This French Perfume Makes Me Smell Like a Delicate Water Nymph (and It's Only $65)

The French are known for many things: cuisine, haute couture, and perfumery among them. While I can drool over the first and dream about the second, it's the third that I'm most interested in. In fact, I have an entire dresser drawer devoted to storing my favorite fragrances—many of which are French. Think of modern classics like YSL's Libre ($100) and Dyptique's Eau Rose ($240).

Well, I have a new one to add to my collection. Recently, the famous French brand Sézane dropped a signature scent. As a beauty editor and lover of French perfumes, I was dying to get my hands on a bottle as soon as I heard the news. Do you blame me? Sézane is iconic, and if the scent was anything like its effortless fashion essentials, I knew I'd be obsessed with it. Spoiler alert: I am. The light, fresh, and flowery scent is so delicate and sophisticated that I can't stop spritzing it. Keep scrolling to see my new favorite French-girl fragrance.

Notes: Italian mandarin, lemon, neroli, water jasmine, peony, white musk

This scent belongs to the "fresh floral" or "aquatic floral" category of fragrances. Notes of neroli, water jasmine, and peony lend a delicate, watery essence to the scent. A subtle fruitiness from Italian mandarin and lemon comes through next, followed by a grounding note of white musk.

One spritz of this perfume makes me feel like I'm sitting next to a lush, garden-side pond in the French countryside. Flowers bloom around me, koi fish circle slowly underwater, and the sun warms the ground beneath me. It's no wonder I told a co-worker that it makes me feel like a "delicate water nymph." It's my new favorite French-girl fragrance.

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