Fleur Oriental

I had a sample of this for years before it clicked, but when it did, I loved it. On me, Fleur Oriental is smooth, sweet, carnation-vanilla smoke that effortlessly reminds me of a lot of different fragrances I like without being quite like any of them. It smells like the deep drydown of Habanita after all of the drama has died down and the diva is finally at rest. It also has the warm/cool effect of L'Heure Bleue without any of its syrup or melancholy. Like Shalimar, it is about sweet smoke, but without the insistent bergamot or the Catholic guilt. I love classic perfumes, but often find them a bit demanding for everyday wear -- Fleur Oriental is poised as a solution to this problem. Its orientalia is stripped down and modern while still sending up a satisfyingly complex cloud of smoke, powder, flowers, and vanilla. More importantly, it doesn't add in any of the annoying modern aromachemical flavors-of-the-month that make so many attempts to create a modern oriental so disappointing. Have you ever seen a really good rehab of a dark, busy Victorian home that lets in some light and space without ruining the original molding or trying to turn it into something it's not? This is Fleur Oriental.

I can immediately see why there are some folk who note a similarity with Shalimar edp. I agree. It reminds me of my bottle of Shalimar back in the 80s at the beginning. The amber, carnation, heliotrope and vanilla hit you first. Yes it's quite potent. Very potent for a humble edt! Finally it starts to ease up a little and you can pick up on the rose, musk and neroli. You have to wait a couple of hours though. It is quite powdery. I have to say I miss the intense citrus opening of Shalimar and the leather note. Finally the neroli surfaces which seems novel. It smells closest to Shalimar at this stage. I miss the intensity of Shalimar and perhaps depth. The heliotrope is the last note to fade. Having said all that this stands on it's own merit. The carnation is the crucial note that brings everything together and adds some necessary oomph. It's a very warm and cosy fragrance. I can't imagine many disliking this classic floral oriental. I get good longevity and sillage.

Fleur Oriental is amazing. I love this house. For those of us who prefer darker, denser, ‘vintage’ perfumes, made of natural essences, this is made for us. Does Lyn Harris love classic Guerlains? There is a nod here to both Shalimar and L’Heure Bleue, in the spicy carnation that is the anchor floral note, and the smoky musk that burns through the heart notes, and the sweet amber in the base. The carnation here is highlighted by rose, and farther down into the base jasmine and heliotrope. It is spicy without being full of distracting clove notes, as it seems most carnation perfumes are. As Fleur Oriental wears into the base, it loses its spice and become sweet, a sweet musky amber vanilla, with a bit of heliotrope—truly musk and not reminiscent of laundry detergent. Modest silage at first, becomes a skin scent in the base, lasts 8+ hours with 2 or 3 sprays. This is for the EDP.

For no reason whatsoever this fragrance reminds me of a childhood Christmas, when I received a box of three perfumed soaps, wrapped in bright coloured pleated silk paper, and embellished with Art Nouveau style stickers. One was lilac, the second sandalwood and the third violet. I might have been ten or so, and of all the presents this was my favourite, so much so, that I remember having slept with the box in my bed for a long time. See? No notes are the same, and Fleur Oriental is NOT a soapy scent. Yet, like my childhood soaps, this fragrance is also festive, warm, embracing and rich, just like the most wonderful Christmases of my life. Highly recommended. (And yes, it does remind me of Shalimar, especially the first 10 minutes.) Longevity: excellent, lasts a whole day and the morning of the next.

Christmas is coming on and in my relentless quest to find the perfect carnation scent, thought I'd give it a try. With everyone comparing this to SHALIMAR, I mean who wouldn't like this on some level. On initial application, I get the peppery snap sharpness of what I suppose is the Carnation, very similar to Caron's SACRE....this is very fleeting, not even 15 minutes. It settles into a powdery mellow amber-vanilla, with the emphasis on the vanilla, which is nice. If you've tried HABANITA you'll feel the similarity at this point. I accidentally bought the EDT, and I would imagine the EDP would be softer and overall better. Non-glaring carnations is what I want for Christmas, as it reminds me of my long gone dad, it was his favorite flower.