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awc318intitytek – :
Perfect soft spring flowers reminiscent of wild honeysuckle and childhood spent outside in the sunshine. Such a shame it’s discontinued. Would be nice to have a full bottle.
tertc – :
On me the water lily stands out most prominately. Nice and different…..unique blending :o)
Agegoglallosy – :
Sad to report this Beauty is now discontinued. Very unfortunate.
GEO – :
if you love Penhaligon’s Gardenia, then you will love this fragrance. It smelt very chemical-like when initially sprayed, but the dry down is very nice.
The scent also lasts quite a while.
The price is a bit much, but you can wear it knowing that everyone at work won’t be wearing the same thing.
alexdaniel – :
This is beautiful! It’s pure spring, it’s blooming May.
It’s a soft perfume that hugs me, caresses me with its softness to enhance my femininity. Just perfect.
ETA as my nose became more developed:)
I used to get lilac, the gentlest and most gorgeous lilac I’ve ever smelled. But now I can actually smell the notes. Not only that, I smell it in phases! It’s one of the perfumes that develop so good very few do (again, to my nose;).
At first I get mostly water lilly, green notes are more prominent in colder weather, and then jasmine starts to emerge. I can even smell tuberose, possibly combined with ylang. The best tuberose I’ve smelled.
I have no idea why this beauty is discontinued as it is gorgeous!
ProduceR – :
I am an amateur tubernose (heh) but I smell a sweet tuberose that reminds me of michael, Michael Kors. I have recently explored some dirtier versions. This is feminine but enjoyable and smells amazing. I can still smell this from my chest 15 hours with a few swipes of a wand, from a 1ml decant. That says something for power and quality I guess.
Televisor – :
A beautiful spring floral. Fresh, slightly green without being sharp or synthetic smelling. It is mildly indolic. I agree with previous reviewers who say they detected lily of the valley. It is gently mingled with something reminiscent of a green gardenia. A well crafted blend, Ophelia takes on a sense of wholeness that becomes one unique scent.
M-ZV-R – :
Such a spring-like scent. Although they don’t have a smell, the image of snowdrops in bright sunshine springs to mind when wearing Ophelia
My immediate impression of Ophelia is that is has something in common with Diorissimo – white radiance with a slightly creamy quality.
But Ophelia feels fruitier, slightly more transparent and though less animalic it’s equally strident. The tuberose and jasmine are bright and creamy and I seem to detect lily of the valley though it’s not in the notes. It’s described as animalic but to my nose there’s no sweatiness or skank here, it’s more vivacious and bright/clean
As with all Heeley perfumes, the quality is excellent, although this shining hyper feminine perfume is not my usual style, I highly recommend it for those who appreciate effervescent white florals
t-kaze – :
I find it very like Hermes Jardin Sur le Toit. Just slightly smokier. Green and very pleasant to wear.
xit574JeomiWogkig – :
I was so moved by this perfume that I’m writing another review on it. I decided to compare it with Do Son which I mentioned in the previous comment.
I have Ophelia on my left wrist and Do Son on my right wrist.
Well, as I said, they are nothing alike, although they both represent the very same genre.
Do Son is a sweet, bright, warm, optimistic, slightly peppery tuberose perfume with a strong fruity edge (no actual fruits, but the melony facet of tuberose is certainly there). Hardcore tuberose lovers would say tuberose is “diluted” here, but for me it is quite dense, creamy, and exotic smelling. The main players here are tuberose and fresh orange blossom.
Ophelia is not as heavy on the tuberose, it is rather a jasmine-tuberose duo. Moreover, there is no fruitiness at all. It’s a green, borderline aquatic floral, unbelievably naturally, unpretentiously, non-perfumey smelling.
The whole attitude of it is different. It’s melancholic, it’s ethereal, it’s self-absorbed.
Whereas Do Son is somehow festive and exultant, Ophelia is poetic and dreamy.
Do Son is a bridal fragrance, Ophelia is a scent of someone who will never enjoy anything corporeal to its fullest.
Do Son is like an eternal spring, and Ophelia is… the last spring. It’s a reminder of the fact that beauty, youth and innocence are all finite. Finite, and therefore truly beautiful. All beauty is mortal and it’s heartbreaking.
This is why it moved me so much.
I’ve seen how this very idea has been captured in poetry and painting, but almost never – in perfumery. Well, bravo Monsieur Heeley, this is a wonderful work. And the greatest homage to the Pre-Raphaelite woman, if not to Shakespearean female characters. It is very Juliet, too.
zvg322intitytek – :
I cannot believe such a perfection exists! – that was my instant reaction to OPHELIA.
Wow. This fragrance astonished me. And I don’t even like tuberose. The only tuberose I can bear and do so with great pleasure is Do Son, but it’s nothing like Ophelia, although also a beauty.
Ophelia starts off with juicy, watery and fragrant lilies, and something green that I have encountered in Heeley’s Hippie Rose and, probably, Iris de Nuit, both natural, beautiful and seemingly simple compositions.
Some say Heeley’s creations are moderate to weak in terms of sillage and longevity, and I partly agree with it: Heeley’s perfumes aren’t faint, but I definitely ain’t afraid to overspray them either… Well, Ophelia is not the case. It is loud. Loud, but not like one of those praised buttery, thick, greasy poisonous tuberose perfumes or indolic jasmine bombs. It is loud like a blooming garden around you… It’s holographic, it’s 3D, it plays with your senses.
After the lilies in the opening I feel mainly jasmine and tuberose, so naturally smelling as if I drowned in flowers… oh, isn’t this perfume properly named?
I think I am also getting soft whiffs of orange blossom and a little bit of heliotrope (just a little bit: there is something a tad powdery in the composition that balances out the aquatic notes, that might be ylang ylang but I personally don’t feel any ylang here).
Today, quite unexpectedly, I have discovered the best tuberose, the best jasmine, and probably the most beautiful white floral in my world. To me this is the ultimate essence of youth, girlhood, delicacy, and innocence.
I see here how intertextuality may work. Next time I reread Hamlet I will definitely scrutinize the persona of Ophelia. There is something I have never been able to understand about her. Before Heeley’s Ophelia I never paid too much attention to her, I guess. Now I will.
10/10
Edit: the longevity is excellent.
шрек81 – :
Wow! This is an absolutely beautiful jasmine/ylang ylang combo. Strong sillage and lasts for hours. Highly recommended.
YmHuK – :
Just sampled this and the top notes are gorgeous. A little green, but I’m not getting any tuberose at all and just a hint of the jasmine(though maybe it’ll show up in the drydown?). I am however getting a ton of lily, which is lovely and unexpected. So far, it’s like a greener, cleaner version of Penhaligon’s Lily & Spice.
Inferno 424 – :
PERFECT! i soooo love this smell on me that i have to purchase the big bottle!
R_dos – :
This is with no doubt extremely feminine stuff, but I would never use an adjective “gentle” to describe this perfume as from the opening to drydown it has been as loud as vulgar woman in a market square.
The opening for me is pure jasmine (remind me much of lilac actually) with green vibes underneath. Unfortunately tuberose never really dominates this for me, though it does get rather tropical at the heart, my wild guess is that it is from tuberose. Though jasmine is clearly the dominant note here. As more it develops as more I feel what others already have felt – lilacs. Though I do seem to enjoy the note, “Ophelia” gets a bit metallic approaching the drydown. This dissapoints me utterly as I’ve always disliked when a perfume turns metallic on me. And this is the case with “Ophelia”.
It is a white floral powerhouse, but my skin chemistry is not being friendly to it. So I will stick to many other white florals out there.
Серж – :
I’m a guy and I think this is truly pretty, even beautiful. I had the pleasure of smelling this fragrance on a woman at ScentBar. I was not minding my own business per usual when I asked to help weigh in on which fragrance the woman was testing on her left and right hand was better. I didn’t like the other one but this was exceptional.
Ophelia reminds me of the perfume worn by a bride in a Jcrew catalog…you know, those indie backyard weddings, with strings of white bulb party lights and Chinese lanterns. Imagine the bride in a simple sheath gown and a bouquet of white flowers and green leaves. Ophelia is wedding in a bottle—as in, the perfect wedding fragrance.
• I recommend this fragrance for formal occasions.
• Notes are natural and holographic.
• 180 USD
I know white flowers is like the woodsy category for men’s perfumes— an overwrought mess, but Ophelia is special. Ladies you will receive so many compliments with this one.
Enjoy.
diablero787878 – :
I’m wearing Ophelia today, and I agree with *jdt’s lovely review. This starts off on quite a high note, I really do smell Lily of the Valleys and Lilacs! Though neither are listed as notes. Thinking initially this may be too sharp & give me a headache, I wait, and I’m glad I did, it blends perfectly and settles. I love Tuberose, but in this creation its very subtle in the beginning, and reveals herself in the drydown though quietly so. I think the combination of Water Lily & Jasmine are the stars and they are quite beautifuly perfectly spring – fresh, sweet & natural, I smell the sunshine on these flowers in this creation. Beautiful white spring floral perfume! *Ophelia* perfectly named.
zyzyzy – :
I should begin this review with a full disclosure: I love tuberose. To some this may seem a disqualifier of me as a competent reviewer of tuberose perfumes. In reality, however, I do not necessarily or indiscriminately adore every single tuberose perfume in existence. Believe it or not, I am not all that keen on either Frédéric Malle CARNAL FLOWER (too vegetal: I am not a Venus flytrap!) or By Kilian BEYOND LOVE (too literal), although I do believe that both Dominique Ropion and Calice Becker are fine perfumers. I also was confounded by Honoré des Prés VAMP A NEW YORK, which sounded as though it would be right up my alley (I love Versace BLONDE, after all!), but somehow fell flat before my nose. Added to that, despite its all-natural pedigree, VAMP A NEW YORK smelled decidedly synthetic to me, in addition to seeming as rough-hewn as a kitchen-produced natural perfume. So you see: I am actually rather picky when it comes to tuberose perfumes!
More in line with my tastes is Heeley OPHELIA. This strikingly composed perfume opens somewhat sweetly (heliotrope? I thought, initially, that it was violet, but maybe there are a few ionones thrown in for good measure…), before the tuberose rears its lovely head. Creamy and lush, with a soupçon of soap in the drydown, this perfume is incredibly seductive without reaching brothel territory. I repeat: incredibly seductive. When was the last time a hooker seduced a client? I rest my case.
But I do agree with my fellow tuberose fanatic Couture Guru when he stresses the voluptuousness of OPHELIA. Imagine FRACAS inverted so that instead of being an extreme self-consumed egotist à la Norma Desmond (from Sunset Boulevard), she became a saint of sorts, whose charitable works consist in spreading free love far and wide–all in good conscience, of course.
That is who Ophelia is to me.
gajjsar – :
The first time I sprayed this on my arm, fond memories flooded my senses. I could not help but smell myself the whole night I was at MiN. What a beautiful fragrance. This was the first time I heard about Heeley. Gotta get myself a full bottle soon. I think this will be a wonderful year-round scent. Just a spritz is enough as it might prove a bit overwhelming for those who are not into florals. Ophelia… an apt name for a wonderful perfume.
Alex4900 – :
O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!
The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s, eye, tongue, sword,
Th’ expectation and rose of the fair state,
The glass of fashion and the mould of form,
Th’ observ’d of all observers, quite, quite down!
Ophelia is beautiful, classic, and sweet; she sets the jasmine standard, in my opinion. Ophelia would be perfect for the spring, mimicking a beautiful early bouquet – but why should we have to wait for spring? I would wear this year round, if only to bring to mind the lush season. Simply gorgeous!
xaker92 – :
Heeley Ophelia is heaven-sent. There’s something really simplistic yet beautiful about James Heeley’s compositions. This glorious, Spring-appropriate white floral is no exception.
The moment I spritzed on Ophelia for the very first time, I felt myself smiling. It reminded me of a lush, green, Asian inspired garden with the soothing sound of trickling water. Fresh jasmine blooms, buttery tuberose and juicy orange pulp hit the skin in a way that can only be described as natural and alluring.
This fragrance has been composed with love, and is worth every penny. It’s pure, delicate and romantic, just like the character of Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It shares some similarities to vintage Diorissimo, in that same fresh and feminine floral approach.
The drydown introduces a wonderful white musk accord, which balances the overall composition. At times it can smell a tad soapy, but most of the time it’s smooth and inoffensive. Narciso Rodriguez fans will probably love this musky blend.
I’ve unfortunately discovered Ophelia in the Winter months, and now I’m really impatient for Spring. I seriously cannot wait to see how well this wears on a warm, sunny day. Ophelia would surely turn a few heads.
This white floral tends to be fresh rather than creamy, and after having smelt many white florals in the last few months, the fresher they are, the better they smell. Ophelia is olfactory perfection to my nose. It is really difficult to fault.
don a – :
Very nice
jasmine and some powdery effect
also green notes..
soft scent
good work but I think there are better scents in Heeley range
Bars_rb – :
The topnotes of Ophelia give that fullness of spring that makes you crave summer. Then it gives you that, too!
The initial notes of muguet and jasmine and their bursting-at-the-seems fresh spring sweetness are underlined by the watery crispness these early flowers of the season have. Moving into its heart, Ophelia sheds a bit of green and takes on early summer in all its white floral beauty. Tuberose and ylang ylang are a leisurely indulgence compared to spring’s exuberance and take Ophelia into the sultry, dreamy phase with a bit of underbelly showing thanks to the indoles.
Fortunately, spring to early summer is the timeframe. None of the prelude to nostalgia that late summer implies. Ophelia’s heart and base give that heightened feel of the endless potential of summer. The wonderful trick here is that Ophelia remains the white/green bouquet composed of all its elements. Even in ‘summer’ mode, the spring flowers remain, if in the background.
And then we have the lily. I haven’t seen anyone else note this, but a watery-ambery, raspy lily not unlike the one in DK Gold comes along in the basenotes to take a soft-handed lead. Its watery note suddenly seems like the logical outcome of all the flowers that have preceded it. Here, I assume, is the full Ophelia of Hamlet reference: handing out flowers, then winding up in the water.
I can find what I like in most perfume genres fairly easily. Chypres, orientals, leathers. But sometimes a boy just can’t find a satisfying, gorgeous, huge, white floral. Problem solved.
риномен – :
I”m coming back to Ophelia almost a year to the date after first sampling it, and I’m sitll in love.
After 4 hours of perusing high end perfume counters, this is the one I chose to put on my bosom. Like a wee little piggy I ooh’d and ah’d all the way home.
I just can’t believe this contains tuberose. Tuberose wears on me like a big bad wolf. But here it is very faint, a true supporting player. What I get from Ophelia is the lucsious, dewy green notes. The dry down is so seamless and smooth. It’s pure romance. Ophelia makes me feel innocent, which is not an easy thing to do.
Five stars
dmj574InsuffBooni – :
This was supposed to have contained the elusive “water” note I’ve been searching for. That pure clarity of dewdrops on freshly opened petals…And it did, for a moment. Then it got flabby and tiresome. It just sort of sat on my skin. It didn’t flow, it didn’t dance. I felt like a vase of white flowers, in a few days old water, which were staring to fade and lose their petals.
UPDATE: I found that water note in Jo Malone’s Water Lily and Lotus Blossom. Discontinued, natch.
v-6152_unlim – :
Basic, young and a little plain, this started on me as a strongly white floral scent, as of jasmine or tuberose complete with the indole/mothball note, but it ended drying to a lily of the valley scent that reminds me of scented plastic dolls. It’s never bad and is the olfactory picture-perfect of innocence, but Ophelia went mad in the end, and I’d like to see a little more of the complexity and madness in her scent, not just the innocent victim of circumstances. Still, the scent itself is blameless and pleasant.
pascal902 – :
This one is really nice!!!! strong flowery smell, I thought it was violet…
This one I will get for my lady.
10/10
RomanFisher – :
Ultra Ultra feminine!
The initial blast is green, then a powdery lilac kind of smell takes hold… I think it is very pleasant and natural smelling.
sarlAnaessy – :
I absolutely adore this scent! It’s a delicate floral with just a slight soapiness, which is good for me because I’m not a fan of soapy scents. Florals in general tend to give me headaches, but this one didn’t. It’s long-lasting, and absolutely beautiful. I got so many compliments when I sampled it. The price is steep for a full bottle, but I hope to splurge on one soon.
cyncMeeni – :
Unlike the previous reviewer, the tuberose dominates this scent on my skin. At first, I get loud jasmine and greenery, but the drydown is creamy tuberose, and, surprisingly, the jasmine behaves, falling in line behind the other notes. I don’t smell the ylang ylang all that much, although maybe this is what keeps the jasmine from turning into bitter green sap, as it sometimes does.
This is a stunner. I would love a full bottle of this quiet beauty.
casurus – :
Ophelia By James Heeley is pure lilac,it is beautiful I found the perfect lilac perfume for the summer.Here in my village every spring lilacs are blooming and spread their magnificent scent that makes me happy.Suberb!