Bottle Design:
Fabien Baron

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212 Carolina Herrera 1997

7.2 / 10 121 Ratings

A perfume by Carolina Herrera for women, released in 1997. The scent is fresh-floral. It is being marketed by Puig.
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Main accords

Fresh

Floral

Citrus

Woody

Synthetic

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Cactus blossom

Bergamot

Orange blossom

Mandarin orange

Heart Notes

White camellia Freesia

Freesia

Gardenia

Lily

Jasmine

Rose

Base Notes

Musk

Sandalwood

Perfumer

Alberto Morillas

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Ratings

Scent

7.2121 Ratings

Longevity

7.195 Ratings

Sillage

6.387 Ratings

Bottle

6.395 Ratings

Value for money

7.632 Ratings

Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 04/27/2025.

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Reviews

10 in-depth fragrance descriptions

01/09/2012

7Scent 7.5Longevity 5Sillage

Missk
1357 Reviews

Missk

Very helpful Review 6

212 Ways to Smell Unique

I really like this fragrance. Surprising, because I never expected to.

It's slightly fruity, it's fresh and it's powdery. Three qualities that I usually detest in fragrances, however this scent is bliss for me.

I actually adore the cactus note, strangely enough. I suppose it is to be expected seeing that my mother collects many rare and interesting cacti for her garden. I'm practically surrounded by the scent of cactus whenever I go home, so perhaps this scent sparks sentimental value for me.

Apart from the cactus note, I also sense the mandarin orange and orange blossom notes which are subtle yet divine. The floral notes which make their first appearance after the initial 10 minutes, are quite powdery and strange, not at all what you'd expect. The flowers are somewhat plastic and artificial smelling, however I believe it only adds to this fragrance's appeal.

The sillage is actually quite strong, which surprised me because most scents of this nature are soft and intimate. The lasting power is also fabulous.

I would recommend 212 as a unique Spring/Summer fragrance for women that long to stand out in a crowd.

03/02/2018

8.5Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Fabirss
12 Reviews

Fabirss

Helpful Review 8

The reason why I became a perfume lover

212 was my first international designer fragrance back in the 90s so I thought it would be nice my first review to be about it. I clearly remember the day when I made acquaintance with 212: it was a hot summer day; I was working and entered a drugstore with a friend in order to get her some painkillers. While she was shopping for the medicine I started browsing the store, specifically at the perfume counter. I was immediately attracted to the silver package with the crystal clear liquid in it. The sales attendant offered me to try it, which I did. The rest of the afternoon I spent sniffing my wrist and feeling cooled down in face of the brazing heat. A week later I went back to the drugstore and acquired my first bottle of 212. It became my first signature fragrance and I recall receiving many compliments, both from men and women. One in particular was from a male friend who stated 212 was how I should always smell like. My passion for this fragrance lasted until international designer fragrances became more accessible in my country, due to globalization. And globalization was also one of the reasons I started smelling 212 in many other women around me. I kept it as my main scent for a while, but later became bored both with its linearity and popularity, so we parted ways. Twenty years later, revisiting the fragrances that started my love for the perfume world and not smelling 212 around me so often as in the past, I decided it was time to own a bottle again. When my bottle arrived and I eagerly applied it I immediately recollected why I fell in love with it in the past: a soft, clean, slightly powdery fragrance, with lovely white flowers that, together, compose a soothing aura for me. It still has great longevity and a projection that allows you to smell the fragrance constantly for at least 4 hours. After so many years I can state that my passion grew into love and I'll keep 212 in my collection not only for the sake of fond memories, but also because it smells simple and divine to me.

06/13/2023

Stacia
134 Reviews

Stacia

3

Pleasant surprise.

This one quickly became a favorite. I think it would be a perfect work scent, especially in the springtime. It is so mild and almost skin like. The mixture of Easter lily and camellia with a little cactus juice is an amazing combination. It has similarities to Lulu Guinness with the white lily (but not as loud as LG) and J-Lo Glow with the soapy haze of just-showered feeling. 212 gives me options! Some days I just want to smell clean and pretty. I can't always be a harlot.

02/03/2024

6Scent 5Longevity 5Sillage

MrsGuerlain
530 Reviews

MrsGuerlain

2

For summer nights

This is a lovely, musky experience. It starts out really fresh but there is a musk note from start to finish. Through the citric start and via the floral heart it keeps sending out musky whiffs and I actually think this is what keeps it from disappearing very soon, since the rest of the notes are light and volatile. It is great for summer nights.
The bottle is quite interesting. The design is quite unique, looking like an item from a laboratory.
207/365

12/19/2016

8Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

pudelbonzo
721 Reviews

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pudelbonzo

Very helpful Review 15

Winter Sun

Today I tried 212 - and was instantly enchanted.

The fragrance arrived, scented, and triumphed - without beating around the bush.
I was surprised by its bright cool floral notes, which still hint at warmth.
212 embodies strength and energy, like the pale winter sun that appears visually cold but still warms the skin.

The citrusy opening is fresh and invigorating, mixed with cactus green.
The bright flowers gain substance from musk, and silky creaminess from sandalwood.

Despite its light expression, it is not a light summer scent, as 212 is, although transparent, very pronounced and long-lasting.
Hard to believe it’s already 20 years old, as it feels remarkably modern and will always remain so.

An attractively timeless fragrance with a completely positive message that captivated me immediately.
It will accompany me now in winter as well as in summer - for in this respect, it is not bound to any specific time.

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