If you were to take a look at my fragrance collection, you would see a vast variety of scents. I have everything from unisex perfumes to a TikTok-viral fragrance that embodies a circus (think popcorn and candied apples) and don’t even get me started on my hoard of gourmands and vanilla perfumes. But one olfactive family my collection is lacking in is florals.
I blame my grandma, who drenched herself in Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door—a concoction of freesia, rose, jasmine, and ylang-ylang—and gave lots of too-tight hugs while I was growing up. Now, I find any similar scents as mature and downright grandmotherly. Not even cult-favorite floral fragrances from Gucci or Valentino could sway my opinion. However, it was when I met with Phlur’s Creative Director Chriselle Lim nearly a month ago to preview the fragrance brand’s newest launch, Golden Rule, that I saw their allure.
For any perfume fan, Phlur is an instantly recognizable name. With a penchant for scents that evoke nostalgia and inspire specific memories, the brand’s inaugural perfume, Missing Person, had the internet in tears—it bottled up the feeling of longing, comfort, and familiarity. Then there was the Vanilla Skin body mist, which reached such heights on TikTok that the brand released an evolved eau de parfum version (a fragrance I wear on a weekly basis).
From the fig-forward Father Figure to the fun and fruity Strawberry Letter, every one of Phlur’s scents is a hit in my collection—a rare occurrence for a fragrance brand—so I knew I was in for a treat meeting with Lim. Heading in, I had no idea what to expect, but upon meeting Lim, one of the first things she asked me was whether I was a floral fan or not. I hesitantly admitted that I was not, and thankfully she agreed that traditional florals can lean a bit too sophisticated, to put it nicely.
That’s when Lim introduced me to Golden Rule, Phlur’s newest eau de parfum. Housed in a shiny metallic bottle that’ll stand out on your vanity, Golden Rule is meant to conjure your most confident self with a bold mix of floral and fruity notes. “With Golden Rule, we wanted to bring a new, modern energy to florals,” Lim says. “Traditional florals are beautiful, but we wanted to reimagine the category—adding unexpected notes that make Golden Rule feel vibrant, radiant, and luxurious.”
And that they did. This fragrance combines jasmine and orange flower with a citrus kick of mandarin and the warm creaminess of coconut milk, vanilla cream, and sandalwood for a fresh take on the category. “With Golden Rule, I think we successfully brought out a new side of florals that embodies the magnetic aura and confidence of the people wearing it,” Lim adds.
After receiving my own bottle to test, I was shocked by how much I reached for it in the last month or so. As a notorious floral hater, I found myself wearing it at least twice a week, if not more. There’s a youthfulness that comes from the radiant mandarin note that makes me feel energized—something I wouldn’t expect to feel in a floral scent. At the same time, however, the jasmine and orange flower exude femininity and seductiveness. After a few hours, I’m left with a sweet warmth that lingers all day long on my skin.
As Lim mentioned, I can’t help but feel magnetic every time I wear Golden Rule. It’s a bold fragrance that demands attention and I don’t have anything like it in my collection. I’d wear it to date night, for an important meeting, or anytime I need to stir up some confidence. All in all, it’s the only fragrance that put florals on the map for me—I wouldn’t be surprised if Phlur has its next viral hit on its hands.
Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she specializes in crafting shopping stories—from sales content to buying guides that span every vertical on the site. She also oversees holiday coverage with an emphasis on gifting guides aswell as Power Pick, our monthly column on the items that power the lives of MC’s editors. She also tackled shopping content as Marie Claire’s Editorial Fellow prior to her role as Associate Commerce Editor.She has over three years of experience writing on fashion, beauty, and entertainment and her work has appeared on Looper, NickiSwift, The SunUS, and Vox Magazine of Columbia, Missouri. Brooke obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism with an emphasis on Magazine Editing and has a minor in Textile and Apparel Management.
