Best Luna by Penhaligon's Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

Perfumer: Michèle Saramito

A new addition to Bloom’s portfolio, an elegant cologne with sweet sun kissed citruses, honeyed neroli and amber background.

With classic formulas it’s the quality of the ingredients that matters. Marie Jeanne might be a new perfume house, but it’s founded by a young perfumer from a family connected to Robertet for several generations.

Robertet is a bit like De Beers of the fine natural perfume materials - matières premières, for decades they have been dealing with the finest, purest and most precious stuff a perfumer can dream of.

This is Marcelle, a classic elegant cologne but with highly likely the best bergamot from Italy, grapefruit from Spain, neroli from Tunisia and petigrain from Paraguay among other notes in the formula.

In the muggy shade of a tropical rainforest, an orchid sways seductively. Its glistening petals tremble in anticipation, inviting a passing butterfly to consummate the intimate act of pollination. Succumbing to the allure of the silken flower, the butterfly eagerly flits forward. But as it prepares to alight, the exotic bloom abruptly transforms. Delicate leaves contort into dagger-like forelegs, seizing the bug’s fragile wings. Before the butterfly can comprehend its fate, its head is devoured, crushed between the powerful jaws of the stealthy orchid mantis.

Orchid Mantis lures you into a fragrant illusion. Juicy pear, rich rose and heady jasmine entwine with basil and ylang to suggest the intense scent of orchids. This vintage style is set against the backdrop of a humid rainforest evoked by patchouli, moss, sandalwood and vetiver. An enduring musk serves as a reminder that beauty can also be beastly.

Brocéliande is a bewitching concentrate inspired by the enchanted forest of Arthurian legend. Combining the power of the forest with the magic of the animal world, this extrait’s bergamot and lime opening leads to an unexpected wander through ginger, cinnamon and iris. A whisky sweetness rubs up against the velvet leather of civet and castoreum.

Early morning, October 1175, Calabria

The cool night air dissipates under the sun’s first rays. The ripe citrus in the field has absorbed all the water of the morning dew and the farmers are ready to work on the misty green fields, speckled by the bright yellow of the citron. They leave their woody cabin and take a deep breath…

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.

A rampage through a fantasy meadow. Lily-of-the-valley, orange blossom and lavender are crushed underfoot as you run riot across beauty. Lilac and lemon assert themselves in the carnage. Tonka bean and white musk ensures that this extrait strength perfume stays and plays.

Silky citrus.

A particularly silky fragrance, where Pierre Guillaume transforms citrus acidity into a scented caress.

The kumquat-sandalwood accord seems infused with sunlight and bestows on the skin the charms of a melting creaminess, soft and fresh.

 ***

The Sniff on Sunsuality:
"[it] opens with a delicate white floral note, bolstered with a smooth citrus undertone. It doesn’t really matter if it is lemon blossom, or lemon and blossoms, either way the scent opens light, breezy, and expansive. It’s a transparent scent that conjures up images of white muslin curtains billowing in a Mediterranean breeze, all gauzy and floaty. The floral nuances are sweet, delicate, almost naive, whilst the lemon is sharper, sourer but never very aggressive."

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March 1930, London

A group of architects gather for cocktails at Mayfair's smartest Art Deco smoking room. As they settle in the warm interior of dark woods, leather and velvet, London's bright young things burst in, frosted martinis in hand, surrounded by a cloud of laughter - white smoke and fine vanilla.

A timeless, traditional cologne: fresh, versatile and eternally elegant like all true classics. The fragrance expresses all its radiant freshness with the most intoxicating citrus aromas: Bergamot, Lemon and Orange are a perfect contrast to the Lavender and invigorating Mediterranean herbs.

This “divine flower” is a luminous, untamed floral that captures the serenity of nature in motion. It starts bright and light: lemongrass and passion fruit, opening up to peony and lily of the valley. Watery, ethereal cyclamen drenches the richness of jasmine, ylang-ylang and narcissus like dew over a meadow. The drydown is green, a mingling of eucalyptus and sage with peppermint, juniper and pine, grounded by 
Mysore sandalwood and a hint of vanilla bourbon.