Jungle Gardenia by Tuvache c1932

In 1932, the launch of "Jungle Gardenia" by Tuvache occurred during a particularly tumultuous period in global history—the Great Depression. This perfume's debut amidst economic hardship and social upheaval highlights a deliberate attempt to offer a sensory escape and evoke specific emotions and imagery.

The choice of "Jungle Gardenia" as the name for this perfume is significant. Gardenias, with their rich, creamy scent, symbolize elegance, femininity, and luxury. During the Depression, when many faced financial struggles and bleak realities, the allure of a perfume named "Jungle Gardenia" would have been profound. The addition of "Jungle" suggests a wild, exotic element—conjuring images of lush tropical landscapes, adventure, and perhaps a touch of danger. This combination of gardenias and jungle imagery promised wearers an experience far beyond their everyday lives—a chance to indulge in fantasy and escape into a world of glamour and sensuality.

For women of the time, "Jungle Gardenia" represented more than just a fragrance. It embodied aspirations for sophistication and a desire to transcend the hardships of the era. Wearing such a perfume would have allowed them to feel glamorous, confident, and perhaps even transported to a far-off paradise where life was more vibrant and exciting.

The response to "Jungle Gardenia" would likely have been enthusiastic. Its name alone would have conjured up visions of exotic locales and luxurious surroundings, offering a brief respite from the harsh realities of the Depression. The fragrance itself, with its blend of gardenia's floral sweetness and potentially other exotic notes, would have reinforced this escapism and offered a sensory experience that uplifted and transported its wearers.

"Jungle Gardenia" stands out as a unique and evocative name for a perfume, particularly in its historical context. It blends the allure of nature's beauty with the promise of sophistication and adventure, appealing directly to the desires and aspirations of women during a challenging period. The name's interpretation would have varied, but universally, it would have conveyed a sense of luxury, escape, and feminine allure—making it a compelling choice for anyone seeking to add a touch of glamour and fantasy to their life, even during the Great Depression.

As for Fay Wray's rumored association with "Jungle Gardenia" during the filming of "King Kong" in 1933, if true, it would have further elevated the perfume's profile, linking it with Hollywood glamour and reinforcing its image as a scent of allure and escape.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It was described as a sweet floral fragrance for women. An exotic floral - wild gardenia accented by jasmine and tuberose to make a "vivid communication."

 It starts with a fresh green top note, followed by an exotic floral heart, layered over a balsamic base.

• Top notes: neroli, leafy green note, bergamot, fruity notes
• Middle notes: tuberose, wild gardenia, lilac, jasmine, orange blossom, orris, narcissus
• Base notes: benzoin, sandalwood, ambergris, vanilla, civet, Tolu, musk

“Today recapture those magic moments indulging in the favorite fragrance of the world’s most beautiful woman. Jungle Gardenia’s hypnotic, captivating scent will create the mood.”

The New Yorker, 1938:

"De Tuvache: A newcomer with arresting ideas in perfume — Jungle Gardenia (sharp and provocative), Arabia (hot-headed and spicy), and Versailles (worldly). Lovely bath oils and rubs in the same scents, too."

The New Yorker, 1938:

"A dark horse in this field is de Tuvache, who presents Jungle Gardenia, startling and marvelous, packed in wood fibre boxes tied with multicolored wools; Arabia is another offering, rich. Oriental, and spicy. Both scents turn up in bath oils and toilet waters."

 The New Yorker, 1939:

"De Tuvache: This house, last year’s brilliant debutante, grows in favor. Jungle Gardenia, a sharp, challenging perfume, is superb; so are Arabia, of the spicy school, and Violet. The skin perfume, with an oily base - and very, very good - comes in lovely fiber boxes; from $7. (Saks Fifth Ave)"

Scent Story:

The opulent perfume department of I. Magnin buzzes with excitement as Madame Bernadine Tuvache welcomes her guests to the launch of her newest fragrance, the exotically named "Jungle Gardenia." The air is thick with the intoxicating scents of fresh gardenias, tuberose, and orange blossoms, artfully arranged in lush bouquets that adorn the counters and display cases. The atmosphere is one of anticipation and luxury, with the floral decorations lending an air of tropical allure to the setting.

Madame Tuvache, an elegant figure draped in silk, stands beside a display of the new perfume. Her presence commands attention as she begins to speak. "Jungle Gardenia was created to be worn with your filmy negligees and sexy peignoirs," she announces with a knowing smile. "Apply a few drops to your body when you want to be your most seductive."

As she speaks, the rich, sweet scent of Jungle Gardenia wafts through the room. The top notes of neroli and leafy greens mingle with the sharpness of bergamot and the sweetness of fruity notes, creating a fresh yet inviting opening. The fragrance unfolds into its heart, a bouquet of tuberose, wild gardenia, lilac, jasmine, orange blossom, orris, and narcissus. The floral symphony is heady and exotic, each note contributing to a sense of lush, untamed beauty. Underneath, the base notes of benzoin, sandalwood, ambergris, vanilla, civet, Tolu, and musk add depth and warmth, making the scent linger sensuously on the skin.

The guests are enraptured by Madame Tuvache's description and the sensory experience around them. The sound of gentle piano music fills the air, blending seamlessly with the murmur of conversations and the occasional clinking of champagne glasses. A waiter offers trays of delicate hors d'oeuvres, their flavors subtle yet delectable, a perfect complement to the floral notes that dominate the room.

Madame Tuvache continues, explaining the meticulous care and expense involved in sourcing the raw materials for Jungle Gardenia. "Each ingredient has been carefully selected from around the world," she says. "The neroli comes from the Mediterranean, the gardenias from the South Seas, and the tuberose from India. Each component is costly, but only the best would suffice for this creation."

Her words paint a vivid picture of distant lands and exotic blooms, and the guests can almost see the tropical landscapes that inspired the perfume. Madame Tuvache reveals that the inspiration for Jungle Gardenia came from the South Seas and the legendary jungle gardenia, known for its potent, intoxicating fragrance. "This perfume is meant to evoke the wild beauty of the jungle gardenia, accented by jasmine and tuberose to make a vivid communication," she says. "It starts with a fresh green top note, followed by an exotic floral heart, layered over a balsamic base."

The guests are invited to experience the perfume firsthand. They dip their fingers into small vials of Jungle Gardenia, applying it to their wrists and necks. The touch of the silky liquid against the skin feels luxurious, and the fragrance blossoms with the warmth of their bodies. They inhale deeply, savoring the intricate layers of scent, each one revealing itself slowly and seductively.

As the event draws to a close, the guests leave with bottles of Jungle Gardenia, their senses still tingling from the experience. They carry with them not just a new fragrance, but a piece of the exotic, a promise of seduction and allure that lingers long after they have left the store. Madame Tuvache watches them go with a satisfied smile, knowing that she has shared something truly special, a fragrance that captures the wild, untamed beauty of the jungle gardenia and transforms it into a vivid, sensual experience.

Ancillary Products:

In 1971, it was released as a cologne, with the advertisement reading “Jungle Gardenia captures the true delight of fresh gardenias in this favorite spray mist cologne with luxury fragrance and bath preparations.”

Tuvache’s Jungle Gardenia was sold as a Skin Perfume in amounts of 2 oz, 4 oz and 8 oz, it also came in a 2 oz spray mist.


You could also buy it as a Bath Perfume in a 5/8 oz spray mist or in splash form in ½ oz or 1 oz bottles.


The pure perfume oil was available in a 5/8 oz metered spray mist, one dram purser flacon, half ounce and one ounce size bottles.


Tuvache’s Jungle Gardenia was also available as dusting powder, spray powder mist, three hand sized soap bars, 3 ½ oz spray bath oil, an 8 ounce Crème Jungle Gardenia body lotion, and as a sachet inside of a ceramic ginger jar.

Some original bottles of Tuvache’s Jungle Gardenia came with a booklet “The Romance and Drama of Perfume by Bernadine de Tuvache' Creator of the Costliest Perfumes in the World."

Loyal Patrons:

Many celebrity ladies wore Tuvache’s Jungle Gardenia, Joan Bennett, Barbara Stanwyck, Natalie Wood, Joan Crawford and Annette Funicello. During the filming of King Kong, actress Fay Wray wore Jungle Gardenia and said she believed Kong thought she was a new type of flower he'd found. She felt that being so tiny to him, he could only identify her from other women by her scent, Jungle Gardenia.

Jungle Gardenia is also the fragrance worn by Auntie Mame, the character in the famous Broadway play and movie of the same name, that starred Rosalind Russell. Some lines in the play gave Jungle Gardenia its rumored reputation of being an aphrodisiac that attracted men. The play was later made into a musical starring Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur and was a huge success. The movie version of the musical starred Lucille Ball.

Jungle Gardenia was often given as a consolation prize on the game show Truth or Consequences as Tuvache was one of the main sponsors of the Bob Barker hosted show, the contestant received a year‘s worth of fragrance.

Fate of the Fragrance:

In 1957, Jungle Gardenia was relaunched in new packaging. In 1958, competitor Jovan created its own "Jungle Gardenia" scent, a sweet floral fragrance with citric top notes, floral heart notes on base notes of sandalwood, oakmoss and amber. This was discontinued but there is always Island Gardenia by Jovan, which is similar, but lacks the headiness of the original Tuvache Jungle Gardenia perfume too. Jovan describes Island Gardenia as "Delicate and wild at the same time, this fragrance was inspired by the beauty of nature. The simple fragrance of a dew-drenched soft gardenia warmed by the sun."

Perfume Intelligence has a reference to a Jungle Gardenia put out by Lentheric, but I can't find any other info on that and in fact it could be a misprint. I do know that Lentheric came out with a Gardenia de Tahiti in 1937 which is most likely directly inspired by Tuvache's Jungle Gardenia.

By 1963, Tuvache was associating its intoxicating scent with gorgeous actress Elizabeth Taylor who was rumored to have worn it while starring in Cleopatra.  A 1964 advertisement for Tuvache’s Jungle Gardenia featured a photo of Elizabeth Taylor and the tagline “Jungle Gardenia-favorite fragrance of the world’s most beautiful woman.” Taylor, famously fond of Jungle Gardenia, eventually launched her own version of it simply titled "Elizabeth Taylor Gardenia." Elizabeth Taylor’s Gardenia features notes of gardenia, jasmine, lily of the valley, orchid, rose, white peony, carnation, and musk and is characterized as a fresh, green fragrance and not cloying as Fracas. It is very inexpensive.

During the late 1960's, Coty bought out Tuvache and released Jungle Gardenia under the Tuvache name. However, Coty discontinued the perfume sometime in the early 1980s, then reformulated and re-released their new version in 1995 in association with Tuvache, which some say was close, but again, definitely not the same fragrance.

• Top notes: bitter orange oil, clary sage, cyclamen
• Middle notes: heliotrope, tuberose, tarragon, violet leaf, gardenia, lily of the valley, jasmine, ylang-ylang
• Base notes: oakmoss, benzoin, sandalwood and musk

The vintage versions of Jungle Gardenia by Tuvache have been discontinued since the early 1980s and these examples can reach ridiculously exorbitant prices.


If you are looking for a substitute, try Fracas by Robert Piguet or Elizabeth Taylor’s Gardenia.


Fracas by Robert Piguet has that same creamy gardenia essence. It’s definitely swoon worthy and one of my favorites. The perfume has notes of bergamot, mandarin, hyacinth, green notes, tuberose, jasmine, orange flower, lily of the valley, white iris, violet, jonquil, carnation, coriander, peach, osmanthus, pink geranium, musk, cedar, oakmoss, sandalwood, orris, vetiver, and tolu balsam.

The recreated Tuvache Gardenia by Irma Shorell/Long Lost Perfumes sold by the Vermont Country Store is kind of close but just not the same fragrance. Currently, Irma Shorell owns the trademark for the Tuvache name but not the formulas.


One of the closest perfumes to Jungle Gardenia by Tuvache is Coty's Sand & Sable. This feminine scent possesses a blend of jasmine, gardenia, peach, and various green notes.


Some posters on perfume message boards suggest a perfume called Stephanie by Michael Storer. Stephanie “is a highly realistic recreation of the headspace of the gardenia flower and is not for the faint-hearted”. Additional notes include pink pepper, black pepper, galbanum, angelica root, sambac jasmine, tuberose, and chrysanthemum."