Infusion d'Iris Eau de Parfum Absolue

I love this perfume! I was lucky to find a 50ml bottle in a local perfume store and of course this was the last bottle as it is discontinued. I was also lucky because I asked and received their sample bottle which had about 30ml of perfume left (heheheh...). Both batches (sample and my bottle) were made in 2012 with only a few months apart, and I am referring to that because the juice of the sample bottle was lighter and the scent in my opinion even better smelling than the sealed bottle I purchased, I assume because of being displayed in the store (light and air conditions) in its glass bottle. So... this on initial spray smells like an expensive luxury soap (I assume it is the iris, the tonka and the benzoin perhaps?) and then...oh my... I pick up almond in the notes mixed and blended so beautiful with the iris and the soapy smell that it makes it devine! Mind you, an almond note done right, not like all these perfumes made with the almond note, that make them smelling harsh like bug spray or bitter(like Alaia Blanche,valentino valentina poudree etc), this is neither sweet nor bitter, it is beautiful and smells expensive. It is a beautiful balanced scent, that will smell really nice in every weather I think, as I first tried it in really hot Mediterranean weather, and I am wearing it now in chillier rainy automnal weather. It projects nicely and softly, in an arms lenth, and you can smell it throughout its wear. Its sillage is pretty good do, it last for at least 8 hours! As this is unfortunately discontinued I will cherish every moment wearing it but I won't make an effort to save it, I'd rather enjoy it, as I hope to do with the rest of my perfume collection. After all, 80ml of perfume (50+30 ;) ) will last me for a while - lol EDIT: I was trying to decipher what that beautiful almond-ish note was exactly, and then I saw the mastic note in the ingredients listed here.And I thought yes...it is similar to mastic but...it isn't quite that... but this note was so familiar...almond-ish...mastic-y... and then it hit me!The note that gives that impression and it is the main note of this perfume is the spice mahlab. If you have ever grinded mahlab seeds and tried this perfume, you know exactly what I am talking about. The mahlab seeds when grinded they become a beautiful aromatic powder that can be used in a pastry recipe that is well known here in Greece called tsoureki that we make usually in Easter.In fact, mahleb gets combined beautiful with mastic (one ingredient compliments the other in the recipe), so it is no surprise, that the mastic is referred here. However the note is definitely mahlab! The funny thing, that when I was way younger, I thought that mahleb would make an excellent main perfume note, and I had tried to create a resemblance of a perfume oil, but with no success... Many years later, who would have thought that this perfume would come to me, and being a discontinued one for so long, no less... ;)

I think sometimes you dont choose the fragrance, it chooses you. I wrote in my first review about a year ago that i bought a bottle of this in hopes it would satisfy my longing for the original infusion d iris edp, which at the time was hard to find and unbelievably pricey here in Oz, but since i was wanting the fresh soapy qualities of the origional, I found it was too dry, powdery and strong for me so i gave it to my mum. Well ever since the day i gave it away its been in the back of my mind calling me back. I asked mum if i could grab it and try wearing it again, she said of course. So i was full of excitement to get the bottle back but found she hasnt touched it at all, it looks like its been sprayed maybe..twice lol. When i asked her if she ever wears it she said " mm not really, i tried it but..na." So today i wore it again, i tried dabbing a little of the origional IDI over the top to give it a bit of an incense kick and omg im in love! I can't believe i didnt give her more of a chance:( Today it just made me feel happy. IDI absolue is almost the same as the origional edt, yes, only bolder, powderier and less soapy; its dryer than the origional and is more like a makeup sort of powder, not so much a baby powder. The lasting power is much much better also. Its lovely in cool weather but once the sun came put and i warmed up, the musk and benzoin really intensified, giving it a balmy almost smoky quality. IDI absolue is classy,sophisticated; and warmer than its original counterpart, which i find a little cold and serious (but is oddly one of the reasons i love it.) I think maybe at the time i just wasn't ready for this masterpiece to be mine, I didn't appreciate the beauty in its golden vintage style liquid. Over the last year ive wasted more money on failed blind buys than anyone will ever know, i think trying to figure out what fragrance i can call my own; my signature style. And i have gravitated towards pradas infusion d'iris line for so long now that i think this one is it, my special scent that just fits. Ive always loved fragrances that were thought to be ' too old' for me, aldehydic, chypre scents but didnt think i was ready for them yet so I would try wearing the age appropriate fruitchoulis, the gourmands.. and all the things can tolerate but dont really love. I cant look at sugary sweet scents anymore; im so over all that. Powder sweet yes, foody sweet, no. Fragrances like this are not made that often anymore; Pradas Infusions line brings back the classic style of perfumes for those that want the old style, well crafted, high quality scents. No matter how i tried to fight it, IDI Absolue found me and has a tight hold over me.

Prada Infusion D'Iris is just beautiful! Cozy, clean, fresh, fluffy - feels like what I imagine a cloud to smell like. Nothing sweet here, I smell no vanilla or tonka at all. I've owned the other EDT and EDP versions, loved them as well from first-sniff but kept having issues with longevity. Now having more experience with iris and neroli centered fragrances I understand that longevity, even from the most expensive houses, is actually really good at 4 hrs simply given the nature of these ingredients. They just aren't the type of flowers that have monster sillage anyway and in perfume, they won't have that last-forever longevity. I can appreciate that now! And I certainly don't mind re-applying, I can do so all day long and never tire of it! 😊 ❤️ HOWEVER, I just can't feel comfortable blowing through bottles and spending more money to keep replacing them... I've only just received this formula, tested yesterday, 60 F in San Diego, our first rainy day of the season. I could definitely still smell it on and around myself 3 hrs later. Then I sprayed Chanel No 19 Poudre on one arm along with another spray of this on the other, I wanted to re-compare (if that's a word) the two scents. They're quite similar but side by side, Poudre is still more green iris / neroli whereas IDI is more powdery iris / neroli. I love them both, but IDI wins hands down as far as the fragrance itself! Compared to the other iterations of IDI, the Poudre lasted a few hours longer which was why I traded those out and kept the Poudre. This IDI is more intense and still sooooo intoxicating... If it can give me at least 5 hours, I'll have to let the Poudre go and hunt down a few back-ups! I can't imagine anyone not liking this scent. It's gorgeous. In all formulas, it somehow manages to be warm and cozy although the ingredients sound colder (again, I don't sense anything sweet here, even in the dry down). My favorite times to wear it are fall / winter and cooler evenings. I feel like in the heat the florals don't really get to bloom and it evaporates too quickly. Leaves a LOVELY after-scent on clothes, too. 😍 Definitely worth a sample if you haven't already, beautiful indeed!

First impressions after blind buying..... This version is a more deeper leathery iris, im sure i can smell violet too ? i almost dismissed it as its harsh at first , the first few mins is not that nice, however eventually absolue settles gets much warmer and balsamic , i love the coldness of the orginal so this is different , it takes a bit of getting used to as its kinda the opposite of the original edp version. This is soooo smooth , rich and balmy , its got a slight batternburg /marzipan vibe in the top notes but eventually it goes more woody iris. The benzoin is delish ! Something feels bright and medicinaly cold makeing my nose feel cold as well but i really like it im unsure what that note is but it may be how the orange blossom is comeing through or is there a little pepper ? is this even more powdery than the usual edp ? possibly , i love powder so this is a richer powder with a cold leathery iris yet the tonka warms and so do the resins. dry down is becoming a little less iris and much less orange blossom , more resins and dark incense with a dark vanilla, and im getting a little bit of another favorite of mine chanel no 5 omg i never expected that ! just something in the more musky notes takes me that way ! now that was unexpected and is nice as i love no 5, its not heavily like it though , just a tad. " shwets " has a review a few below this that mentions this is quite soft and it reminds of babys heads when clean , but not with talc or nappies, just beautiful fresh washed baby head skin , lol i get that too ! like clean soft healthy skin plus other notes. This is not quite as airy like the beautiful original nor fresh and soapy , this is much much darker and richer and more oriental woody version of the original, this version has more makep / lipstick feel too, i love them both , but this ones just as addictive ! easily 9 /10 just beautiful shame its quite soft id love an elixir of this :)

Funny how sometimes you get taken in by a perfume copy. I really was hoping to be blown away by this, especially because I love the original perfume, and many early reviews were favorable. Their copy advertises a "richer and more intense" version of d'Iris, like an extrait or something. So in that way I'm disappointed that it's not a loud, rich, intense in-your-face d'Iris. Anyway--it's pretty linear, and while I like it alot, not too exciting. Think of d'Iris but with a splash of vanilla on the bottom, and a bit more incense added to the powdery aspects. It is also a bit more woody, and all together the ingredients are of a darker variety--there seem to be no florals except for a hint of the iris, which despite the pyramid I don't find to be prominient. Mostly I smell mastic/resins, powder, vanilla, wood, musk, and an abstract iris, which in sum add up to a dark character. It may be dark, but it's not loud--it does not wear like an "Absolue" for those that think it will be stronger than the original, think again--it wears next to the skin, but has excellent longevity. For all its woody incense musky darkness, it is a perfectly safe scent--it's not really daring at all. That said, it's worth a sniff for those that like the original, I have a bottle of Absolue and I enjoy it quite a bit. EDIT 12/04/2013 While my above review was not negative, I feel I did not pontificate on the great aspects of this perfume. For those who like the incense, resinous aspects of the original, indeed those facets are amped up in this edition, making it a moody, almost contemplative perfume. Also, the vanilla goes SO WELL with this, it is not sweet or foody, just true blue vanilla, which makes up the final drydown (vs. the woody drydown of the original.) Just another 2 cents.

I have already written a favorable review about the original Infusion d'Iris EDP (I like that better than the EDT which is more floral/less incensey and L'Eau d'Iris which is a floral/minty version). Despite my admiration of the EDP it was a bit too uptight and austere to feel comfortable wearing it and got swapped. Infusion d'Iris Absolue is a flanker well made; neither so different that it would seem unreasonable to share the same name nor too similar so there would be no point of being around like others. They share some basic traits but there are different perfumes altogether. It reminds me of the first EDP in the opening because of the bright orange blossom and neroli they have in common but there is no citrus here. It's apparent from the first moment that Absolue will be a warmer scent. Both are powdery but the original turns woody/incensey while Absolue has none of these traits. Instead I get sweet, warm, nutty and buttery iris. I would describe it as a softer, less spicy and more contemporary version of L'Heure Bleue. Stays close to the skin and seems to last less than the original or I get this impression because it could be mistaken for a skin scent after a certain point and that's not the case with the first EDP. I don't get the same clarity in the transition of notes here, the lines are blurred and the whole composition seems more compact. I can see how the wearers of Infusion d'Iris EDP could be disappointed, but if the original is a serious, aloof, intelligent woman at work, Absolue could be the same woman after letting her hair down in the safety of her home. Worth a try I'd say.

The bottle... gorgeous, gold, stately dresser jewelry. The scent, luxurious and balmy and quite different from the original EDP and not a concentrate as one might assume. Infusion d'Iris EDP Absolue is aloof, yet contemplative with a graceful and dignified character. The perfume opens with clean, soapy, lush blossoms that make way for a cool, waxy iris with an empyrean air. Neroli brings a natural aldehyde-like quality and classiness to the fragrance. The rich, balmy base is clean, very smooth, resinous and imparts a vibrance that is warm and welcoming in contrast to the cool opening accords. It also brings a gentle, yet firm anchor to Absolue, replacing the weightless citrus, woods and incense in the original EDP. I am learning however that fragrances with prominent iris are personally not for me. Somehow I am always transported back to my childhood, sniffing the head of a plastic scented doll (she was a little friend of Strawberry Shortcake and wore a yellow dress and hat, and I don't remember what her name or her featured scent was). Up close, iris notes in perfume give me a sense of lingering synthetic, plastic queasiness. It also gives me associations with cheap baby shampoo that just doesn't complement my skin chemistry. From afar she is a stunning beauty, and for a moment I thought that Absolue would be the one. Ultimately though, I don't think I'll ever be able to wear iris as a featured note; it will always remain a noble flower that I won't ever conquer. I envy those who can wear this indomitable beauty.

I have been trying to get to know this perfume for a couple of years now and each time i wear it, it lasts a long while and has a long pervading sweetness alongside an iris note (one that shows violet, powdery, suede, dusty, chewy facets), which stays right through to the base. In a few words, sweet heavy violet dusted Infusion D'Iris. The synth iris reminds me of the iris used in the more recent Misia, (so I do understand the Chanel references from fellow sniffers), as well as the iris in Lolita en Blanc (a violet iris again) - and a certain resemblance to the original Infusion D'Iris, with that makeup inside a new Prada handbag sensation. Every time I wear Absolue, it feels like I am wearing two different perfumes. A sweet heavy one juxtaposed with a soft powdery leather iris violet perfume. However, it wasn't until i tried Candy for the first time yesterday and today that the penny dropped. Absolute and Candy share the same base. Absolue has a strong iris, less leather, less bright, less airey to original Infusion. A thick sweet base to my nose, drags down the effects of the other notes and leaves them feeling a little smothered. I have persevered for a couple of years for this to grow on me, but I am still ambivalent, love/like/not like. If you like the sound of a sweet heavy violet dusted Infusion D'Iris, with great performance, a far dry down not dissimilar to Prada Candy, then I would seek out a bottle of Absolue. Oh, and I didn't mention, the opening, Absolue lacks the zesty opening of the original EDP.

This is my biased review because I adore the Iris Note: Infusion d'Iris Eau de Parfum Absolue Prada is essential in my collection. I always keep this exquisite fragrance in its box. I don't want to finish it, and it's a real shame that it has been discontinued. Why, why, why? This fragrance retains the incense notes from the original 2007 version but with a smoother, sweet vanilla and lipstick powder scent. Infusion d'Iris Absolue is undeniably classy, sophisticated, and warmer than the original. I find it remarkably similar to Chanel Poudre, which I also adore. It's one of my favorite scents by some of my favorite perfumers, Daniela (Roche) Andrier and Nathalie Lorson. They create the best iris fragrances that I absolutely love. The dry down is undeniably lovely and soft, with hints of incense, balsamic notes, and musky. Despite the cooler-sounding ingredients, this flanker exudes warmth and coziness. It starts with a rich and sensuous iris note and is perfect for wearing in winter, fall, or spring. I can't imagine anyone not falling in love with this absolutely gorgeous scent if you love Iris, as I do. I have dry skin, and the scent stays close to me with a longevity of around 4-5 hours. However, this doesn't deter me from cherishing it as a gem in my collection. IG: @marulovesperfumes

This is a very beautiful fragrance, but it smells quite different to what I had imagined. I expected it to be a quite apparent mix between Infusion D'Iris and Candy, with an intensely penetrating iris note throughout. Instead the orange blossom shines brightly for a long while. I kept thinking how familiar it felt, and half an hour into the drydown it hit me - it's a stronger, more sultry version of Apres l'Ondee, or a softer, more wearable version of Insolence EDP. The orange blossom dominates heavily until the heart and base notes come through, followed by the iris, which smells a bit like violets here, and the vanilla, benzoin and tonka bean base give that added Guerlain familiarity. The whole composition is so smooth I wonder if it's still there sometimes, until it softly makes its presence known again. An intimate fragrance for sure. Is it a winner? YES. It has not only character and depth; it has some serious sex appeal but of the sensual kind. This is made of high quality ingredients in a more than average concentration. All the notes seem to be singing together, and the melody is irresistable. Model Lara Stone personifies Infusion D'Iris Absolue - an innocent beauty with a body made for sin and a mind for deep and meaningful conversations.

This Absolu is so beautiful. Projection and longevity are pretty good, considering this is such a delicate, soft fragrance. It's noticeably sweet. It smells very resinous, like powdered honey, or maybe even like pure beeswax. I smell loads of iris. The first time I tried it on, I also tried on two other perfumes, but Infusion d'Iris Absolue was the sweet, powdery scent that kept on drifting all the way up to my nose from the back of my hand, consistently getting my attention. The scent is the epitome of femininity. It's lovely in a casual setting, yet I think it could be a very nice choice for an elegant evening out. Beautiful bottle, too! Update: I compared with the original EDP on the other arm, and the EDP is very citrus compared to the Absolut. The EDP dries down into a dark incense, and the Absolut dries down into a sweet galbanum/vanilla. They both have iris in common, but they are very different perfumes to me. I can understand the comparison to Shalimar Initial, but the big difference is that Initial smells like caramel, and this Absolut smells like a balmy vanilla. This also doesn't have that "Guerlain-aide" scent, which can be unappealing to some people.

At first I thought I'd purchased the original Infusion d'Iris but turns out I have the Absolu. I absolutely love iris, it gives so much depth to fragrances with lots of notes, and the addition of vanilla to it is dreamy to my nose. Because of the vanilla in Absolu this is the perfect rendition of Id'I for me. The thing is I've been wearing so many vanilla scents as of late and they really feel like "me", I really wanted to punch up the vanilla in Absolu, so I ended up layering on Modern Muse Nuit to this when I wore it yesterday...it was the PERFECT amount of vanilla, didn't overwhelm the original scent at all. I was pleasantly surprised! I'm disappointed only in my actual bottle, as the litte gold medallion came off and there's no way to re-attach it without glue. Made me wonder if the bottle is actually a knock-off? Ugg. Just seems like Prada could have done better in that department if indeed it is original. But the scent itself is A+ and really good for colder weather.

Infusion d'Iris Absolue is a must-have for me. I had tried Infusion d'Iris (the original) first, then gave away my sample because it was too baby-powdery for me. But I couldn't get it out of my head, and once I became aware of the Absolue I knew I had to have it based on the resins, vanilla, and tonka. So I blind-bought it. To my initial annoyance, it smelled just like Infusion d'Iris. If you're used to warmer and/or sweeter scents it will be difficult to pick up the base notes. Nevertheless, I kept on wearing it and not knowing why. Over time I can detect the warmer notes in the base. They're subtle and do not try to upstage the iris, as when tonka- or vanilla-centric fragrances become too syrupy and heavy. Absolue is light and airy with a touch of resinous sweetness. There's a slight medicinal-balm slant to it reminiscent of Carmex. It's a casual scent for me, very relaxing the way lavender is, and smells good in all weather. It will always be in my wardrobe.

This fragrance was phenomenal. I bought it after having thoroughly tried many fragrances to find the one that I could stand on me. I used it for about a month and then I stopped wearing it because I couldn’t stand it. So, I gave it to my mum (like I did before with so many of my fragrances). Three years after I had given it to her, I was in her bedroom and noticed the half empty bottle on her dresser. I sniffed it again and I thought “OMG, this is great, why did I give it away?” Next thing I did was asking my mum if I could have it back. I wore it until I could not spritz anymore fragrance out of the bottle. This was such a warm, powdery and gorgeous scent. A very comforting scent that was most suitable in my opinion for the evening. Whenever I used it in the morning I only spritzed myself twice. Shame it was a limited edition. I do have the Infusion d’Iris but it is not as feminine and deep as this one.

I love Infusion d'Iris Eau de Parfum Absolue! Modern-chic. Gorgeous, powdery vanilla, iris and woods. When I sprayed it on for the first time, my little daughter said: "It smells like Play-Doh". I guess, I have to agree with her a bit :). Although, I love the scent just the way it is, I live for what comes next. My body chemistry transforms this perfume to something divine, and in a summer better then winter. I would recommend testing it before buying, because my friend loves "D'Iris Absolue", but it doesn't love her back. This perfume has everything I want in a fragrance. It's different, abstract, classy, made out of quality ingredients, suits any season or occasion, long-lasting, not annoying, has noticeable projection but not loud or over the top, smells terrific at the dry-down and on my skin. Well done Prada!

I accidentally bought Parfum Absolue thinking I was purchasing Infusion D'Iris, the pre 2015 reformulation version. Initially I was so bummed out as I normally wear the latter in Summer, and I was missing one of my favorite summer fragrances. Absolue is warmer and heavier, whereas Infusion is brighter and crisper. The powdery iris note is present in both, but because this Is more complex, I wear it in cooler weather and I think that's wear it belongs. That's the main difference to me. This is for cool weather and Infusion is a perfect warm weather scent. I like having both as they are different. My favorite from Prada continues to be the pre 2015 reformulation of Infusion, but this is a big, beautiful and long lasting scent. Maybe not the most original perfume, but I don't think it needs to be.

This is beautiful. Usually I'm unable to wear iris and the original Prada Infusion D'iris which is too soapy, makes my nose go funny as it tends to dry out my nostrils. The absolue version reminds me of a refined and high end version of J&J baby shampoo, a clean baby's head without smelling like baby products and nothing like baby powder/nappies. It is quite different to the original one even though there is similarities - though i wouldnt have noticed. The original is cold and absolue is warm. I tend to gravitate towards 'warm' fragrances regardless of the weather or season. Remains close to the skin and is not a loud perfume, but more of a perfume that is not perfumey which makes you smell nice rather than it standing out as a perfume.

I adore the entire Prada Infusion d'Iris line, and have collected them like a madwoman. The EDP is in my Top 5, and this is similar enough to the EDP that I have no choice but to love it as well. For me, this scent is all about iris, supported by leather (where is this coming from???), a mildy bitter amber, and a touch of vanilla. It's smooth and powdery, which I appreciate. Absolue is not nearly as green as the EDP/EDT, and makes an excellent cold weather alternative to those offerings. Please please please test this on skin and not just on a paper strip, because paper cannot do justice to the Infusion d'Iris line. Absolue takes root and blooms on skin. I love it!

Infusion d'Iris EDP: stylish and slightly prim yet elegant librarian by day. Kittenish heels and perfectly arched eyebrows offer glimpses of sensuality. Pencil behind the ear. Infusion d'Iris Parfum Absolue: see above, by night, minus pencil, plus two glasses of oaked Chardonnay and one button undone on her blouse. Sexy, but still classy. I like and have both and can readily see the comparisons with other iris perfumes. The Absolue is most similar to Chanel No.19 Poudre but there is something heavier and darker in this scent in the dry down. The opening is similar to Parfum Initial, but Initial develops in to something more overt, spicier and sexier than this lady.

iris also has a very leathery effect... but it is not that strong in any concentration of Infusion d'Iris. We sense the leather but is never like the leather note in Cuir de Russie or fahrenheit, to name a few. Iris is a very rich scent in all aspects of the term. It can be metal like silver or gold, it can be , yes, very powdery, it can be earthy, it can be slightly floral and it can be leathery, but all that in the most sublime way ever smelt by humans nostrils. Try Chanel 31 Rue Cambom and you will see/smell what I mean. Absolue is just what the name implies, an Absolute version of Infusion d'Iris. I've got mine. Heaven on Earth.