Lalibela

I blind bought this because I've never seen such conflicting reviews and I couldn't handle the curiosity. I'm writing a very thorough review to help the others who are also very confused about this fragrance, lol. First of all the fact that over 170 people think that this smells like Narciso makes me think my nose is broken because this has 0 similarity to me, but okay. If I had to pick a fragrance to compare to this I'd say Maison Tahite's Floranilla. It has the powdery sweetness of Tom Ford's F*cking Fabulous, mixed with the coconut creaminess of Soleil Blanc; now throw in a bunch of pink flowers and you'll get this. (Side note: I feel like we need a "pink floral" category in perfumery - we have white florals and yellow florals, this perfume is a prime example of what a pink floral would smell like). Anyways~ If you google the words "milk bath", the images that come up are exactly what this fragrance smells like. It smells like someone who just bathed in flower-infused coconut milk, and then applied vanilla-scented lotion and baby powder to their entire body. The opening is a photorealistic bouquet of flowers - a LOT of peony and rose, a little jasmine and a little orchid. A couple of mins later the coconut, vanilla, and labdanum come out. The tobacco and patchouli are in the drydown- although they're extremely faint I do appreciate that they prevent this from getting overly cloying. Ultimately this settles into a creamy, lotiony, coconuty vanilla floral. It's feminine, posh, and sophisticated. I wasn't sure about the vanilla note at first but it adds a little something flirty and youthful (and sweet), so it's grown on me. Overall I'm quite happy with this. I love that in the midst of all other fragrances on the market this one is not like anything else (-I hope the TikTokers stay far away from this!!) I see this on an affluent woman vacationing on the Amalfi Coast or in Monaco. It does give me summer vibes because of the coconut, but I can also see this working very well in cold weather because of the powder and the creaminess. Post edit: still loving this and finally realized that it reminds me of. This is a more intense version of Nuxe body oil, and they layer together perfectly 😍👌🏼

Ok full disclosure, I heard of this gem from Jus de Rose on Youtube. She never misses a chance to say how Lalibela is her boss lady go-to fragrance. Maybe pushing too far when attributing it to the Mother of Dragons ( I would imagine she’d wear something spicier, darker, idk, less sweet, less floral). Lalibela is enchanting, it is quite simply invigorating. I never smelled anything like it. To me it evokes sunsets in a hot foreign land. Absolutely feminine, elegant yet mysterious, 100% unique. the french needs to come out now : il y a quelque de chose de fumée au coeur du parfum. C'est comme si chaque note avait bel et bien le pouvoir d'émerger seule, mais à chaque fois sous une fumée chaude. Vanille ? absolument, et fumée ! Coconut ? Mon dieu, oui ! Mais toujours fumée. Pareil pour le patchouli, pour les fleurs (difficiles à discerner les unes des autres d'ailleurs). It's comforting, cocooning, delectable.. First it smells way different on the bottle than on the skin. On the skin, and on me anyway, the journey begins with incense. Not the cold churchy one, (i'm thinking Comme des Garçons Serie 3 or Passage d'Enfer) Lalibela is a solar incense. Around it, we have a fantastic blend of florals and orchid coconut. It dries down to lose freshness and gets even hotter. Frankly, never could smell the woods of the base notes. Longevity is not the best, but I found that Lalibela clings powerfully to any textile ! GREAT sillage, intoxicating. On me it’s best not to wear it too often, I had once spent a few consecutive days wearing it and got tired of the biscuit cake sweet creamy ambiance. I will take care of this juice. Best worn in the summer on hot days. I live in Quebec, I found it weird to smell Lalibela when it's like -10 outside. Plus, on cold weather, the sweetness throws off the incense, which to me is the very heart of this scent. Worth the price, I'm personally convinced that Lalibela is a category of its own. It could very well be the only vanilla frag in your wardrobe and you'd be all set. I wouldn't picture this on a young girl, it's a very mature and complex fragrance.

@Creedaholic Because Memo keeps changing the composition of their perfumes and it's frankly annoying AF. I had my first bottle of Lalibela in 2011 and it had coconut and orchid listed, and was way more gourmand and slightly tropical in feel. It had nothing in common with NR For Her AT ALL. The new one does, it's not the same anymore. They did the same thing with Jannat and I find it very disrespectful of their customers. Here's a mini review from the Non Blonde blog, it dates from December 8th 2008, and she lists the original notes : "The last one I tested was Lalibela, named after an Ethiopian holy city which is a pilgrimage destination and has several ancient churches. Out of the note list (coconut, orchid, rose, peony, jasmine, patchouli, cistus, vanilla, tobacco leaf, incense and woods), what I'm getting in huge amounts are a dark and dirty rose and thick, heavy incense. This is a seriously gothic rose which makes the original Regina Harris oils seem like Little Miss Sunshine. The sales assistant called it "a sad rose" and I could tell he was not a fan, but I was captivated by this scent. It felt... purple, I guess. Deep, dark purple. It lasted on my skin for the rest of the day, into the night and until my shower the following morning, when I returned to the store and bought the bottle." https://www.thenonblonde.com/2008/12/memo-paris-lalibela-and-other-treats.html

Lalibela is a special, one of a kind fragrance. It’s a sweet, elegant, vanilla, floral with an underneath warmth and a beautiful intoxicating smell! It’s complex, smooth and alluring. It’s mostly a luscious, slightly jammy rose, full bloomed peony, sweet vanilla, tobacco and patchouli. My favourite from Memo Paris for sure! I have it in my collection for nearly 2 years now and I still have not found anything remotely similar to Lalibela from everything I have tested. The performance of Lalibela is outstanding. It is long lasting and projecting for hours on, I got so many compliments every time I wore it. I think that Lalibela, alongside Ylang Ylang Nosy Be by Perris Monte Carlo and Amouage’s Guidance are the most incredible, performance wise, and unique, fragrance wise, while totally wearable for the everyday use. Some fragrances smell absolutely amazing but don’t last while others last for ages but are very similar to everything else on the market! For me, it is one of those fragrances that I want to keep forever in my collection, it’s perfection in a beautiful bottle. It’s an expensive fragrance but it’s worth it! The packaging is a sturdy cardboard box with a sophisticated, classic but different design that any other brand I have seen. Possibly my most favourite fragrance packaging ever! For reference, I don’t think it’s similar to Narciso Rodriguez For Her!

This perfume has an interesting note, coconut orchid, also known as Maxillaria Tenuifolia, which is a species of orchid with coconut-scented flowers. Some websites describe the top note as coco, others orchid. But the creamy first impression is neither exactly coconut nor has anything to do with ordinary orchid. I would say it is a smooth milky floral note that does not smell like any generic floral perfume on the market. Not rosy, not white-flowery, just herself. The heart note is a concoction of flowers, incense, and vanilla, then lingers for more than 8 hours with the voluptuous creaminess. The scent profile is opulent but not too mature, in fact, quite youthful. How is this scent associate with Lalibela, the site itself? They are both grandiose, and perhaps the incense note is connected with religious ritual. The creativity is 10/10 for me. It stands up to the steep price tag and the niche lable. Memo's bottle design turns better and better with recent releases, whereas Lalibela's falls flat with the successors. But the juice itself smells so satisfying and so outstanding for me, a 100% white floral fragrance lover. If you like other "white" notes like fig, coconut, and vanilla, I also highly recommend you to try Lalibela as it is so well-blended. A safe and successful blind buy. Chef's kiss.

Whoa! I have not been a fan of Memo thus far, but this is so beautiful and unique. This hovers between a like and a love for me- and I don't get the lowish ratings, so I'm rating it a love. Lalibela is atmospheric and heady- very difficult to describe. It's a memory smell for me, although I still can't quite place it. The coconut is tucked into the background of the other notes, so that it's almost completely seamless with the patchouli and the orchid. The patchouli is loud! But beautiful. It's also floral, yes, but the incense and woods meet those notes at the apex of the scent perfectly. The blending here is quite nice. While it's not listed in the accords, my nose perceives this as spicy- a warm spice. It almost feels bazaar-esque. What a juxtaposition to those lighter, more ethereal notes. The drawback here though, as with most Memos, is that the notes fade and mute into each other relatively quickly in the drydown. On my skin, Memo tends to leave a vague putty-like smell by the end of the day. Not blind buy safe. Great for day or night, in most seasons except summer. Good sillage, moderate longevity. To me, this is almost unisex- slightly feminine. P.S. My partner smelled this and said "wow smells expensive"... normally he just says oh smells nice... so take that for what you will

Lalibea...a lovely, mixed floral fragrance. And I love jasmine fragrances. But initially, I find the jasmine and (I think) coconut in Lalibela's opening somewhat overwhelming and a bit too potent. But full disclosure: coconut is not one of my favorite perfume notes. If coconut is present, I'm certainly not in for it. Because Lalibela is so well blended, the opening notes quickly & seamlessly merge with a mid-melange of gorgeous florals...orchid, rose, ylang-ylang, orange blossom. And yes there is notable indolic jasmine. Lalibela is definitely a potent, floral-centric fragrance. The dry-down, or base is less incense-y, less resinous than my experience with other Memo Paris fragrances. But the entire wear is gorgeous, start-to-finish. The drydown unfurls the listed notes with musk, patchouli, vanilla and labdanum among the most prominent. I also sense some woodiness in the base. MUST LOVE FLORALS. The heady mixture of florals performs throughout the entire wear of this perfume. I think this fragrance is lovely. But I can see how it definitely is not for everyone.

I usually don't like rose, but this is verrrrrry sexy. To me, it smells like a sweet, sultry, creamy, slightly floral patchouli. Not so much "rose" per se. I totally get the "resemblance" to NR For Her EDT - in the sense that the patchouli is creamy and sweet, and almost smells a bit like the creamy NR-type musk. It doesn't develop the same way, and Lalibela is a lot creamier and more floral. It opens VAGUELY musky-patchouli-ish, with a touch of a nod to NR's For Her EDT, then goes into a sweet, creamy floral, and dries down just a musky patchouli-style vanilla. I don't like strong vanillas (typically find them cloying), and I don't typically LOVE rose fragrances (dislike most of them), but this one is VERY nice. On me, moderate sillage and average longevity - lasts longer on clothes. It's interesting - on my skin, sometimes it fades quickly and sometimes it's a sillage bomb - probably weather and humidity dependent. My favourite from Memo as well. It's suitable for almost all occasions to me; though maybe more a date/sexy/occasion-type scent rather than work.

A very creamy, feminine musk. It reminds me of Narciso Rodriguez For Her, but while For Her turns terribly harsh and sour on my skin, Lalibela is much softer and fluffier and works perfectly fine on me. My nose is very sensitive for this kind of musk, so I can imagine that I perceive this as muskier than many other people will. The other parts of the scent are sweet vanilla, fresh coconut water and a bouquet of flowers. Dewy rose, powdery orchid, creamy jasmine and airy peony, in that order. It's a bit as if For Her had a lovechild with Aerin Linen Rose, a summer cologne that I really love. Lalibela is warmer and heavier than Linen Rose though. I don't smell any tobacco, incense or labdanum in this cozy but light perfume at all, maybe they are only used as very subtle basenotes to ground the scent. Patchouli is also subtle, but a little more noticeable. This is a beautiful, warm and sensual fragrance that could easily be someone's signature. I don't feel the need to buy it for the price, but if I got it as a gift or heavily discounted, I would happily wear it.

As someone mentioned below, I definitely get a biscuit vibe in the dry down and the coconut isn't at all obvious. The coconut just adds this perfect creaminess that rounds out the vanilla and florals. It's so gorgeous and easy to wear year-round in my opinion. I also got this because Jus De Rose on youtube raves about this and she is right, it is amazing. However, she describes this as an evening scent and "confidence in a bottle" but I actually see this as a daytime scent that can transition to the evening too. It's not loud and obnoxious but it is a smell that you can imagine a self-assured and beautiful woman would wear. I am a Taurus and I love scents like these...it's both floral and comforting at the same time. Very spring and summer-like with the coconut and florals but also good for fall with the vanilla and slight incense. For someone who eats fragrance, I find this long-wearing on my skin and I get over six hours. I have tested on clothes and it lasts until the next wash. 8/10

I did not bother to try this fragrance for a long time because I rarely/never enjoy tobacco notes. The tobacco leaf is fortunately a subdued note in this fragrance, it adds a little bit of warmth, depth and spice to the base without smelling like a cigarette/cigar. Lalibela is the scent of a sophisticated and successful woman, it is feminine, soft and sexy. Lalibela smells like a powdery, creamy blend of rose-florals, incense and vanilla sprinkled with coconut on top as it settles on skin - the immediate opening smells vintage & dusty to me but this scent completely transforms after a short while. This scent reminds me of the classic Narciso Rodriguez For Her EDT as it dries down, but with lots of vanilla and Lalibela smells more refined, also the performance is better with moderate projection and longevity. I think Lalibela is very versatile and can be used anywhere from daytime at work or important meetings to going out in the weekends, for someone who wants to smell classy/elegant.

Yes. Yes Yes Yes. I hate how much I love this - it's not cheap my friends. So for now I'll dream on and enjoy my decant. Opening has coconut, and sweet orchid, it's kinda "hair product" for a minute - the incense maybe? But not in a bad way, I think that's just a scent association for me. But it becomes juicy as the rose and patchouli come out. It's blended beautifully and nothing sticks out too much above the other notes. The base notes make this scent sweet and floral scent rich and a little dark too. Not sharp at all. A bit of an oriental feel and a bit of a tropical feel. I get the NR comparisons but to me they're not that similar. For me, this scent isn't groundbreaking. But it's just so dang beautiful and pleasant. It's pure enjoyment. And I guess that's what perfume is all about. With all the scents I sample and all the ones I've yet to try, this perfume reminds me of how it's just lovely to smell lovely. Definitely signature scent territory. Good sillage too.

So disappointed, this one didn't work with my chemistry at all. Very powdery a nondescript powdery floral on me. I don't get vanilla or coconut or any of the yummy notes described. So glad I ordered a discovery set and didn't blind buy a full bottle. Making my way through the set and nothing is resonating so far. I wanted to love this so much... I wanted to love this perfume house so much. So far Inle and African Leather are the only ones that I like. EDIT: OK - I've changed my mind! I don't hate it - in fact I don't mind it at all. I have put it on today and actually am enjoying it. It's quite complex... rich, sweet, a little smoky... will persevere.... I do get a touch of Chopard Cashmir but Lalibela is definitely a still statement but a little more subtle. Yes she's growing on me. Update: We are coming into Autumn (Fall) in Melbourne and I have to say I love it in cooler weather. It's actually complex and beautiful a very interesting vanilla.

A lavish confection of a fragrance. Like an elegant flatlay photo of perfect, honeyed cakes on a gilded platter, strewn with pretty floral blooms. Lalibela is a fragrance that delights in its sugary richness, but is not without elegance. Lalibela is all thick nectar and nutty creaminess; hugely sweet but natural, and multifaceted enough that it remains charming. It's a consummately pretty fragrance that smells unselfconscious and kind. I picture the live-action Cinderella—lovely Lily James—wandering the palace's rooms and gardens, and wearing this. It’s funny to see people saying it smells similar to Vanilla Fields. I dislike Vanilla Fields, yet I can see the resemblance. Vanilla Fields is simply too vanilla-dominant for my liking; I would call it oppressively vanilla-dominant. IMO, it lacks Lalibela’s layered and dynamic structure—the bright and elegant floral top notes, as well as the deeper, more grounding base notes.

Beautiful legend behind beautiful fragrance. I love the name of it - soft and mysterious, like this juice, perfection. Lalibela is a town in northern Ethiopia famous for monolithic rock-cut churches,one of Ethiopia's holiest cities, second only to Aksum, and a center of pilgrimage. Unlike Aksum, the population of Lalibela is almost completely Ethiopian Orthodox Christian. Ethiopia is one of the earliest nations to adopt Christianity in the first half of the fourth century, and its historical roots date to the time of the Apostles. Looking at notes - hard to imagine THIS level of sophistication, yet it is here, present and solid, monumental blend from softest nuances, silky indeed. Interesting, how tobacco and incense enveloped by orchid and vanilla, it is like holding fire by bare hands. Sublime quality.

WOW! This stuff is indeed divine. I also have Fragonard Miranda and Chopard Casmir which I do like. They share the vanilla note but from there on they are different to this and this is way better! The first hit is all about roses, jasmine and coconut on me. I do get the vanilla but its predominantly floral on me. It is sweet but not too much. A floral nutty gourmand if that category exists. I do imagine some carefree young woman wearing this. It is feminine but without being girly. Wearing this makes me forget for a bit that I am 51! Its worth buying it just for that! lol With a bit of time the incense and the orchid come to the fore. The rose and vanilla runs all the way through to the end. Moderate sillage and it lasts for many hours.

I can't immediately think of other floral/vanilla/coconut perfumes that feel sophisticated, besides Lalibela. Looking at the list of notes in Lalibela I would expect a fun, tropical vacation vibe. But instead Lalibela is beautifully warm and a bit mysterious. I think the incense blends with the sweet accords to give the florals a little lift and adds unexpected complexity. Lalibela seems half gourmand, half floral, but with a slight camphor essence that winds through both to meld them together. Smells natural, high-quality and unique. Works well for day or evening. Lalibela opens strong but mellows out and quiets down after about 30mins. Long lasting all-day wrist-sniffer. Love it.

This is a completely unexpected and pleasant surprise. Love at first sniff. Sweet floral vanilla (not gourmand) with a beautiful powdery touch. Perfect blended and linear which is great for me because I love linear scents when they are so good at first spray. There is something I can't describe and why I am so addicted to it. Maybe it's because my taste has changed so much in the last few years and I wear perfumes that a few years ago I would never have thought of wearing. I can't get enough of it. Strong and long lasting. Really unique. A little more mature, but definitely not an old lady vibe. I would say for 27+. Georgeous Lalibela ❤️

I'm new to Memo perfumes; Marfa is the only other one I have. Lalibela, is a really nice balmy mix of orchid, coconut and vanilla on me. I do smell nuances of tobacco and incense in the composition as well. To me, this is a great year round perfume. It's gourmand and cozy enough to wear in the fall and winter months, yet it's not so overly sweet that you can't wear it in the spring and summer. Someone had mentioned the older version of BBW's Warm Vanilla Sugar and I agree, if you were a fan of it, you'd easily like this as well. Longevity is around 6 hours on me, so not too bad. If your're into spicy, balmy gourmands, give this a go.

I love this perfume! It is very creamy with a lot of coconut and vanilla. (I'm not the best at explaining perfumes yet). I constantly smell my wrist when I've got it on. It has great sillage on me - people walking by always give me a compliment. It stays 6+ hours on my skin(sometimes even longer), but it stays FOREVER on clothes. If I am doing laundry, I can pull a sweater out of the bottom of the basket that has been in there for a week or two and it still smells very strongly. I can also smell it on my winter jackets when I pull them out a year later!! It's a powerhouse. I wear it year round, day or night.