Samsara (for women)

Adriana_87

You need to give it time,it starts a bit sharp but turns out so beautifully..very oriental,suits dark exotic women(like me...lol just kidding)And its better to go for the edp,it lasts of course longer.Love the bottle too!

Trvevil

As with Shalimar, this had to develop on my skin into gorgeus smelling oriental heaven. And it did.
At first maybe it's too old fashioned for some, but for me ok- it says don't mess with me, I'm mature. After all mature doesn't mean old, so it turned into rich, luxurious aura that wrapped me and warmed up. This should be worn with expensive, chic dress... or something cozy and feminine.
My thinks, you will never fail wearing this, this is the one of classic perfumes that for me stands in row with Shalimar and other orientals (hmm... in fact I should try more classic perfumes). I could say that this is a little similar to Hypnotic Poison only better in my opinion- it has more defined character.
It is sweet, but when I smell it my fantasy draws a piece of wood soaked in sweet floral oils. Fantastic dry-down. A must try for everyone who at least likes floral woody musks.

Miss Bloom

Wow! What an 80's powerhouse! But I love it.
It opens with a light fruity rosy top which quickly develops into a creamy sumptuous interior. The jasmine and Ylang are very evident to me and last forever. This is a stong perfume and I have had my best results with just one spray of the EdP. No im not joking. Any more than this on me and IT becomes almost claustrophobic its that cloying.
If used with a light hand this is really an extremely beautiful scent. Once the florals start to die down we are left with a soft cushion of powdery vanilla, woods and resins which will last up to 24 hours on my skin and longer on clothes.
Great sillage and bang for your buck.
A western translation of an oriental dream.
Love it!

perfumes_addict

you are right EvelynDFrech. i thought that samsara smelled like an old lady perfume too, until i bought it as a present for my sister. now, i think it is lovely and a young, elegant and sophisticated woman can wear this and smell fantastic. i think it's different with every skin. it's a matter of the ph.

EvelynDFrech

This was a total surprise for me. Had excpected something like Shalimar and instead I tried some more and more, sniffed and sniffed, I really like this one! It does smell like one of my own compositions but with several layers under the first scent. It was more gentle than I had excpected, yet deeper. My friend who uses Shalimar, said she felt this one was for old ladies, I feel the opposite.

TashaRose

Sweet and exotic, yet musky and sexy. I love this scent. At first, I thought it smelled too strongly and wasn't sure about it. Over time it really grew on me. I wear the slightest drop on one wrist, and rub it in behind my ears and against my other wrist. Too much is really awful! But with just a hint, I find this perfume to be completely intoxicating.

Mellyhelly

Samsara is one of my favourite scents of all times. I fell in love with it when it came out and I was a young, insecure, innocent face, not so well dressed student, yet I was totally taken by it and didn't wear it. Other girls at school did, they dare to, but thinking about it now they were just more selfish people than I was. At that time I already own the beautiful PdT of Shalimar I treasured for sniffing purposes. And I wore romantic YSL Paris I still love. I don't know if it's a matter of eras, but very few things hit my brains like scents of that time. Among the others Samsara is one of the ones that many years later became signature scents. I had to wait for it. Previous signature scent was Amarige. Yeah, ok, I guess I like olfactive bombs :-) The secret for me are amber/vanilla in the base, very clean skin and tiny doses.
Samsara is for me an incredibly luscious oriental with floral tones that make it sweeter and less harsh than most pure oriental. It's a blissful mix of sweet jasmin and vanilla with interludes of sandalwood. It works lovely with my chemistry on some days, not always. There is a note I dislike in the beginning and I think it's what they call tarragon. It comes out as first note quite nauseating, but only on some days! The happier I am the more samsara smells gorgeous on me! So I bet I need to be happy to wear it (no easy job these days of my life, but I've seen worse things)
I have heard of Samsara like a powdery scent. not on me. The powder thing is there but very tamed, only giving a wift of warmth. It's both a comfort and a sensual dream scent. Relax and sex don't seem to deal well together in our minds influenced by competitive culture. Most people, even unconsciously, match sexual passion with aggressivity. Not my kind. Since I got interested in Eastern philosophies many years ago I always searched for this sense of well-being of both soul and body together that gives happiness. Samsara is sensual happiness with an eye on spirituality, intimacy, knowing. Extremely passionate yet elegant and in control, it's like a red dream in a Hindu temple. Of course, the Guerlain house has great marketing means and can build very strong images to carry their scents across the world. An exotic melodious name, spiritual meaning behind (it doesn't matter if they're understood the Western way), a colour, images that conjure sensuality and elegance (not vulgar like other ads) and the association game is done! That doesn't mean that Samsara is not what it is! It wouldn't be such a classic and beloved scent! Not everyone likes it, either on her (his?) skin or on others. It's a matter of tastes of course. I used to pair it with Habit Rouge with Guerlain. Female and male Samsara for me! I try not to overdo Samsara because it would me a big mistake like with many other old powerful Guerlains. Overdoing ruins these beauties and can easily result in annoying stink for the aftermaths.
Samsara is best recomended as a winter scent. Well, not true. If you wear EdP (only 2 drops), EdT or even the perfumed deodorant in warm spring or early summer Samsara will bloom in all its floral virtues, always blended with soft vanilla-woody notes as background. Not for the faint at heart :-) You need to be daring somehow and knowing too. I smelt "my" Samsara on some ladies... and I couldn't help asking myself: "Goodness, do I smell so crap wearing IT?" no, I don't think so. Many people complimented about my scent during years. Most of them are women and especially the ones who are deeply interested in perfume world, not the ones who buy the last flanker pushed by SA at dept store. Also some men complimented, but they were all 40 + and quite classical styled.
Someone told me that Samsara is red like me. I mean, red inside. Outside I'm a small Mediterranean woman with pale skin and dark hair and eyes. I've grown older since my first encounter with Samsara, but I still have that innocent-looking expression on my face, only harder because of life. Samsara is my softer, sensual. feminine side. When I'm in a more kicking mood I wear Nahema. Samsara is the good contented one, Nahema is the naughty girl.
Samsara is true beauty. I'm wearing only 1 drop of EdT on my left wrist and typing with right hand, sniffing my beauty in a corner desk of an industrial building in a grey city. A few sun rays enter the window. Samsara here is my close secret. Later at night I'll spray some more...

vdxl

Classic, sexy, red in all means: it expresses the true and classic power of woman sensuality. It is strong, so you will have to use it sparingly if not, you will smell atrocious. I really love this one on women.

Eau de moi

A friend of mine used to wear this perfume and it smelled very feminine and flowery on her. I loved it and always thought that this perfume won't fit me. I was wrong, this is part of my classics now. And funny, it doesn't smell the same on me than on my friend. It is very oriental woody on me and more floral on her. Strange.

guest_

My nose wrinkled and I found this to be immediately offensive and very 1980's. I didn't try it on my skin, as I just couldn't bring myself to do it, but perhaps it smells better on as some people claim.

rosaria

Classic,oriental, powdery, warm, woody, refined, long lasting.

Samsara's wonderful scent brings to my mind beautiful images of Hindu women wrapped in their saris...

I love Samsara.

lombredansleau

Sweet oriental, sexy and long lasting.

perfumes_addict

this is a heavy fragrance in the good way. i normally don't like oriental perfumes, but this one is really something...great staying power too

vdxl

Sexy, lovely scent for her. It evokes the colour red in an excellent manner. This is maybe the perfume of love: roses, sandalwood and vanilla in a blend which has been imitated by many wannabes. An example would be Boss Intense-Hugo Boss. That one is good too, but not as upscale as this one.

wildheaven

Cool bottle, great scent... but the best part is the combo ylang-ylang with sandalwood, these notes run through the fragrance playing each other, enhancing each other, the ylang-ylang soft and sweet, the sandalwoods strong and spicy, but they feel like a couple, individual and complementary.

Lunohodik

Got a tester several days ago, well guys, I didn.t really liked or disliked it personally, BUT, I got so many compliments on it! So I'm thinking about a full bottle:)

Its a very elegant scent I must say, not too sweet as many otientals, not obviously woody it soesn't hit you up your nose. Its subtle. Its like something slippering, I don't really feel it on myself, but its always present at the same time:)

Makk

Dark scent with sophisticated sweet. Like black tea poored out on red silk wear of oriental dancers, full of sandalwood and glare of roses, warm and strengh. When I wear it, I feel like oriental Queen on dinner dance, seductive and proud.

After many hours my body smell like put on me little sweet date oil. Date from datepalm.

kayka

i like it. and i would like to have it again, but i can't find it anymore :(

APassionateJourney

This is my Aunt's FAVORITE fragrance. This is all she wears.

krisiva

For a long time Samsara took leading position in my wish-list of dreamed scents. Finally, its EDP version became a part of my collection. Dark, seductive scent, bringing in my mind images of the Orient, or at least of what my perception of the Orient is. At first it starts with lemon and peach, and gradually dries to a very well balanced combination of vanilla, sandalwood and musk. The staying power is really amazing. I should admit that probably I will never become addicted to it, as it is quite overpowering and too dark to fit my personality. But it is a little luxury pleasure to treat myself in a special moment or in a cold winter day.

lilinah

I really wanted to love this scent. But for me, the musk unpleasantly overpowered all the other fragrances.

Having read how scents smell different at different times of year, perhaps i should try this in the cold season.

Emeraude

I bought Samsara Eau De Toilette,it smells very nice on my skin...sweet,exotic...

julianne35

very long lasting..it has been 8 days since I sprayed it on the paper, it still stays there with a very nice, warm and elegant scent..but ı can not say that ı liked it a lot for the first hours...

azuriiita

well... definitively better than the classic opium for my nose :D
The drydown its specially pleasant.
Feminine, not too sweet, its a good oriental. On my skin its just an elegant scent :) good

nauticaa

I only had a sample of Samsara. It might have been my high expectations, but it did not smell at all sweet and cozy, mysterious and alluring. I just had the image of an ancient monolyth before my eyes, if I had to describe the smell. Reminded me a lot of Freya from Oriflame. Samsara was to me cold, calculated and a little bit of sophisticated, too. It faded in a couple of hours, perhaps it was the new formula someone it talking aboutin another post. It s a nice smell, but i won't buy it.

tessture

First blast is a punch in the nose. After the top notes, clashing terribly, leave, it’s a lovely dry down of sandaly vanilla.)

trueperfumelover

i bought samsara eau de toilette and it seems very light to me for some reason.i had eau de parfum a few years ago and the scent was incredible strong,lasted for days.now it doesn t last even a day.i know that eau de toilette has less concentration of perfume but still....insolence is eau de toilette and lasts for days too.can anyone tell me why??i am very disapointed:(...and they changed the box too...i don t like it at all.that s too bad coz samsara is the best perfume from guerlain.

0_o

Although this scent is a bit aged, and therefore in my opinion more suitable for older women, this is a very lovely, warm and rich scent. At start it's a bit chemical, but it dries down very well and it becomes softer and richer every hour. Most perfumes don't stay very long on me but this one is really long lasting. Although I love it, I feel too young for this perfume.

jredman

I was studying abroad in Bordeaux 89-90 and one day I was sitting at a cafe and a lady walked past. I was instantly in love with her perfume. A few weeks later,I found it in a little perfumerie. I remember that it cost about $50.00 at the time and I was very broke but I had to have it even if it meant eating bread and cheese for days. I loved it. Alas, my body changed and now it smells harsh on me, almost plastic. Did they change the formula? I would love to recapture a bit of my youth and be able to wear it again...the memories it would bring back. I think for women that as we have kids, take the pill, get older, etc, our hormones change. Now I rarely give away a perfume that I don't like at first because my chemistry seems to change so much.

kokica

a very strong,sweet and kind of attitud-y scent... oriental,rich and foggy but with magnificent drydown that doesn't change for days....like a precious egyptian oil...

Taxidermy

This one is the real gemstone, a piece of art. Very refined. It's like a beautiful velvety veil which separates real world and heaven. Samsara is the most beautiful among all oriental-woodies, not overly sweet. And the bottle is fabulous...

essija

This is classy and a head turning fragrance. I wore this years ago and would like to smell this again. Sexy, Confident woman only please.

dina

Real uniqueness and sophistication....
I used to wear it a lot back in the 90s tillt they reformulate to this ugly scent which it turned into. What a pitty !!

Vickalena

How interesting - thousand people and thousand different opinions. To me - on the contrary - is very comfortable to fall asleep wearing Samsara. Aroma is warm-sweet, wrapping up, cosy, like a woollen plaid...

PELA

I DIDN'T FIND IT INTERESTING IN MY SKIN.IT'S NICE WEARING IT IN THE MORNING ONLY.LIGHT AT FIRST AND THEN IT GETS STRONGER.

woogyjones50

I should preface by saying I am a huge sandalwood fan and find most of my favorites contain it. When I first tried Samsara, I was a little taken aback. It was, as takemyhusband said, a perfume that seemed to get stronger and stronger as I wore it and I just wasn't sure I liked it. But as I began to wear it more (applied with a lighter application),I became very fond of it and think it is a sexy scent that is well described by others here as "sophisticated". It is absolutely worth a try for those who love sandalwood.

Malegria

It is NOT a perfume for the afternoon. It turns heads!Very classy, very feminine and sexy.Requires a great deal of confidence and an evening dress. At least a nice cashmere sweater.

guest_lilyday

i wore this fragrance years ago, dont know what it was that attracted me to it at the time , but i did like it for a
while, i had it all, perfume lotion,cream........etc. i find that the tonka bean and musk become way too overwelming. it scared away a potential client for me and i never wore it again.

sjanira

It's sweet but elegant and mysterious. Every time I wear it it reminds me of my grandmother that recently passed, she used to wear it all the time.

coco76

re: Kalte Stern's description of the 'putrid' smell...i myself have notice that a few times and i believe the culprit is the Orris Root. On some people it smells quite lovely, but on me it is usually (8 times out of 10) unbearable. check the other perfumes that you have tried that gave you the same effect; you may well find orris root in their notes. as well, i find frankincense quite abhorant on me as well.

KalteStern

There is something in it that doesn't work for me - so much so that it smells really horrible: animalistic, putrid or rotten. I have never worked out what it is, as it crops up in quite few fragrances, but I can spot it immediately. A pity, as many of he other notes are just lovely, and I usually love spicy and earthy ingredients

popcorn

it is my parfum.all seasons i can wear. i like this smel elegant and deep . hawe nice vanilia achord long lasting

Mitsouko

Great smell. Unique. Recognizable. Beautiful exotic flowers, sweet orientals base. Tranquility. Gentleness. Femininity. Mysticism.

add: now I see, than I wrote about Samsara. Really mistic smell.

lolo

very nice and strong scent ....for evening........

alinaelenasandu

Strong, sophisticated, elegant, mysthical. You love it or you hate it.

Mitsouko

When many years ago I have smelled first case Samsara, I have admiration. It's wonderful smell still. First it smells lemon roses. Next becomes very sweat, dark. It held about skins, but causes impression, as it if pulsed. Samsara is elegant and unusually appealing. Associated with mature, certain values, friendly, beautiful woman.

dioradddict

I agree with Candra, I do have great memories from wearing this very sophisticated and rich parfum too...surely is the one for the confident woman!!

Candra

I bought this perfume twice. It's sexy, smells very rich and sophisticated.I have great memories from wearing this perfume.It's a perfume for the confident woman.

takemyhusbandplz

I used to wear this quite a bit. After awhile I just stopped reaching for it. I absolutely love the smell of Samsara, but on my skin it just keeps getting stronger as it wears. Definitely, a perfume to use with a light hand. I won't repurchase this again, but, I love the scent.