A lot of fragrances (Essential Oils)are combinations of scents, an approximation of what a perfumier thinks it smells like.
Many floral scents are very delicate and there are different ways to make it. Some use distillation which is used for this type of fragrance. Others use solvents which dissolve the oil from the flowers. This may be more dangerous if any of the solvent remains (best not done for food-grade oils.)
I have a nose like a dogs and ask ladies what their perfume name is, provided it smells of a flower and not a nasty mixture.
Truly, God made the best scents in flowers.
kevin

What we think of as one smell when we sniff a jasmine ( or any other flower) is in fact a complex bouquet of different chemicals, each with their own chemical properties. When the perfumier tries to extract the perfume from a flower, many of the more volatile (top note) compounds are lost, leaving behind a less delicate, less defined, heavier, more two dimensional smell. Purely chemical scents, on the other hand, have a tendency to be harsh and lacking in complexity.

The best attempts to replicate a natural scent typically start off with a "base" of natural extracts, augmented with chemicals to replace the lost top notes. To tell you the truth, I never find single-note perfumes proporting to replicate heavy, tropical flowers like gardenia or jasmine or tuberose to be at all satisfactory even though I love those to smell the actual flowers. Too often their artifical versions are musky to the point of being skunky, with none of the sweetness of the real thing.

If anyone knows of a perfume or oils that are extrordinary
please post! I love perfume that smells like lilies or just soft pretty floral clean smell. I have a nose like a dog too! What perfumes would you reccomend? I'm wearing
Light Blue by dolse gabana, when it dries down it reminds me of the Chinese pefume plant smell. The BABY BEES lotion reminds me of Sweet Olive... I love it.

Oh angel smell I love the burt's bees apricto..... I begged them (email) to make a perfume!!!! Sounds desperate I know... but I love it...I have the solid perfume but a little DOES NOt go a long way..... I've heard that Demeter has a tiger lily scent that smells like tiger or oriental lily (probably oriental) (the others don't smell right tiger I mean?) anyway..... You can get samples on ebay.... I've heard their wet garden smells like hyacinth and their flower show smells like carnations.... I don't like the smell of carnations but some people do.... Marc Jacobs smells EXACTLY like tuberose!!!!! I think demeter has one that smells like olive flower... . probabl not long lasting this is one of demeter's only caveats.....

Here is a link that might be useful: Demeter

Wow, it's been a long time since I made a post here!...Well I love fragrant plants, specially fragrant tropicals. I have fragrance in every corner of my garden. I'm also a soapmaker. As an horticulturist and fragrant plant lover, I'm always looking for those fragrance oils for soapmaking that would be as close to the real flower I can get.
It's extremely difficult to find a synthetic fragrance oils that could be like the real thing as most Synthetic fragrances are loaded with those awful chemical notes, that an untrained nose may even not notice.
I've searching for a good Jasminum grandiflorum (perfume jasmine) that would be identical to the real thing, but so far no luck. Every Jasmine I get smells like synthetic car air freshener. The same happens with Tuberose and Gardenia. No synthetic fragrance like the real thing!. Althought It's very dificult to get true to the flower synthetic fragrances, I've found some fragrances that are good enough to be considered as true to the real thing. Here are the ones I've found that are particularly good:

Sweetcakes Soap Supplies:

Honeysuckle Hollow: It's EXACTLY like southern wild or Japanese Honeysuckles (Lonicera Japonica)!!!. It's incredibly identical!!!.

Orange Blossom: If you haven't smelled an orange blossom before, try this fragrance. It's identical!.

True Rose: Not synthetic in any way!. Identical to Rosa damascena absolute.

SoapNCandles:

Heavenly Honeysuckle: Very similar to Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica). The second best Honeysuckle fragrance I've found out there. But Honeysuckle Hollow from Sweetcakes it's the perfect one. This one smells very much like Hawaiian white ginger (Hedychium).

Jasmine: Not like perfume jasmine, but it's IDENTICAL to Angelwing Jasmine (Jasminum nitidum), but stronger.

Simple soothings

Jasmine sambac: This one smells EXACTLY like Jasminum sambac (Pikake)absolute. Imagine the strong fragrance of Jasmine sambac flowers opening during the first hours of evening, but stronger (of course). This one doesn't smell like the body of the fragrance during the day.

Tradewinds Fragrance company:

Orchid: It doesn't smell like an orchid in any way, but smells a lot like Brunfelsia americana

Magnolia Blossom: Not much like a true southern magnolia, but very similar to a Brugmansia fragrance. I'm working on an Angels trumpet dupe with this one.

Oregon trail soap supplies:

I've made an Oriental or Crinum lily fragrance dupe, using two of their florals. One is their Lilac, the other is a spicy floral fragrance with the silly shampoo name of "Gee Your Hair Smells Terriffic".

Victorian Violets: This one smells to me a lot like the very fragrant purple flowers of my Tillandsia Duratii. Haven't smelled a true sweet violet fragrance so I can't tell if it's true to violets.

I do agree about the Marc Jacobs. It's exactly like Tuberose. I've got a Marc Jacobs dupe FO, but the perfumers must have been drunk. It lacks the sweet spicy tuberose heart.

Juan

Wow Juan you gave me a wonderful list of beautiful scents to consider..... I appreciate it. I love honeysuckle! Do these oils all need to be purchased on line or are there stores I can go to that carries them?

Hi Angelsmell:
Those FO's can only be purchased online from soap and candle fragrance suppliers. All are skin safe and can be used in soaps, unscented lotions, bath salts, fragrance diffusers etc. If you need to know where to purchase the oils, just send me a private e-mail and I give you the links of the suppliers of specific oils.

All the best
Juan

Just stopped by Sephora and "smelt" smelled :) some Demeter fragrances.... as per florals.... there was one called orchid that smelled like a mix of moonflower and hyacinth.... very strong on the hyacinth.... also their tigerlily smells much lika an "oriental" not tiger!! lily..... :) their lily of the valley dissapointingly wasn't a great lily of the valley rendition.... didn't stink just didn't smell like lily of the valley much.... and as per osmanthus.... if it smells like apricots.... their apricot and fuzzy navel are delightful apricot/peachy scents..... :) ! Honey doesn't smell exactly like honey but a mix of honey and flowers.... somewhat similar (probably as close as you'll get with perfumes I know of) to sweet alyssum..... :)

A couple of years ago I found on sale, "Jasmin de Provence" from Crabtree and Evelyn, I believe a British company. To me it smells close enough to Jasmine Officianale Grandiflorum, which I adore. At the time they were discontinuing it because "It doesn't sell in the U.S., Americans don't like the Jasmine fragrance". Are we in the minority? I bought the last two they had. I use it when I need a spring-like pick me up. Who knows, maybe it's still available in the U.K., and maybe they could be persuaded to bring it back to this continent.

I was in Barney's NY some months ago and they had some wonderful fragrances, the real thing. They had Jamsine variations/combinations, and several other seductive florals- (I was floored by an an orange-blossom-something- or other). But I'm not an expert and after a while I was overwhelmed by all the delicious choices and couldn't remember which smelled how. I eventually walked away frustrated. But I recommend it if you are truly serious. Someone come back and tell us the scoop.

Have you try "Perlier" from Italy? Some of their produts do smell like real flower, light and delicate. I don't think their Jasmine is true, but Gardenia is very good. You can get it from internet, or Home Shopping Network.

I agree that Marc Jacobs smells very much like tuberose. It isn't for the faint of heart. (Very strong!)

I just bought Annick Goutal's Le Jasmine. When first applied it smells JUST like jasmine, direct from the flower. The other notes are sparkly and enjoyable on their own, so I continue to enjoy it after the top note evaporates. I recommend this fragrance to any jasmine lovers.

Keiko Mecheri's jasmine is pretty good. Doesn't smell like real jasmine but doesn't smell like headshop either. Smells a little closer to the flower. I should try that annick goutal. Thanks fennelgal.

Has anyone tried l'Occitane's Neroli (orange blossom) eau de parfum? I wonder if it really smells like orange blossoms, one of my favorite flower scents. I should go sample it and report my findings:) It's pretty darn expensive, that's for sure!

I grew a Jasmine plant for 2 years, which would flower often. Everytime the small flowers would fall off or before that, I'd find I'd hold the flower and just smell it! I never found a fragrance as wonderful as the jasmine flower. I find I do look for something and when I ask anyone in a perfume shop they bring me scents that are masked with so much "gag" that it doesn't compare.

Hi hollywoodbeach - which jasmine did you grow.

Kasie

Juan- are you the Juan who does fragrance oil blends for Oregon Trail Soaps?

Juan and I obviously have a lot in common as I am also both gardener and soapmaker. I've smelled a lot of fragrances over time and Juan has mentioned some of my favorities. One additional one I'd recommend is the Midnight Rose fragrance from Tradewinds. It is a combination of rose and jasmine and is really yummy. If you are looking for a good scent to create perfume, I am absolutely in love with the Pomegranate and Rosewater scent from Pine Meadows. It's one of the best I've ever smelled. Floral tempered with fruit notes.

I know some want to avoid any synthetics at all which is fine but really the only way to get the complex scent of true flowers is to have an extremely good blend of essential oils highlighted by some synthetic fragrance oils.

I just bought some shower gel yesterday at TJ Maxx, it was called Pure Neroli..... I just loved the scent, it was a beautiful fresh scent with a green flowery smell, that was the first time I ever saw anything with Neroli scent, I looked it up and found it is an Orange Tree a bitter orange,
here's the description: The plant description:

Seville or bitter orange is small evergreen tree up to 10 m high, with the dark green double glossy leaves , with the upper leaf much bigger. The fragrance of it's white flowers characterizes intense sweet-floral base and terpeney top note.

The three types of essential oils have been produced from the bitter orange plant: The oil expressed from the outer orange fruit peel(bitter orange), the oil produced by steam distillation of the leaves(petitgrain), and the oil produced by steam distillation of the fresh bitter orange flowers (neroli). Although from the same plant the oils are quite different by chemical composition, physical properties, manner of use and scope of application. For the aromatherapy use most important is oil from the flowers(neroli).
Is anyone familiar with this scent? I want to know if it's the same as the shower gel I bought?

Regarding Juan's posting (Serinus 11) on Fri, Mar 11, 05 at 16:32:

"SoapNCandles:
Jasmine: Not like perfume jasmine, but it's IDENTICAL to Angelwing Jasmine (Jasminum nitidum), but stronger."

My favorite plant is Jasminum Nitidum. I assumed all jasmine oils were replicas of Jasminum Officinale Grandiflorum or one of the Jasminum Sambacs. I bought some jasmine oil from SoapNCandles (which is now Rustic Escentuals) and you are absolutely correct. I am amazed.

My heartfelt gratitude.

Try this source

here are some perfumes that are true to the flower
jasmine:
serge lutens a la nuit
serge lutens sassasins
demeter jasmine

pikaki: child

lily: serge lutens un lys

tuberose:
diptyque do son
Il Profumo Eclair de Tubereuse
Michael by Michael Kors (has a musky scent in the background but the main notes are incredible tuberose)
Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion (smells like tuberose; not gardenia)
Estee Lauder Tuberose-Gardenia

gardenia:
yves rocher desir de gardenia (smells EXACTLY like a fresh cut gardenia and inexpensive)
kai perfume oil (smells exactly like a fresh cut gardenia, expensive and even better than yves rocher. get the perfume oil and not the edp spray)

Perfumers cannot capture the gardenia scent from the gardenia so they have to create it. Many times they use tuberose plus other things to create a gardenia scent.

@ cool plants: you said "a lot of fragrances (Essential Oils)are combinations of scents, an approximation of what a perfumier thinks it smells like." this is true of perfumes but not essential oils. essential oils are not created, but the oil is extracted or distilled from the actual plant, either from the stems, leaves and flowers depending on the purpose.

here are some perfumes that are true to the flower
jasmine:
serge lutens a la nuit
serge lutens sassasins
demeter jasmine

pikaki: child

lily: serge lutens un lys

tuberose:
diptyque do son
Il Profumo Eclair de Tubereuse
Michael by Michael Kors (has a musky background scent, but the but the main note is tuberose & very true to the flower)
Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion (smells like tuberose)
Estee Lauder Tuberose-Gardenia

gardenia:
yves rocher desir de gardenia (smells EXACTLY like a fresh cut gardenia and inexpensive)
kai perfume oil (smells exactly like a fresh cut gardenia, expensive and even better than yves rocher. get the perfume oil and not the edp spray)

Perfumers cannot capture the gardenia scent from the gardenia so they have to create it. Many times they use tuberose plus other things to create a gardenia scent.

@ cool plants: you said "a lot of fragrances (Essential Oils)are combinations of scents, an approximation of what a perfumier thinks it smells like." this is true of perfumes but not essential oils. essential oils are not created, but the oil is extracted or distilled from the actual plant, either from the stems, leaves and flowers depending on the purpose.

i can't leave this out: another tuberose scent that is true to the flower is: By Kilian Beyond Love
you can by samples of most of the scents i've mentioned at luckyscent or the perfumed court.

i can't read this post without recommending the book "Jitterbug Perfume" by Tom Robbins....

it's one of the best books i've ever read and it's all about making perfume from jasmine (and beets)!

one of the major themes of the book is also the role of scent in the human experience.... i have a feeling the OP might get a kick out of it.

JASMINE COME IN VARIETIES LIKE ANY OTHER PLANT.

THE CAPTIVATING JASMINE SMELL IS NOT DIFFICULT TO NOTICE, IT WILL CAPTIVATE YOU FROM MANY FEET AWAY AND YOU WILL WANT TO INHALE IT LIKE BREATH OF AIR.

IF YOU DO NOT GET THIS FROM YOUR JASMINE, IT IS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE VARIETY YOU HAVE PURCHASED. NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE STRONG SCENTS, SOME ARE VERY WEAK.

AFRICAN OR STAR JASMINE DOES NOT HAVE A STRONG SCENT AT ALL UNLESS YOU PUT THE FLOWER NEARLY UP YOUR NOSE LOL.

THE ONE THAT HAS A BLOSSOM SHAPED LIKE A TINY WHITE ROSE LIKE ITS SISTER PLANT THE GARDENIA, HAS THE MOST CAPTIVATING AND STRONGEST SMELL.

SO WHEN IN A GARDEN CENTRE, DONT BUY ONE THAT IS NOT FLOWERING, AND IF YOU CANNOT SMELL IT FROM SEVERAL FEET AWAY, THEN THAT IS NOT THE TYPE YOU WANT. YOU WANT THE ONE THAT MAKES YOU TURN YOUR HEAD AND NOTICE THEY ARE THERE BECAUSE YOU SMELLED IT BEFORE YOU SAW IT.

DONT BUY ONE NOT IN BLOOM BECAUSE YOU CANNOT ASSUME IT IS ONE THAT WILL HAVE A STRONG SCENT.

WHEN YOU FIND THE ONE THAT DOES HAVE A STRONG SCENT, YOU WILL KNOW THE CAPTIVATING AROMA WITHOUT A DOUBT AND WILL NOT HAVE TO QUESTION WHAT THIS SMELL IS THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT.

Reviving a realllly old thread but I had to share this!
I find the fragrance of jasmine just melts away my stress so my goal is to find a way to include a plant in every room.
Recently someone visiting from Dubai gifted me a 'Royal Jasmine' perfume. It isn't one of those upscale perfumes that cost an arm & a leg but this is the closest thing I've smelled to the real flowers. I wish I could find this gem in NA but that search turned up nothing...
Link shows what the box looks like.