Tigerlily Perfumery

Probably the warmest and friendliest perfume boutique I’ve visited. They carry a nice mix of local stuff and hard to find niche companies. But it’s really the customer service that would keep me coming back. Best of all they have a good selection of vintage bottles of extinct formulas for you to smell. My personal favorites were Habit Rouge and Shiseido’s Femininite du Bois, in that weird original bottle. A great find for nerds and novices alike!

You probably don’t need to go search for Unilocal!reviews before you go looking for fragrances, but it can’t hurt. I adore this tiny, well curated shop. They have such a lovely selection of fragrances and oils that you don’t see in other places. Antonia, the owner will explain the stories behind all the different perfumers, where they’re from, how they got into perfume making. If you’re into a certain scent or blend, she will pick out 5 or 6 others with similar characteristics for you to try. I love it and can’t wait to go back and see how things change as they expand! And I’m hooked on 3 or 4 new fragrances that I MUST have. ASAP!

So, I’m not gonna lie. I shot the official Tigerlily website photos, and I am one big fan of this store — but really, of Antonia.
Antonia is a story-​teller, and in this space, the stories she tells are of scent and their creators. She curates an exciting and exquisite-​smelling collection of perfumes, and she will draw you into the creation story of each one.
I’ve been in… too many times, and still haven’t smelled everything: she regularly gets new arrivals, and the shop is well-​merchandised, with products changing place so that you can notice and smell something different during each visit.
Antonia and her current sales associate Ashley are both great at finding you perfumes you will love. There is only Antonia working most of the time, so don’t be shy: she gives a lot of attention to each customer, but really wants to help each person who comes in to find his or her perfect perfume. I was a little intimidated the first time I popped my head in, but Antonia made the effort to say hello and draw me out. I told her that I like smoky, peaty, woodsy, sap, oud, campfire notes but not leather: basically like a great peaty Scotch Whiskey, and she pointed me in all the correct directions. I watch her do it with everyone.
Through the shop, I found a great line that I am in LOVE with, and since I am lucky enough to live close by, I can pop in and smell something new and great on the regular. It’s a friendly-​vibin’ place; I’ve sat and listened to customers being shown around and educated, and have smelled and learned about perfumes I would not have otherwise.
Speaking of education, there are regular workshops and events put on, I hope to hit up a workshop some day!
All in all, an excellent addition to Valencia Street, definitely a perfume-lover’s destination. I think it’s world-​class, AND they are generous with the samples.

Antonia will make you a believer! She is so knowledgeable, patient and approachable, and she made picking out a new scent a complete blast, despite the fact that I had zero idea what I wanted or liked.
Not only did I walk out of Tigerlily with a new, obscure perfume that I adore and smells wonderful on me, I feel like I learned something and have a new appreciation for perfumes. Now if only I could justify buying that $ 250 bottle of Pichola I fell in love with…

Antonia is the real deal. I’m very carefully curatorial about the perfume shops I visit as so much of the experience is in the expertise of the staff (otherwise, just order it online for half the price). Antonia is both passionate and knowledgeable and genuinely enthusiastic for you to find the right scent. Going into her store was the highlight of my day.

First know that I went to Grasse in France which is the perfume capital. I love the magic that goes into wonderfully blended performs and eau de cologne. So I was excited to visit Tigerlily Perfumery both in their old popup location and in their boutique.
The perfume shop is like one of those great old school San Francisco boutiques we need more of, with an incredible assortment of perfumes from all over the world, from all different types of parfumers (both larger brands and very small, obscure brands).
And it’s all laid out in a really fun sort of curio shop type design that delights you as you move from antique table to shelf to sofa exploring both men’s cologne (delightful for women too) and women’s scents.
I bought an adorable box, that looked like an old time book, filled with small eau de cologne bottles that was a perfect «first perfume» gift for a girl. There are lots of funky and delicious scents at the lower end up to fine (and expensive) scents.
If you’re into the vintage /​artisan /​craft movement in clothing and food, try adding perfume to your mix.
The owner is very cool and it’s fun to learn about scents and sensability.
ps after I left a party there I smelled like a French whore house, in a good way.

Tigerlily is fantastic. Antonia runs the show and she showcases niche perfumers with a big focus on perfumers based in SF + Pacific NW. If you’re into sweet fragrances that you find at department stores or Sephora, this is not the place for you. However, if you want a unique smell, this is your go to place! I’m a perfume nerd and wish I could come in here and sniff around all day and chat with Antonia.
I recently dragged my BF in here to get him a man scent. Antonia helped us out extensively despite being pulled in many different directions by several customers. Every scent has a story (especially in the niche perfume world), and Antonia made sure to communicate all the stories behind everything we were smelling. We were in there for a couple hours and by the end of it, my boyfriend was all like «this is so much fun, thank you Antonia!». If I can get my boyfriend to hang out in a shop for a couple hours and call it fun, you know it’s a win.
Also, If you’re just getting into scents, perfume has 3 phases: the top notes (which you smell right away), the middle notes (which are revealed after the top notes fade away — it can take a few minutes or a few hours), and the basenotes or «dry down» (this is the scent that’s left after a few hours of being on your skin). You can love the top notes of a fragrance, but hate the dry down or vice versa. Give scents a shot by letting it marinate on your skin for a while to see how it develops on YOU. Sip some sparkling wine and hangout for a minute. Also, Antonia will give you samples, if you ask.
Giving the fragrance time to develop on you will ensure you get something you love and I’m positive you’ll find something that you can’t possibly live without at Tigerlily!
Lastly, sign up for the mailing list or like Tigerlily on Facebook to find out about special events. She’s able to regularly get amazing perfumers to come into the store and showcase their scents. There’s always free drinks and it’s a lot of fun!
For the scent nerds, a few of the brands at Tigerlily:
Andy Tauer
Yosh
CB I Hate Perfume
Amouge
Olympic Orchids
Shelley Waddington
Bruno Fazollari
Imaginary Authors
i profumi di firenze
Au Pays de la Fleur d’Oranger
McMc Fragrances