For several years now, one question has fascinated Rihanna’s fans: what perfume is behind her utterly irresistible scent? The mystery has finally been solved. And the good news is that you can now indulge in this exceptional fragrance yourself.
A captivating trail, celebrities left completely mesmerised, and fans in raptures… Behind Rihanna’s incredible aura lies one very specific bottle, created by a renowned French perfumer.
A fragrance that has become legendary
Fans lucky enough to have met Rihanna all agree on one thing: she smells absolutely divine. Numerous stars around the world have confirmed it too, including Jennifer Lawrence and Nick Jonas. 'She smells unbelievable. That’s one thing I can tell you. Everyone says it, but now that I’ve actually smelt her, it’s incredible,' he told British newspaper The Sun back in 2016.
Jim Parsons, best known for playing Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory, has also fallen under the spell of her unforgettable scent. 'Rihanna smells so good… One day, I got into the lift at the hotel we were staying in and I thought: ‘She was here!’ She smells like heaven,' he said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
With praise like that, it’s hardly surprising that people began searching for the perfume in question. For years, the mystery remained unsolved, until someone close to the 38-year-old singer finally revealed the name of the precious fragrance to Glamour magazine.
The perfume that sent the world into a frenzy
In 2016, a friend of the Barbadian singer revealed the exact name of the perfume on Twitter (on the account @stylishgent at the time): Love, Don’t Be Shy, a creation by KILIAN PARIS. Since then, the craze has never died down.
Countless testimonials eventually shone a spotlight on this once-confidential fragrance that had all the allure of a closely guarded secret. In an interview with Le Figaro in 2022, Kilian Hennessy, founder of the house, admitted he was 'very amused and flattered' by the rumour, which turned out to be true. 'The impact? A worldwide sell-out,' he added.
Created by perfumer Calice Becker, Love, Don’t Be Shy belongs to Kilian Paris’s Narcotic Flowers family. From the very first spray, notes of neroli and orange blossom instantly envelop the senses. Kilian Hennessy also explained to Le Figaro that the fragrance was inspired by an old tradition of pouring orange blossom water over marshmallows.
At its heart, the perfume blends rose and honeysuckle in a soft, romantic accord. Then come the base notes of cistus labdanum and marshmallow, which have become the fragrance’s signature. 'When I create a composition, I imagine the emotion the woman or man choosing it will feel. For this one, I wanted an accord so indulgent and intoxicating that it would make you want to take a bite out of the person wearing it,' the creator also told Le Figaro.
The result is striking: warm, sensual, and intensely feminine.
A best-seller beyond the celebrity circle
While Love, Don’t Be Shy has conquered Hollywood’s elite, its success extends far beyond the world of showbusiness. This luxury perfume now appeals to a much wider audience, eager to adopt such a rare and memorable scent trail — and to smell as incredible as Rihanna herself.
Today, Love, Don’t Be Shy is available for €260 (for the 50ml version) on the KILIAN PARIS website and at Sephora.
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