What does Water Lily smell like?
Water lily smells like a pond at dawn: wet leaves and a barely sweet flower. The real bloom has little scent. So perfumers have turned it into an idea more than a copy, a sheer and watery flower with a green edge. It sometimes recalls melon or cucumber. Nothing about it is heady. In perfume it freshens a bouquet without weighing it down. It fades fast, within an hour or two.
Origin and production
Water lilies belong to the genus Nymphaea, found on every continent. The European white water lily (Nymphaea alba) fills ponds and lakes. The Egyptian blue lotus is another species of the genus and gives a rare absolute. Most perfumes, however, use synthetic aquatic and floral accords. Monet painted dozens of them in his garden at Giverny.
How perfumers use it
Water lily is the water flower in aquatic florals. It sits with lotus, lily of the valley, marine notes and green fruit. Kenzo L'Eau par Kenzo (1996) pairs it with mint and white peach. Cacharel Eden (1994) blends it with mimosa in an odd aquatic floral. Versace Yellow Diamond (2011) places it in the heart with mimosa. Paco Rabanne Olympéa Aqua (2018) gives it a saltier twist.
How to wear it
Water lily is a summer daytime note. L'Eau par Kenzo can take four sprays without bothering anyone. On dry skin, top up at lunchtime.