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Offer – :
I love this scent! To me it smells fresh, soapy, spicy and clean. My son, however, is of a different opinion. He recently asked me why I have been smelling like mosquito spray lately
vokub – :
Yardley’s English Lavender cologne (and soap) has been a favorite of mine since I was 13 and fell madly in love with all things lavender scented. I even made my own cloth sachets filled with dried lavender. Spongebobs_[user name cut off] mentions the appeal of smelling like a calm old lady, and I totally get that. I always fantasized about being Miss Marple, or ‘a’ Miss Marple type. I think I also wanted to be a cloistered novitiate and work in an herb garden and still room, and this fragrance was the aroma of that desire. Lavender is still one of my all time favorite scents. I realize this has other notes but they all go together so beautifully, like an ancient recipe. In summer, I like to wear this to bed, or spray the pillows with the cooling, calming scent. I hope I can still get it in its original form. I hope it hasn’t become modern and vanilla sugar sweetened.
glk215bedyWelty – :
I have a vintage bottle of this fragrance and it smells heavenly.A real true lavender scent,with a nice spicy musk.I spray this before i go to bed as it is very relaxing and calming.Rating 10/10.
alex.melckov – :
Happy birthday Mr president! Yardley English lavender was one of Marilyn Monroe’s favourite fragrances and I can understand why. It is not a typical ‘wardrobe’ lavender smell. It has character and intensity. A citrus-minty blend makes it very classy and debonair.I also own the hair pomade (gorgeous pumpkin shaped green jar)Do your self a favour and buy this one.
lolka334 – :
This was one of the first perfumes I ever bought at 18. It was inexpensive and I was really keen on the idea of smelling like a calming elderly woman. I used to layer this with Lavender shampoo, conditioner and body lotion. It had a very fresh inviting scent. It wasn’t too sweet or floral which I don’t like. I actually got a lot of compliments on my scent. When I went out to gigs people would almost inhale me while complimenting the scent.
Peadocadepich – :
I will always love this for sentimental reasons; it was one of my first colognes. If those reasons are emotional–well, then, isn’t that one of perfume’s most important functions, along with physical, sensual pleasure; communicating ourselves to others; and, to be pedestrian about it, for grooming? But don’t we also apply perfume to transport ourselves emotionally, to pleasant associations, to fantasy, to aspiration? On the more literal level, I appreciate this fragrance for its frankness and cleanliness. It inspired a number of lavender beds in houses I’ve owned since growing up and smells just like a spike of lavender does when I roll it to crush the flowerhead and woody stem within my fingers. It has the slightest soapy after-note, and one of faint spice, and the touch of astringency one tastes when using its namesake blossom in Herbes de Provence, and all of these give the perfect balance of restraint to the lavender’s heady perfume.
zordinismiz – :
So i bought this because Marilyn Monroe wore it back in the 1940s-1950s and I have to say this perfume smells so nice!! To me it smells powdery and definitely something a rich person would smell like.
I’m 18 and personally it does smell a little “older” obviously because it was first made in 1913 but its one of my favorites now.
postking – :
barely there lavender and citrus; smells like infused water and fades rapidly
Naislinee – :
I never wear this alone. This is a fragrance that can be layered well with white musk! I would even go as far as adding a citrus topper. To be experimental, blend this with Obsession!
qwertyuiopas – :
English Lavender brings back so many fond memories. This was the fragrance that permeated the air in my old family home, owned by my father and mother, in the state where I was born Alabama. I’ ma baby boomer and was born to a military wife. My father had served in both WW II and Korea. My mother, a home economist, was crazy about lavender. She kept lavender bath soap, lavender shower soap, lavender hand soap, lavender air freshener and lavender shampoo. There was lavender growing just outside the house, along with other purple flowers that seemed (to my then untrained eye) the same: violet, heliotrope, iris, thyme, rosemary. This is what Yardley Old English Lavender reminds me of. It’s my mother’s garden of purple flowers.
An evergreen scent, with eucalyptus and cedar, a woodsy outdoor aroma, herbal, bucolic and romantic. It’s like a 19th century Impressionist painting of a little garden with lavender. The lavender note is the big note but she is sweetened with minty rosemary, sage, and greenery all around: eucalyptus and oak moss. The green dry down is like fresh fallen autumn leaves. The lavender note is soapy and wrapped up win green leaves. It’s like picking up lavender in lavender fields and taking it back to your country cottage to make it into soap. It has a kind of Amish or Mennonite air. The people who make their own everything – construct their own houses, churn their own butter and make their own bars of soap.
As the previous reviewer correctly observed, it has an early American air, as in 1700’s era colonial homestead not in a town but just outside of the town next to the forest. The country air is bottled up in this fragrance. Lavender, rosemary, geranium, cedar, evergreen foliage, sage, lichen, and hand-made herbal soap. It’s unisex as most florals and greens are unisex so men folk can wear this too despite it having a feminine association. I can see why they would call it English Lavender because the fresh and clean scent is reminiscent of English lady soap from bygone days. A women of questionable virtue would have worn strong perfume but a decent lady would smell only of clean soap. This is highly conservative and straightforward as a floral green scent.
Yardley English Lavender is a reformulation of the original fragrance which has been selling since the early 20th century but which can now be bought at a ridiculously low price of about 15-20 bucks (a drugstore cheapie) online. This is a domestic fragrance and I don’t wear it out in public. This is aroma therapy for me. I love to wear it in my home on Sunday mornings after my shower. Lavender is a clean after shower skin freshener scent. Sillage is not great and it sits close to the skin and doesn’t project. The longevity is also pretty disappointing as it lasts only a short time before it dries into a spicy nutmeg or wood and then poof nothing. But it’s a wonderful and classic floral fragrance a true vintage and a beautiful lavender.
Prietlent – :
When I was 11 years old, my Grandmother gave me a pretty, tin canister of “English Lavender” for Christmas and I’ll never forget how grown-up and elegant receiving that made me feel.
My Grandmother’s Mother was English and my Grandmother actually still sounds (and looks) so much like Deborah Kerr in that 1970’s ad above. Much of her intonation is unintentional but it’s embedded in her from growing up around her English mother and I think she’ll always have that lilt and a sprinkling of English colloquialisms in her speech. It’s just her.
So of course, my growing up visiting my Grandmother’s well-appointed home, smelling all the beautiful potpourris and powders, powders in service of my perfectly primped Grandma, lead me to feel like I was so close to being seen as an actual, grown-up woman, when I received that “English Lavender” powder. If I wore it, maybe it would create a force-field of sophistication and people wouldn’t notice my awkward, pre-teen goofiness so much.
The scent: Fresh, soft, herbal, with a puffy, almost violet tinged sweetness, like fluffy linen that was cleaned in bluet sweet-water, blowing in sunshine. There’s also a very subtle, underlying hint of something almost like a nutmeg spice in the base, something that really makes me think of Old England or late 1700’s, early 1800’s Americana in its macerating spices, apothecary style. It almost has a lavender wand, pomander feel to it.
So this evening, I will bring some Christmas tea to my Grandmother and I’ll wear “English Lavender”, so she can secretly feel proud of what an elegant lady I’ve grown up to be. It’s impossible to not feel elegant in “English Lavender” and hopefully it still has the power to create a force-field around that awkward goofiness that I’ve never grown out of.
urzffoibxyr – :
A sweet, traditional Lavender…
I instantly liked this one. It has a quality of Lavender which I have found in others such as Jicky and Pour Un Homme de Caron (that sweet Lavender & Coumarin/Tonka combination). A very satisfying fragrance for a very reasonable price.
I think you can’t go wrong with this one. Again, it’s unisex in the way that Jicky is unisex, so it defies gender classification in that regard. I highly recommend this as a good, standard Lavender on a budget. If Lavender is your thing, you can give this one a go!
mc-br – :
This is another lavender fragrance that is used at bedtime. I gave the spray away, but kept the powder to sprinkle on the bed sheets when sleeping is difficult. Works like a charm. This is the only reason lavender scents are in the house.
Wern_2011 – :
I bought a vintage full bottle of this. It smells just as I remember after the dry down.( Musky and sweet ) The first thing I smell after applying is lavender and strong black licorice! It dissipates quickly though. It sure doesn’t last very long, but I like it!
сергей60 – :
I spray this on my sheets before going to bed to aid sweet dreams.
ninisani – :
This is definitely the fragrance I knew and loved of old. The herbal notes appear at the very beginning, freshening the lavender. Then the geranium heart note comes out, adding a softening effect. Finally, the sweet spiciness of the tonka been and musk take over.
As many others have pointed out, the longevity and sillage are quite weak for an EDT; you really have to use and reapply it liberally to keep the scent from vanishing entirely.
Irenila – :
You get what the price allows. It is lavender but it quickly becomes obvious that it’s a drugstore fragrance. It starts to smell like plastic and rotting celery. Something about it smells evil.
Chernostepenniy – :
My friend in London told me about this classic fragrance and I was talked into getting it. It’s an affordable luxury. I use this as a room spray air freshner, especially when I want people to smell it, but also for me to smell it at night in my bedroom before I go to bed. I have the matching soap. Lavender is such a soothing scent. This is the queen of all lavender fragrances. Lavender reigns supreme but it’s not the only player. To my nose eucalyptus and the wood note of oak moss are prominent. So what you get is a real earthy and natural smelling scent. It’s like a garden every time I smell it. It’s so beautiful. This has such a Victorian or Edwardian feel to it as well, like you’re back in 1900 and taking a leisurely walk in a garden. One day I will have my dream garden to end all gardens but in the meantime I have my dreamy Yardely English lavender. I recommend this fragrance for use in every household.
qwerty131 – :
Simple and lovely. One of my all-time favourites.
мона_lиза – :
Simple and lovely. One of my all-time favourites.
khmelev-roma – :
The name says it all, this is a very natural and realistic lavender scent, invigorating, aromatic, herbal. It dries down to an old fashioned oakmoss (and tonka, musk) combo which I like. The projection and lasting power are not good but I love this old fashioned yet so fresh scent. They wouldn’t make them like this today anymore, and I hope these kind of scents will be preserved for as long as mankind produces fragrances.
mixefem – :
This has absolutely no lasting power! It disappears after 40 minutes.
Tomazi – :
I love this scent because it’s so familiar. We used the soap for “special” in my childhood, especially in the summer. It’s a refreshing, floral herbal scent, clean and luxurious at the same time, with a touch of sweetness. Next time I’m at the British-imports store (about an hour away from here) I’m going to buy it in some form: soap, EDT, lotion.
P.S. Thrilled to have found the bubble bath still in my bathroom cupboard – and still good, though it’s several years old! I can’t wait to take a nice relaxing bubble bath. Mmmmmmm.
vvu105speagoessenda – :
I bought this for myself a few years back, thinking it would be a lovely smell [like the lavender sachets one puts is their closet?], but when I tried it on my skin, I was instantly put off… It’s very sharp and balmy for my taste, the smell of lavender and rosemary were very strong, almost overwhelming…
My mother loved it on the other hand 🙂 She says it’s one of the best fragrances she’s ever had, so I guess to each their own 😉
nitro777 – :
Just recieved my long awaited bottle of the Eau de Toilette and am seriously disappointed. Right out of the bottle, it has an acrid smell not unlike ammonia. I smell bergamot and rosemary primarily, with lavender being a mere afterthought. It has been less than five minutes since I sprayed it on my wrist and my clothes, and already the scent is almost undetectable in both places.
seriu1839 – :
I can smell lemon verbena, and I can smell christmas tree. But the lavender is very shy. And the “powder” is non existent.
This smells nothing like those soft smelling lavender scented sachets you have in your wardrobe…
It`s EXTREAMLY sharp, and way more masculine than feminine.
The bottle is pretty though, but that`s all.
sirius52 – :
A very true smell of lavender… so true that it’s indeed suffering the same fate as her sister English Rose as for its actual wearability.
Despite so, I was appreciating it -I still do- until my then boyfriend said that it was smelling “better for clothes”. I took his word for it and decided to gift my bottle. and I was thinking I did so, until recently. I found it on my mother’s drawer years after. Never met with the intended recipient, it was dated and color changed.
I am so happy, as if I met an old friend again after we departed I thought for final.
Yardley’s English lavender in its vintage form is so lovely, and it’s still its unique self. In the form of French lavenders instead of English…
neulnelpLig – :
After 20 minutes now it is starting to fade, but the bags of dried lavender are still very clear, mixed with a hint of some smokiness I can’t quite put my finger on. Gender neutral which I like very much.
*Two months later – since this only lasts twenty minutes on me I started using it as a sheet spray. My husband really enjoys it, as much as I do. This spray is refreshing and calming. Makes bedtime even better. What a worthwhile daily luxury.
isk41 – :
THE classic lavender perfume and for a reason, it is simply the best. The only one that truly smells like lavender: fresh and herby and clean. Sweet but not cloyingly so. It is sweet in a dry somewhat dusty way, just like real lavender. Has stood the test of time. The standard for all lavender soliflores.
Uninasleern – :
Maravilhosa!! Chega perto do meu ideal de lavanda… Apenas deveria ter um maior poder de fixação, pois para o clima do Brasil, apresenta uma duração muito efêmera… Mas a fragrância é deliciosa!
T () B I – :
We were clearing out my late grandparents’ house when I found a half-full (or half-empty? :P) bottle of this. As all the other fragrances we had found had belonged to my granddad, I assumed that this was his as well. I sprayed it on, and loved it immediately. It wasn’t until later, when I looked it up, that I realised it’s ‘officially’ a women’s fragrance. I disagree; whilst only a women could wear this at night, I think it’s a lovely daytime fragrance for men as well. It’s summery, floral, and very bouncy. Men considering wearing this, beware: Don’t wear it on any intimate occasion, the only way you can pull it off is as a straightforward, non-complex, daytime fragrance.
MisledGore – :
This is a composition that brings out the exotic element of lavender. I think when we say it’s “unisex”, we’re picking up on the unexpected scope of the fragrance. It’s feminine, yet masculine. It’s calming enough to wear to bed, but uplifting enough to wear in daytime. It reminds us of the countryside, but it has an aromatic aspect that feels brewed, concocted by human hands.
I love the tonka bean; it may be what some people think is the powdery element, but in my botte, along with the gorgeous real oakmoss, it’s creamy.
I have a vintage bottle in a vintage box that is still called English Lavender “Water”, not “perfume”. The bergamot is pleasantly detectable in mine, although I’m inclined to notice because I burn bergamot oil in my home. The rosemary isn’t as evident, I don’t detect it, unless it’s what I thought was clary sage. (Update: just after a shower – it’s evident).
I don’t think the aroma itself is outdated; the only old-fashioned aspect lies in the composition. There is a *way* that it’s been done that sets it apart from newer fragrances. Is it that Yardley’s English Lavender was based on no existing scent? So many perfumes now are inspired by. . . other perfumes! I suppose we might never know what the perfumeur had in mind.
This is a scent that can be worn any time of the year. I enjoy wearing it mid-winter in Canada.
English Lavender by Yardley’s of London feels healthy. It is a joy to apply it three hours before sleeping, then once again before bed. I expect to wear it in the daytime more this spring. It would be nice to have a lotion to layer.
Update: I applied my Aromaforce essential oil of lavender to my hair and the inside of my ebows, then splashed YEL onto my wrist and neck. I was upstairs doing this when my boyfriend called from downstairs, “what smells so good?”
Merfs342JeomiWogkig – :
It’s herbal, powdery, and balmy. To my nose, it doesnt smell spicy at all. Projection-wise, is good with moderate silage so does its longevity. I do agree with many saying dat dis is more to a unisex rather than only for women.
The lavender note is subtle, smells quite like an ointment. I like the drydown very much, bcs it turns musky sweet, and soapy clean.
Concord – :
Beautiful. first I thought that it”s too simple, and who would like to smell exatctly like pure lavender, but it turns into something much deeper, into a mossy, warm, sensous smell. I love lavender – first minutes – and I love even more the rest. Unfortunatelly one must use more of this perfume to smell it for a while but even so, it is not longlasting at all. Sillage is weak, too:( Anyway the fume, till it is detectable is one of the cleanest and most beautiful scents I’ve ever met!
spoorosnile – :
My adoration for lavender most likely began at a young age. I used to love playing amongst my Mother’s herb garden, and crushing lavender stalks between my fingers. Now that I’m older, I use the scent of lavender for sleep benefits. Even though I’ve trained my mind to become drowsy shortly after smelling it, I do still enjoy wearing lavender rich fragrances like Yardley’s English Lavender during the day.
The best thing about English Lavender is the inexpensive price tag. This is a decent lavender scent, which is thankfully easy to find. Despite being marketed for women, I would suggest that it could be worn by men too. Lavender is after all a common note used in masculine fragrances.
Yardley’s English Lavender is a spicy, aromatic fragrance. It has a rather fierce opening of lavender, rosemary and geranium, which are all quite potent accords on the skin. However, shortly after application, English Lavender softens into a smooth yet alluring spicy lavender scent.
Unfortunately Yardley as a brand is quite popular amongst mature women, so younger girls often assume that Yardley fragrances will make them smell like an ‘old lady’, so they avoid them like the plague. Call me crazy, but I personally find English Lavender to be sensual, youthful and a touch masculine. I think everyone should test it at least once.
The only down-side to English Lavender is its poor longevity. I suppose for the price there would be no harm in re-applying every now and then, but it’s still a bother. I would have bought it had it been more lasting on my skin. Concluding on a more positive note, I’m pleased to say that previous reviewers are not wrong in naming English Lavender as a classic.
mahovik – :
To me, This is the only scent that will do when I want to smell clean, fresh and a little soapy. Not sharp or citrusy, or even sweet, just a classic lavender. I revisit this one every few years and always wonder why I waited so long.
Sula1985 – :
I often buy the cologne stick of this in Summer. I was rather put off by the image which for both Yardley and Lavender is rather old-ladyish. In fact though I find this scent is very fresh and herbal, quite unisex rather than powdery and old-ladyish.
Deroxnsfsq – :
A very fresh,clean smell of Lavender.
When I got it by mail, I got scared that this stuff will smell like lavender baby lotion….but NO.It’s an intelliget,crispy fresh scent,I want to say that it has a hint of citrus, but it’s more of a floral background.
I can’t imagine someone wearing this scent as a solo “perfume”,it’s just too floral,I mix it with other musky colognes and Yardley Lavender gives it freshness and opens the bouqet
vint1986 – :
I think this is a “no gender” fragrance, by the actual standards it could even be considered rather masculine. It has a brisk, metalic opening (not very feminine, perhaps) that might no be suitable for everyone. For me this is strong, pure lavender, with a musky drydown. I find this scent relaxing (all lavender is), so I place it in my shelf of therapeutic waters.
smeli – :
A nice and very English Lavender scent. Not the smell of pure, crushed lavender, but a balanced mix of lavender and bergamot, followed by a shy geranium and a hint of musk and cedar in the dry down.
I like spraying a whiff on my pillow to sleep on (lavender is soothing and relaxing). Alternatively one could spray it on before bedtime and feel the relaxing lavender effects. I also like to spray it on my ‘fancy’ handkerchiefs. The pretty, lace ones that I take in my clutch to special occasions like the opera etc. I like the soap & body-wash too. Great relaxing scent with a nostalgic feel.
bobsteam – :
I love this fragrance and wear it daily. I, too, at first thought it was rather light and didn’t last long; I had to keep spritzing. It then occured to me one day it wasn’t meant to be a strong fragrance. It was never meant to draw attention when a lady as walked into a room and everyone could smell her or tell she was there. If you think England, place of orgin, 1913 launched. I just don’t see that it was meant to be heavy and heady. It was/is a “just enough lady like” fragrance.
I think who did go to the length of a perfume that would stand out in a grand way was Chanel. The launching of Chanel No 5 in 1921 came in three concentrations. It was/is so elegant and so different then those little oils ladies dabbed on behind the ears on the wrist that even today women, including myself, make it my “number one go to” fragrance. I am not saying it’s loud or strong, but baby you get noticed and in a really nice way!
Portasound – :
Fresh and stingy lavender at the beginning, very natural and “real” one. After fev minutes turns into gentle eucalyptus melt with previous note, it lasts also few minutes(and my wrist start to feel little freezing- maybe becouse of essential oils of eucalyptus) then calms down while shy cedar looks behind of mentioned couple. Whole composition settles down as a dusty, bitter and dry whiff of nature world, which makes me little nostaligic…but i like this impression 🙂
vvbn – :
I recommended this to a friend who loves the scent of lavender, having had good luck with Yardley’s English Rose. She bought the bottle and thankfully was extremely pleased with it. She liked it on first spray, thinking it a very pure lavender but liked that as it faded it became a little softer and creamier, due to the Tonka base I assume. Someone had said in a review that Yardley are excellent at making the most basic floral notes into wonderful perfumes and having tried English Lavender, English Rose and Lily of the valley I would have to agree.
NityBiort21 – :
Smells wonderful and very natural. It does not smell masculine to me. I love lavender and that is all this smells like. I would highly recommend. I have not had it on long enough to judge the longevity. The sillage appears to be average. I intend to couple this with lavender lotion and powder.
The longevity is poor on skin. It doesn’t hold on fabric much better. I will probably put a small amount of EDT with lotion and powder on my skin and additional EDT on my clothing. I just love the natural lavender scent.
P.S. I tried spraying this on my sheets along with Lavender powder. Guess what, it took no time at all for both to disappear. I don’t know why Lavender is so hard to hold.
doctor75 – :
Close to zero lasting power, but good silage while it lasts ( very short). Smells very very natural, just like you would rub between your hands a bunch of blooming lavander from the garden; same crispiness and woodiness; very similar to lavander essential oil; I suppose I will keep mine to scent my beddings, because I found it refreshing , relaxing, and natural smelling. Considering I paid $15+tax for a 50ml bottle at Shoppers Drug Mart, I guess it was a decent buy.
Tripolly – :
YEL is a clear, crisp lavender scent, probably one of the closest to the real thing that is easily accessible…with absolutely no staying power. MUST be layered with soap, lotion and powder to work for me, which means I rarely wear it.
cobalt154 – :
A year ago i was mad about lavender. It is very special, clean and reminiscent of something from my childhood.
zombie – :
I’m too emotionally caught up in YEL to know if I like it for itself or not. Funny what a fragrance can do to your memory, eh? When I spray it I can remember my mother vividly for a moment…then she’s gone again.
The two quaint figures on the packaging haven’t changed in all my years, the woman and child. I think I’ll boost them, make a tiny frame for them and hang them on the wall of the dollhouse I’m building.
Prergebrorm – :
My mother introduced me to the finer scents of the world in 1962 with a bottle of this classic cologn with a bar of soap & lotion? I’ve layered from then on… hehe 😉 Juli 😉
PydayFedwealo – :
The scent of lavender bags & scented drawer sachets……soapy, musty, dry & powdery lavender.
I prefer a bit of a juicier, green & stripping lavender (like the scent of the essential oil) but this is pleasant enough. Not sure I want to smell like the inside of the drawer, day to day, though….
Edit: the lavender body spray is divine! Reminiscent of the lavender found in Jicky.
kalite01 – :
Old fashioned but still likeable.
When there is snow outside and the cold
weather is upon us, nice to smell on your skin. truly relaxing and soothing.
Якудзе – :
My mother gave me this because I asked for a clear, single-flower scent. It’s what I keep in my drawer at work. Strong, not especially feminine, businesslike. Oh, yes, and smells like lavender!!!
sergey87 – :
Well, I don’t think this is a female scent, but unissex.
It is strong and a little bit dry.
I don’t feel the rose notes, but the lavender, the sandal and the tonka bean.
Good fragrance, gives me the idea of a longlasting bath.
lut – :
My mother used this during years… its fresh, powdery with a clear bit of rosemary.
For me its a classic scent…
Not its something big amazing… but its comfortable, appeasing and fresh.
Regularly, Im feel unsuspecting about Yardley’s fragrances, because are similar to buy natural extracts. A traditional brand 🙂
rgc102JeomiWogkig – :
lovely lavender & floral scent