California Reverie Van Cleef & Arpels for women

To my nose this is straight up jasmine green tea.

California Reverie is breathtaking and distinct, perfect in every way. There is a tiny touch of oceanic saltines that makes it so expansive, fresh and natural. A big love. Sillage and longevity not an issue for me.

How I wished Beige from Chanel smelled like.
Very jasmine forward (not indolic), together with the neroli it’s a beautiful honeyed white floral.
Very soft and ethereal.
The mandarin note is bright and juicy and the beautiful frangipani is quite mellow, it makes the composition a bit more fun and uplifting without it turning tropical.
Very good choice for warmer sunny days.

Beautiful and gourmand fragrance. This reminds me candy of my childhood in France called "boule de mammouth". This is fresh, sweety, candish and juicy. That reminds me summers in Normandy when I was child but not California. I think the name of this perfume could be "Deauville Rêverie". I like it, it's great quality but it's too juvénile for me. I think it's good for 12-16 girls.

California Rêverie is a light take on a beachy floral scent, nothing groundbreaking, but is undeniably pleasant. The florals are initially lush and sweet with a predictable tropical edge while they last, but it fades surprisingly quickly for a scent of its genre.

CR opens with orange, bright and fresh, quickly developing into a floral neroli note. The orange-tinged neroli is complemented to perfection by the sweet, tropical frangipani that follows closely. It is smooth and creamy here.

As it develops, jasmine adds body. It is slightly waxy and not as clean as I'd like, but doesn't quite veer towards indolic territory. The sticky sweetness from the base complements the tropical bouquet nicely, but it wears surprisingly thin, the lushness of the florals quickly dissipating. It fades to a sweet, musky skin scent. Sillage and longevity are moderate. It is a feminine spring/summer scent in my opinion.

While CR is nicely-rendered, it isn't rich enough for my liking. However, it is a nice light take on a suntan lotion scent - a genre that typically veers closer to the cloying side of things. 3/5.

This is my blind buy first time Van Cleef & Arpels and I absolutely love it.
Longevity isn’t the greatest, just few hours but a very pleasant wear.
Opening note: 10+
Sillage/Projection: 4
Dry down: 8+
Longevity: 5+
Blend/Composition: 8
Versatility: 7
Uniqueness: 8+
Value for money: 6
Bottle design/Aesthetics: 8+
Overall experience: 9
Blind-buy rating: 8

Oof this is california sun with the spring white flowers. Happiness in a bottle. I get the image of someone who had a shower after going to the beach and is driving in their convertible, freshly washed hair blowing in the wind. Freedom and happiness. Soooo underrated

Dreamy. Reminds me of Crabtree & Evelyn ‘Island Living - Spider Lily’.

I like Frangipani flower very much. I blind bought this. The smelling is not like i have imagined. I was waiting Frangipani flower smell like milky creamy cozy soft peach juicy smell. But it smells like sour cold sweet limonade and 4-5 Frangipani flowers have waited one day in it cologne. And while a lot of perfume lasts a long time in me this perfume lasts in me 5-10 minutes. I wish i would have bought another perfume which meet my requests

4/10

I'm a big lover of white and yellow florals. I've tried a lot, I've owned a lot and this one is my true ride-or-die. If I had a signature it would probably be this. This and HW by Amouage are my top two. But this one, it works so well with my skin, it is not cheap or boring or generic but very easy wear. I'm not a fan of neroli but it fades fast for me, thankfully! I rarely repurchase fragrances but I do this one, if anyone has one they don't want and want to swap, I'm open to it. Not all of my frags are on my shelf, but close.

It's a creamy, sweet-honeyed, smooth floral that isn't the standard spring scent.

The only gripe I have about this is how quickly it fades but I love it so from start to finish that reapplying isn't an issue.

How have I been a Californian for my entire life and just got my hands on California Reverie this week?

What a delicious scent. I smell the beeswax from the first moment to the very end. I also get a gorgeous, non-bitter neroli and that jasmine shining through. The combination is breathtaking. And yes, it is very California.

I am getting better longevity with this than most citrus/summery scents. I suggest spraying a little on your clothing to get more lasting power, but I have no problem smelling it on my skin hours later. I'm not a big sillage kind of person so I'm really pleased with what I'm getting from this one. A+++ from me!

This is a lovely, fresh, floral scent but it lasts 30mins and then it's GONE! For the price of Van Cleef perfumes, it's not worth the spend.

Bitter neroli and strong jasmine. Very interesting and crisp!

Charming orange blossom, neroli fragrance. It didn't last as long as I could have wished, but few neroli scents do. Just lovely.

This smells incredibly similar to Carolina Herrara by Carolina Herrera. Also very similar to Grand Bal by Dior. The beeswax/honey puts it over the edge for me. I can’t wear it. It’s beautifully mixed, but definitely smells vintage. A good sweet floral but not for me.

Smells NOTHING , I mean nothing, like Gardenia Petale, I have no clue in what mind anyone would say they are similar. Literally couldn’t be more opposite for florals. This is sickly sweet honey Jasmine, and Gardenia Petale is a toasty floral soap.

Wow! To my nose, this perfume smells just like Alien Goddess Intense! Maybe even better; Alien Goddess Intense turns out very synthetic on me, but not this one! Goddess Intense is however a bit more ambery, so I would say it's better worn on winter while California Rêverie is more of a summer fragrance. Very poor longevity though, which is really sad :(

8.5/10

This perfume is a light, crisp and bordering on unisex (leans fem) summer citrus floral. Starts off w/ a crisp refreshing neroli and for me what smells like lemon and orange petigrain. As the perfume progresses a clean jasmine sambac mingles w/ the neroli and orange/petigrain notes to create a summer delight of clean and easy-going perfection. Perfect for hot summer days and humid summer nights. Would be the perfect fragrance to wear to the beach, a church picnic or a hot July evening watching 4th of July fireworks. Clean, fresh, and refreshing. Easy breezy, casual elegance.

Unfortunately I only smell white flowers here. No citrus, no vanilla, and certainly no honey. It is not bad, but I was expecting something more interesting with more depth.

The jasmine is the star of the show here, overpowering the more shy citrus and honey notes that peek through at the beginning. While it smells beautiful, it’s too linear for me and only smells like jasmine to my nose. I also feel like for the price point VCA could have branded the bottle with something nicer than a sticker (???). All in all, a floral jasmine bomb.

Love love LOVE! I've worn this basically every day since I got it. A juicy citrussy jasmine, which dries down to a gorgeous almost musky honey, but never loses that citrussy floral note.

This is different enough from other summer staple fragrances that it's signature-worthy.

Worth noting you definitely have to like jasmine to like this smell, but especially on the dry-down the honey/citrus/frangipani notes make this really accessible to all.

It's still quite cold where I am so I'm so excited to try this as it warms up!

EDIT: it's warmer here now and I still wear this quite often, but this fragrance is so different in the different temps. In the cooler months, this is a jasmine/neroli-forward fragrance. It's a white flower bomb, which settles into a creamy skin scent.

In the warmer months, I'm finding this is a honey-ed citrus fragrance most of all, with the white flowers acting more as a supporting act. It's like the notes have reversed for me. It's a wee bit on the sweet side for me (reminds me almost of a honeysuckle sweetness) but I still wear it a lot more than a lot of other fragrances in my collection.

Still a firm favourite, but very different personalities to this fragrance depending on the temperature!

Mouthwatering opening of floral-gourmand, as sweet as honey indeed! The white florals and orange blossom notes are more pronounced thanks to the frangipani, hint of orange and honey. It’s sweet, yet very natural and high-quality.

I first thought of Armani Privé “Ombre & Lumière” and if you smelled or had it, you would know what I mean. To me this is the “Day” version of it. The sweetness and jasmine in both is very much identical.

The dry-down becomes fresher, and jasmine is the star of the show here… or maybe is it the honey stealing it? I want to bite my hand, this reminds me so much of French madeleines, so yummy, smells very organic and no calories!

_____

Projection, sillage, longevity : 7/10
Originality, presentation : 7.5/10
Quality, value : 9.5/10

8/10

It smells like neroli and frangipani covered in honey. Sweet, fresh and happy scent.
I don't really like neroli, it's too harsh and bitter, but here it's sweetened.

A lovely fresh floral which is distinctly a Frangipani scent to me. A little sweet but not cloying, more on the lighter side. It is a lovely light summery fragrance but doesn’t last very long on the skin.

I find it both cooling and warm at the same time. Very clean, groomed. I'd like to smell like this when I get married. It's sensual but not sexy. Has a warmer effect in the summer when the beeswax comes out a bit more (25+ degrees) however in winter it's crisp and beautiful, not cloying at all. One of my favorite perfumes.

Lingers a while. I can smell it on clothes the day after - projections isnt strong though, a few hours.

I bought Van Cleef’s Gardenia Petale and fell in love with the quality composition and the chic , sophisticated white floral scent.

So I blind bought California Reverie based on its reviews and notes .

I do admit , honey and beeswax aren’t my thing as I’m not into sweet , waxy scents . However, I found VC’s fragrances have a soft projection on my skin so I thought I could overlook it .

Initial spray was all about citrus. But that lasted a few minutes . Then the Jasmine and Frangipani came through with the honey and vanilla.

I would call this a honey , floral . Not waxy at all but the honey is evident all the way through .

It’s not as loud as Ilha Do Mel by Memo which I have but all other notes in CR are in the background with honey as the main performer .

I’m definitely not disappointed with my purchase . It’s a gentle , understated , clean floral that reminds me of summer . A happy scent .

I prefer Gardenia Petale but found it’s silage and longevity quite poor .

Now that I work from home , my day scents are just for me , totally for my enjoyment . So be it if I have to spray again 🥰

This however , is a stronger formulation on my skin and I look forward to wearing it lots over summer 💓💓💓

This is a perfect day time scent for summer. Sometimes honey weights a fragrance down. Not this time. CR is the antithesis of cloying. It has the crazy effect of cooling and purifying the air around you. It`s a light scent with flirtatious projection. CR dances in, out an about in its bouncy way. I complemented a co-worker on their fragrance then realized later it was actually myself I had been enjoying. This reminds me of Fox in the Flower bed by Imaginary Authors sans dirty root and bramble. Interesting mélange of orange blossom and jasmine in a highly manicured urban garden.

As a male I stay with opinion that this is one of the best fragrances that women can wear. For me it works like a charm, truly amazing scent.

So beautiful! One of those transcendental perfumes that makes you realize this is it. No trying to make myself like it or wonder, it's captivating and transporting. And no, it doesn't last forever, but it's not as awful as some of the reviews here would make you think.
I have had samples and travel sizes for a number of years now and finally bought a bottle. I couldn't rip the packaging open fast enough to spray my arm and there really is nothing like that full blast from a full size bottle.

It's beautiful, but very fleeting. Lasts maybe one hour, even on hydrated skin.

the beewax smelled more like a fruity wood. i didnt really like it.

I was excited to try this at a department store because of wanting to try additional frags with honey or beeswax. I'm also on a neroli and orange kick lately. I was very much enamored of it at first spray. I did not perceive the waxiness some of the reviewers mentioned so I don't know if I would like or dislike this sensation. Didn't seem to be a jasmine bomb, at least not in an indolic way. I agree with others about the lack of longevity. I would buy if I found a good deal and if I didn't have a bunch of other warm weather options.

Stunning. I get the honey/beeswax note very prominently on my skin, as well as neroli and mandarin. It has a honeysuckle vibe, like a spring afternoon in a garden with fruit trees and blossoms everywhere. There's a joyful and uplifting quality to this scent, like a mood booster in a bottle.

For me the V&A Collection Extraordinaire has a lot of gems and I own three full bottles already, plus several travel size decants. Based on the scent of this perfume, I would 100% buy a bottle.

However... the performance on this is by far the worst I've tried from the whole collection. It's a tragedy! 1-2 hours on my skin before it's a barely discernible musk. I don't mind reapplying but I'd go through a bottle in no time having to spray it so often. I'm very sad, because I adore the scent. But I just can't justify the price for something so short-lived, no matter how beautiful.

An amazing amazing scent! Yesterday i had Jasmine flowers in the home and this smelled exactly like them. Very natural smelling jasmine with some other white florals, can pick out frangipani as well which is called 'Champa' here in India. Both are very common smells used very widely in Hindu rituals since the ancient times. Being an Indian, needless to say i have lived among these flowers since my childhood. That is why when i first smelled California Reverie i got nostalgic and so many memories popped in my mind. I bought a bottle immediately and now having both Neroli Amara and this in my collection i can say these are some of the best interpretations of white florals in modern French perfumery. I own some original Indian attars of Jasmine and white florals which are so deep, thick and longer lasting(unlike these perfumes). But California Reverie has a place in my collection, this is a frag i wear for myself. At times when i do not wish to apply those natural thick attar oils in hot Indian summers, i reach for my Van Cleef and Arpels. The projection on this is nothing and longevity is almost non existent, but this is a type of scent that i wear for myself. This is very uplifting, airy and have that feel of nostalgia for me. This is a must have for someone who connects with white florals and believe that every scent doesn't have to be a beast performer in order to be perfect 10.

Very pretty and safe floral. Longevity isn’t the greatest but a very pleasant wear.

I love neroli, so of course I love this too.
The mandarin orange adds a zest that brightens it up.
Quite nice, but not unique.

Nice, honeyed white floral. Pretty safe. Turns into a skin scent pretty quickly.

edit: I keep coming back to this one, wanting to smell it. I'm not sure it'll ever be a "love" for me, but it's a comfort scent.

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This was a watery citrus scent. Very fresh, clean, natural. I guess I can see orange blossoms floating in water, but not the blossoms on a tree, which are not very tart and are more sweet rubbery smelling. It’s also not lasting.
7/10-not too special to me, but pleasant.

Beautiful smell but longevity is a joke

I had the joy of owning this gem for 4 days untill it shattered at the airport, it doesn't project at all, so out of the perfumes I could have shattered, this is the most pleasant one. It is perfectly blended although the tiniest bit of a tutti fruity-esque opening, it develops from a bright neroli to a delicate fresh air of honeyed jasmine. I find that in cool spring weather the jasmine is most prominent. Whilst in the sun, the frangipani becomes so sunny and develops very nicely on the skin. It seems to lasts a long time on clothes, but I'd love it if it projected a little more. To me it's a fragrance that ties beautiful scent memories, and gives great hugs.

I really like this, and I almost never like jasmine. It’s light, it’s not indolic, and it’s not spicy. I really like the beeswax facet and the frangipani adds some gentle sweetness

A safe scent for people who like to spray without caution. Very faint projection on the frangipani accord, mostly a clean, almost sterile, white floral with a citrusy top and metallic green leafy notes. The effect is that of a diluted jasmine-and-orange-blossom baby cologne, but not on a baby. On a stainless steel counter in the back of a florists' shop. (Where's the baby? Forgotten at the Whole Foods. It's fine, someone will water him eventually.) Not much beeswax or vanilla unless I press my nose into the fabric on which the fragrance was applied, and nearly none on skin. And when I do catch those accords, they muddle into a similarly vague Nivea-cream smell, with a whiff of salad bar. Pleasant but forgettable.

This is very pretty and I think a near exact dupe for Elie Saab EDT which is long discontinued. If you loved the Elie Saab this will definitely be a winner.

starts with a clean burst of citrus cologne, then almost immediately jasmine and beeswax and a touch of neroli which veers very close to froot loops without crossing the line. there's some fresh wet earth, like newly planted flora.

it doesn't last super long on my skin but i can still smell it on my clothes 5 hours after applying. it's sweet without being sugary and dries down with a lovely tea and beeswax finish. im surprised i read this as almost froot loops initially, i'm not getting that at all after a few hours of wear.

It’s lovely but doesn’t last at all. I got Anamcara that smells similar but on steroids.

I have had a travel spray of California Reverie for quite some time now - one of those that Fragrancenet decants and sells in a small spray bottle. I received as a gift from a fellow Fragrantician included in a swap we had made who knew I was very fond of Gardenia Petale. I really fell in love with CR. I have recently developed a newfound love for the freshness of neroli, especially in combination with jasmine sambac.
About 10 minutes ago, I decided to purchase a bottle at a really great price - an unused tester from Fragrancenet. I didn't think twice as I have NEVER had an issue with them. I allow my purchases to settle down for a week or so before I try them to give them time to "freshen up" after their journey, which really helps all shipped fragrances.
I provide this info because I read through a few of the newer reviews here and found that several people questioned the authenticity and/or freshness of the product they received. I am hoping that this is a fluke and that in some cases just a matter of skin chemistry, because even discounted, this line isn't particularly inexpensive.
I'm willing to take the chance because I REALLY love the scent, but now I have doubts.
I will update after my bottle arrives and has time to rest. To those of you who have had bad experiences, I feel awful for you, but I'm hoping for the best.

EDIT - no need to worry. Bottle is in good shape.

Beautiful neroli/citrus/jasmine opening that smells so natural and lovely on the skin. I like the opening much more than the dry down just because I'm not a fan of sweet perfumes and I do think that the beeswax and vanilla is prominent in this perfume. The overall life of the perfume is such a safe white floral and there's no worries of it coming off indolic or the beeswax coming off animalic at all, it's firmly a really pretty scent. I like skin scents so projection isn't an issue for me, but the longevity of this is quite short at around 4 hours. Those lovely top notes would make it easy to reapply, though.

Beautifully, scrumptious floral with a HINT of sweetness. Its such a delicate perfection of a fragrance. Its not a beast mode fragrance but it leaves a trace of petals when it becomes a skin scent. Beautiful!

Smells like sunshine. Honeyed jasmine, orange blossom and citrus. The beeswax doesn’t really stand out but I can tell it’s there. Love this fragrance but unfortunately the longevity leaves something to be desired.

Beautiful wall of jasmine. Quite simplistic but very effective. Smells natural and light with projection a bit on the closer side of things.

GORGEOUS white floral marmalade.

sweet honeyed jasmine & frangipane. LUSH. slightly green tinged and citrus at the start then becomes white floral nectar.

fleeting longevity and very low projection. sad. I would definitely buy a bottle if it lasted at minimum 5-6 hours.

This starts with some citrus notes, a few minutes later it starts to actually smell like you've gathered some petals from flowers and rubbed them to your skin. A very realistic flower scent. One of my favorites for hot weather.

Honey is used as food and healing and has many uses in our lives. Among those uses in the perfume industry, honey in perfumes is considered a warm and sweet note, with an earthy quality that makes it blend with amber, woods and vanilla notes “and adds sweetness and intensity to oriental floral fragrances and blends with hot flowers such as As orange blossom, ylang-ylang, and carnation, in addition to some components of rose, it can also be mixed well with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and rarely honey 🍯 as a main ingredient in perfume, and for our love of honey 🍯 These are the most beautiful honey fragrances 🍯...👉🏼 Xerjoff- Naxos /Nectar Love /zoologistperfumes Bee /Black to Black /Scandal /California Rêverie /Nectarine Blossom & Honey /Slowdive / Honey Aoud /Chergui SERGE LUTENS /Pure Havane Mugler

Something here is as strong as eating natural raw petals :) maybe jasmine.
I see people writing that it’s best in the summer, I’ll try it then.

I'm only saying this regarding this particular perfume, but I, too bought a bottle from FragranceNet several years ago (brand new) and it did not smell like the LuckyScent sample I had. The sample was fleeting in performance, (about 3-4 hours) but very very lovely. I live in California, and I could smell the resemblance. But I balked at paying for new price, so I found it on FragranceNet. It smelled completely different, no flowers, etc. Possibly smelled like the base, but...almost like bug spray to me. Was pretty disappointed. Reading the below review regarding a similar experience has me reconsidering and taking a chance and buying this perfume again...somewhere else. The LuckyScent sample was lovely though!

I was told this was unisex ... it is definitely not. That being said, this is really a nice fragrance. I personally would have named this "Sicilian Reverie" rather than "Californian" due to the fact that the two most distinguishable notes are Jasmine and Mandarine. As a fragrance, it is quite minimalist but that doesn't diminish its remarkable quality, in fact I believe it gives this frangrance a timeless elegance.

Smells like true flower nectar. And reminds me a bit of toilet spray.

@LaContessina thank you!! I decided to return my bottle and see if I can get a good one. Mine was a used tester from fragrancenet. I do believe I got a bad bottle TBH. The jasmine with the frangipani is just perfection for me!

@debra0503
on my frag eating skin it lasts a good 4-6 hours, however my bottles are not new (batches from 2017/2018/2019); could be the recent ones are a bit watered down.
Try to layer it on top of a neutral body lotion, it surely helps with longevity (jasmine and orange blossom are very volatile).

This scent itself is very lovely. The opening is pleasant citrus, then it quickly turns to a classy Jasmin and yellow flower-which is my favorite part, it’s smooth, clean (rather than soapy), mature but lighthearted, in about 10 mins the flowers disappear then comes the sweet beeswax, give it another 10 mins it’s completely gone! This scent remind me a little bit of Jasmin Rouge EDT by Tom Ford, without the spice. The scent is 11/10 for me but performance is 1/10! I wonder if i got a bad bottle, there no way it performs so badly yet still get such good reviews!

Reminds me a little of Lancome - Jasmins Marzipane and FDB - Oud Jaune. So if you like theese you will love this one. Perfect for layering too. I layered with TF Soleil Blanc today, lovely. ☀️

The jasmine is DOMINANT here, which reminds me of Lancome's Jasmine Marzipan. I also get a little bit of beewax, which reminds me Prada la Femme. For some reason, beewax always gives out a clean soapy vibe, but it's the expensive artisan kind of soap. I don't get much of the citrus or frangipani, so the development of this perfume is quite one-dimensional.

Overall, it's a clean jasmine-centric white floral frag. My fav VC&A is still Orchidee Vanille; if OV is a 10/10, CR is a 6/10.

Om my skin this is only sweet and a tiny bit creamy neroli, very linear. There’s no trace of flowers on me, it’s very light and fresh. I would really like it in summer if it didn’t completely disappear after a few hours even though I’ve over sprayed like crazy. Sillage is also very low considering how much I spray this. Considering the price I expected better performance. Otherwise it’s lovely!

Mmmm, this is wonderful. I love it when a perfume is named as evocatively as this California Rêverie is, and then when you try it the scent actually fits the name: the soft, honeyed white florals and citruses really make it easy to imagine a beautiful summer's day in a cool, leafy part of California (where incidentally I've never been, but that only makes it easier to fantasize). It's sweet but not gourmand-leaning and not at all overbearing, with the jasmine being the note that stands out most, and the citrus accords lightening up the scent a great deal. The effect is really sunny but at the same time quite elegant as well; this could really be worn in any context on warm (but not hot) days. I don't usually go for white florals very much, but I'm very glad to have a big decant of this one in my collection!

Alas, California Reverie breaks my heart. I truly love it and I have one of those Fragrancenet travel spray decants courtesy of a lovely fellow perfumista. Actually, I have many of the perfumes in the "Reminds me of..." section already, but there is something different here, a "zing" of sorts, courtesy of the mandarin that enhances the neroli. It is clean and fresh, and not at all as heavy as some of the notes might suggest. But...
Tha ABYSMAL performance, particularly the longevity, make this a no for me, especially at the price. I find I have the same issue with their Gardenia Petal, which smells creamy and like true gardenia rather than tuberose doctored up with jasmine. I love it, and CR even more, but they both seem to vanish completely from my skin in less than 30 minutes, which is simply unacceptable.
I suppose it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, but I'll miss you, baby! 😉

EDIT 3/12/22 - I just impulse purchased a fb tester from Fragrancenet at a good price. Now I'm second guessing myself. See newer review for reasons.

Very pretty spring scent. Almost reminds me of bluebells??!! Cool, fresh, floral.
Not at all reminiscent of California which to me featured salt, giant redwoods, and hot stone as well as some floral scents, but a very nice scent none the less. Recognisably Van Cleef and Arpels DNA to the background.

Smells like jasmine green tea. The longevity isn't great.

This morning I was outside with my coonhound as the sun was just coming up and the ground was wet from overnight rain. I got distracted by mapping out a plot for potatoes with bricks and then began hoeing the wet earth. All the while the scent of honeyed jasmine, natural as you like, was wafting around me and convincing me I need to run out and plant jasmine and buy some beehives asap. There’s also something verging on “expensive hair product” but not explicitly. Funnily enough, when I got this last year I didn’t really like it. Anytime I wore it, no matter how sparingly, I’d start to feel suffocated and overwhelmed by the honey and neroli which seemed to bloom and grow in strength until I had to wash it off. I can’t really account for the change but I’m obviously pleased it happened. A very pleasant, experiential scent.

Initially when i first bought this i was really excited about the fresh neroli scent in the opening but the jasmine sambac just ruined it for me. All i can smell now is the jasmine and im not a huge super fan of jasmine in huge doses. If you like prominent jasmine scents then this is the fragrance for you.

I thought I didn’t like jasmine forward perfumes until I smelled this. Not only are the white flowers impeccably realistic and fresh, but the beeswax and honey round them out so perfectly. This is beautifully blended and balanced, and extremely lifelike: you will seriously smell like you just walked through a real garden of frangipani and jasmine. Gorgeous, effortless and elegant as hell.

One of my favorite summer scents! It reminds me of a tropical paradise without it smelling like "sunscreen" The frangipani and jasmine are the stars of the fragrance warmed up by honey/vanilla base. My only critique is that it is not long lasting but a perfect day time scent.

Absolutely beautiful and natural smelling floral. I have to say I don't know how the real frangipani flower smells like, but to me, this doesn't smell like any of the notes listed. I perceive it as a sweet but still fresh, honeyed HYACINTH soliflore. Yes, just like putting your nose in a bouquet of hyacinths oozing with nectar. Hyacinth can have facets similar to jasmine, and has some earthy, honeyed facets too. I think the combination of all the florals with the beeswax gives me this impression. Who knows.
But there is a negative to this fragrance too, otherwise this would have been the first on my to buy list. The sillage and lasting power are very poor. You will have to overspray like crazy.

Van Cleef & Arpels California Reverie (2014) - jasmine honey - #antoinemaisondieu develops a tropics perfect accord with a classic Goldilocks balance. I get Jasmine mixed with Neroli and tropical Frangipani. The florals are so realistic and dewy. It’s supported with Honey, Beeswax and Vanilla base that makes it interesting, creamy and buttery. Delicious.

This is a gorgeous Jasmine Floral perfume.... Very well done floral. It reminds me of spring and Jasmine is the most prominent note on my skin and it is a clean jasmine. Very versatile unisex scent, a bit on the soft side but still present. I find it to be very high quality perfume. Well done and I recommend it.

layer with estee lauder bronze goddess, thank me later x

Such a beautiful white floral perfume! Very soft, creamy (not milky), elegant, feminine, fresh, sweet, not soapy and very natural smelling. I find it perfect for the spring time. I usually don't like most of the white floral perfumes, but this is truly beautiful! My other favourite white floral perfumes will be Mancera Velvet Vanilla (I like it more in the summer) and Dolce Gabanna The Only One Intense (this is a bit more syrupy).

I ordered a full bottle of California Reverie on a whim (something I don't normally do) and also ordered a sample to test before opening the FB.

The opening (at least in my sample spray) damn near choked me out from the strength, but the lasting power and sillage doesn't reflect in the drydown. Like other reviewers have said, the scent is gorgeous, but lasting power is honestly kind of a joke. On me, it MAYBE lasts an hour, but I do get a beautiful, creamy, non-indolic whiff of jasmine and frangipani and some warmth from the vanilla and beeswax base. A previous reviewer mentioned jasmine ice cream, and I can definitely see that as well! It's truly a shame that this doesn't really last well on my skin.

I'm debating on whether to keep my FB or send it back because of the poor sillage, but I can always carry a decant of this around to re-up throughout the day. Decisions, decisions...

Jasmine sambac dominant all the way. Coupled by blast of neroli and sweet mandarin. Easy to wear, clean, fresh, but floral.

Reminds me of languid days of living in the tropics.

Smells exactly like jasmine ice cream - slightly sweet, slightly creamy. Absolutely heavenly!

Beautiful soft dreamy silken smooth white floral. Non-indolic and clean, yet beautifully open, naturalistic, and heady. Lots of headspace with precious island blooming frangipani floating above and around everything, orange blossom and jasmine sambac swirling throughout in support, with a naturally low sweet and clean vanilla and a touch of sensual beeswax cradling it all. Exquisite. No cheap, greasy, cloying, suntan lotion vibes here. Ravishingly beautiful tropical floral. Simple, yet perfectly balanced and elegantly done. This one I love.

Absolutely beautiful.
I love neroli, and in 2017 was longing for a new spring scent
Fact is, it was a blind buy (I did not have access to this line where I live) - but I read before all the possible reviews on this frag. So, I splurged... and well I did!
This is a pure gem.
Soft, fresh and joyful like a Sunday morning in a vacation place.
The white flowers are elegant but not overpowering. You enter into this frag with a small lot of citruses, and then comes the neroli... the jasmine is balanced, not indolic at all - forget Fleurs d'Oranger, that is another country!.
Clean and uplifting.
It is tremendously well balanced with tuberose, that is often too strong and powerful and overcasts other notes. Not here. Here it is just where it has to be.
If you like Jardins de Bagatelle, you'll love this (like it was Jardin's daughter), if you like La Chasse aux Papillons, you'll adore California Reverie, as if it was its summer sister.
Sillage is average and it will not last all day - about 4-6 hrs on my skin, but this is a lighter frag for the warmer months or climates (=California) and I guess it is not designed to be overpowering.
Simply fantastic!
By now I have finished up a full sized bottle and bought 4 backups, that is much but tells you the love I have for this gem.

Reminds me of downtown Cairo where street sellers sell stringed Jasmin flowers to hang from your rear view mirror as an air freshener. It's not necessarily a bad memory or scent, I just hate it myself. If you love Jasmin, you will love this.

I fell in love with the soft elegance which is potrayed by this. I particulary love the frangipani and the beeswax which read just right in terms od sweetness. One thing that breaks my heart and makes me put out the order on this is the longevity. It becomes a skinscent faily guickly and after three hours, there is nothing.
Vibes: Elegant, fun tropical day in paradise, office friendly
Form: 2 ml sample

A beautiful Jasmine fragrance, dipped in honey and complemented by a blast of sweet citrus on the opening. This is a FRESH pure jasmine. There is nothing indolic and heavy about it and I'm relieved to see it's free of other white florals that I personally don't enjoy as much like gardenia and tuberose. Sure there's other florals and I do get a dash on honey sweetness but this is all about jasmine. Compared to TF Jasmins Rogue (another super popular jasmine-forward scent), this is lighter, fresher, and less obscured by other notes like ylang-ylang which adds a heavy sweet smell that I don't love and takes away from the beauty of jasmine IMO.

However. I wish the sillage and performance was a little better. I can hardly smell it on me after an hour, that's not a promising sign...I'm going to buy a full bottle regardless but I will probably have to overspray or continuously spray to actually be able to smell this on myself, much less have anyone else appreciate my smell!

7/10 considering poor performance but 9/10 otherwise

The first blast smells exactly like Thailand’s midsummer Family Fest. During the time you smell and see white flowers everywhere. People wear bunches of jasmine garlands on their necks. Neroli is used in the ceremony.

The scent is not complex. It just continues softly with additional mandarin and a glimpse of light vanilla. The sillage is poor but I think it suites the vibe.

Pleasant and relax. This scent reminds me of the summer holiday and family gathering. It even brought me some tears:)

Loving this. Big on the citrus, sweet honeyed jasmine. I tried Grand Bal earlier today - that one in my opinion is much more indolic and focuses on the jasmine. This one is more fizzy, zesty, and the honey makes it more edible. Reminds me of those organic citrussy sweet floral bath bombs actually. The ones you can get in handmade on Etsy. Mmmm!

A lovely fragrance. This is all about the neroli and jasmine.

Upon first application the neroli leads the way. It's holding hands with a sweet and slightly indolic jasmine that's borderline gardenia smelling. Mandarin orange is more of a suggestion than a strong presence, and frangipani is somewhere in the far distance, adding only to the background. The vanilla here is very gentle and serves to keep the florals sweet.

The fragrance is everything I hoped it would be when I came upon the name and notes but I'm on the fence about purchasing a bottle. There's something in the jasmine note that's a little too much for me. It makes this fragrance far more heavy than I thought it would be. If I could trade out the indolic qualities of the jasmine for a stronger mandarin orange note this would be an immediate buy.

I am so lucky! CR has been on my Want List for quite some time. I recently did a very succesful swap with a member where I got a perfume I really wanted in exchange for one that did not work for me at all, which in itself was great, but the lovely Fragrantician I swapped with included a travel spray of CR as a complete surprise! It was in one of those travel atomizers used by Fragrancenet and others, and I was so touched by her generosity that I had to share the story.

As for the fragrance, it's as wonderful as I had imagined! I already had Gardenia Petale, which I love, and CR is its jasmine forward sister. The orange and neroli give it that California vibe, as does the frangipani. It's not overly "beachy" though it has a touch of that, but mostly it feels fresh, but lush as well.

The image that comes to mind is driving north from LA to SF, in a convertible, with the sun shining and the radio playing something from Sheryl Crow!

if orange blossom could bloom in black colour, this would be the smell. Waxy, with very strong jasmine undertones thus a little animalic. Almost a two flowers scent. Not much frangipani.

This was not a blind buy but it was a mistake. I put Santal Blanc on one wrist and CR on the other and asked my daughters which one they liked. They chose this so I went for it, but sprayed anywhere close to my face (e.g., front of shirt) it's cloying and makes me feel sick. Was able to swap it with a friend and like it 100x better on her. The jasmine and gardenia are just too OTT for me.

This is the first perfume in a while, that as soon as I smelled the sample I said “Wow!” Not super complex, not heavy but STUNNING. Amazing, delicate Neroli with some mandarin and beeswax coming through right away without smelling like a wood cleaner or a regular citrusy perfume. It does not have the tang of citrus perfumes yet you can smell the orange facet. The florals in here are just beautiful, light and perfect for summer. Unfortunately we have a month left of hot weather so I will be spraying my new FB quite liberally, which if I want it to last, it does merit a few extra sprays... but it DOES last.

For me this is strictly a summer perfume. I blind bought a bottle in the winter and wound up wishing I had just purchased a sample to try instead. At the time I thought it was an expensive mistake. I stuck it in the back of the perfume cabinet in frustration, not sure what I would do with it in the future. Today, while trying to decide what to wear, the medal hanging off the bottle caught my eye and I thought, what the hell, I'll give it another shot. And boy, am I glad I did.

This is exquisite. The heat really brings out all the notes and makes this fragrance expand around you. I am surrounded by the softest cloud of flowers right now. While very simple in its execution, it manages to smell both rich and lush. After the fresh mandarin opening, which I love, two notes dominate, Neroli and Jasmine. The Neroli is beautifully showcased. It's not sharp, soapy, or excessively citric. Nor is it syrupy. The honey and vanilla are barely perceptible, and serve to bring out the natural sweetness and depth of the flowers. The end result is that the Neroli is soft and fresh, as if you are smelling actual blossoms. The jasmine is sublime, narcotic and languid. It adds a very dreamy quality. The frangi adds a hint of creaminess, and a sunny quality, but none of its tropical aspects as it does in some other blends. Aside from the mandarin, there is not even a hint of coconut or other fruit. Here, the focus is all about the white flowers, and Jasmine and Neroli rule. There is a subtle spiciness (orange blossom, perhaps?) that works wonderfully well. Almost imperceptible, adding a little pizzazz that prevents the notes from being flat or dull. It brightens the scent into a sunny composition and adds a lot of depth. The overall feeling this gives is that of an easy, breezy, lazy, summer day.

Silage is close to the skin but perceptible. Longevity on the disappointing side of 4-5 hours. This is a good perfume to use when you don't want to announce your presence, but you still want to smell nice. People will be able to smell it when they get near you. At least, my family members could (without a mask). Despite it's shortcomings in the performance arena, I really like this golden scent. So perfect for wearing on this hot summer day.

I guess white florals + orange don't work well on my skin. I'm not getting the soft floral others mention. It's sharp and screechy on me :-(

Edit: tried it again a year later and now I like it. Did the perfume mellow? (I have a travel size). Smells like a pretty, fresh floral to me now.

It is a very fresh fragrance and it's also suitable for men. It's summery and not heavy at all. Perfect for really hot days. I have tested it inside, and I really wonder if it changes a lot outside, under direct sunlight. It has a stingy opening, the kind typical of the mandarin orange top notes. Longevity and silage are moderate. It's civilized and easy to wear in the office or closed spaces. Not at all a complex fragrance. If you like neroli a lot, this is perfect for you. By the time it get to the base notes, they are really weak and I can not smell beeswax or vanilla (very, very faint). I will re-test it during this summer, outside, on a really sunny day. I hope that jasmin and fragipan will be noticeable.

Edit: yes, it's clearly better in really hot weather. I like it anyway, but during summer days it's even better.

Beautiful, realistic flowers. I get the sweet, juicy orange and then equal parts orange blossom with jasmine. Maybe frangipani? It smells like the flowers have been sweetened by the sun. And that's about it! I don't smell beeswax or vanilla especially, which I hoped together would make CR more full bodied. After having Gardenia Petale a while and now adding this to my collection, to me CR pales a little bit in comparison. Best way I can describe is it smells thin, having no defining texture or fullness. Still very beautiful.

I've wanted CR a long time, but when I decided I was ready to buy it was out of stock on fragrancenet, so I went for Gardenia Petal instead. I probably would have stopped at CR otherwise and never discovered GP (I do wish they still made Lys Carmin). Anyway, I enjoy CR but Gardenia Petale so far is my favorite of the two. It's richer, though subjectively still a lighter scent, has more golden juice, and creates a better cloud around me. Gardenia Petale actually lasts quite long on skin, which took me a bit to realize. Goes a couple of days in fabric, too. Maybe CR will become a love like GP did, but either way it's a beautiful summer fragrance and I like it.

Stays very very close to the body, with a soft cloud lasting about an hour and is detectable to my nose about 2 hours when smelled up close. For comparison, Gardenia Petale keeps its soft cloud about 3 hours and is detectable up close about 5 or 6 - a couple of days on shirts like I said. Haven't tested CR on fabric yet.

I received this beauty today.This is gorgeous!Sparkling and sunny,very feminine!Realistic flower smell.First seconds I smell mandarin orange,then comes out the jasmine,neroli and frangipani.They are blooming all together in real harmony!And yes,it is a skin scent,but I don`t mind,because this is classy!In the end you can feel the magical sweetness of the beeswax and vanilla.Moderate longevity.

Gosh this is gorgeous! I was born and raised in suburban southern California and this really is a California Reverie! Neroli and mandarin keep it fresh while the jasmine and frangipani lend a delicious floral sweetness and creaminess. The beeswax and vanilla give edible depth. It's really beautiful. This brings back a scent memory of driving by orange orchards on a hot day, windows down, wearing sunscreen.

Hangs around for longer than I was expecting from the reviews below but is by no means beastly. Perfect spring/summer scent. This is a must try!

California Reverie by Van Cleef & Arpels, is a sumptuously, realistic and divine smelling Mandarin Orange, Sambac Jasmine, Neroli, beeswax and vanilla, floral fragrance.

And the thing I love about it is on a warmer day like today. All the notes come out and shine! Its so darn beautiful, I could cry. And for once, the vanilla is in supporting act, not a main role and she performs her part beautifully! Sweet, innocent and smooth.

If I close my eyes, I feel like I'm standing in an orange garden, next to fields of Jasmine and neroli, which travel in with the breeze and the scent of honeyed beeswax just melds everything in in under the blue sky.

I don't care if it lasts or not, as I would respray this throughout the day, to my heart's desire, anyway.


So a full bottle is totally in order, AS this could actually be my main summer scent this year ❤..

Oh, my lord this is so beautiful! It’s bright, with a very natural neroli and orange citrus just at the top. When the citrus and neroli mix with the jasmine it’s a bit narcotic. The neroli in this is right up there with Neroli Portofino. It’s amazing! This is just as gorgeous as NP and might even be better. It definitely is at a better price then many of the fragrances in the NP line. In fact if you have the Tom Ford NP oil (I do along with the fragrance) and layer NP with this it’s insanely good. There is nothing sharp or cloying AT ALL. The neroli is used just enough. It’s so balanced because then the heart reveals the smooth creamy frangipani which is a little bit sweet and tropical. Of course you have a pretty little jasmine and beeswax and vanilla adding a smidgen of sweetness, a nice prominent bit of bee’s wax in the base with a touch of roundness. There is nothing overpowering at all in this it’s not TOO heady. But it is heady and narcotic it’s just not overkill.This isn’t a “perfumy fragrance.” What I mean by that is that certain fragrances just have that sophisticated, traditional “I’m wearing a serious woman perfume.” smell. Like say the french perfumery of Idole or J’adore for instance (which smell nothing like this as all). This is much more natural and modern than that. It’s a little bit quiet but also sunny, happy, smooth, fresh, and a little sweet. It’s stunning, effortless, not haughty because it’s just naturally pretty, refreshing, uplifting, a little dewy, innocent, and so CLEAN!. No powdery texture at all. It does conjure up a sunny place that has a lot of natural beauty like California. Very unisex. You just smell like the lovely outdoors. I love it.

I just put this on before bed and I can’t believe how good it is and it’s like 3 days later.

Wonderful concoction, neroli and beeswax with a hint of frangipani and mandarin orange. I do not smell at all jasmine here.
Sadly, no longevity or sillage. Why, oh why!

This would have been even better. Still, a great fragrance!

All the notes smell like one - white acacia, just lovely!

I don't know much about perfumes, but I ordered about 10 samples from Lucky Scent. None compared to this one. I thought about this one for months after I finished the sample... I thought I knew what I was looking for -warm spicy-, but this floral scent just blew me away! It's pretty effortless, a clean and sweet scent. So far everyone who has smelled it on me has enjoyed.

Edit 9 months later:

This really comes out in warm weather. It's not worth it to wear in NY winters, but it's divine in the summer! I have more masculine taste, and this is just on the edge of being too sweet and floral for me. When it mixes with sunshine though, it doesn't feel as feminine. I don't smell much of the citrus, it's a jasmine BOMB.

Such warm, sunny, flowery and fresh scent ☀️The top note of the scent is sunny mandarin and neroli. Then in the rich and feminine heart I find sambac jasmine and frangipani. Delicious 🌸👌🏼

I find this beautiful with well-balanced composition of jasmine, tropical flowers, a little citrus and vanilla. Van Cleef & Arpels always have reliable scents. No "sharp edges" sticking out.

I just feel so feminine and happy whenever I wear this ☀️

Very fresh and safe jasmine. Smells like clean sheets covered with jasmine flowers. It is very nice women smell, but when it comes to jasmine, I like it hard and dirty. Lust from Lush satiates my hunger much better:-)

Very soft, plush, fresh. The white flowers dominate the blend after the initial freshness is gone and it's very nice while it lasts. This is a very nice and simple floral blend that wears like a cologne. Perfectly unisex.
7/10

Nice fragrance, smells like California? I don’t know, may be, but it’s too much mandarin/orange for me. As lovely as it smells, not sure if I want to smell like honeyed mandarin. But perfume is a very personal preference. I’m missing more floral, less citrus. I read reviews here and expected more Jasmine, since I have Jasmine growing right in my front yard and absolutely love how the smell.. So far the closest I got to Jasmine is Jo Malone Jasmine Sambac & Marigold. It’s a very refined soft feminine and fresh jasmine fragrance without being headachy or cloying

+ This fragrance is extremely lovely! It's soft, feminine, and delightful. I'm so impressed. I get a sweet orange at the start then a lovely blend of neroli and jasmine.

The neroli is there but it's very soft, refined, and ladylike. I think I do smell a little beeswax (very lightly) and frangipani as the scent warms on skin. The vanilla is there to keep the perfume sweet and soft. It just enhances everything without standing out.

Low projection and sillage but so so GOOD!

The bottle is simple and elegant looking and feeling. In the right light, the tube of the sprayer inside the bottle disappears due to refraction of the glass. Lovely touch!

EDIT: I'm going to go through my bottle very quickly because this perfume does not have good longevity. Two hours then it's gone.

EDIT2: March 2020. Omg! I'm in love with this perfume! It is amazing in the hot weather of summer, spring, and early fall. It smells refreshing and is light enough that it won't bother my colleagues. This just went from my like to love list.

Unreal. Died and gone to heaven scent. A well done, natural jasmine with a juicy orange opening. It’s jasmine for people who don’t normally like jasmine (that’s me). It’s on the sweet side, but I’m loving it. Not complex, just delicious and lovely.

This line from Van Cleef is going to bankrupt me. Thankfully it can be purchased from fragrancenet for a steal.

Edit: I now own this beauty. My only complaint is that it’s fleeting in cold weather, so this is only meant to be worn in summer heat.

Edit 02.10.21: people are complaining that a scent only lasts 4-5 hours, or 3 hours. If I love the smell, anything over a couple of hours is remarkable.

YES YES YES!! This is truly California in a bottle, holy crikes! This instantly transports me back to my youth: lazy summers frolicking by the ocean, seaside barbecues, midnight drives up and down highway 1, and the scent of jasmine ever present on every coastline along the way.

If you live in CA (especially socal or even norcal) you have to know this smell...it is divine. Every time I head out to the beach, i would notice the scent of jasmine....it was never truly there but made itself present throughout my life. This is the smell i've been looking for, thank you so much fragrantica for helping me find my nostalgia!

Edit: This perfume would have been my signature but it doesn't last at all, Plus the sillage is quite non-existent. For $150 a bottle it needs to last at least 3 hours minimum. I will continue to buy it though simply because it is nostalgic and i will wear it until my old age just to recapture my memories of those warm california summers <3

Very nice fragrance, but i was expecting more, to be honest. Again, it is very pleasant, but it is not unique. To me it is a mix between Sunny Side Up from Juliette Has A Gun, Orchid Soleil from Tom Ford and La Femme Prada. I don’t get the comparison to Gucci Bloom Nettare di Fiori, to me, they smell nothing alike.
I think California Reverie is overpriced. Like i said, it is not unique, and sillage and longevity are disappointing.
If you’re looking for a relaxing summer fragrance, i think you can find better and cheaper options out there. If i got it as a gift, i would wear without problems, but pay for it? No, thanks.

I really was hoping for something unique... this is just another perfume that smells like a lady in a size smaller Desigual dress trying too hard. I was hoping for the scent of California but this clearly is not. I was hoping for May grey, June gloom, orange trees, warmth. Didn't happen.

Have to disagree with the reviewer who lives in LA and says this in not California. I live in the Napa Valley and this fragrance IS California to me 100%. This is a Spring morning walk through my small home town of Yountville when the jasmine and orange blossom are in full bloom. It's pretty and sophisticated and lovely. I feel like the honey make this just ever so slightly sweet but not cavity inducing sweet. Just a hint of it to give it a haze. I LOVE this and to be honest every Van Cleef extrodinare bottle I've purchased (I own 4) has been a blind buy usually from FragranceNet because the prices are unreal and I have not been disappointed by any of them.

Purchased a sample hoping it would be like MFK's Petit Matin but with jasmine notes.

Started off smelling very pleasant, a nice blend of neroli and jasmine. Then the scent faded after a short while so I reapplied it, but still I found it to be very weak. As the scent fades, it turns into a sour (citrusy?) smell which I'm not too fond of.

All in all, very nice while the neroli/jasmine blend is detectable, but weak and sour after that. Will not be purchasing a full bottle.

By the way a VC&A rep in Japan told me that this scent has been discontinued. I don't know if he meant they stopped carrying it in the Japanese VC&A stores (I know it's still available at the Isetan department store fragrance section) or if it's actually discontinued in other countries too and will be hard to get ahold of once they're sold out.

Nice for my wife - not for me. Unisex? Nah.

We're both from L.A. If you want to invoke California (or even the *idea* of California) do it with salt, sage and eucalyptus. Juniper Ridge Big Sur does it.

I sense fresh and simple white floral scent when I smell it. Creamy frangipani note also appears after some hours.
It's not all over the place and it's not sharp.
I like it, it quite fine.
High quality, clean and fresh.

Very pleasant, fresh, non-indolic, non-toxic white floral, smooth and soft, with milky undertones. It's simple and smells like expensive natural cosmetics.

A good option for those whose tastes gravitate towards white florals but whose noses, or brains, are too sensitive for va va voom white flowers bouquets. This is very user friendly, humane and unobtrusive.

The milky accord is just wonderful, smells very Maisondieu, and reminds me also of Aurelien Guichard's compositions. Very modern.

Overall a great perfume.

I enjoy this fresh scent alot. I get orange blossom- nice fresh jasmine very light- but ultimately it just smells like fresh laundry and projection is poor. So at it's price point it's hard to justify a purchase.

Beautiful clean jasmine! I really enjoy California Reverie. This really has that outdoor happy vibe of sunshine and laughter while still having the feeling of natural elegance.

The jasmine is tinged with green -- fresh jasmine sambac and bright, sunny neroli with nuances of orange. The frangipani is soft and velvety, cheery like a Hawaiian vacation but not overly tropical. I do detect a touch of dirty green indole, but not much.

The base is not dominant with vanilla or beeswax, but gives this fragrance a wonderful base of richness that projects solar warmth.

Nuda is my signature and night time jasmine soliflor or for layering with darker scents. California Reverie serves perfectly as a daytime jasmine or for hot summer nights. After being disappointed with how Songes' tropical flowers fell flat with powdery vanilla on my skin, California Reverie is one that delights me much with its clarity and clean finish. Mood lifting and it makes me yearn for a coastal road trip every time I wear this.

A nice well blended scent. Sillage is minimal and avg last time. I had to use a lot of the sample to get a good hold on thr perfume. Its a citrus opening but doesnt get sharp. Its smooth and round.

The white floral heart is beautiful. This could be a very classy day fragrance. I dont think its rich enough for evening.

I liked the sample. In my notes I wrote "finally, a soft citrus," meaning, I was sick of the sharp kind and this was refreshing. Yet, I became disenchanted when I bought a bottle. Instead of that round smooth citrus I am getting milk powder. In fact it smells just like Archipelago Botanicals' Rice Milk line of lotion. No florals, just powdered milk and vitamin c, almost like the premade mix they use to make Orange Julius. I will use this occasionally but I have to layer it with something indolic. I won't be buying a second bottle.

This is my perfect jasmine, as I know it from the plant that blooms at night when it's August and you are on holiday in Greece, under the full moon, in an Aegean Island.
All the other jasmines out there (A la Nuit, Full, Nuda, La religieuse etc) are either too indolic or smell of tuberose or simply are not close to the Mediterranean jasmine that brings me very fond memories.
I wish it lasted longer, but loved it so much from my sample I am ready to buy a full bottle either way.

OMG, this is so beautiful! I can't remember such a well-blended mixture of white flowers and vanilla! It smells like a real fresh flower, not artificial as most of the perfumes have. California is categorized as Unisex. Yes, I can confirm that this fragrance can work very well with feminine or masculine skin. On my shelf are typical woman fragrances ( fresh, floral, powder.. etc ) but this one owns exclusivity as unisex perfume. This is my choice for hot summer days on the contrary of fact, that is not typical fresh, light - air fragrance. Nevertheless, you can still feel a freshness. Sillage is very good, I can smell it on clothes even the next day.

Sunlight, blue sky, a few clouds, breeze on face, an old garden, low walls in stones placed one by one, a place full of buttery flowers and citrus trees in bloom, white linen, grass, peace on heart, love will come.

A familiar peacefull blend of classic flowers, above all at first I notice neroli which smell like lemon flowers. Pois of green also, and by sure frangipani that step by step become more prominent and probably is the real protagonist of this fragrance whitout be too much asphyxiating, It remains on a leash.

Unisex scent, no doubt.

A joyfull fragrance, oily, rich&clear, a sort of modern cologne.
Despite the notes this is more a fresh fragrance than else, whitout be cold. Warm/fresh actually.
Apparently it is not so unique but extraordinary good.

P.S.: I was wearing a monoi based oil after bath. And now I get it. This smell like an airy fresh version of tropical monoi. That's why is so summer and so familiar. Smell also like the real fresh flower of pittosporum.

Remind me a bit Azahar by Adolfo Dominguez.

Loved it from a very first sniff. Reminds me of good old Laura Biagiotti Aqua di Roma. But more confident and rich with depth of smell. Very good work.

I love this! Super balance of jasmine, neroli, frangipani and orange, enough to make it fresh. Perhaps a bit tame compared to other VCA Collection Extraordinaire frags, it just does it for me. I was looking for a great summertime white floral strong with jasmine and frangipani, to evoke my trip to Hawaii, and this is it. But....
It is sooo light, it fades away so fast! No real sillage on me, and it's gone in under 2 hours. What a bummer! For the price I'm not sure I can justify the purchase - I would be repeatedly spraying myself all day. But maybe that's a good thing? Maybe for Christmas....

I have a scent memory of hiking in Hawaii and accidentally coming across an entire grove of plumeria trees in bloom. I was overcome and wanted to stay there forever. It's been a long time and the memory has faded, so I really can't say how much this smells like plumeria/frangipane, but this fragrance is the closest I've come so far to having that experience again. Needless to say, I love it. Feminine, carefree, so easy to wear.

Right away, a soft mandarin citrus and white floral combination.

California Reverie is a very safe EDP. I'm not going to say that it is NOT a nice fragrance—is VERY fresh, very welcoming and overall a very nice white floral and citrus experience.

I would give this as a gift for a birthday or a celebration of some sort as it feels luxurious but lacks a particular personality one would seek out for their own individual expression . I think that's my biggest issue . there is no personality that goes with this . It is a fragrance that is for everyone; universal—and with that being said, a bit boring . Would I recommended? Absolutely.

This house is very prestigious. For white citrus floral, it does its job very well . Would I pay $125? I'm actually a bit upset I spent $86.

What does beeswax smell like, anyway?

A white floral / dupe: Armani Prive Vert Malachite. I have reviewed that as well if interested.

CR seems to fade within the hour. Turns sweeter as time progresses. Never as sweet as Vert Malachite instantly hits you with.

The gist:
If you lean sweet, buy Armani Prive Vert Malachite.
If you lean fresh, buy this.

Silage: 4/10
Longevity: 6/10

This is nice.. but I'd rather have them bring Muguet Blanc back

I like this frag. It is fresh but not boring. It might be a little overpriced but I am happy to have it. I like wearing it after a few days of wearing heavier animalic perfumes. Gets me back to neutral.
As to whether a man can pull this off. I think it depends on the man. I think it is unisex enough and could be lovely on a man. I think I will spray on my husband as an experiment. ha.

I am a guy and I adore this fragrance! It's so fresh, clean and cheerful it reminds me of my home state California exactly! Imagine you let your car's top down, driving along the pacific cost highway, wind blowing towards you with a subtle hint of jasmine neroli .... sounds of the ocean waves with the warm California sunshine.... just like California and it brings a smile one your face, relax and happy!

Yes I wear this perfume and I am a man. I personally thinks it's pretty unisex. I love this fragrance, go to Neiman Marcus and try it, you will love it, too!

This is pretty fresh floral and very laid back ,yellow flowers, a hint of fresh, a hint of warm airymess, almost too light for such a price!? In my opinion it is quite feminine, and very laidback if it makes sense..almost a lazy scent, simplistic..maybe too pricey for what it has to offer!> but certainly attractive

I love this fragrances! very fresh,smells just like my home state California and I would totally wear it myself. what do you guys think if men can wear this fragrance (California Reverie)?

Oh dear..... this looked so promising on paper and in reviews.

I adore jasmine, particularly the plant of star jasmine growing on the back deck. It intoxicates me. I am sure my pupils dilate when I catch a whiff of it.
In my hunt for a jasmine featured fragrance, that might replicate the real thing, I tried California Reverie with hight hopes. Not to be.

There seem to be two notes running in unison here. One nice and sweet, the other note hits my sinus's like the sharp scent of mildew, which I am allergic to. So frustrating. The search continues. (Should anyone be thinking of recommending A la Nuit from SL, it is pleasant enough but not like jasmine, to me.)

Hmmm, this is weird...on me it smells like...herbs. It's fresh, but I can't figure out which is the note that is disturbing for me. Maybe is the beeswax. It's nice, but kinda unisex.

California Reverie is for one of those days when the sun finally begins to shine after an entire week of rain. Inspiring, uplifting and simply beautiful. She will charm you with her nectarous white floral composition.

The jasmine and neroli are dominant and they are clean, fresh and light, not animalic to my nose. The slight sweetness from the white florals are supported by citrus - mandarin orange, which adds that sparkle in the beginning. The beeswax is only peeking through to add a rounded feel and golden smoothness to the entirety. I do not discern a definite frangipani or vanilla note in California Reverie. They are certainly not showcasing the pink variety which are creamy, buttery and tropical sweet, but to an undeniable extent, the yellow frangipani flowers are present, which have a lemony, fresh white floral scent. However I would say the frangipani acts as an accent in California Reverie and it is a predominantly a jasmine + neroli scent.

I really like California Reverie as an uncomplicated and natural beauty. She flutters shyly in her sillage and stays around you with average longevity. I can imagine if you liked Chanel Beige and its parfum version, you would positively enjoy Van Cleef & Arpel's California Reverie.

Very sweet jasmine scent because jasmine is blended with mandarin and vanilla. At least this is what I can smell mostly. I like it but it is not my favorite jasmine.

This is an extremely beautiful floral and this is coming from someone who doesn't like white florals.
But California Reverie is like summer sunshine, with a tropical breeze drifting in across a field of white flowers. It made me smile instantly. It's not buttery or creamy as many white florals tend to be, but more effervescent and sparkling, clear. It's floral but not pungent, with a restrained natural sweetness. There is also nothing beachy about this scent, despite it's tropical air. No sun lotion here. Sillage is not so pronounced as some others from the range, but it's not discreet either, just a very acceptable glow of scent will surround you. California Reverie is that perfect natural blond with tan skin and wearing a white dress, she has an infectious smile, and a heart of gold. I really recommend this.

What a lovely summer scent!
A beautiful floral with a real smell of flowers, especially neroli and jasmine. The fruit adds a zesty feeling and the honeyed notes add a delicate feminine grace to a blend that would have been too weak without them. A perfect balance of all notes that conjure up an image of a Mediterranean garden in full bloom.
Both fresh and elegant, it might be just the right scent for those people who like complex blends with a summer vibe.
It's quite longlasting and never morph to strange things like many flat florals.

California Reverie is a beautiful summer perfume. At the first spray it is a bit sour because of the neroli and orange, but that sour note disappears a minute later and is replaced by the jasmine and frangipani notes. These two floral notes stay for the whole course of the perfume, making California Reverie a very light and bright scent, which is perfect for summer, the vanilla is not heavy in this at all. I put this on in the morning when I wake up and I feel more awake and ready for the day.

It actually reminds me of Guerlain Terracotta Le Parfum, except Terracotta is a bit sweeter with the coconut, and California Reverie is fresher. The longevity of California Reverie is about 4 hours, so it's not very great for the steep price, but because this perfume is supposed to be very light and summery, maybe that's why it is a bit fleeting. Overall, I think this is a great addition to the Collection Extraordinaire line of Van Cleef & Arpels, and it is a very pleasing scent. It would make a safe blind buy for someone who enjoys fresh floral scents.

P.S. I layered this with Allure eau de Parfum today and it's amazing. The two scents compliment each other really well, and makes California Reverie more long lasting.

California Reverie is one of the most beautiuful neroli scents ever in my opinion. I love it even more now that I have bought a full bottle of this glorious juice. Cali Reverie opens very citrusy to my nose. I smell lemon more than orange, but it's a citrus heavy opening, a bit sweet, with no bitterness at all, just a perception of brightness and sunlight. The neroli hits your nose next, followed by very non-indolic jasmine and frangipani. The frangipani stands out for me as the scent develops. Since this is one of my favorite floral notes I am very happy with this fragrance. California Reverie is not a complex scent and the development introduces each note and then they combine in a lovely bouquet with the beeswax note slipping in during the drydown.

This is not a big sillage fragrance but if you spray generously it will last all day. It's perfect for summer, and I have also been enjoying it very much on gloomy fall days. It gives a bright happy lift to any day.

California Reverie is a light floral, but seemed weak, disorganized, and started falling apart bigtime after the first few seconds. Not worth the money IMO.

All I get from this is straight up Neroli - it may as well have been called California Neroli.

Luckily I love neroli but I feel somewhat cheated by the apparent absence of any other notes on my skin.

I was looking forward to the jasmine and frangipani but they never arrived, nor did the beeswax and vanilla - just unrelenting neroli that threatened to give me headache 3 hours on (at least the longevity is pretty good!).

For the price I was disappointed in the simplicity of this and the plain overwhelming loudness of the top notes, I'm sure I could have bought an identical neroli scent for much less money (Guerlain's Terracotta edp anyone?) but I will persist with this and have found that I can tone it down by combining with something softer and drier such as Aerin's Gardenia Rattan which, by contrast, is a perfectly balanced symphony of white florals.

I just saw California Reverie today in a department store completely unaware of this new release and had to try it right away.

I have to say that the stated notes are spot on; nothing more, nothing less. It's like smelling a big basket full of freshly picked jasmine, frangipani and neroli with hints of citrus.

Thankfully I didn't notice the beeswax which can make a beautiful perfume smelling like a nicely scented candle; just provides a subtle base for the florals to stick to. The overall impression is mildly sweet, doesn't step to the gourmand territory. The sillage is a solid moderate as the other fragrances of the Collection Extraordinaire, the same with longevity.

While California Reverie is an elegant, substantial white floral - not too fleeting or ethereal - isn't uncomfortably bold either. Can be worn year round and fit casual or formal occasions, day or night.

Comes in the new 45ml bottles too. Still not sure if it's full bottle worthy for me but gets thumbs up.


Edit: Some interesting info from chemistinthebottle.wordpress.com

''For the celebration of their 70th anniversary of being present in America, Van Cleef & Arpels created a special jewellery collection which ‘a wealth of inspiration derived from the majestic scenery of California‘ – the collection was given a name of California Reverie. Along the collection the perfume of the same name was exclusively created. It wasn’t offered regularly but was given as a gift to those who bought the shiny jewellery pieces of California Reverie. In 2014 the brand decided to incorporate this scent to the other scents in Collection Extraordinaire and put it in wider distribution.''

I bought this just a few days ago and was lucky to pick it up the same day it had arrived to the department store. I was unfamiliar with the brand but fell for the presentation (very classy)! So there I stood and sniffed on all the scents from the collection extraordinaire - orchidee vanille stood out and so did this one: california reverie was magic on my skin! It's a subtle apple or pear , a green fresh sweetness. It is so incredibly classy; I could probably get married wearing this gem.

AND! I don't usually get comments from my perfumes even though I think I wear the best of the best, but many people have already complimented me for this smell. I'd say that it is ideal for spring or a cooler summer day.

You _need_ to try it.

Looking forward to trying it when it's launched

i really like the name:) california dreamin'