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чукча – :
Just so very awful horrible smothering loud floral.
SO headache inducing for me.
If anyone wants it, let me know.
UnlallNag – :
The original Laura Ashley No. 1 fragrance (not the current version) is a beautiful, clean floral that is feminine. There isn’t a floral that is similar except perhaps Crabtree & Evelyn Summer Hill. Emma is equally beautiful as a soft, aldehydic floral reminiscent of Estee Lauder Estee. Laura Ashley No. 2 reminds me a little of Coriandre perfume, powdery Crabtree & Evelyn Nantucket Briar, and Claire Burke original home spray. Sorely miss these Laura Ashley original fragrances.
Картерисс – :
I LOVE THE 80s!
This takes me back to 1985 when Princess Diana wore Laura Ashley dresses and then that became all the rage. The ones with the floral prints and puffy sleeves, sure to make one look like a meringue and I was so happy to look like that!
There was a Laura Ashley dress shop on the main street where my mother would take me to get dresses. They always had a bottle of this on display. I remember skipping over to the counter and spraying myself liberally with this fragrance. Gosh that was a happy time in my life!
I was so happy when I discovered new bottles of this for sale on a fragrance clearing house web site. I bought a bottle just so when I spray it I can remember those times.
As far as this fragrance goes, I love the hyacinth. It’s pretty potent on first spray but it is not overwhelming. This could be a work scent but I wouldn’t go to spray crazy with it because it is stronger than something say, like Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau so Fresh.
The hyacinth is authentic in this. It’s very lovely, like smelling a fresh hyacinth stalk in full bloom.
bejse – :
The colorful bottle with charming flowers is so daring. It smells like a crisp flower bouquet beside a fruit basket on a natural wood table in a sun shiny morning. All the fruits, flowers and spices are well blended giving us energy for the day to get through.
Somehow, Laura Ashley reminds me of the famous early American family drama, the ‘Little House on the Prairies’ written by Laura Ingalls
With all that mixed up, I feel, I have to be more honest and try to be a better person. So funny what a perfume can do to your life.
Ruslan1610 – :
It’s all about hyacinth, lily of the valley, oakmoss, and jasmines. Some gardenia that appears later with bits of musk and some orchid. It reminds me of “Florentyna” by marks and spencer’s. Nothing unusual
Thanks to a fragrantica friend 🙂
autowredi – :
I’ve never been to England, but this is still the go-to “English garden after a light rain” type smell for me. I remember smelling the original version in a Laura Ashley store as a child back in the late 90’s and Ohhhhhhhhhh! Falling in Loooove! But my mom looked down at anything that didn’t come from a fancy New York department store or have a fancy Le Fwench name (Chanel, Guerlain, Dior, etc…) so I wasn’t allowed to have it.
But still, the fragrance, the memory of it, stuck with me and when I discovered it here on Fragrantica, I knew I had to have it, even with the foreboding news of ‘formula change.’
Well, so I’ve had it for a few weeks now, and it would be disingenuous of me to say “it smells exactly the same” to testers I smelled a few times 20 years ago in a crowded store, but I can say “it feels the same” for sure! It transports me straight into the Secret Garden in the Frances Hodgson Burnett novel (minus the bratty girl from India, and the crippled kid that magically gets cured through fresh air and exercise, and hunky 12-year-old farm-boy Colin.)
The (more)hyacinth-(less)narcissus blend is the star, sweet and dewy. But the oakmoss and gardenia (along with the soft blend of peach, galbanum, and cinnamon) make this very reminiscent of Cartier’s La Panthere, which I reviewed yesterday. Maybe they wouldn’t be flankers because the tone of this is very “English garden” and La Panthere is very “Boss-lady dripping in furs and diamonds” but they’re definitely relatives for sure.
Reformulation or not, you can’t go wrong with the price (Less than $20 in most places online for 100ml.) In my opinion, this is safe to blind-buy. I would really love to meet the sensitive soul whose nose could possibly be offended by this gentle beauty!
ArS4752 – :
I’m not sure who the genius was that voted no to Simply Belle smelling similar to Laura Ashley 1, but it does. Sometimes I wonder who in the world decides what has similar scents. Some of them are so off, it is bewildering! I write it off to people with inexperienced noses that THINK that they know it all. In other words, you know nothing about fragrance.
vova96 – :
My Mom loved tending her flower garden and also this perfume. She kept the pretty bottle for years.
I searched forever for a replacement, even purchased similar fragrances, to no avail.
Then, I found it! Although unable to play in the dirt anymore, she’s back in her garden again.
Thank you! Laura Ashley ♡♡♡
lo_ony_d – :
Does anyone else think that this smells like the new Gucci Bloom?
buhalo87 – :
Just bought a vintage version and am delighted: it brings back warm summery memories from my youth. Unfortunately haven’t been able to try the reformulation so am not able to compare…
19951-951 – :
I have vintage and it is all HYACINTH. Sweet and lovely sweetened by the narcissus and gardenia and deepened by the sandalwood and musk that are just support but not distinct. This is not an oakmoss chypre. It is a lovely sweet floral.
DalaInsonna – :
Got a vintage bottle so can’t comment on the new formula. Many of the new formulas are watered down/aldehyde versions of classics, but that’s a different story altogether.
Opening notes are definitely hyacinth, gardenia and what I thought was Lilly-of-the-valley which is not listed here?? Then it settles down and you can smell some sandalwood or musk perhaps.
I prefer it in a cooler temroersture and will try it in fall too.
I will also use it les s frequently as would like to hold on to it as long as possible 😉
zzzcvbn – :
As others have said, this is a familiar fragrance. I’ve never owned it but certainly smelled it.
Now, onto the review: classic, clean floral. There isn’t any hint of dirty sensuality, and you know what? That’s okay. Sometimes you just want to smell good. There seems to be a mixture of yellow and white flowers. Some green, and little sharp citrus, too. I’ve only had it on for a few minutes so I will update at the drydown. I really like this. I am sure it is not nearly what it was, but for what No. 1 is now, it isn’t bad. Has the same green floral flavor, if you will, of Tommy Girl and the original Victoria’s Secret Pink.
UPDATE: So, I might be a tad obsessed with this fragrance. The drydown loses the green sharpness and becomes purely floral. It is not sweet, just floral, which I like. Initially, the opening has a lot in common with Jessica McClintock (original) but the drydown is just a lovely bouquet of flowers with foliage still attached.. I am not getting any fruits. I tried this opposite Guerlain’s Idylle, and honestly, preferred the Laura Ashley.
UPDATE A MONTH LATER: After wearing this on many occasions, I still like the scent, a very sharp, green floral, but the longevity is poor. I may get an hour on skin, a little longer on clothes. I still don’t regret blind buying it, I just wish it lasted longer. Might be worth tracking down vintage. I also wish it had more uncommon with the headiness of the original Chloe Chloe or Poeme.
Scent: 8/10
Sillage: 4/10
Longevity: 3/10
v.feet – :
Wooooow, what an amazing floral scent!!!:))) It shares one note with my beloved Pleasures but there’s much more to it than this – it’s a well-balanced fruity floral, most romantic scent for June endless days and evenings! It smells like a garden after the rain – that’s the most general feel that I get from it, but the longer I sniff, the more wonderful fruity notes I get – peach and bergamot, a tiny bit of white currant maybe? The notes are so perfectly blended that none of them stand out. Maybe the rose and oakmoss (both of them I love), but they are not dominating. I get the notion that I’ve known this perfume ever since I remember, while I’ve only just tested it for the first time in my life!!! This perfume will be my good friend from now on, I guess:D
mrkredo – :
I just bought a 100ml EdP for my fiance’s mom. She had it when it first came out, and she still has her old box. She loves floral scents. She really appreciated this.
kerell23 – :
Although the new reformulation saddens me deeply, the new formula is still lovely in a different way. By no means is it any better than what the original was. The new version seems like a distant cousin.
The similarities i see are some of the florals. There is just a different harmony between them (including new florals & excluding old florals) as well as a tweak on the green notes. I feel the pyramid shown above refers to the older version. The newer one has a fruity top note of either a blackberry, cassis or current. Nothing seems peachy here.
I remembered this as one of my absolute favorites from my teen years in the 90’s. I have no idea what it costed back then. It was a gift from my grandmother who always had a fragrance to gift to me on every birthday & Christmas (being the mega perfume collector that she was). I do remember the bottle having a similar floral design all around the bottle rather than just halfway.
Also, i recall the 80’s-90’s version to be more creamy with a stronger narcissus note, which was incredible! I used it sparingly and hoarded it like it was a rare gem for several years.
I recieved the news one day that my best friend was moving away. So everyday that she had left to spare with me, i would bring it with us to give ourselves a spray and we would have as many adventures with our other friends as possible. The day she left, with tears in our eyes, she said she wanted a squirt of the old Laura Ashley no. 1 in her purse so she could remember us by. I ended up putting the bottle with it’s remaining contents in her bag without her looking.
The prices that the original formula go for online may seem out of line to some. To me i feel that old juice is well worth it. Despite the older version being way more lucious & golden than the modern one, i still put this new formula on my love list. It’s just a love on a much lower level than the beloved former one, sadly.
Sospapsspurce – :
Key Seasons: Spring/Summer
Key Notes: Sweet Floral, Hyacinth, Spring-time blooming flowers.
Description; A day that a flower show, quite old lady-ish however, nothing grand or particularly noticeable, although pleasant for day wear in the spring or summer, an office job etc. It is summery but not in a hot Californian summer way, in an English summer kind of way – if that makes sense. It really is a April-May scent.
Development: (Linear): Once the alcohol as dissipated, the initial scent is the hidden citrusy florals hidden in there, but then it soon becomes its spring-time scent. It’s really one of those “what you see is what you get” perfumes.
Longevity: (Average); I have to note that this perfume neither strikes me as too short nor too long, you may have to reapply once or twice in a long day but it isn’t really much more than a “going to work smell”, maybe reapply before a big important meeting.
Sillage: (Average); One thing I do like about this fragrance is that it won’t ever be overpowering (unless you douse yourself in it), I’d say you’ll get a nice arm-length hint, although it doesn’t strike like other perfumes do, it’s a gentle perfume unless you get your nose all up in it.
Value: £15 for 30ml EDP in a set w/ body-lotion, I think, it was a while ago.
bobr – :
I have the vintage juice. This frag takes me back to the eighties when I wore those girly girl Laura Ashley dresses and the whole store smelled of this perfume. Although this is a time capsule it is lovely enough to wear now. Spring for the vintage.
asusALEXXX – :
I was at TJMAXX this afternoon and found a 1.7 oz. EDP for $10 in clearance and decided to take a chance after reading the notes and reviews here. When I got home, I sprayed a little on the inside of my arm and right away, I got a very florally Lily of the Valley note. How can that be? The notes stated doesn’t include LOTV.
I smell a strong similarity to another 80s favorite, Jessica McClintock -Jessica McClintock. Now, I have no recollection of Laura Ashley No.1 from the past but this is a bouquet of flowers in a bottle, hence, the floral decanter.
It was a hot summer day, again, so I may keep this one and spray it in the evening to see if conjures up a crisp day of Spring. It’s been over 7 hours and LOTV is still on my arm.
Porubau – :
I tried the shower gel of this and it smelled just like the original green radox bubble bath which you can get for like £2, it is a nice smell but quite generic and plain
lenapopova – :
Oh how sad….this has been reformulated into oblivion! Not even a whisper of what it used to be.
alex_0037 – :
This is a very interesting fragrance. I sprayed it on over 10 hours ago and the fragrance is still going strong in the crook of my arm. Well, that said, it’s a positive in this day of wimpy fade away fumes. It began pretty green and citrus explosive, almost a typical masculine, but hold on a couple hours because then the flowers start to evolve and the feminine side appears and lasts and lasts. I remember this fragrance from years ago but never purchased and wish that I had now. The reformulation isn’t bad but I cant compare to the original. Still a decent buy because the staying power of this one is truly amazing and ever evolving!
fantomas08 – :
thank you, fragrantica, thank you for helping me find this perfume again. This was my jam as a teen in the late 90’s, early 00’s, but I could not remember the name of the perfume, but I remembered the bottle. I can remember the warm spicy floral scent like it was yesterday. Now begins my quest to find a real vintage bottle…..
snor3 – :
I bought three bottles of the new formulation assuming that it would be similar to the original. It is a nice fraqrance, but it is not the original Laura Ashley #1. I still have half of a bottle of the original…they are very different. I do wish that they would go back to the original formulation.
maximall96 – :
What a crisp, lovely herbal, aquatic and wildflower floral. “No.1” opens on a crisp jonquil and waterlily type burst of rain fresh florals. These florals are crisp, tart and mossy, without being too dry. The oakmoss imparts a chypre feel but this update is so sweet and smooth, that it avoids the deeply velvety murkiness of classic chypres. This is purely a “first day of Spring, everything’s fresh, wet or still defrosting” kind of woodland blend.
As “No.1” develops, it becomes more floral and crisp. The florals are oily and lily-like and although jasmine and rose are listed, this feels more like a mix of tart, spare magnolia blooms and freesia. This is a pure, herbal floral without being as powdery and indolic as most florals — usually dominated by white flowers — usually are.
This is a country house floral blend, classically aristocratic with its androgynous hint of herbs and refined, almost dried spray of flowers. My first thought when putting this on: “Ballerina”. It’s classically “high culture”, elegant yet innocently pretty, at the same time, timelessly feminine but not girly or saccharine. It’s soft but tenacious and it’s still whispering loudly on my skin five hours later.
If you’re drawn to scents like “Pleasures”, “Vera Wang”, “Eternity” and lily of the valley blends, you’ll probably love “No.1”.
pee651Bessinepome – :
Love this perfume! and still have some from the 80’s! glad to say I also got some via Etsy!
Gorgeous flowery bottle!
вова8 – :
I was one of the many teens that wore this in the late ’90s, so out of nostalgia I decided to test the reformulation.
It definitely reminds me of the original, but it’s just not “it”.
My tastes have obviously evolved since my high school perfume, and I’ve moved on from shallow florals to deep orientals and woody monsters, BUT I still hold a special place for the original version of this scent.
Unfortunately, the reformulation is a weak echo of the original. The Laura Ashley site does offer samples if you’d like to test before purchasing. Simply click the “sample” tab and write an email requesting a sample.
bespalovsasha1 – :
I bought the smaller of two bottles that were at Marshall’s today, knowing it was the reformulation, but figuring it would be no great loss at $9 USD. And it does remind me of the scent of the Laura Ashley shops I used to frequent. Pleasant, floral, fleeting. I wish I could locate the original, but I would say this is an okay fragrance, if you’re not expecting or paying too much. If it is at the discount houses now, maybe the owners of LA realise their mistake and will bring back the original formula?
kukolka – :
I see a lot of complaints on here about it being completely changed. Being that I’ve never smelled the original, I can’t even imagine how it used to smell. When my mom got a bottle of this and started using it, to me I thought it smelled like something released 15-20 years ago. So you imagine my shock when I saw it was released in the 80s. The early to mid 80’s of all things. Part of it does smell a bit 80s because of the peach but then it starts to smell kind of light and summery and not 80s at all. Big hair and shoulder pads and pastels don’t come to mind when I smell this. From a guys point of view I think it’s a very decent fragrance. I’m sure the original version beats the daylights out of this one but until I smell it, I’d say the new one is very good.
Actionnnn – :
Since the new version is a total remake it would be nice to have it listed separately from the original.
Vorenfomotove – :
New version, finally got to try it, very pleasant delicate floral, great for warm weather and day use, cute bottle, I wish it was longer lasting since the composition is very pretty. Would not call it a chypre, more just floral light frag.
HeraTuB – :
I’m sure I have the new version. IF I have ever gotten a whiff of the vintage, I don’t remember.
Reviews made me leery of a purchase, but then I had nothing to compare it to. I have no fondness for oak moss, leading me to believe I might prefer it more than the vintage?
I find this to be a Victorian garden full of flowers. It has an old fashion charm, and truly elegant.
My review must be short because as it can only be stereotypical. But I approve of this new reformulation, and will enjoy it MOST, during the spring/summer, even though I’ve marked all four seasons. When does a flower just not smell good?
I enjoy this immensely, on this gray, cold, snowy morning but will save it for when the Robins sing.
I smell a bit of lilac and lily of the valley which do not appear in the notes. I smell no vanilla which does. I agree most with the hyacinth. It’s very apparent and I admire it in this perfume.
I love that this is still packaged the same. I think the creamy background might display the vintage more appropriately. White, although not near as nice, might be more reflective of this pretty reformulation.
I’m so very happy to have this, and received a compliment from a very young lady, and two compliments from women not fond of floral scents. This is on my love list.
bnw767Unlogrere – :
You can request a free glass vial sample on the Laura Ashley website (of this & all the new scent disasters they are offering). I received my samples within a few days of requesting it, I’m not at all happy with the reformulation, it doesn’t smell like the original No.1, instead it smells like a fresh light spring floral shampoo type scent. It smells “cheap”. It’s not terrible, but if you’re expecting something close to the original you will surely be disapointed. I don’t detect many of the notes they claim are in it (marshmallow?!), it doesn’t change much at all from start to finish, on me it kept the shampoo. It smells completly synthetic. It is only available in EDP strength, which seems to last like a light cologne strength. It is $68 for 2oz., I was shopping at TjMaxx today and found this reformulated version for $19.99 for a 100ml bottle of EDP. On the laura ashley website the largest size EDP is 60ml and costs $68.00. Its still not the beloved 80s classic, but for $20 for 100ml i couldn’t pass it up. Its worth $20.00, but not much more. Also, beware seeking out a vintage bottle on ebay, i have seen the new creation being sold as vintage for a lot of money. You can tell the difference if you look close, the packaging is slightly different, the new one does not have the date 1983 as another member asked, and the new edp bottle only has flowers on the front unlike the vintage edp which has the floral print on the front & back, also the new version is a much lighter color, its not the golden color it was in the 80’s & 90’s. 5 out of 5 stars for the original, 1 star for the new version (3 stars, if ONLY used as an air freshener).
hokk76 – :
This was my signature scent in the 80s. I found what claimed to be an unopened, NIB, vintage bottle (someone was selling a huge lot of vintage perfume from an estate sale). I took the chance and bought it. Either this is what was claimed or the reformulation has done an amazing job recapturing the scent, because it is exactly as I remember it!
The box has a 1983 copyright date, but that may be for the design of the box–I don’t know what the new boxes say–if anyone has a box of the stuff and can let me know if it also carries the 1983 date on the bottom of the back, please let me know. If this is the reformulation, then devotees have nothing to fear in going back to an old friend.
Edit: After reading this thread I am more and more convinced this is the original because it is an exact match. Yay me. Releasing a perfume under the name of a classic, and not replicating the scent is the worst kind of greed. If you won’t or can’t replicate the original (with all of the new sanctions, in some cases it is impossible) then name it something else. Let it stand on its own instead of facing the jeers and derision of people who expected one thing and got another. I’m looking at *you* Emeraude!
Edit 2: B2FL_DRMR, Thanks for the tip. I got my “free sample” (plus 1.37 postage due) from LA today. The reformulation isn’t bad, but it isn’t Laura Ashley No.1. It is a light, commonplace floral,quiet, powdery, feminine. There is none of the power and uniqueness of the original. I wore it for a few hours, then put some of the original on the other wrist. No comparison. Were it named something original I would like it ok, but not enough to buy. Had I purchased it not realizing it was a reformulation, I would have asked for my money back.
genonefTins – :
I have only a sample of it,got from a friend so it can be frist version of it,very nice aldehydes. Not overpowering bec it get sweetness from flovers. Surprisingly great perfume from 20 years ago,as so many fragrances from 80ties are now “old fashion”, this one is like rich bouquet. Great lasting ,close to skin after 3 hours ,no tail.
xalbertx – :
I have seen all of the negative reviews for the newly released version of Laura Ashley No.1 and felt compelled to give it some love. I too, owned a bottle of the original fragrance and loved it. I was SO excited to see that it had been re-released with a “modern interpretation”. I sampled it and the first thought to came to mind was Ralph Lauren Romance. While definitely not identical, it has the same feel. Laura Ashley No. 1 is a fresh beautiful floral and while not quite as unique as the original, in my opinion, it is much easier to wear. I don’t feel like it is wearing me. My husband goes CRAZY (in a good way) every time I spray the new one. And yes, I loved it enough to purchase a bottle and am ecstatic about having that beautiful bottle sitting on my dresser, once again.
AlekBK – :
I complained to Laura Ashley about the new version of this scent, I’m glad to see that others have as well. Maybe they will bring back the version from the 80s. It was absolutely beautiful, not like this cheap nasty shadow of a masterpiece.
ryh849intitytek – :
I found an unopened bottle from years ago at the back of the bathroom cabinet. I knew that I loved it back then, but I’d forgotten how much.
Light, floral and charming, it goes on as a lovely, little cloud, and makes me feel ten years younger.
Dik-19 – :
Ditto– There is no similarity to the old Laura Ashley No.1 from the 1980s. This one is NASTY.
Oblighblothsc – :
I received this from Laura Ashley.com yesterday and it DOES NOT smell anything like the original Laura Ashley No.1. It is product misrepresentation in my mind. I contacted Laura Ashley and asked for a refund and they will not refund the money. I am stuck with a horrible smelling bottle of perfume. There is no similarity to the old Laura Ashley No.1 from the 1980s.
I see I am not the first to be part of this disappointment with both the fragrance and Laura Ashley.com.
Their customer service too is horrible.
Mesis666Negeltzex – :
My wife used LA #1 a number of years ago and was very sad when it was discontinued. She still has a bottle of the old stuff. I was excited when LA reintroduced LA #1 Perfume. This website says above “Laura Ashley No. 1 is a classic perfume from the 80s” so I assumed it would be the same or at least close. I paid $56.78 for a bottle and gave it to her for Valentines. We were very disappointed when we opened the package (which looks identical to the original perfume) and took a smell. It smells nothing like the original! Not even close! If you are looking for LA #1 from the 80’s, as advertised, do not by this product. I contacted LA Customer Service and asked to return it for a refund. I was told that LA does not allow returns of perfumes. This is a total rip off.
pletcherque – :
Found on Laura Ashley website- I have not yet smelled it, but it is being marketed as no1….
Introducing a modern interpretation of our classic archive scent. Taking inspiration from the beloved archive original, it has been reinvented for 2012 by prolific perfumer Azzi Glasser. For todays modern interpretation Azzi has used the finest ingredients to create an evocative scent with top notes of cassis, victorian plum, violet leaves, marshmallow and green water stem.
Guns – :
I had worn Laura Ashley #1 back in the 80,s. Today I was cleaning out my vanity and found a partial bottle of LA #1. I was afraid it had lost it’s potency, but no, it was still fresh. My heart was broken when they discontinued it. It must be brought back!!!!! I found that Este Lauder Pleasures Intense was similar and have been using it for years. But we need No. 1. I have wondered why some company has not bought the formula or at least tried to imitate it, (If that’s possible) Sigh. Hurry, I’ nearly 72. Can’t wait forever.
djshaman1 – :
Another wonderful scent from Laura Ashley (beside Dilys). Unique with it’s first notes with oakmoss, narcissus, a bit of galbanum and musk. I really get those notes right away. Then come some other flowers and a pinch of spices and sandalwood.
This perfume is by no means fresh and bright. Oakmoss gives it blunt but fluffy greyness (I don’t know how otherwise I could describe it), galbanum saves it from excessive softness and flowers bring subtle varied tones to entirety. Oh, this smells so calm, so comforting but also alluring and mysterious. Like an older, elegant and wise friend you admire secretly.
Long lasting, sillage is good but not disturbing. I haven’t found anything similar yet…
CyncBycle – :
It was a huge success with men, in general, and with my boyfriend,in special.
alexsokol1111 – :
I wore Laura Ashley No. 1 back in the 80’s. My parents bought me a bottle when they visited a Laura Ashley store in London. (They also bought me a bottle Laura Ashley No. 2, which I liked also, but didn’t sell as well.) I loved No. 1 for my “going out” scent. I got a lot of compliments on it. It wasn’t as heavy as Ralph Lauren’s “Lauren” perfume which was also popular at the time. I would have continued to wear No. 1, but they changed the scent after Laura Ashley died and her family took over the business. I have so many fond memories wearing that perfume…
blackag – :
I always smelled it on my mom when i was little.I still remeber holding the bottle and stroking the floral engravments that didnt fade although i tried to scratch it so much.It had an awesome scent that i still smell in my head as if I never let go.I would kill to get this perfume back,how come laura ashley stopped this perfume although everyonewas begging it to come back?I havent smelled anything like it since.Ever.I would love to write a petition to ask them to bring it back.what a shame.what a loss that we cant find it anymore.beautiful and soft ,the perfect female woman.
goliaf78 – :
Had the chance to purchase a 100ml bottle of this, new and unopened, from eBay at a reasonable price. Normally sells at a premium but this bottle was dry oil so many weren’t interested I take it. Incredible. It smells wonderful, and is perhaps less overpowering than I used to find the EDP testers. Probably the reason I never bought it back when it was in Laura Ashley. Glad I was willing to try something new.
ivivan – :
i had this perfume one of the best smells ever carnt belive you carnt get it any more plz bring it back
myxva – :
I was having an email conversation with my mother about perfumes recently, and I asked her what she had within reach… among some of the real 80’s stinkers like Poison, Red Door, and Opium, she had the Laura Ashley No. 1. I told her that she should hold on to it tight because its discontinued and can cost $350-$800 for a 3.4oz on the secondary market!
Well, she said she never uses it anymore, and it is an original from the 80’s… so she’s bringing it to me next summer when she comes to visit!! yay! I’m very excited. Especially since I have not had the chance to test it yet! I like florals when they are done well, and it seems as if this one fits that.
I’ll update next year when she brings me the precious potion! If I hate it, I’ll be throwing it onto eBay and buying my long coveted: Guerlain Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin!!!!!! (I almost hope I detest the stuff)
Edit: Aug 3 2012: Well my mom brought the bottle, it is 1/2″ from being totally full. This bottle is beautiful, and so is the box it came in. This is the most lovely fragrance. Will have to keep it. 😀 I agree that this smells like a flower shop, or a garden of fresh flowers. The gardenia is front and center on this, but not in a cloying way that gardenias can be sometimes. Not as green as I was worried about either. I don’t know what oak moss smells like, but if it smells like Laura Ashley No 1, then I need to explore this note more!! The daffodil is the next flower I can identify, and this is what makes this smell like late spring to me, along with that fragrant hyacinth! This is really, really lovely. THANKS MOM!!
Drusha123 – :
I loved this fragrance. There must have been a lot of raw materials in this juice as I had been stalked by bees many times. No joke. Beautiful floral. I wish they would re-release it.
darkness_2009 – :
Most incredible perfume ever. Eau de parfum is the best. I wear it to bed even when I am by myself! So sad it has been dicontinued!
fbd260Negeltzex – :
I miss this stuff. It is a basic floral, but where it differs from today’s florals is that it had a sharp Chardonnay-like note that gave it just a microscopic bit of edginess.
Estee Lauder Pleasures Intense is VERY similar, but ELPI doesn’t have that one edgier note, instead it has a softer, pretty common (boring) musk note.
Edit: March, 2012. I read a news item on Basenotes about a possible re-release! I set up a Google alert to let me know if this happens.
OldManSURUQ – :
Walking in a garden filled with flowers in spring. That is the impression you get if you smell this. One of the best flower fragrances I’ve ever smelled, it smells like fresh flowers. Very pure and soft perfume without the sometimes overwhelming aquatic scent. Fits everyone who likes flowers. I don’t think they still make