Guirlandes

Indeed, Guirlandes is very similar to Anaïs Anaïs like many people say. But I’d say it’s a mix of Anaïs + Balenciaga Michelle. Maybe a touch of Ysatis as well. Just a drop. This fresh and invigorating, lesser known Carven, takes the green floral aspect of ‘premier parfum’ but amplifies big time the heady white florals. Tuberose and a ghost lily reign supreme here, with a touch of creaminess, the kind that graced everything from Chloé to Michelle, all the way to Ysatis and Jil Sander N°4. It smells and feels more 70’s hazy home catalogue than early 80’s pop block color IKEA furniture. These garlands of flowers mix with hyacinth and specks of galbanum for the green effect, evolving to a heady melange of tuberose primordially and lily secondly. A garden in the city. I see Rome. Maybe because a film that comes to mind seamlessly is Dario Argento’s Tenebrae! Why couldn’t it be displayed among the Hermès and Chloés that grace the opening scene?! And so Guirlandes becomes the peach fuzz sensuality of Anaïs, evolved! Some years older but still a play on innocence/desire. And since I have a very soft spot for Anaïs Anaïs and its close relative Arrogance Femme, I love Guirlandes! Also, for a 90% vol edt, this packs some very serious punches; both in its heady sillage and mesmerizing longevity!

Upon smelling Guirlandes, I immediately was reminded of Cacharel Anais Anais as many seem to be—yet Guirlandes, with its forthright, unsuspicious green and white floweriness, has a more fat and flesh to its florals after the lucid opening stage. This is more tuberose-forward, with soapy lilies filling out the corners. Then further on, I begin to get the impression that it plays with sacred and profane love, for all its seeming innocence. A sensual muskiness lies beyond the prim and pruned fragrant garden, and Guirlandes has the compulsion to flash its bloomers among the blooming things, but it isn't quite so dirty as to expose its naughty bits. This is rated PG-13, but I can just imagine the moue on the face of just about any marshmallow-puff loving young fume-head in 2024 if they were to smell this debutante delight.

Galbanum here is too much,so I can tell that this perfume is just very boring.....

A guileless yet enchanting green floral.

Anais Anais? Well, there is something of Cacharel's 80s massive hit but not quite if you ask me. A bit dated perhaps, a bit overwhelming but really really floral. For me, it is a heavier version of a less-known treasure, Un Jour by Charles Jourdan which I love and is certainly much harder to find. They have similar notes (thank you Fragrantica) but they do not share the same result. They are both bitter, bitter-sweet but Un Jour is more gentle and slightly soapier. Carven's creation is more of a lady's perfume while Un Jour could easily do fine with a man. Definitely a sillage monster. You don't need to apply a lot. It won't go away that easily, so be careful unless you feel like carrying along a garden full of flowers. For Anais Anais lovers, I would recommend Eau de Gucci. It is certainly more synthetical compared to Guirlandes, yet somehow more refined and closer to Cacharel. Italy and France together in a bottle. Bye for now!