Bijou Romantique

I avoided Bijou Romantique after a first test, dismissing it because it seemed so conventional, so safe and likeable. There was no slightly "off" note like in most ELdO's, nothing caught the nose as being remarkable. At least nothing that could justify the high pricetage (compared to other ELdO's). Such a thing might still be lacking to my nose, but after a closer examination I found that I adore this gorgeous fragrance that envelops the wearer in billowing layers of plush vanillic benzoin. Bijou Romantique opens with a bright opening of lime en pink pepper but right at the start the vanilla is present. The heart is dominated by the same unsweetened coconut that is used in Fils de Dieu by the same brand. Some lime laces through the coconut, brightening the fragrance. Then caramelised benzoin appears, with hints of creamy rich ylang-ylang and powdery iris. There's a white chocolate vibe at times, creamy and chewy. Rooty vetiver blends with the benzoin to create a smoky effect, ensuring that the fragrance does not become too sweet. What I like best about this frangrance is the fact that it manages to be both fluffy powdery and rich creamy. It's something that I also admire about Chanel N°5, although N°5 smells nothing like Bijou Romantique. Yes, Bijou Romantique is a very close relative of Shalimar, but there are differences. Shalimar has a gorgeous animalic note, while Bijou is very clean (but not uncomfortably so) and more modern. The darker facets in Bijou are thanks to caramelised sugar and earthy vetiver, while Shalimar boosts a great leather. I love both, but I prefer the more girly, less serious Bijou Romantique. A wonderful homage to a great classic, but full of humor, just like we're used to with Etat Libre d'Orange.

From the Etat Libre d'Orange US Site: Translation: Precious Gem Inspiration: This is a portrait of a real lady, painted in beautiful warm shades of pink pepper, creamy ylang-ylang, and soft powdery iris enveloped in vanilla. She can be seen in the feminine cameo, in the soft, delicate profile, in the dreamy image of an incandescent beauty. She is a jewel. Like the proverbial woman of virtue, her price is far above rubies or pearls. Revelation: We couldn’t have picked a better fragrance to celebrate Mother's Day than this Precious Gem. Queens for all days, this day is just extra special. Whether you have one mom to spoil or multiple generations of Queens to celebrate, give them a gift, that keeps on giving. She is both retro and modern at heart. She is soft and she is strong. She requires a scent with notes that come together in unexpected ways. The opening of bergamot mingles with peppery ylang-ylang dipped in coconut milk; the golden amber with a touch of tangy sage caresses delicate iris petals. After a few hours on skin, the fragrance settles into the familiar texture of leather bag interior, warm and suede-like with a resinous touch of vanilla and earthy patchouli. Treat her well, as She is a Gem, and she is Precious.

I'm not getting the comparison to Shalimar here. Shalimar for me is and always has been a very masculine perfume. I do not care for it. Bijou Romantique on the other hand is quite nice, very feminine and easy going unlike Shalimar. All the elements here blend in perfect harmony to create a very nice vanilla perfume, a vanilla that stays light, fun, and easy to wear year round but doesn't become foody. Warm benzoin grounds this light and fun vanilla coconut perfume and keeps it from becoming tropical. The sage here keeps it from becoming too heavy. Slightly herbal, slightly floral, slightly coconut w/ a lovely vanilla warmth that is quite addictive to this vanilla skeptic. I really like this the more I smell it. This is the type of perfume that is called huggable. People will want to hug you when you wear this. You will project a friendliness and warmhearted nature when wearing this. Just upgraded this to a love and I never do that w/ vanilla perfumes. Love this. If you want people to feel comfortable around you, wear this highly likeable perfume.

I happened upon a sample of this when I ordered samples of the more popular "Like This" and "Putain de Palaces" from the same house. This one ended up being a LOVE, in fact, it was my favorite. Someone below mentioned this being reminiscent of the 80's and I agree. At first application, it immediately transported me back to being a preteen and wearing the original Love's Baby Soft" although it doesn't really share any notes. I think it's more the feeling/vibe I had at that time, which was pure, innocent happiness. Lip smackers, wax lip candy & hope for the future. After the initial "Love's" vibe, the ylang-ylang, vanilla & benzoin stayed at the forefront for me. A coworker passed my office & exclaimed, "OMG, someone smells SO good. This scent made me happy in a nostalgic 80's way. Not loud 80's perfumes, but smells of the 80's and a happy time in my life. I want a FB of this, so I can recapture that feeling anytime. It's fantastic!

OOOOoooh! Yum This is gorgeous. Not exactly like Shalimar or the Kenzo Amour le Parfum but some shared notes. Its sweet but more spicey than the Kenzo and not vanillary or leathery enough to be Shalimar. Im puzzled by anyone seeing a similarity with Memo Manoa. Manoa is an oppopanax beast where as here it's just one component! BR is softer and more powdery than any of these three. Very feminine and pretty. I can see why people call it more of a classic fragrance but its got more than that. I think its the clary sage which makes the difference. Clary sage is used in Aromatherapy for lifting the spirits. Its bright, very aromatic and it can be piercing if not used well. You have the classic combo of benzoin, vanilla. iris, coconut, ylang ylang and then the twist from the clary sage. Clary sage is evident after 30 mins or so and takes this scent out of the predictable. Very ELdO. Moderate sillage and longevity.

No longer on the Eldo website it seems. Perhaps discontinued or being reformulated. Sad because I have a small bottle which comes in the generic design. I was going to purchase a larger size when I was done with the 1oz, which has a more beautiful and fitting label. Now on to the scent. This is not for the faint of heart or those that enjoy light and fresh. This is a beast imo. Long lasting so much so that I will smell it after a full 10 hour day of work. It’s a resinous, sweet, powder bomb. I can smell the citrus and sage, and iris. Those give the perfume it’s “vintage” feel. But even with the vintage elegance, it’s surprisingly modern and youthful. I love to wear this when I’m dressing in a vintage style, or I’m feeling extra ladylike. Overall a beautiful composition that I hope isn’t getting discontinued.

I have the full collection of samples from Etat Libre d'Orange now and this is one of five fragrances I purchased a larger bottle of, as it is truly lovely. (The other scents I bought are Fils de Dieu, Vierges et Toreros, and for men in my family: Tom of Finland as well as Je suis un Homme). Bijou Romantique is warm, rich, comforting in the winter, utterly elegant, and it keeps the rounded feeling and polish throughout its dry-down period. It does have the vanilla, but works for me though I am not usually a fan of gourmand scents. Perhaps it is because the vanilla is well grounded in benzoin, giving it a sandalwood impression, and is elevated by the hint of florals. I wear this (applied lightly) to work and it softens my day.

The clary sage is so prominent in the opening, along with citrus, but these completely fade into the background if not disappear. The dry down, for me, smells like incense and oatmeal soap. Creamy, clean, spiced, kinda mature and comforting, but a lil spooky too. It’s simultaneously dark & dusty and sweet & creamy. Longevity is good, I can spray it in the crook of my arm and wake up the next day and still smell it clearly. I sprayed this in my hair and met up with my mom at the no kings protest, and she said I smelled like root beer (in a good way). But I think I may have also been layering it with African Leather

I see the word "plush" ha been mentioned below - that is Bijou Romantique in a nutshell. If this perfume was a colour - it would be a dusky burgandy pink. If this perfume was a garment it would be a vintage satin ballgown, made of crushed satin with layers of softest tulle petticoats underneath. Glamourous but not restrictive. The opening is slightly rough - with spicy pepper and some citrus, but then the fuzzy roar of sweet vanillic benzoin and ylang ylang takes over. The vetiver and clary sage stops it getting too sweet and sickly. Long lasting, and equally at home as a cozy scent or out on the town. Fabulous.

I still find it hard to believe my luck that I managed to grab this beauty after it was already long discontinued. It's a gem, pure witchcraft. It's sweet without being cloying, heavily floral yet it makes your feet light and you want to dance until sunrise, there's dark poetic vanilla which probably is actually benzoin. I don't know whether it's classic or modern, and I don't care. Bijou Romantique simply makes me go crazy. In case you are unfamiliar with Etat Libre D'Orange, I'd like to encourage you to research its offerings. Great value, I'd say, and interestingly different perfumes. No flankers.

I've been lusting after this fragrance for awhile....finally bought it. Its just BEAUTIFUL. I almost feel like it shouldn't be an ELDO creation because of its timeless beauty...it could be easily mistaken for a Guerlain in my opinion. Rich, powdery, floral. Not challenging in the slightest. Heavy on the Ylang-ylang, iris and benzoin. I'd wear this on a day trip somewhere, possibly a wedding. Slightly formal. Reminiscent of an easier to wear and slightly more modern Shalimar. Probably better in slightly cooler weather. I could see it being overpowering in the heat.

Sexy, sweet, powdery deliciousness! For me, it invokes pictures of a 1920’s burlesque dancer, sitting at her antique dressing mirror, doing her makeup and hair, getting ready for tonight’s big show. It has such a sultry quality about it! I’m usually not out on powdery notes but the iris rounds like out in such an elegant way and lends itself perfectly with the sweetness of the vanilla and warmth of the benzoin. It has such a cozy quality about it! Powerhouse longevity and projection as well! I’m really thinking of adding a FB to my collection!

questa fragranza,come tutte le altre di Etat libre d'orange,mi ha lasciato una senzazione unica sulla pelle,meno animalesca di Putain des palaces,meno dolce di Noel au balcon,ma assolutamente più raffinata e non scontata. Bijou Romantique è un'opera d'arte olfattiva...che valorizza la tua bellezza,ed emana una sicurezza sessuale. La bellissima iris di Firenze,regala al profumo un'aroma retrò. Durata eccellente,sulla pelle,nei capelli,scia incantevole. E'quello che mancava nella mia collezione personale di Etat libre D'Orange.

How fantastic is it when the fragrance delivers spot ON what the name implies!! This is so lovely and sublime. The way this is crafted so seamlessly actually prohibits me from deciphering it properly; at least well enough to suitably describe it here. I still struggle to describe the obvious! All I know is this feels on my skin like an elegant and languid jewel that's been warmed in the sun. I've worn this sample three times now and each occasion solidifies my resolve to make this a part of my collection. I really love this.

I love this fragrance! A kind of modern interpretation of Shalimar, a lovely oriental powdery perfume with some flowery, spicy and musky tones. Very reassuring and confortable to wear, elegant as well as sensual, Bijou Romantique opens on slightly fresh top nots (lavender and bergamot), twisted by a spicy touch (pinkpeppercorn) and becomes very round, with white floral heart notes, on a bed of vanilla, labdanum, and patchouly. Great trail and longlasting on skin.

Mmm, this scent is very sweet and powdery in the best possible way, so feminine and smooth! Reminds me of Diptyque Volutes + distinctive etatlibreade (I mean this characteristic ELdO's set of notes closer to the base). Although there is neither incense nor tobacco listed as parts of the composition, I do feel both. There's leather, too (as an integral ingredient of the etatlibreade). Another great one from ELdO, bravo!

I realy enjoy wearing it... reminds me of a copy-cat perfume made to simulate Dior’s Poison that I actually wore during late 1980’s... may carry the risk of being sentenced to be “generic” or so.. any way, I disliked the connotation that it reminded of Shalimar! the latter to my nose is a pure vanilla.. This perfume must preserve its quality and great ingredients, and it will be a landmark in perfume world.

Definitely Shalimar adjacent, especially at the opening. Powder, resin, and vanilla linger in the dry down. Sage and Iris there but subtle. To me, this is an updated take on fragrances like Emeraude or Shalimar. I absolutely love it - it's beautiful, full of warmth and spice. Has decent sillage and is pretty good for lasting. If you like Shalimar or Musc Ravageur you will probably like this too.

I'm getting both a Shalimar and a L'Instant vibe from this on me. A blend of the two, with a small dash of Anne Pliska sprinkled in. Modern powdery Chypre, with some gourmand yumminess. I adore this scent and it undulates on my skin with all it's nuances. From first spray to dry down, this is all a delightful ride. I'm getting myself a big bottle.

My favourite from those I have sampled from the ELD’O range. Not quite Shalimar, remove the complex benzoin opening and Shalimar’s smokiness and replace it with candied orange rind and you’re almost there. I really like it, it’s syrupy and delicious without being sweet, and it projects and lasts well, recommended. Thanks for reading.