Best 212 Heroes by Carolina Herrera Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

A milky green fig oozing sweet musk.

PERFUMER
FLORIAN GALLO

Blazing sunlight glistens then fractures on the roiling surface of an angry tropical sea. A caravel bobs among the waves, its tall sail blasted by hot, salty winds. Dangling beneath the ghostly vessel, a curtain of lethal tentacles sways menacingly in the swell. The Portuguese man o’ war drifts, letting its unwitting prey approach. Up to 100 feet long, their lacy tentacles exude crippling venom with the merest touch. In an instant, the prey is paralyzed, and as its organs slowly liquify, the colony of zooids begin to feed.

While it’s wise to avoid a Portuguese man o’ war in the wild, prepare for danger and excitement when you encounter this Zoologist perfume. Crisp ginger and metallic gunpowder deliver a fiery sting to open, before casting you adrift on a wave of briny seaweed absolute, immortelle and geranium. You’ll thrill to this enticing scent where the only pain is the delicious pang of longing.

Ah the wiliness of youth! You think that fresh face shines with only innocence, until a feral cunning presents itself. Disco Inferno starts off playing the game with happy-sappy pear and peach blossom, frangipani and pineapple. Then you realise oud and soft woods are at work behind scenes, allowing that innocent visage into places they should never be allowed.

“Faire le mur” means “going AWOL” en Français, and if you’re going to make a break for it, you might as well do it fragrantly with this fruity-floral escapade. Heady jasmine and spicy lily get juicy thanks to orange and pear. Osmanthus, with its delicate apricot tea facet, bridges flowers to fruits.

Hanamizake refers to drinking Japanese sake underneath the cherry blossom trees while petals slowly flutter into your cup. The aroma of cherry blossoms and ginjo sake dances tipsily into the last musk note, summoning this serene hanami (cherry blossom viewing) experience.

Hélène Napoleone was the daughter of Napoleon’s last lover, Albine de Montholon, and although it was never confirmed if the now-exiled Emperor was indeed her father, he did give her his name, so…? Her namesake fragrance is a vivacious bouquet of fruits and florals, headlined by sparkling pear and creamy magnolia. The charm deepens with the amber base, warmed by sandalwood and patchouli.

Sun soaked dayz and disco nights, this scent captures the character of Ibiza with white florals and aromatic star anise. Chic, cool, joyful!

The wild and free spirit of a lost island captured in a fruity and sweet perfume with notes of icy pear, soft iris and creamy vanilla. Happy and juicy, Isla Bohemia slows its roll into a mellow base of sandalwood and musk.

Comes on juicy and fluffy before revealing its true character. Co-created by Allie Goodbun, a showgirl at an iconic Parisian cabaret, Pear Pavlova mirrors her qualities as a dancer: the duality of lightness with strength. Aquatic pear and airy meringue are anchored by musky ambrette seed and heady jasmine sambac to give it unexpected va-va-voom.