Bottle Design:
Marc Ange, Illustration: Kristjana S Williams

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Portraits

Changing Constance Penhaligon's 2018

8.1 / 10 546 Ratings

A popular perfume by Penhaligon's for women, released in 2018. The scent is sweet-spicy. It is being marketed by Puig.
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Main accords

Sweet

Spicy

Gourmand

Creamy

Oriental

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Cardamom

Pimento

Heart Notes

Salted caramel

Base Notes

Vanilla

Cashmeran

Tobacco

Perfumer

Juliette Karagueuzoglou

Ratings

Scent

8.1546 Ratings

Longevity

6.3451 Ratings

Sillage

6.2439 Ratings

Bottle

8.8450 Ratings

Value for money

5.9311 Ratings

Submitted by Cincy · last update on 12/31/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the Portraits collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Minuit et Demi

Raised Spirits

Armani Privé - Magenta Tanzanite

Candy Eau de Parfum

Loubirouge

Vanilla Vibration

Reviews

26 in-depth fragrance descriptions

02/25/2023

7Scent 6Longevity 7Sillage

Kurai
388 Reviews

Kurai

Helpful Review 4

Playful cardamom

In the basis, this is a boring cashmeran-floral with vanilla-maltol sweetness. The course of the fragrance is quite a ride, though. Penhaligon's really played around with that basic formula and created something interesting and fun.

I think it is the cardamom that makes the difference. It opens the fragrance with a big bright flash before dipping underneath that maltol sweetness, only to lift it back up on its shoulders. Meanwhile the florals and the cashmeran have fully bloomed and the scent has changed from bright-spicy to super-sweet to comfortably floral-musky within a few minutes.

This is way too sweet for me, but it was a fun ride for this one time. I am starting to like Penhaligon's a lot. I always thought they were a dull traditional house, being British and all, but it turns out they have a great sense of humor.

10/11/2023

ScentStudio
156 Reviews

ScentStudio

Helpful Review 2

Disappointing...

I am in dire need of a pick me up! We started off so well with the Portraits Set, but I had to go through three florals to get here, to a beloved Amber Vanilla!
Caramel, warm spicy, vanilla, tobacco, salty... What's not to like!

On paper, Changing Constance is giving me Lush fragrance vibes. Simple, not the best quality (sorry, that's the experience I had) and quite frankly, cheap. Constance, why are you doing this to me! We were supposed to finish off big!

Well, there's nothing else to do than try it on skin.
From the whole set, I was looking forward to Changing Constance the most, but I am still reminiscing about Yasmine, which was a far more elegant take on cardamom. Constance is weirdly composed, monotonous, linear, boring. Just a sweet blob on the skin. I am so confused and struggling to describe it.
Where's the caramel? The saltiness? The warm spicy notes? To me, this is as monotone as was Grand Soir, Absolute Aphrodisiac and Angel's Share (if I remember correctly on the latter).
And I stand by my Lush remark.

I'll give it a minute and reapply.
Nothing's changed. What a snooze.
This could be a great layering fragrance though - it is warm and sweet, perfect base for other fragrances that need some depth or sweetness, but alone? It just doesn't do it for me. I need more nuance in a fragrance, especially the ambery and gourmand kind.

Oh well! The boys are up for testing now, which one should I start with?

09/23/2025

Vermillion09
2 Reviews

Vermillion09

3

Beautiful

I'm a guy and I love wearing this in cooler/rainy weather.nnIt really feels like a warm blanket (*expensive blanket).nnI wish performance was a little better but thats a trend with most of the fragrances from the Portraits Collection. Smell amazing but doesnt project. It lasts long on skin and clothes tho. But imo not everything needs to be beast mode, especially not this onennGreat for more intimate and cozy moments like a cafe session or movie nights nnIf you like this, you'll like Minuet et Demi or Magenta Tanzanite but those are a bit stronger, spicier, and harsher. This is just so well blended and delicate

07/30/2025

9Scent 3Longevity 6Sillage

Theia
5 Reviews

Theia

2

Amazing but ephemeral

This smells so incredibly good. Sweet but not a typical gourmand. The cardamom, tobacco and pimento help balance out the salted caramel, which is the main star. The notes unfold one by one, adding a sense of structure and complexity.
Unfortunately, none of this lasts. The scent is completely gone on my skin after only half an hour. A shame, really, because this is one of my favourites by the brand. I'll use up my decant and cry, while reminiscing about our good times together.
Alas, all good things must come to an end.

06/10/2025

10Scent 4Longevity 4Sillage

videogamine
2 Reviews

videogamine

2

Stunning and sweet - but not for long

SEXY caramel, gourmand without too much sweetness. The cardamom and caramel are most of what I get, but I am sensing a hint of the tobacco underneath, adding a little dryness and preventing it from going too buttery and saccharine. Doesn't morph much on the dry down but the throw is definitely low, as seems to be the consensus. Even so, it's so beautiful I'm tempted to pick up a full bottle. Smells like a beautiful woman standing eating a piece of butterscotch - what's not to love?

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