Francesca Bianchi Perfumes Gauguin (Francesca Bianchi) 2026 + Mood Purple Draw

Francesca Bianchi Perfumes Gauguin

Francesca Bianchi Perfumes Gauguin AI IMAGE by Nicoleta

It is no secret that I have been a Francesca Bianchi “evangelist” for years. Her perfumes usually inspire a specific kind of devotion: people don’t just like her perfumes; they get head-over-heels obsessed. ( admit it – how many of you out there can stop at just one of her creations?) Yet, I have a confession to make. Despite my fan-girl status, I’ve always kept a polite distance from one of her icons: Sex and the Sea.

Ironically, it’s one of her most talked-about best-sellers, and while I loved the tension and the concept on paper, my skin chemistry refused to cooperate. Every time I tried it, I got this unnerving feeling, like wearing someone else’s clothes – and someone else’s memories. Even the sunnier, more floral lean of Sex and the Sea Neroli was simply a case of ‘it’s not you, it’s me,’ and we politely parted ways after trying to make it work a couple of times. I had made my peace with that. Well, until now. Let’s hurry up and come closer, because in this new limited edition, Sex and the Sea goes to Polynesia.

Francesca Bianchi of Francesca Bianchi Perfumes

Francesca Bianchi, photo via Instagram

Francesca shares the background of how the ‘Gauguin’ concept first came to life: “Gauguin condenses into a perfume many emotional elements of my private life, which I have tried to make intelligible to everyone. Perhaps not everyone knows that I have a background as an Art Historian, specialized in artistic forms of the late 19th – early 20th century. Matisse was the subject of my graduation thesis, while Gauguin, with his exotic wanderings, is one of the painters I studied most deeply during my academic path. After graduating, I worked for the Italian publishing house Giunti, assisting Gloria Fossi, an exceptional art historian but above all a woman of great character and culture. At that time, she was the same age I am now, and she set off alone for Polynesia in search of Gauguin’s places. Of course, she found much more, as happens to those who search with an open mind. From that adventurous journey she brought me back a small bottle of Monoï – an oil obtained by macerating the Tiaré flower in coconut oil. At the time it was not widespread in Italy, and for me it was a wonderful discovery. Those were the years when I had begun experimenting with perfumes and cosmetics, among other things. That little bottle of Monoï, like a precious relic, has survived three country changes and I believe about seven moves.”

Francesca Bianchi Perfumes Gauguin and Sex and the Sea

Francesca Bianchi Perfumes Gauguin and Sex and the Sea image via the brand website

First: just look at that purple! The unboxing itself, with all that tactile sumptuous purple velvet, is so unapologetically extravagant that I am immediately drawn in, all ears and fairing nostrils for that level of drama. And then the first drops touch my skin I know – I am in for a trip to the tropics that will not be just ‘postcard-pretty’. The core formula of Sex and the Sea leaves its European shores and its memories behind for a new exotic dreamscape. The olfactive world Francesca paints here leaves reality far, far behind; she draws us into a new space defined by hyper-saturated colors, sensual textures, and overripe fruits heavy with sweet juices.

The original’s raw intimacy is now viewed through a new, hazy lens, it is no longer the memory of an encounter on a beach, relived in macro detail with all its human carnality of flesh, bone, salt, and skin. Now, we are drawn into a dreamlike experience that feels as if it were viewed through the bottom of an absinthe glass. It feels like a sun-dappled, midday sleep on the sand, held tight in the arms of Morpheus, and then pushed back out into a reality that is strangely vibrant, distorted, and dangerously beautiful.

Perfumes inspired by Gauguin

AI image by Nicoleta

The start, to me, feels like biting into a forbidden purple fruit. It’s lush, but there’s an undercurrent of sweet decay, a sense of an overripe fruit hanging in the heavy, humid air, a bit brooding, and saturated.  As it develops, the tropical white flowers begin bleeding into one another like watercolours mixed with milky ocean water. The Tiaré, with its subtle green nuances, dissolves into a coconut note that feels more like thick milk than sunscreen. Then, there is a new layer of velvet in the base. Everything begins to transform into a reconstructed accord of Monoï, rounded out by a buttery, creamy sweet ylang-ylang, the narcotic white edge of tuberose, and just a touch of geranium, just to keep the air moving. This creamy, floral potion is the very idea of a tropical scent sublimated into an abstract rendition, one that is amazingly cozy to wear even when buried under eight centimetres of fresh February snow.

Ultimately, Francesca Bianchi perfumes are liquid emotions that oscillate between comfort and unease, desire and restraint, sensuality and introspection. Her work is unapologetically human, possessing an unsettling, intelligent sensuality built on a razor’s edge of contrast, always balancing light against shadow. And now, that balance is struck perfectly. Gauguin asks you to leave the shore behind and dive into the deep waters of your subconsciousness, escaping the grey reality for a place where colors bloom and give off an intoxicating smell. This is a limited edition, has already sold out.

Mood: Exotic, Sophisticated, Carnal.
Olfactory family: Ambery White Floral with a Gourmand facet.

Notes: Bergamot, Aldehydes, Monoï accord, Tiaré with coconut oil, Ambery vanilla, vetiver, musks

Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor

Disclosure: A bottle was offered by the brand; opinions are always my own.

Francesca Bianchi Perfumes Gauguin limited edition

AI image by Nicoleta

Thanks to the generosity of our team members we have a sample for one registered reader from the US or EU. You must register or your entry will not count. There is only one winner.                     To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s review and where you live. Draw closes 2/7/2026

Please check out Nicoleta’s reviews for: The Code of Emotions, Voluptuous Oud; Byzantine Amber, Unspoken Musk, Encounters and also Libertine Neroli 

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19 comments

  • lkali says:

    What instantly grabbed me from Nicoleta’s review was the idea of Sex and the Sea transforming from raw, corporeal intimacy into something dreamlike and subconscious — especially the Monoï accord rooted in such a personal, almost talismanic story. The way Gauguin is described feels less like a beach scent and more like slipping into a saturated, hazy reverie where fruit, florals, and warmth blur together in a way that’s sensual but also introspective. That balance Francesca Bianchi strikes between comfort and unease is exactly what I’m drawn to in perfume, and this Polynesian reinterpretation sounds dangerously beautiful.

    I live in the United States.

  • Elisa N says:

    I’ve been wanting to explore Francesca Bianchi Perfumes for a while now, and Nicoleta’s review completely pulled me in. The idea of Sex and the Sea reimagined through a Gauguin lens, with Monoï, tiaré, coconut milk, and that ambery, velvety depth, sounds intoxicating. I love how this version seems less literal and more dreamlike, lush, and emotional, especially the way it’s described as overripe, saturated, and slightly uncanny. That balance between beauty and unease is exactly what draws me to Francesca Bianchi as a house, and Gauguin sounds like a perfect entry point. I live in the United States – New York specifically.

  • Enar_smells_good says:

    I’ve been wanting to explore Francesca Bianchi Perfumes for quite some time, and Nicoleta’s review really captured my attention. This Gauguin interpretation of Sex and the Sea sounds especially compelling, with its Monoï accord, tiaré, coconut milk, and ambery, velvety depth. I’m drawn to how it’s described as more abstract and dreamlike rather than literal, lush and saturated with a slightly dark, emotional edge. That tension between comfort and unease is exactly what intrigues me about Francesca Bianchi’s work as a whole, and Gauguin sounds like a beautiful place to begin. I live in New York, United States.

  • Seema says:

    Great review by Nicoleta. I had no idea that Francesca Bianchi was an art historian and loved learning more about her background. I love the scent of monoi. I have a bottle of Voluptous Oud and this sounds so different.
    Please enter me EU

  • opalbear says:

    Ooh I wanted this so badly but I’ve been on a strict no buy, the timing was awful. I bet this is just stunning. I love her work so much. This sounds just dreamy and gorgeous. The Monoi note sounds blissful. I am hoping the perfume divinity will favor me to win. Thank you for the generous giveaway. I am located in the U.S.

  • Jeremi says:

    The dreamlike Polynesian twist on Sex and the Sea, with its lush Monoï accord, overripe fruits, creamy tiaré, and that razor-edge sensuality blending comfort with unease – pure escapism in a bottle. I live in Poland, EU.

  • TheScentedPage says:

    Oh, this review makes me want to lie on the sand, watching a purple sunset, surrounded by the scents Nicoleta describes. I cannot go to Polynesia, but I would love to experience it by wearing Gauguin.

    US

  • samozain1 says:

    I am not familiar with Gaugiun but I liked the description. The contrast between in emotions in Francesca’s creations draws me in. Ripe fruity notes/florals/sea notes making it oscillate between comfort and dark is what like.

    USA

  • samozain1 says:

    I am not familiar with Gaugiun but I liked the description. The contrast between in emotions in Francesca’s creations draws me in. Ripe fruity notes/florals/sea notes making it oscillate between comfort and dark is what like.

    USA

  • goknitintheocean says:

    Hi there,

    I was most intrigued by the story of the tiny bottle of Monoi oil! I, too, studied art history in school, and I have great admiration for perfume creators and educators who are able to draw parallels between scent and art. And naturally, in the depths of this winter in NYC, the description from Nicoleta reads like an import of sunshine. Thank you!

    I am in NYC/USA.
    Deborah

  • Jasmin says:

    I really enjoyed Nicoleta‘s review and the background information on Bianchi. I tried two of her fragrances and desperately wanted to try Gauguin, because I would love to smell her interpretation of a Tiaré accord. Coconut and Monoï really need some depth and edge to not feel tacky to me. As Nicoleta wrote: Bianchi evokes emotion, which is all I expect from a good perfume.

    I live in Germany

  • mmerline says:

    Francesca’s anecdote about that traveling bottle of Monoï is wonderful. I love this hypersaturated interpretation of the tropics, with coconut that hits “more like thick milk than sunscreen” and humid, heavy florals. Interestingly, the subtle green elements seem to be essential here, balancing everything out and grounding the florals and fruit in space. Heady.

    I’m in the USA.

  • Liu says:

    Thank you for the wonderful news about Gaugin perfume! It is always interesting to experience how perfume conveys artistic ideas, and in this particular case, such vivid and emotional painting. It would be wonderful to try this fragrance and compare my impressions with the thoughts of the author of the text.
    I live in Lithuania, EU

  • cnii says:

    Bianchi’s Gaugin, with its Tahitian florals, sounds like exactly what I want to smell right now, in the grip of this bitter winter. Thank you for your review, Nicoleta!
    I’m in WV, USA

  • mleenstra says:

    Argh I’m obsessed with Sex and the Sea Neroli and reading how incredibly exotic Gaugin sounds, I definitely missed the boat on this. Really like how Nicoleta dived into this review not letting herself being influenced by her previous experience with Sex and the Sea. I also think Bianchi has this special gift in creating human perfumes which you can relate closely with whether you like then or not; they feel real. Would love to win a bottle of this! Marit Netherlands

  • JayJay says:

    I am a fan of Monoï fragrances, especially in the summer or when I am on a beach vacation, but a reconstructed accord of Monoï, rounded out by a buttery, creamy sweet ylang-ylang, the narcotic white edge of tuberose sounds like something really unique, because it leaves out of the question the classic monoi fragrance and brings into discussion a much more complex floral composition.

    I love FB creations, my favorite being The Dark Knight and Angel Dust – i know, very different one from another. I would love to try Gauguin!

    I am from Europe

  • foreverscents says:

    I like Nicoleta’s honesty about Sex and the Sea not suiting her. But the way she described it as unnerving intrigued me… and makes me want to try it. And, of course, the way she describes Gauguin as Sex and the Sea Goes to Polynesia really piqued my curiosity. I love anything associated with the tropics, especially tiaré. I also love art history. The lushness of this fragrance, revealing vivid colors with its notes, sounds intoxicating.
    I live in the USA.

  • nursekerrijo says:

    I own several of her bottles already, so trying Gauguin feels inevitable. Her fragrances just speak my language, and I want to experience this one through my own skin. there’s something about that Bianchi DNA and many of her fragrances that are immediately identifiable.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thanks for the colorful and evocative review! Francesca Bianchi Perfumes Gauguin feels like a lush, tropical reverie — the hyper-saturated fruits and bright aldehydes open with a vibrant, almost painterly energy that calls to mind a sun-soaked Polynesian canvas. The heart of monoï, tiaré flower, coconut and fragile white florals brings an exotic, creamy warmth that’s both rich and effortless, while the amber, vanilla, vetiver and musk in the base give it a softly grounding elegance. I especially loved how the tropical brightness never feels sugary — it feels imagined like an artist’s palette of scent, as if a Gauguin painting had been bottled and set to drift on breeze and sea. I’d love to try Gauguin!