Candide is a new natural perfume from Berkeley based perfume house, Aftelier. This is a fragrance inspired by optimism. It’s a dazzling blend of citrus and “mood altering” jasmine. (Read here for more information on the scent). What I like about Candide is that it is is incredibly easy to wear. It’s almost difficult for me to write a review of Candide because I wear it and forget about it. I don’t mean that in bad way. I take any chance I get to sniff it on my wrist. Candide wears so naturally on my skin that I forget to “analyze” it like I do so many other fragrances. I think this is a good thing!

Don’t sniff Candide immediately. It will knock your socks off! It’s dirty, raw jasmine that has the tenacity of paint thinner or turpentine. After about 10-15 seconds on the skin this strong terpenoid jasmine settles down becoming milder, heady jasmine : I’m left with such a pretty citrus floral. I get happy, sunny blood oranges. Blood oranges are so special because they are so juicy. Blood oranges give an acidic tarteness but with a natural sweetness. Candide is bright. The fruity, juicy blood orange bounces off the heady jasmine. It’s a beaming fragrance. However, it wears closely to the skin in comparison to other naturals I’ve tried. It’s seriously like I have rays of optimism glimmering from my skin. I do detect a bit of spiciness with the juicy “pink” citrus in Candide. I encounter a bit of black pepper. This  adds a needed “dry” note to the otherwise juicy, humid radiating fruity-floral. This peppery note grounds this fragrance. Candide is optimistic but realistic. At this stage, I get a slightly “sweaty” grapefruit; however, it’s still sweet. The blood orange continues to add a sweet juiciness just not as sweet as before. Candide remains a juicy citrus-white floral on me for a long time, many hours. The dry-down is frankincense and myrrh mixed with orange. I wouldn’t call this stage acrid or like churchy incense. It’s just golden. The frankincense and myrrh gilds this juicy citrus fragrance. Candide is radiant to the core…

Candide is very light-wearing and has a “sheer” feeling. If Candide was a fabric, it would be organza. Like organza, Candide has an elegant presence and it never feels heavy. The skin shows through when wearing Candide. This is what I love about Candide. It is effortless. It works well with my chemistry. I wear Candide; it doesn’t wear me. And I have to admit that the juicy citrus and astonishing jasmine does lift my spirits. I challenge one not to feel a bit of warmth or feelings of happiness while sniffing Candide! Candide is a citrus floral. I see it as the perfect, natural summer scent. I imagine that the heat would make the jasmine shine, taking an optimistic fragrance to va-va-voom voluptuousness. With most natural orange perfumes, I’m reminded of winter. But,with Candide, I think of summer. Candide is just that optimistic!

Notes listed include black pepper, blood orange, pink grapefruit, jasmine, Moroccan rose, frankinscense, oppopanax, and myrrh.

Give Aftelier Candide a try if you like natural perfumes, this is a prodigious illustration of the natural “fruity” genre. Also give this a try if you like citrus-florals or “happy” scents like Atelier Orange Sanguine Cologne, Dior Escale aux Marquises EDT, Tocca Stella EDP, Memoire Liquide Soleil Liquide EDP, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Sanguine Muskissime, and/or Parfums des Beaux Arts The Color Orange EDP.

Aftelier Candide is available at Afterlier’s online boutique. An 1/4 oz parfum retails for $150. The mini retails for $45.

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*Disclaimer – A sample of this perfume was provided by Aftelier. I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. My opinions are my own.