Stella McCartney • Stella- Eau de Parfum • Fragrances

Where To Buy?

*TOP REVIEWER* estesmcc on 11/6/2003 4:32:00 PM more reviews by estesmcc

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

Stella is a lovely tea rose scent. Unfortunately, when I wear it, it seems to go a little sour on me. I have had trouble finding a rose scent that really works for me and this one, sadly, does not.

However, I do like the way it smells on others and like jeanjeanvaljean, I would much rather catch a whiff of this on people around me than some of the other concoctions that seem to be popular.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

fcappy on 11/1/2003 5:43:00 PM more reviews by fcappy

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

I know I am in the minority but I did not like Stella. Although composed of supposedly natural and organic ingredients, this rose composition screams 'manufactured' and synthetic. It screams -"hey I am wearing a rose perfume"

From the first spray I couldn't wait to wash it off and I have to give credit where credit is due - it is a long-lasting fragrance because even after a shower I could still smell it. So why didn't I like it? Other than the synthetic comments - it was just too astringent (medicinal) and never warm even with the amber in the drydown. While I like amber perhaps it is the blend of amber and rose that was the turn off. For single flower notes - try the Creeds and Jo Malone's Red Roses and for blends, perhaps Lulu Guinness and Sa Majeste Rose.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

tomz_grl on 10/28/2003 4:10:00 PM more reviews by tomz_grl

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I love the smell of this perfume and so does my husband! It has a rose quality to it, but on me has more of a fruity smell.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

BusyMom on 10/15/2003 11:04:00 AM more reviews by BusyMom

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

I think that S´tella reminds me of a lighter version of Darby Rose.It is so pretty! It is not a strong fragrance it sort of whispers lightly but always elegantly.Although, it doesn't last long I love this so much I plan to do the layering effect and also splurge on the Parfum.This fragrance is very beautiful makes me feel happy when I wear it too.The bottle is pretty too.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

annahellsten on 10/5/2003 4:20:00 PM more reviews by annahellsten

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Nice scent and I like the rose note, but has anyone else noticed that it smells almost exactly like Annick Goutal's "Ce Soir Ou Jamais"..?

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Honora on 10/2/2003 1:33:00 AM more reviews by Honora

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I was looking for a fragrance for Grandma and the nice ladies at Nordstrom steered me to Stella. I'm not a big Stella M. fan...not her clothes or her politics or her parents or her friendship with Madonna...I am so much about her fragrance though. I'm not fragrance savvy but I know what I like. Stella smells clean, unfettered, unfussy but also feminine. floral and sophisticated. And modern. Now I know what Marlon Brando was going on and on about.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* lilacterp on 10/1/2003 1:45:00 PM more reviews by lilacterp

Age: Unknown   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Rose, rose, and more rose. All I got was a soft rose. I would have liked this better if it didn't come across as a singular rose scent. Albeit this is a nice creamy rose scent, I am still not a fan of wearing anything with rose in it. Maybe if it had some vanilla and crisper spices, I might have liked it then. I mixed Stella with La Ligne de St. Barth Vanilla and really like that result. I don't see much special in this and I actually like Serge Lutens's Majeste La Rose much better because it is a deeper scent. If you like rose perfumes you should like this. I just don't get the appeal of this. I love the bottle and the color of it a lot. But it's not the packaging that counts the most.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

barbarascohen on 9/30/2003 7:35:00 PM more reviews by barbarascohen

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

In search of a beautiful rose scent, and having a credit at Nordstroms, I was drawn to this new scent by Stella McCarthy. The reviews on the board were glowing, a tea rose, being labeled a "poor woman's" Fleur of the Rose Bulgare by Creed. Since the Creed is outside the budget, Stella it was I said. Initially a beautiful and powerful tea rose, this scent turns on me a bit in the dry down to a woodsy bland sort of mish/mash, if you will. Fleur of the Rose Blugare it is not.
UPDATE: thanks to an awesome MUAer, I have a decant of the Creed and am grateful for each and every spray.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* smellslikeleaves on 9/29/2003 10:04:00 AM more reviews by smellslikeleaves

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I adore rose scents, so I had high hopes from this one based on the reviews. I headed over to my local Nordstrom's to experience Stella for myself. Love the purple bottle, love the scent on the paper slip, love the scent on my wrist (a gorgeous, delicate blend of roses that reminded me of my father's rose garden in springtime)...for the first ten minutes. Then, it smells exactly like bugspray -- sharp citrus scent clashing with a faded rose scent. And it stayed bugspray for the next six or seven hours. *sigh* I will try this again and edit my review if it turns out that I encountered a bad bottle. However, I would caution to try this before buying because as always with fragrances, YMMV. Edited to add: I tried this at two other stores and got the same result. Pretty roses for five minutes, bugspray for the next few hours. I finally found a fragrance that totally clashes with my body chemistry! Again, despite the numerous raves, try before buying, in case you end up with a result like mine. Or get Annick Goutal's Ce Soir Ou Jamais, which is a lovely rose scent with amber in the drydown (and works very well with my body chemistry, yay!)

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* rubykris on 9/28/2003 8:05:00 PM more reviews by rubykris

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I found Stella to be disappointingly thin and watery, almost entirely lacking in discernible (and lasting) base notes. The peony note eclipses the rose, and the amber is nowhere to be found. It's not an unpleasant scent, just not particularly impressive given the resources that must have gone into creating it. For a fragrance that was meant to pay tribute (to Stella's late mom Linda), Stella is surprisingly un-evocative.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Sharon_sls on 9/28/2003 5:42:00 PM more reviews by Sharon_sls

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I'm usually not a big fan of florals... I'd heard about Stella and figured I'd give it a try. It's a very lovely rose with a touch of citrus... just enough to add some spice. Even hubby liked it (and that's saying something ;-) I've had several friends try it and the universal reaction is: "Where can I get a bottle of this?" If you like rose scents and want something that doesn't smell like a grandmothery scent give this a go; you won't be disappointed.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

ilooklikemymother on 9/28/2003 4:21:00 PM more reviews by ilooklikemymother

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal   Hair: Silver   Eyes: Green    

was happy to see a person who did not like this also. it was not a full body rose and where is the amber. a very watery kind of smell, like a tea bag used one to many times. i would not like or use this any time of year and i think miss mccartney should maybe just make her pretty clothes and let the perfume be left to someone else who knows how to do it. very disappointed.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

AlisaG on 9/22/2003 4:40:00 PM more reviews by AlisaG

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I just purchased this from Nordstrom and it's love at first sniff! I have only spritzed it once, but I can ususally tell from the get-go if a fragrance is going to work for me and this, my friends,is a winner!!!!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

jessicalane on 9/22/2003 4:11:00 PM more reviews by jessicalane

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

Mmmm--I walked around Nordstrom for over an hour with this on my wrist, trying to decide whether or not to buy it. I still couldn't decide so I walked around the mall for a couple hours. I couldn't stop smelling my wrist! Of course I went back and bought it. I absolutely loved it! It was definitely "love at first whiff". Very romantic but not at all "frilly". Feminine and sexy!

Update: I have grown to hate this. LOL.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

mreenymo on 9/21/2003 11:02:00 PM more reviews by mreenymo

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

With all of the other disappointing fragrance debuts this Fall, I really thought I would hate Stella. I usually do not like rose fragrances. And, while I admire her designs on the pages of Vogue Magazine, I figured it was just another vanity fragrance from a "hot" designer. Boy, was I wrong! I am in love with this fragrance! I love its fresh floral scent that becomes deeper and more complex as it blends into one's body chemistry. I love the fact that it's based on a traditional rose, but has a modern twist to it. I love it so much, that I not only bought the eau de parfum spray, I also purchased the body lotion, or rather body milk. It just glides on evenly and smoothly, leaving a thin layer of the fragrance all over the body. And, finally, I love the bottle, which fades from a dark eggplant at the center to a beautiful dusky rose at the edges. I agree with my MUA friend, jennyb, that by this time next year, Stella will be just like Angel or Beautiful--on everyone's pulse points. And, guess what? I love it so much, I don't care!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

DaZhiDaYong on 9/21/2003 7:24:00 PM more reviews by DaZhiDaYong

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

For the first time since I've become a fragrance addict, I immediately had an unbidden and surprising reaction, "This is so me!" This is really the first time I've felt this way about any one fragrance, and I certainly did not expect it to be Stella. It was really just another scent on my to-sniff list.



Stella is simple in nature yet rich in character. At first sniff it is almost too straightforward to be an actual perfume. Stella exquisitely captures the sparkling heart and soul of a rose in full bloom. The mandarin and bergamot add some shine but are not very noticeable. Then, just when you wonder if that's all there is to it, the drydown emerges--- a sexy, warm amber that complements the rose perfectly, with pure sophistication and harmony. What is interesting is that I can't detect any amber at all for the first hour, and then all of a sudden, there it is! It is so silently and femininely sexy, yet in a very innocent way.



My verdict: A beautifully simple but unforgettable scent. Something I would want my kids to remember me by. This is a gem of a fragrance in the midst of the unfeminine, loud, brashy, nauseating, synthetic stuff out there. That said, it may not be "interesting" enough for those who are snotty about dept. store perfumes or feel that fragrances have to have a zillion layers in order to be good. I for one generally prefer elegant, quiet fragrances, to the ones that seem like the perfumer threw in a thousand notes just to keep you interested and guessing. I also like that Stella is made from organic active ingredients, doesn't use genetically modified crop raw materials, and wasn't tested on animals. A perfume that is natural will get extra lipsticks from me anytime!

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Mgwhitny on 9/21/2003 1:41:00 PM more reviews by Mgwhitny

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Love it, love it love it!

I have been on the search for my signature fragrance for a long time. My husband loves rose fragrances, but they always seem to be lacking in something. This has that something. It is sure to be a hit and that is hard for me to say. I am not thrilled about wearing her logo fragrance. But I am already over that :)

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* GlamDiva on 9/21/2003 1:29:00 PM more reviews by GlamDiva

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Other, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I loved Stella at first whiff and am in profound admiration for this rose fragrance. It is worldclass, an instant classic. Stella has two layers of rose, is a bit winey, a bit ambery, subtle yet very long lasting. I also get impressions of citrus, fruit, wine, and tea with the roses. I love the echo of this fragrance the next morning. Stella would work well for all ages, all occasions, all eras. It goes especially well with vintage clothing and the mauve-rose-wine-raisin-aubergine family of colors. There is a very profound devotional quality and lineage about this rose scent -- religious-spiritual and personal devotion, cathedrals, gurus, flowers, romantic moments, intimate breakfasts, quiet remembrances. Stella is all about opening the heart on a very deep level. Revisited Stella
in mid 2005, and it no longer
worked on my chemistry, too much
amber and not enough rose in the
drydown. Had to swap it away.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

StilaFaux on 9/21/2003 4:04:00 AM more reviews by StilaFaux

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I checked this out at the perfume launch of this rosey scent and when I tried it , I KNEW I had to get this perfume! It smelled really unique ,floral but not too heady . Smells light , crisp and fresh .. like clean dry linen which just has been taken off from a clothesline in a countryside suburban area.
Feels really light and sensual at the same time [due to the rose extracts].
The huge rave is that it's purely plant extracts , no animal testing at all!
The plus is also the many freebies which came with the perfume. I bought one too for a good friend's bday and she liked it!
Worth my money!
PS: I recently wore this to school and guys asked me whether was I the one smelling so good!ROFL! Isn't that another assurance!? LOL

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* jennyb on 9/19/2003 6:03:00 AM more reviews by jennyb

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

This is the least 'perfumey' perfume I've tried in a long time, a deceptively simple re-creation of the authentic scent of a rose garden. Despite all the technological advances in perfumery, there's still a lot to be said for a simple idea well-executed, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd appreciate a break from strange chemical flowers and plastic fruits unfolding in alarming layers.There is a little fresh mandarin and bergamot in the top notes, but basically this is a blend of the more fragrant varieties of tea rose, where the unmistakeable lush floral scent is underlined by astringent woody tea-like undertones with a touch of lemon. This is a truly beautiful heavy-headed full-blooming rose which transports you straight back to childhood summers, a million miles from the harsh metallic watery impressions which generally pack the market. The only other scent which comes close to capturing this very evocative fragrance authentically is Creed's rather more expensive Fleurs de Thé Rose Bulgare. The rose in Stella is long-lasting, a good four or five hours, before it yields to a warm ambery base. A perfect scent for a special evening - the demurely fresh rose gradually succumbs to the sensuous amber as the night wears on. This deftly avoids being old-fashioned, rather as Stella's vintage-inspired clothing designs do, by a very modern clarity and directness that updates without losing that evocative connection with the past. A beautiful bottle too - solid and weighty yet sparkling and translucent, like a drop from a giant violet chandelier.This is so simple in concept and so naturalistic it will appeal even to people who don't usually wear scent, and so brilliantly done that it can be appreciated by perfume-lovers too. I think in a year's time such a lot of people will be wearing this that it may get as clichéd as Angel or Beautiful, but in the meantime it is fresh, new and simple, a delight to wear.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No