Shem - el- Nessim

What can i say about such a beauty...Grossmith is probably my favourite house right now, and i have sampled amouage, mcdi, serge lutens.... and this is by far the most beautiful well done fragrances i have ever tried, and i have the pleasure to own one and i can't wait to get the other 2 (betrothal is too pricey for me right now...so i didn't even try it). It is rich (one of the richest i ever tried), deep, perfectly balanced, noticeable but not loud like black orchid or poison, it rather stays warmly close to the skin. About the scent itself...you can really tell these fragrances have a long story behind them and that they come from a different era. They are "haute société" lady scents and you can really tell. It's a bouquet of flowers, not a huge bouquet, just few of the best, most exquisite flowers of the garden specially and carefully chosen (after all these 3 fragrances of the line are inspired in gardens of the most exotic places of the world). It has a powdery quality, not exagerated like in YSL Paris or Caron's N'Aimez Que Moi, just a hint of powder embracing the natural not too sweet flowers, kind of remembering times when one wouldn't shower daily, and would use tons of powder instead. The flowers also have a creamy quality that makes them lay and melt int he skin softly. As it developes, the soft creamy base of vanilla starts to appear, as a delicate bed in which the powdery flowers lay. As said, this is a strong scent (i mean that it is not an eau de toilette..ore one of those that hardly have any silage) but not loud, so it lays softly in the skin. It does not have a crazy projection neither...this is soft and elegant, an intimate luxurious fragrance that talks and whispers in short distances..a jewel that waits elegantly there to be discovered by the others, like a pearl hidden inside the oyster. The longevity is amazing, and there you can really tell that this is HIGH quality. This fragrance stays until you take a shower int he skin...longevity is endless, and it doesn't need to be a super loud fragrance like poison to stay there for hours and hours..nah...we are talking about a masterpiece! it will stay calmly and softly developing it's aroma there until you wash it off. And this has only happened to m with this brand and amouage..the rest of fragrances that have such an amazing silage it is because they are extremly loud, like a lady that wears extremly make up and minidreses because she wants to be desperately noticed...no..here we are talking about royalty...Sem-el-Nessim would be that amazingly beautiful courtesan, pure elegance and grace, that sits quietly a bit apart form the crowd. 10/10..just perfection

After having reviewed the old world beauties that are Hasu-no-Hana and Phul-Nana, Shem-el-Nessim completes the trilogy of Grossmith's resurrected century-old classics. Painstakingly re-composed with the help of the original handwritten formulas, these perfumes are opulent, vintage-style beauties - true heritage items from the British perfume world. Shem-el-Nessim is reminiscent of vintage Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, particularly at its opening - they share a neroli-dominant opening, as well as a heart led by a powdery iris-heliotrope accord, laced with spices. The original SeN predates L'Heure Bleue - but both are apparently copies of Coty L'Origan, a groundbreaking spicy floral that ironically is the only one to not survive. SeN has a citrus opening, with the aforementioned neroli note most dominant - giving a beautiful green-tinged orange-floral quality to the early stages. Other florals creep in, notably sweet, heady ylang ylang and powdery iris. The iris smells more like orris butter than the rooty floral note, adding rich, powdery depth to the heart. Rose follows, also powdery, complemented by green, peppery geranium. Carnation adds warm clove-like spice, and almond-like heliotrope brings up the rear. It becomes softly woody and musky as it dries down, with dry, dusty vanilla adding some sweetness. As is the case with L'Heure Bleue, the heliotrope-vanilla accord here makes it feel like a precursor to the modern gourmand. The spices remain, fading to a musky, spicy skin scent after a time. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. It is feminine-leaning and best worn in autumn/winter evenings. A beautiful, classical perfume made with high-quality ingredients, this is another opulent, baroque creation from Grossmith. However, it is not FBW for me as long as I have vintage L'Heure Bleue, but SeN is a worthy alternative that is equally good. 4.5/5.

Simply a masterpiece and it's still a great lesson of high perfumery also, cleverly re-done by an expert such as Mr Roja Doves. The opening reminds me very clearly my beloved l'Heure Bleu, even though it is said that it takes also after to 'Coty's L'Origan (but I've never chanced to meet the latest, unfortunately!) which was of the same period. It has so many different evolutions that it would be really unwise trying to describe them all as I'm sure it reacts differently on each skin. I've always thought that these kind of phenomenons could only be re-discovered in Versailles's Osmoteque or lived in the memories of old ladies. It was love at first "sight".... a little "bit" expensive though I believe it worths every cent but....I'm sure the ingredients must be top quality, after all. Excellent persistence also! I've still mouillettes keeping the fragrance after one year or so. This is my only doubt: when I start using it and consequently getting accustumed not say addicted to this wonder, how can I go back to my previous ones? as Sharm el Nessim has no rivals! I wonder how brilliant and great must have been the original version! Sometimes I regret to be "young" as I wish I would have lived during the Belle Epoque only to know how exactly all those superb creations - released at that time- could smell .

The Gilded age grace of Shem-el-Nessim transports one to the grandeur of the period—billowing leg of mutton sleeves, sleek hour glass shapes, stiff high-collars, top hats and gloves. There is an Edwardian finesse to it, suggesting contemplative inactivity while bathed in the golden glow of sunlight. It has an opalescence to it that differs it from the matte melancholy of L'Heure Bleue and the pearly powder orange hue of L'Origan. One highlight here is the satisfying synergy that comes with neroli laid over orris, like a glistening orb and its ghostly after-image. Geranium and ylang also is a stimulating coupling—what would otherwise be considered a Mutt and Jeff of sorts ends up having such a chemistry, each softening into the other like a passionate embrace. The clove-spiced heliotrope, a voyeur of sorts, peeks through, but doesn't muscle its way into the scene to steal its radiance. For a phrase or two, Shem-el-Nessim straddles between heady and soft, but in due time, it melts down to the poshest powder of its Florentine iris and a cool, musky bitter almond vanilla cream. Wearing it warms the cockles of my heart.

A brighter, more camphoraceous iris perfume in the line of Hiris (which is milkier, dull somehow but not in a bad way, dull like scuffed--or like unshined silver, and smoother / not camphoraceous at all) but even more multifaceted and exuberant, like a stained glass window to Hiris's muted indoor light. Both are super satisfying perfumes imo. Also, Shem el Nessim is more "blue" where L'Origan by Coty is more "orange" and Shem has no discernable anise which is what always annoyed me a bit with L'Heure Bleue. I love the odor space this one, Shem, sits in or exists in (together with L'Origan and L'Heure Bleue). I guess neroli / orange blossom figures heavily in all three perfumes, shining brightly against the orris root. Shem el Nessim is truly mysterious (a fellow sniffer says "otherworldly" and I agree) and a truly exciting and very solidly elegant perfume. For me the best of both L'Origan and L'Heure Bleue combined, embellished and adding up to something distinctly magical.

Such a gorgeous classic!! I completely agree with fenlady here..an absolute perfume treasure..The likeliness to L'heure Bleue is what made me love Shem instantly:) It s thick, powdery, plush, voluminous, rosey. The sharpness in the beginning fades luckily away quite quickly so that s when the powdery earthy rooty iris kicks in, and such a lovely Iris this is..not the carotty one like Hiris or Iris Silver Mist, no a very attention demanding Iris root extract that reminds you of times that must have been there..but you never could travel back to..:) If I could I would take Shem with me in a time travel machine to go back to those french perfumey times where you took a bath in fragrances instead of washing with water:) Really if you re a fan of the "old" ladylike high attitude fragrances you should give Shem el Nessim a try..sounds ARabic to me but smells utterly french:) Not everybody could and should love such a gem, so ladys, let s keep it for ourselfes and admire it.

Shem-el-Nessim does remind me of L'Heure Bleue due to the intensive heliotrope and vanilla, yet I like it because it doesn't contain the overdose of methyl ionone that is so strong in the modernized L'Heure Bleue, a note that I don't care for. On my skin L'Heure Bleue becomes grape kool-aid. Shem-el-Nessim also doesn't have the heavy anise in Apres L'Ondee that can sometimes be overwhelming in that perfume when you want to wear something soft and sweet and powdery. So this perfume reminds me somewhat of those two classics, yet I much prefer it to both of them. The spiciness of the geranium really pulls it together and keeps it from becoming cloying, as many sweet, powdery scents tend to do. There's also a patchouli that develops in the drydown that adds earthiness and a lovely musk note. The sillage on this is very soft, so I can see myself wearing it as a late evening, before bedtime perfume. It's also very relaxing and sensual. Quite a beauty!

What a beautiful name. It would infer a scent that is warm, dry and airy. I find this a beautiful, intense rich scent. High quality and beautifully presented. The best of the best. It might have been inspired by a certain American fragrance but it has stood the test of time. It smells rich and expensive. My first thought was Guerlain Lheure blue. Did Guerlain copy Grossmith or Coty. Who knows! It doesn't evolve much on my skin. Normally the citrus top notes quickly fade but it takes time here. The ylang and the geranium make the iris sing whilst the base notes add a warm, almost cuddly element. Wear this with a cashmere jumper or dress and they won't want to let you go after moving in to embrace you. Not bad longevity and sillage. This is a classy, timeless scent and one of my top 20. I wish sometimes I could travel back in time to hear what the Georgians thought of this beauty when it was first launched. It would have been quite revolutionary.

OMG this is gorgeous. Ethereal, Delicate, Exquisite Floral fit for a Princess in Springtime. Opens with a smooth rush of neroli over bergamot quickly followed by a regal, non-greasy, elegant orris, a delicately sweetened ylang, a touch of warm, spicy geranium brushed lightly over a non-indolic jasmine with a shower of fresh feminine rose petals. Everything floats in a weightless celestial dream on the gentle hazy wings of a perfectly balanced restrained powdery heliotrope like an angel's cradle. The tender base of light sandalwood and cedar anchor things seamlessly woven through a restrained vanilla to smooth everything, a feathery musk which adds a bit of organic plushiness without weight, and just a touch of patchouli giving earthy feeling of grounding without smothering any of the ethereal florals. A really heavenly bouquet here. I adore this. Truly one of the most beautiful perfumes I have ever encountered.

Orris is one of my favourite notes of all time, and this right here is orris heaven. Shem-el-Nessim or, ‘smelling the breeze’, takes you to a summer festival on the Nile in 1906, a celebratory affair rife with beautiful flowers wafting their scent downstream. Words cannot describe how stunning this is. This perfume is just so buttery smooth - the dense, powdery facets of the orris are elevated by heliotrope and ylang. Which is then furthered by creamy sandalwood and soft vanilla. There’s an airy freshness coming from the white florals, alongside a sort of salty sharpness from the geranium. The composition may be simple, but it’s an absolute masterpiece. This is easily my favourite Grossmith fragrance, and one of the best uses of orris I’ve ever smelled. The fact that this is 118 years old astounds me, especially since it smells better than 90% of what’s being released today. I must own this masterpiece soon.

Shem-el-Nessim ("smell the breeze") is a reconstruction of a 1906 floral perfume, and it's perfectly lovely, exactly as you'd expect. Quite aldehydic, with lots of subtly shimmering floral nectar, and a soft pale-blue shmear of iris butter. A few minutes in, I start to feel the base, which is a solid ivory-toned vanilla-heliotrope thing, powdery and lightly sweet under the shining flowers. Where the florals blend with the vanilla sweetness the effect is glorious. The whole thing is cool-toned and refreshing, very much like spring breezes. We're in a similar zone to other Belle Epoque ingenue classics like L'Heure Bleue, except without the violets and thus more to my taste. Shem-el-Nessim is delicate and maidenly, but not in the least wimpy or weepy; it's suffused with hope and brightness. Think Guinevere, not Elaine.

I did a sort of Agatha Christie Death on the Nile trip this past summer, and naturally took this with me whilst treading in her footsteps. This is a masterpiece of a fragrance and orris at its best. It projects an almost stuck-in-time elegance, lasts the distance on the skin and as it warms, the sandalwood comes through making you want to bathe and luxuriate in it. There is a permeating but non invasive background of patchouli and musk that ground it in some sense of earthiness and makes it tread, at times, into something quite sexy. An exceedingly elegant, smooth perfume that I would wear more often were it not for the price tag, and the fact that honestly, most occasions are not worthy!

Luca Turin on Shem-el-Nassim: "...it is none other than an enthusiastic copy of François Coty’s magnificent 1905 L’Origan, which begat L’Heure Bleue and countless others. Grossmith did not waste time and released Shem-el-Nessim in 1906. They are touchingly candid about this, which makes me like them even more. Bear in mind that the real L’Origan is long gone, and that the reptiles at Coty make money with fragrances named after minor celebs instead of their classic masterpieces. Given that, Grossmith becomes Plan A, particularly since everything from fragrance to bottle to packaging is of exquisite, painstaking quality. Well done."

هل اصبح الجمالُ سراً لا يعلمه الا القليل ؟ .. خلط الكثير بين مفهوم الجمال و الفخامة .. حتى ظن البعض ان الفخامة هي اسمٌ اخر مرادفٌ للجمال ..!! .. لا يا سادة الجمال هو الجمال ولا معناً اخر له الا هو .. قد يكون الجمال في الضعيف كجمال الغزال .. و قد يكون كالاسد في بطشه و سطوته .. و غالبا ما يكون في شيء بسيط قلّت تفاصيله و لم تتضح معالمه كجمال الصيصان ..!! .. غيّب العالم و اخذته سكرة الفخامة حتى ارتدا اغلى الحلل و الملابس والعطور دون ذوق !! .. يا للبساطة لم يتعب نفسه في الترتيب وتنسيق الالوان .. جعل المال حلاً لمشكلته ..!! ذلك الغبي اكثر ما يتعبه هو لحظة التفكير .. قروسميث شم النسيم ، عندما يستحق العطر ثمنه 👌🏼

This perfume belongs to the house of Grossmith London, its revival bringing back one of Englands oldest and most treasured perfume houses. Adopting a classic style of perfumery, Bergamot and neroli give Shem-el-Nessim a citrus edge that gives way to a prominent powdery orris in the heart notes. Geranium, rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang give a delicate floral lift to the heart notes. Sweet vanilla, musk, heliotrope and cedarwood give Shem-el-Nessim a dusky, gossamer base.

Shem-el-Nessim is beautiful, vintage style, and incredibly chic. It is as if someone took current L'Heure Bleue edp and took out the rough bits, replaced the ingredients with high quality materials...perhaps this is what L'Heure Bleue used to smell like. I like that it stays close to the skin and trails a gentle sillage. This is a delicate, feminine, enchanting perfume. Despite the price a FB remains on my wish list.

I haven't smell anything more beatiful than Shem el Nessim. It is soft, tender, special it seems composed by 2 or 3 different perfumes together: l'Heure Bleu, l'Origan and another old berfume that was my grandmother's favoutire but it's very good and not old lady's perfume. It's really beautyful but really expensive! For me it's a dream.

A delicious cousin of L'Heure Bleue. More powdery, smells more cosmetic like , soft yet enduring. A couple of sprays smells like you bathed with matching soap and layered the lotion and dusting powder before applying extrait. Old school fragrance. Quite expensive but the lasting power and layers might make it worth it.

I have a sample from Twisted Lily. This is old fashioned femininity. Warm, soft, powdery, feminine, narcotic velvet. It is a little fusty- spicy. Neroli rose according to Luca Turin. Rounded and blended. Sensuous woman. A comforting, enveloping winter scent.

This is my go-to luxury scent for special occasions when I want to smell my absolute best without worrying about what to wear. It’s so beautiful, classy, and powdery—just wow! My perfect powdery perfume for special occasions.