Desert Eden

My surprising Summer obsession! I originally tried this scent and the 7 other new "luxury" EL scents last year in the fall when I purchased the deluxe sampler kit. I wasn't wowed by any of them at the time, but they were all pleasant. Because the bottles were so nice, and I'd spent so much money, I of course gave each one multiple chances. By Spring, I'd started to like Desert Rose quite a lot, and I realized that I "needed" a full bottle by May. I purchased the smaller full size [I tend to rotate frags quite a bit, so I never buy the huge bottles]- I have used nearly a third of the bottle now! If most of your favorite fragrances are too heavy and deep for warm weather, Desert Eden is a fantastic seasonal break away that lets you smell sexy and glamorous and mysterious w/o choking people out or being cloying. It dazzles in warm weather especially, and is a great change of pace from the freshie/citrus/jasmine/coconut rut. I don't particularly like smelling like grass or furniture polish, or suntan lotion. Sometimes those fragrances are ok, but they are definitely NOT my faves, and living in a usually hot climate [Sacramento California], it always makes me sad when I have to put my "good" fragrances away by March 1st or so because they just smell awful on hot skin. Along comes Desert Eden, and she is PERFECT. Of course it is a "dry" scent- desert is in the name! Everything around me from May-October is dry and hot, and this fragrance shines in such a setting. It blends perfectly with Mother Nature herself. Are you walking through the woods in the Sierras looking at all the dead undergrowth and worrying about the next fire? This scent calms you. Are you outside in your garden at 10pm watering in the dark so the precious H2O gets a chance to reach the poor plants roots before it evaporates? This scent makes you think that you need to hurry up so you can take a shower and spray more of it on to entice your partner in bed. Are you inside bored as hell because it is the 5th day of a heatwave and you can't be outside for more than an hour w/o risking heat stroke? This sexy warm scent is a happy reminder of Winter, when you get to bring out the big gun perfumes to wear. I love it so much, and it is definitely a fragrance made to be appreciated when it is dry and hot.

I love this perfume. It instantly makes me happy upon first spray. The sandalwood and olibanum are strong but the rose mellows it out in a very elegant, mature way. This combination is my favourite of the moment but I have noticed some other brands are experimenting with the same at the moment. It smells very similar to Tom Ford cafe rose, and Charlotte tilbury cosmic power. It’s on the unisex side for sure but only slightly more feminine (before the dry down). You can tell this was inspired by Arabian fragrances. Edit: this scent is long lasting. Sillage is good for the first hours but doesn’t project far as time goes on. Though in some cases this is okay. The dry down however (after at least 6 hours) does change compared to the initial first few hours. The dried down smell is very dry and genderless and almost no rose is detected. Still a very interesting scent. You are left with dry sandalwood, as if left in a hot desert with 50 years of no rain, with a spread of dry frankincense. Perhaps this is just down to my skin chemistry. I still like this but I do wish the initial scent lasted longer before the change - it just calls for a midday top up to keep the rosy sweetness :)

Blind buy from the brands online store as soon as it got on sale in my area early this year. It sounded really nice and i decided to go for it. Oh. My. Darling. Sweet rose, insane, and peppery sandalwood, all dancing around each other, never quite mixing, and yet working perfectly together. I have yet to figure out which is the dominant smell. On consecutive days of the same temperature, humidity levels, and having eaten and bathed with the exact same things, it smells different: one day it is a sweet rose perfume, followed by smokey incense and just a hint of sandalwood in the back, the next day it's sandalwood scented incense with hints of rose adorning it.... Same exact notes, just different intensities. Absolutely beautiful. Luxurious, and mystical. It lasts way too long on the skin during the colder months, easily reaches 10 hours while holding onto satisfying intensity and good projection. Oh and it is intense. The third day i was wearing it, threw hours after application, my hairdresser was impressed by it and she was double masked!

Desert Eden is, like the other Estée Lauder luxury perfumes, simple and good-quality while familiar. A rich woody-rose scent with an amber base, it is traditional but beautifully formed. It is unisex too, in the way of Middle Eastern perfumery. DE is rose-centred from the opening, initially dewy and increasingly jammy as it develops. It is rich and well-rounded yet somehow light. Woody notes creep in, complementing it beautifully, creating the classic rose bush accord. As it develops, the balsamic base emerges, becoming more prominent as it dries down. The olibanum does not reach full-blown churchy incense vibes, but it provides a beautiful counterpart to the woody rose. It fades to a slightly musky rose scent with the wood and balsamic olibanum giving an almost oud-like effect. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. A beautiful, high-quality rose scent, complemented to perfection by the woody and balsamic notes, DE is for rose lovers of any age or gender. A superb classic rose. 4.5/5.

Initially I was aiming to purchase Tender Light as I enjoy tea fragrances. However, upon smelling the entire EL line, Desert Eden has won me over as an outstanding fragrance that both gives an elegant feeling while wearing it and also probably the best longevity from the lineup. Yeah, it is maybe not be the most unique blend. But it does not have to be. Because the rose and frankincense combo here is well crafted, divine, elegant and does not cause fatigue when worn all day long (unlike almost all other rose+incense samples that I have and by hour two of wearing them I grow tired). Actually, it is fresh but with a substance due to the frankincense and sandalwood. It does get that myrrh, almost coca-cola sparkle and that’s what makes it more modern and not stuffy. majority of frags from this line, regrettably, are a let down. A couple are OK. But this one shines and I do regret only purchasing a 40ml bottle instead of the 100ml. My jacket still smells of this 20hrs later. Divine. Signature worthy.

All I can say is wow! This is definitely a feminine fragrance to my nose. At first spray, she is sweet, a little heady, definitely gives a bit of a punch to the back of the nose. Slightly powdery, a little fiz, which gives a tickle of the nostrils as you take a deap breath. The Olibanam is the first thing you smell, and the rose is in the wings, patiently waiting for her time to shine. The 2 mix beautifully. As the fragrance settles, this beautiful, pink, luscious rose takes centre stage. Enveloping around the body like a silk negligee, caressing every curve. Soft, but powerful, delicate but strong. She is a contradiction. She is sensual and refined. This is a classy fragrance, one more suited to a woman who knows how to be feminine, elegant and powerful. Maybe a little bit of a tease... a woman who can dress with class, but will flash that stocking top as she crosses her legs. I absolutely adore this fragrance. It is my new signature, I hope they never discontinue this beauty.

Like most of Estee Lauder’s Luxury Fragrance collection, I suspect there’s more going on than just three notes. Desert Eden’s composition is led by a somewhat smoky and multifaceted frankincense note that fuses with the sandalwood into one, full-bodied accord. A deep, rich, softly spicy Turkish rose flirts and mingles beautifully with the frankincense-sandalwood. Desert Eden doesn’t conform to what I expect in a fragrance composed of rich, dark notes. It doesn’t hang heavily around the wear like one would expect. There is no thick scent cloud here. Instead, the sillage forms feather-light wisps and tendrils around the wearer. I like having a fragrance with dark, deep notes that behaves like a much lighter scent. The lack of olfactory heaviness makes it wearable almost anywhere and in any season. Although it lasts for several hours, it is easy to forget I’m wearing it as it is unobtrusive. Still, it is very beautiful with a unique personality.

Desert Eden is a sensual, rose/sandalwood perfume with a woody twist. Perfect for a summer garden party or wedding. Effortless elegance, sophistication and luxury I see a woman who have an understated sense of style yet she always gets you right between the eyes. Natural, whipped, light and perfectly blended creamy sandalwood rose, maybe the olibanum makes it that much more creamy and smooth. Stunning rose, nothing mature or vintage. The rose here smells like the rose in Oud Ispahan! There’s no Oud in this at all. It’s a luxurious and sophisticated rose and my current favourite rose is Atomic Rose and Diptyque Eau Rose. At the perfect biting point so those who doesn’t like rose could enjoy this. Also, those who doesn’t care for floral/sugary sweet scents. This lasts for ages and it projects! 8/10. I would repurchase and 100% recommends.

I can see in the comments below that it is a polarising fragrance. And there’s no better way to make an entrance! I’m on the side that loves this one and use it as one of my everyday fragrances because of the complements I get. This is a complex rose accord with fruity and citrusy undertones. It’s a bit harsh to start with but then it calms down influenced by the creamy sandalwood, notes of orris and violets which are not a dominant ingredient but you’ll notice how powdery and oily the base appears to be at the drydown because of this marriage. Then the brilliant use of frankincense that corresponds so well with the citrusy opening of the damascene rose accord. It brings the balsamic weight and vanilic sweetness. It’s not as simple as it appears and it steals hearts. 9/10

When I read the notes and description, I knew this was the one I wanted to try the most out of the entire EL Luxury collection. It was a love at first sniff for me. Anne Flipo absolutely captured her inspiration of being in an ancient temple with this one. I grew up in Thailand and this fragrance reminds me of mixed floral bouquets during Buddhist celebrations on a warm day with a hint of incense in the background. The incense is very light and is a smooth light powdery scent. I can see this becoming a very comforting all year scent for me. Perfect for every day, office and even special occasion wear. It makes me feel feminine and put together.

This is a gorgeous signature scent to me. I'm surprised it has more negative than positive reviews. It reminds me of Santal Royal especially in the opening but with a more prominent jammy rose. This is an elegant scent and i dont find it as dry as some YTbers said it is. If you're used to creamy white florals and fruity florals, you may not like this. If you're a rose & sandalwood lover, you may feel it's nothing new. I love the rose note. Sandalwood, not so much but I really like this perfume. Suitable for everyday use IMO. The sillage is intimate- moderate so you won't feel like your scent is slapping people. Well blended for sure.

This is my favourite in the line - a luxurious sophisticated hypnotic regal rose supported by wood and incense. Deep, exotic and tantalizing. It is just as effective as the more expensive rose/oud/incense fragrances without being bombastic and pretentious. I am a guy and I find it totally wearable and unisex. Having said that, the line is being discontinued. I was at an EL store today and noticed most of the Luxury Collection moved to the "last chance" clearance section. I spoke to the EL Co SA and she confirmed that Desert Eden along with others was being discontinued and now is the time to buy a bottle if you ever considered it.

Gorgeous fruity juicy rose to start that manages to be transparent and very present. The sweetness is sweet/tart with that slightly tangy kick. Tinkling around it are warm spicy touches and a woodiness that becomes more apparent with time. The rose is always present but the spiciness and that tangy, now amber edge, stays the course. For me the rose never gets too heady or syrupy. It’s not a fluffy rose and not a feminine one either. Smack bang unisex. I’m enjoying how airy all the scents in this line are but also, how well they wear and project. Solid. My 4ml mini spray of this needs to become a full one. Truly beautiful.

I really hate being the first reviewer of a scent here, but I figured someone wants to know, right? This one is a very fluffy, powdery sandalwood with a floral background. I dont get rose specifically, just a soft pink floral to round out the powdery sandalwood. There is a very soft incense behind it all, not a heavy incense as some others in my collection- this whole scent is very soft and powdery overall. This one may not be "groundbreaking" but it is very pleasant and wearable (and long lasting!)- especially if youre into the dryer powdery woods type scents. I may get a bottle.

I had gotten a sample of this around the release time and absolutely fell in love with it. A few years later I went to the el website and I couldn't member the name but only the notes and I couldn't find in anywhere and gave up. Later I couldn't take it any more and actually went searching for it and finally found it again. The first time i smelled it again it was so nostalgic and it really took me back to 2021. Personally I love the confident vibe I get when I put this on, it makes me want to put on my best outfit and dress up really nice.

Bought the small wonders set... Tes it on my skin, 1 parfume every night... I must admit, this is one of my favourite out of the collections. It smells so good on my skin, I like how the rose and sandalwood mixing together.... It's a classy, elegant parfume. Would love to buy the full bottle... I would suggest people to go with their small wonders set, all of it smells soooo beautiful, soooo wonderful... I would love to buy another miniature of small wonders set for my collections

Mesmerizing. It opens freshly and rosy, sharply rosy due to the incense. But it’s fresh and airy. Then it calms down into a mesmerizing sandalwoody scent. It’s not rosy nor airy anymore but sandal powdery and tender. I can only detect rose and a bit incense/olibanum at the opening but very classy and elegant and feminine and so that it doesn’t act dominant as in a masculine scent. Worth the blind buy. I was tense on that one. My first EL try.

This perfume is unique (to me) and gorgeous. To my nose, there is a camphorous opening that I am enjoying. It is very soft but I’m not around anyone so I couldn’t tell you if it radiates. The camphor recedes about 10 minutes in on my skin. A dry, woody rosiness comes to the forefront. It isn’t sweet but it isn’t dry, either. I am enjoying the sample set I got. I will have to wear it more to decide if I need a full bottle.

This is literally magic; captivating even if you don’t care much for rose, the resin and sandalwood help mellow and spice it up but this is just creamy gorgeous heavenly MAGIC! Especially for sandalwood lovers, but I just treated and got a refill on clearance at my local frag shop under $40 for a 100ml so score!! Couldn’t be happier!! ☺️💃🏻✨Try it! N easily unisex in best most balanced way!

I absolutely love this perfume. It’s refined, elegant and so easy to wear in hot and cold weather, day and night. It’s a linear scent which I really enjoy. I can smell creamy rose sandalwood and it’s just perfect. Less is more done right. I would say longevity is above average but not super lasting 6-8 hours and after the sixth hour it’s a skin scent.