"Who needs romance when one wields power?"
That's the tagline for Heartless Helen, which Penhaligon's tells us is the olfactory story of a fearless conquistadora, fresh off her latest conquest. But while we don't for a moment doubt that this fragrance, imbued with seductively lively tuberose, could give anyone the power to steal and break a few hearts, we wouldn't be so quick to paint Helen as a villain. To us, her signature scent is not only deeply sensual but also joyful and vibrant, a bouquet of narcotic white florals freshened with bright, juicy mandarin to capture the imagination. A gently creamy, warm woodsiness (we detect facets of sandalwood, gaiac, and cedar) adds sophistication and depth to the drydown, but the star of the show- the gorgeous, intoxicating tuberose- lasts from beginning to end. Is Heartless Helen truly as wicked as they say? Perhaps with a scent this brightly beautiful, it doesn't matter much- we're already in too deep.
Mandarin orange, tuberose, creamy woods
Perfume rating 3.70 out of 5 on Fragrantica