Grain de Soleil Fragonard 1999

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8.1 / 10224 Ratings

Grain de Soleil is a popular perfume by Fragonard for women and was released in 1999. The scent is powdery-sweet. The longevity is above-average. It is still available to purchase. Pronunciation

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Top Notes	Jasmine Heliotrope Orange blossom
Heart Notes	Rose Iris Cinnamon
Base Notes	Frankincense Patchouli Vanilla

Ratings

Scent

8.1224 Ratings

Longevity

8.3184 Ratings

Sillage

7.5184 Ratings

Bottle

7.7189 Ratings

Submitted by Tivellon, last update on 26.09.2021.

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Reviews

06/21/2021

7.5
Scent 9
Longevity 7
Sillage 9
Bottle

Rossiniopera
36 Reviews

Rossiniopera

Cookies and crêpes by the beach

I wanted to try something new for this summer, and decided to blind buy a bottle of Grain de Soleil, apparently an older bottle. I don't have much experience with Fragonard, I've tried a few that were OK, but not more than that. Obviously it was a risk, but the notes looked nice and the bottle is so pretty and I really wanted to like it...

At the first spray, I was a little surprised at how soft it was. I was expecting something thicker, I think, something juicier. But this was more like a soft, transparent veil of cinnamon, vanilla and heliotrope. It was certainly leaning in the gourmand direction, but at the same time I didn't feel it had enough substance to be actually edible, if that makes sense. It was too airy. There was a sweet, soft blend of floral notes, even softer than the spices. I am not a fan of patchouli, but I'm not bothered by it here, I hardly notice it. Everything is just very soft, and sweet, and gently spicy.

I find it very suitable for summer - I enjoy spicy scents in warm weather. But there is another warm aspect here, too. I would have guessed benzoin, but it is not among the listed notes. Still, it gives me the same feeling I often get from perfumes with benzoin, of something baked, something sweet and buttery coming straight from the oven. With Grain de Soleil, I get a sensation of being on holiday in Southern Europe, walking down by the beach, the air smelling of hot sun and dusty sand, sweet flowers, and various street food aromas wafting around in the distance, waffle cones, cinnamon crêpes, vanilla cookies...

I have worn it several times now. It is a bit different from my usual style, and I haven't completely made up my mind about it yet. It's uncomplicated, and nice, but not wonderful. I think I find the frankincense a bit annoying. It's not really noticeable at first, just barely there, but suddenly it grows - it never gets immensely strong, but it somehow stays on top of everything else and doesn't blend in as well as I would wish for. If it hadn't been for that, I believe I would enjoy this soft, powdery cinnamon-vanilla-heliotrope even more.

I'm going to give it a chance, and try to get to know it better. Sometimes we just need to get used to things. And it did give me something of a holiday feeling, which is what I was looking for, after all. But I doubt it will be my number one choice.

03/31/2021

8.5
Scent 8
Longevity 7
Sillage 8
Bottle

Serenissima

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Serenissima

Top Review 17

Dalì Sun

I do not even know why this cap reminds me of a work of art by Salvador Dalì.
Since I first saw it, my first thought is: the "Dalì sun"!
"Sunspots" topped by Dalì: that sounds truly surreal!

"Grain de Soleil" still comes from the fragrance era, when the Fragonard brand created beautiful and wearable fragrances; works of perfume art of down-to-earth craftsmanship.
They were characterized not only by a moderate price, but also by a lot of personality.
How I still lament the Soliflor flacons I so carelessly gave away: how beautiful they were, the floral fragrances in their simple angular glass dwellings!
I always think fondly of "Mimosa" in particular!

"Sunspots" is probably the name of this beautiful lady in German.
(This doesn't mean the ugly skin discolorations that one of my fitness friends called "graveyard bloomers" and that really no one likes.)
No!"Sunspots" here stands for the play of light and shadow; sunbeams falling through the foliage and playing tag with its shadows.

"Grain de Soleil" is a subtle, sunny creation; located somewhere between oriental-floral and spicy-gourmand: opulent and sensual!
A basket full of flowers forms the basis here, with top and heart notes not strictly separated.
The delicate fragrance of the orange blossom to the heart meets heliotrope in dark purple vanilla beauty with a light powder effect; both flatter each other.
But also jasmine and rose, both classics and at that time in the women's fragrances hardly imaginable without, release their aroma-rich scent swathes in the light flickering of light and shade.
Before the true vanilla goddess can interfere, first Iris steps in between and provides further powdery fragrance moments, on which cinnamon settles comfortably.
Warmth meets warmth: the spice of cinnamon on the creamy sensuality of vanilla.
This is where the femininity of this fragrance awakens, raising its head slightly sleepy and lascivious, shaking the layers of its fragrant robe: "Who calls? I am ready!"
Patchouli lazily joins in, smiling and fragrant, bringing earthiness: sun-warmed and of light moisture!
Resinous incense clouds set accents, before the amber light shows begin and give "Grain de Soleil" a fitting name: a final amber sparkle like lively dancing sunspots in midsummer!

"Grain de Soleil" has the charm of a woman you won't soon forget.
Charming and fragrant she meets us, this elegant southern French woman, lingers cheerfully chatting, to say goodbye after a few hours of harmonious togetherness noble.
So is the course of the fragrance: the sun scent pulsating at its peak becomes finer and quieter with fading light, without changing negatively.
An overall calm, unexcited and yet expressive flow of fragrance now ends in a light veil that descends over everything!
What remains is the breath of a fragrance, a woman whose presence will not soon be forgotten.
From enchanting fragrances fragile nets of memories spin, that could Fragonard even then.
Fragrance nets in which the summer wind plays lightly!

5 Replies

01/22/2019

Betty0714

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Betty0714

Very helpful Review 11

Winter sun or a greeting from past days...

By encouraging a dear Parfuma now my impressions to this fragrance.
I was so looking forward to the Grain de Soleil because of the comments. For me the first blind purchase at all and then it should come also still extra from France for me. Almost unbearably the time between ordering and arrival of the foreign fragrance mail, I read the fascinating comments about GDS over and over again and could not wait. When I had him then, took off the flacon lid and smelled at the bottle was to me as if an old fragrance love well-sun and as in a dream would winch.

Well, for all of you who suspect what might come now, experience has shown: For me it has no resemblance at all to Hypnotic Poison, as some other lovely perfumes have reported, but if at all to......... Alien.
And even my partner, when I first got the scent on it, said "you smell like when we first met". And at the time, I always wore aliens. I DO NOT WANT to have this alien association with the scent, because Grain de Soleil totaaaaaaaal is beautiful in itself. I can smell the neroli but overall the scent is so round that I really have trouble perceiving a certain note. It smells very nice nerolig - powdery. and has for me something very romantic, intimate and trustworthy. I smell something mandelible, too. The problem with me is this damn alien association. The scent smells sunny but not like the sun banging on the body in summer, but a winter sun, or a very concentrated sun, just a seed of the sun or a romantic sunset. For me, a fragrance to go out at night. He's definitely not too cute, I'd say. For me a mixture of everything: powdery, sweet, a hint of spicy (much too round blended everything), flowery. The fragrance is very rich and concentrated. 1-2 sprayers are definitely enough. A scent for intimate conversations, entrusting secrets, deep glances. Emotional intelligence in scented form.

5 Replies

12/14/2018

8
Scent 8
Longevity 9
Sillage 7
Bottle

Rosalie

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Rosalie

Top Review 35

IF WISH REFILL ITSELF

I hadn't been a member of Parfumo for such a long time, when I almost "stumbled" over this fragrance. "GRAIN DE SOLEIL", I found the name already beautiful, but the enthusiastic comments almost fixture me. Cinnamon or vanilla is rather not mine, but somehow the descriptions of the fragrance fascinated me, and so it wandered quite fast, without ever having tested it before on my wish list.
But then I quarrelled with myself, should I really get this? I didn't even get the idea to look around the souk. So for almost three years, I thought, "Should I, shouldn't I?" All the while I looked around here, and was inspired by the comments and photos of some perfumers. So I got to know the side of a very, very dear Parfuma. One day this perfume wrote to me and asked me if my wish list was still up to date. Very surprised I answered yes. Whether I would give her my address free...Now I was more than surprised, and at first skeptical. But she explained to me that she had seen a fragrance in my wish list that she possessed, but which she would unfortunately no longer tolerate. She wanted to give me the scent. I was just missing the words, and I couldn't believe it. But she kept her word and even sent me the consignment number so that I could inform myself about the status. Was THAT exciting ! I felt like a little kid the night before the presents. I kept checking when the parcel was coming and asked myself all the time which fragrance it might be. Then finally, finally the package came. I ran all jittery up the stairs, and while I was still storming up the stairs, I ripped the paper open......sat down breathlessly at the table, and now opened the box quite timidly. And then I held it in my hands: GRAIN DE SOLEIL
The tears came to me, of all things the perfume I wanted the most out of the 63 fragrances in my list...I was so touched that I stayed seated for a while and was only amazed.

Then the big moment, the first sprayer on the wrist. Immediately an incredibly powdery cloud envelops me, and I hold my breath a little. When I first sniff the orange blossom almost happily bounces towards me, accompanied by a distinctive cinnamon scent. At first it reminds me of Cantate by Yves Rocher. But "Grain de Soleil" has far more radiance, is more complex. On this day I still have to go to town, and I am so happy that I hum "Good Day Sunshine" from the Beatles before me. I am accompanied by this scent, which spreads such a serenity that I only have to smile even more. A light and friendly vanilla emerges which slowly but surely displaces the cinnamon. After quite a while Patchouli flashes through again and again, not violently, not unpleasantly, but it gives the fragrance that certain something for me. But on this day I am too busy with the scent, "smell too much", which I get a headache at the end. Worried, I wonder if I can't stand the scent, and will try again later.

Yesterday I sprayed myself with it, elbow and hairline, and let the scent unfold in peace without me always wanting to sniff at myself.
This fragrance is simply a dream, it envelops me, it is soft and positive. I don't smell the cinnamon anymore, but the vanilla is in perfect harmony with the heliotrope and the orange blossom. A feeling of lightheartedness surrounds me, of lightness. Yet Grain de Soleil is a bomb of Sillage and durability. It lasts 10 hours easily, and in the clothes it lasts even longer. That's why you don't need much of it. A beautiful, comforting companion on rather dreary days. And with the sun he shines for a race, but please not on too hot days, I would not tolerate that after all. "Grain de Soleil - seed of the sun" OH, sweet delight...YOU stay, YOU suit me (and my pigtails...)

Dearest Parfuma, you have given me an incredible pleasure. Not only with the fragrance I've wished for so long, but with this wonderful gesture. You have given a wonderful gift to me, a person completely unknown to you, you have planted a small seed of the sun in my heart, and there I let it grow. And every time I use the fragrance now, I think of you and say THANK YOU......!!!

15 Replies

08/22/2018

8
Scent 9
Longevity 7
Sillage 7
Bottle

Harielle

Translated Show original

Harielle

Very helpful Review 15

And time stands still

With 18 or 19 years I spent a very beautiful vacation in the French Provence. Sunsets in Cassis, swimming at the beautiful Calanques, drinking Pastis in Aix en Provence (brrrr, I didn't like the taste at all), overnight stays in very typical French pensions with bordeaux-coloured wildly patterned textile wallpapers on the walls. The windows open at night - phew, it's so hot - passers-by laughing on the street, music in the distance. The trip to the Pont du Gard - laugh - we were not even swimming today! After exploring and crossing the point several times - uh, that's high - quickly fetched a few things from the car and looked for a lonely place along the Gard. Found it! A kind of island in the middle of an already shallow river. Swimming - impossible, refreshment in the water is still soooo good. Stones under my bare feet in the water, sun on mine and his skin - our paradise. Surrounded by plants and wild flowers. "Psst, duck down, I think people are coming." I remembered all this involuntarily when I tested Fragonard's Grain de Soleil for the first time. In the middle of winter in Paris, after visiting the Fragonard shop at Boulavard Saint Germain, I felt the Provencal sun on my pale nose and thought I heard the rustling of the fragrant grasses around me in the summer wind
Grain de Soleil is a small sunny wonder in a bottle. Flowery and velvety the prelude with orange blossoms and - above all - heliotrope. The jasmine resonates rather quietly. The heart note is powdery and a little spicy. The latter is probably also due to the listed cinnamon, which I perceive only cautiously, otherwise I would not have automatically associated Grain de Soleil with summer and warmth. The powderiness is due to the beautiful iris and makes me think briefly of Shalimar Parfum Initial. Here, however, the iris has allied itself with the rose and sometimes waves radiantly smiling at the vanilla, which is waiting for its appearance with incense and patchouli in the base. After about two hours the time has come. Like a beautiful sunset after a hot summer's day, the base of the "seed in the sun" (that's the name of the fragrance directly and simply translated) announces itself. Vanilla and incense celebrate a vibrant rendezvous, Patchouli buzzes with a charming melody.

After our return from Paris, I dug into my jewelry box and found the earrings I bought during the described journey in Avignon, I still like them! Grain de Soleil is a fragrance that I would also recommend to people who don't like flowery fragrances because its character is rather powdery spicy. Ideal for the summer (-evening) on the balcony or also for dreary seasons, in which one can use a sunny, warm "Booster". The shelf life of Grain de Soleil is excellent, even after 5 hours I smell the vanilla peppered with flowers and spices. Women (but of course, men too!) with longer hair would be advised to put a sprayer in their hair in midsummer - this is the most discreet way to have Grain de Soleil around all day long.

I have enjoyed Grain de Soleil a 10ml bottling long very much. I don't know yet if I'll get it in the original version yet.

4 Replies

11/18/2017

ScentFan
330 Reviews

ScentFan

Helpful Review 2

Warm Sun

Though Louis XIV's Versailles is to the north of France outside of Paris and Fragonard is south in Grasse on the French Riviera, the bottle tops of both Grain de Soleil and Soleil were surely fashioned with the sun king in mind. He reigned 72 years, longer than any other European sovereign. Grain de Soleil doesn't mimic his power or longevity. Either that, or my nose has become so greedy, it won't settle for less than excess in a scent. This is lovely, though, but light for my tastes. Immediately I wanted to wash it off and put on something like Gardelia or Une Rose, or Neil Morris's Afire which is getting to be like a personal drug I regularly need a hit from. But like the sun king, this warm and wonderful beauty is not a scent to ignore. After all if you are the king, there's no need to shout. It's beautiful. I'm glad I own it. I just want something as dramatic as Versailles, the TV series, has turned out to be. As the scent settles, it becomes more interesting, though. Rose and Iris join their beauty to the top notes. Frankincense and Patchouli hauntingly rise. Perhaps I won't wash Grain de Soleil off just yet. Perhaps it's going to surprise me, like Louis did to those who unsuccessfully tried to conquer him. Update coming.

Wow this scent slowly became intoxicating.

02/07/2014

8
Scent 7.5
Longevity 7.5
Sillage 7.5
Bottle

Rachel
11 Reviews

Rachel

Very surprising

I spotted this online at m&s uk in the sale so I bought it. Thought it would be a disappointment as most marks and spencer perfumes are, I was wrong! What a lovely spicy subtle smell this contains, like a burst of sun through the murky uk skies. It helps it contains patchouli which I love :) just realised Fragonard is not made by m&s so my bad

07/26/2012

7
Scent 7.5
Longevity 7.5
Sillage

Missk
1165 Reviews

Missk

Very helpful Review 6

Delicious and classy

Grain de Soleil is a truly luscious fragrance. I'm finding myself falling in love with it, and being surprised in having never discovered this fragrance up until now.

It's mostly floral with hints of powder and spices. I find it very heavy on the orris root, orange blossom and jasmine. It settles on the skin very warmly, making it the perfect fragrance for those chilly days.

I was surprised that Grain de Soleil is so sweet. The cinnamon and vanilla accords really shine out, providing a slight gourmand feel. Every component of this composition works well, so much so that it's obvious that this fragrance has been composed with quality in mind.

The sillage is just about right, being not too strong nor too weak. The scent itself soothes me and entices me in a way that is hard to describe. Grain de Soleil is somewhere between an oriental floral and a spicy gourmand. It really is a treasure.

Grain de Soleil is right up there with the likes of Billet Doux by the same house. They are both very classy, long lasting and feminine fragrances with that touch of golden elegance. I recommend.

02/02/2012

9
Scent

Yourfoxiness
14 Reviews

Yourfoxiness

Helpful Review 4

warm, golden elixer!

As i review grain de soleil, it is a cold, snowy day, and im cozied up with a big sweater, and some hot tea. I have to say, i definitely found another "sunshine in a bottle!" This fragrance immediately warmed me entirely. I am sitting surronded by a golden aura of sweet amber, vanilla, and soft (very delicately)powdery heliotrope, which is a summer favorite of mine. A jasmine, honey, cinnamon trio has seemed to settle in for the long haul, and rather than getting individual notes, i am enveloped in a warm, golden glow. I feel as though i have a soft feminine, aura of summery joy floating about me, and i cannot express my delight in the feeling this fragrance has evoked for me. I feel very sexy, and edible! Normally anything with even a hint of powder is dead to me immediately, but this lives on.. And i continue to love it! The dry down reminds me a little of hypnotic poison, that being said, it has become necessary to get my hands on a bottle of both of them! I cannot wait to spritz this on when we take vacatin this spring! Grain de soleil and mountain sunshine may just overload my joy sensors!

Update: this beauty has MONSTER sillage. Soft sweetness greeted me the next morning, and lingered on my sweater for days. Verdict: well worth a purchasing a big bottle!