Iris Silver Mist Serge Lutens for women and men

Oh dear! This is just offensive on me and to my nose. It is the first Lutens scrubber. Yes carrots, but not those loveley sweet freshly dug ones. No, these have been lying to long in the fridge and started to go soggy and brown. I get a celery vibe here but I think it could be the vetiver and the virginian cedarwood that is in complete disharmony. It actually makes me feel physciallt ill. Thankyou for this sample and not wasting my money.

As I sit writing this review in mid-December, it occurs to me that Iris Silver Mist is the antithesis of a holiday season perfume. I would never wear it to a festive party or a family gathering because it is so inward and contemplative. However, I'm finding that it works perfectly when I have the kind of sensory overload you get from too many Christmas carols and too much glitter and retail red. ISM suits a walk in the woods, an evening curled up with a good book, stargazing, watching a black and white movie...things like that. I wear it when I want to live in my head and not in the world, and it is absolutely ideal for those situations.

If you are a Lutens fan and haven't tried this one, be aware that it is unlike the others. No heavy Eastern influence for one thing, and it was created by Roucel, so the Sheldrake spice signature is absent. I would recommend ISM to anyone who loves Mitsouko: they smell totally different but create the same sort of mood.

I got this one from a friend who knows how much I love irises. However, she's not so keen on them therefore she found ISM unwearable (said it smelled of carrots which to me is pretty weird but I know she's not the only person to think so).

The fragrance itself is artistic, dreamy... I think it resembles Roerich Himalaya pieces if it's possible to compare perfume to paintings. It's somewhat arrogant and distant as well. The iris is well-pronounced, and not in a lighthearted way, just like I think it should be.

On the other hand, I find the sandalwood a little off-putting. I don't like it as a note in general, it reminds me a bit of rotten teeth, so here it spoils the fun for me. But it's not there all the time, so I can still enjoy the perfume.

I still wouldn't buy it myself or recommend it but it was nice meeting ISM.

i did review this perfume based on a solid perfume sample which I found amazing. Now i ordered a liquid sample and I am quite disappointed. It is starting with the carrot cloud, which I personally like, but than it turns into a cheap sandalwoody soap on my skin. It is not diffusing at all, and doesnt stay on my skin only for maybe an hour. I have to add that there is no extra fattiness on my skin, like usually with other iris perfumes, so I guess this is a good thing...

To uncork a sample of Iris Silver Mist is to be overwhelmed by billowing waves of iris in its many incarnations: carrot juice iris; doughy iris; sandalwood iris; violet iris; the variations seem endless...

But this perfume, as with other greats, refuses to let me break down its individual ingredients, and instead projects out a bold and distinct persona. This is cold white stone in perfume form: androgynous, unforgiving and mute. ISM makes no apologies for this austerity, and is all the better for it.

The blast of carrot that opens this fragrance has become legendary, and is, admittedly, like nothing else I've smelt before. Whilst this hit never fails to dazzle and bemuse in equal measure, what strikes me about ISM happens afterwards, when a sublime violet note hovers forever on my skin, veering sometimes towards a soft, creamy sandalwood, and at others towards a fresh and powdery orris.

Having been disappointed with the sweetness of Iris Poudre and the formality of 28 La Pausa, I have finally found in ISM an iris with the daring to match other favourites of mine such as Aoud Cuir d'Arabie and Absolue Pour le Soir, but with a silent grandeur all of its own.

Needless to say, I enjoyed more compliments on my first test-drive of ISM than with anything else, and now consider it to be my signature fragrance.

As other reviewers have pointed out, ISM shows you many different faces of the iris root.
Everyone of them is interesting. I don't smell any shocking carrot juice in the beginning, only a slightly sweeter face of the iris. Later a woodier one takes its place, followed by an earthy one, and so on. I suspect that at every use the different aspects come out in different ways, depending on the heat of the skin, the humidity and the temperature of the weather, etc. That makes it unpredictable and always new.
I don't feel it as a "sad" perfume. Though, it's not a party one, and I'm sure it helps me think better about myself when I'm lying in my grave at midnight in the cemetery ;)
This fragrance has the power to transform you into something else, possibly a better yourself. How many perfumes can do that?

it s a beautifully full soliflore iris scent, it is unusual, cause the usually there is no real iris in most of the perfumes, even if they are named after this beautiful ingredient. I am not sure if this has iris, cause it is so expensive, even one drop will the perfume not profitable anymore, but it is the one closest to iris butter for sure. It s creamy, a bit smokey, very round and a bit too sweet, which comes only at the heart of the perfume.

Green, dark green and leafy. Earthy and mineral rich. Then iris comes to the fore with its deep, aloof mystery.

As this warms on the skin, a soft soapiness peeks through very subtley. Still green and rich in the background then becomes like aged white wood.

I picture an old oak tree surrounded by a bed of dark wild irises at its gnarled base--having drawn the infused earth through its roots over centuries and releasing the borrowed scent into the crisp autumn air overhead through its leaves and fresh tender buds.

Masterful really. Not one I can wear comfortably but can easily respect and admire.

Got my paws on a precious decant of the liquid! Previously I had only smelled a wax sample, and I was pretty impressed with that. This is unfriendly, cold and aloof...and I love it. Opening notes are strong carroty earth. Nothing sweet in this one, and I think you wouldn't want to be depressed and put this on as it would make you want to slash your wrists, so don't expect it to brighten you up. It is very sombre, introspective and disturbing. I'm going to get a bigger decant as it is almost impossible to find and was discontinued years ago, I believe. This is so much better than any other Lutens I have tried. Incredible iris.

Another glorious iris scent I have discovered - next to Dior Homme, Infusion d´Iris and Bois d´Iris by Van Cleef & Arpels...and alongside with No.19.

ISM gives me a strange first note, reminding me of vegetable (carrots maybe ?) but it is a somewhat delicious one. Strange but appealing.
Then it develops sweet on me. There is no cold, no icy flair in ISM as I expected after having read so many reviews. On me ISM is a really soft, close-to-the-skin iris.

This is an iris which I could imagine on Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany´s. ISM, too is aloof but very elegant, dreamy, romantic and simply loveable.

Has my nose let me down? First a hard strong long blast of carrot--then a wave of one very sweet insistent note. Iris, pure iris, iris all alone. I don't associate cool or cold with it, as do so many others. It doesn't seem sad or dark. It seems a high bright soprano without vibrato: sweet and strong and uncomplex. Maybe now I am getting a bit of clove, a bit of mint, a bit of sandalwood and cedar. Nothing really earthy, or melancholy. Maybe a slice of wet wood?

I will have to try again later: I remember that my impression of Prada Iris Infusion took days to coalesce. But, right now, I am feeling a bit tone deaf.

One day later: still trying. This time I sprayed it on a tissue. After the carrot I do get warm sweet sandalwood and cedar. Ah, here is the incense and clove, after an hour or two. Nothing cold, green, or metallic: where is the galbanum? I am thinking carrot and poppy seed cake...

incredibly green and bracing, even slightly minty. reminds me of fresh herbs like basil and mint in the garden after it rains. i've tried it a few times and it is infinitely fascinating but not especially wearable as a perfume-a very unisex icy beauty.

I am speechless and it doesn’t happen often. This is an outstanding fragrance. Masterpiece. Probably not easy to wear, neither easy to love. It is very unusual and everybody should have it in his or her “25 must try before I die”

I like to write technical reviews, however this fragrance doesn’t respect any rules or associations. For me, it feels I died and came back again.

The notes? Sorry but I can’t kill the mystery and the beauty. It is like love. If you try to understand it or to include it in a mathematic formula, it becomes ordinary.

Maybe I should write poetry… But I am not good at that.
So Maurice Roucel you have my heart.

This fragrance is something you have to experience and not judge or analyze. Realistically is 11/10. But I like to think nothing is perfect so I would go for 9.99/10.

Hahaha, that was my untrained nose speaking...sniffing.. I have trained my nose the last 3 months and tested all the available Iris scents..:) so that is one of my Top 5 now! Really it haunted me..first I got a sample of 3ml and I didn t like it at all (see below) .then a few weeks and sniffed irises further I thougt I would give it a try again..and ok I liked it better , especially the carotty blast from the top notes.. but then, not enough to buy a full bottle. 2 months later...after my 15th or so Iris perfume..I came back again and I was in awe and wonder..why on earth did I NOT like it?? It is a masterpiece of changing..all it s components are detectable now for me, and the iris..it never dies in here..yes it cries as it should, but then there s a soothing accord from the warm sandalwood, the velvety vetiver and the green moss..so many different layers (faces) in one perfume.. wow..
ISM certainly is not your allday office scent, could not be.. but wear it occasionally for some quiet,autumn evenings with a wood fire crackling in your living room and enjoy.. you ll have hours to go with that perfume




must agree with most others, a strange scent,weird, harsh and dusky unfriendly. the iris is sttrangled here in a smokey vetiver and that makes it stinky at least for me... in the drydown it s more soft and nearly wearable but then it s nearly gone and does not persuade me to buy a bottle. Try and sample this one before buying it for sure. Not for my sensitive nose.

I get a hint of peppermint in this, cool and energetic...like winter air when snow is on the ground...it is a lovely fragrance, cool and mysterious to me.

Iris and only iris. Little to no artistic vision. Its like Roucel put in every iris molecule he could get hold of and put 'em in a VAT and mixed the potion with a spatula. Which is infact what he did. I would stick with Apres l'ondrie or Bois d'Iris.

Pity this fragrance didn't work for me. I smell something that is not compatible with each other, as if some notes were separate, not blended together well. For this reason I have an impression that it smells of pickled cucumbers mixed with sweet ripe pears. My nose cannot stand this strange "edible" mixture. Where is the iris?...

I really like this stuff...and I am going to have to find a way to get it, since goddamn Serge doesn't ship to the USA...this is probably the best iris fragrance around...although L'Artisans Iris Pallida is pretty nice as well...it does kind of remind me of a funeral home somehow...it is sort of gloomy smelling...but that is how I am feeling these days...can something be sad and lovely at the same time? I guess so....

I am having difficulties to agree with this one. First it smells like fresh carrots, nothing wrong with carrots, even if I´m not sure I want to smell like one. After the carrots has gone, there is lingering smoke, something earthy and something mych to acrid for my taste. Remind me actually a little of China White, but not that strong, I can wear it, but I don´t think I will get used to this one. Will give it another try tough, sometimes fragrances change due to bodychemistry and weather and so on...

Extremely woody Iris with incense. Makes me think I may not like the Iris scents so much after all. It’s not exactly harsh, but it’s not terribly soothing either. Seems aloof and unfriendly somehow