Eau de Shalimar

I just received this, literally two minutes ago, how I looove that Courier van arriving!! First spray - one to each wrist, two to neck. I am going to just write as I smelt it before I looked up the notes to amend what I was indeed smelling! Torrential blast of fresh lemon, gives way to bergamot and vanilla mingled with warm, noticeable but not overpowering orange. The nicest strength of orange added to a fragrance I smelt in a while, usually I find it a little too sickly in high concentrations (apart from maybe D &G's Sicily, I think it's in there and seriously yummy). Gentle, and I do mean a gentle aroma of rose and jasmine enter the scene, to the point where I doubted my nose and confused these two flowers with something akin to carnation but a flower which I did not yet know. Powdery but not too much so (not a fan of the power powder). Next comes a headier wave of vanilla, warmed with resin, which I mistook for amber - and iris which I do not yet know enough about to single out and recognise. (But hey, any purple flower will get my vote - immature I know but hell, I love purple). Reading the notes I realise that was LIME! Not lemon. Booyah! I loves me a lime but wow, how did I not pick that? I'll wait for the two plus hour drydown to see if it really does remind me strongly of Shalimar but for now, it is the daytime, light, lemony (yes, still not getting lime) vanilla, warmly, lightly floral blend that I am going to wear over and over again. This is work friendly, save Shalimar, the holy grail for evenings, I say. Or COLD wintery days in small doles. This actually reminds me a little of Bvlgari's Petits et Mamans (plus alcohol), mainly due to its soothing nature. Interestingly, this has some similarilties to Code Luna (lemon and vanilla) but without the slightly sharper white flowers. This is calming on me, I love it. Ah, Guerlain... Add; Nearly an hour on, I can smell the lime - now! And yes, the base smells like Shalimar without the luscious leather. This will still be an empty bottle sooner than a lot of my others.

THIS is the perfume that made me love Shalimar and also made me love citrus, which I very much dislike in perfume, in general. Somehow this manages to be an absolutely classy, elegant, and professional perfume, while at the same time being so fun and satisfying my sweet tooth and my constant craving for gourmands. It opens with this light, almost ethereal citrus which is neither sour nor fresh, really. It's almost like a light, perfectly balanced limeade that has neither too much sugar nor the puckery sourness of the fresh fruit. That citrus is absolutely mouthwatering, and then it's accompanied by the gorgeous, albeit subtle, florals, mainly iris, and then of course that massive dose of Guerlain vanilla which I find so enticing. IMHO Guerlain vanilla is unmatched in the perfume world. As a whole, the composition is reminiscent of a key lime pie or a lemon pie, if it were whipped up and turned into a cloud. It's absolutely breathtaking and I'm so glad this was an absolutely random, out-of-nowhere blind buy. I have no idea what even possessed me to purchase this, as it is so different from the original Shalimar, but I will treasure it now that it is discontinued! For those who are curious, yes you can tell this is a flanker of Shalimar, as the DNA is there, but this is a 2nd cousin maybe, or great Aunt. There is no leather or animals or heaviness in this, as there is in the original. (By the way I also like the original Shalimar but I prefer the vanilla-centric flankers, the Souffle Intense, and of course the Eau de Shalimar, all of which I find to be more modern and suited to my taste.)

I bought Eau de Shalimar first 1.5 years ago based on the praising reviews here. Original Shalimar does not work on my skin (burned rubber), so thought I would give EdS a shot. After the first spray I immediately packed it back and next day returned it. It was so strong, mumsy..etc, I could not keep it (original 2008 flacon). A year later I discovered Shalimar Cologne and fall in love with that sweet vanilla-lemon cake beauty. That one had the same DNA than EdS, but way much smoother, creamier, sweeter. It was easy to fell in love with. Then I thought this many people can’t be wrong, let’s give it a try again, maybe I was just not ready yet for this. It has arrived today, and was a complete surprise (new Jade Jagger flacon). Maybe because of Shalimar Cologne, maybe I got more experienced with fragrances, but now I could understand and enjoy EdS. It opens still with a strong, crisp lime-bergamot combo, not as sweet and creamy as the Cologne, but much more fresh, resin is moderately there.. 30 min later starts the transformation to a nice citrusy-iris scent with vanilla undertone and ends with a cool vanilla, not sweet creamy, but cool, classy, and stays for hours. I couldn’t resist and was keep sniffing my wrist. Really unique and interesting and definitely stays with me! Update after few weeks of testing and wearing: It is LOVE! Can’t get enough of the unique cold-breeze vanilla! Cheers me up when I’m moody, comforts when work is stressful.

I had to take the time and I had to get used to this perfume, because for me it's a bit different from other Shalimar variations I've tried so far. The opening is strong, a bit bitter, almost masculine, green lemon aroma -fresh, surprisingly realistic and dazzling. Then suddenly I smelled a beautiful vanilla, which mixed with that lemon bliss and created the smell of a dessert I loved as a child (a fine curd vanilla-lemon dessert). A thick, creamy, light yellow, a bit milky, sweet vanilla-lemon surprise for me! When this stage was over (after about 20 minutes), I started to recognize The Shalimar -thick, balsamic, oriental powder wonder with a touch of leather and spices. Only here the powder is lighter (it allows you to breathe), more flowery, fresher due to the presence of citruses at the beginning. The leather is lingering, very fine, white. And that "dessert" scent stays ( I just love that!), just gets weaker. Like a light, sparkling veil reminding the regular beauty. I guess this could work well for the people who can't wear the regular Shalimar. The bottle is stunning as always! It's perfect for colder weather, like a light, but warm, soft scarf over the shoulders. I can imagine some kind of a magic, positive, feminine fairy-tale creature wearing this to reinforce her magic power. Makes me feel calm, secure and elegant. A calm, whispering sophistication.

I would like to leave this review as a warning probably. To start with, I love the Guerlain house and especially love the Shalimar flankers (I have 2 adorable Initials). So after reading your reviews here I was almost sure it would be a safe blind buy for me. Got a brand new full 90 ml bottle from the fragrance seller off the UK Ebay to stock up as they had been discontinued. Well, the bottle (like the main picture here, on the 'foot' with white ribbon) did give the initial splash on the second push, not the 3rd of 4th as usual. I thought it was strange. But the worst was the fragrance. The strong initial lime blast was very chemical, after about 20 minutes the fragrance (even put on generously) would disappear and then in a while come back so quiet that I had to press my nose to skin to smell some faint sweetish lime food flavouring. Like this it stayed for a couple of hours. The bottle went back to the seller. They accepted the return with no fuss, I should give it to them. I have a feeling that this might be a fake or some kind of a 'grey' production of the factory. Not sure but it definitely is not right. Just thought I'd let the others know. I'll try to hunt down the original now in the bottle like the one in the top right picture (no 'foot'), it's supposed to be the older formula and heavier on resins. Really curious to try this properly

This perfume is an Eau?! I can't believe it. Well I believed it at first, when I smelled all the sharp citrus. It reminded me of taking tequila shots and sucking on a lime; sort of an uncomfortable sensation. It was coupled with an old and musty powder scent. I quickly told myself, "Don't rule it out, just give it time." Good advice from Self. I was already wearing two perfumes on other parts of my arm, but it didn't take long for me notice something really divine floating up to my nose, this creamy, smoky, vanilla scent. I just knew it was the Guerlain. This is definitely Shalimar stripped-down, but since I can't wear Shalimar (the leather makes me queasy), it's perfect for me. It retains the essence of Shalimar. And I can't believe I'm saying it, but I might honestly like this "Eau" better than Shalimar Initial! It actually seems creamier and smokier to me, more closely related to the original Shalimar than Initial. I've never described an Eau as "delicious," but this one is! I swear this is no "Eau." Sure it has the tangy citrus on top, but that fades away into a sweet orange that blends beautifully with the richer base notes. Projection is pretty fantastic, as it projected much more than Escada Magnetism and YSL Cinema (the other perfumes I was wearing, which are nice creations in their own right). Well done, Guerlain!

Lemony goodness....but this is nothing, I mean NOTHING like the original Shalimar. No leather, no civet or any type of animalic notes and no smoke. I honestly can not find a single connection other than the lemon and vanilla and even those are different. So different that it is amazing they share the same name. I happen to love lemon, particularly in the spring and summer...and this is a delightful lemony vanilla concoction. Safe, fresh and clean, the polar opposite of Shalimar. I think this will be great to layer with Shalimar EDP sometimes to soften the leather bite just a tad and sweeten it up just a bit. (EDIT: I sprayed a light mist over Shalimar EDP and they blend perfectly and it is an incredible combo!) If you are expecting Eau de Shalimar to be similar to Shalimar EDT or something on that order, you will be really disappointed because it truly is entirely different. Eau de Shalimar is its own scent so if you are blind buying please take this into consideration. This is a light, lemony, vanilla fragrance that mainly just shares the Shalimar name and similar bottle shape but that is about it. But it is a nice fragrance nonetheless and it layers superbly with classic Shalimar.

I got it through Amazon by mistake. I wanted 'Eau de Shalimar 2009' and they sent me this one! I have to admit that by its first 'sniff' I wasn't amazed at all and I thought it was a waste of money... I can't say that it was bad but, why the heck did they add resin note in it? There was just something that didn't quite suit with this fragrance and my body chemistry reacted as if it was saying 'wash it off, it's not good for you!' So, I gave it to my mother as a birthday present and when she used it on her, I thought... 'Oh my gosh, will it suit her?' Now, 'Eau de Shalimar' has become my mother's favourite fragrance and believe it or not, she's getting more compliments wearing it than I do with my own fragrances! Amazing what body chemistry can do to you! As for me, since I had a little sample of the original Shalimar, enjoying it a lot although it has sandalwood note in it, I finally bought 'Shalimar Oiseau de paradis' and happy with my purchase, and so my mother with her gift! And if I compare 'Eau de Shalimar' with 'Shalimar Eau Legere', I will definitely go with 'Eau Legere', as other fragrantica members mentioned here!

I find this to be a sweeter, sunnier Shalimar, just what I was looking for. I still love original Shalimar for every other season but high summer, and I think a few light sprays of this will be lovely on those short summer nights. The metallic citrus opening reminds me of original Shalimar--so much so that I worried it would not perform as I hoped and expected. I was foolish to doubt this flanker. As it dries the vanilla and sweet citrus rise to the front with an ambery base that provides a solid foundation for the airy, whipped cream delectability that swirls around on top. It is a Shalimar, after all, so it's deeper and more complex than other candy sweet gourmands I've smelled, but I truly get a rich lemon custard vibe from it. It doesn't have the longevity and sillage of the original, but since O.G. Shalimar is downright legendary in those respects, I wasn't expecting it to. UPDATE: I have been wearing this in the chilly November air, and it is still lovely! The bright lemon dessert and pale amber shine in the cold.

What a beauty Eau de Shalimar is! For the record, even though I have great respect for it, I firmly dislike the original Shalimar due to it`s heavy dose of civet and vintage-animalic qualities and don`t care much for Shalimar Initial. I feel like Eau de Shalimar is a whole different story. As many reviewers have said there`s no trace of civet in this composition. I can`t stand civet in my perfumes so I`m happy with this flanker. The initial blast of lime is "cologne style" sharp and refreshing, the vanilla is deep, rich and creamy, there is a touch of iris for the soft powdery effect and prominent resins to give it a classic vibe. It has excellent longevity for an Edt and pleasant sillage. Even though this fragrance is an "Eau" it`s still powerful enough for all seasons, in fact it`s cold winter at the moment and I`m happily wearing my Eau de Shalimar, my scarf and coat smell of beautiful citruses and powdery vanilla. I`m delighted that I have finally found my kind of Shalimar.

Just got my secound bottle of Eau de Shalimar. It seems like this one is staying in the stores, and I am very glad for that, as it is a lovely summer-fragranse on my skin! I can ́t think of a summer without Eau de Shalimar! It is magic on my skin in hot weather! When the autumn(fall) comes, the magic of this juice is gone, and Shalimar Parfum Initial will do it instead. Original Shalimar is the most beautiful, but it is very difficult to wear, so I stick to these two flankers instead. Jag har just skaffat min andra flaska an Eau de Shalimar. Det verkar som att denna kommer att stanna kvar i affärerna, vilket jag är mycket glad över, då den är en underbar sommarparfym på min hud. Jag kan inte tänka mig en sommar utan Eau de Shalimar! Den är magisk på min hud i varmt väder! När hösten kommer så försvinner magin, men Shalimar Parfum Initial får då ta över istället. Vackrast är original Shalimar, men den är mycket svårburen, så jag håller mig till dessa två variationer istället.

This is pretty much the "lemon pound cake" version of the original Shalimar. Yes, I would classify this fragrance as a "gourmand," but it still smells like something that would belong in the Shalimar family. If you hate the original Shalimar, I don't think that this version of it would convert you. If you love the original Shalimar, I think you'll enjoy this one. If you are like me, though ... You will love this perfume. I enjoy the original Shalimar very much, but it always seems to feel too heavy on me whenever I wear it. This lighter version of it allows me to enjoy the "gist" of the original Shalimar without it seeming too heavy or cloying for me-- the best of both worlds. I have very fond memories of my grandmother wearing Shalimar, so I am very happy about finding a version of it that works for me. :) I would also add that if you are someone who loves gourmands but doesn't want to smell immature or like cotton candy, then I highly recommend this perfume.

Something about this evoked a sense memory from my childhood, and it wasn't until I looked at the notes that I put my finger on it. The resin is the loudest note on my skin, and it reminds me of a wonderful dance teacher I used to have as a child. She was a total gypsy, who used to make birthstone necklaces for all her students. She smelled like resin, incense and soap. And although not listed here, those are the notes I get from this beautiful perfume. The SA at a department store tried to talk me out of buying it because it's "too sophisticated for someone my age" but at 20 years old I absolutely adore this scent. It feels bohemian and freeing, like a summer spent at festivals without a care in the world. Guerlain as always, manages to create a fragrance that smells almost as natural as the notes listed. No sickly synthetic chemicals that start to make me nauseated after a day of wearing it. Just clean, elegant beauty that I wish would never end.

It never ceases to amaze me when wonderful fragrances like this are pulled. Did the Guerlain marketing department do an inadequate job advertising this, or is the problem low sales due to the fact that the Shalimar name is attached, and people are weary of flankers? In my opinion, Eau De Shalimar EDT has little in common with the original. It might have done better if it was given an entirely new Guerlain name and flacon design. Gone is the sandalwood, leather and incense which is what Shalimar is all about really. Eau de Shalimar is a delightfully surprising citrusy fragrance with vanilla playing peek-a-boo a few seconds behind. Each time I catch a whiff of the citrus, there is the sweet aftertaste surprising me. It's a magic trick known only to master Perfumers I'm sure. Well done Guerlain on creating this beautiful scent, but shame on you for taking it away from me. If you are considering buying this discontinued beauty, you had better hurry.

My mother just sent me a surprise package with some goodies and she included a bottle of Eau de Shalimar! Out of the blue! There are other Guerlains that I have been focusing on lately and this was such a wonderful surprise. I just want to take a bath in this! I know it is not the same thing as Shalimar (believe me, if I could wear Shalimar, I would) but I am thrilled with this. Nobody knows you like your mother, eh? :) She always does this to me, lol! We butt heads on all sorts of things, and then she swoops in with "I think you will like this" and she is absolutely right! This is enchanting; the burst of sparkling citrus (my nose says "lemon")and then the most delicious vanilla with a touch of powder (which I am guessing is the iris). I don't care if Luca Turin dislikes this one or not! I LOVE this!!! Seriously, it is all I can do to stop from drenching myself with the entire bottle. YUMMMMMMMMM!!! Thanks, Mom!!!

Okay, second review here. So now it is finally cooler, and finally fall. Time for thick white body cream, and long sleeves. And a different Eau de Shalimar. I did my normal 3-4 sprays of this scent and was so pleasantly surprised that the citrus lasted a lot longer than it did during the summer. Now, this citrus, and I hate to say it, but it is a soft and sweet lemon frosting citrus. Very pretty. Not, in contrast, the bright and crisp citrus of AG Eau d'Hadrien. I like both, but sometimes I just want a soft floaty lemon scent. I think the longevity is there because the citrus hangs onto your clothing more than your skin. On my skin is the vanilla base, but on my clothing is a lingering citrus. The resin adds a nice slightly smoky, slightly mysterious edge. I've never gotten the jasmine/rose heart since I've been wearing this. It's not your mother's Shalimar, but it's pretty darn good. Recommend.

Eau de Shalimar is the sweet and playful version of Shalimar. I bought this last year for the warmer months and only ended up wearing it a couple of times because it didn't really impress me that much. I decided to pull it back out for the warm spring days we've been having here and I'm so glad I didn't get rid of this one, it smells so much better than it did last year for some reason. It starts out very citrusy with the lime taking center stage and dries down to a wonderful soft powdery musky vanilla. Wearing Vanilla in the warmer weather is sometimes hard for me and it's starts to get cloying but this one could be worn on even the hottest of days. I would consider this a gourmand smelling similar to a fresh baked cookie with lime zest baked in. Still classy because it's Shalimar but a little bit easier to wear.

I received this in a swap and I think the name Eau de Shalimar sums it pretty much up perfectly. It is definitely an eau. This is the most Shalimar from all the flankers, but softer, more transparent - some call it watered down. I agree! But by this, it is the easiest to wear on a day to day basis because Shalimar can be a bit much sometimes. It's fall now and I could totally see someone wearing this for warmer months, but I just prefer cooler weather for Shalimar. What I love about the original is the vanilla dry down. This one has the same sort of toasty, warm and resinous vanilla cloud. It lasts a good 5-6 hours on me, but mostly as a skin scent - which I'm actually preferring nowadays anyway. I'm so happy to have this in my collection, but still waiting to add the original when I want a bit more oomph.

This is delightful feminine scent! It opens on fresh lemony-citrus note and mellows fairly quickly to a comforting and warm "powdery vanilla" mix which I love. It is a very pretty scent that reminds me a bit of lemon vanilla cupcakes. It's a fairly sweet fragrance, but not overpowering. Nicely done! It never fails to please me and make me feel happy. Although this is light, it lasts most of the day more or less 5 hours on my skin, smooth and cozy, very feminine, and sophisticated. It's nothing like the original Shalimar. This version has a charm of its own. It is more approachable and has a certain whimsy to it while still remaining sexy and mysterious. This is non-offensive and can be worn at any occasion. This is beautiful! much better than the original. This is definitely worthy of picking up.

This certainly possesses a vintage edge to it, much like original Shalimar. What differs Eau from the original is mostly the wearability. Where the original is coarse, smokey, dry and prickly, Eau is smoother, more innocent and offers a more edible vanilla. The opening is particularly classy, with an astringent, slightly bitter lime and bergamot. It's the dry down that made me fall in love, the vanilla is unique, patchy and obviously similar to the original's vanilla, toned down. As a gourmand lover I would place this in between gourmand and oriental classy vanilla, as this is the more edible of the Shalimars yet not literally cake like. Either way, this is a must try even for original Shalimar haters. This might be the level of classy wearability that does it for you.