Floral · Natural material · Heart notes
Mimosa
Mimosa is the scent of the flowers of Acacia dealbata, a yellow-flowered acacia native to Australia. It smells soft and powdery, a little sweet like honey, with a touch of dry hay. In perfume, mimosa usually sits in the heart notes and makes a floral blend feel warm and plush.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does mimosa smell like?
Mimosa smells soft, slightly sweet and powdery. There is a honeyed side, a little dry hay, a green note from the stems and a faint hint of violet. Next to jasmine or tuberose, mimosa is much quieter and never sharp.
On skin, mimosa grows softer over time and stays close. Because it is so gentle, mimosa rarely carries a perfume alone and is more often felt as a plush layer in the middle of a floral blend.
Where does mimosa come from?
Perfume mimosa comes from the flowers of Acacia dealbata, an acacia tree native to south-eastern Australia. It is now also grown in southern France, mainly around Grasse and the Tanneron hills, and in Morocco. The flowers are picked in full bloom, around February and March.
Mimosa is extracted with solvents. The fresh flowers become a waxy concrete, which is then washed with alcohol to make an absolute. The name can be confusing: the sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica), known in Indonesia as putri malu, is a different plant.
Mimosa's role in a perfume
Mimosa usually sits in the heart notes, where it makes a floral blend feel softer, warmer and more powdery. Mimosa often pairs with violet, iris and heliotrope, which are powdery too, or with honey and musk for a warmer feel close to the skin.
You find mimosa in many floral perfumes, especially powdery ones. In sweeter perfumes, mimosa helps link a fresh opening to a warm base.
When to wear a mimosa perfume
A mimosa perfume feels soft, so it suits daytime, work and casual plans. In hot weather mimosa does not feel heavy, since its strength is moderate. When the blend adds honey or vanilla, it turns warmer and fits late afternoon or an evening in air-conditioned rooms.
