Jessica McClintock

I’ve been on and off with Jessica McClintock for a good few years (ie, many, probably 30). More ‘off’ recently, and I had it in the “to go” bag but I pulled it back out. I love the lemon & basil zing of this one in the beginning. And I have always loved Lily of the valley. But this does go a little sweet (not candy/gourmand sweet) on my skin. As @Don’twantnoscrubs says, it’s one for the right mood, or maybe the right season. To me, it smells best on a summer evening, carried on the breeze, heading out to dinner or a party. It’s a mood lifter. I don’t care if it’s not today’s style. It’s actually a refreshing break from it. Adding later: I like it better in the zesty beginning than in its journey to drydown. I remember now why it went in the to-go bag. 😏 It’s ok. It suits a much younger me. I’d sooner reach for other perfumes now. Oh well, I tried.

While this does not remind me of diorissimo edt nor coty muget des bois, nor much of my predominantly lotv scents, I still absolutely love this scent. It is more more predominantly jasmine to me, but it does have that delightfully green start! The price is also fantastic for how well it performs.

I’m so glad I bought this again. My first bottle didn’t age well, but that was over 25 years ago. It seems softer than before like they reformulated. This is still a love though. Elegant and beautiful lily of the valley.

Someone recently suggested that I try this, and I found a rollerball online, which I purchased because I didn't want to invest in a larger bottle unless I was sure that I liked it. I don't recall ever smelling this fragrance before, despite the fact that it's almost 40 years old at the time of me writing this review. I do know that it was once sold in department stores—it wasn't a cheap drugstore fragrance (not that there's anything wrong with “cheap drugstore fragrances”). I didn't know what to expect from this fragrance. The opening is quite green and almost bitter, but the dry down is very beautiful and the performance is very good. I agree with another person who wrote that she had to be in the mood for this fragrance. So do I. It's not something I'd wear every day. I am glad I found a rollerball so I could finally smell it, but I am not sure I will ever purchase a larger bottle of this. Maybe, maybe not. There are just too many other great fragrances out there, and this is not a strong love for me, though I do like it. I can understand why some people have a sentimental attachment to it—it's from a different era, and I am sure it brings back many good memories for many people. But unlike them, I didn't get to experience it back then when it was new and in its heyday, so it doesn't have any sentimental value for me. It's just another pleasant fragrance, but one that I can probably live without.

I have had a bottle of this for many years, and while I like it, I have to be in the mood for it. It is a very strong white floral fragrance, and it can be a bit much. I definitely get the lily-of-the-valley the most. I wear it in spring and early summer, but it is too much for me in hot, humid weather. Performance is excellent.

I love this so much. I remember yearning for it as a teen, but we were poor, so. This smells like a summer wedding to me. You got all dressed up, fresh and clean -- you're sweaty but it's okay, you smell good. I know it's VERY spring coded, but something in the lily aspect gives me hot, humid vibes. This is a summer go-to for me. The 90s freshies get me again!!!

Many people told me that it smells like an old lady which is EXACTLY what I was going for. Yes, let me smell like a grandma with 5 cats and a flower garden.

White spring bulbs, including the nicest part of narcissus flowers' fragrance when they are super fresh. LOTV is lovely in this floral greenie. It's a love and back-up bottle worthy

This smells like Curve from Liz Claiborne…I can’t stand it. I don’t understand how people are saying this smells like Diorissimo…hello?

Right up there with my sweet favorites.

I don't care if it's reformulated. This is still beautiful as spring itself. And sorry, better than the current Diorissimo IMHO.

This has been around since I was a tween popping in the store in the mall to spray myself with it! My allowance never afforded me the ability to purchase it though! 🤣 Now, nearly 40 years later, I still find this to be such a beautiful fragrance! I greatly enjoy white florals, “clean girl” fragrances and citruses in the spring and summer. The sillage and longevity are amazing! It’s incredibly affordable now and a great value. I can pick up a light basil but for me I get it more in the dry down than in the top. I also don’t find it all that similar to Diorissimo. They’re in the same same vein but to me, the lotv is way more pronounced in that. This is more of citrusy white floral to my nose. I also don’t find this dated. It’s definitely a timeless classic in my book!

Jessica McClintock's opening is harsh and queasy, but after that mess of citrus, currants, and what-not burns off, you are left with a wonderfully cool and sweet, watery-green muguet (lily-of-the-valley) accord. So if you seek a quality muguet, do consider this fragrance. Don't let the a minute or two of unpleasantness deprive you of several hours of bliss. Besides, I've encountered bad openings with other muguet perfumes. That seems to be a common, but short-lived, peril for that scent profile.

I had this years ago. I will never forget this fragrance, it taught me an important lesson. Always try on and wear for a while before buying in store. When I first sprayed it was nice and feminine. Maybe a bit powdery, but after 30 minutes or so I smelled like I doused myself in off bug spray. I’m embarrassed to admit but I wore this several times before I realized the bad smell was me.

I got myself a little 10ml rollerball to try this scent. It's a very confusing smell to be honest! To my nose, it smells like a cross between a lemon meringue soap and fresh bandages/gauze (I work in a hospital and know the smell well). I thought I didn't enjoy Lilly of the Valley, but I may stand corrected. The scent hits a nice middle ground between longevity and sillage of being potent enough to be smelt within about a meter and lasting about 6-8 hours with a light application. I find this to be less vintage smelling than many would say, given the absence of many things I associate with the (aldehydes, animalics,spices, oak moss etc.). It is a little bit green and absent of sweetness, but I could see a niche perfumer making something in this style in 2025. Definitely unique enough to become a full bottle if I'm not tired of it before the rollerball runs out.

Found a surprisingly well-preserved vintage bottle at an antiques shop. The liquid has turned amber and the scent is beautifully macerated. I am normally not interested in jasmine-forward perfumes but was blown away by how freshly it's used in this composition as opposed to the indolic or beachy vibe jasmine often brings imo. Really excellent usage of basil too.

I was wearing Ave Maria by House of Bo and an older coworker told me I smelled just like this perfume. I ordered it to try it, because it was only $20 and I was curious. Dumb blind buy, essentially. It smells pretty vintage and the only thing cutting through the overwhelming lily of the valley is the bright citrus notes. I don't hate it, but it's not youthful enough for me. It smells like a soap your older aunt would LOVE

this is a beautiful lily of the valley scent !!! its a classic that still has it :) and i have to give it to poster EVAVIDAL62 - see below for their review.......omg what an eloquent beautiful review...........not that other posts arent good they are but EVAVIDAL62 is a must read.............it was so entertaining to read :) thank you for taking the time to write that :) i do have to say i am always impressed how people on fragrantica can write in amazing detail about a scent - im just not that creative lol............its an art & so many peeps on this site have it lol :) anyway jessica mcclintock perfume is a must have for any collection.......a fav lily of the valley scent :)

Smells of landing in Hawaii, walking through an open air airport while wearing a lei, vivid white floral, not too sweet, not too strong, perfect, a debatably unisex OG worth twice it's price.

wowowow i have been inhaling this all day just trying to breathe it all the way in. this is perfect. it reminds me a lot of parfum d’ete by kenzo but honestly way better. more layered nd gorgeous than sharp green like kenzo. this is such a beautiful green floral foward scent. On the initial spray the basil does come through to me which i usually find very annoying and overpowering but its almost mint like without being sharp its just fresh and neutral and very well done in this i actually like it here. The citrus blends with the red current in the most addictive way like a sweet juicy lemon without being too fruity. The flowers are so photorealistic and lasting in this. I bought the full size from their website and they sent me 3 perfume samples and a lotion and all of them are sooooo beautiful i was soooo happy to receive them. My mom used to wear this and she will not stop commenting on how good i smell. I find the dry down on my skin smells different than on clothes, i get a strong honeysuckle mixed w jasmine and a very specific laundry detergent/softener or dryer sheet i am sure i have smelled before but can’t put my finger on it.It smells more sweet,powder, clean and flowery on skin but i get the basil and fresher notes more on clothes. I am layering this with iris by l’erbolario for a powdery fresh sweetness underneath, she let me know 4 times td that i smell sooo good . Pure fresh spring in a bottle, perfect time to have gotten this.

A timeless gem! I simply cannot believe how inexpensive this is now... As a child of the 80s, I remember the elegant Jessica McClintock advertisements from back in the day. This was a luxury perfume that has held up beautifully over the years. Yes, it is very similar to Diorissimo, which is known as a quintessential lily of the valley solofleur and is one of my all-time favorite classics. JM is a bit lighter, fluffier, brighter with it's slight touch of citrus. However it is extremely long lasting with excellent silage. I love to wear it as a bedtime scent, and it lasts until morning! Perfect for spring, a bride, or anyone who loves classic, unashamedly ladylike fragrance. ✨ P.S. I adore evavidal62's review below... My thoughts exactly!

April showers bring May flowers. Jessica McClintock is an inexpensive, impressive lily of the valley perfume. Pleasantly citrusy and green in the opening, then you get the dewy, milky, sweet lily of the valley construction alongside some fresh, crisp, springtime greens. The scent progression is subtle. There's heliotrope, sandalwood, and musks in the base. It's been awhile since I've smelled Diorissimo, but the resemblance is uncanny. This perfume utilizes some older synthetics that aren't used as frequently in modern florals, that's why some people are finding it old fashioned. I would argue it's much more real-to-life and nostalgic than the "modern" smelling, bleached alternatives. This perfume perfectly captures lily of the valley, and as such, it has a timeless quality to it. Can be had for a song, and this lily of the valley lasts a surprisingly long time. I see why it's so popular and highly rated on the database. Glad I finally picked up a bottle. Great to have around, I bet my mother will love this perfume as well.

I discovered this perfume at 55 years old and will always have it in my collection.. It smells like a balmy summer day in a garden of Lillys, jasmine, Lilac and sweet alysum in full bloom, covered with pollen. The opening is loud but the drydown is a soft floral bubble that stays on clothes for 12 hours or more. If you like honeyed white florals, I highly recommend this perfume.

Looking at the design of bottle, one would expect a fresh airy floral scent. There is a sharpness to this that doesn't quite work for me. Probably due to the citrus notes. It's definitely an acquired taste that could grow on you. If it works for you that's great.

I love a good floral scent, and for me this is one of them, it goes with my chemistry and just smells GOOD, from first to last. In addition, it has some base notes that anchor the floral, so it's not too "airy" and it's got some sensuality to it. I don't know if the bottle I've been using (purchased approx. 3 years ago) is a reformulation, or whether this scent hasn't been reformulated over the years. Nevertheless, I'm about to purchase a vintage bottle from Ebay to compare whether the vintage scent smells different, and whether I like it more, or less. (hopefully it won't have been improperly stored or spoiled, that's the risk you take with vintage scents on the reseller market). All in all, I do love this one, it just works for me and makes me feel pretty and gives me that fragrance "lift" all day when I wear it.

I had my eyes on this perfume for a while because I wanted to try it, but was not in a rush to buy it as I'm very specific with my floral choices. When I ordered Versace Dylan Turquoise last month, I got Jessica McClintock just to qualify for free shipping. Long story short, very strong Citrusy Jasmine-y Lily of the valley that didn't work well with my chemistry. To make matters worse, my husband walked into the room and said what smells like bug spray? I'll give it to someone who can enjoy it because it's definitely not for me.

Citracitrus, I’ve worn this fragrance on and off for years. I recently purchased the rollerball and I cannot wear it. It smells different than the spray for some reason. I will be going back to buying the spray.

Very bright and sweet due to the Lily of the valley. Could be polarizing or screechy to those who do not like a green, creamy white scent. I think it could be beautiful for church in the south, weddings, or running errands because you like it on yourself and it’s a pick me up.

I can point out fewer notes than listed, and unfortunately I don't think that it works well with my skin chemistry. It opens up as the most gorgeous jasmine ever, then it reaches a fresh and a little bitter lemon (lemon zest kind of bitter), and then the ylang-ylang enters the room, and the party is over. After the ylang-ylang, it starts to smell like a VERY cheap scented candle. It was a blind buy and honestly I had higher hopes for this fragrance, but oh well. I heard that it's a "bridal fragrance", and personally I wouldn't want to walk down the isle smelling like this fragrance. Not a safe blind buy because you might end up smelling like a cheap scented candle lol. Try it on your skin before buying it. Edit: Wanted to add that I gave the perfume to my grandma and all of her friends complimented her on the fragrance and asked where she got it, and she proudly replied that it was her granddaughter who gave it to her :)

White, white flowers the Jasmine i assume. It's a very loud and harsh perfume. Old fashioned too. I like it but not love it. Jasmine is not my flower apparantly. I like it because it's truly a power bomb. Projection is heavy and longtivity is good. You really must love the smell of Jasmine because that smell is dominant in this perfume. I will use up the bottle but not purchase again. I prefer the smell of gardenia and rose above the Jasmine. 😊