Ava Luxe • Gardenia Musk • Fragrances

missmelodya on 8/28/2012 1:14:00 PM more reviews by missmelodya

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

enjoyed the sample bottle and purchased a full size. this needs to be applied with a light hand, as the gardenia is very much the focal point of this frag.


in warm weather this was a joy to wear. sadly after wearing it for a few months i started to pick up a metallic note a couple of hours after application. my sample did not do this, but i assume ths change is down to my body chemistry rather than the product itself.


if you love gardenia and clean smelling musks, this is worth a try. it doesn't seem to evolve very much on my skin throughout the day/evening, but it hangs tough until you wash it off.

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*TOP REVIEWER* eurodivas on 6/30/2009 5:12:00 PM more reviews by eurodivas

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Dark, Warm   Hair: Brown, Relaxed, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

While this is a nice fragrance I did not find it to be anything to scream about. True that the Gardenia fragrance is lovely upon application however the lasting power was very poor. I classify this as a pick me up when I am feeling bad scent. Since getting a sample of this from Ava Luxe I have ordered other fragrance but I really have to think about this one. I think that there are much better Gardenia or Musc fragrances on the market. Due to the lack of lasting power, if I were to purchase a full bottle of this I woud opt. to get the perfume extrait.

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JennifeRx on 5/13/2009 2:33:00 AM more reviews by JennifeRx

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Gardenia Musk is downright stunning. I love gardenia fragrances and am also a big Ava Luxe fan. This is one of the best gardenia scents I've ever sniffed and no doubt one of Serena's best creations. It's so creamy, soft, sensuous and well blended that one might not even realize it was a musk blend. All of the typical sharpness of the gardenia note is tempered with what smells like the olfactory equivalent of cashmere. This is one addicting scent and so unique in the fact that it's both innocent and sexy at the same time. Simply a must try. Will repurchase once my bottle is gone. Some other similar Ava Luxe scents that I would also recommend are Venus Sands, Heart of Glass and Tuberose Diabolique.

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AllisonWunderland on 11/23/2008 8:08:00 PM more reviews by AllisonWunderland

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is a must have! If you like subtle, sophisticated musk and gardenia this is heaven in a bottle. On the skin it blooms into a mouthwatering buttery, creamy gardenia with plenty of soft skin musk. It's something I could wear every day, for any occasion.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Melloney on 9/17/2008 6:46:00 PM more reviews by Melloney

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Blue    

Fabulous Gardenia. It really does smell of creamy gardenia. Love at first sniff. Beautiful !

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*TOP REVIEWER* Tovah on 6/2/2008 9:19:00 PM more reviews by Tovah

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Olive, Warm   Hair: Red, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

A beautiful, sweet, pure gardenia that doesn't get sharp, and lasts a long time. If you love creamy, not peppery gardenia, you should try Gardenia Musk. Kai is one of my favorite fragrances. Gardenia Musk doesn't smell like Kai, but it satisfies my need (caused by Kai) for more tropical gardenia in my fragrance wardrobe. Gardenia Musk is a very lovely, well-blended, fresh floral. It's refreshing and uplifting.

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persephone76 on 7/30/2007 3:45:00 PM more reviews by persephone76

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

This is the best gardenia fragrance I have ever tried. Actually, I can never wear gardenia because it always disagrees with my chemistry, but this one is *perfect.* I really can't stand Kai and this smells nothing like it to my nose. Smells just like the real flower with a subtle hint of musk. However, it's not super complex. Perfect for a gal who just wants a simple single note gardenia.

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angiefunk on 6/6/2007 6:07:00 PM more reviews by angiefunk

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I love this scent. The gardenia's in Gardenia Musk are not strong or over powering, it is just a feminine scent that last the day and evening too. It is beautiful and very similar to Kai . I have even mix the scent with Kai lotion, they smell great together. I can't beat the price either. Ava even sent me a very generous full bottle of the stardust lotion in Gardenia musk, it smells exactly the same as the scent. It also has lovely little sparkles in it too.
Edit- I have not a fan of synthetic fragrances anymore

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*TOP REVIEWER* lisa_67 on 4/29/2007 5:51:00 PM more reviews by lisa_67

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Normally a gardenia-centered fragrance would be too much for me. Gardenias are gorgeous and wonderfully fragrant, but in my experience, gardenia scents are over-the-top and headache-inducing to me. I was therefore a bit skeptical of Gardenia Musk when it arrived as a generous extra in my Ava Luxe shipment. I tried it, expecting to be turned off pretty quickly. I now must state for the record that I'm glad that I tried the sample, because this is a very lovely fragrance. I'm generally a musk fan, and this scent has the perfect balance of close-to-the-skin musk and gardenia. The overriding effect is very light and clean, and I'm just amazed at how well these two scents speak to one another in this fragrance. Way, way less intense than Kai, IMO...much softer and skin-like. A previous reviewer's comparision to Ralph Lauren's Blue is apt - there are similarities. I would venture to say that I would definitely consider buying this fragrance (me, the floral-phobic fragrance junkie). It is a perfect warm weather fragrance for lighter clothing and wearing to work, where you'll smell clean, not heavily scented. UPDATE: Purchased a bottle of the extrait form of this scent, and have enjoyed it all summer. Quiet but lovely...gets a lot of compliments!

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*TOP REVIEWER* marshmello on 2/22/2007 10:58:00 AM more reviews by marshmello

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I was expecting an artificial gardenia sniff since soooo many company's get it wrong but this is more of a 'real' gardenia aroma. They got it right! It smells very much like my beloved Ralph Lauren Blue. The perfect mix of Gardenia and musk. Mmmmmm...

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*TOP REVIEWER* BerryDelicious on 2/12/2007 6:56:00 PM more reviews by BerryDelicious

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

As soon as I sniffed Gardenia Musk in the vial, I sighed. It was instant love and I hadn’t even put it on. When I did apply it, it made me all funny inside, in a good way. A rush of good memories; and that is whenever I’ve dipped my nose into a gardenia, especially the gardenias at my Grandma’s. In Ava Luxes’ Gardenia Musk, I’ve never smelt a truer gardenia, one that instantly, elegantly and exquisitely conjures up the image of a cushiony petaled gardenia. The musk just gently lifts it, makes it a little lighter than a true gardenia. Wonderous. Absolutely stunningly beautiful. The description mentions its headiness but I don’t find it heady in a blow your head off way, just that slight headiness where your eyes close and your head sort of lolls to one side. It does seem to soften quickly though and becomes very personal. Even after slathering it on, I couldn’t smell it about me (though maybe my nose was just tired), but close-up…ahhhhhh! Perfect. Heavenly. I think I need it just for me.

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aileendq on 2/2/2007 9:05:00 AM more reviews by aileendq

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I don't normally like gardenia scents (the only one I own is Kenneth Cole Black and I almost never reach for it). I loathe Kai because it is far too sharp and green. I purchased a sample of this and fell for it. It is much smoother and slightly sweeter than Kai, and, in my opinion, a much better blend. It is fresh and dries down to a pretty soft gardenia toned down by the musk. It's not as versatile as Nude Musk, but I'm not sure anything is for me. It's more linear than Kai, but that lends itself to the simplicity. AL has superior customer service, and outstanding packaging.

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*TOP REVIEWER* veruska on 10/7/2006 2:47:00 AM more reviews by veruska

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

i've never ever even tried Kai,mostly cause i did'nt want to fall in the hype.So if this is a good dupe i'm not sorry.The perfume is not bad but it's not great either.Very linear and not extremely original.sensual and heady at the first moments and then a sexy clean mostly ambergris base(better than musk in my opinion).This is not the kind of perfume i pay for.

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perfumegirl on 8/13/2006 2:00:00 AM more reviews by perfumegirl

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I have the small parfum, adore this, I think it is a great gardenia, and I am always after gardenia, I just got the edp and love it. The smell is wonderful, love the edp, it is easier to spray, Serena makes such great fragrances, well worth the try and great cs, That is so imp/ Really like this gardenia, do try, ♥

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*TOP REVIEWER* therese108 on 5/28/2006 3:34:00 AM more reviews by therese108

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

This is a great dupe of Kai, with its straightforward combo of tropical gardenia and white musk. Both gardenias smell equally fresh upon first application, but while Kai retains the crisp green edge of freshly cut bloom, Gardenia Musk softens into a warm, sexy floral. This is great for those who dislike sharp edges or like a watery element in their florals.

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