Red Door Elizabeth Arden for women

When Red Door was first introduced I loved it. It was not everywhere; not at the drug store, the Flea Market or in CVS. ( and I am NOT a fragrance snob!). It was unique, unusual and less overpowering than the current formula. I was a very athletic weight lifting wild woman back then; this fragrance suggested powerful girly-ness! It is different now... Too sweet, lacks the power..... And too common, as well...

I hate it. It's smell like a cheap perfume. Very very old-fashioned.....

Will always love this perfume, was my favorite aunts signature in the '90's when I was younger, so it's now a comfort fragrance for me when I am really down. Red Door is heavy on the red roses, honey, sandalwood and jasmine. Like it, hate it, whatever, it has now become a classic that takes many of us back to simpler, better times....

nopasho what can I say . . . your review was fabulous and unique and uplifing. I am a true Red Door lover and always have been. I stopped wearing my Red Door some years back because my sister complained it was too strong and made her sick. This was my signature frag for many years. I always received compliments on it and even walked into a room of Heroin addicts once and they all came out of their smack head stupor to ask "what is that smell?" That smell was ME with my "old lady" Red Door. I remember when I first smelled this, I was the hired help at a brand new Country Club. The beautiful and young rich women of the club were all wearing this fabulous scent. I was just the "Help" but I wanted a bottle so badly and could not afford it. After saving for some time, I finally bought a bottle and felt as fabulous as the women at the club. This is a true "great frag" and will always be in my heart forever . . .

I used to wear this fragrance all the time, many years ago. I swear it has been reformulated to contain more rose. The fragrance I used to wear was obviously an oriental. You could detect many flowers- not just rose. It was warm, exotic and floral/oriental. This new version...I will wear it until it's gone, but after that I'm done. It's far too rosy for me. This reminds me of Tea Rose. It's a sledgehammer of roses with a touch of honey to intensify. It's too much for me. I like roses in a fragrance, but only when they are subtle.

If you love roses, I do recommend it. It is similar to Tea Rose in the way that it is intensly rosy. But, it's a tad more modern I think.

I get it from free vial. This scent suitable to old lady..

this perfume smells of old ladies, I can smell this perfume a mile away. Nine times out of ten an old lady walks around the corner wearing it .
It has the nick name embalming fluid.

I discovered this beautiful perfume back in the 1990s when I was a fresh-faced 18 year old student.
All my friends were wearing 'light' scents of the era - CK one, Issey Miyaki and the like - but I just loved the way it seemed to envelope me in a delicious waft of sumptuousness.

I recently discovered it again & just had to have a bottle - It is just as heavenly as I remember (maybe a bit lighter but not sure if its jut my older nose!)

Yes, its heavy & a Love it/Loathe it scent. But it works with my body chemistry & I happen to LOVE it!

My 2nd grade teacher wore this. Not that I knew at the time, but having sampled it later in life I know without a doubt she was wearing Red Door.
Gutsy move for an unmarried Catholic school teacher. It's a power fragrance, but not a Power Bitch fragrance, if you know what I mean. I can't imagine a woman climbing the corporate ladder with this unless she was seducing her boss from the typing pool.
It's one of those 80's / 90's hairspray florals. It screams for attention. Sharp, yet powdery.

mr nopasho!! Your review is AMAZING to read..Loved it!!! Thank you! and please do continue to love scents..they are my passion too..(I wish I was as knowledgable as you are--despite my Aromatherapy training LOL!) and I love knowing people out there who are passionate about perfumes..Life is more fun with them!!

I smelled this for the first time on another woman while shopping at Safeway. It was so lucious I had to ask her what she was wearing. I decided I needed it too. I saw it at Macy's and only sprayed a test card to see what it did after a few hours. I loved it so much that yesterday I sprayed a bit on my skin to try. Well, I realized quickly that it was much too "big" of a scent for me. It smelled good but way too strong and overpowering to the point of distraction. I was so disappointed as I really love it so much on others.

Though I mostly enjoy this fragrance, the unfortunate presence of an elusive ingredient triggers an asthmatic response and I am therefore incapable of wearing it.

This was my first 'grown-up' fragrance that I became passionate about. The beginning risked being overwhelmingly hairspray-floral [but then I do like the smell of Elnett as my mother and grandma used it] if not sprayed with caution, but not the toxic tear-gas some would have you believe. It is not the perfume's fault if it has been applied in the manner of a fire-hydrant. Perhaps that is why so many perfumes these days have such poor longevity and sillage, because they are no longer dabbed but crop-sprayed when applied? ANYWAY Red Door was floral but not sweet, powdery without being musky and crisp without aldehyde soapiness, or sinus-clearing fougeres. Not a fresh fragrance but never cloying - warming and sophisticated with the MOST BEAUTIFUL dry-down of honeyed amber I have ever experienced until Alien's different but equally wondrous cashmeran woods. It lasts and lasts, especially on clothes. I have a leather purse that had a tester strip in it and I get a whiff each time I open it, years later. I am very upset to hear of the possible reformulation so please note that this review is based on the 'old' bottle with the highly naff red plastic semi-circle lid. I much prefer the look of the new bottle, less cheap and nasty, but am not impressed if the perfume itself has been made into a piercing, synthetic, linear assault.

The body lotion and shower gel were utterly dreadful however, with none of the rounded warmth and floral softness of the perfume, so I do not recommend them at all. If that is what people who don't like Red Door smell when they sniff it I can begin to understand the loathing.

I love the color red, so I just had to sample a perfume named "Red Door." This frag has a complicated relationship with my skin. It begins as a floral attack, boisterous schoolchildren coming in after play with carnation and tuberose tussling over honey snacks. Professor Benzoin rises from her amber desk to settle the mob on a blanket of musk to listen to a story about plums and peaches, and about an hour in the room is settled into a soft harmonious bouquet with a breath of sweetness. Patience is key.

Red Door ....

A wonderful fresh, clean, but floral scent that, in my mind, immediately takes me back to the early 90's.

What I can say is that this scent inspired in me a fashion sense that was beyond what any other scent has/had done.

When I wore Red Door, I somehow became a bit of a modern day fashionista (of the 90's). I would wear it with my jeans, patent loafers with gold buckles, white T-Shirt, black blazer with gold Lion Buttons and a big chuncky gold charm bracelet! I LOVED that look, and feeling, and that is what Red Door brings back to my psyche!

My husband said "it was me"

Nopasho: Wonderful review!!!!! Impressed.

I wore this when I was 17-18 and loved it then, though it did give my skin a rash at times. I tried it again recently and found it overpowering, too floral and heady and just not appealing. Not sure if my body chemistry has changed a lot or my taste.

ETA (13th March 2013): Now I've been researching perfumes a bit longer, I tested this again and realised it's almost an exact carbon copy of Paris by YSL. It's just not as rich and lovely as Paris, but is still so very like it. It's extremely strong for an EDT and I don't think it develops or changes much over time - the fragrance stays the same until it fades - meaning it's not as complex or interesting as Paris, which reveals more notes as time goes on.

My father gave the original to me as a Christmas present in 1989, it was recently introduced and I was only 12 but eager of having a real women fragrance in order to throw away my Charlie... He said he chose it because he wanted my first "serious" fragrance to have a beautiful and yet powerful smell, just like my temper. I used to alternate it with a younger perfume, Pavlova, but eventually Red Door became my signature fragrance when I was up to 18. A lot of perfumed water under the bridge led me to different scents and a new signature perfume, but I still have it and whenever I use Red Door I confirm what my dad said so many years ago: it suits me, it always had and it always will.

I had read a multitude of negative comments about this scent and especially took note that quite a few people considered it their least favorite perfume of all time. Therefore, my interest was peaked, but I braced myself before giving it a try. My initial reaction was that I had smelled it before but couldn't quite remember where or when. The prominent note on me is the honey. We're in the midst of a cold spell weatherwise and this fragrance is appropriately soothing, soft and comforting. I can tell that it might be overpowering if applied liberally. One spritz was enough for me. I feel like I've discovered a hidden treasure.

at night in the smallest doses it's strong, sexy, powerful. any other time.. waaaaaaay too much. overpowering and distracting to people and not in a good way.

at night in the smallest doses it's strong, sexy, powerful. any other time.. waaaaaaay too much. overpowering and distracting to people and not in a good way.

this smells so good, feminine, floral - fruity. Very sexy fragrance, easy to wear !
I really like it a lot.

I remember this from when I was a child and remember the scent even when I haven't sniff it for a long time. I thought it smelled good, a little strong but not bad. I think people liked it so much that every where you went you could smell it and now people are tired of it. My grandma used to wear it and I loved it on her. She gave me a little bottle and I used it until it was over, I felt so grown-up, lol.

My mum used to wear this and it smelt gorgeous on her. My favourite for her as it worked so well and smelt heavenly, sort of like amber/honey (she usually wears Samsara) . I was given a bottle a little while ago and was very excited and had my fingers crossed that it would work on me as we'll as it did her. It smelt nice, I didn't need much and I was very happy with the silage. It was not as heavenly on me so I passed it on to mum. I still love it though and agree with other comments saying it's a classic. I'll give it another go in a few years.

Where do I begin...

I fought for a full-size bottle of Red Door during a Dirty Santa Christmas Party. I had heard great things about it (mostly from much older women...I am in my early 20s) so I wanted to give it a try. I ended up with the perfume...and lo and behold...it was the WORST perfume that I have smelled thus far.

It was FAR too fragrant. Even one spritz is overpowering. There is too much going on within the scent. It actually burns my nose. I'm not sure if it's the Freesia (I hate it) or the fact that it has too many florals combined. And I'm a girl who loves TABU and other strong scents.

This felt like it was too dated...too 80s Business Mom...I picture those huge shoulderpads and a woman with that short bushy 80s doo.

I really wanted to like this but I had to give it away! Thankfully a friend's mother loved it (go figure) so I let her have it!

I would wear this with caution around asthmatics....seriously. lol

I absolutely hate the smell of this! My mom use to wear it and it gave me horrible migraines. She finally stopped wearing it thankfully! Now a lady I work with wears it and it literally makes me sick. I walked through a cloud of this stuff and was at urgent care the same night.

I used to dislike this fragrance when I started collecting/wearing perfumes a few years back. I have a small 0.5 oz or something like that (it came in a gift set, my mom gave it to me) so I gave it a try the other day and I actually really love how it smelled on my skin! I also recently started loving late 80's-early 90's perfumes and this perfume is definitive of that time period for me. so yeah I have come to appreciate it. it's bold and strong, not like a lot of other perfumes today.

My friend described Red Door as ‘very perfumery’ and I agree. The big, bold and powerful bouquet, mixed from impressive number of flowers, does not smell gentle or natural. It is designed to stand out and announce its presence from far away. Child of 1980s, Red Door was designed to exude aggressive confidence. Whenever I smelled it, I always thought about tough business woman in tailored suit, high heels and no nonsense attitude. Color red suits this scent well and expresses its highly energetic mood.

There are so many flowers in Red Door’s composition. I can smell them all at once, desperately trying to fight for the spotlight. I think jasmine manages to get an upper hand at one point, but then carnations creep in and swallow it alive. Lily, freesia and lily of the valley has cool and overpowering attitude silently fighting with their rival jasmine and rose. Perhaps it sounds crazy, but to me that’s what makes this scent so energetic. There is this dynamic battle of wills in this scent that makes it interesting to experience. As the battle of flowers finally subsides, I am left with pleasant, slightly animalistic, woody base.

Red Door is not my type of scent, but I don’t mind smelling it on others, as long as the usage is moderate. If used in excess, I think it could incinerate any intelligent life form within 5 meter radius, not to mention to induce a severe allergic reaction. And the scent lasts a long time too.

I am impressed that Red Door is still in production and has loyal number of followers. The composition is not as refined as other big floral creation of that era, but I think it is a good bargain for the price if you would like to experience a floral scent with tons of attitude. Overall score is 6/10.

Okay, I'm a bit too late for the Red Door hype but I want to believe I have some history with this fragrance. My fave aunt used to wear this and it smelled heavenly on her---honey and amber and warm skin at the height of summer.

20 or so years later, I finally tried it. I think it is a timeless floral. Totally reminded me of Burberry Weekend but a million times more beautifully put together. It smells rich and yummy and totally red.

I love it.

This perfume is a scent I have loved for years but must say I much prefer the Red Door Body Lotion as the fragrance lasts much longer than the atomizer

I use to really dislike this scent, but surprisingly I love it now! Its a wonderful, timeless, floral, sophisticated scent. My mom own a 50ml bottle that is almost empty & my younger sister owns a mini of it :) I can't find it in stores anywhere? I really want this.

Tried this last night for the first time. To me it smells like flowers and urine
I went to bed and got ready for the day and now it is over 12 hours later and I can still smell it.

This was a gift when I was in college. I used it a few times, it is sweet but not exactly my type.

@Nopasho.
I gave you a thumbs up balloon just for how well-written your review was, the time you took, and the argument you put forward. You seem like you would have been ace at debating at school.

However...I do on this instance have to disagree. The reason being, is that in theory, with all those flowers, one should be able to see the beauty within. But that is just theory, and an actual sniff is reality. Reality dictates also, that within the so called 'harmony' of flowers lurks a villian. Hiding secretly in the base, sniggering away as he messes up the floral bouquet and pees all over it (lol). Yes, that old critter..the civetta! Even on one of the arden approved websites it lists the note. A note that can make or break a fragrance depending on taste. Therefore, it is naturally a polarising scent for that reason. Believe it or not, t's not just bubble-gum chewing, fad-following teens with their sickly sweet, fruit-candy perfumes that might detest this scent. It's anybody who dislikes civet. And when civet and leather are combined - some people will head for the hills faster than bob on iceskates!


I happen to love most 'old granny' (to quote the insult) perfumes. I always have - as a teen even. But this is one scent that I just cannot tolerate for the reason above.

I'm surprised to see all the dislikes for this. I was shopping for a 'mature' fragrance today as a last minute gift for my Grandma after I forgot her birthday, and I tried this one and though it was amazing. Definitely something I'd enjoy smelling on an older woman. I didn't buy it --I opted for an Elizabeth Taylor miniatures gift set because I figured my nan would get a real kick out of a Liz Taylor product since she likes all the old hollywood stars of her era-- but I've smelled White Diamonds before and I hate it, and I'll be surprised if any of the Liz Taylor scents in the pack I bought are as nice as this is.

By the way, I did only smell this on a tester paper strip that I sprayed myself, so perhaps it's different on the skin, but what I smelled was amazing and I could NOT stop sniffing the tester strip in the store.

Me encanta! Es el mejor perfume que he probado. Sirve para ir al trabajo o para una fiesta. Al usarlo me siento segura y bella

My mum uses Red Door and she also gave me a bottle of this 2 years ago. I used it up, but didn't really like it back then. But recently I smelled it again and suddenly I liked it so much that I even consider stealing it from her. I knew that my perfume taste was not the same anymore, but it was this perfume plus the fact that I couldn't wear any of the scents that I used to love last year ( with one exception) made me realize how drastically my perfume taste has changed. I can see why it is considered as outdated, but well, I don't care, I prefer this to many of the new perfumes that are realized today.

One of those perfumes that my mom used to wear. Smelling it ALWAYS makes me think of her, so it's great smell in my opinion.

I remember wearing this when I was eighteen; it was actually my signature for a while. I was out and about and figured I'd re-sniff for old times sake; it smells exactly as I remembered, even though it's been years since I've worn or smelled it. I used to get tons of compliments when I wore it and I'm really surprised by the amount of people who dislike it, though I can understand why; it is quite heady! I never knew the notes in this but I'm a little surprised that it's mostly floral; it was always quite spicy on me. Ahhh Red Door, your sillage and longevity were always amazing when I wore you way back when, but I may just leave you tied to those fond memories. :)

My day job is front end hotel work. Lots of people coming and going and I get a lot of chances to smell wonderful, and not so wonderful, perfumes and colognes. Recently, I got to smell Shalimar again and I hadn't smelled it for years. Coco for the first time ever and it smelled wonderful on this woman. Both of these, you had to be close to the woman wearing it to catch the scent, as it should be. A gentleman from India was in one day and he was wearing one of the most beautiful sandalwood scents I have ever smelled. It can be such a treat!

Then you have the people who you can smell before they even hit the lobby or as soon as the elevator door opens, and I don't know why this is, but those perfumes and colognes are almost universally nasty.

This was my first experience with Red Door a few weeks ago. I would be willing to bet this woman was still a good 25 feet away when I got hit with her perfume. And I had to ask what she was wearing, so I would know to never, ever check it out unaware. It was about the most cloying. headache inducing perfume I've ever experienced.

Yyyyuuummm. I am shocked and amazed when people say they don't like this. I love it, and nothing will ever change that for me. When this came out I was actually "too young" for it, but it was worn by my mother, an incredible lady...beautiful, powerful, strong, but very feminine...a force to be reckoned with, for sure. It is everything luxurious, elegant, and rich to me.....parties at night with drinks and older, dressed up people coming over, lots of noise and laughter while you sneak down the stairs in your Jammie's to catch a glimpse of the beautiful ladies and handsome men. Then, one of the men, a beautiful man from a different country spies you, and sneaks up to tell you in broken English that you are beautiful, holding your face in his hands, and if you were just a bit older......
That is Red Door to me.

There was a time for this perfume and it has passed.

I really don't like this scent. I used to love florals and still like lots of them. I have a full bottle, spayed once, gifted to me and I just can't wear it. I'd be willing to swap it...

Beautiful fragrance, reminds me of good NIVEA cream mixed with flowers, my grandmother smells of Pani Walewska cream and perfume, and it's very simmilar. I don't put it onto category for old women, no. I think it's very feminine, beautiful scent that lasts and lasts .
I was sure it was a masterpiece, and it is.

umm....donno about others but this fragrance hits me the moment i spray it....m not fond of this smell, it gives me headache. but it lasts for 5+ hours !!

Hi nopasho
What a detailed rich review! You started a revolution in my head.. You know that red door happens to be my mother perfume & if it wasn't hers I'd definitely buy it for myself since its one of the perfumes I highly appreciate & adore.. I'm a newbie in the world of fragrances and haven't much to tell about the notes and describing the fragrance stages but what I know is that red door is one of the most comforting, beautiful, sensuous scents ever!

WARNING! LONG DETAILED REVIEW AND DISSECTION OF A FRAGRANCE AHEAD!

Time for some much needed rehabilitation of a vilified under the radar classic, a sad victim of ageism.

This has been called: ‘grandma diaper fume’, ‘embalming fluid for the barely living’, ‘old lady BO’ etc. Well, got news for you grandma haters: this is an under the radar, dirt cheap almost classic.
My interest was piqued just by al the ‘grandma’ insults. Every time I see a fragrance being assaulted by teens being raised on a mix of fruity florals and celeb frags, identical terms really, I try it. And in 99% it is a great fragrance. So bring on the ‘grandma’- fumes!! I’ll leave the Britney’s for the milkshake-brigade. An yes, ‘Red Door’ is a grandma fume. And proudly so. Because it is intricate, complex, lovely, comforting and unique.

Another confession: I am a hetero man of 33 and I often wear 'Red Door’ by Elisabeth Arden! Shock, awe and horror. I say:‘Et alors? So what?’ You must be very insecure about your sexual persona or sexuality or age for that matter to worry about if a fragrance, for god's sake, is compatible with your sexual identity or age. ‘It is too masculine, it is too feminine, it is too old, it is too young, it is too wintery, it is too sping-y or autumny…’Who decides that? God? Perfume guru’s? The fragrance police? The good taste brigade? The fanatical ‘fragrantically correct ‘cops? It would better be you who decides what you like! There is only one person who matters in liking or disliking a fragrance: you, yourself, you! Can a man wear ‘Opium Women’? Yes! Can a woman wear ‘Egoiste Man’? Yes. Can a 23 year old woman wear Samsara (Hi Nadia!): Yes! Can a granny wear ‘Barbie’ by Quorum? Yes! Can I wear ‘Fame’ by Lady Gaga? No! Because I think it smells crappy, cheap and is sold way too expensive for what it is. And it will be in the discount bins after Christmas.

For me 'Red Door' is not yet in the pantheon of true classics like 'Opium', Chanel 5', 'Amarige', 'Poème', Burberry’s London for Men', Bulgari’s ‘Black’, Lauren’s 'Polo' but just under it. It is one of those ‘almost-classics under the radar’. A gem of a fragrance and dirt cheap to boot. This must break the world record for ‘bang for your buck’.

Many condemn 'Red Door' without having actually having smelled it, without knowing what it really is made off. I admit that it is the only Arden fragrance I really do like. And to think Arden most recently made the horribly over-hyped Nicky Minaj’s ‘Pink Friday’! Give me ‘Red Door’ any minute of the day then. And the night. So only one Arden for me, thank you very much. But here the Arden firm has gone out of his way, spared no cost to make something timeless and classic that is made with craftsmanship and knowledge of fragrance. Before they switch to über weak and über hyped Money-Minaj’s.And they succeeded gloriously in making a great fragrance with ‘Red Door’.

Let's look at the notes this IMHO only great Arden fragrance, this vilified great ‘granny fume’ that drives teens to ageist insults and verbal eruptions, to this highly underrated gem of a fragrance. A true All American Almost-Classic, almost on the level of ‘Youth Dew’ and ‘Obsession’. To the fragrance police and the ‘niche hipster’ and ‘celeb crazy’ fragranazi’s, I promise: you won't believe your eyes if you read the notes this is made with. And you want believe your nose if you smell this objectively or do a blind smelling test and put this anonymously into a batch. It will win gloriously, hands down.

Top: Orange Blossom, Plum, Violet, Peach, Anise, Rose
Middle: Honey, Carnation, Tuberose, Orchid, Freesia, Lily, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Lily of the Valley, Rose
Base: Sandalwood, Amber, Musk, Benzoin, Vetiver, Heliotrope, Cedar.

Yes, you counted right: 23 different fragrance notes! Not bad for a vilified, tarred at the stake and burned 'grandma fume'.

This is a by under 21 obsessed and corrupt (free bottles, goodie bags…) ‘beauty product critics’ totally undervalued intricate perfume work of beauty. Maybe also because it is so cheap. A lot of people have the reflex: it is cheap so it must be bad. And the opposite: it is expensive, so it MUST be good. 'Red Door' is much less expensive than all niches and is better than most overpriced niches. It is even less expensive than most celeb frags, and yes, you guessed it, a zillion times more perfume -technically better made. Meaning: longevity, sillage, deepness, perfect mixing… And yes, I smelled a lot of niches myself and a lot of cheap fruity floral fragrances.

Firstly, this fragrance is not made by a generic computer formula with one fragrance note altered or by an anonymous lab rat. It is made by none other than the genius nose Carlos Benaim! Yes!!! The magician who made Bulgari’s 'Jasmin Noir', Klein's 'Eternity' and 'Euphoria', a bunch of Carolina Herrera's, Dior's 'Pure Poison', a bunch of Armani's, Givenchy's, Halston.. He made Mariah Carey's not so bad and original first frag ‘M’, before she drowned into her midlife crisis and retrograded into toddler-thinking with her 'Bling Bling Blah Blah’. I mean, Carlos Benaim is no cheap hired gun. Hell, the Bling Blings, Fame’s and the Purrs of this world don't even have a creator with a name! God himself created ‘Lollipop Bling Bling’ no doubt. Anyway, ‘Red Door’ by Arden was created in 1989 and is still going strong. Stood the test of time. Let’s see how long ‘Bling Bling’, ‘Fame’ and Purr’ sing it out.

So how does ‘Red Door’ smell? You know me: I first look at the base. That for me is the making or breaking of a good or bad fragrance, technically speaking. I never talk about smell itself, because that is personal taste. I always talk about the way a fragrances are technically thought out (or not thought out), , the interaction between the three levels of the fragrance pyramid and the various fragrance notes and how a fragrance is constructed and layered ‘inside’. So the base here, even a niche junkie and a celeb-addict must admit, is a true powder keg, a potent brew, ‘fragrance marriage material’, the stuff by which you can make a serious fragrance and long lasting harmony and be happily ever after. I let you savor the base-notes by yourself: a power trio of sandalwood, musk, and amber. These three are like a power trio in rock: they make magic together and lay the foundation for a hard rocking powerful set. No nonsense but a solid, rock hard base. No vanilla here! Sorry Jessica and all the Dairy Queen-fragrance fans. But the base is more than this power trio. Heliotrope -earthy and floral- follows in the base. Then we get the woody cedar and the green freshness of the vetiver. And then Benaim uses the secret weapon of a seasoned fragrance maker: benzoin. This note acts like an amplifier of high quality fragrance notes. It makes the separate notes stronger and brighter, polished them up and accentuates them but also sees to it that they stay separate and recognizable and work together, that it isn’t a blurred sorry chaotic mess. And to make the base nearly perfect he adds sweet sandalwood, velvety and rich amber and spicy musk that gives this a dose of sex appeal, the heliotrope that gives an earthy and floral flavor, the green vetiver that gives freshness and the benzoin that turns everything up to a loud and clear level. This is a rock of a base to sell your soul for. With a base like that you must be a moron to ruin a fragrance. And Benaïm isn’t. Read on, there are a few more surprises in the ‘El Cheapo’.

The strenght of that base is necessary with a middle like there is no equal in the whole world of cheaper fragrances. Jesus Christ! Her come The DIVA’S. In marches an eight woman strong army of flower diva’s, the one more dominant than the other. Mrs. Tuberose, Dame Ylang Ylang, Sister Jasmine, Miss Lily, Queen Rose, My Lady Orchid, Princess Freesia, Countess Lily of the Valley. Eight of the biggest flowers with a personality, eight of the most dominating flower smells. Side by side. It is like putting eight Mariah Carey’s or eight Cher’s or eight J Lo’s on stage and let them sing one song together in harmony without claiming the stage and hijacking the show. But Carlos Benaim is the puppet master and the producers who has the Cats under control. The doses of each powerful flower fragrance note are weighted with a pharmacists scale. So that all 8 flowers are equally in harmony.

That must have been monk’s work. He brought in the two notes in the middle to tame the diva’s somewhat and see to it that the buyer of this fragrance isn’t smothered by the powerful diva-flowers. The dry, peppery, businesslike carnation helps to keep the diva’s in their place. And the Honey oils smoothes and massages the floral ego’s so that they don’t clash. Result: the middle is a harmonious, rounded unit. A work of genius, that middle. I dare everybody to try to do this. The result is a hypnotic feast of flowers with all shades of the different white flowers from the indolic jasmine by the intoxicating ylang ylang to the mighty bewitching tuberose. It is all there. What an ensemble! But they play like a well oiled ensemble. Like the Manhattan Transfer or the Doo Wop groups of the Fifties or the Girls Groups of the Sixties. Great, joyous, intensely pleasurable harmony that gives you a feeling of being temporary in fragrance heaven or at least in perfume paradise. A tour the force by Carlos Benaim. As good as what he did with ‘Euphoria’ and ‘Obsession’.

But then the top has yet to play its role and make this already impressive fragrance into a true finished, brilliant gem. The top starts with the delicate, fragrant and fresh orange blossom that give a dose of zesty effervescent lightness to the army of flower diva’s in the middle. Then time to give some serious counterbalance to the flower power. The meaty plum and the sweet but velvety peach shave away the most aggressive aspects of the flower dominatrixes. But to be sure that the flower mid level is not too heavily attacked by the mighty base and the strong top, Benaim places some rose in the top. Rose is not too strong, but gives the flowers an extra presence here. Tuberose would have been too strong, lily too weak. But he is quick to add also the powdery, dry violet that makes sure the flower power stays in its rightful place: not too strong, not too weak.

And then Benaim makes perfume magic with the grand finishing touch. Every great fragrance has a stroke of genius. Here is is called: anise. Benaim takes anise to tie this impressive 23 note fragrance together. Anise is used in cookery to diminish a too much sugary sweetness and yet gives a herbal sweetness all by itself. It is a wondrous note that works its magic in ‘Lolita Lempicka’, Dior’s ‘Poison’, Guerlain’s ‘Champs Elysées’ , ‘Après l’Ondée’ and ‘L’Heure Bleue’, Givenchi’s ‘Pi’, Cacharel’s great powerhouse ‘Lou Lou’, the mythical ‘Le Feu d’Issey’ and Yohji Yamamoto’s ‘Pour Home’… All these masterpieces have anise as secret weapon. The less expensive ‘Red Door’ also. The anise here -together with the formidable base, the rest of the top, the carnation and honey in the middle- help to keep the meticulously mixed to perfection army of 8 flower-diva’s in the middle in check. A true tour de fragrance force by Benaim. A construction that a lot of much more expensive niches and big house fragrances wish they would have for their overpriced fragrances.

I leave your imagination to do the work to discover the inner workings and contrasts in each of the three levels and then the interaction between the 23 notes of the three levels in between. The result is smashing and a constant evolution on the skin. We have the sturdy, reliable ‘masculine’ yang base of power trio sandalwood-amber-musk mixed with the woody cedar, the earthy and flowery heliotrope, the green freshness of vetiver and all this amplified clearly by the benzoin. On this the ‘female’ yin middle starring the 8 diva flower army marches out but is kept in check by the mixing of the 8 power-flowers with the stand-their-ground base and the two other middle notes: peppery dry carnation and honey to please the diva’s but also to round and smooth things out. And then on top the ’unisex’ yin-yang top of fresh orange blossom, the meaty plum and peach, the rose to represent the flowery middle and as the ‘Deus ex Machina’: the anise that gives this fragrance its own magic. A magic that many much more expensive fragrances wished they had. A harmonious, impressive piece of perfumery art. After Benaim’s death or after ‘Reed Door’ is discontinued, people will realize how great this fragrance was. And this will be as sought after or expensive as Yohji or the first ‘Armani’.

‘Red Door’ is a totally underrated sub-classic masterpiece. Better than 99% of the post 2005 fragrances. Created in 1989 and still going strong, it proves that you can make a great fragrance that doesn’t hurt your bank account too much.

Thank you Mr. Benaim for giving us a not expensive great fragrance. Maybe too ‘cheap’ because it seems that many people want to spend more money on less crafted fragrances in the belief that the more expensive a perfume is, the better. Well to each its own. And ‘Red Door’ is my ‘dirty fragrance secret’. How about you? Come out of the closet, ‘Red Door’ -lovers! ‘Mark my word: ‘Red Door’ will make a comeback and will be rehabilitated as the great fragrance it is. You simply can’t get around that when you analyze this beauty. Or just smell it and give it a fair chance over your prejudices.

And to all your ‘out of date, granny smell, not hip, old fashioned…’ utterers, I say one thing: you don’t know what you’re missing! Keep it that way and indulge in the ‘new’ weak and hyped ‘Abercrombie and Fitch’ or ‘Creed’. I’ll stick to my trusted ‘Red Door’. An underrated almost-classic, as young a fragrance as a spring chicken. This ‘Old Lady Fume’ is a true ‘Perfume Fountain of Youth'. You’ll realize when you’re tired of your week breezy overhyped fragrance of the weak, or of the week. Red Door: only for real passionate men and women. For strong characters who don’t follow sheepishly trends made by others but who choose their fragrances on the basis of quality. And want bang for their buck. ‘Red Door’ delivers as a true winner. An Almost All American Fragrance Classic. For very little money.

‘Red Door’ is rad and in the coming years it will become cult and then a highly prized vintage. Mark my words…

There is no other fragrance to me, except perhaps Red by Giorgio, that says "the end of the 80s." This scent was everywhere in the fall of 1989, and I coveted it. I stole squirts here and there from my friends who were lucky enough to have it. I hoarded scent strips with beautiful Vendela and her long legs, heralding the scent.

It's loud, it's heavy, it's heady, it lasts forever, and it's like a snapshot of another time, another place. I wear Red Door today solely for that reason. It's like a time machine to a younger, more buoyant, more innocent Me.

I love this fragrance, have had so many compliments on it! I think it all depends if it matches you or not.

There is something very sickening and cloying in this fragrance. Nausea inducing. Is it the cinnamon mixed with vetiver? (Cinnebar also makes me a little ill). It is one of the very few fragrances I had to wipe off with baby wipes, and had me close to throwing up. Even the mere thought of Red Door makes me a little queasy. I am eager to get rid of the 90ml/100ml left on my shelf.

1989 was my time for Poison and Obsession. Red Door...... not so much. I dismissed it as being for more, ahem, mature ladies, not for the rockin' rebel black leather miniskirt wearer that was the teenage me. Well, some twenty-three years later, I picked it up and gave it a sniff. OMG! I am so in love. This is like a softer, sweeter, muskier Opium. If that sounds like your sort of thing, then definitely give Red Door a try.

My ex SIL, who was angelicly beautiful inside and out, wore this as her signature, so when I divorced her brother I began wearing it and I've always loved it. It was banned from my former workplace so I gave it up. And yes, definitely one little spray or dab is enough. There's nothing I can add to the description except that; easy does it!

This is an old hit from Elizabeth Arden,it was a quite popular scent,when silleage and lasting power were a must.Time has changed,it is still a nice scent with complicated formula,but Jesus Christ,take it easy,only 1 spray a day is allowed.

This fragrance says "I got ya!!" more than any other fragrance I've tried. It definitely has a presence.

I had a customer today who smelled really beautiful. When i complimented her and asked what perfume it was, i was surprised to hear that it was Red Door. I remember Red Door being a really strong 90's "old fashioned" fume. On this lady it smelled gorgeous, as she hadn't oversprayed it.

Ah ye olde sillage monster! I LOVE Red Door but this perfume really depends on your body chemistry... I have had compliments wearing this out in the evening and love the heady dizzying musk. Drape yourself in velvet and pop this in your Chanel handbag - alternatively stick on an anorak and go out to get a loaf of bread, either way you'll smell like a Russian princess - До свидания!

This perfume smells amazingly good depending on the person's chemistry PERIOD! It's very strong and not everyone can carry it elegantly.

I finally broke down and bought a small bottle of this scent. I would spray this on my hand or on a paper when I passed it in the store, come home, and my hubby just loved it. He actually asked me to get it! This never happens. I do find it to be a fine soapy kind of a scent but it is clean, classic, and feminine so I do not mind wearing it. I do not think it smells anything like the Avon scents listed above & I have not smelled the other 2. I am older now so perhaps that is why I can stand wearing this one. For an EDT is does last a very long time which is surprising to me. As a norm, I do not purchase EDT's because of their poor lasting ability, but this fragrance last a very long time on myself. I do enjoy Elizabeth Arden fragrances and I love the idea they are affordable. This one is not a bad scent for the small amount of $.

This one is my Nanna all the way. She had the giant bottle on the dresser and carried the perfumed hand cream in her purse...every hug she gave you left a little Red Door lingering behind. It seems, from reading the reviews, that I'm not the only one with the "grandmother" association!
I suppose that it's a nice scent, very sweet and flowery, it's just hard to get past strong personal associations and feelings when it comes to fragrance.

50 is the new 30, folks. My father's girlfriend wears this and whenever I smell it, I have to get mine out, too.
A spicy floral...not for a day in the park, but nice for a night out. Use a light hand.

This Smells way too mature for me, It smells like a really old lady who is trying to smell 40.. this would be nice on someone 50+.

This one really smells nice at first: fresh strong floral with creamy and fruity notes. It changes too swiftly for worse; it becomes syntheticy cheap smelling unbearable grandma perfume. I couldn't get this smell out of my nostrils for the longest time. The whole drydown part reminds me of street vendor rip off perfumes, so gross, and sad at the same time. Many notes involved, too complex, perhaps. Some ingredients should be taken out for better.

I remember wanting a bottle of this one back in the 80s'. However, when I bought a small bottle not too long ago, it felt WAY too mature on me, and overpowering. I ended up giving it to a grade schooler who wanted to feel a bit more grown up. :)

Don't get me wrong - if you look on my "love" page I love old-fashioned scents so that is not my complaint with Red Door. Actually it starts off quite lovely with a honeyed, waxy lipstick type rose scent but then that quickly fades and the roses seem to grow exponentially by the moment. At that point I was starting to get nervous.

I left it on a little longer, and one really cool thing about Red Door is that as you move around you can smell real rose scent, like if you were surrounded by rose bushes. However, what smells pretty nice from a slight distance gets very distorted when you smell it on your skin. It's kind of like the older TVs - from a foot away everything looks normal but when you get really close to the set you just see dots. Same thing happens here. I think that is the reason so many people say wonderful things about women they know or knew who used Red Door. From a slight distance, this is great, up close it's just weird and potentially strangling.

If the close-up scent was the same as the distance scent I would have liked this very much, instead, as I said I was beginning to feel a little closed in so I had to wash it off and douse myself with Demeter's Whiskey Tobacco which made me feel a heap better.

Heavy scent,oldish,bitter!
Season 2 wear:Autumn
Lasts v long

I found this to be very strong, pungent, gave me head aches.. etc. BUT, the good thing is, that if you like it, the smell will last forever.

Maybe it smells good from a distance, if the wind is blowing it far far away and freshens it up..

I like this. It's got its own distinctiveness about it, and a certain maturity that I can carry as a woman in her 40's. But it does not smell overly sweet or flowery. It smells confident. The reasonable price point is a plus. I also like the look of the bottle. I learned about it from my sister, who wears it regularly.

Red Door is hugely popular with the 60 something set down south. It is a nice scent on them . I tried it on myself years ago .... horrible, cloying....yucky. and it has lasting powering ! I wish moer of the fragrances I like lasted that long.

I think when I get older I will have to find a different fragrance so I don't offend myself and those around me.

Someone on here said that there's something sad in this fragrance; and I thought - exactly, that's the word: sad. I like the scent, I think it's classy and well done and I respect it. But I would never ever choose it for myself.

Like most of the reviews already said, much too sweet! To me, it smells like the masking scents put in face creams, only amplified. Probably not a good idea to buy it without sniffing it first.

Did not smell good on me and made me sneeze a lot.

I love this one but it smells like a spicy Oriental Floral on me. It is intense, lasts about 6 hrs on me but then is so faint it has to be reapplied. I love the Ylang-ylang, Lily-of-the-Valley, blending with the sandalwood & honey. I like the Arden fragrances & this one has been my fave from this design house. It is very strong & heady in the beginning, but as it dries down is begins to soften & mix very well with my chemistry.

I have a couple small bottles of this perfume. My Nana always wore it so I love the way it smells. It's comforting and reminds me of the holidays. I have a large unopened bottle that needs a home. It belonged to her and I would love give/trade it with someone who actually likes this perfume. I will always keep the small bottles though....I love smelling it and being tranported to times with my nana!

I use this in powder form mostly. I also have a mini bottle. You cannot use alot of this because it is too strong. Once in a while I wear this(very lightly). I don't get the old lady smell that people seem to say it has, or the too sweet( use lightly). I like it, but then again it all depends on your chemical reaction to it. I pull florals where others say they pull sweet, and pull sweet where others get the flowery notes. Nice for me and my little girl says I smell pretty.

Liked this in the late 80's. early 90's. Too intense for me now.

I really, really, really dislike this perfume! Way too sweet and "mature" smelling. I hate overly sweet perfumes, they are the reason why I didn't wear perfume for years. I got a big bottle for my birthday (I have a sneaking suspicion that the person that gave it to me was trying to get rid of it) and I had to regift it to my aunt. Would never spend money on it!

Smells like a wonderful vintage soap. Hope it will never been reformulated, I absolutely love this.

If you like a clean scent, mature, extremely femenine wich has a long lasting power, try this. You´ll love it as I.

I have tested this today, I though it was great because of all great reviews I saw about it. I have been disappointed I really don´t like it at all !!!

So glad I didn´t buy it blindly !!!

This is one of the first perfumes i smelled and really hated it! It's wayyyy tooo sweet and medicinal at the same time. And sadly this is one perfume I've gotten twice as a gift and had to pass on cos I just can't stand it. Doesn't even smell good to me when others are wearing it and those I know who wear it tend to douse themselves in the stuff which is really unfortunate for the rest of us. Apologies to those who are fans of the perfume and may be offended by my review. Peace!

Red door is too strong and too cloying. And look how many dislikes it has. FAIL!

I have see I really didnt care to much about this fragrance either when I first smelled it. I smelled the red door limited EDITION at Carson's to me it was way to spicy and overpowering and mature for me somthing a woman in her late 40's and older would wear. I had a change of heart a couple months later when I smelled the original red door and for some reason this one is lighter to me than the newer version. Maybe because it is an eua de toilette vs. eau de parfum which is the newer version. Overall, I really, really like this fragrance because it very sexy, mature and it makes a statement. This fragrance is one of the few fragrances that actually last a long time and you do not have to reapply.
HINT: A little goes a long way.

My dad can't stand this perfume because it smells too strong whenever my mom uses it. So I got this big bottle from my mom.For me, this smells very classy and flowery but a little mature.If you're the kind of people loving flowery scent, you should sniff it( before buying this ).Anyways, I like this scent and it lasts very long on me, but I spray very little whenever I use it, because I don't want to be overwhelmed and headache.And I received some compliments whenever I use this scent

I LOVE Red door. It is very long lasting, one need it only a little bit and the smell is luxurious and sofisticated. Even though i am reasonably young, i have got huge amount of compliment when wearing this parfum!

This is one of the sexiest fragrances ever. I am 26 and yes perhaps I favour older fragrance but this is divine in the right quanitities! ylang ylang, lily of the valley and a good dose of honey. Honey is such an under-rated ingredient in fragrances, it offers a dry sensual sweetness like no other my nose can pick honey out of any perfume if it is there as it is so unsual in modern perfumery - a highly sensual smell on the right chemistry.

Last year I bought a fairly large bottle of this at a good price.I really liked the scent but at the time I wasn't into smelling sofisticated...I wanted to smell young and girly but I would spray this inbetween my front and screen door so that when someone would stop by they would get a sweet whiff of Red door.I was told that I had a beautiful smelling house and everyone loved approaching my door :) This year I feel more sofisticated so I think I'll buy another bottle for me and not use it for my door haha..Its still a great idea if you want your home to be inviting..People love it used in that way :)Its Even cooler if you own a "Red Door" :):)

This is one of the cheapest designer perfumes out there that has a fairly elegant packaging. Which is why people love to gift it.

The smell is ugh!! I own a 0.33 oz bottle which i received as gift but never used. This winter when my usual chypres and fruity florals werent working, I sprayed just a tad behind my ears one day. To my utter amazement, it smelled good.

This frangrance is best for spraying a tiny spritz behind your ears just once, any more and it gets overwhelming. I would never buy this brand though.

what note or notes make this smell so mature? is it the musks? My skin hates this combination, and it turns sour, pungent and sickly synthetically floral on me. Not to mention it has the staying power and sillage of opium. I couldn't do versace bright crystal either, but the notes they have in common I've done well in other perfumes, so what gives Elizabeth?

An acid, harsh, a bit fresh and aldehydic-like entrance which I love. It, at some point, has resemblance with some chypre features for me.

The noisy start calms down and appears a honeyed rose. It isn't that powdery, super classic rose. It's warm, sweet and different of several scents based on this flower. I feel like this flower is touching my skin with that velvet petal and it's on my nose too. Yes, this is a honeyed, velvet rose scent primarily.

This is a bit annoying sometimes but I don't know why people dislike it. Totally romantic.

Not something I would wear myself, although it doesn't smell too bad on me after a few hours. Very bold, overpowering and headache inducing at first; a little goes a long way. Lasts ages.

ive always loooved red door...the bottle...smell..everything! but i met my hubby and found out a few years later from my sister inlaw,that his ex live in girlfriend wore this everyday...is that awkward for me to still wear it? lol...i still wanna...but dont cause i know perfume is verrry nostalgic and dont want him to smell..her.lol

I received two small samples of this perfume in a gift pack I received. When I first tried it, it did remind me of my Grandmother. But that's not necessarily a bad point as my Grandmother always smelt lovely. I do agree that the scent gives connotations of an older, mature woman. However having said that I wore this on New Years Eve (I am 22 years old) and a few of my friends (the same age as me) were asking what perfume I was wearing as it smelt so good.

It is a very floral fragrance with slight warm, woody undertones. I would wear this perfume when wearing a classic and smart outfit. A mature yet pleasant scent.

Are there many original Red door??? I don't mean flankers.
I tested it before days and, sorry to lovers, it's absolutely the worst perfume I sniffed.
It's possible it was reformulated one and it's mess of ingridents, I can't smell any of notes separetely...
I had to wash it off!
Meanwhile, I love RD Velvet, soft little gem.

the more i try and experience all kinds of perfumes, the more i appreciate red door. i just love it.

Okay....you remember that scene in Mommie Dearest when the Pepsi Cola board is trying to oust Joan Crawford and she tells them "Don't f*@% with me fellas! This ain't my first time at the rodeo!" Well, that's the essence of what Red Door smells like on me.

It's feminine but not soft, no nonsense, sharp, and very commanding. Powerhouse perfume. I wouldn't have chosen it-it was given to me as a gift-but it serves it's purpose occasionally. I wear it a lot for job interviews. It is definitely floral, and white white white-lilies and ylang ylang and orange blossom-bright like strong sunlight. One person told me that they there was a note in it that reminded them of chlorine. Mind you, they liked the perfume, but they did detect that note, and once they pointed it out I could smell it too. This scent is high heels and red lipstick and upswept hair with out a tendril escaping. If you want to give an impression of "Don't make the mistake of not taking me seriously.", this is the scent for it.

It's also very VERY strong-just once I tried layering the lotion with the spray and a co-worker told me "Damn woman-you smell like the perfume departments at Macys, Saks, and Neiman Marcus ALL put together!" It doesn't take much for this one to be overpowering. I also wouldn't recommend it on date night. It's not a warm, inviting, fall into me type of scent. It's feminine, but glacial.

I got this for peanuts at a perfume outlet in Florida. It was a total nostalgic impulse. Maybe one day I'll get around wearing it, with a Revlon red lipstick and pearls. ;-)

I see a lot of people have labeled this a winter scent, but on my skin it does *much* better the rest of the year. In freezing temps, this smells like old lady in a bottle on me. But put it on in 70 degree (F) weather and it is sex in a bottle. I love honey and this satisfies admirably from time to time. Do yourself a favor and test it in the spring or fall for best results.

I was a young teenager in the late eighties/early nineties and I wore this then. I loved it...it had a clean,distinct smell that smelled mature but not old. I just bought a little bottle today because I thought I couldn't go wrong.

Ack.

I really don't think my nose and/or tastes have changed THAT much since then so this must have been reformulated?? All I smell is Aquanet or some other ancient, horrific hairspray. When I really get my nose down against my skin after ten minutes or so I can detect a slight remnant of the Red Door from my past but it's not worth it.

Bummer.

I finally tested Red Door a couple of days ago. I'm not sure which concentration I tested - I didn't get a good look at the tester bottle. But whatever it was, it lasted for more than 8 hours on my scent-eating dry skin. The sillage wasn't much - maybe 1 foot for a couple of hours.

On me, it's an OK floral, with a prominent note I couldn't identify. It did seem soapier as the hours went by.

My rating: Meh. It's OK, but there are lots of fragrances I like better. If I received it as a gift, I'd use it up, but I wouldn't buy it for myself.

This is one perfume that I don't like at all...Had a bottle many moons ago, but I won't use it today. I can smell red door from a mile away and it tends to give me a migraine

IMO, Red Door is a misrepresented mess that so many consider a classic, where the formula is so offensive to smell and unbearably cheap it's needs to be overthrown and eliminated in a hostile takeover funded and organized by it's own creator, etch-a-sketch style! It's the mistake that created the eraser.

I honestly think it would really take off and be worthwhile among Fragrantica frequents and the whole fragrance loving community, if Elizabeth Arden were to create an EDP of Red Door, really specifying the EDP quality as bringing a softer (if not just as strong but with focus on the lighter notes) formulation that was much better quality sustained throughout the lifetime if its production (instead of cheapening off and focusing on the masses) therefor an opportunity for wearability and uncountable approval (and it would pretty much advertise itself too.) I've seen the same trend in any EA scent I've once loved that I haven't seen in nearly any other fragrance to date. (I'm not secretive of my conspiracy theory of the EA co.s business tactic)
Just a thought.

I love Red Door, but I agree with many reviewers that this seems to be dependant upon the wearer's body chemistry.

There does seem to be a love it/hate it component to this perfume that can literally change the scent from wearer to wearer. I have smelled it on other people & had no idea it was the perfume I've been wearing daily (and enjoying!) for over 20 years.

Both men & women do seem to like it & respond to me when I wear it. At first I thought it was 'cause I wear too much, but I've been assured that's not the case.

Ususally a lot of new and extreme scents tend to grow on me overtime. But for some reason the more I revisit Red Door, the more I get disenchanted with it, especially after having explored so many other fragrances in the same family.
It really lacks that smoothness that makes a fragrance smell ellegant and alluring. It could be due to extremely cheap ingredients.

I really do not want to smell this anymore. I smell this on middle-aged women and I am just SO tired of it. It fits a certain demographic and I have seriously had ENOUGH.

@terra0821 I have to agree with you. I find my body chemistry eats up many scents (though not every light one). When I sprayed this on the card, it did feel extremely heavy, yet I find it wears surprisingly sheer on me. It makes me think of a more floral, and much longer lasting version of The Healing Garden Wild Honey, as honey is the main note my body chemistry brings out in this fragrance. I don't find this to smell "old" at all. I'm in my late 20s and I really enjoy this scent. Especially when I wear it to bed, the scent envelopes me in its warm embrace. My husband also really loves this fragrance on me, and it's one of the few he actually recognises (most just get lost in the fruity/floral catagory) and has bothered to commit the name to memory.

I agree with other posters that it's old fashioned, 'perfumy', heavy to the point of oppression, strong to the point of obnoxious upon initial application. But I'm one of those people with a strong natural body chemistry that devours lighter, more delicate scents quickly. So, while I may still smell 'clean' when wearing these other gauze-like perfumes, I'm told I don't smell like anything at all. Maybe someone will tell me they notice my bodywash but nothing else. Very frustrating when I've purchased and worn an expensive and delicate perfume. Money down the tubes.

EARD dries down delicately on folks like me and elicits compliments all day long; no kidding. Finally I've found a scent that results in a lasting feminine aura around me that isn't "Lever 2000".
Woot!

For someone like me EARD transforms into a lace shawl of a fragrance. For someone else, I can see where it would be camo and combat boots. Choose accordingly!

I want to rectify my past review, i think i have finally come to terms with this one. Initially it had one odd note in the middle/base that made it smell off and gave me a migraine. The top notes i have and still do love but it was just too much for me that mystery note somewhere in the floral accord. Anyways i gave another try and put on the bare minimum, about a half spray between both arms and it didnt floor me, hooray! So i went the full monty and it seems to be working for me so far. Maybe i still am using less than i initially did or maybe i finally adjusted my perception enough to appreciate this one for what it really is, maybe both. So i would strongly urge anyone having the same problem to play with it and give it some time. It only took me 3-4 months to get it but it finally happened. I can now smell the peach and fruit in the top of it. Not to say it will ever be my favorite but its nice that my blind buy worked out after all.

Judging by the notes I should love this. In real life though, this one has that dreaded persistent "cat pee" note on me. Odd, since there is no civet listed, or any other animalistic ingredient. Another one down to chemistry.

For me this fragrance is conected with two feelings- fascination and annoing. That's why I like it so much. It's not the type of perfume which you can just like. There is a bit of sth like the smell of wax and a lot of vanilla. Sweet but not dull.

Whats with the strong over powering perfumes ? This just stinks . This is another perfume that will annoy everyone around you . WARNING will give you a migraine !

I really loved this fragrance back in the 90s. It quite an elegant, floral, slightly sweet scent with a medium intensity, but not overly long-lasting. Now, while I don't dislike it at all, I wouldn't buy it again because I think it's a basic, slightly dated scent. It isn't very complex or expensive-smelling.

I was curious about this with all the mixed reviews so I bought a mini, (edp I think). On my skin I smell honeyed roses with a touch of violet. It's very sweet but not overwhelming with just a drop or two on my wrists. In close quarters and overapplied I guess it could be too much. I wish I picked up the sandalwood but the roses and honey predominate. A good price for a potent scent if you wear it well.

My mother gave Red Door to a friend as a gift and then she gave me the mini perfume and lotion and shower gel.I didn't want it because I knew it was too strong.However, my mother insisted that I take it and try it out.Well, I did and I was amazed and impressed by the quality of the products especially the shower gel and body lotion.The shower gel just a 100ml was so concentrated it lasted a very long time and left my skin soft and scented.Same with the lotion I especially was impressed that you didn't need much.The fragrance of Red Door which my husband loves is elegant heady with notes of red flowers and ylang ylang among other notes.This is quality elegance very womanly scent.Only a very small amount is what you need.By time I finished this I was in love with this.It can be bought at resonable prices lasts forever yet feels so elegant.So timeless what a classic and yes I will be buy some of this and wearing it with pride.
I can see how many don't like it as I have been one of them but I give it a chance you may find yourself smitten by this bold 80's fragrance classic.Give it a chance you may grow to love it like I have.

I'm not a 'granny' (heaven only knows why so many snicker 'old!' at the mention of Red Door), but I do sometimes wear this one...and when I do, the guys at work are frequently spotted sneaking up behind me just to "breathe you in" (their words). They say it's "intoxicatingly soft, clean, fresh and alluring" to their noses and that they "just can't get enough of it".

It lingers so softly and pleasantly on my clothes and invokes memories of beautiful Spring days, dappled sunlight through new leaves, babbling brooks and frolicking Friesians...go figure!

A woman at work loved the way it smelled so much, that she purchased a bottle one lunchtime, but much to her dismay, it smelled exactly like Paris on her skin - a perfume she loathed. I guess that's evidence of how changeable a fragrance can be from one person to the next.

Red Door shall remain one of my trusted friends :)

I received a mini "gift" sample of this with a purchase. Lovely to smell from the tiny bottle. Once applied (even with a Q-tip), however, I felt as if I'd been slapped across the face. Then came the headache. Now, after the drydown...I'm still waiting for the true beauty of this fragrance to surface. Unfortunately, that is not to be. Normally, I've never had problems with Elizabeth Arden fragrances. Red Door, however, is a completely different story. This really disappoints me, as the fragrance really IS lovely, aside from being overwhelming and headache-inducing. It's as if there's a "clash" between all of its beautiful notes. I can SENSE the beauty in this fragrance, but it is so "rough" and hard-hitting (for me) that I can't seem to get to it. If only this fragrance had a bit more "smoothness" to it, it would be heavenly...feminine, elegant, and even aristocratic. But, until then, all I'm getting from this is a scent that says, loud, rude, and pushy. My apologies to all those who love this fragrance, but I find it a bit too "brassy".

I don't mind its potency at all, but it is kind of rough around the edges. If it was a little bit smoother, it would be just perfect. Nevertheless still like it!

Red Door is a full-on blast from the 80s sexy perfume. There isn't much about it that's subtle! The base notes really dominate on my skin and after a while leave me feeling slightly headachey. I wish I could wear this as the ultimate effect is very sultry.

The 80s monster I was expecting from the reviews never arrived. After a heady burst reminiscent of Chloe Narcisse, Red Door quickly faded to nothing on my skin.

Reminds me of Poison (which I dislike) they seemed to be popular at the same time in the 90's. Its a strong, bold scent and shouts to be noticed which I could tolerate in small measure but too much I find a little nauseating.

I had to click like and put in my first review.. this is the perfume of my deceased mother and every time I smell it I remember her.

I always ask to smell it when I go into a store and not only that.. to show testament to how recognizable this smell is - I never got a "no" when I thought I smelled it on someone and asked if it was Red Door - let's just say those sweet ol' nannies are impressed with my nose :)

I do not understand why some people say they hate this perfume. It does not smell sophisticated and I can understand that not everyone likes wearing pefumes this loud, mostly these days. But it smells good, and much better than most of the other perfumes out there and, even rarer,lasts and lasts and everyone around you will smell it. It is actually pervasive, which in itself is a good thing, if not for anything else, for its rarity. You touch the opening of the spray nozzle and will keep smelling it for the rest of the day. Also the other people seem to love it, which rarely happens with most of the other perfumes. The evolution is quite dramatic since it changes a lot over time, going from a very strong anise opening, which I would swear has also adehyds, through a flowery sweet rose and jasmine stage, quite woody, and at last it smells very much of amber and musk, which I love and makes it a true floral oriental in a traditional way, although I do not think at all it is a classical perfume. After several houirs, the woody scent has gone. I actually find the scent somehow close to Poison, and the composition is quite similar. They are very different but share some features, to do mainly with the fruity part of the scent. In Poison the anise is much much heavier ans lasts for hours. This note imparts Poison opening a freshness Red door does not have. Also, Red door is very woody, which Poison is not. But the fruity notes are of the same type, although in Poison they are sweeter, while in Red Door they have a sour twist, with softens with time. At the same time The harshness of the strong anise opening make Poison cruder. I also find Red Door relatively, actually even more, similar to C'est La Vie and this one shares with Red Door the woodiness. Red door is sold cheap, but I find it very good.

Well I know I am in the minority but I adore this scent.I bought a little mini of the parfum and I'll admit:at first it was so strong and cloying.It instantly took me back to the 80s.Well I decided to give it another shot and something sure changed-I put a tiny drop on one wrist and pressed my other wrist to it....and it was wonderful.It does start off a bit strong but I like the actual smell.I get A LOT of honey out of it which is one of my favorite notes.The main floral I get is violet-not rose.It quickly becomes a honeyed violet on me and lasts forever.The drydown is just a warm honey scent.I really like this-I can see how even just one spray would be too much but a single drop is perfect:I can't even smell it unless my arm is 2 feet from my nose.A new favorite for sure...in fact with all the perfume I have this is the one I have reached for every time for the past couple of days.

I like Red Door's smell but it is just to strong. I can't wear even a little bit of it. I tried every way possible to make it work for me. Then I found ***Bond No 9 West Side***. It is (what I will call) a little sister to Red Door. All the loveliness without all the strength. Perfect.

I love this scent. I bought it off eBay in a pack with 3 others (Sunflowers, Fedi Theorema & Madness Chopard). I bought them all without knowing what they smelled like. I was not disapointed with any of them.
I get honey and sandlewood. Not at all old ladyish. I have to keep sniffing myself as I smell so good. Great staying power, 24 hours and its still there.

Oh, and it also reminds me of Teatro Alla Scala by Krizia

I spontaneously raided TJmaxx for some stinkers today, Red Door one of them!
Red Door is a very rich oriental floral, reminds me very much of Chloe Narcisse and Le Chic by Molyneux.
If applied in reasonable amount, it can be a very nice fragrance for winter time. But for me, it doesn't reach the bar of being a special occasion perfume.
I'm glad i got a 1.7 EDT and not a large EDP like I had intended to buy blindly before. With this huge sillage it will last me until death do us part.

UGH It smells like hotel soap or that pink hand soap in public bathrooms too rosey & chemically. I got this for Xmas in a coffret set- Green tea (nice) provocative (smells like grape juice) 5th ave (nice) Mediteranian (very nice) red door- my daughters & I all hated it & said soapy.

I cannot tell much difference between Poeme by Lancome and Red Door by Elizabeth Arden.
Both are rich floral fragrances appropriate for an evening night out or the office, if applied sparingly.
Fruity notes are not really detectable, I cannot tell particular floral notes either.
The dry down in both, Poeme and Red Door, is woody-creamy-honey and lasting power as well as silage will keep you from re-applying during the day :-)
Good quality fragrance which, to unknown to me reason is being called 'an old lady perfume'.
I cannot help but wonder what does it mean the 'old lady perfume'?
I think it is quite offensive and age discriminating feature to associate awful (to some of you) fragrances with an old lady type of perfume.
We will all turn old eventually, I wonder how would some of you feel to hear you're wearing a fossil type of fragrance???
Have a moment to think about this :-)
xxx

es un perfume verdaderamente elegante solo para usar en la noche por ser tan fuerte no es el tipico perfume juvenil...

excellent staying power lasted days could not believe it

i love this perfume and i've been lovin it since i was 20 something. nothing smells like it. its feminine, even festive, strong and assertive. long lasting and warm. for a "woman with balls".

I got a small roller-ball of the EDT of this scent and just love it - lots of flowers (I get lilac for some reason?) with the sweetness of honey and sandalwood at the base - to me it smells like a fragrant bouquet. Lots of people have commented that it is really strong, but that hasn't been my experience. The first application wore off after only a couple hours, as did the 2nd and 3rd - I applied it for a 4th time and that time it stayed - apparently it just needed to soak into my skin or something - and stayed and stayed and stayed - almost 24 hours and I could still smell it; and it still smelled great on me!

This is one of those perfumes where a little goes a long way. I couldn't wear this to work for ages because the girl I worked next too used to get a headache it I wore it, and believe me I didn't overdo it, but she is gone now so I can wear once again. Originally an expensive perfume when it first came out, never at the lower end, and I believe that the fragrance has changed throughout the years, it is not as good as it was in the early 90's, but I still like it and wear it.

I think I'm one of the ones who like Red Door. I can see how wearing too much of this would produce a migraine, but I bought just a little tiny bottle of perfume and I just dabbed the scent on my pulse points, so I just get a soft breath of the fragrance, not a hurricane of scent.. and I think applying it this way might be the trick. I'm assuming a little goes a long way with this one.

this is my mom's signature perfume.I still love it,after so many years...

i got this perfume from my ex boyfriend on my birthday seems like it's working magic on me cause the feelings are rekindling and i'm loving him more than before.it's so classic...

Love this perfume on others, a co-worker, my sister and step mom all wear it, and frankly.they smell gooood! I find Red Door to be a warm,sensuous, soapy, jasmine fragrance. Clean and heady at the same time.Changes up and is hardly recognizable as "Red Door" during its development, depending on chemistry. Sometimes a whiff of fresh laundry, other times a jasmine filled garden on a hot summer day. Yes, Red door is quite obnoxious at first, chemically, brazen, whatever you want to call it, fine. But so are many other fabulous perfumes in their initial openings.So please don't judge this book by it cover, Thank you

This is exactly as I remember it from years back when it first came out, a medium-sweet, completely synthetic-smelling scent that somehow manages to be plasticky and flat despite its overpowering strength. It’s generic floral, with a base right out of the industrial-sized vat of 80s drugstore floral mix, with even more random stuff added so that everything cancels out everything else, leaving absolutely nothing to recommend it. Sometimes tastes change, but not this time. I disliked Red Door back in 1989, and I still dislike it. Enough said.

If you don't like this fragrance then it is something very personal. It is not because you don't like it the fragrance is crap. Red Door is a very good creation, you just need to like it. Compared to other so called "niche" fragrances I have to admit that this fragrance is from an outstanding quality for its price.
Be nice to each other! ;-)

I don't know how anyone could call this an old lady perfume, I first owned it in my mid teens. I'm now in my mid 20s, own over 80 perfumes, and Red Door is in my top 10. This fragrance is so elegant, I just love the sweet honey heart. It is lucious, sweet, warm, rich, everything a perfume should be. Very long lasting as well. I can't count how many compliments this perfume has gotten me. I think people are just being too judgemental of this fragrance because it isn't current, or trendy.

I love this smell but that is because I associate it with my grandmother. This was her signature scent. Whenever my brother or myself smell it, we always think about grandma. I would not wear it because to me it is a fragrance for an older person, but I would spray it around if I had it because I miss my grandmother :( and it would feel like she was in the room again. Funny how scents can bring back memories...actually the sense of smell is very much linked in our brains to our memory center and that is why a good perfume is important. THere is a lot more to it. If you have a boyfriend make sure that he likes it and if he does, what if any memories it brings to him (make sure it doesn't remind him of his ex or his grandmother, especially if you are "intimate" with him...

I don't like this at all. A perfume I had as a teen and I think every perfume wearing woman on the planet has probably owned this at one stage or another. There is nothing unique about it (except for the cheap price perhaps) and the fragrance isn't pleasing to my senses. The bottle is world-renowned though so I'll give Elizabeth Arden props for their marketing. It's your run of the mill grand-mothers perfume, low-priced and resilient. All those things aren't necessary a bad thing but it's not for me.

Awesomeness just gifted me a small bottle of Red Door and it is just what I remember which is a lovely Oriental Floral. It is just sweet enough for daytime wear. I think it is my favorite out of her line and I like several of her fragrances. This is a great "go to" perfume. The sillage is average and the lasting power good.

Thank you again awesomeness.

This is a very strong perfume. I was actually not expecting it to be that strong. It for some reason sort of reminds me of Giorgio Red. The two could be cousins. Not a bad scent but nothing that hasn't been done before.

I love Red Door!! have worn it since it came out! I wish i could find another perfume that I would love to wear like this.

I love Red Door. For me this scent is very sexy and sparkling, temptation. Red Door have strong nature, not like a mass scent. For strong Ladies who knows what they want and do not hesitate. Live their dreams true. They Dare to walk throught this Red Door.

Sorry to those who love it, but what a HORRIBLE perfume! It is so overpowering, that I literally gag every time I smell it. It might be the fact that there are just far too many notes crammed in, or that it is clearly a cheap perfume loaded with synthetic scents; but whatever the reason, I just despise it. (The worst thing is that my mother in law wears it on special occasions, and I live with her. It is so bad that just a few sprays stink out the whole house.)

I urge you, don't buy this perfume!

I used to love this fragrance. I first began wearing it in 1991 as a college freshmen. Men would walk up to me just to tell me that they loved what I was wearing. I had never had that reaction with any fragrance I had worn previously. The scent is feminine, yet it has a sexiness to it. This became my signature scent.

However, over time this scent became so common - my aunt began wearing it, I began noticing it on so many women, and it began to be sold in the discount and drug stores making it likely to become worn more widely - that my love affair came to an end.

I love this perfume and have for a few years. Everytime I wear it, I get compliments and men ask me what I am wearing because they want to get it for wives etc. I have had men come up and just smell me :)

I tried this perfume twice at the store before I bought it and the first time I thought it smelled spicy maybe cinnamonlike. Then later it smelled of roses lots of roses. Then I went about a month later and sprayed three sprays on one arm and three sprays of BURBERRY BRIT on the other arm. I smelled like a perfume factory when I got home and I ended up liking both although everybody I had smell the two liked the BRIT better on me. I bought them both. I get tons of good comments when I wear the BRIT. I get nothing but negative comments about RED DOOR so now I HATE TO LOVE THIS FRAGRANCE. LL153

I just received a mini EDT from a friend who didn't want it, and hmmmm...I like Red Door. It's good. The first spritz is a strong blast of florals and peach, but like most perfume, the blast fades away in a matter of minutes. What's left behind is sweet, floral, jasmine, plum, and honey. The musk, benzoin, and sandalwood really shine in the drydown. I think it's a very classic floral. It does not make me think of old ladies in the least. On the contrary, it makes me think of a very sweet, pretty, charming young lady who's really got her sh*t together. The kind of girl who has everything going for her and who graduates magna cum laude from Harvard Law because both her parents did. Thoroughly enjoy this one.

I honestly hate Red Door.
Maybe in it's first days on Earth it was better quality, but now I find it sickly and horrible.
I don't mean to be a hater, but the whole sharp, classic overpowering scent scene turns my stomach.

obnoxiously blaring as written by another reviewer, absolutley sums this one up. too much of everything and just too strong and cloying. not for me.

I love Syrenna's review, so I'm officially buying this fragrance...I always look around it thinking it can't smell good! if only perfume boxes in the store had top/middle/base notes written on the back! haha

I just don't get it! I LOVE this scent! Red Door was my moms favorite perfume. She always wore it. She's been gone now for nearly 13 years and to this day if I smell it I am flooded with wonderful memories of my mom! She was a very classy lady and the best mom that ever set foot in shoe leather!

Even now my 24 year old daughter will cry when she smells Red Door because it reminds her of the grandmother that she lost when she was so young. A grandmother she loved VERY much!

Yes, the perfume is strong. But that's easy to take care of..., DON'T BATH IN IT! A little goes a long way. And it's a WONDERFUL fragrance.

I shut this door and never opened it again. It was noisy and chaotic in there and I couldn't hear myself think.

The problem for me was too many indistinct notes going on and the result was unnerving, like a brass band with the musicians playing different tunes at the same time.

Not horrible by any means, just a waste of perfectly good skin in my opinion.

I can only base my review on how this smells on my grandmother: wonderful. Like any perfume, if you aren't careful it can be overwhelming. Someone should be within a few feet of you to smell it. My grandmother had this down and I could only smell it when she hugged me. I only have pleasent memories of it.

I understand why alot of folks write negative reviews about this perfume. It is a blaringly obnoxious perfume upon initial application.Very strong blast of rose. Also it must never, ever be applied to clothing,it simply won't develop if this occurs. However, give this scent a chance please.It is actually nice after being on the skin for approximate l/2 hour and becomes even more wonderful as time progesses,dry down has a warm jasmine soapy essence to it. Very appealing and alluring.As for the reviews that many a man finds it revolting ,both my stepmother and my sister wore this- at their husbands insistance.But of course they wore it the right way, in moderation and on the skin.Not a cheap smelling scent in the least.

This isn't really a review but just my take on things here. I chose the Red Door thread because what I have to say seems particularly appropriate for this spot.
I like the site a lot, and have learned beaaucoup about 'fumes, but... I never understood why some members get soooooooooooooooo indignant (and, oftentimes, downright rude) if a pet perfume receives an unfavorable review. Are we all not allowed to an HONEST opinion, either pro or con, so long as it is tastefully written and meets site guidelines? And why should what strangers think of a scent bother someone so much?
A year or so ago, I was chastised and led to the proverbial chopping block for the egregious sin of disliking White Diamonds! Heaven knows, I'm not unique in that respect. So, as the perfume Marie Antoinette, I anticipated to read "Any last words, Madame?" There wasn't any such query, but if there had been, I would've cheerfully replied, "Yep, let them wear Bal A Versailles, instead!"
Conversely, MY scent was panned for being something like "a weird floral that makes little dogs sneeze". It was so laughingly inane, that I chuckled unbelievably hard. My sides split, and my day was made.
I don't know- maybe I have an off sense of humor-but there are MANY, MORE important and distressing things in today's world to fuel anger. Lighten up, people!
Sorry for the rant.

I am 31 years old and I have loved Red Door for years. It is not an old lady perfume it is a storng womans perfume!

Reading through the reviews of Red Door seems to confirm what I have always thought about it - it seems to be an elderly person's perfume, probably because they have worn it all their life. (By the way, I'd also fall into the older age group. I agree with the many people who said they seriously hate it. I can smell it coming a mile away and I hold my breath - it's way too strong and smells like cat's pee. It is awful and I just can't understand why, with all the fantastic and beautiful perfumes out there, that some ladies predictably wear this cheap and nasty perfume almost like an old age uniform. Sorry to be cruel about it, but I hate it so much and I'd really love those ladies to try something new and more refined.

well mr kc rocker.each to their own!. everyone is entitiled to their opinion. i personally adore this scent and have worn this on/off for 21 years. ive had loads of compliments on this perfume.

I am a guy who loves perfume on women(and likes to experiment with colognes on myself). Many types of scents are OK with me In fact, it's pretty exciting to smell new and different ones, being the openminded sort that I am.
That said, there is only one perfume that I simply abhor- and that is Red Door. I will NOT date a woman who wears it. Not because it's retro, as I am all about 80's music and love the era, nor is it because it's very floral. Red Door has all the right stuff, but, unfortunately, comes off smelling like a cheap, loud, obnoxious mess without rhyme or reason. Totally unappealing and devoid of any sexiness.

OK, here's the scenario:
You're whisked away to a field of an impressive array of flowers. While taking this all in, something strange starts to happen. The field morphs into one gigantic venus (people?)flytrap which threatens to swallow you up. You wait and wait for this flower to take the form of,,,Rod Serling?????????????????? Well,not exactly. It isn't the Twilight Zone but the Red Door experience,
If you're a brave soul, by all means give it a whirl, but you had better like blooms.


s

Okay. This perfume smells pretty nice in the bottle. Still very strong. But when you put it on, well it can be very overwhelming. It just over powers you with ROSE lots and lots of rose. To me it's a granny scent (not in a bad way!).

It was around 1996 when my older sister received a sampler gift set of mini perfumes, including Red Door, True Love, and Dana Navy. When we were trying them on, my fave was Red Door, by far (I was 7 years old at the time!!!) I need to go find them now and see if the verdict stands!

my mum had this wen i was younger i remember i used to go to her room and wear it it smells lovely very longlasting might buy it again!

I just used it when it was newly released,I was in school,and all of the students and teachers gave me big complements back then,actually all teachers asked me the name of it,I replied:Red Door,and they heared it Rev D'ore(the old cologne)hahaha,one of them asked me to bring him the bottle after it finishes to buy the same.Resently,from around 4 years,the salle people gave me kind of a gift,with a small bottle of Red Door,it was nostalgic moment,I said:lets re live the past,but oh no,it caused me headach,and couldnt complete the nostalgic pleasure :(

Classic femininity and elegance!!! My mom wore this when I was a kid and I wore it as an adult... That should tell u something about it... Timeless!!! Word 2 the wise: use a light hand cuz this juice is seriously powerful lol...

When I was in my teens and 20s this seemed to not quite work with my body chemistry or my tastes. It wasn't light enough. Or perhaps it was that I lived in a very warm and dry climate in Southern California. A few years have passed now and my body chemistry and my tastes and my climate have changed. I tried this on today in EDT and it was wonderful! I was surrounded by a bouquet of rich, lush flowers and the sandalwood and honey sweetened and warmed it up on my skin in the dry-down. 6 hours later and I still smell a faint trail of it on my wrists, with the sandalwood and vetiver lingering and only the faintest hint of floral. But one must respect it and go lightly when spraying! There are so many elements here that I love individually and in other fragrances, it almost feels like a celebration. And yes, I had 2 guys ask me what I was wearing and where I got it today. Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's the body chemistry, maybe it's just applying the right amount...But this is NOT just for "old grannies". Nor is the spa experience per its namesake! It's luxurious.

DEFINITELY a Granny perfume.
Not offensive though. Not in the league of CK Eternity.
It is, weirdly, smelling a little bit like curry on my skin but I think that might just be something about my skin in reaction to some particular note, as I got the same effect with Estee Lauder Knowing.
Floral and 80s/pre-80s type of smell.
I got a miniature of this out of curiosity on reading lots of reviews, wearing it today.
Jury still out - my final test for a perfume is catching a waft when I'm wearing it outside, will be going out shortly so will know better then, although it's definitely not sickening to wear as some perfumes are.
Well, I wore it out and no lovely wafts :(.
Now that it's dried down though I'm getting LILAC strongly (or am I imagining things?).
Hmm, I will keep this for when I want a lilac hit. Even though I'm wary of subjecting others to this perfume too much as there's a raft of Facebook groups calling for it to be banned..
2nd update:
I've decided that smell-wise, despite the Grannyness, I really like this, it's comforting somehow.
BUT... I've also deduced that - I feel it on my skin and I feel it in my airways - this stuff is TOXIC. Might explain why so many people complain about smelling it on others.
I've only ever had this reaction to one other perfume - CK Euphoria - another one which I like the smell of but simply can't wear, and that affected 'only' my airways but not my skin.
I get a definite warm tingle on my skin from Red Door - wearers beware!
PS - Hmm.. Red Door/Euphoria - same creator.. interesting..
PPS: bit of net research - this perfume has been found to be particularly high in harmful chemicals called pthalates - my mini bottle is now going in the bin, nice smell or no.
EA, CAN'T YOU REFORMULATE THIS PERFUME TO HAVE THE SAME SMELL BUT WITHOUT THE HARMFUL CHEMICALS??

Maybe this is one of those scents which should be revisited..I just got a large parfum sample as part of a makeup bonus kit and thought eww Red Door why? Smelled it many times before and didn't like it but guess what? It's just lovely, very mature and womanly, not horribly artificial as I remember. The drydown is outstanding- soft and clean- very pleasant surprise!

I was skeptical to try this frag at 1st, cuz I thought that it'd smelled obtrusive, turned out that it didn't.I couldn't particularly detect any of the notes listed but this one totally smells like a beautiful bouquet of flowers! On me it smells very clean and pretty. For an EDT this has a monstrous sillage and superb staying power. Couldn't wait to get a full bottle soon :D

I have used the whole line for years as I am one of the few fortunates who can wear it well. Definitely need the right body chemistry for this one. I often surprise people that are familiar with it because they like it on me but not on themselves. Buy as a gift only after wearer has tried and likes it. When it is compatible with your body it is awesome and very sexy. Yes it is strong and a little goes a long way.

I'm trying Red Door EDT right now. There's something in it that reminds me of my grandmother's wonderful signature scent, Coty L'Origan (1905).

I had some of this once that was a gift with purchase from Elizabeth Arden. It smelled good in the bottle but on me it was just too big of a fragrance. It was overpowering to me. A co-worker really liked Red Door and was planning on buying it. I gave her my bottle and she was so happy that she hugged me. To each his own ! She loved it and I would never use it. She was a young woman but could carry it off. For me it was just too much , I felt like the smell just exploded when it was on me. No, I don't think it's for mature women . It's just too much for some women regardless of age.

This fragrance on the right person is amazing. It does not replace dry cleaning or showering as is often the purpose Red Door is put to. Also as you reach for what is now an incredible bargain remember that just because you can't smell it, the other passengers on the bus, pulling their handbags over their face are letting you know they can and have probably forgotten their ventalin puffer.
in the 90's it was a recession buster. it was for woman who would wear a small drop. Red Door suits frugal application not the way we spray the modern transperant wiffs that are released daily.

I like well-made florals and orientals, so I like Red Door. I enjoyed the initial flowery blast (applying only a quarter of one-sray quantity) with its orange flower and peach notes, inhaling long for a good serving of the rich flowers coming forth. At a second step orchid, rose and jasmine and later honey and sandalwood appear, tamed down and creating a confident aura. Worn in the right amount, this perfume is brilliant, rich but also simple, having a positive attitude. In the drydown I am left with an almost aldehydic airy soapiness and slightly musky feeling, which is very far from the bright beginning as a floral. It is not to be feared for its floral richness, but sought for, like a trusted friend. I expected it to have a pronounced honey note in the drydown, but on me such note only stays for a short while. It leaves an overall impression of cleanliness, like that left by neat people you can count on, people able to find a good solution for everything, to competently find simple ways to handle difficult tasks. Yes, I perceive Red Door as a bright and smart perfume, worn by all ages yet not by the very young.

For those who consider it too strong may I remind you that it stays well on clothes so you can spray the night before and have a slight waft the day after.

Este perfume sofisticado elegante glamoroso, refinado no a cualquiera le sienta bien este aroma, es dulce queda muy bien este perfume a mayores de 30 años. Tiene un agradable aroma a dulce es solo para usarse en otoño-invierno.

Though the name is nice and inviting, I do not feel the same for the fragrance. It is too strong, and yet, another fragrance toppled over with top notes of violet. It isn't appealing at all to me. Mabey when I get older and my sensory factor is less than sub par then I will too like it. But for now I do not. Oh well, venturing on...

I remember I loved it but only for a few weeks... It's a very sweet and rich smell, almoust fruity. I find it grown up as well, I used to wear it as a young girl and felt very mature and sexy wearing it. I wouldn't wear it today, it reminds me of an American Lady from Denver Clan ;)

I wore Red Door in the early to mid 90's, I smelled it on someone and had to ask her what she was wearing, she smelled so good! I fell in love with this scent and it worked very well on my skin! Everyone always asked me what I was wearing and that I smelled wonderful! and so it became my "signature scent" it became a part of me! I never tired of the smell it was kind of addictive to me! It seems nothing compares to Red Door, it is strong at first but after it settles it is a beautiful floral with the best lasting power I didn't have to keep reapplying it all day. Now years later I have used many other fragrances and have been on a mission to find something new and updated but have yet to find a new signature. (anyone have any suggestions?)

best elizabeth arden frag, most of them are subtle florals, but this is strong and heady which i like in a frag, i first bought this in my teens, loved it, recently smelled it on a friend, which prompted me to buy again, still love it

I don't like many fragrances of Elizabeth arden, but I have an affair with Red Door from the first time I tried it, and if this makes me and old lady, i wouldn't have no problem of being old forever!

This fragrance has 21 years on the market, is still very young.. but like all the fragrances of the 80's, is intense and very long lasting.
Red Door is a mature (but not old!) scent for any girl with self-confidence, high ideals, who want to get everything she want. And as it were not enough to, Red Door is one of the most elegant fragrances I know.


This beautiful Oriental Floral is definitely in my top 10.
Maybe I'm the only person who likes Red Door.


Anyway! Try it!

I love this perfume:) It is One of my favorites...It doesn't smell like "old lady" or "cheap" when I wear it. Smells Great! Elizabeth Arden's best scent to date:)

I use to love this perfume. However my taste in perfume has changed. There have been many unkind reviews. On the right person chemistry this can smell devine.

ahhhhhh,the horror,smells like old lady (no offence to older woman who have god taste in perfume!lol)i cant stand this smell,my teacher in 4th & 5th grade(yes my great luck i got her 2 years in a row) wore this & i hated it!!!she was a lovely lady & i associate this perfume with her but it makes me remember how i hated her helping me out in math,i wish i would of been better in math so i wouldnt of had her ever getting next to me! hahahaha A whiff from a person wearing this & i get a bad headache.=/

This sense is very similar to the perfume GIO by Giorgio Armani, it smells like candies or something like that....althoug im still testing this one

this is one you will certainly never forget if you've grown up with it.

my mother wore this (just like evrybody here) and i love it.
not for me, anything with jasmine or tuberose rots on my skin.
but whenever i catch a whiff of this, it reminds me of when i was ten and i knew my parents were leaving the house to go out for a romantic dinner, red door would be wafting down our very long hall way.

i feel liek if this was made with better quality ingredients, and didnt cost $19.95, this frgrance and its composition would be given the respect it deserves.
but unfortunatly. its smells cheap. not like "i-think-a-hooker-would-wear-it" cheap, more like "i-just-got-this-imitation-chanel-bag-for-five-dollars" cheap.

I love most perfumes - do not care at all for this one. My mother wore it - maybe to much - but I tried it and it still didn't like it. It's strong, over-whelming and though I hate to say it as I'm older - it's old lady.

L O U D That's what this is
N I C E AND L O U D

not unpleasant at all though

I LOVE this loud (takes a little) fragrance.You get a lot of fume for the money.IT smells exactly like candid by avon(EVEN CHEAPER).Maybe its because i have a BIG personality.LAUGH.All notes suit me and its one of the few I can actually smell.

When you put only *ONE SPRAY* on your skin, THEN this scent is so womanly & elegant. As a matter of fact, on my skin, this actually reminds me of a 4x stronger version of 'Couture Couture', with the exception that Red Door is more spicey, and Couture Couture is sweeter. And when I looked at both of their notes, I noticed they share many of the same ones, so it's no surprise I thought that. Plus, they're in the same olfactive category as well.

While there are so many fragrances out there nowadays, there are few that can truly be considered 'womanly', but this one definitely is. I feel like a true lady when wearing this. In order to carry this scent off well, one must be classy, well-kept, self-confident, and elegant, otherwise this perfume won't be carried off as well, and therefore, be cheapened.

Sweet, earthy, flowery, jammy. Unfortunately, beyond that, I can't tell what I am smelling in this fragrance, because there is a sharp, plasticky, parrafin wax note that develops instantly on my skin and pierces through all the other notes, obliterating the fragrance. The same thing happens with Nicole Miller - Nicole Miller, Givenchy - Ysatis, Givenchy - Amarige, and Jean Patou - Joy. Since, in each case, I applied only one distant and cautious spray to the wrist, I believe this is entirely the fault of my own chemistry. I'd just love to find out which note is causing this olfactory revolt!

UPDATE: It's the very present ylang-ylang note!!!

well,my mom got it as a gift. And she gave it to me I decided to try it oneday because oriental floral has always been my liking, but definitely not this one! it gives me headache at the second i put in on and all day long either. Very long lasting, which is very bad for me in that day. Never gonna touch it again.

I'm re-reviewing this one :-)
Older women love it, younger women love it, but us 'not Gen-X and yet not Baby Boomers' just don't tend to. So I'm wondering, why?
Yes, it still gives me a rotten headache if I get overwhelmed by it. Almost all of the 'Red' perfumes do... Oscar De La Renta, Giorgio of Beverly Hills, Hugo Boss... if anyone can tell me what is in so many 'Red' perfumes that causes this, let me know!
It does smell nice, if used lightly, on someone with the right chemistry.
Sassy1, I don't know how to define 'cheap' in a scent, but if you smell it, you'll know it ;-)
It could be Red Door, it could be Chanel No. 5, it could be Joy. But whatever it is for you, you'll know it!
I also don't believe in perfume being for certain ages, but I think we tend to associate a certain fragrance with a certain age... who doesn't automatically think of Big Hair and Huge Shoulder Pads when they smell Opium or Poison? Only those too young to have made the association.
And who doesn't think of teenage romance when they smell CK1? Only those of us too old to have made the asssociation!
Red Door is a strong and complex perfume, not for everyone, and not for crowded, confined spaces :-p

When I ordered Red Door, first time, I was really suprised because my expectations are quite low about this perfume.I think I have prejudgements just because of the way it looks.
It's really impressive, It smells like a soap. Just like a tender touch on your skin. Every woman can wear this perfume without any hesitation. I love it!

too mature for me. and the scent is too burning. Might fit for elder and noble ladies in Jane Austin's novels.

I just got this for Christmas yesterday
and this is or maybe the No 1 favorite perfume in my collection This perfume
Represents the color Red it's Sexy
Passionate fiery Bold & daring!
I can find some notes like orange blossom rose jasmine Honey jasmine & Sandalwood.
but the others are less dominate to me
I Give this a 10!

I love this scent. It's my favorite. I didn't like it when I was younger but I decided to try it again a few years ago and I love it. I get compliments on this fragrance all the time, especially from men. There is something very classic about it. You don't need much and it lasts.

arden isnt the greatest i like pretty though.. my sister gave me a small bottle of red door for my birthday a few years ago and i couldnt tell her i hated it then she bought me a even bigger bottle the next year! Ew! So much better stuff on the market these days. Very strong and long lasting. Please not another bottle this christmas

Well, it's good if you are looking for a perfume that lasts. But I personally don't like it. It's too strong and hurts my nose. It smells like something grandmothers would wear.

i have this scent, i don't "love it" but don't hate it either, my husband absolutly LOVES this perfume. it is very strong and also reminds me of an older woman's perfume...but i still wear it once in a while for him! other people have commented to me while wearing it that i smelled nice. don't use too much of it though!!

This fragrance reminds me of my first boyfriend's mother. I use to love going to their house, which was like a mansion. They were wealthy people. She was a very petite brunette who chain smoked and drove around in sports cars, wore tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewels at one time, designer clothes, etc. But she had a heart of gold. And the only thing she ever wore was Elizabeth Arden's Red Door. Which sums up this scent...enough to be rich, but still down to earth.

I absolutely love Red Door -- it's just about my favorite perfume. I always come back to it. To me, it smells much more expensive than it really is. It smells like perfume that would be sold only in exclusive stores, therefore, it smells like perfume that a millionaire would wear. I always have the feeling of being a woman who knows about quality and style when I wear Red Door, hence, it gives me the feeling that I'm completely knowing when it comes to my overall appearance when I have it on. It's always good to be confident.

I absolutely love Red Door. It is the first perfume I have found that stays with me all day long. I have also gotten more compliments when I wear it.

It's a beautiful winter fragrance, relatively cheap in my country but no way would it call "cheap smelling"! When I tried it first, I loved the top notes, then I wanted to wash it off, but I didn't, and a few hours later I recognized myself sniffing my wrist time to time. Finally I found out that you should spray only a fewprecent of the amount you usually use of perfumes to be able to enjoy Red Door, but if so, it can be really nice and even a signature scent! I often feel the athmosphere of christmas when sniffing this beautiful aroma.
It's complex and a bit dated, yes, but as a classic it should be worn only by those with a proper style and skin chemistry of course. It's a "lady", but a very elegant, chic lady who knows what she is and what she wants. It's character is a bit similar to Giorgio (G. Beverly Hills)or Chloé from 1975.
Anyway, now, in 2009 this fragrance is really outstanding and you need a certain courage to wear it, but if it goes well with your skin you will love it.

There is an underlyin lingering scent that I cant seem to tolerate and till this day havent figured out what it actually is. Its an 'aquired' smell and I can see why this iconic fragrance isnt on everyones favourite list.

This fragrance is like a 'has-been' socialite who lost her reign of popularity when younger gals took to the celebrity spotlight - Red Door was produced in the wrong era when newer olfactive perfumes came to rise and oldies like Red Door were being forgotten.

Wow...if this is considered a cheap smelling frag, I want to live where you people do cuz it must smell like a million bucks!
What does cheap smell like anyway, because I've tried some new perfumes that have so much alchohol in them you could mix with a little soda and get drunk. I've sniffed others that smell like vitamins and cough syrup.
Talk about cheap and synthetic...
Give me this classic full bodied beautiful floriental any day of the week. A few drops and I'm wrapped in a simply wonderful seductive bouquet. I'll wear it proudly and know that I smell like a woman, not a bottle of Nyquil.

I thought I might like this when I first smelled it in the department store but after I sprayed it I definitely don't. It's very bland, cheap is a great description. A disappointment.

This was my signature fragrance in the early nineties, but it was very strong. It worked best when I could spray once or twice 2-3 hours before I went anywhere. What I loved most was the delicate fragrance that I noticed when I opened my closet door. It is still a special memory that I sometimes spritz on in the department store, but I am thinking of trying 5th Avenue of the Arden line instead.

Inherited a huge bottle of this when my Nana passed away... it was her favorite. My mother and I both found it to be a bit too heavy for our tastes, so we gave it away. Definitely a very bold scent, but not a fan!

A strong smelling perfume. I like the smell of this scent but not on me. On some women this scent is outstandingly beautiful and not overpowering at all.I need just a tiny drop of this scent to work on my skin.

I can`t understand some of the really bad reviews people give this one on the internet. This is one of my classic fave-fragrances. And even when I don`t wear it people around me are asking me to wear it. It`s really strange. And people always truly honestly LOVE this one on me, and especially guys get really hot over it *LoL*. Maybe it`s just that this one comes out in "another way" on me, than on the ones "here & there" who are giving this grand beauty a bad review! I ABSOLUTLEY think you should try this one out - and just after doing so - make up your own mind!

I wore this as a kid when I was 13 and 14. I was looking for a perfume to wear at that young age.

I don't like it anymore. It is a very sophisticated scent yet also smells generic in my opinion.

I use to Love this perfume.I would get lots of compliments too but I think I got a hold of a bottle that was old once and ever since then I havent used Red Door.I use to love it.Maybe my taste has changed.

Strong and flowery! Very strong actually...

I tried this in the drugstore, not knowing what to expect... it is a classic fragrance. I can imagine posh ladies from the 50s (may be)using it. But it feels too old for my taste.

Opens up with a very strong flower note, I couldnt stand it and wash my hand with water. To my surprise, it transform to pleasant smelling flower-powdery. Very unique smell I never get from other perfumes before.

May be I sprayed too much of it. I should go back and try again! this time...very cautiously with the dose :P

Based on the 'big classic rose scent' description I bought a mini of Red Door on Ebay to try. It's totally different on me though. In the first few minutes, it's fresh sparkling herbal - spicy citrus then it changes into a big, indolic jasmine scent. Almost nothing else but jasmine! And I must say I never liked an overwhelming presence of jasmine.

About half an hour later other notes start joining in, like the violet and carnation, making it extremely strong and powdery smelling. The drydown is dark and woody with a powdery vanillic edge.

Overall it's a classic but unlike Shalimar, this didn't do it for me. There's something very sad in Red Door, it doesn't get me in a good mood. An overdose of violet often kills an otherwise great fragrance. You either love Red Door or hate it, it falls into the latter for me.

reminds me of every old lady i know. definately not a scent for younger females!! can someone please tell all the women that wear this scent that 'less is more' when it comes to this fragrance!!! its so overpowering!!

My Grandmother wears this perfume and it suits her very well. But as soon as I tried it on I instantly thought:
"Agh! Old lady!"
But a few seconds later it smelled very elegant. I do understand that this is a very mature and extravagant scent that a few pepole can wear but I sure can't.

Always reminds me of my Nanna. Whenever I saw her, she's hug me and I'd always smell like this after. I don't think I could imagine anyone young wearing this.

I still have an old bottle of Red Door that I forget I own. It's from 'back in the day' (yes, the 1990s) but it still smells just as I remember. This was my signature scent when I was seventeen. Like so many reviewers before me have mentioned, it smells a bit dated since we now live in an age of gourmand/dessert fragrances.

I hesitate to refer to this fragrance as exclusively for older or 'mature' women. This fragrance does not discriminate according to age. However it does discriminate according to personality and confidence. I think referring to this fragrance as a "power fragrance" is brilliant. I think age is getting confused with self-assuredness which is often acquired over time. That said, this scent is better suited for a confident twenty year old than a timid fifty year old.

I don't love it as much as I once did. Not that I've lost my moxie. I've grown more mellow as I've grown older (I'm in my thirties now) and I burned myself out with this fragrance. Since I've reminded myself of my once-prized perfume, I'll have to enjoy it once again.

Honest opinion?
Cheap and naaaasty!
Smells ok, at first whiff, on someone else. But I quickly develop a splitting headache if exposed to the stench for too long.
My advice- don't queue behind someone wearing it!

One of my all time favorites. I love the spicy note and the fact that it lasts! I need to go buy a bottle I haven't worn it in years! But I remember the smell of this lovely fragrance!

This is my mother's signature scent. It's a strong, yet elegant and sophisticated rose scent.

Sure, this fragrance is mature, but not in the way that everyone makes it out to be. Red Door is quite a complex fragrance, and in my opinion it does not smell like an old lady. A young person, with the right skin chemistry could quite easily wear this.

I must say that this fragrance smells amazing on my mother, many people have asked her what she's wearing and have been surprised to discover that it was something as simple and inexpensive as Red Door.

I used to use my mom's bottle of Red Door until she gave me my own miniature. I wore this when I was 13-14 years old and haven't touched it since. It does seem more of a mature, classic fragrance. Not in a powdery way though, it's very professional, as someone else mentioned, a "power fragrance". It's difficult for me to pick out any particular notes. Can easily be overwhelming if overapplied.

Classic and you either like this one or you don't. I love the florals that it dries down to. I occasionally use this one as my 'power' fragrance in the office. Not to strong, but still has a nice statement. I wouldn't wear it all of the time, I have others that I like better so I didn't get a giant bottle, just a little mini when I want to others to take notice in a good way.

i was given this perfume by my mother when i was 16. she obviously liked it...so did i at the time. but looking back now i dont understand how i used to wear it as its a really mature perfume. i think i would like to wear it when i reach my 50-60s.

Its a perfume that makes you trust the wearer... u just asume someone who wears this perfume is really kind and loving.

I love this scent... spray it with a light hand, and it's very subtle. The dry down is mostly sandalwood on my skin, and I find it comforting. The only problem is that the reason I find it comforting is that it reminds me of the scent my grandmother wore (it may have been her scent - I'll never know).

It doesn't really fit my life stage or my personality, but it is lovely and classic. I'd wear it on a night when I pulled out my LBD, but not on a night when I wanted to feel sexy.

I wore this perfume when I was 16 & I loved it.It has a distinct rose scent to it & on the right person it smells gorgeous.I don't think its an old women scent either although it is a mature scent.I still admire it from afar & I know what it is when someone else has it on & walks by me.
It is a very pretty scent & if your a rose lover you have to try this out ;)

An 80's statement frag with a lot of rose. This was popular on women my mother's age when I was in HS, so I always have considered it an "older" scent. It was waay too strong for me back in the day, but I actually found myself liking Giorgio, so maybe I'll give this another chance...

Update- I tried this today, and I love it! I guess I just needed to grow into it. I also think it doesn't hurt that this bold rosy floral smells nothing like all of the fruities that are the rage right now. I also enjoy the spiciness that peeks out ofter drydown.

I too used to love this, in my younger days maybe b/c It was easily accessible or popular at one time. Now as I have become much more into scents and sniffing I'm not so much a fan. For my personal taste anyway, but not putting the scent down in any way, this is not bad smelling I have just changed my scent taste. This is Bold and Strong. Screams Floral and must be worn on someone who likes alot of attention. I would suggest this to someone who can wear a lot of jewelry and accessorize well b/c this will get a lot of heads turning. Might as well look good too. I'm more casual and descrete about applying scent. Pretty cheap in my area too..

..this is a classical EA perfume...and I don't like EA perfumes...the are pretty flowery and fresh and almost as if they don't have any character...liked provocative woman though and Beauty by EA...but generally-those perfumes stopped in time,I think,they are just way too much 80-ies-like to be somewhat popular...
personally,not a fan!

I had Red Door many years ago but unfortunately we never got along well eventhough I liked it alot when I just had put it on. On me it developed into a perfume that had lost most of it's energy. Also I got a rash on my frist from it. I would like to try it again for a more proper evaluation than my memory can bring forth.

My mother received a bottle of this last Christmas, and when she spritzed it on I thought it smelled lovely! So I rushed out to purchase a bottle for myself. Bad idea. I should have tested it out on my skin beforehand. On me it smells dreadful. Like flowery soap. I don't think I am a fan in general of Elizabeth Arden's perfumes, as I have smelled several scents since then and have been unimpressed.

I had both the perfume and the creamy body wash. It just didn't work for me. My daughter said the perfume was too strong. I did not care for the body wash either. But, hey I gave it a try.

Not so sure I would say this is a perfume for 'old women' because I think it's great for women of all ages to be able to enjoy perfume without those kinds of constraints. But, boy, this one makes a statement! A friend wore it for many years and it was great on her but very, very strong. A male coworker told her smelling that perfume on her made him physically ill. With a light hand, it can be wearable and it does smell very flowery, but I don't think it's one to wear if you're going to be in confined areas with others for a period of time.

it´s for women over fifty years old , I think.. I agree with bnlrose, if I had to choose one I´d choose 5th avenue,

a perfum for a special ocassion.
very elegant

My mom loves this perfume and it smells nice on her, but on me the scent reminds me of the perfumey, flowery chemical cleaners fast food joints use to clean their bathrooms. It's not for me....

my mother used it, when she was younger, when i smell this first i think of old times, not old women but women who lived their 20s and 30s 40 years ago, i could imagine this for people of the present, but they have to have enoght courage, unforunately im not brave enough to wear a fragrance like this, im a bit safe about perfumes, i rarely wear extravagant and outstanding ones

Very flowery, like a grandma perfume. I found it elegant, but five hours later the smell is so chemical and is like a very cheap perfume

Old-fashioned, flowery sweet, honey like.