time is I believe their newest citrus.
It didn’t let me down! It’s a bit zippier than Orange Sanguine, more like the zest and rind of a clementine whereas Orange Sanguine is a bit more the thicker, sweeter juice of an orange.
It’s also a bit more ‘complicated’ of a fragrance, at least on my skin – Orange Sanguine is pretty linear as a warm and almost syrupy orange but Clementine California really does open up with some cypress and woody tones as it wears. The longevity is as unfortunate as any other citrus, just by their nature they don’t last – but it lasts a bit longer than Orange Sanguine. More about 3 hours rather than 2 on the skin, longer on fabric. I really love it!
ujf568Unlogrere – :
Just a quick review.
I tried some of the freshies from Atelier, Bergamote etc. This was the most floral?
My sample is from lucky scents, if they didn’t make a mistake this is the most feminine of my few samples, surely floral at least in opening, something like magnolia.
Rashidos – :
A nice fresh daytime hot climate fragrance, perhaps from a bit overrated brand, just my opinion.
Does it smell like clementines? Yes, quite realistically. Other fresh notes are there too, and the clementine reminds me of the pulp of the real fruit, of how it feels after you have eaten a bite and not so much of the zest or skin.
Leans more masculine to me, and longevity is ok but not what one would expect reading the ‘pure parfum’ wording on the bottle.
Nice and fresh, and a good twist on the classic cologne genre. Still prefer Mugler Cologne over Clementine California any day though .
polinchiktro – :
Fresh, easy to wear, and a happy fragrance.
Катя134 – :
A gorgeous fragrance but overpriced with no staying power
This is a fragrance which is fresh, light, and youthful; appropriate for summer. Like a lot of other colognes in the Atelier franchise, it is top note heavy so it volatilizes quickly on the skin. The juice is anchored with heart and base notes of vetiver, sandalwood, and cypress but are virtually undetectable. Other than the citrus notes, you get a hint of pepper. I recommend the travel spray as a top up because this fragrance won’t take you beyond the first twenty minutes of the sillage, a shame because it is a beautiful fragrance. If you are looking for a fragrance in the fresh category, that is similar but want better staying power, I recommend D&G light blue. Light blue will last you 4-6 hours with some fragrance still lingering at day’s end. An even longer lasting alternative is the new D&G Light Blue intense.
fleshcampeon – :
On the initial spray I thought, “THIS is the clementine I’ve been looking for!”…it’s bright, happy and perfect clementine. Sniffing my wrist brought a huge smile to my face. Unfortunately this phase was short lived as the woody and vetiver notes quickly began to make their appearance. The perfume rapidly morphed from bright sunshiny clementine to a rather uninteresting “masculine” scent.
My quest for a good clementine perfume continues….
RayziS2 – :
Clementine California is a sincere wide smile. I got a little bored by wearing Chance eau fraiche as my summer scent. Atelier Cologne is more vivid, feminine, sweeter but not cloying at all. I love the drydown, the soft vetiver scent. Star anise is not prominenst for my nose. Good longevity: 6 hrs.
Nickolas1992 – :
Yes refreshed water with some scents.
To me the coldness of notes it’s a turn off.
I am not a fan of a fresh cold notes.
Yes it’s citrusy notes too synthetic to me to satisfied myself.
timon-boss – :
Opens sweet and juicy, the perfect representation of a clementine. And I eat a lot of different varieties of orange; before citrus greening started wrecking all the trees here in FL I had regular access to over 36 different varieties of citrus in my mother’s yard alone.
Despite the beautiful perfect clementine beginning, this perfume suffers from the fact that my skin just doesn’t usually like citrus. An annoying sharpness develops and takes over, dominating the drydown. This happens to me with many Atelier Cologne offerings. 5-6 hours of wear time with noticeable sillage (although probably more noticeable because my nose was not enjoying the sharp accord.)
Lacri – :
This is AMAZING layered with My Burberry Black. Perfect for the transition into Spring/Summer.
MotoDoustyday – :
This is such a clean, fresh scent. It smells like a true clementine with the addition of green notes. The cypress and basil keep it from becoming too sweet. It smells almost exactly like Vince Camuto’s Bella, so I’d probably go for that instead.
alexleba – :
Who compared this to Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique?! I like Clémentine California, the opening is very literal but as other reviewers have stated, it’s gone in no time. Bal d’Afrique is a very stable and a lot more abstract scent.
dimaljba – :
The opening of Clémentine California continues Atelier Cologne’s tradition of the natural representation of the namesake citrus fruit: ripe clementine pulps bursting succulent, even sugary juice. I can hardly detect any fizzy aromatic greenness of the citrus rind, as if the clementine is already opened and placed on a plate without any of its peel. Compared to the sparkling Orange Sanguine, Clémentine California also exhibits a matte texture, as if the pulp is seen through the white membrane.
Sadly, this realistic clementine opening is short-lived. It soon becomes more and more sugary. The base also starts to emerge, which consists of abstract clean musk, aromatic and woody aromachemicals typical of conventional men’s colognes. When the sweetness is at its peak after about 1 hour, it clashes with the clean woody base, which makes the whole smell kind of artificial to my nose. When the sweetness finally calms down after about 2 hours, it’s a generic musky citrus woody skin scent, unremarkable at its best.
The sillage is mostly close, and the longevity is around 6 hours. I’m usually quite a fan of Atelier Cologne’s citrus offerings, namely Orange Sanguine, Cédrat Envirant and Bergamote Soleil. All three manage to retain the realistic, natural citrus scent during the most part of the wear, and devoid of any strong woody musky base to detract the refreshing citrus. Unfortunately, Clémentine California’s lovely clementine is too ephemeral, and is soon eaten up by the generic woody musky base on my skin. Therefore, based on my own experience, I would not particularly recommend it over other citrus fragrances from Atelier Cologne.
Melegrott – :
I was surprised to see JoeMacchiato’s review because I find it perfectly describes my experience with other AC fragrances (esp. Orange Sanguine & Pomelo Paradis) but not Clementine California. This was a blind buy for me, but I purchased it hoping that it would be less soapy than Orange Sanguine. I love the fresh & bright orange of that fragrance, but the soap note on the drydown ruins it for me.
IME, Clementine California has a similarly lovely citrus opening with a spicy, woody drydown that’s totally soap-free. At first I found the drydown a little too masculine and aggressive for me, but the dry woods have grown on me over the past few weeks. My only complaint is that the juicy top notes don’t last as long as those in Orange Sanguine. I find that the clementine note lingers longer when I apply the perfume over a fragrance-free petrolatum-based lotion.
This fragrance layers really well, and I also find that the citrus notes are amplified and longer-lasting when layered. My favorite combination so far is with Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense (often described as an Aventus-lite type scent). The JM provides an excellent base that lets the clementine and woods really sing. I highly recommend trying it out with similar fragrances, especially if you want to “dress them down” a bit for daytime wear.
I think this is a great everyday fragrance for warm weather (or when you need a cheerful citrus pick-me-up in cooler weather). The notes are natural, subtle, and clean. I’ve been complimented on it, but only by friends who were in huggable range. It’s highly unlikely to offend anyone unless sprayed excessively, which is important to me in choosing a fragrance for daily wear. If you want a bold fragrance, then I’d steer clear of this one.
For me, the longevity is excellent. My skin eats fragrance pretty rapidly, but I get whiffs of Clementine California for 6-10 hours. If I apply over a lotion before bed, I’ll still be able to smell it when I wake up in the morning. This is consistent with my experiences with other AC fragrances.
dizLenedolo – :
AC has many decent citrus-centered scents but sorry this one does not work. It has an aquatic undertone that eventually morphs into a shampoo-y vibe.
aoyuo – :
Clementine is a variety of mandarin, believed to be a hybrid of mandarin and Orange, grown mostly in the Mediterranean region and South Africa as per fragrantica notes. Atelier Cologne has made it the central theme of this particular frag released in 2016. Having never smelled nor eaten Clementine, I have no idea how correct they got the note but the opening of this frag has a really sweet, fruity orange note and fruitiness from the juniper berries as well. In trademark Atelier fashion, these notes remain for most of the scent life, mixing with the herbal/ sharp fresh notes of the basil and pepper and the hints of anise adding a dry sweet note of its own. The dry down is mostly traces of the sweet orange note, a dry vetiver and some woodiness. To sum up, California Clementine is a sweet, fruity orange frag to my humble nose.
This is a bit different from Orange Sanguine and some of the other Atelier Citrus frags as it is more sweet. Projection is good for the first couple of hours and then settles. Longevity is moderate, around 4-5 hours in the heat the past few days. Its been about 37C the past couple of days around here and this has been quite pleasant to wear. I would classify this as a casual, fun, daily use frag that is well made in reference to quality. If you are looking for a fruity fresh summer frag, do check this out.
hbrmqlxffdMV – :
Like many other reviewers, I loved the way this smelled on first application. But it sadly does not last. If it did, I could wear this all day. It has that fresh-cut green smell, with a pleasant citrus and maybe a little sandalwood? A really nice combination, but gone in an hour.
sem009 – :
It was love at first smell, citrusy and bright with a little bit of sweetness!
A little under an hour later is is all but GONE!
I am wearing a sample from Sephora and their samples are just enough to get an idea of whether or not I like a fragrance but I feel like I need another vial to “test”. In that case, I will not be rushing out to buy a full bottle just yet, I will ask for another and try it one more time. If nothing works, I’ll still to my Hermes citrus scents and leave well enough alone.
sanche174 – :
I will agree that Atelier Cologne California Clementine has sort of generic dry down. In gives off a vibe in projection that most of fruity floral fresh designer fragrances do. It’s pleasant enough to wear in summer and spring, non offensive, light and playful I would say. The first notes are really sweet intense citrus but then its all faded and like someone has pointed out turns into floral fruity base. I don’t get any woods.
istorik – :
At first smell, it is bright fresh sparkling clementines. As real and juicy as they get. Those elusive citrus notes do fade and change quickly into something a little sweeter, yet still a bit sour, and with a hint of urine. The urine note doesn’t stick around long. From here, it quickly starts getting spicier, – juniper, basil, pepper 15 minutes in. At this point its still fresh. The woods comes on a bit arupbtly. Its a very dry wood – vetiver and cypress. Surprisingly, mandarin comes back in to sweeten things back up. At this point, 2 hours post-spray, its a barely there skin scent.
t_uf_ya – :
The opening of this is absolutely stunning, like clementines in the sunshine with an almost floral top note. But the dry down is, as another reviewer said, aggressively woody, spicy and masculine. I so want to buy it for the top notes, but the middle and drydown will keep me looking for that perfect, bright citrus.
Димко – :
I got a sample of this from Sephora when I ordered a few other fragrances. It’s a decent citrus fragrance. It opens with a strong orange note, and it almost smelled a bit like the orange version of Lemon Pledge on me at first it was so pronounced. It also was a bit sweet and floral in the opening for some reason – not entirely sure where that came from as juniper has never come across as floral on my skin before. The woodier parts come in on the die down, and it’s pleasant. Very spring, very daytime, very unisex. Not very strong – I accidentally dumped half of the sample vial on one wrist and thought I was done for, and it barely smelled like anything after an hour or two. No one around me noticed it either. Probably wouldn’t buy for myself, but it’s nice to know of another good citrusy scent for the start of the year!
cvaj – :
From happy to boring.
Clementine californie starts bright, like a ray of sun. Uplifting and full of promises. The clementine and other citrus notes are uplifting and invigorating,
But slowly vetiver appears, then sandalwood and juniper berry. The citrus notes are gone at this point. I’m left with a dry fragrance, masculine.
It develops way too quickly, the drydown is so generic, smells like many other perfumes.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a ‘nice’ fragrance but I’m not overly excited.