I love a good romance, especially my own, which is why Valentine’s Day is so important to me. Sure, it’s just an arbitrary date on the calendar, a lovefest set in the depths of winter, when thoughts of amore can warm a desperate heart, but I consider it important and hate to disappoint. Yet, on this most recent holiday, I came perilously close to doing so.
Only AI could save me.
Gemini’s nose
At first, I thought I’d just run to Macy’s on 34th St. in Manhattan to see if they could match the product or scent. Then I had a spark of affection-based inspiration: I’d ask AI, specifically, Google Gemini.
I have, in recent months, increasingly turned to Gemini for most of my generative AI needs. My thinking is that Google‘s access to the powerful knowledge graph it built makes Gemini’s results richer, deeper, and more accurate. To be fair, I did not try this “scent experiment” with ChatGPT.
I opened Gemini on my iPhone 17 Pro Max, uploaded the two perfume images, and entered this prompt:
Can you recommend a perfume that smells like this perfume balm but is available in the US?
Gemini instantly identified the perfume, calling it a “cult favorite” and opining on its “green floral” profile:
“Specifically, it is built around white tulip, green apple, and sandalwood, with a touch of spicy leather and marine notes.”
To be clear, what I know about perfume and scent notes could fit on the head of a pin, but this sounded accurate. It also aligned with what I know about my wife, who does appreciate bright, crisp (almost apple-like) scents that also remind her of the beach.
Better yet, Gemini also noted how difficult it is to find the scent in US stores, and then it added a useful list of the best possible matches, starting with the closest one, Bryedo – La Tulipe, which apparently has a “fresh, green tulip scent”.
For each suggested replacement scent, Gemini provided the name and a paragraph on “Why it works.” I got five suggestions in all, and this useful table, which included where I could buy the scents.
A lucky break
With this information in hand, I planned to march over to a few luxury stores in the city and see if I could find any of these perfumes. Then, a whiff of serendipity.
TechRadar, the site you’re now reading, is part of a larger media company, Future, which happens to own lifestyle and fashion brands like Marie Claire and Who What Wear. These publications share an office space with us, and annually, they hold a charity sale where they sell off all the beauty samples they’ve received throughout the year, including perfumes.
Standing in front of a shelf full of fragrances, I was frozen with indecision. I had the information Gemini provided on Tamburins replacements, but I could not match them up with any of these boxes and bottles.
So, I took a photo of the shelf and, with no preamble, entered this prompt:
“Are any of these close to the original fragrance?”
Gemini quickly replied:
Based on the scent profile of the Tamburins Lale (Green Apple, White Tulip, Sandalwood), there are a couple of interesting options on that shelf, though none are an exact 1:1 match.
I didn’t even have time to sigh in disappointment, because Gemini instantly followed with details on which scent offered the best “Vibe” match. It settled on Rose Island (honestly, the beachiest-looking bottle) and then explained “Why it’s close” and “The Difference” — where the match isn’t exact.
For every box I photographed and shared, Gemini produced a detailed comparison table with the original scent. Ultimately, the amount of information became overwhelming, and I returned to Gemini’s first choice, Rose Island.
In comparing it to my original scent, Gemini told me Rose Island is more “beachy and aquatic due to sea moss and marine notes.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that those differences might make the perfume even more compelling for my wife.
There was a second choice, the “Granado – Amazônico”. I did like the ornate green box, so, as a backup, I bought that too.
The sweet smell of success
On Valentine’s Day, I presented my wife with a card and the two bottles of perfume. She instantly gravitated toward the beachy vibe of the Nautica – Rose Island, and as soon as she sprayed some on her wrist, she was enchanted.
Naturally, I couldn’t stop myself and told her about Gemini’s assistance. Instead of being annoyed, I think she appreciated the effort and outcome.
Look, I get that Gemini is no substitute for the care and attention you might bring to buying your paramour a gift, but if you start with the idea and use an AI or Gemini like a personal shopping assistant who helps you achieve your goal, I think the gift will come from the right place and stand a fair chance of delivering a smile.
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lance.ulanoff@futurenet.com (Lance Ulanoff)
