Gilded Lily

My quest for lily fragrances brought me to the GILDED LILY perfume by Ineke. This is the first Ineke fragrance I have tried and I am very impressed with the composition and craftsmanship put into this scent. First of all the composition is a bit unusual for the lily perfume (at least based on my previous experiences) and shows great imagination and creativity. Unlike a typical intoxicating white floral bouquet, the lily note is a single flower note in this scent framed by fruity and earthy accords. The composition definitely succeeds and captivates me right from the start. First burst is absolutely gorgeous and tender grapefruit scent but the fragrance does not stay on the citrus trajectory. The opening becomes more rounded and complex as the resins add earthy tone and hints of rhubarb and pineapple provide very gentle fruity accord. The lily slowly makes an entrance and it is delightful. The lily note is usually crisp, strong, overpowering and intoxicating in most perfumes. But here it manages to be tender, soft and not sharp at all. There is a slight sweetness to the scent but not sickly sweet. The oakmoss is prominent in the dry down and I start noticing its presence in the heart notes. Though patchouli is also there, it is the oakmoss that makes the fragrance so lovely for me in the dry down. The fragrance is subtle and suitable to be worn on many occasions. There is no danger of lily suffocating everyone in a close proximity. Somehow this fragrance makes me feel classy and chic. This fragrance is not bold or eccentric but I think it expresses good taste and lady-like behavior. I would not call it sexy but it is very attractive in the ways the modest but classy designer outfit accentuates natural beauty without being too revealing. The longevity and sillage are decent. I definitely recommend this scent.

This is such an unusual scent. I have come to the conclusion that I must have never smelled lily in this fashion. It's totally foreign, exotic maybe? It's striking and haunting. The scent starts out with bright(bergamot) tart(grapefruit) but sweet(pineapple) juicy citrus. I don't think I really get the green element from the rhubarb and I think the elemi just adds to the smoothness and helps transition to the warm, subtle base which is mostly amber to me but the oakmoss adds a perfect touch and the patch is merely a whisper that just adds to the exotic scent. I get mainly the tart, sweet, bright and lily with the lily being dominant but the ambery base keeps it from ever becoming cloying or mainly citrusy and/or fruity. On one hand it is totally unique, on the other, it is SO foreign. It really is like nothing I have ever smelled, I keep coming back to it and I think it's worth trying just for that reason. Outstanding craftsmanship. Longevity is good and it's strong so not much is needed. As others have pointed out do try the sampler. It's an opportunity to try samples of all her creations and you can use that toward the purchase of a full bottle of your choice.

Thank you so much, Ineke for the gorgeous sample collection. I want to echo LIN's sentiment that Gilded Lily is dark, sexy, and masculine, yet it miraculously manages to retain a powdery fresh quality, never becoming cloying or sour as it develops on the skin. It only continues to open ever more gracefully, warmed by labdanum in the base. This fragrance is unique and seamless from start to finish. Gilded Lily perfume is a tough, beautiful, Japanese-Italian girl from Queens. She is exotic and petite, but there is something firm and masculine about her posture, even though she powders her face in the rearview of her car, wears iridescent dresses, gliitter like shards of glass on her eyelids, and her wavy light brown hair flows down past her waist. Though she is young, she uses a cigarette holder with confidence, and often finds herself in cheap hotels with men twice her age. There is nothing cute about her. She is a Gilded Lily. She is at once graceful, unforgettable, and morose. She is so familiar it makes you want to weep, though you have never been able to meet her, even when you held her in your arms.

As advertised, Ineke GILDED LILY is a gorgeously gilded lily perfume. The overall effect is that of a fine floral chypre, so part of the “gilding” appears to consist in oak moss—or reasonable facsimile—which imparts a truly splendid texture to this haute lily perfume. Sometimes I find lily too dirty or heavy-handed, but this compelling composition is a big-time wrist-sniffer. GILDED LILY is beautiful from start to finish and would appeal to anyone who appreciates vintage chypre perfumes, provided that they like lily, which is definitely the dominant floral. With relatively big sillage and superb lasting power, GILDED LILY is a bona fide eau de parfum, not a watered-down cologne stretched thin and mislabeled to maximize profits. I can honestly state that I cherished every drop of my 1.5 ml sample vial, and I would love, love, love to have a bottle of this! On my wish list! Bravo, Ineke!

Warm, exotic and delectable. Citrus first before lily that is shortly followed by the rhubarb. Im amazed by how well the pineapple and the elemi work here. My heart usually sinks when I see pineapple listed in the notes but fear not here. The elemi has a sort of fruity aroma and along with the pineapple they bring almost a gourmand aspect to the fragrance The perky oak moss and a little patchouli are very evident on the opening but its not an over heavy fragrance. Lily can be really heavy but that is definitely not the case here. Its a beautiful fragrance of the night. Have a fabulous time seducing your man with this mesmerizing beauty.