Marc Jacobs perfumes have quite the cult following and, whether you’re a fan of the coveted daisy range or the dot (£99, Boots.com) and honey (£38.41, Amazon.co.uk) fragrances, the designer’s collection of scents has something to suit everyone.
Jacobs’s most recent perfume launch comes in the form of ‘perfect’ – a quintuplet of eau de parfums (EDP) and eau de toilettes with rhubarb at their centre. As someone who wears the original daisy EDP (£52, Boots.com) as my go-to everyday scent, I was eager to get a whiff of the brand’s latest release.
To break down the five new iterations, there’s the original perfect EDP (£63, Boots.com); the eau de toilette (£80, Boots.com); the perfect elixir EDP (£69, Boots.com); the perfect intense EDP (was £60, Boots.com); and the perfect charm EDP (was £89, now £71.99, Theperfumeshop.com).
I managed to get my hands on the elixir variation, which boasts notes of rhubarb, plum, honey, orange blossom, amber and more.
Keep scrolling for my honest impression.
How I tested
I tested Marc Jacobs’s perfect elixir eau de parfum on bare skin, spritzing it on the insides of my wrists and around the pulse points on my neck. I paid attention to the scent notes both initially and after the fragrance had time to sit on the skin, noting which elements had the best staying power. I also tested out whether the perfume layered well with any others, testing in this instance alongside Bvlgari’s equally sweet allegra baciami EDP (£149, Harrods.com). Here’s how I got on...
Marc Jacobs perfect elixir, 30ml
Upon first spritz, the immediate scent notes I detected were almost almond-like, owing to the amber and vanilla. I was surprised by this, as the perfect elixir doesn’t feature almond notes directly, even though the original perfect EDP does.
As the fragrance settled on my skin, rhubarb notes were revealed, with equal parts sweetness and tartness. I’ve never experienced a perfume that has developed in such distinct layers like this one, but I enjoyed the journey through the various top, heart and base notes. Next up was honey, which made itself apparent in a very much premium sense – think heady manuka. Then orange blossom came through with a slight soapy accord and, once everything had died down, I was left with what I would describe as a clean vanilla that’s ever so slightly earthy.
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As someone who’s certainly drawn to fresh rather than sweet scents, I’d describe this perfect elixir fragrance as a gourmand perfume for people who don’t necessary love sugary fragrances. It smells expensive and intricate, without the in-your-face indulgence of those vanilla body sprays that had teenagers in the 2010s (myself inclued) in a chokehold.
Regarding its staying power, I was impressed by the fact the scent remained potent on my wrists even after several hand washes. My only bugbear is that I found the initial texture on the skin a touch oily – as many perfumes are – so, you will need to let it dry down somewhat.
Buy now £69.00, Boots.com
The verdict: Marc Jacobs perfect elixir
If you’re in search of a new scent to see you through winter and beyond, Marc Jacobs’s perfect elixir lives up to its name. For me, the honey note was the most powerful (in a botanical, herby sense), and I was really impressed with the scent’s staying power. Aside from the daisy fragrance – which I’m very much loyal to – perfect elixir is perhaps my favourite Marc Jacobs scent to date.
Want more fragrance recommendations? Check out our guide to the best perfumes for women
