Love
A bold departure from typical sweet florals, Love by Tessa Williams balances creamy gardenia and tuberose with a base of incense and cardamom. Launched in 2020, this unisex blend offers a dry, smoky trail that is perfect for cool autumn days. It provides a unique option for buyers seeking a floral scent with real depth.
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Performance Metrics
8 VOTESOpen Performance Breakdown 1 TAKE
It delivers seven to nine hours of wear on skin. The sillage is strong for the first two hours before settling into a moderate, arm's length projection bubble that is suitable for indoor settings.
Notes Pyramid
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This fragrance presents a dry, resinous floral texture. It features dominant notes of creamy gardenia, sweet tuberose, and clean verbena, which are anchored by a warm base of incense, myrrh, and dry woody notes.
Main Accords
10 MAPPEDThe white floral accord is clean rather than sweet, showing a green side. As it dries, the amber and warm spicy accords emerge, creating a dry, smoky warmth on the skin that lasts for hours.
Community Data
12 TOTAL VOTESCOMMUNITY SENTIMENT
OWNERSHIP STATS
GENDER APPEAL
REVIEW SENTIMENT
When to Wear
TAP TO VOTETIME OF DAY · TAP TO VOTE
OCCASIONS · TAP TO VOTE
It looks easiest to wear in spring and fall. The vote picture leans most toward daytime.
Pros & Cons
Quick take before you sampleWHY PEOPLE MAY LIKE IT
Delivers a unique dry down featuring real incense and myrrh notes
Offers impressive nine-hour longevity on skin and clothing
Avoids the thick sugary sweetness of typical modern floral scents
Provides excellent value for money with its high oil concentration
Performs beautifully in cool autumn and crisp spring weather
Transitions smoothly from bright citrus to a warm resinous base
Highlights a complex blend of tuberose and balsamic myrrh
Brings out a warm spicy undertone of cardamom as it develops
Features a bright touch of bergamot in the middle of the scent pyramid
Provides a unisex floral alternative with an amber accord presence
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
The initial strong gardenia blast can feel slightly overwhelming
Verbena top note fades within the first ten minutes of wear
Resinous incense base may not appeal to lovers of clean freshies
Can become cloying and heavy in hot humid summer climates
Not a safe blind buy for people who dislike dry woody notes
Lacks the sugary bubblegum sweetness that some tuberose fans expect
The transition through the bergamot middle note is relatively short
Smoky incense elements can feel too dry for those seeking sweet scents
The floral composition is dominated heavily by white flower notes
Performance in high heat may feel heavy due to the resinous myrrh base
Fragranxe Review
EDITORIAL“Tessa Williams Love Review: The Smoky Side of Gardenia”
The first spray of Love by Tessa Williams is surprisingly green and crisp. Rather than dropping you straight into a heavy bucket of white florals, the opening pairs a bright, zesty verbena with fresh gardenia petals. This citrus element keeps the heavy floral notes from feeling dated or thick, giving the perfume a clean start that feels like walking through a damp garden at dawn.
As the citrus fades, the true character of the fragrance emerges. The tuberose takes center stage, but it is not the buttery, bubblegum style found in many modern designer releases. Instead, it is dry and slightly green. This clean floral heart is quickly joined by a dry, woody structure that keeps the scent firmly grounded and prevents it from becoming overly sweet.
On skin, the transition to the base notes is where this perfume becomes interesting. A distinct note of burning incense and myrrh starts to warm up, mingling with the remaining gardenia. This creates a contrasting texture, where the creamy feel of the white flowers rubs against the dry, smoky resin. It is a slow burn that keeps the skin smelling warm and slightly spicy for hours.
This fragrance is a solid performer, giving you around eight hours of noticeable wear. The projection is moderate, creating a polite bubble that will not offend people in close quarters. It is particularly suited for dry autumn air or cool spring days, where the cool breeze helps highlight the contrast between the cold floral notes and the warm incense base.
Love is easy to wear, but it is not a crowd-pleasing department store floral. It sits in a unique space that will appeal to people who want a floral scent with some dirt and smoke on its collar. If you are tired of sugary sweet tuberose, the woody and spicy elements here make this a very comfortable, comforting daily wear.
Ultimately, this is a successful take on a smoky floral. It avoids the usual cliches of the genre, offering a dry and clean option instead of something thick and cloying. It is a great choice for cool weather, especially for those who want their white flowers served with a side of resinous wood.
FAQs
What does Love by Tessa Williams smell like?+
This scent opens with a sharp burst of fresh verbena and sweet tuberose before settling into a warm, dry base of incense, woody notes, and myrrh. It smells like fresh gardenia blossoms floating in a room filled with clean, burning resin.
Does the opening differ from the dry-down?+
Yes, the transition is quite dramatic. The initial spray is dominated by bright verbena and a heady gardenia accord. Within an hour, the bright citrus fades, allowing the warm cardamom and smoky incense base notes to dominate the skin.
How long does Love by Tessa Williams last?+
On clean skin, this fragrance easily lasts between seven to nine hours. The heavy white floral notes linger in the air for the first three hours, while the resinous woody notes stick close to your collar and skin for the remainder of the day.
What is the projection and sillage of this scent?+
It projects strongly for the first two hours, filling a small room with gardenia. As the heart notes settle, it pulls back to a more moderate arm's length scent bubble, making it polite enough for indoor office wear.
Which season is best for wearing this fragrance?+
The smoky base notes of myrrh and incense make this particularly beautiful in the cool air of autumn and spring. It has enough depth to cut through chilly weather, yet the tuberose keeps it bright enough for sunny days.
Is Love by Tessa Williams suitable for formal occasions?+
The incense and woody notes give this floral fragrance a sophisticated, clean structure. It fits perfectly with a dark wool coat or a formal evening suit, offering an elegant alternative to typical sweet designer offerings.
Does Love lean more masculine or feminine?+
While the prominent tuberose and gardenia top notes give it a traditional feminine beginning, the dry down is heavy with cardamom and dry wood notes. It wears beautifully on anyone who appreciates a dark, spicy floral.
Who is the ideal audience for this perfume?+
This is built for fragrance enthusiasts who want to explore florals without the typical sugary sweetness. It appeals to people who enjoy complex transitions, moving from bright gardenia down to a dry, burning incense base.
Can you layer Love by Tessa Williams with other scents?+
It layers exceptionally well with single-note citrus colognes. Spraying a light bergamot or lemon scent over the dry down helps revive the bright opening notes, balancing the heavy incense and myrrh base.
Are there any good dupes or alternatives?+
It shares a similar smoky white floral space with Serge Lutens Fils de Joie, though it lacks the thick honeyed sweetness of that scent. It also shares the green, crisp gardenia style found in Estee Lauder Private Collection.
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Dupes & Alternatives
COMMUNITY DUPESCOREConsider Serge Lutens Fils de Joie for a sweeter take, or Estee Lauder Private Collection for a greener, cleaner gardenia style.
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