Quick answer: Tuberose smells heady, creamy and white-floral, buttery with a slightly rubbery-green edge. Ylang-ylang is sweet, banana-custardy and jasmine-like, magnolia is lemony, creamy and fresh, and osmanthus smells of apricot, leather and tea. At least 12 Mykonos perfumes list one or more of the four.
What does tuberose smell like, and how is it different from ylang-ylang, magnolia and osmanthus? These four lush florals appear on note lists far less often than rose or jasmine, but each changes a perfume a lot. Each one is in only a handful of Mykonos perfumes, so we cover them on one page: what each smells like, then how they show up in the range. We are an authorized Mykonos retailer for Europe; the notes and ratings below come from the brand's product data and handbook, and the rest is general perfumery background. If you want the best-known white floral first, start with what jasmine smells like.
What does tuberose smell like?
Tuberose is a heady, creamy white floral. The smell is buttery and rich, with a slightly rubbery-green edge that keeps it from being merely sweet. It is a big note, and a little goes a long way: in a perfume, tuberose tends to bring volume and a soft glow to the heart. At least three Mykonos perfumes list it.
What does ylang-ylang smell like?
Ylang-ylang is sweet, banana-custardy and jasmine-like: a smooth, fruity-creamy floral with a tropical feel. The name appears with and without the hyphen on note lists. At least five Mykonos perfumes list it, in the heart of four and in the top notes of one.
What does magnolia smell like in perfume?
Magnolia is lemony, creamy and fresh. It sits between a citrus and a white floral, which makes it the lightest of the four and an easy partner for grapefruit, bergamot and ginger. If you like this fresher kind of white flower, our guide to orange blossom and neroli covers another one. At least three Mykonos perfumes list magnolia.
What does osmanthus smell like?
Osmanthus smells of apricot, leather and tea: a fruity, slightly leathery floral that is nothing like a classic bouquet. Its apricot side sits well with peach; see our guide to peach perfume. At least three Mykonos perfumes list it.
Tuberose, ylang-ylang, magnolia and osmanthus in the Mykonos range
Together, at least 12 different Mykonos perfumes list at least one of the four, because a few list two. Our guide to top, heart and base notes explains the layers used below. These six show the notes best.
Tuberose
Mykonos Luminos lists tuberose in the heart with white florals, rose, lily of the valley, orange blossom and vanilla, under apple and a banana accord, over amber, cashmere wood and edible notes. Mykonos lists the accord as floral, fruity and soft wood, and the scent for spring and summer. Mykonos Sansa puts tuberose in the heart with rose, narcissus and toffee, and also lists osmanthus in the top notes with moss, peach and black tea, over cedarwood, orris root, vetiver and dark chocolate. Mykonos Blossom is the classic: tuberose and jasmine in the heart with honeysuckle, over white musk and sandalwood. It is an eau de parfum and listed for her.
Ylang-ylang
Mykonos Reflection Elixir places ylang-ylang in the heart with peach and magnolia, under grapefruit, bergamot, ginger and rhubarb leaves, over ambroxan, musk and a chypre accord. Mykonos lists the accord as citrus, floral and musky. Mykonos Musk Aura lists ylang-ylang in the heart with lily of the valley and sambac jasmine, under bergamot, yuzu and apple, over amber, musk and nectarine.
Magnolia and osmanthus
Mykonos Sorrento uses magnolia in the top notes with fizzy grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin orange and ginger, over a heart that includes neroli and powdery notes and a base of amber, musk and cedar. Mykonos lists the accord as citrus, fresh spicy and musky. Magnolia also appears in the heart of Reflection Elixir, and osmanthus in the top of Sansa, as above.
| Perfume | Notes from the four | Layer | Brand rating for longevity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mykonos Luminos | Tuberose | Heart | 12+ hours |
| Mykonos Sansa | Osmanthus, tuberose | Top, heart | No rating |
| Mykonos Blossom | Tuberose | Heart | No rating |
| Mykonos Reflection Elixir | Ylang-ylang, magnolia | Heart | 12+ hours |
| Mykonos Musk Aura | Ylang-ylang | Heart | No rating |
| Mykonos Sorrento | Magnolia | Top | 10+ hours |
Longevity is Mykonos's own handbook rating; how long a scent lasts on you depends on skin and climate. The floral collection gathers the wider floral family.
Which of the four should you choose?
- You want a rich, creamy floral: tuberose, in Luminos, Sansa or Blossom.
- You want sweet and tropical: ylang-ylang, in Reflection Elixir or Musk Aura.
- You want fresh and light: magnolia, in Sorrento or Reflection Elixir.
- You want something unusual: osmanthus, in Sansa, where it opens beside peach and black tea.
If white florals are new to you, magnolia is the gentlest place to start, because it is the lightest of the four. Try on skin before you decide; creamy florals especially shift with warmth. To compare floral styles more widely, see rose and floral fragrances compared.
Frequently asked questions
What does tuberose perfume smell like?
Heady, creamy and white-floral, buttery with a slightly rubbery-green edge.
Does ylang-ylang smell like jasmine?
It is jasmine-like, with a sweet, banana-custardy, fruity-creamy feel of its own.
What does magnolia smell like?
Lemony, creamy and fresh, closer to a citrus-floral than to a heavy bloom.
How many Mykonos perfumes have these notes?
At least three list tuberose, at least five ylang-ylang, at least three magnolia and at least three osmanthus; together that is at least 12 different perfumes.