Best Estee by Estée Lauder Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

Matilde Bonaparte, niece of Napoleon I, was known for her breasts (“le plus beau décolleté”) and her talent as a painter. She also hosted a celebrated 19th-century Parisian salon attended by the greatest artists and writers of her time. This namesake perfume is an olfactory salon of provocative white florals (ylang-ylang, narcissus, jasmine) given tropical succulence with passion fruit and papaya. Mathilde’s heady brightness is softened by iris and sandalwood.

An iconic classic in its own rite, Quelques Fleurs is a true ingenious scent of its time. The French perfumer, Robert Bienaimé, unveiled Quelques Fleurs the first true multi-floral blend ever created, in 1912.

Since then, his perfectly-balanced, refined bouquet has become modern perfumery’s peerless criterion for pure, meticulously-crafted, multi-floral accords. Prior to his bold invention, floral fragrances had been mainly singular flowers, or florals combined with various nuances of herbs and spices. Bienaimé’s singular triumph is remarkable for its secret, mythical formula. Upwards of 15,000 exemplary flowers and 250 prestigious raw materials are diligently-curated in the creation of a single ounce of perfume.

An electrified lily-of-the-valley spark, modern molecules reanacting a vintage theme. Also a romantic scented scetch on kings giving in to the magic of love.

Notes from the brand:

"The curtain rises on a state at the corner of 69 rue des Archives, in the Marais, Paris. A place that is like a frontier, where the old world ends and the new world begins. The pale moon can be seen lowering over the towers of Notre Dame in the distance. A man and a woman are in a perfumery, surrounded by bottles. He has yielded in submission to a fallen sovereign and is condemned to the ultimate fate. She is the new soul, the new role, she is desirable and she has conquered. She is the denunciation, a touch condescending. The fluttering of her eyelashes declares she is the one whose hour of glory has arrived, a scent testing blotter in hand."

According to ancient religious scriptures, Mary mother of Jesus was informed of her destiny by the Archangel Gabriel when she was about 13 years old. Artists over the centuries have been captivated by the idea of this scene, a startled schoolgirl recoiling in shock from the supernatural being. The lily, symbolizing purity and innocence, is not only a common element of these artworks, but is also the inspiration for this extrait. In principio, Latin for “in the beginning”, is a meditation on the creamy radiance of lily, supported by the down-low sensuality of ylang ylang. Mace, sweeter than nutmeg and softer than incense, lends clarity, while sweet/tart kumquat sharpens the focus.

Limited to 58 bottles, 48% extrait.

Blended with:

White lily absolute, 
Kumquat essential oil, 
Mace absolute, 
Nutmeg tincture, 
Bitter orange essential oil , 
Ylang Ylang essential oil, 
Elemi essential oil, 
Tuscan cypress essential oil, 
Pompia essential oil, 
Turkish rose absolute, 
Rosewood essential oil, 
Frankincense rivae, 
Juhi jasmine absolute, 
Cistus tincture, 
Ambergris.

Important notice:

Zanini blends are living botanical compositions, crafted entirely from natural materials and free from synthetic fixatives or stabilizers. As with all things living, subtle variations are part of their nature: over time, you may notice a gentle evolution in colour, texture, or the appearance of natural sediment. These are not imperfections, but part of the character of the raw materials themselves.

These blends are olfactive smellscapes (but neither aromatherapy, nor ‘spray-and-go’ perfumes) and sensory experiences, closer to works of art created in the scented plane (rather than, say, visual or audio).

Certain essential oils and absolutes that are used in Zanini’s 100% natural blends may potentially cause allergies in some people. Please spray Zanini’s blends on fabric (on sleeves, scarves, etc.). 

Zanini advise that those who are prone to allergic reactions, pregnant and nursing women, as well as people with chronic illnesses to be extra careful. Before trying natural blends, study the list of ingredients and consult with a doctor if you are not sure or a had a history of allergies. If you do decide to put these blends on your skin (unable to resist the temptation) always test the blend on the inside part of your elbow first and wait.

Do not spray these blends liberally as a cloud in the way you would spray a conventional perfume. Zanini’s smellscapes need to be… carefully applied and experienced. Be mindful that some oils can also make your skin hyper-sensitive to UV.

September 1757, Casino Venier, Venice

A powdery floral fragrance based on authentic 18th century cosmetic formulas.

A coquettish floral capturing the decadence of 18th century Venice, its rococo interiors and clandestine affairs: a powdery blend of black violet, blush rose, and chamomile nestled on an impossibly soft base of dusty iris and subtle, animalic amber. 

Inspired by the mythical nectar of the gods, Ambrosia opens with the sweet, delicate notes of plumeria and mango, layered with the lush richness of peach, lychee, and coconut. The heart reveals the creamy depth of heliotrope, musk, and guava, while wafts of French orris, Mysore and Sri Lankan sandalwood, Indian tuberose and vintage Ethiopian civet evoke a divine atmosphere—capturing the essence of heavenly indulgence.

Ramune is a traditional Japanese soda pop sold in a pale blue glass bottle sealed with a marble. The drink is evocative of Japanese summer festivals, carefree times illuminated by dreamy paper lanterns. This eau de parfum starts with the clear notes of lemon, aldehydes and mint, followed by gentle rose, muguet and magnolia, before drifting into musk and vanilla.

Perfumer: Bertrand Duchaufour

Visual artist: landscape artist/photographer Martin Hill.

The same way in which Martin goes to a sight and rearranges what nature left there into an installation, the perfumer rearranged some molecules and materials to put the beauty of a natural material into focus.

Also Martin aims to let his structures be absorbed back into natural chaos. Perfume evaporates into the environment in a similar fashion, beautiful but transient.

In Vanilla Shot all of the focus is on vanilla (natural, dark and balsamic). The concept of the perfume is inspired by a photo of a piece of Martin Hill's land art shot at dreamy dusk (below). The twigs used in the structure balanced over the lake are reminiscent of vanilla beans. The installation transcends two planes - liquid and ether and in the perfume vanilla spans the sweet and bitter corners of the scented universe. Vanilla Shot is not an ordinary sweet gourmand. In this perfume all nuances of natural vanilla get proper attention: balsamic, fruity, spicy, sweet and even leathery.

In 1912, Houbigant's perfumer Robert Bienaimé picked up the ball from Paul Parquet (who earlier invented the whole fougere category while working for Houbigant at the end of the 18th century) and introduced Quelques Fleurs, one of Houbigant’s all-time great fragrances and the first multi-floral bouquet ever created.

The current owners of Houbigant take the heritage and history of the house very seriously and try to adapt the famous formulas from the 18th and 19th centuries to the 21st century's tastes and technologies while keeping the character and old-school flair as close as possible to the originals.

You might have read about Quelques Fleurs in books on perfume and the guides on the greatest perfumes of all time.

The current reincarnation is an adaptation of the original formula to modern times taste and it benefits from modern advances in perfume making.

Meet the 21st century Quelques Fleurs, a gorgeous romantic floral with a big history and an infinite number of floral facets.

White is a bright and lively fragrance built around the friction between hot spices and suave florals. The cinnamon, clove and cardamom opening suggests candied red hots, which makes it all the more surprising when the melange of rose de Mai and lily of the valley softly asserts itself. The undertone of tagete, with its bitter herbalness, keeps White from getting too “pretty-pretty”.