SpellBound Estée Lauder for women

This is love. I used to wear this fragrance in college but haven't smelled it in years. During a recent swap, I was reminded of how deep and silky it is. I just bought a new full sized bottle tonight. I am elated to have Spellbound back in my collection.

This perfume is my favorite Lauder and by far the classiest. If I had smelled it blind I would have sworn it was a Guerlain.

It's definitely magical, because it manages to come across with a warm spicy vibe, but there are none of the usual spices! Mostly I smell something like burnt clove (is that the cardamom?)and rich thick resinous balsam, then light punchy narcissus and beautiful carnation. Phew it's aromatic! It's dressy and suave for day-wear. I think it's mysterious and deep enough to be an evening perfume too.

Sillage and lasting-power are first class. And not many people wear it, so it's standout. It has won my heart!

Oh my Lord! (this is the moment I close my eyes and exhale)
Spellbound is definitely a very classy and charming fragrance; it is on heavy, rich, sensual side, it is a silage mammoth. And on my scarves it litreally lasts forever!
I must say that nearly all Sophia's creations appeal to me but Spellbound is the very top of the top shelf so to speak.
It is rich and offers brilliant olfactive experiences throughout the day.
If you are put off by initial spray, give it 10-15 minutes and I bet you will be gobsmacked as I was this morning.
At first I thought I was going to smell oldfashined but as I was putting my stillettos on and leaving for work, I suddenly realized that the fragrance beautifully evolved and entwined my senses in a way that I wasn't really able to focus on watching the traffic as I was driving, I just kept sniffing my scarf, my wrists....
I felt like hypnotized.
And this is a gourmand and fruity lover speaking here :-)
What is it about this rather heavy fragrance that appealed to me so much I cannot tell you...
What I can tell you, however, is that Spellbound stays with me until the end of winter.
Perfect winter warmer and a glorious evening fragrance for a self confident and mature lady.
Le top.
10/10

This is one of my most favourite fragrances of a time however I cannot wear it myself. Whenever I wore it I got "why does it smell like the dentist in here" or "have you been to the dentist" its the cloves in it - sadly they overshadow all other notes on my skin. However my mother wears this and it is damn sexy a cold yet hot fragrance along the lines of Chloe, Chloe Narcisse and Knowing. Warming yet haunting and chilling at the same time. A marvellous piece. Hopefully you are less "clovey" than me and pull this off. Wish I could.

I spent last night in the hospital, and a lady who was watching after her father was wearing this. I guess I liked it so much because it was the only beautiful note inside that hospital and every time she walked by I inhaled with pleasure.

EDIT: I have tested it on me and I find it strong flowery but unique, kind of. Now, after some hours it reminds me of chalk, I don't know why but I have images from my childhood coming to my eyes.

Spellbound grabbed my attention with a vengeance when I began exploring Lauder fragrances. The first thing I thought was 'prostitute'. Streetwalker's juice. Amazing stuff that pulled me closer and pushed me away with equal intensity. I wonder how this would smell on a man, and what people would think of a guy reeking of Spellbound if they don't recognise the perfume. Intriguing, and the vulgar power of it is beyond ostentatious. So brazen that I can hardly think of a suitable situation whence it could wear one. Because wear you it will, unless you're much larger than life. Perhaps a fancy dress going as our putain in season?

Very strong and heady, yet also very sweet. One of my exs said that I smelt like a candyshop...whether he meant it good or bad, I still love Spellbound anyway

I remembered this as a beautiful, full, warm, spicy scent. I had this just after it came out, and wore it during my study, when I was a bit of a neo-hippy: it fits that scene....
Last I took a sniff of a bottle in a perfumerie in my village, and it was not so good as I remebered....it was not nice at all. So I think there really is a vintage and a new one. I will try it another time, just to be sure. My review above ( love, like, etc.) will be a 'love' reffering to the vintage one.

I have a theory that Estee Lauder puts a tiny voodoo spell in random bottles of this fragrance. Pick the right bottle, and you will be a devoted Spellbound lover forever!

I tried Spellbound several times after buying a bottle unsniffed. BIG mistake. All I get from this fragrance is a reminder of visits to the dentist. Too strong on the smell of cloves.

I first tested this beauty today,i loved it and want it desperately!OMG,very spicy without being heavy, lovely for special occasions!

And spell it is! A magic potion that carries away people that sniff it! It's always present for many many hours. People carry it in their memory for a long time along with the person that wears it. Every woman should make a pass from it. Every man should be let in its magic world, in its spell...

I don't really like it. The smell is not bad, actually; it just doesn't stir any feeling or reaction in me. Probably, oriental scent is not for me. Hopefully, I will change my mind in the future.

There you go: I've hunted down a vintage! That's the Spellbound of my youth. I guess, I only have it for sentimental reasons, as I probably won't wear it. There are better orientals out there for my today's standards.

The vintage is very sweet, very dark and from beginning to end the absolute spice blast; mostly clove. All flowers are hidden behind this wall of spices. It's nice, you get a spicy and warm aura around you (you really need to appreciate cloves!). I personnaly find it even leathery. Sweet, dirty spices. It does smell feminine, but oddly enaugh not straight up. It has a very masculine edge - the leather? An absolute unique scent, there is simply nothing, that smells alike. It whispers: "Come hither" and than crys: "Don't you dare!" :)

I remember I wore it constantly on my night outs clubbing. It staid, even after hours of dancing, sweating and drinking. I bet, that a lot of people of those times associate the scent of Spellbound with me, because it was noticable the whole night and the next morning and I was the only one, who I ever found wearing it. Nobody ever complained, though. It simply was me at that time.

Now, I really think, that the recent formulation has to be banned. It's horrible, to say the least. I try to help you hunt down vintage, as I did. But beware, the few lovers of Spellbound know about the reformulation, I had to pay surprisingly a lot for my little 30ml.

1. If you are able to see the bottle, it's quite clear: The perfume itself has to be dark. Not yellowish or beige, but dark orange, amber.

2.The vintage box has only two lines on the front describing the content:

"EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY
1FL. OZ./30ml. e"

The contemporary has three (and you want to avoid that, do NOT buy that one):

"EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY
VAPORISATEUR
1FL. OZ. LIQ/30Ml. e"

I am not sure about those ones, that say "atomiseur naturel" instead of "vaporisateur". They are maybe ok, maybe not. The 2-line will be, I can assure you on that.

Happy hunting and happy sniffing one of Sophia Grojsman's most un-grojsmanly perfumes.

---EDIT---
This is indeed a true Grojsman creature, as it is clearly related to YSL Paris.
------------

I hope, I could have been of help.

"Spellbound" is yummie!
It is a well balanced heavy and sweet oriental that fills or (should I say "filled" a gap) in a very floral and/or fruity market, not that "Spellbound" is any sort of fruits or flowers, carnation in particular!
Its most distinct quality however, is that it smells like gourmand (and that alone, makes it contemporary) but in a vintage feminine way. It is the professional woman's from the west, oriental perfume. (does this makes sense?)
I'd prefer it with a darker colour (like before) and maybe slightly less sweet but that's just me.
It creates a statement like a few, and manages to remain interesting while a bit on the linear side.
Again, the perfumer has managed to keep the company's spirit marvellously!

Starts off very promising. On first spray, I resolve to make it my regular autumn/winter scent. Five minutes later I decide I must've been out of my mind. It was very nice but where has it all gone?
Win some, lose some, that's la vie!

Good god. I just tried this in a department store. I’d never smelled it before. It smells like the active ingredients of a chemical, medicinal balm that hasn’t yet been dosed with masking fragrance in order to be sold commercially. And, quite unfortunately for anyone nearby, linear. Sophia Grojsman?!

Oh, Bandit, you are so right!! I both the vintage version of Spellbound after your
review. The color is light red, the fragrance rich and oily AND - IT IS ALL ABOUT THE CLOVES, which I love so much. Even if I love Spellbound, I have to apply it very sparingly, otherwise the migraine is coming on. I can smell after 2 or 3 hours only very small whiff of cloves. That is the reason, I wear it. But this "old" version is more naturally, it is really you would put your nose in a clove pile and now I have not to wait 3 hours for my lovely cloves scent... absolutely happy with this and thx Bandit
for your exactly review!!

I've worn Spellbound in my middle to late teens, just when it came out, I think it was 1992, when I found it. I wore it constantly, my signature, I loved it. I stopped somewhere around 1994/1995.

I remember it to be heavy, and I mean really heavy. The colour was dark, just like it smelled. It was all about clove, that's what I remember.

It was lovely and unique, spicy and sexy, heavy also on the civet.

Recently I went to the local drugstore to make up my mind about the fact, that I have a huge amount of bottles here, but none of it is Spellbound. Do I need a bottle to make the collection complete?

First, I noticed the new colour, very bright. Then, when I spritzed it, I felt reminded, but only reminded. The whole perfume seems to be watered down, weak, very different. The intresting clove note: gone.

I sometimes have the feeling, that the watering down does amplify some notes, not all, others gone, and that changes the whole perfume, which makes it all too often very bad. The composition is gone.

Here, too.

I was embarresed, that everybody could smell that foul perfume on me (I usually test on skin, not paper), because sillage is still A+. It most definitaly was a masterpiece, but:

HAS IT BEEN GONE THROUGH THE MOTHER OF ALL REFORMULATIONS???

yeah, bring it over to mamma!:) absolutely spellbinding! and i cant believe i havent tried it sooner, i always thought it was a "granny" fragrance, maybe because it's 2 decades old...i was so wrong!

smells just amazing, the bottle is just gorgeous and ready to fit in your handbag (very good design actually), and it lasts forever! oh, and it makes men drool, by the way:)

I love wearing this around Christmas time. It's so comforting. I wear it for special nights out sometimes too. My husband adores it on me. I'd be wary of wearing it during the day in an office environment as it is a powerhouse and could be offensive if overapplied and/or worn in a confined air conditioned space.

Yes, this will indeed stop people in their tracks. If Angel is a power, this thing is a dominion. Unique and powerful like no other (IMO, at strong as Poison, harder to pull off than Aromatics Elixir, and less likely to meet with general approval than raw patchouli EO), Spellbound is a full-blooded unisex Gothic clove/carnation-based oriental that I adore, but simply cannot wear. I've read the reviews that say Spellbound is derivative, and in all honestly I lack the experience to gainsay them, but IMO nothing you're likely to get relatively easily in your high street is much like this. My advice is to snorfle a handful of cloves first, decide if this is your bag, then get a small sample of Spellbound and see if it suits your chemistry. For comparison, I love nutmeg scents, and own SL Arabie, which comes up like nutmeg thunder and also gets pretty mixed reviews. IMO, Spellbound is the Arabie of cloves, and needs treating with similar respect. It *will* get noticed, by everyone; some will loathe it, and some will become enslaved. Handle with care.

I did not expect such an unusual, distinctive scent. The scent is immediately present, it luckily does not develop on me. I am happy, that we have not only French parfums here, which all smell very similar and sometimes boring. When I first sprayed it in the store and walked out on the street, I could not think about anything else than this magical, shine, incredible opulent, bold, loud and sexy fragrance! It smells a little bit similar to pure white linen or white linen, but much more intensive. I can not smell the single notes in it, I can detect only tuberose, allspice and carnation. It´s a heavy, two days lasting bold scent good for all times, hours, occasions and age with an absolutely excellent silage. You have to apply it sparingly, maybe only dab it.
The first scent in 10 years, which can became my new signature scent.
I both it without to hesitate.
10/10 points.

@ jodunkan74 It's probably the allspice that is giving you the smell of cloves. They are quite similar in smell... (I like to put allspice in my apple pie but shhhh It's a secret.)

Spellbound reminds me of winter, and makes me feel warm and cozy. Although I would never wear it in spring or summer, I do love it and buy a bottle every winter. I noticed cloves is not listed but that is what it reminds me of in the top notes....Love it winter and fall its my signature smell.

I like this fragrance very much, and have worn it for many years. This one is also a very potent man magnet. Actually, woman and men of all ages always ask what I am wearing. I like how it loses some of its sweetness on my skin. I don't get the cough syrup, just honeyed spices, fruits, and sexy....

I tried to like this fragrance, I really did. When I first sprayed it on my wrist at Belk I thought this might be a lovely fragrance, because I smelled the vanilla undertone in it, and I'm a super huge fan of Vanilla. But when it started drying down, I kept smelling a note I don't like at all, the same note I smelled in Vanderbilt by Gloria Vanderbilt, and it reminds me of Robitussin, the nasty cough syrup from my childhood *shudder. My friend told me it reminds her of how a bouncy ball smells. "It smells good, but in a bouncy ball sort of way!" So yeah, definitely don't want to smell like a bouncy ball. If someone can wear this fragrance well, more power to you, but I guess it doesn't go well with my chemistry, which is a shame because this is one of the only perfumes that lasted more than 6 hours on me. Oh, well...back to the chalkboard.

I must also agree with previous reviews in the similarity of Spellbound to Topaz, because that is the only rational explanation to my reaction to smelling it. The guide description intrigued me, but when I sprayed on a sample today...ka'BOOM! Some sort of strong, wordless reaction to it happened like a physical memory slap. My Mom wore Tigress back in the day, so it wasn't a recollection of her. Probably an adult from my Avon'drenched childhood must have left quite an impression... and a troubling one at that. To be fair Topaze was very popular in its day, and Spellbound is very nice for its type. I don't dislike the scent (it is definitely uber-feminine), and it does for better or worst really last....but I can't get past the unfortunate association that the scent conjures up from the past. It is unfortunate when fragrances become too linked to a memory when it is bad or sad.

I have to agree with Kylexora regarding the sisterhood of Gucci Flora and Spellbound. I also have them both. At first when I applied Spellbound,I found no silimarities in them. Spellbound was this deep, warm, spicy fragrance in the zone of my other loves - Nicole Miller, Poeme. Arpege - bold and very THERE. This evening I sniffed my wrist and couldn't remember what I had on(long day) then it dawned on me - Flora by Gucci!... Mais non! That's not what I put on this morning. But there it was , my bold and sensual weaver of spells had changed shape and become a younger, flirty little minx - what a delight! I can transform my persona and be many persons with this fragrance and that, I think, is part of the magic.

I love this perfume, and I always use it on a very special occasion. Many compliments when I wear this perfume. It's very magical and seducing.

This perfume is loaded with orange blossom and carnation, oppoponax and benzoin, with a dash of vanilla and rose. Spellbound is a spicy floral that's quite sweet and rich, with lots of depth and excellent sillage. It's a gorgeous choice for evening wear, particularly for a night on the town.

This perfume is exactly what I look for in a fragrance, so I'm quite taken with it. I find Spellbound to be classy, sexy, feminine and alluring. And my husband adores it- he rarely comments on my perfumes beyond saying my scent is "pretty", but when I wear this one, he can't keep his hands off me!

Have to agree with ANGEL10 one hundred percent ! ok...my story with spellbound goes like this, i think i was 8 or 9 when i was as usual sneaking around and messing up my mom's stuff, and kind of exploring this amazing colorful world...so there i accidently sniffed the gorgeous spellbound perfume, and i was really bound by its spell...and i was like, this is the perfume i'll always wear...i love spellbound :)

I have loved this one for a long time! I was SHOCKED to see that it is a 1* in The Guide!!! Are you kidding? Maybe TS ties it to a memory of a woman who stole her man who smelled like this or something.... her review is very short, seemingly angry & 'I don't want to talk about it' to me....or maybe I am just a LITTLE insulted myself...when all the others I love are 4 or 5* I believe. They will not sway me though...I didn't suddenly fall off the wagon of Taste! I think Tania did though....

All men love this one, and ask me what I am wearing.I have been asked what I am wearing EASILY over 30-40 times over the years when wearing Spellbound. My son's 14 year old friend Adam went, "Oohh!" when I walked by him and asked me what it was!! Doormen, taxi drivers, teachers, ladies, doctors, young, old...everyone!!

It lasts a long time, and I have never had anyone tell me it was too strong...even my sister who doesn't wear perfume & has allergies was fine with it.

I adore it for its sexiness, longevity, silage, warmth, uniqueness, complexity, price, availability, and magnetism.

@ viewdemonde. You'll notice that I stated how this perfume smells on me, it may smell different on you, or you may just smell it differently than I do. Just because you say this perfume is a mess doesn't make it so. I've recieved MANY compliments on this scent. Secondly I noticed that you have this perfume in your list of perfumes you love. Oops! perhaps you've confused it with another.

I love this perfume. On me it starts off smelling very strong, spicy and herbal, a little like a softer, sweeter version of calvin klein eternity. But after a few minutes the carnation and spices settle down and take a supporting role to the rich florals and base notes, it becomes very warm and sweet on my skin. This scent isn't for everyone, but I find it very well named. It really is magic!

a champagne scent. i still love it til today. it will cast a spell on your man.

Very classy and very very very strong.

SpellBound easily competes with great perfumes like N°19, Mahora, Gem, Paris or Glamourous.

Personally I prefer SpellBound. It beats the above mentioned in earthy character: a warm and totally compelling winner.

When this came out, my older sister and I shared a room and went in halvsies on a bottle of this. After about a week, my mother bought it from us because it gave her a horrible migraine. I still miss it. :( Maybe I should find a bottle...

Looking at the notes now it reads like a Maggie's greatest hits for scents. But I do remember it being cloying. I wonder if they have a lotion form, because that could work.

Perfume is about setting the mood, be it for a romantic evening or a pleasant day out, or whatever. Spellbound would be good for a special meal in a posh hotel, or a visit to a beautiful museum.

Don't wear perfume like Spellbound to impress other people with your force of personality and self-confidence, it doesn't work that way.

I see a lot of evidence that the wearers either LOVE this or HATE it, and there's a lot of value judgement going on around that basis.

Here's the thing...
This isn't a perfume for everyone. Some perfumes have a wider audience, having more innocuous notes.

Spellbound isn't one of those. There's nothing wishy-washy about it. Spellbound makes a statement. No, it doesn't say 'young, fresh, modern'....but nor does it say 'old lady'. The latter accusation gets thrown around far too liberally, particularly for perfumes that require something the majority of wearers don't have; force of character.

This perfume is heavier, yes, as it is an oriental with musk.

To wear this, you not only have to have compatible chemistry, but you have to have the mojo to carry it off. It also helps if you don't heap it on. Light touch and good chemistry = massive sex appeal. Spellbound is aptly named, as you will notice by all the men who follow the wearer around, drooling and starry-eyed.

This perfume makes a statement of confidence and unique self-posession.

For those who can wear it and carry it off, the rewards (in compliments and confidence) are many and promptly forthcoming.

I only wear this on days I'm too imperturbable and self-assured to blush.

This EDP is unlike any other Lauder I've tried. It's one of those IN YOUR FACE smokies like Aromatics Elixir, Obsession, Poison and Cinema. (I mention others as reference points because I find that is the best way to identify fragrance and Fragrantica is useless for me in that regard, what do you other gels think?).

I spritzed Spellbound on my skin (paper is hopeless) at the perfume counter this morning and it lasted all day. My husband noticed it which proves it has sillage. A strong now and again fragrance so I will wait to buy it for an occasion.

i agree with the poster who mentioned this is similar to topaz from avon. yes it is, this one is just heavier. i love both tho. nice, rich spicy scents with staying power that drys to a spice laden powder.

i bought the large bottle when it first came out, i just loved this perfume. i still have a good deal of it, and while i still love it, i can't wear it often as it's just too much for most people. at the time, though, in the nineties, when i wore it to death, i was told it was light and gorgeous.

Very, very heavy. Just one spray enough to pass you out - but very graciously so :)

Spellbound is in exact likeness with Avon's Topaze. So much so that I would confuse them with each other if I didn't see the bottles. So, I liked it when I smelled the bottle. However, when I sprayed it... Oh my god! There's something, something I can't name that totally ruins the effect, makes the scent plastic-y and gives me headache. If you smell the scent lightly, it's a nice, intriguing, powdery, sexy scent. But if you inhale deeply... Oh, it's a poison! A very distinct, very alive but also synthetic component is there and it's potent. (Note: This is something I don't remember ever smelling in Topaze...)

All in all, Spellbound is a truly spellbinding fragrance. Warm, intense and sexy. Captivating -if you can find a way to get away from that burning, plastic smell.

In 1998, I was a 14y.o. teenager when I saw this advertisement in a 1991 magazines. The advertisement attracted me to try the perfume. The determination have brought me to Estee Lauder counter one day to try it. Quite strong, but I like it.
Now, I have a miniature bottle and a 100ml bottle. The smell still satisfying me in a good way. Lately when I was wearing it, the smell remind me of some other perfume. Not a classic or vintage or anything from 1990's, but some modern perfume. Spellbound can be classify as a spicy and warm edition of Flora by Gucci(EDP). The easier way to say is, Flora by Gucci (eau de parfum) is the younger sister of Spellbound. They share the same sweetness, but Spellbound is less floral and more spicy. Try it on, and you'll realize the similarities. They totally different, just share the same sweetness.
I adore both of them!!! And have both of them.

Spellbound has managed to transcend past the boundaries of being too much. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd call something too floral or too complex, however that day has come.

It's not repulsive, but it's not something that I can smell for more than a few seconds without feeling a headache coming on.

Some love this fragrance for its spicy and powdery carnation note, however I much prefer Billet Doux by Fragonard for my spicy carnation fix.

In a way I find this fragrance far too aggressive, particularly with the sweetness which smells like golden syrup smoothering a bunch of loud flowers. Don't get me wrong, I love big, bold scents. Classics like Must de Cartier, Arpege, Youth-Dew and Miss Dior are right up my alley. However, I get the opinion that Spellbound is trying too hard to be a big, bold floral scent, reminiscent of the florals from the 80's.

I have tried for the last few hours to find something about this fragrance that I like, but I am failing miserably. Perhaps I could say that the lasting power is impressive, and the sillage quite powerful.

If I had to pin-point exactly what it is that turns me off this fragrance, I'd probably blame the peach and apricot notes. It's the same nauseating, syrupy peachiness that I experienced in another powerhouse, Tresor by Lancome.

Regardless of my dislike for this fragrance, I have seen many buying this fragrance over Estee Lauder counters in recent years. I don't dispute that there are lovers of Spellbound out there. I just hope that they wear this fragrance sparingly.

I'm afraid Spellbound is not what I expected. Well not on my skin anyway. I can understand why a lot of the other inhibitants of Fragrantica like it, but on me it turns into a nasty sharpish kind of... something. Maybe it's the daffodil, I don't know. Not my cup of tea.

i love this perfume an have worn it used it bought it again it seems forever.the smell has always been associated with me by my friends.i could be addicted to it. however as with the old saying goes when wearing jewellery take one piece off when finally dressed.the same goes with this perfume,dont put one more spray for luck,use one spray less,an you will see people stand nearer to you ,just to capture the fragrance,then they ask,"what perfume are ya wearing"now when i was younger,i must admit that i used to reply that i didnt remember which perfume i had put on that day,i wanted it all to myself.however now it needs to be worn by women,to make sure it keeps on the shelf.it really is one of the best orientals thier is.if ya like flowery light perfumes..stay away.other wise go for it.

Oh..Spellbound developes so lovely on my skin!!
Although it is very outspoken, I don't get bored with it (like with Angel, which is quite different, but also very outspoken) but instead, it keeps me interested. It's sweet in a very, very intriquing way, classy and feminine. And sexy...yes (!), but not kinky, sexy in a divine way...I can see why men will like it and if...only the gentle and kind men will...(so good for you efm..keeping the perfume and letting go of the boyfriend..(-:!)
Speaking of 'divine'..I can imagine Bette Midler wearing this.
Really love it!!

Once had a boyfriend who was silly enough to issue an ultimatum - Spellbound or him.

Kept the perfume.

ahhh.. i had high expectations of this perfume having read the reviews. I imagined it somewhat different.

Must again be my skin's chemistry but on me this is not something spicy/woody/floral or oriental, it just became a very plastic-y smelling cheap fruit&vanilla flavoured chewing gum :((((((btw. i like both vanilla and fruit notes, also heavy perfumes but this one makes me feel sick)

No spell, just smell... my heart is bleeding. :(((

I wore this as a teenager into my early 20's, before I understood about "appropriate" perfumes for different situations....most men loved it were not shy about telling me so. Most women hated it and said it gave them a headache. I live in a hot climate now, so have few opportunities to wear it, but sometimes slip on a drop or two for my husband. This is definitely an evening scent.

I discovered this from a work colleague and loved the smell instantly! I own a bottle and wear it because I love its magical ancient bewitching aroma, to me it smells like something Anne boleyn would have worn to seduce Henry ;-) for spellbound lovers that can't find this beauty in the stores try online at www.cheapsmells.com they stock it at a very competative price.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Spellbound. It is a remarkable fragrance that is a work of art. I received this for Christmas a few years ago, and there are not too many perfumes that do this to me, but I have allergy induced asthma and as much as I loved this, it would effect my breathing in a very bad way. I just can't wear it. I think a spritz behind your neck and knees would do you, wafting up around you all day. It is strong and I wouldn't say it is so much pretty and feminine as powerful, spicy and delicious! I adore carnation which is the dominant note on my skin and to my nose, so if you do not like carnation, I would pass on this one.

I really like most of Lauder's stuff but not this mother. Too clovey and heavy, it lacks evolution and I think it would only be suitable for a new year or Christmas do where you want to peirce through all the other smells to get noticed. Not ladylike or even sexy I'm afraid, you might be better off with a £6.00 bottle of Tabu.

Resin heaven or resin hell? That is the most pressing question posed to the perfumista mind by Estee Lauder SPELLBOUND, which abounds in opoponax and benzoin, making this elixir a perfume at any concentration!

In order to stand a chance of being appreciated rather than abhorred, SPELLBOUND must be applied one drop at a time, for the line demarcating resin heaven from resin hell is a thin one indeed, very easy to cross, and it is impossible to turn back without a long hot bath.

A true litmus test for resin tolerance--and appreciation!--SPELLBOUND is bound to capture your attention with its deep dark spiciness infused in thick, viscous, lusciousness! So spicy and strong that my perfume mini will suffice for the rest of my life. To my nose, the civet does not even begin to compete in this composition with the cardamom, allspice, and heavy florals...

Only for winter wear--and only now and then...

Ok i'm no Roger Ebert or Gene Shalit
Because they Review Movies and their
professionals this is a copycat Fragrance to Estee's Cinnabar and Paloma Picasso's Tentation in my opinion
maybe except Tentations has more of a
gardeniac syrupy cinnamon like melody
but neverless copying off each other.

it starts off the same a predictable
Burning Cinnamon fire with a Cliche of
woods and Spice leftovers.
the most this will make you feel like a Jaded reviewer in the whold wide world.
it has no Originalty to it. *Yawns*

It's amazing how different perfumes smell on different people. On me, Spellbound is very nice very nice, indeed. I get compliments when I wear it.

I never experienced a fragrance that wouldn't go well with my body chemistry, until I tried Spellbound. First I sprayed it in the cap of the bottle and was intrigued, then I tried it on a paper, still liked it and finally sprayed it on my wrist. Something horrible happened and I literally couldn't recognize the scent, so bad it was. Well, I guess everything happens for the first time. Even after a while I still liked the fragrance on a paper and couldn’t find anything in common with an unpleasant scent coming from my wrist.

I have a difficult task in front of me: I want to express my respect for Estee Lauder's house, I don't want to offend anyone who likes Spellbound, and yet I want to honestly describe my experience with this perfume.

The truth is, if there's a miracle happening at the drydown, I did not have a chance to experience it and I probably never will because I don't think I'll apply it again any time soon. Obviously, what I was smelling from my wrist was not what Spellbound was made to smell like. My skin and this perfume didn't make friends, and their encounter resulted in a rather unpleasant smell. I know it smells good on others, and Estee made many perfumes for me, so I can handle that one obviously being made for someone else.

love it,love it.I first smelled this on a stranger.i had to ask what she was wearing.I literaly ran to the store.My husband said I smelled like his grandmother.She smells like vicks vaporub.I dont care.I would wear it all the time but,its too expensive here.Always get compliments.lasts long time.only perfume that i can smell all day.makes me feel special.

This is one of my favorite of all time.. it's quite difficult to get nowadays, I wore it when I was sixteen and since have been forever in love with it. It gives you the naughty girl smell ;)

I will always love you,Spellbound !! So much so that I wore it on my wedding day.A very special and unforgettable fragrance.Seductive,sophisticated,warm,with the RIGHT amount of sweetness,and just a touch of flowers.I will wear this ALL DAY ANY DAY AND NITE.

When I took a look at all the notes and found allspice, rosewood, carnation, cardamom, sandalwood, opoponax, vetiver, cedar and civet – I was very much sure that It must be a very much spicy, sharp, little bit barbed and sparkling oriental scent with heavy woody nots.

But when I finally tasted it that was a very soft, shrouding scent, not spicy at all. Nothing hash, sharp, spicy-piercing or anything airy like white flowers and citruses may bring. That is not sparkling, which make your nose more sensitive, and thus make you chipper – that is on the contrary very much liquid-like enshrouding and dense like honey. This one is not going to push you for an action, but to capture and enchant you like a Sleeping Beauty – you become a truly spellbound one, and the same is happening to those who approach you. Well, the title really says it’s all.

But yet again, I think It’s mostly the Lily’s work that it is so liquid-like enshrouding – like you have dived into a honey-dense liquid. And the presence of Lily is the basic factor for the rejection of the perfume for me. I don’t know why, I really like the smell of the flowers itself when most of the people say it’s a very hard one and they get a headache from it – but in the same time I just can’t stand it in any perfume. I detect it in any concentration, because that is a strong essence and it doesn’t shade but transforms other components in any perfume. Lily was the reason why I finally rejected Dior’s Dune.

As a conclusion that is a unique and noticeable fragrance, with a very complex composition, when you can’t easily tell one component from another. And that is a very good about it, because the good fragrance is like a good vine – you should feel the bouquet, not a spirit and berries separately. So does a perfume – a bouquet, not separate notes.
A good one, but for somebody else, not for me.)

In one ward: SUPERB. Turns men of all ages heads. Women love it too. Among the top orientals ever. Classy. Unforgettable. 10/10/09

This had a potential... but I just couldn't pass by that civet note! It drilled through my brain right from the beginning and spoiled the entire composition for me.

Warm, heavy, spicy, colorful ... this fragrance has everything to seduce, will hardly leave anyone indifferent. At the beginning starts very strongly, but later becames quite calm. Vanilla is dominant and it lasts for hours while amber and sandalwood give extra warmth. Even if you forget about him, the scent is all around you and winks like "hey I'm here". SpellBound is excellent in winter.I wear it for years and I can not give up.
This is a fragrance that is loved or hated. I love it.

This is the first branded perfume i ever like to have. that was when i'm about 14years-old.. but i cant afford to have one. then now, after 11 years, i can afford this perfume, but it's not available in store in my country. i'm quite disappointed since i really love the scent. it bring back memories to my teenage time... when i got obsessed with perfume...

I wear this perfume at special nights. Its very intense and long staying perfume. I love it.

This is one of my favorites.Love it!!EVERYTIME I wear it Im complimented and men and women ask what Im wearing and sometimes have me even write it down.One of the best.Love it love it.Sweet,sexy and spicy.

Now this brings back memories. My mother use to wear this perfume back in the day, and i loved it. I can recall the times we would be in church and i would lay my head on her shoulder and fall asleep to its smell, lol. She did a interesting mix of it with the youth dew bath oil. And my god it smelled even better.

PURE PERFUME REVIEW

Spellbound is one of these scents that smell clean and powdery despite their animalistic spiceness. Very interesting combination of atributes, and that's why it was one of my favorite evening scents when I was a teenager. I think Sophia Grosjman knows well what she's doing.

The carnation is very dominant in this composition, and is the main element that provides that clean spiciness. There is also a mix of well united flower notes that give the perfume a more powdery character. In the animalistic and clean civet-amber drydown the carnation is still there, without losing its' power.

I would love to repurchase a bottle in autumn. In my opinion this is the most suiting time of year to wear this!
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EAU DE PARFUM

This one is for sure more airy than the pure parfum form. The clean spiceness remains, but more vanillish and resinous this time. It has the perfect balance between spicy, musky and creamy. Love it love it love it!

My bestfriend and I wore this when we were teenages. Its not all that great but it takes me back to THAT day. Its neat how perfumes can take you back in time to certain people, places and things from long ago. I can't wear the same perfume over and over or have a signature scent because I feel like each one has its place in time and this was the perfume for that era. Its powdery, spicy, sophisticated and somewhat dated. It made me feel glamorous and older. haha

Spellbound is too loud for me. It definitely reminds me of the 80s power-suit era, and not in a nice way. I can't say it would wear like this on everyone, but personally, it is exactly the kind of scent I stay away from: A loud, heavy oriental that announces me before I arrive. In this crowded day and age, perfume should ride just a little closer to the skin.

Say hello to a big, loud and unapologetic 80's type of perfume (even though I know it's not really from the 80's). This is the type of scent that smells wonderful on clothes or on a scarf that you have had around your neck. And the fact that this one hangs around all day ensures you get a lot for your money-no respraying necessary with Spellbound! Now, I know Red Door gets very little love from a lot of folks and I have to agree it can be a shock to the system in all but small doses. I mention Red Door because to my nose Spellbound is akin to Red Door in some ways: It should be sprayed lightly, and there is a lot going on with this one-by no means is it a simple fragrance. However, I find this one easier to wear than Red Door and like the way it settles on my skin. The basenotes are lovely and very sexy. I think this truly is a scent that a lot of men like for some reason. If you are looking for a sexy, bold, 'old school' fragrance, give this one a (light) spray.

Spellbound is the only fragrance I wear! I am often stopped by complete strangers asking me what my perfume is, my friends all compliment me on it, as well. I have been wearing it since 1991, and will not ever stray! My boyfriend melts when he smells it - it's definitley working!!

Spellbound is a lovely oriental fragrance. It is perfect in the cooler months. My husband loves it and I have received many compliments when I wear it. It has great staying power too. I adore it.

The first time I smelled it, I was at a party, just walking around in the orchard near the house. I got an airy breeze of this scent in my nose and recognised it as the beautiful 'Guerlain - Après l'Ondee'. I was very surprised as this is not even available in my country at all. I started searching (sniffing) around and found the person who was wearing this. It seemed to be a very sophisticated, strong, classy, friendly, charming, 'fresh' and beautiful lady. This is also exactly the way I would discribe this perfume... The lady told me that she was wearing Spellbound and I was confused! I find it extraordinary. It's not modern scent, it's absolutely a classic, but definitely one that will remain very special forever! Just hope it will never be discontinued....

Spellbound is still magical, even though I've been wearing it since 1991. It is also the fragrance that gets the most compliments, from friends and strangers. It's a perfect autumn and winter scent, but I have to wear it all year. Fruit, spice, wood, and an awesome drydown and staying power.

I love this perfume. I boought a bottle of it after smelling it on a friend.its quite hard to get. not many shops in uk stock it so i usually get it Duty free. It is a classt evening scent and i always have complements when i wear this perfume.

I started wearing Spellbound in High school and have continued through college to present. I love the sassy spicy scent. Not to mention I love it when the men I work with say how good it smells! I will be wearing Spellbound for years to come!