Thierry Wasser
Shalimar Parfum Initial Guerlain for women
Perfume rating 4.05 out of 5 with 8,564 votes
Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain is a Chypre Floral fragrance for women. Shalimar Parfum Initial was launched in 2011. The nose behind this fragrance is Thierry Wasser. Top notes are Bergamot, Orange and Green Notes; middle notes are iris, Patchouli, Vetiver, Rose and Jasmine; base notes are Vanille, Caramel, Tonka Bean and Musk.
Shalimar Parfum Initial – scent of desires, joy and sensuality arrives in a flacon which reminds us of shape of the traditional edition. The bottle of this edition is taller and sleeker than the previous. It is decorated with blue stopper and blue tassel on the neck of the flacon. Liquid of the flacon is coloured in warm pink.
Composition of Shalimar Parfum Initial is created of citruses, green notes, flowers, woody accords and oriental scents. Starting from citruses, the composition adds zest of bergamot and orange. Rose flowers and jasmine enjoy embrace of woody accords of vetiver and patchouli, while oriental notes of vanilla, white musk and luscious tonka give seductive warmth to the whole composition. Green notes provide a fresher tone to the composition.
Face of the advertising campaign for the new Shalimar Parfum Initial is Natalia Vodianova, photographed naked. These photos are supposed to represent innocence and chastity of woman's body, new Eve. The photos were taken by Paolo Roversi.
Shalimar Parfum Initial is presented to the market in March 2011 as a 40, 60 and 100ml EDP.
Read about this perfume in other languages: Deutsch, Español, Français, Italiano, Русский, Polski, Português, Ελληνικά, 汉语, Nederlands, Srpski, Română, العربية, Українська, Монгол, עברית.
Perfumer
Fragram Photos
Designer Guerlain
Fragrantica® Trends is a relative value that shows the interest of Fragrantica members in this fragrance over time.
Perfume longevity: 3.77 out of 5.
Perfume sillage: 2.63 out of 4.
Collections Shalimar
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All Reviews By Date
Nuran ali
The best, most unique, most sexy perfume i ever smelled, very sharp and féminine, not alot of women like it, but i get alot of compliments from men,( classy men) saying that is so sexy and made for a lady withh attitude
sarahmil
They re-re-released it. First in L’Initial in 2020. That was sold in the Bee bottle 125ml for €230.
And now at the European site it is available in the inverted heart bottle: 75ml for €125.
Guerlain really do listen to their customers!!
Big thank you!!
And now at the European site it is available in the inverted heart bottle: 75ml for €125.
Guerlain really do listen to their customers!!
Big thank you!!
malake
The fact that they discontinued this still breaks my heart I don't even know where I can find it or find something similar lol
Lorax
BEST Shalimar to me, by far. Bright, citrus, vanilla, woody, deep, sexy. Somehow sugary and not too sweet. Its definitely NOT similar in any way to the traditional Shalimars, other than a vague association, but its far more interesting and nuanced than any of the souffles. Not blind buy safe, but so charming!
carlahoffman
The first spray I was like wow this is stronger and deeper in scent verses the Shalimar Parfum, I love it but I haven't found a Shalimar perfume that I don't love and I own 7 different varies lucky me right! A lovely rich fruit opening with the vanilla popping right up there, so pretty.
I love the floral notes with the Rose shining through with the dry down of the Parfum which is a creamy light musk with a light woody scent with the vanilla still hanging in there . A dreamy scent that is rich, deep and sensual, I found myself lusting after it. It is very long lasting, you will wake up with this, still holding it projection. Cool looking bottle for my collection. This is a true classic in its own right, it is soft, nicely delicate yet alluring , just beautiful !
I love the floral notes with the Rose shining through with the dry down of the Parfum which is a creamy light musk with a light woody scent with the vanilla still hanging in there . A dreamy scent that is rich, deep and sensual, I found myself lusting after it. It is very long lasting, you will wake up with this, still holding it projection. Cool looking bottle for my collection. This is a true classic in its own right, it is soft, nicely delicate yet alluring , just beautiful !
Kellergirl
I love all Shalimars But this is divine!! Turn into a sweet soft powdery scent on me, and last so long! I love it!
LaContessina
What a great, unique fragrance! And its not a flanker as many could think. It's a perfume that has its own life and personality.
The only great concern is that they discontinued it. A crime.
Nothing like the original Shalimar (that is in my top 10 ten frags anyway) Shalimar Parfum Initial was created to please a younger audience, that's for sure, but not with the usual fruity floral berry mess! Here we have a completely different story. And a pleasant one.
Beginnning: resinous, medicinal in the opening. A balsamic note, like coniphers give a hint of freshness.
Then the classic Shalimar notes: vanilla, amber, and benzoin with a hint of jasmine.
Powdery note, like orris. And this is the end of the Shalimar (original) phase.
Some flowers - roses- some powderyness (=iris).
The story continues with a caramelized note, gourmandish, vanilla-esque in a subtle way: I get a stunning Cuir beluga resemlance here! merging with some white musks. I'd call this phase "Narciso Rodriguez meets a subdued Angel".
Bottom line: this is sexy. Seriously.
The drydown is really getting you hooked.
It's hot, and it's close to skin - not a sillage monster, but it's better this way in my opinion: you have to lean over to get a whiff, and I love when people come close to my neck and inhale...LoL
Back in time I loved it so much upon 1st spraying I bought it on an impulse - after having it working on my skin for 30 minutes.
It was love at first spritz and I knew it was the beginning of a romance. And I very rarely do that. I was so very happy with Shalimar Parfum Initial, and still am that I dare to call it my Signature fragrance for it mirrors well my personality.
Absolutely feminine but not girlish in the least.
Definitely a must try if you're lucky to find it.
I will cherish my 2 remaining bottles as if they were the Pink Panther Diamond.
The only great concern is that they discontinued it. A crime.
Nothing like the original Shalimar (that is in my top 10 ten frags anyway) Shalimar Parfum Initial was created to please a younger audience, that's for sure, but not with the usual fruity floral berry mess! Here we have a completely different story. And a pleasant one.
Beginnning: resinous, medicinal in the opening. A balsamic note, like coniphers give a hint of freshness.
Then the classic Shalimar notes: vanilla, amber, and benzoin with a hint of jasmine.
Powdery note, like orris. And this is the end of the Shalimar (original) phase.
Some flowers - roses- some powderyness (=iris).
The story continues with a caramelized note, gourmandish, vanilla-esque in a subtle way: I get a stunning Cuir beluga resemlance here! merging with some white musks. I'd call this phase "Narciso Rodriguez meets a subdued Angel".
Bottom line: this is sexy. Seriously.
The drydown is really getting you hooked.
It's hot, and it's close to skin - not a sillage monster, but it's better this way in my opinion: you have to lean over to get a whiff, and I love when people come close to my neck and inhale...LoL
Back in time I loved it so much upon 1st spraying I bought it on an impulse - after having it working on my skin for 30 minutes.
It was love at first spritz and I knew it was the beginning of a romance. And I very rarely do that. I was so very happy with Shalimar Parfum Initial, and still am that I dare to call it my Signature fragrance for it mirrors well my personality.
Absolutely feminine but not girlish in the least.
Definitely a must try if you're lucky to find it.
I will cherish my 2 remaining bottles as if they were the Pink Panther Diamond.
patxaran
What is it with these Guerlains that they just get better and better with time? Is it a settling down and maturing of ingredients or is it the slow realisation that another genius has sneaked up from behind, hello, I am a classic now, you better submit in awe.
It must have been around 2013 or so that I casually sprayed the tester and took the strip with me inside a shopping bag. How very strange, I thought, they take the grand dame of Shalimar and try to fiddle with it? Are they jumping on the fruitchouli bandwaggon...It struck with as an odd mix of trendy and old worldly Guerlain-ish but I could not make sense of it. So I cannot say I was too keen on SPI as it would later be known. Perhaps I was still suffering from the Coco Mad olfactory overload that was sweeping London around the time. Anyway, a year later or so, I bought a small bottle and it became a like, but not a love. It is not a fragrance I reach for often. Today was one of these days, a snowy winter day in Germany where I live now. And I was uplifted, floating on a cloud of citrus and powdery, lipsticky goodness that never slips into vulgarity. In my home office day dream fantasy, I dreamt about having Tea at the Ritz, with a freshly powdered face, lipstick and wearing smart clothes and eating lovely cakes. And the piano played and conversation was civilised and delightfully careless. Sometimes, we only appreciate the true depth and value of an experience in hindsight. Shalimar Parfum Initial has become an elusive unicorn, a modern classic and holy grail for its aficionados. Treasure it while you can. Good things rarely last.
It must have been around 2013 or so that I casually sprayed the tester and took the strip with me inside a shopping bag. How very strange, I thought, they take the grand dame of Shalimar and try to fiddle with it? Are they jumping on the fruitchouli bandwaggon...It struck with as an odd mix of trendy and old worldly Guerlain-ish but I could not make sense of it. So I cannot say I was too keen on SPI as it would later be known. Perhaps I was still suffering from the Coco Mad olfactory overload that was sweeping London around the time. Anyway, a year later or so, I bought a small bottle and it became a like, but not a love. It is not a fragrance I reach for often. Today was one of these days, a snowy winter day in Germany where I live now. And I was uplifted, floating on a cloud of citrus and powdery, lipsticky goodness that never slips into vulgarity. In my home office day dream fantasy, I dreamt about having Tea at the Ritz, with a freshly powdered face, lipstick and wearing smart clothes and eating lovely cakes. And the piano played and conversation was civilised and delightfully careless. Sometimes, we only appreciate the true depth and value of an experience in hindsight. Shalimar Parfum Initial has become an elusive unicorn, a modern classic and holy grail for its aficionados. Treasure it while you can. Good things rarely last.
AquaBaby5
I’ve moved to a new climate since my last review. Unfortunately I get this weird animalic scent for the first few hours that is actually repellant to me. I have a leftover empty sample vial that smells different than my bottle. Not sure if it’s fully turned but, the top notes are fading and it’s sadly no longer a favorite.
Edit: well this is frustrating, I’m enjoying the smell at hour 4, whereas prior it was definitely bad. The top notes must have gone off but the base is delightful. The question is, do I keep it knowing I have to get through a few hours of unpleasantness? :(
Edit: well this is frustrating, I’m enjoying the smell at hour 4, whereas prior it was definitely bad. The top notes must have gone off but the base is delightful. The question is, do I keep it knowing I have to get through a few hours of unpleasantness? :(
Lalunalynn
Im a huge Shalimar fan, Eau De Shalimar being my favourite. I really wasn't sure about this when I first tested it. Tried it out again today and when I walked into my daughters room she said she could smell mosquito repellent. Sealed the deal. This isn't a winner.
Seducianne
This is an unbelievably addictive, soft citrus-vanilla-powder fragrance on me, with a nice memorable bitter-herbal punch from the vetiver-patchouli combo. The overall impresion is a very mature, composed scent, fit for colder days or evenings and an introspective mood. It's very intellectual, classy, magnetic in a non playful way.
Sillage is comfortable and longevity is very good.
Sillage is comfortable and longevity is very good.
Enigmatic
Oh Shalimar Initial, how I love thee! Exquisite powdery iris and citrus mix. At first, it's a little sharp, almost peppery - perhaps that's the vetiver. It takes a bit of time to mix with my skin and the sharpness to calm down. The vanilla sweetness kicks into gear, and when it does.... absolute magic. This is pure, ultimate femininity. This is what I would wear to a garden party in a beautiful sun dress.
I have picked up a backup bottle of this, as well as the L'Initial, which lacks the peppery vetiver. Other options include MM Lipstick On (much more waxy and sweet, lacks the vetiver) or Dior Homme 2005. I like to layer this with Prada Infusion D'Iris Absolue, a perfume I dislike on its own.
Notes according to my nose (in order of prominence): bergamot, vetiver, iris, lime, hint of vanilla/tonka
I have picked up a backup bottle of this, as well as the L'Initial, which lacks the peppery vetiver. Other options include MM Lipstick On (much more waxy and sweet, lacks the vetiver) or Dior Homme 2005. I like to layer this with Prada Infusion D'Iris Absolue, a perfume I dislike on its own.
Notes according to my nose (in order of prominence): bergamot, vetiver, iris, lime, hint of vanilla/tonka
catcat42
I really wanted this to work got a full bottle and shalimars just dont agree with my skin somehow..there is no iris just bitter lemon along with burnt rubber..Will resell if anyone interested. bottle is from 2011 and full..
seamagik
Unfortunately this falls flat on me. After the opening citrus blast I wait for it to develop but it just wilts and dies. Bummer.
I tried it in all kinds of weather. I thought it would be awesome in the cold. Nope. I love powdery scents but it's like I got caught under a sprinkler and all I get is damp squib.
Finally gave up and passed it on. I preferred the L'eau version right from the start so I still have that for spring and summer.
I tried it in all kinds of weather. I thought it would be awesome in the cold. Nope. I love powdery scents but it's like I got caught under a sprinkler and all I get is damp squib.
Finally gave up and passed it on. I preferred the L'eau version right from the start so I still have that for spring and summer.
AquaBaby5
This is a powdery floral version of Shalimar, no leather or incense to be found. My absolute favorite Shalimar. Just when I think it has disappeared I still get whiffs of it around me. Lasts 12+ hours on my skin, even if faint at the end.
Peeka
Parfum Initial behaves differently when sprayed into the air than it does when sprayed directly onto my skin.
Regardless of how you use it, this fragrance opens with a citrus blast.
PI when sprayed onto the skin:
Parfum Inital can come across as intense/medicinal when first sprayed onto the skin, it has an almost tea tree essential oil quality to it to my nose.
As the citruses & the vetiver settle, the florals at the heart start to come through & it transforms the scent info a citric/talcum powder/old-style cosmetic scent. Up close, Parfum Inital at this stage still smells a little astringent, dated, strange & unpleasant. **The key is to smell it from a distance** as after about 20 minutes of spraying the MUCH NEEDED vanilla, caramel & tonka start to show up to the party to smooth those rough edges out somewhat without making the fragrance sweet. When experienced this way Parfum Initial is a stunning, powdery cosmetic scent that I immediately associate with Guerlain.
PI when sprayed into the air:
The citruses are no way near as obtrusive when used this way, in fact, they’re quite refreshing. As the perfume settles onto my clothing I Immediately get a beautiful fresh zing of citrus instead of limes and oranges shoved up my nose & down my throat like when I spray this on my skin. The fragrance quickly changes into a more powdery/cosmetic fragrance & that is what persists. I get amazing wafts of this from time to time & I am really glad I gave Parfum Inital another try. It isn’t one of my usual choices of fragrance, I love sweet florals & fresh aquatic scents so I was a little surprised to find myself sniffing my clothes so often 😂
This fragrance is definitely for those who love citruses & powdery cosmetic smells but it is not a safe blind buy in my opinion because it may be problematic if you like to spray your perfumes onto your skin. If you can, I’d advise you to get a sample/decant before buying a full bottle & try spraying into the air and walking through it first. You’ll be stunned by how beautiful this is.
That being said, Parfum Initial IS discontinued & L’initial has replaced it at a jaw dropping £205 for 125ml so if you are interested in Parfum Initial a decision needs to be made before prices sky rocket.
The remake (L’initial) does not appear to be identical to Pafrum Initial though, the vetiver has gone as has the Jasmine from the heart, replaced? instead by Jasmine petal in the opening. It seems as though L’initial addresses the astringency of Parfum Initial which may have played a part in its sales figures however, the price tag of L’initial is definitely prohibitive so I don’t see this fragrance making Guerlain’s sales any better! Sadly, this version may quickly become discontinued too.
Regardless of how you use it, this fragrance opens with a citrus blast.
PI when sprayed onto the skin:
Parfum Inital can come across as intense/medicinal when first sprayed onto the skin, it has an almost tea tree essential oil quality to it to my nose.
As the citruses & the vetiver settle, the florals at the heart start to come through & it transforms the scent info a citric/talcum powder/old-style cosmetic scent. Up close, Parfum Inital at this stage still smells a little astringent, dated, strange & unpleasant. **The key is to smell it from a distance** as after about 20 minutes of spraying the MUCH NEEDED vanilla, caramel & tonka start to show up to the party to smooth those rough edges out somewhat without making the fragrance sweet. When experienced this way Parfum Initial is a stunning, powdery cosmetic scent that I immediately associate with Guerlain.
PI when sprayed into the air:
The citruses are no way near as obtrusive when used this way, in fact, they’re quite refreshing. As the perfume settles onto my clothing I Immediately get a beautiful fresh zing of citrus instead of limes and oranges shoved up my nose & down my throat like when I spray this on my skin. The fragrance quickly changes into a more powdery/cosmetic fragrance & that is what persists. I get amazing wafts of this from time to time & I am really glad I gave Parfum Inital another try. It isn’t one of my usual choices of fragrance, I love sweet florals & fresh aquatic scents so I was a little surprised to find myself sniffing my clothes so often 😂
This fragrance is definitely for those who love citruses & powdery cosmetic smells but it is not a safe blind buy in my opinion because it may be problematic if you like to spray your perfumes onto your skin. If you can, I’d advise you to get a sample/decant before buying a full bottle & try spraying into the air and walking through it first. You’ll be stunned by how beautiful this is.
That being said, Parfum Initial IS discontinued & L’initial has replaced it at a jaw dropping £205 for 125ml so if you are interested in Parfum Initial a decision needs to be made before prices sky rocket.
The remake (L’initial) does not appear to be identical to Pafrum Initial though, the vetiver has gone as has the Jasmine from the heart, replaced? instead by Jasmine petal in the opening. It seems as though L’initial addresses the astringency of Parfum Initial which may have played a part in its sales figures however, the price tag of L’initial is definitely prohibitive so I don’t see this fragrance making Guerlain’s sales any better! Sadly, this version may quickly become discontinued too.
patrishia
Wow, I have had a sample of this for several months, and I never tried it until today. It is stunning! It's powdery, comforting, like a marshmallow, but not too sweet. It is so good, can't stop smelling myself. Great sillage and longevity as well (it should have because of it's huge pricetag)
SailorV
Discontinued but extremely popular fragrances always make me feel a little wary. I'm afraid to be sucked in by the hype and feel the need to buy an overpriced old bottle off ebay that isn't that great in the end. But of course, they also pique my curiosity. So I test them extra carefully.
With Shalimar Parfum Initial, I was additionally hesitant because my mother wore Shalimar for decades. I love my mom and Shalimar is beautiful, but I find it weird to inherit your mother's old signature fragrance.
Well, to make it short, the hype around this is justified, and while it shares some aspects with the original Shalimar, it's different enough to make it wearable for those who don't want to use the original for whatever reason.
The opening is very waxy with lipstick-like iris, thick and creamy, with an underlying vanilla and the same beautiful sparkling bergamot you find in most Shalimar fragrances. The iris is so buttery, almost reminiscent of soft suede.
As it dries down the fragrance becomes more powdery, sweeter and warmer. I don't find the caramel note dominating, this doesn't smell edible at all, it just softens the scent. I can also smell the patchouli and vetiver, both add depth and a hint of cool spiciness that keeps Parfum Initial from turning too sweet or one-dimensional.
It's a dreamy, fluffy cloud of a vanilla and iris perfume and very typical for Guerlain.
I knew I need this when I fell asleep after sampling and dreamt of buying a bottle. When I woke up the next day, I could still smell a light but distinctive skinscent on my arm.
So sad this was discontinued. Now they brought it back under the name "L'Initial", but only as an expensive 125 ml bottle in the exclusive Les Parisiennes line. I think I'll rather try to get a partly used older bottle for a reasonable price.
With Shalimar Parfum Initial, I was additionally hesitant because my mother wore Shalimar for decades. I love my mom and Shalimar is beautiful, but I find it weird to inherit your mother's old signature fragrance.
Well, to make it short, the hype around this is justified, and while it shares some aspects with the original Shalimar, it's different enough to make it wearable for those who don't want to use the original for whatever reason.
The opening is very waxy with lipstick-like iris, thick and creamy, with an underlying vanilla and the same beautiful sparkling bergamot you find in most Shalimar fragrances. The iris is so buttery, almost reminiscent of soft suede.
As it dries down the fragrance becomes more powdery, sweeter and warmer. I don't find the caramel note dominating, this doesn't smell edible at all, it just softens the scent. I can also smell the patchouli and vetiver, both add depth and a hint of cool spiciness that keeps Parfum Initial from turning too sweet or one-dimensional.
It's a dreamy, fluffy cloud of a vanilla and iris perfume and very typical for Guerlain.
I knew I need this when I fell asleep after sampling and dreamt of buying a bottle. When I woke up the next day, I could still smell a light but distinctive skinscent on my arm.
So sad this was discontinued. Now they brought it back under the name "L'Initial", but only as an expensive 125 ml bottle in the exclusive Les Parisiennes line. I think I'll rather try to get a partly used older bottle for a reasonable price.
MnM
So a couple of people mentioned this has been re-issued under L'initial in the Les Parrisiennes line, but I checked and it's not there. :(
Mc1995
I just got my hands on a used bottle, at first thought it was old or gone bad but it’s supposed to smell this way...Dries down nicely but very burnt vanilla and lipstick/makeup iris at first.bSurprised because all the reviews talk about how candy sweet and modernized it is. It’s big Shalimar EDP meets Pink Sugar, but not really... More burnt sugar/vanilla, bit of a lip gloss/chapstick vibe at first. It’s nice. Very sweet. But still dark, smoky and quite unisex actually. It’s a very natural sweetness, not a candy synthetic sweetness, the only thing about that smells maybe synthetic is the opening. Very dark smelling, Almost the most unisex out of any Shalimar! If there was a Shalimar Pour Homme this could be it lol(or the EDP or EDC really)I mean really, add more vetiver and maybe myrrh this would be a men’s scent
lumberjack
They reproduced you baby... But no worries, nothing can take your place in my heart...
...and this damn glamorous bottle as well!
...and this damn glamorous bottle as well!
andrewatic
This fragrance has just been reissued as L'Initial in their Les Parrisiennes line.
It's already posted on their French version of Guerlain website. So, Initial lovers if you want it to stay go for it and buy it. Otherwise, if the sales are low they will discontinue it again...
It's already posted on their French version of Guerlain website. So, Initial lovers if you want it to stay go for it and buy it. Otherwise, if the sales are low they will discontinue it again...
saidesses
YES , like i expected Guerlain is now re-releasing this fragrance under the name "L'initial". luckily I have 3 bottles of the older version.
schneeblume
This is so incredibly CALMING! It works like magic giving this feeling of peace and calmness! This is the ultimate funeral wear.
Marialina
I was lucky enough to get two 100ml bottles of this as a gift before it was discontinued (has it been resurrected? I lose track) and it was the most fortuitous gift I could have imagined...
I could not disagree more with those who think it an inferior, juvenile, poor cousin to Shalimar. It is *such* a different beast. The original Shalimar EDP is an absolute grand dame of a scent, powdered, glittery, complex, feather-boa'd and extremely loud.
Initial is less complex, yes, and younger-feeling, yes... but *so* seductive, and so intimate. It's melting vanilla toffee with a hint of bergamot peel, a waft of iris and- the best part- the most beautiful, gently smouldering amber underneath. If Shalimar is the grand dame on stage, this is the undressed flesh after the show, with a hint of sugar and cigarettes and, yes, something slightly bodily, but like the sweetest skin. I couldn't wear Shalimar every day, but Initial I can (and do) wear every night out- this is the scent I love on myself more than any other. Pure happiness.
I could not disagree more with those who think it an inferior, juvenile, poor cousin to Shalimar. It is *such* a different beast. The original Shalimar EDP is an absolute grand dame of a scent, powdered, glittery, complex, feather-boa'd and extremely loud.
Initial is less complex, yes, and younger-feeling, yes... but *so* seductive, and so intimate. It's melting vanilla toffee with a hint of bergamot peel, a waft of iris and- the best part- the most beautiful, gently smouldering amber underneath. If Shalimar is the grand dame on stage, this is the undressed flesh after the show, with a hint of sugar and cigarettes and, yes, something slightly bodily, but like the sweetest skin. I couldn't wear Shalimar every day, but Initial I can (and do) wear every night out- this is the scent I love on myself more than any other. Pure happiness.
ChelleBelle84
I sincerely hope what Andrewatic says is true. Now, I priced those in the Les Parisiennes line and for a 4.2 oz (125 ml) bee bottle, they’re going for $280 USD. This is much more reachable than the $1300 8 oz bee bottles I saw online some time ago. Time will tell.
In the meantime, let’s first get past this COVID-19 pandemic. I pray for everyone’s health. 🙏 Please be safe.
In the meantime, let’s first get past this COVID-19 pandemic. I pray for everyone’s health. 🙏 Please be safe.
pinktoe
In times of uncertainty we tend towards what gives us comfort.These are times of uncertainty for sure.
For me comfort smells like iris and powder. And this beauty fits that bill to a t. I wish that what @andrewatic says is true, and that Guerlain is truly bringing it back. We need some good news, and having this available again would truly be good news.
One of my true loves right there.
For me comfort smells like iris and powder. And this beauty fits that bill to a t. I wish that what @andrewatic says is true, and that Guerlain is truly bringing it back. We need some good news, and having this available again would truly be good news.
One of my true loves right there.
Fleurpetit
This really is a beautiful, whimsical and elegant fragrance. I absolutely adore original Shalimar but it’s not for everyone. Initial definitely has the DNA of Shalimar but it’s more of a lipstick, powdery iris and rose, with the bergamot in the background but without shying too far away from its grown up sister..
Age wise, Initial would certainly suit a young lady which I certainly am not.. but I wear fragrances to please myself.. I love it.
Age wise, Initial would certainly suit a young lady which I certainly am not.. but I wear fragrances to please myself.. I love it.
andrewatic
Hi guys,
To everyone who loved this flanker and lamented its discontinuation: Guerlain is re-issuing Shalimar Parfum Initial as part of Les Parrisiennes line!
Hope this helps.
To everyone who loved this flanker and lamented its discontinuation: Guerlain is re-issuing Shalimar Parfum Initial as part of Les Parrisiennes line!
Hope this helps.
w_nmbo
We can now pray for two things:
for Corona virus to be stopped
and
for Guerlain to bring back this, this... I cannot find a word good enough to describe Shalimar Parfum Initial. The perfect iris. The masterpiece. The addictive substance. The ultimately sensual perfume.
for Corona virus to be stopped
and
for Guerlain to bring back this, this... I cannot find a word good enough to describe Shalimar Parfum Initial. The perfect iris. The masterpiece. The addictive substance. The ultimately sensual perfume.
ChelleBelle84
I couldn’t agree more with the below reviewer. This was a great fragrance. Don’t like flankers? Don’t wear any. Wear your original and let others wear what suits them. Guerlain, please bring this back!
Seriously, you go down the page, there are people who want this back. The ones whose chemistry couldn’t wear the original, this was their Shalimar. I’ve been heartbroken ever since this was discontinued! It just didn’t seem fair? Hooray for those who could wear the original without It smelling horribly on their skin, but why should this be taken away simply because the ones who could wear the original didn’t like it? People also didn’t go to the original like expected when this was discontinued because they CAN’T wear it. Personally, I can’t even wear the EDT of the original unless it cold outside. Anything warmer than 55° and it smells like burnt rubber. This, however was wonderful and it made me feel good wearing it. Many others felt the same way.
Guerlain you want to widen your customer base? Bring this back and make it part of the Shalimar Garden again. I even just gave you a way to advertise this! Customers demand it and they’re the reason you have a business.
Seriously, you go down the page, there are people who want this back. The ones whose chemistry couldn’t wear the original, this was their Shalimar. I’ve been heartbroken ever since this was discontinued! It just didn’t seem fair? Hooray for those who could wear the original without It smelling horribly on their skin, but why should this be taken away simply because the ones who could wear the original didn’t like it? People also didn’t go to the original like expected when this was discontinued because they CAN’T wear it. Personally, I can’t even wear the EDT of the original unless it cold outside. Anything warmer than 55° and it smells like burnt rubber. This, however was wonderful and it made me feel good wearing it. Many others felt the same way.
Guerlain you want to widen your customer base? Bring this back and make it part of the Shalimar Garden again. I even just gave you a way to advertise this! Customers demand it and they’re the reason you have a business.
ReWeegh
Finally I could find and buy a bottle of this wonder on a local swap forum. It was a blind buy as the comments here below hooked me on this. Couldn’t agree more with comments as why on earth Guerlain had the lunatic idea to discontinue this master piece. PI is feminine, elegant, sweet fragrance. It changes constantly starting as woody citrusy Tonka/iris, later more the caramel note was in the foreground.
Dry down is specifically amazing, citrusy woody spicy vanilla.
This flanker (and Shalimar Cologne) is a good way to have a glimps of Shalimar’s greatness for folks like me whose skin chemistry does not agree with the original (pure burnt rubber:().
Also on its own it is a unique and divine perfume.
Dry down is specifically amazing, citrusy woody spicy vanilla.
This flanker (and Shalimar Cologne) is a good way to have a glimps of Shalimar’s greatness for folks like me whose skin chemistry does not agree with the original (pure burnt rubber:().
Also on its own it is a unique and divine perfume.
ScentSmelling
+++
Is somebody out there who is still selling Shalimar Initial? Pls send me a message if you want to sell one of this. 🙏
+++
Is somebody out there who is still selling Shalimar Initial? Pls send me a message if you want to sell one of this. 🙏
+++
D3G
Wow! that's surely my reaction too...it's one of those that move something inside me..is it the perfect combination of citrus and vanilla? Till I read the "recipe"I couldn't place it.
I do agree with most of the reviews including the comments on the flankers, although it makes it affordable, it's really confusing(parfum initial and cologne to me are practically identical-maybe PI more powdery and a bit longer lasting?)
I suppose it's a way to keep alive a fragrance(almost a 100 yrs old, impressive)Still appealing to whom buy on exclusivity and the cheap like me. Personally I think being out for so long and being so popular, it shouldn't cost them much to be produced.
I do agree with most of the reviews including the comments on the flankers, although it makes it affordable, it's really confusing(parfum initial and cologne to me are practically identical-maybe PI more powdery and a bit longer lasting?)
I suppose it's a way to keep alive a fragrance(almost a 100 yrs old, impressive)Still appealing to whom buy on exclusivity and the cheap like me. Personally I think being out for so long and being so popular, it shouldn't cost them much to be produced.
LightOfJoy
Full disclosure: I love Shalimar, and I love Guerlain fragrances.
A very kind swapper sent me a decant of SPI, and when I initially sprayed it, I thought, "Oh, this is just like all the others." Now, that's not a bad thing. It smelled very similar to Shalimar Cologne on initial spray to me.
However, on drydown it is quite different. Directly on my skin it smells of strong, sweet caramel. Wafting from my chest it smells like a soft pink rose, aside a lily.
Someone mentioned that it was a precursor to Mon Guerlain, and as a lover of that fragrance, I could easily see that as well.
Perhaps this was intended to be an answer to those seeking a lighter, fruitier, sweeter perfume. It does indeed answer that call, but it also stands apart elegantly from the typical fruitchoulis. It still maintains Shalimar DNA and is a respectful nod to it, not a brash departure from it.
A very kind swapper sent me a decant of SPI, and when I initially sprayed it, I thought, "Oh, this is just like all the others." Now, that's not a bad thing. It smelled very similar to Shalimar Cologne on initial spray to me.
However, on drydown it is quite different. Directly on my skin it smells of strong, sweet caramel. Wafting from my chest it smells like a soft pink rose, aside a lily.
Someone mentioned that it was a precursor to Mon Guerlain, and as a lover of that fragrance, I could easily see that as well.
Perhaps this was intended to be an answer to those seeking a lighter, fruitier, sweeter perfume. It does indeed answer that call, but it also stands apart elegantly from the typical fruitchoulis. It still maintains Shalimar DNA and is a respectful nod to it, not a brash departure from it.
dglightblue
summer test, to skin.
i have tred another from this initial line, i think with the pinky fluff on the lid.
this is better on me than the other one, this fragrance doesnt quite do the 'funny citrus..woods... sweat??' thing.
its got an acidicness to it. i think thats what bugs me. i smell it and its lively and lovely, then i smell again straight away and i get the acid happening. grr.
citrus with guerlainaide
powder,
woods,
its overall light, but lingering.
gosh.. maybe its a floral aromatic that im smelling - i like that part.
this isnt an aromatic to me compared to what im used to.
i wonder if its the citrus+woods+aromatics that doesnt work for me.. its just in the "parfum initial" line
its not bad, but its just not 'right'.
i have tred another from this initial line, i think with the pinky fluff on the lid.
this is better on me than the other one, this fragrance doesnt quite do the 'funny citrus..woods... sweat??' thing.
its got an acidicness to it. i think thats what bugs me. i smell it and its lively and lovely, then i smell again straight away and i get the acid happening. grr.
citrus with guerlainaide
powder,
woods,
its overall light, but lingering.
gosh.. maybe its a floral aromatic that im smelling - i like that part.
this isnt an aromatic to me compared to what im used to.
i wonder if its the citrus+woods+aromatics that doesnt work for me.. its just in the "parfum initial" line
its not bad, but its just not 'right'.
Pandarapt
The pink tint of the juice is deceiving, this is infused with complexity and thoughtfulness, a pretty great introduction to Shalimar and a stand-alone of its own, very much pixie-fairy compared to the latter's flapper fatale. Similar to how some people adapt into contemporary interior design verdigris hextiles and apothecary vanities laminated in opaline blue, it nods to the 20's with a pair of backbeam stockings instead of a whole flapper costume.
Guerlain will probably re-edit it in a bee bottle as part of an exclusive line with an extra sting to the wallet. But I do hope they bring it back because Shalimar Initial is a heliotropic lemony iris-caramel dream that bubbles the idea of-- luxury velvet wrapping a sensual virtual and complex marzipan that is uniquely Guerlain as much as the drinking champagne while taking a bubble bath in a checkered linoleum art deco bathroom of No.5 is uniquely Chanel.
Guerlain will probably re-edit it in a bee bottle as part of an exclusive line with an extra sting to the wallet. But I do hope they bring it back because Shalimar Initial is a heliotropic lemony iris-caramel dream that bubbles the idea of-- luxury velvet wrapping a sensual virtual and complex marzipan that is uniquely Guerlain as much as the drinking champagne while taking a bubble bath in a checkered linoleum art deco bathroom of No.5 is uniquely Chanel.
Dakota22
Oh my, what a beauty. I wore SHALIMAR in my 20's, and it is too much for me now in my 60's. But, this....is so pretty. I can smell caramel after the very Shalimar first spray settles. Glorious.
emily7
Coco Mademoiselle of Guerlain. Young, clean, yet sensual and utterly elegant.
Initial bergamot kick is an intro to a sweet and creamy vanilla-praline-tonka heart. Patchouli and vetiver fuzzy texture keep the sweetness under control and make the whole composition more rich and adult smelling.
Drydown lasts forever in a form of sensual "second skin" impression. Prolonged good sillage manifests as the most comfortable, pleasurable, creamy aura which makes Initial stand out as the only possible competitor in a crowd dominated by Coco Mademoiselle - as the one that is less popular but more interesting and even subtly erotic.
One of rare Guerlains - sans actual dirty or animalic note - I really enjoy.
Initial bergamot kick is an intro to a sweet and creamy vanilla-praline-tonka heart. Patchouli and vetiver fuzzy texture keep the sweetness under control and make the whole composition more rich and adult smelling.
Drydown lasts forever in a form of sensual "second skin" impression. Prolonged good sillage manifests as the most comfortable, pleasurable, creamy aura which makes Initial stand out as the only possible competitor in a crowd dominated by Coco Mademoiselle - as the one that is less popular but more interesting and even subtly erotic.
One of rare Guerlains - sans actual dirty or animalic note - I really enjoy.
churinl
If there are any generous Fragranticians out there willing to swap a small decant in exchange for something else, please send me a message. I am dying to try this, s I love both the Grande Dame herself, as well as Eau de Shalimar.
EDIT: Fragranticians are so generous! I received a decant and just had an offer from someone to also send me one. I agree with the majority here. This is a very beautiful take on classic Shalimar and I love it. Now to find a full bottle that won't break the bank. This deserves a place in the collections of Guerlain lovers, especially Shalimar fangirls/boys.
EDIT 2 - Oh happy day!! I have acquired a partially full bottle for a very low price, especially when compared to the going rate for full bottles on Ebay. This should satisfy my desire for a while.
EDIT: Fragranticians are so generous! I received a decant and just had an offer from someone to also send me one. I agree with the majority here. This is a very beautiful take on classic Shalimar and I love it. Now to find a full bottle that won't break the bank. This deserves a place in the collections of Guerlain lovers, especially Shalimar fangirls/boys.
EDIT 2 - Oh happy day!! I have acquired a partially full bottle for a very low price, especially when compared to the going rate for full bottles on Ebay. This should satisfy my desire for a while.
krukmary
I've just recently smelled this for the first time and I'm in love. Interestingly for me, Parfum Initial smells just ok on my clothing but absolutely comes alive on my skin-- bergamot/caramel heaven with a bit of powdery iris. The scent doesn't last long but is positively intoxicating.
FloraVe
Excellent on my cold skin, iris+vanille+caramel and my favorite vetiver, perfume revealed very beautifully ... I love Shalimar Initial...
waskotransportation
Ok. I LOVE Guerlain perfumes. LOVE them. This one however is awful to me. I collect perfumes and I realize many people like this very much but it is def not for me. I only smelled a sample once at the store and then my mother gave me a vintage small bottle. It was horrible. I couldn't even make out ANY notes. It was a blur of oldness and medicinal to my nose. I cannot imagine how anyone can make this work. It bothers me that this is such a popular frag but yet I can't partake. I have a largely varied taste in perfumes from citrus fresh to oud. This, I truly don't understand.
lexina
I'd love to get my hands on it. sadly, no available in my country :( is it going to be made anew?
mademoiselle-c
my precious
paula.billinge.1
I found this beauty in a charity shop yesterday,and paid £4.99 for 100ml EDP. The lady serving said it's been sat in the cabinet unloved. It was without a box but who cares! I've always wanted to try the original Shalimar as I love claasic/vintage/iconic perfumes. I did wonder if scent had gone off as it hadn't been kept in a box but no it hadn't. I get an initial blast of what I thought was liquorice? Then a whiff of an old barber shop which vanishes leaving a gorgeous fragrance which keeps on blooming. It dried down to a beautiful powdery scent that I can't help sniffing. If this classic had not been discontinued I would buy bottle after bottle. I will treasure this bottle with my meteorites another classic by Guerlain.
yukitanonton
Just got a 100 (or is it 90) ml bottle from 2011. Beautifullll...been searching this beauty for a year. Im happy.
shusha
I've decided to try it despite it being discontinued as there are a few 40ml bottles for sale on eBay at a reasonable price. This is so Guerlain, very powdery indeed. I do love this about most Guerlain's perfumes, if it's not Guerlain it's not real powdery. Shalimar Initial is a beautiful and truly sophisticated perfume with a great projection and longevity, but I feel I am not quite ready for it. I prefer the flirty powder of La Petite Robe Noire. Still, I do appreciate Shalimar Initial, it's freshness and sweetness and distinct sophistication.
mariemares
A bottle from 2012 was a blind buy for me as I fell for the Fragrantica hype and a good price.
This is definitely an 'initiation' into Shalimar, which I have not yet grown to like. Very powdery but sophisticated,sweet but not cloying, this is a very pleasant fragrance. The longevity is really good and I found it suits a range of seasons too!
I saw a comment that said that 2014 batch is quite different to the original formulation. Can anyone advise if it is worth buying still? I would like to have a backup but don't want any surprises once I open a bottle few years down the line.
This is definitely an 'initiation' into Shalimar, which I have not yet grown to like. Very powdery but sophisticated,sweet but not cloying, this is a very pleasant fragrance. The longevity is really good and I found it suits a range of seasons too!
I saw a comment that said that 2014 batch is quite different to the original formulation. Can anyone advise if it is worth buying still? I would like to have a backup but don't want any surprises once I open a bottle few years down the line.
SuadKhamis
Bring it back already!!! I don't get it why you made a hair perfume version without the original perfume???!!!
elmccullar
I’m afraid my body chemistry does not agree with this one. It smells like an old man’s aftershave on me. Maybe my nose isn’t trained to smell a good perfume when it smells one, but this is just awful on me.
ecs305
Incredibly sexy. A woman who knows who she is, what she's about and where she's headed.
Emera1d
I don't think can say anything that hasn't already been said about this genius creation. This made me fall in love with Iris and if it didn't get discontinued it would definitely be my signature. It is feminine, elegant floral with a bit of spiciness and sweetens, and I don't have the words to describe how beautiful it is. At the moment my 60ml PI and 100ml PI L'eau are only used on special occasion and kept in a cool dark place the rest of the time. Told my fiancee I will wear it for our wedding-that's how special this is and he also loves it as I wore it on our first date. It's always good when your partner also likes a perfume you love! I have heard that it is still possible to get a bottle of PI form the Guerlain shop in Paris. Can anyone who has been share?
nettoyant
We're on evacuation alert because fires are licking at our city's perimeter. I have packed photo albums, jewellery, and this.
Xenia0504
A classic scent that reached perfection in 2011 when launched. Such a pity that it is discontinued in a time when many other versions of it are still in the market...
To me it was clearly a signature scent and I sincerely hope they reconsider!
To me it was clearly a signature scent and I sincerely hope they reconsider!
Olotitan
Oh wow I just received my shalimar parfum initial and I love it warm sensual and a juice that melts in your skin like butter!
There Guerlainade Vanilla with the Iris, tonka bean and caramel are just right slightly gourmandish, maybe vetiver but SPI is all about the
Iris their prominent note...
I have both this and the Shalimar si sensuelle and there both equally luscious and alike one citrusy than the other...
What a shame to discontinue these pillars and that it was not given the chance it deserved when it launched.
Maybe it was about timing or promotion whatever it was
Well done Thierry Wasser!
Sillage and longevity are great!
Layer this with Dior homme intense OMG!
There Guerlainade Vanilla with the Iris, tonka bean and caramel are just right slightly gourmandish, maybe vetiver but SPI is all about the
Iris their prominent note...
I have both this and the Shalimar si sensuelle and there both equally luscious and alike one citrusy than the other...
What a shame to discontinue these pillars and that it was not given the chance it deserved when it launched.
Maybe it was about timing or promotion whatever it was
Well done Thierry Wasser!
Sillage and longevity are great!
Layer this with Dior homme intense OMG!
JacquieDS
HOW could they discontinued this??!!! How could they?!! NOOOOO....
JacquieDS
This is SO GOOD!
Dare I say I find it more versatile than the original grand dame?
Love it!
Dare I say I find it more versatile than the original grand dame?
Love it!
Paula80
I had no idea, that this perfume has been reformulated...so PI made 2011 and 2014 are 2 completely different scents...The characteristic note of powdery iris is almost not there in the late version :( it's still a very nice fragrance, but it's not the same... Both flankers are more similar to the 2011 version than the same perfume produced 3 years later.
comfortablynumb83
I am really kicking myself in the butt right now. I had a bottle of this a year ago and swapped it because at that time I was too afraid to really venture into anything that was a flanker of Shalimar. I sincerely apologize to all of you that love the original Shalimar, but that is just not agreeable with me. Anyways, a very very generous woman here that I swapped with sent me a bottle of this as an extra and this time around I actually sprayed it...even on my skin! PI is beautiful! The powdery iris sweetened up by vanilla is just incredible! It's a comfortable scent. The kinda scent you put on before bed because it is like a warm hug in a bottle.
mademoiselle-c
I have already reviewed this fragrance and I will forever sing its praises, but this message is for the people of Guerlain. Hi, it's me, long time devotee. Could you bring this fragrance back in a non comma-included format for the rest of us lovers of PI? Just asking, nicely, with a cherry on top, because my bottle is almost out. Love you. Sincerely, C. xx
sarah.brooks
This is a very rich parfum ...l love it and it makes me feel very rich
Violinplayah
Just sprayed this on today- a wet, warm spring morning- and it is absolutely beautiful! I mean, I love it anyway, but something about today it is really showing off what a stunning and clever composition it is. The bottle alone is the most beautiful by far (why isn’t the entire Shalimar family finished with a pretty tassel??) and as of today the perfume has made its way to my favorites shelf. Bring it back (in this form!) Guerlain, I need to know I can spray with abandon and still afford to replace it!
bibibling
I was excited to try this for the caramel notes. Shalimar is one of my most favorite perfumes. If I have to go on a deserted island and only bring 3 perfumes with me, Shalimar definitely comes. I'm just saying all this so you know how I feel about the original perfume vs this one. Original Shalimar reminds me of a light, fluffy, lemon-poppyseed cake, so that plus caramel seemed like my idea of heaven.
Unfortunately the caramel in Shalimar Parfum Initial isn't the gourmand kind and doesn't do anything special. Imagine all the notes are a middle school kids in a chorus and caramel is hiding in the back, humming, because he doesn't know all the words of the song.
This is a light, POWDERY version of Shalimar with all the lemony notes toned waaay down. I can see many people loving it but it's just not for me.
I'm mainly writing this review for the blind-buyers: this is NOT original Shalimar + delicious gourmand caramel. If that's what you want, then go smell this first, don't blind buy!
The caramel comes out more in the dry-down around one and a half hours after the first spray, it's a dry, dark, toasty caramel, but it's like the kid who was humming in the back of the chorus, the chorus has stopped singing already and now he's still humming and everyone's staring at him like 'Dammit, George! Try to keep up!' Which is another way of saying, the longevity is poor. By hour 3 it's barely even there at all. The sillage is around 1- 1.5 feet in the beginning but shrinks quickly.
All that being said, just understand I'm comparing this to THE SHALIMAR so even if I'm sounding complain-y or like I hate it, that's not true. I would still buy this over a million other perfumes out there, but in the wide ocean of Shalimar flankers, I like the more lemon-cake-ish versions that come in any of the blue bottles more.
Unfortunately the caramel in Shalimar Parfum Initial isn't the gourmand kind and doesn't do anything special. Imagine all the notes are a middle school kids in a chorus and caramel is hiding in the back, humming, because he doesn't know all the words of the song.
This is a light, POWDERY version of Shalimar with all the lemony notes toned waaay down. I can see many people loving it but it's just not for me.
I'm mainly writing this review for the blind-buyers: this is NOT original Shalimar + delicious gourmand caramel. If that's what you want, then go smell this first, don't blind buy!
The caramel comes out more in the dry-down around one and a half hours after the first spray, it's a dry, dark, toasty caramel, but it's like the kid who was humming in the back of the chorus, the chorus has stopped singing already and now he's still humming and everyone's staring at him like 'Dammit, George! Try to keep up!' Which is another way of saying, the longevity is poor. By hour 3 it's barely even there at all. The sillage is around 1- 1.5 feet in the beginning but shrinks quickly.
All that being said, just understand I'm comparing this to THE SHALIMAR so even if I'm sounding complain-y or like I hate it, that's not true. I would still buy this over a million other perfumes out there, but in the wide ocean of Shalimar flankers, I like the more lemon-cake-ish versions that come in any of the blue bottles more.
lapis1227
Shalimar lite for those who don't dig Shalimar on a daily basis. Very office appropriate, classy and sophisticated. It's less citrusy and smokey. Stays very close to the skin, no sillage. Gone after three hours.
chloematilda
This is what Shalimar used to be with an injection of sweetness and femininity. Opening with a perfectly powdered iris, a shot of lovely sweet and smooth vanilla with a boost of tonka. The drydown allows the citrus to shine through, and the charming and grounding vanilla notes.
This is not a childish or overly sweet cheap smelling gourmand like so many flooding the market. This is grown up and rich - with incredible projection and longevity. This is what I expect from Guerlain - a perfect blend of notes culminating in a fragrance I love to wear. It's scent lingers on linens and scarves - little reminders of the glorious scent worn yesterday, or the day before.
Few scents are the perfect balance of sweet and earthy, creating an aura that draws people in - asking "what is that beautiful fragrance?".
So, why is it a limited edition? Why has it disappeared? Guerlain must keep it's consumers happy with scents that really work and will fly from it's shelves. It is far better in my opinion than the current formulation of Shalimar EDP, and yet - it's gone. Poof - off in a puff of sweet floral powder. Such a shame. I have my backups, and will use sparingly so I will never be without. I can't imagine an evening of snuggling without this romantic beauty.
This is not a childish or overly sweet cheap smelling gourmand like so many flooding the market. This is grown up and rich - with incredible projection and longevity. This is what I expect from Guerlain - a perfect blend of notes culminating in a fragrance I love to wear. It's scent lingers on linens and scarves - little reminders of the glorious scent worn yesterday, or the day before.
Few scents are the perfect balance of sweet and earthy, creating an aura that draws people in - asking "what is that beautiful fragrance?".
So, why is it a limited edition? Why has it disappeared? Guerlain must keep it's consumers happy with scents that really work and will fly from it's shelves. It is far better in my opinion than the current formulation of Shalimar EDP, and yet - it's gone. Poof - off in a puff of sweet floral powder. Such a shame. I have my backups, and will use sparingly so I will never be without. I can't imagine an evening of snuggling without this romantic beauty.
RoadtoAvonlea350
This fragrance is undoubtedly beautiful, just not what I'm craving in perfumes at the moment. I have a 60 ml, 2 oz bottle up for swap if anyone is interested. US inquiries only please :)
ChelleBelle84
[Rant, not a review]
Oh yeah, Guerlain brought this beauty back....in a $1300 (16oz or 500ml) “bee bottle” that most people can not afford. Thanks Guerlain! Way to go alienating some of your customer base. I’ll be certain to never buy another Guerlain ever again. Break my heart discontinuing this, and then be so cruel and cold-hearted as to be dangling this over head and out of reach! How mean can you be? Diabolical, I’d say! Never again!
[End of rant]
Oh yeah, Guerlain brought this beauty back....in a $1300 (16oz or 500ml) “bee bottle” that most people can not afford. Thanks Guerlain! Way to go alienating some of your customer base. I’ll be certain to never buy another Guerlain ever again. Break my heart discontinuing this, and then be so cruel and cold-hearted as to be dangling this over head and out of reach! How mean can you be? Diabolical, I’d say! Never again!
[End of rant]
Neosmiaphyte
I normally don’t wear sweet patchoulis, and how I wish I could have traded my old bottle of Flowerbomb in for a bottle of this!Yes it is a sugary patch, but the smoky vetiver in the top, the peppery bergamot in the dry down, and the cosmetic iris throughout gives SPI depth and maturity. The patch has hints of anise in the opening but fades quickly. Like Chanel Coco Noir, it is an example of this trend/genre done right
ETA: less medicinal than the original, Many have told me they feel it is a more modern, more wearable version of Shalimar. It is assuredly more office and summer friendly. Though I feel if this is your signature scent, you could definitely rock the original for special occasions.
ETA: less medicinal than the original, Many have told me they feel it is a more modern, more wearable version of Shalimar. It is assuredly more office and summer friendly. Though I feel if this is your signature scent, you could definitely rock the original for special occasions.
Perfumeaddict777
I've reviewed this fragrance before and its still The Holy Grail of perfumes. I've never smelled anything more beautiful, delicious or unique. I have been stocking up on this beauty every chance i get out of fear of ever running out. The aged bottles have an intense , sweet, carmel note that is sticky and dense. The citrus remains beautiful and the iris is lipsticky smooth . Theres a suede and anise mix that settles on the skin under everything else. It is always adored and complimented by even strangers whenever i wear this. This perfume is truly captivating and addictive. Theres nothing else like it.
Aura de le Fae
A soft, pink, hint of light glowed on the clouds at sunrise as she entered the pearly gates of heaven.
Ok so a bit dramatic but that is where this fragrance transports me. It is a soft pink, fluffy cloud of heaven. The citruses at the begining are bright and refreshing but I love when they meld into my skin and allow the powdery Iris to come foward. The Iris in this is so beautiful as it has none of that dustiness you find in cheap fragrances. My amateur nose doesn't detected patchouli or vetiver, perhaps they are more of an accord than a note?
This is a real beauty and I wholeheartedly agree that it never should have been discontinued.
Ok so a bit dramatic but that is where this fragrance transports me. It is a soft pink, fluffy cloud of heaven. The citruses at the begining are bright and refreshing but I love when they meld into my skin and allow the powdery Iris to come foward. The Iris in this is so beautiful as it has none of that dustiness you find in cheap fragrances. My amateur nose doesn't detected patchouli or vetiver, perhaps they are more of an accord than a note?
This is a real beauty and I wholeheartedly agree that it never should have been discontinued.
rola.asad
So lovely!! and I can say it is unique, soft, elegant!!
I smell a wonderful mix of powder, iris, & a hint of citrus, which gives it a kind of smokiness but a soft kind of smokiness, nothing serious.
sometimes the "powder note" can be easily overpowering but the case here is different!
It is wonderful for summer, really elegant, romantic, special in the market, as well as for me :D
I smell a wonderful mix of powder, iris, & a hint of citrus, which gives it a kind of smokiness but a soft kind of smokiness, nothing serious.
sometimes the "powder note" can be easily overpowering but the case here is different!
It is wonderful for summer, really elegant, romantic, special in the market, as well as for me :D
lisieux
Shalimar Parfum Initial starts out with a bright, bergamot citrus blast. Then the beautiful powdery iris comes out, along with vanilla, caramel, and patchouli.
This a real gem with great longevity! One of my favorite perfumes that Guerlain never should have discontinued. More people need to get to enjoy this scent!
This a real gem with great longevity! One of my favorite perfumes that Guerlain never should have discontinued. More people need to get to enjoy this scent!
Sabretoothkitten
IIts a cool cloudy day and I've just tried this on first time today. I love all the Shalimars I've tried and this one too! Made my mood a lot sunnier.
While it has a similar initial smoky/ leather and citrus at first, it is less lime zest, more limeade, and is a lot more powdery after an hour. It has a sweet mild vanilla MUSK that's reminiscent of Lolita Lempicka somehow and also a very subtle patchouli barely noticeable unless you look for it. has a more dessert -like aspect than Shalimar original perfume. I'm happy to add this to my collection, my grandma loved the original and I could see her wearing this if she were young today. Moderate sillage which is just how I like it.
While it has a similar initial smoky/ leather and citrus at first, it is less lime zest, more limeade, and is a lot more powdery after an hour. It has a sweet mild vanilla MUSK that's reminiscent of Lolita Lempicka somehow and also a very subtle patchouli barely noticeable unless you look for it. has a more dessert -like aspect than Shalimar original perfume. I'm happy to add this to my collection, my grandma loved the original and I could see her wearing this if she were young today. Moderate sillage which is just how I like it.
Martaynd
Jan. 2018: I prefer her in cooler weather months or evenings all year. Lovely, elegant lady. She’s softer spoken than the original. Better suited to a younger women who wants to make a stronger impression or an older woman who wants to make a softer impression.
COMBO TIP: SI with Le Carven Parfum. 1:2 or 2:2.
COMBO TIP: SI with Le Carven Parfum. 1:2 or 2:2.
malindajoquinn
Shalimar's elegant, understated little sister. Shalimar wears a black silk slip dress, dripping with diamonds; Parfum Initial wears pale blush and pearls. She keeps a little more to the imagination, but draws you in with her sparkling personality.
This scent is warm, powdery and bright. Soft and fuzzy like a cashmere sweater.
Absolutely beautiful.
This scent is warm, powdery and bright. Soft and fuzzy like a cashmere sweater.
Absolutely beautiful.
zsofiaklein
I blind bought a 90ml bottle at duty free in France 2 years ago, basd on the reviews here. I love the first scent but after 3 minutes it becomes a massive cloud of powder on me. It gives me major headaches and it lasts on my skin for hours and hours (which in this case I am not happy about).. So up for swap or sale if anyone’s interested.
hsheep
I KNEW I had to love this fragrance. I tried it 2 years ago with giant amounts of high hopes based on all the glowing reviews and my love of almost every Shalimar (and Guerlain). I blind bought a bottle and was immediately let down, all I could smell was barnyard soiled hay. It was awful. I traded it away after many attempts and never looked back... until I got back into fragrances again just recently.
I wanted to test it one more time so I bought a small decant and BOOM. There she was. Soft and warm powdered iris, vanilla clouds of poofiness, a bit of smoky seduction. Yep. Instant love, just as I imagined the first time around.
My old bottle was a turned one. Oops.
I wanted to test it one more time so I bought a small decant and BOOM. There she was. Soft and warm powdered iris, vanilla clouds of poofiness, a bit of smoky seduction. Yep. Instant love, just as I imagined the first time around.
My old bottle was a turned one. Oops.
NixNox
This is a lovely alternative to the full-blooded Shalimar for days when I want the powder-iris hit with just a hint of the dark smoke in the background. This is Shalimar sans bondage. She is a little more innocent and more office-appropriate than her older cousin. Gorgeous, fluffy and just a snap of darkness - this is a fresh citrus, then floral and powdery juice with a just a little of the side-eye. Glorious. When you want some dirtiness, go for the original, but this beauty exists in her own right and should never have been discontinued. The fragrance houses should slow it down and keep scents around for much longer, so that we get chance to enjoy them and grow into them!
FireFlySF
Very unforgettable fragrance, definitely for successful, powerful and yet sophisticated, beautiful and elegant women. I can imagine women like Audrey Hepburn...wearing this perfume. It is just SO classy!
I love the dry down scent very much. It is very unique and distinctive. I think that is how perfumes should be made: attractive and long lasting.
I love the dry down scent very much. It is very unique and distinctive. I think that is how perfumes should be made: attractive and long lasting.
Vintagelaces
This is my classy and sophisticated scent. I get a powdery lipstick smell, vanilla and caramel. My goodness, this fragrance is intoxicating! The middle and dry down of this perfume are absolutely stunning. I get lots of iris and caramel. I have to be in the mood for this though, because the powderiness can be a bit much for me.
I love that you only need one spray and you'll be surrounded by a cocoon of this yummy goodness.
I love that you only need one spray and you'll be surrounded by a cocoon of this yummy goodness.
Danielle79
I love this fragrance so much I’ve started stocking up since it’s discontinued which I just don’t get. I love this scent on me it lasts and lasts. Also this fragrance once it dries down is like a work of art. It smells divine! It’s also one of the few with a patchouli note that I don’t mind at all. I’ve avoided patchouli like the plague since I thought it all smelled like the oil I wore in the 90’s well that’s not so at all as I enjoy Narciso scents that have it in it too. But this is my favorite scent and the perfume I would call my signature. It’s the first perfume that I crave to wear. If I’m not wearing this I don’t feel right and I think this is why it’s my number one scent.
I really hope they bring this back I have 2 bottles saved but I know I need to get more. I’ve never smelled anything so good. I also love Shalimar and I see the similarities but love the differences. I think the caramel in this makes this so good, it’s sexy, it makes me feel like a woman or how a woman should smell. I adore this and hope one day they will bring this back. I get compliments on this as well. This perfume made me really love and get into Guerlain perfumes and I’m so happy I did!
I really hope they bring this back I have 2 bottles saved but I know I need to get more. I’ve never smelled anything so good. I also love Shalimar and I see the similarities but love the differences. I think the caramel in this makes this so good, it’s sexy, it makes me feel like a woman or how a woman should smell. I adore this and hope one day they will bring this back. I get compliments on this as well. This perfume made me really love and get into Guerlain perfumes and I’m so happy I did!
Dorange Sense
The only sugarchouli I can come close to. I even like it and come quite close! Plus, this IS different than others. While it has a strong drawing power, other patchugars let you cringe by their punching presence. Maybe because it's much more than just sugar+patchouli. Iris and rose smoothe the edges, the patchouli seems more peppery-like and fresh.
Agree totally with a lot of you reviewers. Maybe the flankerism killed this darling…
So they launched it, kicked off quickly tons of versions of it just to take it down again. Was that an experiment of mass market to see how customers react aka buy?
Agree totally with a lot of you reviewers. Maybe the flankerism killed this darling…
So they launched it, kicked off quickly tons of versions of it just to take it down again. Was that an experiment of mass market to see how customers react aka buy?
exciter76
Once upon a time I hated this perfume. Sugary patchoulis like Shalimar Parfum Initial seemed ubiquitous; in bars, in offices, at the mall, along sidewalks—it was everywhere and I loathed it. Worse still, SPI smelled foul upon first sniff of the tester nozzles at Sephora and Ulta. As far as I was concerned SPI had absolutely no redeeming qualities. It was at Ulta that I had my first (accidental) skin contact with SPI. From that day on, I understood SPI’s appeal.
When other people wear perfumes, even perfumes we enjoy, the perfumes go through a sort of transmutation. I have a friend who wears one of my favorite perfumes. I hate smelling it on her—it becomes a musky, sweaty, burly beast of white florals and sugar and I simply want to scream. So I have to accept that perfumes change from one person to the next. That minor epiphany had not come to me yet when I was swearing off SPI. It was sugar and filthy patchouli as far as I could smell. I could not fathom how anyone would want to smell like this.
On my skin, it’s not saccharine and dirty patchouli. It is several layers of gauzy sweetness, powdery florals, and a rich patchouli that was meant to add density at the center of all the diaphanous goodness. The timeless Guerlainade is ever-present throughout, adding another beautiful layer to this scent. It’s deceptively simple until it’s fully worn. Unless you are smelling every delicate layer reveal itself—and it is a slow striptease that goes on for several hours—SPI cannot be fully appreciated.
I’m glad I came around before this gem was discontinued. And why the heck was it discontinued? I’ll never understand it. It has a cult following and the potential to become as iconic as Shalimar, Mitsouko, or L’Heure Bleue. Whatever, I have a stockpile of bottles to satisfy me for at least a few years. Maybe in that time SPI will be brought back to the masses? Just because there is an oversaturation of fruitchoulies and sugar bombs on the market doesn’t mean there isn’t room for SPI.
When other people wear perfumes, even perfumes we enjoy, the perfumes go through a sort of transmutation. I have a friend who wears one of my favorite perfumes. I hate smelling it on her—it becomes a musky, sweaty, burly beast of white florals and sugar and I simply want to scream. So I have to accept that perfumes change from one person to the next. That minor epiphany had not come to me yet when I was swearing off SPI. It was sugar and filthy patchouli as far as I could smell. I could not fathom how anyone would want to smell like this.
On my skin, it’s not saccharine and dirty patchouli. It is several layers of gauzy sweetness, powdery florals, and a rich patchouli that was meant to add density at the center of all the diaphanous goodness. The timeless Guerlainade is ever-present throughout, adding another beautiful layer to this scent. It’s deceptively simple until it’s fully worn. Unless you are smelling every delicate layer reveal itself—and it is a slow striptease that goes on for several hours—SPI cannot be fully appreciated.
I’m glad I came around before this gem was discontinued. And why the heck was it discontinued? I’ll never understand it. It has a cult following and the potential to become as iconic as Shalimar, Mitsouko, or L’Heure Bleue. Whatever, I have a stockpile of bottles to satisfy me for at least a few years. Maybe in that time SPI will be brought back to the masses? Just because there is an oversaturation of fruitchoulies and sugar bombs on the market doesn’t mean there isn’t room for SPI.
OmarAladdin
Unisex. Moody fragrance. Not for everyday use, otherwise you'll end up hating it.
Enjoy this masterpiece from time to time!
Enjoy this masterpiece from time to time!
UnearthlyApothecary
I swapped my bottle of Parfum Initial some time ago and almost instantly regretted it. Now, thanks to another wonderful swap, I am the proud owner of this beautiful bottle again. I still don’t get the massive silage/longevity from this one that I do from the other Shalimar’s but it’s ok, this one is soft and sweet and sometimes that’s nice too. I still think it is a bit of an oddball (citrus, spicy, sweet, chalky, lipstick,) but it has grown on me. I am never going to be without this one again.
verasdfghjkl
Parfum Initial is just iconic. As I am looking into niche more and in the process kind of abandoning designer houses I feel like this is one of those outstanding perfumes when talking designer. Citrus notes blend beautifully with iris, underneath a sultry yet not overwhelming base of dry caramel, vanilla & tonka bean. You've got your patchouli and vetiver giving off woodiness and just a tiny hint of earthiness. The latter works nicely with star player of this show - iris. As a huge iris fan it is most pleasing to smell that warmer, sweeter base next to a blast of iris powder, this makes a great contrast within the perfume itself, making the iris even more powdery, more tart, austere. It's what seperates this particular EDP from its flankers like l'Eau and Si Sensuelle, which to me, do not create such a big contrast on my skin. Go hard or go home. As a flanker to Shalimar this is one of the most successful flankers in flanker categories. To me, this might be even better than the original.
pavla.vackova
Vyrabejte ho znovu....prosim
CeeLeeBee
I'm glad I bought a small sample instead of blind buying a full bottle, because PI does not work as well for me as I thought it would. I expected a soft powdery vanilla veering towards gourmand, but what I got was a blast of patchouli with just a tiny bit of vanilla and iris. Because the patchouli is so strong, I'm having a hard time picking up any other notes. Overall, I find PI to be rather sharp. I'm a bit jealous that so many reviewers here experience a soft fluffy vanilla cloud, because that is not what I get at all.
Aria Grace
Oh how I love thee, I definitely will count thee ways.
Yes, am I a Guerlain junkie! Why yes indeed I am! I love Shalimar and most all it's flankers. Initial brings out the happy, soft , loving side of me. It has confidence, it's has warmth like a loving hug, it's flirtatious, it's soft, it's joy wrapped up into a bottle. As everyone says, so sad it's discontinued, but do not be sad just yet, there is still plenty in the market place to purchase. The sillage in this gem is moderate, the longevity is average. What is special is that sprinkle of caramel, it sets it apart from some of the other Shalimars. Just that pinch of sweetness makes for a pleasant day of smelling divine. Get your hands on this beauty while you still can, it's just beautiful!
Yes, am I a Guerlain junkie! Why yes indeed I am! I love Shalimar and most all it's flankers. Initial brings out the happy, soft , loving side of me. It has confidence, it's has warmth like a loving hug, it's flirtatious, it's soft, it's joy wrapped up into a bottle. As everyone says, so sad it's discontinued, but do not be sad just yet, there is still plenty in the market place to purchase. The sillage in this gem is moderate, the longevity is average. What is special is that sprinkle of caramel, it sets it apart from some of the other Shalimars. Just that pinch of sweetness makes for a pleasant day of smelling divine. Get your hands on this beauty while you still can, it's just beautiful!
corkscrewcurly
@ IngSoc274
I read your review of YSL Cinema earlier today; here's an extract:
"This is my go to juice when I want to invite a chick to my pad. Women love this scent and this is like baby making juice in a bottle.
I usually play Adele in the background when chicks come over, and display my recycling bins right at the entrance, in full view, and oh sweet baby Jaysus are they impressed. Works great on exotic foreign girls too, so don't worry if their immigration documentation is current or not, it's all good.
This scent is a nice woody masculine scent, close to RL Polio pour homme.
For American girls I pair this with pizza/merlot but for the foreign chicks I've found fried cous cous works better with carbonated bottled water.
Guys, trust me this is a huge panty hose dropper and so be careful.
Rating: A+
Longevity: All night long, we're talking performance here.
Projection: 6 inches (I'm told that's about average; besides women say men worry more about that stuff than women do)."
It was so ridiculous, I checked out the rest of your reviews and discovered that most of them have this theme - as does this review of PI.
Presumably you are writing these "reviews" for your own entertainment; I doubt very much anyone else is entertained as you keep repeating the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over...
This isn't funny; it is just tiresome, juvenile and boring - and potentially offensive.
Please stop.
I read your review of YSL Cinema earlier today; here's an extract:
"This is my go to juice when I want to invite a chick to my pad. Women love this scent and this is like baby making juice in a bottle.
I usually play Adele in the background when chicks come over, and display my recycling bins right at the entrance, in full view, and oh sweet baby Jaysus are they impressed. Works great on exotic foreign girls too, so don't worry if their immigration documentation is current or not, it's all good.
This scent is a nice woody masculine scent, close to RL Polio pour homme.
For American girls I pair this with pizza/merlot but for the foreign chicks I've found fried cous cous works better with carbonated bottled water.
Guys, trust me this is a huge panty hose dropper and so be careful.
Rating: A+
Longevity: All night long, we're talking performance here.
Projection: 6 inches (I'm told that's about average; besides women say men worry more about that stuff than women do)."
It was so ridiculous, I checked out the rest of your reviews and discovered that most of them have this theme - as does this review of PI.
Presumably you are writing these "reviews" for your own entertainment; I doubt very much anyone else is entertained as you keep repeating the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over...
This isn't funny; it is just tiresome, juvenile and boring - and potentially offensive.
Please stop.
KarlekLila
@supertw: 5 sprays of Parfum Initial! Whoa! No wonder you felt the notes were suffocating. PI is a room filler...only 2 or max 3 sprays should be more than enough. Try it again with a lighter hand on the sprayer and see what you think then. I do hope you grow to love it. :)
I left a review further down the page. The L'eau and Si Sensuelle are in fact the EXACT same fragrance as released in a statement from Guerlain. The only difference is the bottle. Companies do this to see how easily manipulated the public is, imagining they smell a different scent when it is the same scent in a fancy bottle. And frequently they are proven that such marketing schemes work since the public shells out big bucks for the fancier bottle.
I left a review further down the page. The L'eau and Si Sensuelle are in fact the EXACT same fragrance as released in a statement from Guerlain. The only difference is the bottle. Companies do this to see how easily manipulated the public is, imagining they smell a different scent when it is the same scent in a fancy bottle. And frequently they are proven that such marketing schemes work since the public shells out big bucks for the fancier bottle.
supertw94109
Just blind bought this off Ebay due to it being discontinued and it looks like I should have gotten the L'eau instead as I feel the EDP would have benefited from having more citrus and being a little more diluted. From the two times, five sprays each time, that I wore this, it seems very condensed like the notes don't have enough room to maneuver and thus haven't had the chance to really bloom and show their full potential. It's like all the notes are struggling to come out to the surface and the results are muddled.
I feel the reason that there is no clarity is because the sweet base is very dense and fudgelike and not effervescent or airy enough to show off the special Shalimar like qualities to the fulless. Will be ordering the L'Eau and the Si Sensuelle ones to compare. This one seems a bit heavy handed.
I feel the reason that there is no clarity is because the sweet base is very dense and fudgelike and not effervescent or airy enough to show off the special Shalimar like qualities to the fulless. Will be ordering the L'Eau and the Si Sensuelle ones to compare. This one seems a bit heavy handed.
Nicole5678
Just retried my sample of this and found myself truly won over by it! The first time I tried it I had just fallen in love with the original Shalimar and didn't really see the beauty in this one. But now I see how warm and cozy and elegant it is in its own right, paying homage to the Guerlinade base but doing something new and modern and lovely. Smoky caramel and tonka? Yes, please.
ibrahiemo
اجمل اصدارات السيدة الكلاسيكية
شاليمار
و من التحف المقطوعة !
..
باودري سويتي قليلاً
مع لمحة من فانيليا قيرلان و روح شاليمار
..
اذا كنت ممن يحب العطور الباودرية
والتي تشبه رائحة مساحيق التجميل
عطور مثل مجموعة ديور اوم
حتماً ستعشق هذا العطر
..
القطعة النادرة
اذا حصلت عليها لا تترد في شرائها
..
الثبات و الفوحان في غاية الرضا
شاليمار
و من التحف المقطوعة !
..
باودري سويتي قليلاً
مع لمحة من فانيليا قيرلان و روح شاليمار
..
اذا كنت ممن يحب العطور الباودرية
والتي تشبه رائحة مساحيق التجميل
عطور مثل مجموعة ديور اوم
حتماً ستعشق هذا العطر
..
القطعة النادرة
اذا حصلت عليها لا تترد في شرائها
..
الثبات و الفوحان في غاية الرضا
pallida
If your heart is broken that this beautiful fragrance has been discontinued, I would advise you to take a sniff of Khol de Bahrein by Stephane Humbert Lucas, which is stunningly gorgeous and performs like a heightened extrait version of Parfum Initial.
Blueflowers
Sigh. Lovely. A sunny day, pastel dress Shalimar. The (stunningly gorgeous) caramelly vanilla is just teetering on the verge of too much, held back by the grounding of patchouli and the brightness of citrus and green notes and that juxtapositional whisper of vetiver.
And the IRIS....wow. One day I'd love to stick my head in a barrel of orris butter and keep it there, sniffing in frenzied joy, until someone starts yelling.
Of course it's been discontinued. I'll be in a corner sniffing my wrists and sighing for a bit.
My tiny kingdom, my heart and soul for a re-issue.
And the IRIS....wow. One day I'd love to stick my head in a barrel of orris butter and keep it there, sniffing in frenzied joy, until someone starts yelling.
Of course it's been discontinued. I'll be in a corner sniffing my wrists and sighing for a bit.
My tiny kingdom, my heart and soul for a re-issue.
kati77
Pretty strange, not so obvious, so I can describe it, not my taste. Durability as per edp up to 5 hours. There are fresh notes like bergamot with green notes or jasmine plus caramel and iris, such feelings are not entirely cool. And the vanilla appears only after half an hour, they are to be oriental perfume, and in total are not.
I do not have a comparison to the original it is definitely better to try them first. I do not buy a full bottle, I just had a sample.
I do not have a comparison to the original it is definitely better to try them first. I do not buy a full bottle, I just had a sample.
Violinplayah
The PI edp and L'Eau edt are almost identical to my nose. Both are beautiful and graceful, well blended, and while they do drift toward slightly gourmand and fruity (respectively) territories, never stray from a very French perfume realm. The edt rests on a lighter base and is brighter and fresher- the edp is just a bit more concentrated with a sharper lemon opening and a salty caramel note with a bit of sliiiightly dirty musk that peeks through the creamy, sweet Earl Gray tea veil. I have blind bought both at bargain prices and I love the scent, but rest assured that one is as good as the other so if you're thinking of purchasing, grab whichever you can find while you can. I am so surprised that such a potential classic fragrance would have been discontinued! Double surprise when considering how pedestrian Guerlain's latest release (Mon Guerlain) was. Let's pray to the perfume gods that they will see the error of their ways and value quality at least as much as making a quick buck, and resurrect this beauty.
Self-Propelling Fantasy
Shalimar Parfum Initial....soooo beautiful! Graceful, elegant. Has a sort of relaxed glamour to it; a luxe boho vibe.
No one does patchouli like Guerlain. It's very smooth and clean in this composition. The iris and vanilla add a sweet, powdery softness. The citrus gives it some sparkle.
It lasts on the skin for several hours, with soft sillage that floats around you like a pink cloud.
I think this is great to wear year round, formal or casual occasions.
It's really a shame that Guerlain chose to discontinue this. I will be bitterly disappointed when my bottle is finished.
No one does patchouli like Guerlain. It's very smooth and clean in this composition. The iris and vanilla add a sweet, powdery softness. The citrus gives it some sparkle.
It lasts on the skin for several hours, with soft sillage that floats around you like a pink cloud.
I think this is great to wear year round, formal or casual occasions.
It's really a shame that Guerlain chose to discontinue this. I will be bitterly disappointed when my bottle is finished.
anita2251
Ez egy csodálatos, finom, édes, nőies illat! Nem értem a Guerlaint, miért kellett megszüntetni :(
Rengetegen szeretnénk megvásárolni!!!
Indítsák újra a gyártást!!!!
Rengetegen szeretnénk megvásárolni!!!
Indítsák újra a gyártást!!!!
ChelleBelle84
Guerlain, if you're paying attention, you have a lot of customers on there begging you to bring this beauty back. Some of us can't wear the original Shalimar because our body chemistry just won't allow for it without smelling strange, but we can wear this. It's not fair to introduce a fragrance, get people fond or loving it, and then discontinue it, especially after you created several flankers on the theme. It really is quite mean. It must have done well for you to create those flankers, so why discontinue it? I don't understand.
Please listen to your customers and provide what we request.
Please listen to your customers and provide what we request.
Neuphoria
When this first came out I was too scared to try the original Shalimar because I was still new to perfumes and Shalimar was too intimidating for me.
Lo and behold, I found this beauty. A softer, powdery version of Shalimar.
I'll always love Shalimar Initial for introducing me to one of my favorite perfumes which is Shalimar. I'm now confident enough to wear Shalimar but I miss her baby sister :(
Oh, she was gorgeous. I wish they'd bring her back.
Lo and behold, I found this beauty. A softer, powdery version of Shalimar.
I'll always love Shalimar Initial for introducing me to one of my favorite perfumes which is Shalimar. I'm now confident enough to wear Shalimar but I miss her baby sister :(
Oh, she was gorgeous. I wish they'd bring her back.
pinkpinion
Lovely.
That were my first excited thoughts of this fragrance. A little while later I repeated it again, now with a sarcastic undertone. This fragrance is great, but why do I have to crave this discontinued fragrance out of all the perfumes available? Sigh.
Ok, so let's get back to this shalimar initial. The original shalimar is an iconic perfume, yet like other icons such as Chanel no 5, is not a good fit for everyone. In my opinion the original is incredible but also something I don't see myself wearing just yet. To me, this initial ticks all the boxes. It is not something ordinary, it is still special and clearly a high-end perfume. However this one, is fresher, light and wearable. It is smooth and gracious.
Lucky, lucky me was able to buy this gem in 40ml second hand online for a steal. (Made my week !) It will probably become more and more scarce the coming years, so grab it while you still can.
That were my first excited thoughts of this fragrance. A little while later I repeated it again, now with a sarcastic undertone. This fragrance is great, but why do I have to crave this discontinued fragrance out of all the perfumes available? Sigh.
Ok, so let's get back to this shalimar initial. The original shalimar is an iconic perfume, yet like other icons such as Chanel no 5, is not a good fit for everyone. In my opinion the original is incredible but also something I don't see myself wearing just yet. To me, this initial ticks all the boxes. It is not something ordinary, it is still special and clearly a high-end perfume. However this one, is fresher, light and wearable. It is smooth and gracious.
Lucky, lucky me was able to buy this gem in 40ml second hand online for a steal. (Made my week !) It will probably become more and more scarce the coming years, so grab it while you still can.
Tiger84
I wish they still produced this, it is a shame to get this gem discontinued. I was reluctant to buy it no matter how much I liked it because I am used to the original Shalimar and anything less, even something this beautiful, seemed like not the real thing. Now I regret not having bought this version as well, as it is really refined, bright and airy, yet carries the DNA of the original.
JamesAQ4
smells wonderful on me. Yes it has a dior homme vibe. Smells boring on my wife.. but then shes a l'heure bleue woman and I love it.
JamesAQ4
smells wonderful on me. Yes it has a dior homme vibe. Smells boring on my wife.. but then shes a l'heure bleue woman and I love it.
JamesAQ4
smells wonderful on me. Yes it has a dior homme vibe. Smells boring on my wife.. but then shes a l'heure bleue woman and I love it.
Minnie02
I'm fairly new to Guerlain fragrances and slowly falling in love with all their vanilla scents. I blind-bought this one as the comments/reviews made it sound like the "holy grail" of fragrances, and wanting to get a bottle before they sell for several hundred dollars each!
My first impression is that everyone is right, this fragrance is divine, unique, wearable, lovely. It's vanilla and powdered sugar with a hint of citrus, plus a little "je ne sais quoi." For the first hour or so, I just sit happily in my little cloud of heaven.
My only (small) complaint is the longevity. On me, after an hour or two, it becomes a skin scent, and after three to five hours, it is almost completely gone. Considering it is discontinued, I don't really want to have to reapply 2-3 times a day!
NOTE: For those who hate patchouli, this one is an exception. It is barely detectable, if at all.
My first impression is that everyone is right, this fragrance is divine, unique, wearable, lovely. It's vanilla and powdered sugar with a hint of citrus, plus a little "je ne sais quoi." For the first hour or so, I just sit happily in my little cloud of heaven.
My only (small) complaint is the longevity. On me, after an hour or two, it becomes a skin scent, and after three to five hours, it is almost completely gone. Considering it is discontinued, I don't really want to have to reapply 2-3 times a day!
NOTE: For those who hate patchouli, this one is an exception. It is barely detectable, if at all.
Betsywoolbright
It is just ehhhh. It is supposed to be gourmand? But I smell iris, green notes (plus patchouli, probably), tonka (which I'm discovering I do not like) and only a hint of sweetness in the background. It isn't iris-y "enough" to be a good iris perfume, and not patchouli or green "enough" to really be categorized as any of those. It definitely isn't sweet enough to be a gourmand by my definition. To me, Shalimar Parfum Initial isn't "enough" of any one thing. Possibly this means it's really well blended (which I would certainly expect from the house of Guerlain) but it isn't done in a way I can easily appreciate. It isn't awful at all, but it fell way short of my expectations.
Suomineito
For me this is as good as Shalimar and something that made me like the original Shalimar that I had previously branded as something only the mink fur granny crowd would enjoy. Well I guess I'm in their crowd now because this has been executed with impeccable taste and is in my opinion something original that can't be duped and stands on it's own compared to Shalimar. Bravo for Guerlain for making this but boo for discontinuing it. Shalimar Parfum Initial is less smokey than Shalimar and the spices used smell different. Shalimar is film noir and Parfum Initial is a dreamy vacation with something exotic smelling in the market place that has yet to arrive to your senses with a hint of turkish delight. I love this perfume and will be buying Shalimar because of it but I'll always be reminiscent of the beauty that was Parfum Initial.
amanda7
I love this scent so much. It is a wonderful combination of vanille, caramel and clasical shalimar scent. I am very unhappy that it is discontinued. When I´m wearing it I really feel very confident and there are positive reactions of people around me. The bottle is also very lovely with its blue tassel. I will be really sad when I finish my last bottle.
shauna.parra
Oh yes now that's what I'm talking about!
Notes: Citruses, Rose, Iris, Vanilla, Musk, Vetiver, Caramel, Coumarin, Powdery Notes.
Sillage: Moderate
Longevity: Moderate
Initial is a really beautiful and very feminine perfume. The bottle is a vanity dresser table show-off. This is a flanker for Shalimar which is far more mature and complex as an Oriental. This perfume's a boudoir baby. Total boudoir. The opening is a soft citrus with bergamot orange, the same kind of citrus opening as Shalimar and all the flankers including the eau de cologne, toilette and reformulated parfum. This is a much more subtle citrus though with a distinct rose scent, and a powdery iris, so yes very floral from the start, but the whole thing is based on iris.
Initial is feminine with a capital F. This is a cosmetic scent. Just like lipstick, make-up, and suede shoes leather shoes jackets and handbags, clutches purses shoulder bags.. Reminds me of being inside a walk-in closet or wardrobe; you know what I mean, a separate room for your clothes, shoes, accessories and cosmetics. It's like the interior of an expensive townhouse or mansion where you have a room just for you to get ready for your day or evening. The powdery notes are usually not my bag but here the powder isn't too strong and smells a lot cleaner, sweeter and simpler with a vanilla flavor and caramel. This delicious caramel and vanilla combination is so pretty.
The dry down is musky but not big on musk. The fragrance is designed to be very modest and tiny like a compact make-up kit. The only problem I have with it is that it's too lightweight sometimes and disappears fast on my skin so I need to constantly reapply. Other than that this is a very gorgeous high end perfume. This is very French and lady like, a tad on the mature side but that's not a bad thing. Smells great on my collar blouse and neck, just above my breasts and behind my ears and under my hair. This is a sweet perfume and like others have stated makes a good intro to Shalimar and Guerlain perfumes. My guess is if you wear Guerlain Petite Robe Noir line you can wear this. It's in the same category of girly and sweet perfumes. Perfect for a date, or for a job interview for a formal evening but not for casual every day use.
Notes: Citruses, Rose, Iris, Vanilla, Musk, Vetiver, Caramel, Coumarin, Powdery Notes.
Sillage: Moderate
Longevity: Moderate
Initial is a really beautiful and very feminine perfume. The bottle is a vanity dresser table show-off. This is a flanker for Shalimar which is far more mature and complex as an Oriental. This perfume's a boudoir baby. Total boudoir. The opening is a soft citrus with bergamot orange, the same kind of citrus opening as Shalimar and all the flankers including the eau de cologne, toilette and reformulated parfum. This is a much more subtle citrus though with a distinct rose scent, and a powdery iris, so yes very floral from the start, but the whole thing is based on iris.
Initial is feminine with a capital F. This is a cosmetic scent. Just like lipstick, make-up, and suede shoes leather shoes jackets and handbags, clutches purses shoulder bags.. Reminds me of being inside a walk-in closet or wardrobe; you know what I mean, a separate room for your clothes, shoes, accessories and cosmetics. It's like the interior of an expensive townhouse or mansion where you have a room just for you to get ready for your day or evening. The powdery notes are usually not my bag but here the powder isn't too strong and smells a lot cleaner, sweeter and simpler with a vanilla flavor and caramel. This delicious caramel and vanilla combination is so pretty.
The dry down is musky but not big on musk. The fragrance is designed to be very modest and tiny like a compact make-up kit. The only problem I have with it is that it's too lightweight sometimes and disappears fast on my skin so I need to constantly reapply. Other than that this is a very gorgeous high end perfume. This is very French and lady like, a tad on the mature side but that's not a bad thing. Smells great on my collar blouse and neck, just above my breasts and behind my ears and under my hair. This is a sweet perfume and like others have stated makes a good intro to Shalimar and Guerlain perfumes. My guess is if you wear Guerlain Petite Robe Noir line you can wear this. It's in the same category of girly and sweet perfumes. Perfect for a date, or for a job interview for a formal evening but not for casual every day use.
cupcake28
I fell into the hype of the Fragrantica Hall of Fame, but I don't regret it. This starts out smelling like a lemon tart you'd find in a bakery in some foreign country, like Switzerland. It smells different and intoxicating. I'm not a huge fan of citrus scents, but this is in a league of it's own. After a while the lemon pastry settles into a nice lemon vanilla musk, where the lemon is subdued. It lasts quite a while and the projection is moderate. I like it a lot! I love scents that smell sophisticated and unique. It's lovely and worth investigating if this type of fragrance is up your alley.
_christine_
This is Shalimar for a young girl. Parfum Initial is softer, less complex than traditional Shalimar. While it's lovely, I like it much less than Shalimar and less than Souffle (which at least has its own lemony identity).
Kudos go to the people who designed the product - the elongated shield bottle, tassel, soft blue cap and pink juice are elegant and perfect.
If you find Shalimar to be too much, then this could be your perfect gateway into the Guerlainade. For me, it's a bit of aletdown. I started wearing Jicky when I was 14 - I don't want dimmed-down versions of Shalimar. I want Guerlain to produce fragrances with full measures of intensity.
Kudos go to the people who designed the product - the elongated shield bottle, tassel, soft blue cap and pink juice are elegant and perfect.
If you find Shalimar to be too much, then this could be your perfect gateway into the Guerlainade. For me, it's a bit of aletdown. I started wearing Jicky when I was 14 - I don't want dimmed-down versions of Shalimar. I want Guerlain to produce fragrances with full measures of intensity.
Germanblonde
While Shalimar Souffle was a bit of a disappointment for me, Initial is LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. It is gorgeous. I detect only a very slight familiarity to Shalimar, but big enough to get me over the moon. Another beauty beamed up to my top 10 beauties. It is just spectacular.
emt1986
I FINALLY tried Parfum Initial, thanks to a generous sample in my most recent swap! It gets so much love here on the boards that I've almost blind-bought it numerous times, BUT it's a good thing I didn't, even though I blind-buy all the time.
PI opens a cool, citrus-y iris on me, and almost reminds me of Infusion d'Iris Absolue for a minute, with a waxy, lipstick-like vibe. Soon it gets sweeter and warmer as the base notes begin to reveal themselves, and it takes on a fluffy, gently powdery tone. Here it is beautiful, and I did a quick search on Ebay thinking that if I loved it still in a few hours, I'd snap it up. However... the "Guerlinade" in the drydown is just too noticeable and it just barely wrecks things for me. Guerlinade and I do not get along well, and if it is too prominent, as it is here and in L'Instant EDT (but not in LPRN Couture and Shalimar EDC), I find that I have to force myself to wear it as I find it cloying and sometimes headache-inducing.
Overall, this is a worthy Shalimar flanker, a modern, yet grown-up and sensual, take on the original. While it isn't 100% for me, I can easily see why it is so beloved.
PI opens a cool, citrus-y iris on me, and almost reminds me of Infusion d'Iris Absolue for a minute, with a waxy, lipstick-like vibe. Soon it gets sweeter and warmer as the base notes begin to reveal themselves, and it takes on a fluffy, gently powdery tone. Here it is beautiful, and I did a quick search on Ebay thinking that if I loved it still in a few hours, I'd snap it up. However... the "Guerlinade" in the drydown is just too noticeable and it just barely wrecks things for me. Guerlinade and I do not get along well, and if it is too prominent, as it is here and in L'Instant EDT (but not in LPRN Couture and Shalimar EDC), I find that I have to force myself to wear it as I find it cloying and sometimes headache-inducing.
Overall, this is a worthy Shalimar flanker, a modern, yet grown-up and sensual, take on the original. While it isn't 100% for me, I can easily see why it is so beloved.
ellebunny
I was able to scoop this beauty up recently at my local The Bay Guerlain counter in Canada for quite a steal--I paid about $120-ish CAD for a 100ml bottle (!) and I feel SO lucky. As you may know, this perfume has been discontinued and had disappeared off the shelves for awhile, so when I saw that they had one 100ml available in stock, I jumped at the chance and bought it, knowing I would've regretted it if I didn't. The Guerlain counter ladies told me that they just happened to find extra bottles somehow, and they sold it to me for the price it was when it was released. My bottle has the batchcode 1T01, which dates to June 2011. WOW.
Shalimar Parfum Initial opens with some sparkling citruses, not unlike the current Shalimar Cologne. It is fresh, sweet, and tangy, completely different from the original Shalimar's sharp bergamot that is almost an assault to the nose due to its potency and bitterness. SPI is definitely a powdery perfume, which is 'lipstick'/cosmetic-like in quality and if it were a colour, it would be a girly pink. The 'pinkness' does give off the same vibe as V&K Flowerbomb, although they do not smell alike at all asides from the sweet notes. The powderyness of the fragrance is definitely from its sumptuous, buttery iris, which is deliciously glazed in a soft caramel reminiscent of the one in Prada Candy (read: classy and musky). Although sweet, SPI is almost gender-bending at certain stages due to the vetiver and albeit very soft patchouli in it, which keeps it grounded and gives greater depth to the composition. It is no surprise that this perfume is compared to the more 'metrosexual' Dior Homme Intense, which shares similar notes. The hay-like tonka bean accord (coumarin) is in synergy with the vetiver note and gives it roundness. Shalimar Parfum Initial pretty much smells like a iris-caramel lollipop which grows to be more vanillic quality and has more of that Shalimar creme brulee deliciousness in the drydown. The longevity of this perfume is awesome, as it lasts at least 8 hours on me with heavy sillage.
When I first smelled this perfume as a noobie, I could instantly recognize it as a Shalimar flanker but I'm not so sure anymore. They do share a lot of similar notes, but Parfum Initial is a completely different animal. Yes, they're both powdery vanillas with citruses at the top and share the legendary Guerlainade DNA, but it stops there. The original Shalimar is a lot skankier with its leather, civet, incense, and a smoky vanilla. Shalimar Parfum Initial is the clean, frou-frou pampered princess of the two. This is by no means a criticism as I prefer Parfum Initial personally as it's easier to wear over the Shalimar EDP, which is highly dramatic.
Shalimar Parfum Initial opens with some sparkling citruses, not unlike the current Shalimar Cologne. It is fresh, sweet, and tangy, completely different from the original Shalimar's sharp bergamot that is almost an assault to the nose due to its potency and bitterness. SPI is definitely a powdery perfume, which is 'lipstick'/cosmetic-like in quality and if it were a colour, it would be a girly pink. The 'pinkness' does give off the same vibe as V&K Flowerbomb, although they do not smell alike at all asides from the sweet notes. The powderyness of the fragrance is definitely from its sumptuous, buttery iris, which is deliciously glazed in a soft caramel reminiscent of the one in Prada Candy (read: classy and musky). Although sweet, SPI is almost gender-bending at certain stages due to the vetiver and albeit very soft patchouli in it, which keeps it grounded and gives greater depth to the composition. It is no surprise that this perfume is compared to the more 'metrosexual' Dior Homme Intense, which shares similar notes. The hay-like tonka bean accord (coumarin) is in synergy with the vetiver note and gives it roundness. Shalimar Parfum Initial pretty much smells like a iris-caramel lollipop which grows to be more vanillic quality and has more of that Shalimar creme brulee deliciousness in the drydown. The longevity of this perfume is awesome, as it lasts at least 8 hours on me with heavy sillage.
When I first smelled this perfume as a noobie, I could instantly recognize it as a Shalimar flanker but I'm not so sure anymore. They do share a lot of similar notes, but Parfum Initial is a completely different animal. Yes, they're both powdery vanillas with citruses at the top and share the legendary Guerlainade DNA, but it stops there. The original Shalimar is a lot skankier with its leather, civet, incense, and a smoky vanilla. Shalimar Parfum Initial is the clean, frou-frou pampered princess of the two. This is by no means a criticism as I prefer Parfum Initial personally as it's easier to wear over the Shalimar EDP, which is highly dramatic.
Yessamin
An initiation into Guerlain's most legendary fragance. A luminous interpretation with ambery floral notes.
meliecat
Wow! I just found myself a huge bottle on ebay, so happy. I can`t believe they actually discontinued this one too, happens to nearly all my big favourites - and this one I gave away to a friend in a new gift set for her birthday telling myself `sure I can get a bottle anytime..` WRONG! She adores it big time and tells me it makes her feel special everytime she sprays it on - do you blame her? - and she savors it too, so it only happens every so often..
I think it`s the iris and caramel combo that does the trick here and powder with bergamot and patchouli ascending above them. Very seductive scent, I`ve been told at work to keep this for home..;-) I think every girl should own it at least once in their lives.
I think it`s the iris and caramel combo that does the trick here and powder with bergamot and patchouli ascending above them. Very seductive scent, I`ve been told at work to keep this for home..;-) I think every girl should own it at least once in their lives.
UnearthlyApothecary
From the first I get the citrus blast, something spicy which kind of tickles my nose and lipstick. Very unique. I can't wait to see how this develops on my skin. Now the little whiffs of tantalizing Guerlain vanilla and caramel are drifting through the Iris. The original Shalimar DNA is present in the citrus opening and that lovely Guerlain vanilla.This is very powdery and sweet, a "pink" fragrance for sure. I was worried I wasn't going to like this one, but I don't see how anyone could resist it.
blake.lee
This is so good! Iris and caramel are divine together. However, this is not sticky sweet. It's grown up, classy but not too serious either. I can not stop smelling my arm. It feels like sweet leather and makeup on me. There's something about this that seems late 80's glam rock to me. It smells like the time period felt to me as a child. The older girls with their shiny, brightly colored lips, big hair and leather jackets smelling of face powder, lipgloss, floral hairspray and sweet powerhouse 80's perfume. A couple of them smoking slim cigarettes. Their gaudy jewelry clanging together announcing their arrival. I was so sad to be a little girl and watched them with a mixture of jealousy and admiration wishing I could go with them. I watched them laugh too loud and the adults around me glance disapprovingly. They were everything I wanted to be. This is the happiness of youth and even a little raunchy and its sexy as Hell!
ETA, I've had this on for a few hours now and the silage and longevity are incredible. It also doesn't change much after the first hour and I love this about it. It's still sweet leathery iris and caramel. Sexy powder! Makeup, leather and strong, joyful woman. It does feel animalic but nothing like the original. I find it so much more universally lovable than the original, new life into a very dated and difficult to wear perfume. I'm only sad I waited so long to try it.
ETA, I've had this on for a few hours now and the silage and longevity are incredible. It also doesn't change much after the first hour and I love this about it. It's still sweet leathery iris and caramel. Sexy powder! Makeup, leather and strong, joyful woman. It does feel animalic but nothing like the original. I find it so much more universally lovable than the original, new life into a very dated and difficult to wear perfume. I'm only sad I waited so long to try it.
TanteSimone
I sold and swapped many fragrances but this might be the only fragrance for which I experienced seller's remorse. I sold an almost full bottle because I was pregnant at that time and suddenly became very sensitive to smells. Now time and time again I miss it. It is powdery, sweet, but very well blended. The lipstick note at the initial blast is interesting and the way it evolves on the skin is pure bliss. The drydown for me is similar to Angel but cleaner, drier, and more memorable. When I miss it, I spray Shalimar EDT over Clinique Happy and I get the same vibe yet it makes me miss this more.
Siv55
Hmm. I was hoping for a subtler, more cake-like vanilla powder version of Shalimar, and just got very strong Shalimar. I have no idea at all why some of you here have complained it doesn't even deserve the flanker name.. because this is basically Shalimar. And it's very strong, did I mention that? :/
Uni-Scent
I agree with Feli15, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever to discontinue this beauty! This fragrance smells really gorgeous and sensual. I consider Initial Parfum to be on the more tame side of the original Shalimar. I do find a few similarities with Dior Homme and Dior Homme Intense; this is due to the iris and sweet notes combination. Overall, an absolute gem from Guerlain line.
Scent: 9 / 10
Projection: 7 / 10
Longevity: 8.5 / 10
Scent: 9 / 10
Projection: 7 / 10
Longevity: 8.5 / 10
Feli15
Please, PLEASE Guerlain BRING THIS BACK!!!!!
Mr Wasser did an amazing job here. It still has Shalimar DNA but more wearable with caramel, patch and musk to make it more modern.
I cannot express in words my feelings and how much pleasure it gives me to wear this beauty. I'm on my last few ml left in the bottle and it breaks my heart I can't even find it online anymore.
You should've stoppped at this Shalimar flanker because it was done masterfully and respectfully to the past, and leave it to its small club of SI fans. You can continue milking the money from countless LPRN iterations, I don't mind.
Mr Wasser did an amazing job here. It still has Shalimar DNA but more wearable with caramel, patch and musk to make it more modern.
I cannot express in words my feelings and how much pleasure it gives me to wear this beauty. I'm on my last few ml left in the bottle and it breaks my heart I can't even find it online anymore.
You should've stoppped at this Shalimar flanker because it was done masterfully and respectfully to the past, and leave it to its small club of SI fans. You can continue milking the money from countless LPRN iterations, I don't mind.
LouPoetka
This review is for Shalimar Parfum Initial. As long as I know it has not been discontinued, as I found it in a duty free shop just a couple of days ago, where I tried it on my skin.
What can I say... Shalimar eludes me once more. Just like the Shalimar EDT, I found this to be yet another powder bomb, only sweeter. On me it smells like talc - a ton of Iris with the merest hint of Lime and a great deal of sweet. It's not even vanilla, it's just anonymous sweet.
I am really disappointed by how my nose seems to deny the Shalimar family its glory. I do not blame the perfume, but honestly... all I can smell is sweet talc. Granted, a talc scent that stays for a long time.
What can I say... Shalimar eludes me once more. Just like the Shalimar EDT, I found this to be yet another powder bomb, only sweeter. On me it smells like talc - a ton of Iris with the merest hint of Lime and a great deal of sweet. It's not even vanilla, it's just anonymous sweet.
I am really disappointed by how my nose seems to deny the Shalimar family its glory. I do not blame the perfume, but honestly... all I can smell is sweet talc. Granted, a talc scent that stays for a long time.
angela_martini
I love Shalimar and have a beautiful 1960 formulation which I adore and wouldn't swap for anything so I was a definite sceptic when the hype regarding Initial started to filter through. I will admit as much as I was expecting a weak excuse for an ok perfume bolted onto the back of one of the greats when I tried it I was pleasantly surprised. In my opinion they have managed to get this just right, whilst displaying subtle but undeniably recognisable Shalimar traits this has a life of its own. For me Initial fills a gap. On those days when I feel like a hit of Shalimar but I'm not quite up to the task Initial is just less demanding. If I likened both to a pair of shoes then Shalimar would be the unforgiving towering stilettos and Initial would be the kitten heels, still sexy but a more comfortable alternative. 10/10 love it.
clariella
Another one of the "why, why, why did you discontinue this" scents. It was not even around for that long.. Luckily I have half a bottle left, so it will last me some time at least.
To me this is a beautiful fragrance, and as many have pointed out it is the little sister of the original Shalimar. Lighter and easier to wear, but still dark and mysterious enough for me to have become a favourite at night and in winter time.
Loads of lovely vanilla, powdery iris, rose and a pinch of gorgeous patchouli. Worth mentioning is that I like it more in the drydown than I like the initial slightly citrusy notes. Lasts reasonably long on me, but not as loggas the mother fragrance.
Over all a lovely scent that I hope they would bring back at some point.
To me this is a beautiful fragrance, and as many have pointed out it is the little sister of the original Shalimar. Lighter and easier to wear, but still dark and mysterious enough for me to have become a favourite at night and in winter time.
Loads of lovely vanilla, powdery iris, rose and a pinch of gorgeous patchouli. Worth mentioning is that I like it more in the drydown than I like the initial slightly citrusy notes. Lasts reasonably long on me, but not as loggas the mother fragrance.
Over all a lovely scent that I hope they would bring back at some point.
ruxandra.balasu
OOOOHHHHh, come back!This is one of the few perfect fragrances my skin has ever encountered. A perfect mixture of playfulness, elegance, mystery and darkness! Some may say it's a lesser Shalimar, but it's not! It's a wonderful interpretation of the classic one, with a hint of joy. What a jem! I just hope it will come back one day, why on earth did Guerlain discontinue this one?
gatsby
@Beaufort: It has been discontinued before L'eau, from more than one year ago. Disappeared from every retailer no matter where, months ago, also inexistent on eBay (which will become also inexistent soon)
Beaufort
Can anyone tell me if this is now discontinued ?
I know that the L'Eau version has been discontinued.
I know that the L'Eau version has been discontinued.
snoopyQ
It has been a few years ago that I have tried this gem.
It was really hot like 35/40 degrees, and sweat pearls were crowning my brow.
Me and my brother were entering the mall and me, in my obsession, went straight to the perfume shop, grabbed the tester bottle and sprizt this on me.
I think I sprayed once, maybe twice....
After doing so my brother and I went and sat to have a coffee and discuss a variety of things....
And thoughout our conversation I got whafts of the most beautyful powdery sweetness hanging in the air. God I smell good I thought!
All I basically can remember is that it smelled extremely pleasant
This is a very vanillery powdery scent.
It has a very big sillage and excellent longevity!
It was really hot like 35/40 degrees, and sweat pearls were crowning my brow.
Me and my brother were entering the mall and me, in my obsession, went straight to the perfume shop, grabbed the tester bottle and sprizt this on me.
I think I sprayed once, maybe twice....
After doing so my brother and I went and sat to have a coffee and discuss a variety of things....
And thoughout our conversation I got whafts of the most beautyful powdery sweetness hanging in the air. God I smell good I thought!
All I basically can remember is that it smelled extremely pleasant
This is a very vanillery powdery scent.
It has a very big sillage and excellent longevity!
dglightblue
This frag is a beast.
I tried only in a tester, but it has something old, or perhaps classic is a better term. Chanel doesn't suit me either, so perhaps it's from a family I don't warm to.
I tried only in a tester, but it has something old, or perhaps classic is a better term. Chanel doesn't suit me either, so perhaps it's from a family I don't warm to.
mishlava3000
Parfum Initial is simply delightful. The opening is ever so slightly masculine but very quickly the trademark vanilla sweeps forward tangled in iris which smells heavenly. Personally I actually enjoy the opening best of all here.
Beware though, this isnt AS beautiful or timeless as Shalimar EDT. (Ive only sampled the two so far). However this does not detract from its loveliness.
The close is continuous creamy vanilla. I would be thrilled to recieve this as a gift.
Sillage is soft on me and I look forward to experimenting on less temperate days to see how it performs.
Beware though, this isnt AS beautiful or timeless as Shalimar EDT. (Ive only sampled the two so far). However this does not detract from its loveliness.
The close is continuous creamy vanilla. I would be thrilled to recieve this as a gift.
Sillage is soft on me and I look forward to experimenting on less temperate days to see how it performs.
Mojan
If I were Mr. Thierry Wasser, I might have referred to this page from time to time just to see how people respond to this masterpiece that has taken a lot of time, effort and mastery to be born and unjustly has been doomed to go down the path of elimination way too early than deserved. I would have smiled with the love shown to my creation and I would have wiped my tears, seeing how ladies sigh for having to say goodbye to this lovely gem. That's why I'm sending him a message from here.
Mr. Wasser, Shalimar Parfum Initial for me is the extract of love, beauty, seduction, kindness, happiness, harmony and perfection blended masterfully with your magic hands and poured in a bottle. I could have lived happily with only this one scent for the rest of my life if I had to. I imagine myself swimming in this perfume, I imagine myself being in paradise and having wings with this perfume. This is the only perfume I have stocked up greedily so as to postpone the day I'd be without this masterpiece in my life. This is one of your greatest creations if not The Greatest. Shalimar Parfum Initial was your love letter sent to modern women and your artist soul has been succeeded to convey your feelings so beautifully and so masterfully. I'd be forever thankful to you for presenting your love to us and also for making my day more beautiful by wearing it. I know you are as sad as we are to see it go away, but let us just hope they would realize they have made a mistake and bring it back to us. Not everything is profit after all.
Mr. Wasser, Shalimar Parfum Initial for me is the extract of love, beauty, seduction, kindness, happiness, harmony and perfection blended masterfully with your magic hands and poured in a bottle. I could have lived happily with only this one scent for the rest of my life if I had to. I imagine myself swimming in this perfume, I imagine myself being in paradise and having wings with this perfume. This is the only perfume I have stocked up greedily so as to postpone the day I'd be without this masterpiece in my life. This is one of your greatest creations if not The Greatest. Shalimar Parfum Initial was your love letter sent to modern women and your artist soul has been succeeded to convey your feelings so beautifully and so masterfully. I'd be forever thankful to you for presenting your love to us and also for making my day more beautiful by wearing it. I know you are as sad as we are to see it go away, but let us just hope they would realize they have made a mistake and bring it back to us. Not everything is profit after all.
TattooGypsy
What's with all the dissing of my beloved Parfum Initial? LOL
I can understand an inexperienced nose finding this perfume to be strange or difficult to get at first. It's a complex perfume which was marketed incorrectly-the 'young' crowd will not instantly spray and love this like they do most mainstream scents!
To me this is a masterpiece of perfumery. The drydown is where it's at with this (although I love it from top to bottom). You have to give it time to bloom. I imagine skin chemistry is important here as well. Fecal? as if! Barnyard? as if! lol Synthetic-no way! Noses are a funny thing.
This perfume is still something I want in my wardrobe forever and sits on my top shelf of favorites!
I can understand an inexperienced nose finding this perfume to be strange or difficult to get at first. It's a complex perfume which was marketed incorrectly-the 'young' crowd will not instantly spray and love this like they do most mainstream scents!
To me this is a masterpiece of perfumery. The drydown is where it's at with this (although I love it from top to bottom). You have to give it time to bloom. I imagine skin chemistry is important here as well. Fecal? as if! Barnyard? as if! lol Synthetic-no way! Noses are a funny thing.
This perfume is still something I want in my wardrobe forever and sits on my top shelf of favorites!
dorothea333
Dear Meremere
I thought the notes in this perfume sounded really wonderful- but it is always good to do a little closer reading, and then I came to you review, my god you made me laugh so hard.
I am still curious though :-)
I thought the notes in this perfume sounded really wonderful- but it is always good to do a little closer reading, and then I came to you review, my god you made me laugh so hard.
I am still curious though :-)
fyrewoman
This does feel like Dior Homme & Dior Homme Intense! I only have the current formulations of those 2 Dior's so the lavendar & herb distinctively sets the Dior Home apart from SPI. I was doubtful that i would ever come around to a Shalimar.
My story stems from a vacation i took in 2004 to Disney World. The most convenient source of perfume shopping (with my jam packed itinerary) was within my luxery hotel resort. I wanted the full fletched tropical experience in Disney so i wanted to be in a cloud of coconut at that time. Each store was filled with clothes and accessories and not much perfume selection. The sales lady assisted me and suggested Shalimar edp. I was like "woah, not for me, especially right now". I was 24 yrs old and in humid 88° F weather so wasn't ready for a blast of Shalimar and swore that perfume off my list ever since.
Parfum Initial lacks that strong smokey incense mixed with leather that i was/am not ready for. This one here is a boudoir scent that is near to a vintage cosmetic powder with vanilla. Delightful. I am getting a fb so that i can layer with Dior Home and Dior Homme Intense to veer the lavendar away that tends to give me a headache in Dior Homme.
This is an elegant perfume for a woman. It can be a classy one for a man as well. Not a baby powder, much more mature and complex than that. My favorite is the opening.
My story stems from a vacation i took in 2004 to Disney World. The most convenient source of perfume shopping (with my jam packed itinerary) was within my luxery hotel resort. I wanted the full fletched tropical experience in Disney so i wanted to be in a cloud of coconut at that time. Each store was filled with clothes and accessories and not much perfume selection. The sales lady assisted me and suggested Shalimar edp. I was like "woah, not for me, especially right now". I was 24 yrs old and in humid 88° F weather so wasn't ready for a blast of Shalimar and swore that perfume off my list ever since.
Parfum Initial lacks that strong smokey incense mixed with leather that i was/am not ready for. This one here is a boudoir scent that is near to a vintage cosmetic powder with vanilla. Delightful. I am getting a fb so that i can layer with Dior Home and Dior Homme Intense to veer the lavendar away that tends to give me a headache in Dior Homme.
This is an elegant perfume for a woman. It can be a classy one for a man as well. Not a baby powder, much more mature and complex than that. My favorite is the opening.
redskyatnight
Parfum Initial is a masterpiece and a strange beauty. It's called an "initiation" into Shalimar. Though many have wailed at a "cheapening" or marketing ploy to bring Shalimar to younger generations, I think it's a wise choice. I'm in the 30-something perfume no-man's land between fruity florals and heavy hitters, and they've piqued my interest in Shalimar where I was previously averse to it. This may be my step toward one day owning and wearing Shalimar regularly. And Parfum Initial is exactly the lovely, dignified fragrance I was looking for.
The first spritz and drydown of Parfum Initial are a little scary with a sort of haunting, icy blue iris and deep musk. Then the caramel warms things up, its salty aspect speaking to the chilly top notes but drawing them into warmer, tamer lands. The powder accord is unlike anything else I've experienced, lending a smoky, incense-ash quality. For the first half hour, the whole thing has a Victorian boudoir aura, complete with velvet accents, damask wallpaper, and lots of maroon and dark wood everywhere. Then it lightens and becomes chic and modern, yet timelessly beautiful. It's warm and powdery with a little mystery.
Completely a winter or late fall scent to me, for a mature woman (insert your own definition for that) or, I might say, a maturing woman. For the first half hour it has the potential for offending as much as tempting, so wear prudently. Personally I have a hard time with musk, but this is the first truly musky fragrance I've been okay with. I spray on the decollete so it gently wafts up and leaves me in a wonderful mood. After a few days of wearing this, I have fallen in love. So. Hard.
The first spritz and drydown of Parfum Initial are a little scary with a sort of haunting, icy blue iris and deep musk. Then the caramel warms things up, its salty aspect speaking to the chilly top notes but drawing them into warmer, tamer lands. The powder accord is unlike anything else I've experienced, lending a smoky, incense-ash quality. For the first half hour, the whole thing has a Victorian boudoir aura, complete with velvet accents, damask wallpaper, and lots of maroon and dark wood everywhere. Then it lightens and becomes chic and modern, yet timelessly beautiful. It's warm and powdery with a little mystery.
Completely a winter or late fall scent to me, for a mature woman (insert your own definition for that) or, I might say, a maturing woman. For the first half hour it has the potential for offending as much as tempting, so wear prudently. Personally I have a hard time with musk, but this is the first truly musky fragrance I've been okay with. I spray on the decollete so it gently wafts up and leaves me in a wonderful mood. After a few days of wearing this, I have fallen in love. So. Hard.
bramebelle
For some marvellous reason the perfume shop at my local shopping centre are selling this instead of the souffle and cologne they're stocking in the Department stores. Hoorah!
I've only been wearing it for an hour, but I believe I'll be getting this instead of one of the others.
Totally Shalimar-light. Musk, vanilla and just enough of the darker elements. First time I've smelt the soapiness in a Shalimar on me. Loving it all. Yay!!!
Edit: 13 hours in I'm still loving every minute. I've had a reasonably active day, and I keep getting these wafts of scent and think, "oo, what's that warm, yummy smell... oh, it's me!" Hooked. :)
Re-edit: Stoopid me didn't realise the lingering scent was only on my bracelet where the cheeky sales lady had deliberately sprayed. Another try and while I still love the scent, it lasts less time that Shalimar Cologne on my skin! Back to the drawing board...
I've only been wearing it for an hour, but I believe I'll be getting this instead of one of the others.
Totally Shalimar-light. Musk, vanilla and just enough of the darker elements. First time I've smelt the soapiness in a Shalimar on me. Loving it all. Yay!!!
Edit: 13 hours in I'm still loving every minute. I've had a reasonably active day, and I keep getting these wafts of scent and think, "oo, what's that warm, yummy smell... oh, it's me!" Hooked. :)
Re-edit: Stoopid me didn't realise the lingering scent was only on my bracelet where the cheeky sales lady had deliberately sprayed. Another try and while I still love the scent, it lasts less time that Shalimar Cologne on my skin! Back to the drawing board...
lambo33
is a masterpeice parfume,,,just let it dry down and ull get so many comemnts,,,,is for elegant ladys ,,and only.
emyalda
The iris in this is extremely thick and animalic smelling.
Ive never expected any strong animalic smell from these notes but it is definitely there.
At times i really love this and think it smells really classy. But then i will catch a whiff of it that comes off a bit fecal smelling.
Ive never expected any strong animalic smell from these notes but it is definitely there.
At times i really love this and think it smells really classy. But then i will catch a whiff of it that comes off a bit fecal smelling.
Meremere
I have really tried to like this.
I've come back to it three times, because surely my sense of smell must be broken.
To my nose, this opens with a primordial SCREAM of butane citrus with a dab of car exhaust. It makes me scrunch my nose in recoil and cough. Then the drydown is a synthetic lemon/floral/powder leftover from 1910.
For me, this is Dante's 4th ring of perfume hell.
I've come back to it three times, because surely my sense of smell must be broken.
To my nose, this opens with a primordial SCREAM of butane citrus with a dab of car exhaust. It makes me scrunch my nose in recoil and cough. Then the drydown is a synthetic lemon/floral/powder leftover from 1910.
For me, this is Dante's 4th ring of perfume hell.
James99
@Jose Marcos Shalimar PI is similar to Dior Homme Intense from older formulation and not the current one from 2015. Shalimar PI is also similar to Dior Homme,the vintage version with silver stem and not the current formulation(it smells nothing like it). Both sexes would wear this two scents comfortably because they are very similar. SPI has edge on DHI(over hyped), I think it would be wi$er to go with $PI and not waste $$$$$$
Jose Marcos
It is not a case of it smells like Dior Homme, not the Intense version. It is that Shalimar PI is so complex that makes Dior Homme smell just like a part of it, the iris powdery side of it to be more precisely. And it is also just a tad bit more feminine than DH, which can be seen as a feminine masculine scent. If a man wears Dior Homme without fearing for his masculinity, why not wearing Shalimar Parfum Initial?
James99
This does indeed smell like Dior Homme Intense(pre-2015). They also share the same notes with iris being the major player. Not a fan of this two since I prefer the Dior Homme. Amazing how a fragrance marketed toward men smells the same as one marketed for women and this makes them both good for both sexes---unisex.
sandrichmilinovich
I had sample of this perfume in my bag for months, but I never tried it.
I got recommendation for this perfume so I reached it from my bag. This is someone's mom perfume for sure.
I spray it all over room, and when my mom came in living room she was like ''This is Chanel 5?'' and I was like ''No, this is Shalimar''.
Now she is hooked on Shalimar, a woman who wore Chanel Mademoiselle for around 15 years.
Its for strong and classy woman, after 40s.
I got recommendation for this perfume so I reached it from my bag. This is someone's mom perfume for sure.
I spray it all over room, and when my mom came in living room she was like ''This is Chanel 5?'' and I was like ''No, this is Shalimar''.
Now she is hooked on Shalimar, a woman who wore Chanel Mademoiselle for around 15 years.
Its for strong and classy woman, after 40s.
gfarias848
I love it since of the first spray. First of all, Shalimar Parfum Initial does not smell like the traditional Shalimar... I mean, there's some DNA of the original, but it's two completely different fragrances.
Shalimar Parfum Initial smells like a really expensive lipstick covered with makeup powder... I also picked Tonka Bean and Caramel in the composition, that makes the fragrance sweet in a certain way. Lipstick and Caramel candy I can resume. Beautiful, very French, romantic, retro... It's glorious for who loves powdery fragrances.
Oh and the bottle it's too die for with that sapphire-blue stopper and tassel. Très romantique.
Shalimar Parfum Initial smells like a really expensive lipstick covered with makeup powder... I also picked Tonka Bean and Caramel in the composition, that makes the fragrance sweet in a certain way. Lipstick and Caramel candy I can resume. Beautiful, very French, romantic, retro... It's glorious for who loves powdery fragrances.
Oh and the bottle it's too die for with that sapphire-blue stopper and tassel. Très romantique.
MrsPress
I keep wearing this in the hopes that I will come to love it, or at least like it, but I haven't yet. I absolutely hate the opening of this, it's so synthetic that it's gross. The picture my mind creates when smelling the opening is that of a vat of half melted doll heads with scoops of play-dough and chunks of rubber, yuck. The heart is almost likeable, but not quite. The heart is more real smelling, but never completely makes it out of the synthetic realm. It's a sweet floral heart in which you can somewhat smell the base notes. Unfortunately this goes to the base fairly quickly and the base is as bad as the opening, just not as loud. I love the original Shalimar and was hoping this would be Shalimar-esque, but something I could wear daily, this is not it. I would not go out in public smelling like this.
Edit: I have completely changed my mind on this. I tried it again years after this review and fell in love. Disregard everything I said. Lol
Edit: I have completely changed my mind on this. I tried it again years after this review and fell in love. Disregard everything I said. Lol
mschnabel666
Curiosity got the best of me, and I tried Shalimar EDP for a good price. (I'm a huge fan of Old Hollywood, and I wanted to own a scent that perhaps Jean Harlow and Joan Crawford wore.... lol)
Now I tried PI.
OMG, I love this. Haha! It's not the gourmand gooey foodie sweetie that I usually fall for, but I'm in love with this. I must stock up whatever the price may be!
This reminds me of JPG Classique's anise and powder mixed with L De Lolita's creamy spicy orange vanilla. PI is divine!
I get a very strange anise opening. But that quickly disappears and the "L de Lolita" like scent remains: spicy orange vanilla creamy musky. Then it dries down to vanilla powder.
I have the L'eau on order now, but I'm not sure if I'll love it as much. It appears to have toned down what I adore about PI.
PI to me is somewhat dated/vintage/old lady but for me-- that is what makes PI unique. I wore it on a very hot day, and I barely left the house, so PI wasn't a huge sillage/potent bomb, which I wanted it to be. But it does melt into me, and I got light skin scent whiffs throughout the day. I'll try in different temperatures and different clothes (perfumes always melt into my dry-yet-oily skin and disappear).
I plan on selling off some other scents from my collection to afford to stock up on PI! YAY!
Now I tried PI.
OMG, I love this. Haha! It's not the gourmand gooey foodie sweetie that I usually fall for, but I'm in love with this. I must stock up whatever the price may be!
This reminds me of JPG Classique's anise and powder mixed with L De Lolita's creamy spicy orange vanilla. PI is divine!
I get a very strange anise opening. But that quickly disappears and the "L de Lolita" like scent remains: spicy orange vanilla creamy musky. Then it dries down to vanilla powder.
I have the L'eau on order now, but I'm not sure if I'll love it as much. It appears to have toned down what I adore about PI.
PI to me is somewhat dated/vintage/old lady but for me-- that is what makes PI unique. I wore it on a very hot day, and I barely left the house, so PI wasn't a huge sillage/potent bomb, which I wanted it to be. But it does melt into me, and I got light skin scent whiffs throughout the day. I'll try in different temperatures and different clothes (perfumes always melt into my dry-yet-oily skin and disappear).
I plan on selling off some other scents from my collection to afford to stock up on PI! YAY!
tandaina
I blind bought based on the listed notes and the great reviews.
As of right now this is horrific. The original Shalimar is difficult on me because I don't like powder and she's a powder bomb. But at least she's *pretty* she's just too powdery for me.
The opening of this one is a raw blast of horribly artificial and incredibly sharp and over the top citrus notes. It's bad pez candy mixed with something medicinal. : If you're like me you'll have to hold your nose and wait for about 10 to 15 minutes for that initial opening to fade.
Once that fades I get a vague scent of powder and something fresh that I can barely smell. Disappointed.
As of right now this is horrific. The original Shalimar is difficult on me because I don't like powder and she's a powder bomb. But at least she's *pretty* she's just too powdery for me.
The opening of this one is a raw blast of horribly artificial and incredibly sharp and over the top citrus notes. It's bad pez candy mixed with something medicinal. : If you're like me you'll have to hold your nose and wait for about 10 to 15 minutes for that initial opening to fade.
Once that fades I get a vague scent of powder and something fresh that I can barely smell. Disappointed.
Neckromancer
This makes my left nostril itch. Every time. Am I the only one? I think it's the type of powder used, or maybe the combination of citrus with the powder? It's not even truly an itch, like an itch you have to scratch, but more like a skin irritation...
I also don't spray it directly on my nose. That would be silly.
I also don't spray it directly on my nose. That would be silly.
janeofdoe
That's it...
I can bear the good reviews no longer. I must have this for my collection. Blind buy, here I come! I'll come back and edit with my review once I've tried it. I can't wait!
Edit: I totally understand why this is discontinued. This is verrrrryyyy over rated in this forum. It's "nice".....not brilliant. Please try shalimar cologne edt (with the pinkish hue juice) for a much better version on this.
I can bear the good reviews no longer. I must have this for my collection. Blind buy, here I come! I'll come back and edit with my review once I've tried it. I can't wait!
Edit: I totally understand why this is discontinued. This is verrrrryyyy over rated in this forum. It's "nice".....not brilliant. Please try shalimar cologne edt (with the pinkish hue juice) for a much better version on this.
epg
If I had one wish, it would be to smell like this forever. Nothing but love for this one. Can't believe it has been discontinued...
gtabasso
This was gone within an hour or less on my skin. A subdued Shalimar without the weirdness and lots of vanilla. Meh.
Perfumeaddict777
Shalimar perfume initial is a new discovery for me. I only learned of its existence in April 2016. Once i joined fragrantica i saw everyone talking about it. I received a sample a couple weeks ago and in completely in love. This is the perfect scent. Yummy, comforting, warm, sexy, beautiful, it's everything I've been wanting to find in a perfume. Tillywave described the scent perfectly. This is the first time I've felt heart broken, so upset that a pefume is discontinued. Why are these wonderful scents discontinued. It's a new found treasure to me and they'll be gone soon.
Perfumeaddict777
Shalimar perfume initial is a new discovery for me. I only learned of its existence in April 2016. Once i joined fragrantica i saw everyone talking about it. I received a sample a couple weeks ago and in completely in love. This is the perfect scent. Yummy, comforting, warm, sexy, beautiful, it's everything I've been wanting to find in a perfume. Tillywave described the scent perfectly. This is the first time I've felt heart broken, so upset that a pefume is discontinued. Why are these wonderful scents discontinued. It's a new found treasure to me and they'll be gone soon.
TillyWave_archive
Vanilla Oriental Floral
I love iris perfumes, if there is supposedly a discernible iris note in a perfume I will pretty much buy it on the spot. Iris as an accord can come across as floral, clean/floral, woody, rooty, or powdery--or some combination thereof. The iris in Shalimar Parfum Initial (SPI) is kind of a new one for me, it is utterly smooth and buttery. It smells like a million bucks. When I wear this perfume I can almost visualize a thick sheet of actual iris butter draped over the other perfume notes and my skin, it is that luscious. While the iris in the SPI flankers is decidedly floral and powdery, this iris is smooth and creamy, and not powdery at all. The floral notes come from the discreet rose and jasmine notes.
I can't smell the vetiver at all, and the patchouli is pretty quiet--it's woody and a tiny bit camphorous, and lasts through the top and heart notes.
There is a bit of leather going on in here too--it seems to live in the top/middle notes, it is decidedly strong along with the bergamot/citrus. It smells like a combination of licorice, anise, and leather. The leathery anise note lasts for a few hours, until the perfume becomes full of vanilla and tonka beans as it dries down to the base.
This lasts for about 8 hours on me and is not too strong at all--it wears a bit close to my skin but I think it leaves a nice hint of a scent trail.
I avoided this perfume for a few years because I really don't like gourmand perfumes, I especially do not like candy notes. The caramel scared me off. To my surprise, the 'caramel' note is but a complimentary sweetness that lays under the iris for most of the life of the perfume. I can describe it no other way. It is not cloying or saccharine, and thankfully does not smell like a bag of Brach's Caramels. Yet it does lend to the whole sweet/decadent/desserty vanilla thing that the original Shalimar has in her base anyway.
Then the last question, does it smell like Shalimar? It smells like the idea of Shalimar, in the way that MANY perfumes will remind you of Shalimar if you've been sampling for awhile. What's here--bergamot/leather? Check. Rose/jasmine in the heart? Check. A gorgeous vanilla dessert base? She has that. Shalimar lurks everywhere, it seems. So I guess it fits as a 'modern interpretation of Shalimar or whatever, but still,
I am disappointed that Guerlain just didn't give SPI and SPI L'Eau (which I also love!) their own perfume identities. They seem to have a huge following, they are well made perfumes, and they smell like they had a lot of thought AND quality perfume ingredients in them. I just don't understand why they are d/c'd already.
I love iris perfumes, if there is supposedly a discernible iris note in a perfume I will pretty much buy it on the spot. Iris as an accord can come across as floral, clean/floral, woody, rooty, or powdery--or some combination thereof. The iris in Shalimar Parfum Initial (SPI) is kind of a new one for me, it is utterly smooth and buttery. It smells like a million bucks. When I wear this perfume I can almost visualize a thick sheet of actual iris butter draped over the other perfume notes and my skin, it is that luscious. While the iris in the SPI flankers is decidedly floral and powdery, this iris is smooth and creamy, and not powdery at all. The floral notes come from the discreet rose and jasmine notes.
I can't smell the vetiver at all, and the patchouli is pretty quiet--it's woody and a tiny bit camphorous, and lasts through the top and heart notes.
There is a bit of leather going on in here too--it seems to live in the top/middle notes, it is decidedly strong along with the bergamot/citrus. It smells like a combination of licorice, anise, and leather. The leathery anise note lasts for a few hours, until the perfume becomes full of vanilla and tonka beans as it dries down to the base.
This lasts for about 8 hours on me and is not too strong at all--it wears a bit close to my skin but I think it leaves a nice hint of a scent trail.
I avoided this perfume for a few years because I really don't like gourmand perfumes, I especially do not like candy notes. The caramel scared me off. To my surprise, the 'caramel' note is but a complimentary sweetness that lays under the iris for most of the life of the perfume. I can describe it no other way. It is not cloying or saccharine, and thankfully does not smell like a bag of Brach's Caramels. Yet it does lend to the whole sweet/decadent/desserty vanilla thing that the original Shalimar has in her base anyway.
Then the last question, does it smell like Shalimar? It smells like the idea of Shalimar, in the way that MANY perfumes will remind you of Shalimar if you've been sampling for awhile. What's here--bergamot/leather? Check. Rose/jasmine in the heart? Check. A gorgeous vanilla dessert base? She has that. Shalimar lurks everywhere, it seems. So I guess it fits as a 'modern interpretation of Shalimar or whatever, but still,
I am disappointed that Guerlain just didn't give SPI and SPI L'Eau (which I also love!) their own perfume identities. They seem to have a huge following, they are well made perfumes, and they smell like they had a lot of thought AND quality perfume ingredients in them. I just don't understand why they are d/c'd already.
wootforDOLCE&GABBANA
smells like a chai tea latte. 5/5
Ariana.b
I have learned to like this perfume slowly, but now I am truly in love. When I first smelled it I was surprised by the beautiful iris, but I also felt a strange note, like smoke (now I know it's the incense, which is not listed, but I'm sure it's there).
Then the magic happend when I received a sample and I was charmed by the complexity of the fragrance. The beggining may be a little bit harsh, but after it settles onto the skin you can feel the vanilla, the caramel, that modern vibe which is gorgeus. I will say this is my favorite sweet perfume because is different from other gourmandy fragrances, it keeps the DNA of the original, but it's more "wearable" ourdays.
I am so sorry it was discontinued, I have a 100 ml bottle but I'm really thinking to buy another one, only to know that it will always be in my collection.
Then the magic happend when I received a sample and I was charmed by the complexity of the fragrance. The beggining may be a little bit harsh, but after it settles onto the skin you can feel the vanilla, the caramel, that modern vibe which is gorgeus. I will say this is my favorite sweet perfume because is different from other gourmandy fragrances, it keeps the DNA of the original, but it's more "wearable" ourdays.
I am so sorry it was discontinued, I have a 100 ml bottle but I'm really thinking to buy another one, only to know that it will always be in my collection.
Madrona
It's a lovely, modern take on Shalimar. I certainly see Thierry Wasser's rationale in creating a new, pink Shalimar for the same consumer that normally goes for LVEB and Flowerbomb (I am certain that there are people who go for these that absolutely love the original or vintage Shalimar also, but I think you see what I am getting at here). There is something about Guerlain's usage of iris that is outstanding, and this is no exception. Its discontinuation is a disgrace.
po
What I find amusing about Shalimar Parfum Initial is that it sits happily at the crossroads between classics and fruitchoulis. If Shalimar is an untamed tiger Parfum Initial is a kitten with bow which doesn't mean it's not lovable on its own, just a different kind of animal.
The candied bergamot/licorice opening is especially fleeting and then comes my favourite part; a gorgeous waxy lipsticky iris which is warm and almost caramelized/chewy. At times I do get the fruitchouli vibe which is supposed to attract the Flowerbomb loving audience but it's still one of the most elegant of the kind. Things get borderline boring as the iris waves goodbye and dries down to a creamy base which relies heavily on musk, vanilla and tonka bean. Fortunately the Guerlinade peeks through and saves the day.
Overall I'm pleased to have a bottle of Parfum Initial; it's a well made fragrance, the transparent glass bottle with the fleshy/blush liquid and the blue tassel are very esthetically pleasing but ultimately I can't say it's a masterpiece. As I perceive it would be perfect for a fun night out with the girls! Oh, and if you have the chance also try the body lotion which has excellent texture and is very faithful to the actual scent.
The candied bergamot/licorice opening is especially fleeting and then comes my favourite part; a gorgeous waxy lipsticky iris which is warm and almost caramelized/chewy. At times I do get the fruitchouli vibe which is supposed to attract the Flowerbomb loving audience but it's still one of the most elegant of the kind. Things get borderline boring as the iris waves goodbye and dries down to a creamy base which relies heavily on musk, vanilla and tonka bean. Fortunately the Guerlinade peeks through and saves the day.
Overall I'm pleased to have a bottle of Parfum Initial; it's a well made fragrance, the transparent glass bottle with the fleshy/blush liquid and the blue tassel are very esthetically pleasing but ultimately I can't say it's a masterpiece. As I perceive it would be perfect for a fun night out with the girls! Oh, and if you have the chance also try the body lotion which has excellent texture and is very faithful to the actual scent.
Liandri
I actually first sniffed this from a miniature,I so liked the vetiver note(and all the other notes) so I decided to buy a full bottle for my wife and I did..but Im using it myself now :))
Kayse
Shalimar Initial is beautiful after all.
My first few spritzes out of the bottle were horrible, like a soiled diaper wipe.
I mentioned to the Doctor that I suspect the perfume in the straw was reacting with the plastic. It seems that perfumes often smell strange for the first few spritzes.
He says that anything delivered through a tube in medicine is always calculated to account for the (new) plastic absorbing a portion of the liquid. Hmmm.
Thank goodness, this stunning bottle is staying in the collection!
This is a very sexy perfume.
My first few spritzes out of the bottle were horrible, like a soiled diaper wipe.
I mentioned to the Doctor that I suspect the perfume in the straw was reacting with the plastic. It seems that perfumes often smell strange for the first few spritzes.
He says that anything delivered through a tube in medicine is always calculated to account for the (new) plastic absorbing a portion of the liquid. Hmmm.
Thank goodness, this stunning bottle is staying in the collection!
This is a very sexy perfume.
TattooGypsy
UPDATE: Huh, this perfume is fricking amazing! I still love this stuff and wear it frequently. I'm on my back up bottle now and need to stock up on some more! I can't imagine ever not having this perfume so the fact that it's discontinued is a frickin' tragedy! I want to call this my signature, but I'm scared since I'm sure it will be soon very hard to find and get alot pricier! I need this in my life! *tears*
joenick68
I will need to add more about this jewel but I put a couple of spritzes of this on top of Joop Jump to add some class , and it worked perfectly.
Southern Blonde
Don't like this one very much a citrus-vanilla bomb that has something more chemical and more like a wood polish scent to it than the other Shalimars. Maybe I'm not smelling what others are smelling. I don't think they did a good job here. The scent is refreshing, unisex, and great to put on after a shower but nothing special. Sometimes I find myself enjoying the citrus other times it gets too be too much. I wear this very infrequently and only in the hottest of weather. If you like citrus based perfumes get this one. It's a cool revitalizing aroma.
DamonAlbarn
I still don't understand how on earth this was discontinued. It is a masterpiece of modern perfumery. It is so youthful and well adored and yet it still sticks out like a sore thumb from the florals, the floral fruities, the florientals, etc. that its bestselling peers are.
The previous review that compared it to Coco Mademoiselle was just looking at the fact that both of the juices are pink, Parfum Initial is a lot more smoky and complex and lasting. Almost a skin scent for those who love the powdery and smoky scents that Guerlain is so, so good at making.
Please hate this perfume, scream from a megaphone all night long about how much you hate it. Hang a banner from your house. It'll drive down the cost on eBay so I can have all the bottles to myself.
P.S., getting compliments about how good someone's pillows smell the morning after is literally the best compliment ever.
The previous review that compared it to Coco Mademoiselle was just looking at the fact that both of the juices are pink, Parfum Initial is a lot more smoky and complex and lasting. Almost a skin scent for those who love the powdery and smoky scents that Guerlain is so, so good at making.
Please hate this perfume, scream from a megaphone all night long about how much you hate it. Hang a banner from your house. It'll drive down the cost on eBay so I can have all the bottles to myself.
P.S., getting compliments about how good someone's pillows smell the morning after is literally the best compliment ever.
bushonka
I'm tired of haters ... ultimately the choice of perfume is a matter of personal preference.
Guess what ... it does not smell like Shalimar just because it's NOT Shalimar. This is not done to smell like Shalimar simply because Shalimar already exists. And of course as a perfume with a different smell, bears a different name. And does it make any sense launching of a new perfumes, if they smell in the same way as the old ones? Shalimar Parfum Initial shines with its own star, and not made to displace the great Shalimar.
PS: And personally me, I do see the connection between this and the original.... That burnt smoky vanila.
Guess what ... it does not smell like Shalimar just because it's NOT Shalimar. This is not done to smell like Shalimar simply because Shalimar already exists. And of course as a perfume with a different smell, bears a different name. And does it make any sense launching of a new perfumes, if they smell in the same way as the old ones? Shalimar Parfum Initial shines with its own star, and not made to displace the great Shalimar.
PS: And personally me, I do see the connection between this and the original.... That burnt smoky vanila.
Rissatish
It smells simultaneously girly and womanly-- the epitome of femininity. It is so elegant, both strong and gentle. Carries bit powdery, which I tend to dislike, but here it is just lovely. Makes me envision a beautiful bride.
tuky
Bouth it for my mother`s birthday. I wanted to include the feminity, romance, tenderness and classy vibe in one parfume...and I did it.
Parfum Initial certainly has the respect of the old Shalimar with a touch of modern gentlewoman.
Young zest of citrus, powdery romance of iris, feminine classy rose and modern sugar free, but old vibe of Shalimar`s vanilla.
Wear this parfume in the name of a melancholic woman who waches dramatic to future.
Parfum Initial certainly has the respect of the old Shalimar with a touch of modern gentlewoman.
Young zest of citrus, powdery romance of iris, feminine classy rose and modern sugar free, but old vibe of Shalimar`s vanilla.
Wear this parfume in the name of a melancholic woman who waches dramatic to future.
Neckromancer
Don't smell the patch, which is great. This is very powdery with strong bergamot. It is good quality and doesn't go sour on my skin like many similar citrus-vanilla scents. This can be worn nicely by people of all ages. I do think this perfume is feminine and sensual. Someone described it as silky, and I agree. Very long lasting! The drydown is so lovely with a softer bergamot and vanilla powder that really shines.
Addict2Perfume
Guerlain’s Shalimar Parfum Initial is definitely in the same bloodline as the original Shalimar. Parfum Initial has the classic citrus vanilla opening, but with a very youthful and feminine twist of powdery iris, sweet caramel, and a punch of patchouli in the background. This had been on my want list for ages and after hearing that it was going to be discontinued, I finally went out and got a bottle. Boy am I glad I did! This is such a lovely fragrance, very elegant and I will cherish my bottle for years to come!
CorneliaL
this stuff is my personal crack right now
the drydown is yummy and warm in the winter - I love sniffing myself
the strong Iris topnote I was not as in love with right away - but now I crave it - yah - addicted -
the drydown is yummy and warm in the winter - I love sniffing myself
the strong Iris topnote I was not as in love with right away - but now I crave it - yah - addicted -
brebtalka40
Lovely! This is the only Shalimar version my body chemistry works well with.
Originally, I tested it during a wrong season and did not like it much. – Many apologies! During the recent wet cold days, I gave it another chance and found out it was a real gem.
Shame on its producers to have discontinued it!
Originally, I tested it during a wrong season and did not like it much. – Many apologies! During the recent wet cold days, I gave it another chance and found out it was a real gem.
Shame on its producers to have discontinued it!
ellina1984
Many people have trashed Shalimar Parfum Initial and I really wanted to see how horrible this scent could be to garner all this dislike. So I was over the moon to get a bottle in a swap.
The notes I get are the following: sugared bergamot, iris, tonka, leather, musk. I think this is distinctly Shalimar-ish, even though I have to admit it is a far cry from the bracing top citrus and rich leather-vanilla base. However, the similarity is definitely there and I can see why PI is considered by the house of Guerlain an initiation to the original Shalimar. This is infinitely more wearable in an everyday office setting. Sprayed lightly, it will not offend - if you overspray, the leathery base (no leather in the pyramid, I wonder why?) will be too much.
I guess this follows in the footprints of the current sweet - candy - easily digestible trend, but PI, to me, definitely stands apart. It is still bold, in its distinct bergamot and sleek leather. Not for a teen graduating from body sprays to real perfume.
Well, this has already been discontinued, so I will enjoy the bottle I now have, although I do feel a bit sad the beauty of PI has not been appreciated.
The notes I get are the following: sugared bergamot, iris, tonka, leather, musk. I think this is distinctly Shalimar-ish, even though I have to admit it is a far cry from the bracing top citrus and rich leather-vanilla base. However, the similarity is definitely there and I can see why PI is considered by the house of Guerlain an initiation to the original Shalimar. This is infinitely more wearable in an everyday office setting. Sprayed lightly, it will not offend - if you overspray, the leathery base (no leather in the pyramid, I wonder why?) will be too much.
I guess this follows in the footprints of the current sweet - candy - easily digestible trend, but PI, to me, definitely stands apart. It is still bold, in its distinct bergamot and sleek leather. Not for a teen graduating from body sprays to real perfume.
Well, this has already been discontinued, so I will enjoy the bottle I now have, although I do feel a bit sad the beauty of PI has not been appreciated.
jacmac
Light and fresh, all Iris and Rose to me. Totally floral, missing spice or depth. The Iris is a trumpet in this one, and I'm going deaf.
TillyWave_archive
I feel a little bad for Thierry Wasser. It seems that LVMH wants blood from a stone. First we have to put Parfum Initial under the Shalimar umbrella, presumably for faster brand identification and sales. He creates a beautiful perfume, and then quickly it is discontinued. I read on Monsiur Guerlain's blog something to the effect that TW is very proud of Parfum Initial, but he is under tremendous pressure to pump out flanker after flanker (how many Petite Robe perfumes are there?) and meanwhile worthwhile perfumes hit the dust, I guess to make room for the next Petite Robe Noire perfume. It's not really his fault, he has a boss and quotas and work output standards that the rest of us have too. But when I read that Samsara took Jean Paul Guerlain five years to craft, and then I see these perfumers that need to put out a new perfume every month, or a new niche company that debuts with like 10 perfumes at once, it depresses me a little. They can't be that good.
Anyway it's not much of a review but I do like this perfume a lot, and I like the L'Eau even more, and I think it's a shame that someone's work of art is already gone. PI seems to have plenty of fans, what kind of sales were LVMH expecting right away anyway? Like other mediums sometimes it takes awhile to create a following...
ETA--Oh, and I count 17 editions of Petite Robe Noire. Since 2009. Are our perfume attention spans really that short? When I find a great perfume I tend to want to hold onto it for dear life...
Anyway it's not much of a review but I do like this perfume a lot, and I like the L'Eau even more, and I think it's a shame that someone's work of art is already gone. PI seems to have plenty of fans, what kind of sales were LVMH expecting right away anyway? Like other mediums sometimes it takes awhile to create a following...
ETA--Oh, and I count 17 editions of Petite Robe Noire. Since 2009. Are our perfume attention spans really that short? When I find a great perfume I tend to want to hold onto it for dear life...
ChelleBelle84
Ok, so it's not *exactly* like Shalimar. Some of you people made it absolutely clear. It was also made clear that is wasn't supposed to be, it was meant to be a younger, fresher version. You wouldn't even judge the fragrance on its own. No! You had to beat it up screaming, "IT'S NOT SHALIMAR!!!!!" And trashed it, and trashed it, and trashed it some more so others won't bother to even give it a chance. Well now, the fragrance is discontinued. Now people such as myself who loved this beauty can't have it. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW??!!!
Oh yeah, there are still bottles to be had online, IF they're authentic. Once those bottles start to dwindle down, prices will sky rocket. To say I'm angry is putting it mildly! I'm getting quite tired of discontinuation of fragrances. If it is not the IFRA, it's perfume snobs trash mouthing fragrances to discontinuation taking people's joy away. The cruelest and meanest thing you can do to a fellow perfumista. I could not wear the original Shalimar. I suppose those posting horrible reviews didn't think about that, did you? I could wear this. Well now, "MY" Shalimar is gone. So very glad you still have your original Shalimar and not have to feel disappointment as I (and others) feel. Please remember it's not all about you when posting reviews.
[cries]
Oh yeah, there are still bottles to be had online, IF they're authentic. Once those bottles start to dwindle down, prices will sky rocket. To say I'm angry is putting it mildly! I'm getting quite tired of discontinuation of fragrances. If it is not the IFRA, it's perfume snobs trash mouthing fragrances to discontinuation taking people's joy away. The cruelest and meanest thing you can do to a fellow perfumista. I could not wear the original Shalimar. I suppose those posting horrible reviews didn't think about that, did you? I could wear this. Well now, "MY" Shalimar is gone. So very glad you still have your original Shalimar and not have to feel disappointment as I (and others) feel. Please remember it's not all about you when posting reviews.
[cries]
KateInDC
It's taken me several weeks to pin down what this smells like: baby aspirin! Or orange SweeTarts. Not in a bad way--it's crisp, tart, and sweet. The drydown is a heavenly vanilla powder. The scent lasts until evening and layers beautifully.
neniox6
I tried this perfume, i love the beginning really soft and powdery but later on my skin became a really strong vanilla, which i dislike.. wanted to love this but unfortunately is not for me.
adice
So, I think this was the first perfume I tried that just doesn't get along with my skin. I like all the notes listed in theory and love the smell directly from the bottle but once I spray it on myself all I can focus on is the underlying funk. So, it's like someone sprayed a beautiful vanillic powdery warm amber perfume as air freshener in the bathroom (the perfume smell is gorgeous) but you can still tell someone just recently pooped in there. Not pleasant. Who wants to smell like they're walking around with poopy pants? Maybe whatever musk they used here is the problem? Giving this away ASAP. Considering all the positive reviews here I'm sure someone else will have better luck with it.
SlimjadeyMeme
I'm not sure why other people say that this is nothing like Shalimar but I disagree. But then i often get different things coming from fragrances than other people, it is after all a subjective thing.
But from this, I believe I get exactly what is intended by Guerlain, and that is a slightly gentler introduction to Shalimar. But it definitely has the same essence as Shalimar to me, just not quite as heavy.
This is a fragrance that I don't love, but I do feel like I could grow to love it and then grow into Shalimar. It's just so different to my nose that it seems to be an acquired taste. Not regretting my purchase, but I will need some time to get to know it better.
But from this, I believe I get exactly what is intended by Guerlain, and that is a slightly gentler introduction to Shalimar. But it definitely has the same essence as Shalimar to me, just not quite as heavy.
This is a fragrance that I don't love, but I do feel like I could grow to love it and then grow into Shalimar. It's just so different to my nose that it seems to be an acquired taste. Not regretting my purchase, but I will need some time to get to know it better.
habibhafsi
the bottle design: pure class
the price : good to moderate
the scent:at the opening is very dry and strong , reminds me of dior homme (the regular and the intense version) but then it settles down for a baby powder scent , the most expensive and sophisticated baby powder ever.
am a man and i like that a lot ( more masculine than DHI)
no similarities to original shalimar
+++ i can see a huge link to l'homme ideal in the dry down
it might be my nose
the price : good to moderate
the scent:at the opening is very dry and strong , reminds me of dior homme (the regular and the intense version) but then it settles down for a baby powder scent , the most expensive and sophisticated baby powder ever.
am a man and i like that a lot ( more masculine than DHI)
no similarities to original shalimar
+++ i can see a huge link to l'homme ideal in the dry down
it might be my nose
KarlekLila
This stuff is delicious! Fresh, bergamot, citrus top notes strongly reminiscent of Earl Grey tea dominate the first initial spray. After a few hours the bergamot gives way to a short-lived green note that melds to powdery iris. Though the iris begins to fade the powdery aspect remains, morphing into delectable, caramelized, vanilla-sugar dipped patchouli leaves. The vanilla as a singular note on me is minimal but pleasant. I do wish it lasted a bit longer on my skin, but all in all this is cozy, powdery, caramel sweetness.
As with many a Guerlain perfume a little goes a LONG way! Thus the full 3.3 oz bottle will last a long time. The sillage on this baby is monstrous! (I was told by several people in my house they could smell my perfume before I even came down the stairs)! The perfect autumn fragrance. I own both the L'eau version (edt) & the edp and find them quite similar, though the edt is a bit lighter for summer.
As with many a Guerlain perfume a little goes a LONG way! Thus the full 3.3 oz bottle will last a long time. The sillage on this baby is monstrous! (I was told by several people in my house they could smell my perfume before I even came down the stairs)! The perfect autumn fragrance. I own both the L'eau version (edt) & the edp and find them quite similar, though the edt is a bit lighter for summer.
ClairaNoir
I knew I shouldn't have fallen for the hype, because this was nothing that it's made out to be. This is VERY fresh; how could Guerlain possibly market this with Shalimar in the name? I love the vintage versions of Shalimar and would bathe in Shalimar everyday if I could afford to; this is not Shalimar! This is just light citrus powder ruining the name of Guerlain's most legendary fragrance by trying to pass itself off as something it's not.
The sillage is a joke, but the longevity is good.
The sillage is a joke, but the longevity is good.
lalondem
I saw this in a gift pack in the discount store last week and thought "I'll come back for it in a few days". Sure enough when I went to get it a few days later couldn't find it. I now was sad, kicking myself for not getting it the first time -I mean it's discontinued and all.... Went to the same store 2 days later looking for different things and of course I always make a trip to the perfume section - and there it was, behind some other perfumes - and they had discounted it by $16.00!! Yah for me and yah I was even able to get it at all.
I have to say I was never a big fan of the original Shalimar, just too heavy oriental for me (incense, musk tonka bean) just too much. But this one! Oh so soft and light powdery ,iris,vanilla and very ,very light on the patchouli....(all those heavy patch perfumes are really starting to get to me-and I do have a few myself).
I just want to lay down and keep smelling this soft peaceful scent, makes me feel like a little baby wrapped in soft material. Lol A definite love for me.
I have to say I was never a big fan of the original Shalimar, just too heavy oriental for me (incense, musk tonka bean) just too much. But this one! Oh so soft and light powdery ,iris,vanilla and very ,very light on the patchouli....(all those heavy patch perfumes are really starting to get to me-and I do have a few myself).
I just want to lay down and keep smelling this soft peaceful scent, makes me feel like a little baby wrapped in soft material. Lol A definite love for me.
Mastane
عطر یه شروع گیاهی قابل توجه داره که در همون لحظه اول بعد از اسپری کردن میشه احساسش کرد که البته آمیخته با رگه هایی مرکباتیه که از برگاموت و پرتقال ناشی میشه.
شروع کار بسیار تند و تیزه و اما بعد از چند دقیقه وقتی به قلب کار میرسیم یه رایحه پودری خیلی لوند و دلربا احساس میکنیم ، یه سمفونی زیبا از نت زنبق و وتیور که یاس و رز و نعنا هندی همراهیش میکنن .حضور زنبق خیلی پررنگه همچنین نعنا هندی مثل همیشه کار تکمیل میکنه اما رز و یاس فقط سرک میکشن و خجالتی هستن .عطر زنبق خیلی غالب میشه و در نهایت نت پایانی کار که شامل کارامل و وانیل و مشک و تونکاس .
البته من بیشتر کارامل و مشک رو احساس کردم .
در کل کاری جذاب و زیبا و ور خور بانوان شیک و با کلاس که خواهان عطری مدرن اما با اصالت کلاسیک و جسورانه هستند.
سن استفاده ترجیحا 25 به بالا
شروع کار بسیار تند و تیزه و اما بعد از چند دقیقه وقتی به قلب کار میرسیم یه رایحه پودری خیلی لوند و دلربا احساس میکنیم ، یه سمفونی زیبا از نت زنبق و وتیور که یاس و رز و نعنا هندی همراهیش میکنن .حضور زنبق خیلی پررنگه همچنین نعنا هندی مثل همیشه کار تکمیل میکنه اما رز و یاس فقط سرک میکشن و خجالتی هستن .عطر زنبق خیلی غالب میشه و در نهایت نت پایانی کار که شامل کارامل و وانیل و مشک و تونکاس .
البته من بیشتر کارامل و مشک رو احساس کردم .
در کل کاری جذاب و زیبا و ور خور بانوان شیک و با کلاس که خواهان عطری مدرن اما با اصالت کلاسیک و جسورانه هستند.
سن استفاده ترجیحا 25 به بالا
lumberjack
I'll never forgive you Guerlain. Never!!!
How can you discontinued this gem ha how! It's like a star right now for me that i'm gonna dream of every single damn night...
How can you discontinued this gem ha how! It's like a star right now for me that i'm gonna dream of every single damn night...
DamonAlbarn
In an ideal world, this is what body mists/sprays would smell like.
Not a bombardment of artificial approximations of tropical fruits and flowers that blasts you as quickly as it disappears in shades of lime green and turquoise and fuchsia, but... this. Rich, thick, creamy, under the radar. Your skin but better.
Lately I've been into spicier, more loud and obnoxious scents, so I kept sampling this and thinking "what is the big deal?"
Now I get it.
It brings others to their knees without even trying.
Not a bombardment of artificial approximations of tropical fruits and flowers that blasts you as quickly as it disappears in shades of lime green and turquoise and fuchsia, but... this. Rich, thick, creamy, under the radar. Your skin but better.
Lately I've been into spicier, more loud and obnoxious scents, so I kept sampling this and thinking "what is the big deal?"
Now I get it.
It brings others to their knees without even trying.
Equestre
I found a gift set of this yesterday, 40ml bottle and 75ml body lotion, for $49.99 AUD. At that price, I couldn't leave it behind, even though I'd never tried it out before.
Being fairly new to this website and perfume in general, I'm not sure I can leave concise feedback about the notes etc, but I will say this -
a) I do not regret this blind-buy, and
b) my mother, who is NOT fond of perfumes, said 'it's lovely'. Winner!
Being fairly new to this website and perfume in general, I'm not sure I can leave concise feedback about the notes etc, but I will say this -
a) I do not regret this blind-buy, and
b) my mother, who is NOT fond of perfumes, said 'it's lovely'. Winner!
xJessax
So sad to hear this beauty is being discontinued... Oh, how foolish I was to pass up this gem while it was still in production.
Anyways, I ordered a 30 ml online during my birthday, in late June, having never smelled it before. My first Guerlain! The juice is the most delicate baby pink, along with the packaging with the blue tassel, just looking at the bottle makes me swoon! It opens with BURST of bitter bergamot and orange, at first, I was instantly overwhelmed. Upon reading rave reviews and literally daydreaming over the caramel, vanilla, and tonka bean notes, I surely thought it would turn out to be an *expensive* gourmand.(reminiscent of Prada Candy or Viktor & Rolf BonBon...) Boy, was I wrong! And I've never been more glad! The scent is something completely unique and special on it's own. Without looking at the notes, I would say I definitely get a whole lot of Iris, something floral, powdery, and timeless! As the scent settles on the skin... something profound happens. The vanilla comes out, as if it was hiding behind a mask the whole time! Dreamy, smooth, classy, powdery vanilla. It gives the scent body and warmth. The caramel however... no where to be found. It may be my chemistry, but the scent itself from beginning to end gives off a vintage ''makeup'' vibe.... which is somehow, very nostalgic to me! It won't be everyone's cup of tea. Behind the beautiful iconic Shalimar bottle, there's something new here. I sort of wish this scent wasn't a flanker, but rather, something completely different on it's own. New name, new outwardly appearance, same gorgeous juice... if only, right? Oh well.. Shalimar PI, I adore you. Heres to making my perfume journey a magnificent one. I will gladly use PI until the very last drop... which I will hold deep to my heart! <3
*Edit: Scent itself: 8/10!
Longevity~ 7-8 hours on me
Sillage~ Moderate
Anyways, I ordered a 30 ml online during my birthday, in late June, having never smelled it before. My first Guerlain! The juice is the most delicate baby pink, along with the packaging with the blue tassel, just looking at the bottle makes me swoon! It opens with BURST of bitter bergamot and orange, at first, I was instantly overwhelmed. Upon reading rave reviews and literally daydreaming over the caramel, vanilla, and tonka bean notes, I surely thought it would turn out to be an *expensive* gourmand.(reminiscent of Prada Candy or Viktor & Rolf BonBon...) Boy, was I wrong! And I've never been more glad! The scent is something completely unique and special on it's own. Without looking at the notes, I would say I definitely get a whole lot of Iris, something floral, powdery, and timeless! As the scent settles on the skin... something profound happens. The vanilla comes out, as if it was hiding behind a mask the whole time! Dreamy, smooth, classy, powdery vanilla. It gives the scent body and warmth. The caramel however... no where to be found. It may be my chemistry, but the scent itself from beginning to end gives off a vintage ''makeup'' vibe.... which is somehow, very nostalgic to me! It won't be everyone's cup of tea. Behind the beautiful iconic Shalimar bottle, there's something new here. I sort of wish this scent wasn't a flanker, but rather, something completely different on it's own. New name, new outwardly appearance, same gorgeous juice... if only, right? Oh well.. Shalimar PI, I adore you. Heres to making my perfume journey a magnificent one. I will gladly use PI until the very last drop... which I will hold deep to my heart! <3
*Edit: Scent itself: 8/10!
Longevity~ 7-8 hours on me
Sillage~ Moderate
gatsby
Discontinued since june 2015. If you re a fan, grab it quickly. Not anymore in the stores, just online or ebay but also rare there too.
soleia
I bought Shalimar Parfum Initial after Shalimar and Eau de Shalimar and after I had tested it twice on skin. I was not head over heels with it, but I like things in sets, so...I also enjoyed the fluffy dry down as well.
I have to say, Shalimar Parfum Initial does not remind me at all of its relatives. It never did and I did not buy it based on that assumption. But I liked it in its own right and the bottle is oh so pretty. Rumours of discontinuation helped too.
One year afterwards, I can say that the dry-down is still my favourite part: fluffy, powdery and warm. However, I am afraid that the opening is the reason why I have stopped wearing it: on me, it's 45 minutes of plastic/playdoh scent, essentially the "doll's head" effect that another reviewer mentioned. I am not sure which combination of notes produces that result, but there it is. Otherwise, it is sweet (not overly so) and fluffy (did I mention that already?). Longevity is very good and sillage is moderate (but I am an under-sprayer).
I haven't given it away yet, as I generally like it and feel I might grow past that opening. And the bottle looks good!
I have to say, Shalimar Parfum Initial does not remind me at all of its relatives. It never did and I did not buy it based on that assumption. But I liked it in its own right and the bottle is oh so pretty. Rumours of discontinuation helped too.
One year afterwards, I can say that the dry-down is still my favourite part: fluffy, powdery and warm. However, I am afraid that the opening is the reason why I have stopped wearing it: on me, it's 45 minutes of plastic/playdoh scent, essentially the "doll's head" effect that another reviewer mentioned. I am not sure which combination of notes produces that result, but there it is. Otherwise, it is sweet (not overly so) and fluffy (did I mention that already?). Longevity is very good and sillage is moderate (but I am an under-sprayer).
I haven't given it away yet, as I generally like it and feel I might grow past that opening. And the bottle looks good!
Michylaka
Shalimar Parfum Initial is a treat from start to finish. The initial spray is Citrus but far softer than the original Shalimar with the Green notes giving it a botanical lift. As the beginning fades I detect Rose and plenty of Iris. The Jasmine is not screaming at me but it is present as well. I get lost here in the same cloud of the rich Vanilla for which Shalimar is legendary. So utterly divine and so..well...Guerlain. There is some sweetness but nothing over the top...just enough. I love Tonka Bean and I definitely pick that out which adds a sensual dimension as well. The Patchouli and to a lesser extent the Vetiver keep this one grounded as this juice is quite otherworldly in my honest opinion.
I find Parfum Initial to be vibrant and bold yet soft and dreamy. A wondrous olfactory journey. I think of youth and what I imagine cherubs may smell like. The sillage fills a room with a minimal spritz and the longevity is over six hours. I initially bought a used half bottle and ended up picking up a back up that is almost full as well because I love this one with a passion. It reminds me of Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere but it is much more heady and complex. It is unfortunate they discontinued this. I give Shalimar Parfum Initial a 10/10++++.
I find Parfum Initial to be vibrant and bold yet soft and dreamy. A wondrous olfactory journey. I think of youth and what I imagine cherubs may smell like. The sillage fills a room with a minimal spritz and the longevity is over six hours. I initially bought a used half bottle and ended up picking up a back up that is almost full as well because I love this one with a passion. It reminds me of Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere but it is much more heady and complex. It is unfortunate they discontinued this. I give Shalimar Parfum Initial a 10/10++++.
perfumeaddiction
I think I left a review somewhere below but had to come back again. It's cold weather here and I got out my Initial. I sprayed this on 8 hours ago and it continues to go strong. It's the most amazing fabulous fragrance in my entire collection. The lasting power is incredible, the aroma is to die for and damn you Guerlain why on Earth would you discontinue this gem? Stupidest move ever!
Great fall/winter scent. A true beauty.
Great fall/winter scent. A true beauty.
Veronica85
بسیار با پرستیژ.خوشبو و به قول یکی از دوستان عزیز استخون دار. یک شیرینی بسیار زیبا در این عطر کار شده که برای من تنها کمی سنگینه. گرچه به هیچ وجه منکر زیباییش نمیشم.
BlackIrishRose
Ohhhhh I LOVE this from top notes to bottom! I have owned this for two hours and I'm considering a backup bottle. I get the comparisons to Flowerbomb in the mid notes and to Coco mademoiselle in the base notes, I think because of the vetiver. This seems more floral than the other two and I can really pick up the jasmine which I adore. I'm not picking up much caramel. Thank you for both the positive and negative (Yes negative-I almost bought a perfume after reading that it reminded someone of chlorinated pool water) reviews that have led me to this olfactory heaven!
Strange_Alchemy
On me, it's citrusy rose drying down to smoky sweetness. I can't say I love it, but it has its mystery.
Most Popular Positive Reviews
ChelleBelle84
Ok, so it's not *exactly* like Shalimar. Some of you people made it absolutely clear. It was also made clear that is wasn't supposed to be, it was meant to be a younger, fresher version. You wouldn't even judge the fragrance on its own. No! You had to beat it up screaming, "IT'S NOT SHALIMAR!!!!!" And trashed it, and trashed it, and trashed it some more so others won't bother to even give it a chance. Well now, the fragrance is discontinued. Now people such as myself who loved this beauty can't have it. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW??!!!
Oh yeah, there are still bottles to be had online, IF they're authentic. Once those bottles start to dwindle down, prices will sky rocket. To say I'm angry is putting it mildly! I'm getting quite tired of discontinuation of fragrances. If it is not the IFRA, it's perfume snobs trash mouthing fragrances to discontinuation taking people's joy away. The cruelest and meanest thing you can do to a fellow perfumista. I could not wear the original Shalimar. I suppose those posting horrible reviews didn't think about that, did you? I could wear this. Well now, "MY" Shalimar is gone. So very glad you still have your original Shalimar and not have to feel disappointment as I (and others) feel. Please remember it's not all about you when posting reviews.
[cries]
Oh yeah, there are still bottles to be had online, IF they're authentic. Once those bottles start to dwindle down, prices will sky rocket. To say I'm angry is putting it mildly! I'm getting quite tired of discontinuation of fragrances. If it is not the IFRA, it's perfume snobs trash mouthing fragrances to discontinuation taking people's joy away. The cruelest and meanest thing you can do to a fellow perfumista. I could not wear the original Shalimar. I suppose those posting horrible reviews didn't think about that, did you? I could wear this. Well now, "MY" Shalimar is gone. So very glad you still have your original Shalimar and not have to feel disappointment as I (and others) feel. Please remember it's not all about you when posting reviews.
[cries]
Mojan
If I were Mr. Thierry Wasser, I might have referred to this page from time to time just to see how people respond to this masterpiece that has taken a lot of time, effort and mastery to be born and unjustly has been doomed to go down the path of elimination way too early than deserved. I would have smiled with the love shown to my creation and I would have wiped my tears, seeing how ladies sigh for having to say goodbye to this lovely gem. That's why I'm sending him a message from here.
Mr. Wasser, Shalimar Parfum Initial for me is the extract of love, beauty, seduction, kindness, happiness, harmony and perfection blended masterfully with your magic hands and poured in a bottle. I could have lived happily with only this one scent for the rest of my life if I had to. I imagine myself swimming in this perfume, I imagine myself being in paradise and having wings with this perfume. This is the only perfume I have stocked up greedily so as to postpone the day I'd be without this masterpiece in my life. This is one of your greatest creations if not The Greatest. Shalimar Parfum Initial was your love letter sent to modern women and your artist soul has been succeeded to convey your feelings so beautifully and so masterfully. I'd be forever thankful to you for presenting your love to us and also for making my day more beautiful by wearing it. I know you are as sad as we are to see it go away, but let us just hope they would realize they have made a mistake and bring it back to us. Not everything is profit after all.
Mr. Wasser, Shalimar Parfum Initial for me is the extract of love, beauty, seduction, kindness, happiness, harmony and perfection blended masterfully with your magic hands and poured in a bottle. I could have lived happily with only this one scent for the rest of my life if I had to. I imagine myself swimming in this perfume, I imagine myself being in paradise and having wings with this perfume. This is the only perfume I have stocked up greedily so as to postpone the day I'd be without this masterpiece in my life. This is one of your greatest creations if not The Greatest. Shalimar Parfum Initial was your love letter sent to modern women and your artist soul has been succeeded to convey your feelings so beautifully and so masterfully. I'd be forever thankful to you for presenting your love to us and also for making my day more beautiful by wearing it. I know you are as sad as we are to see it go away, but let us just hope they would realize they have made a mistake and bring it back to us. Not everything is profit after all.
lotus and jasmine
Love, love, love, love, love.
I sprayed this and thought, sweet...but kind of interesting. A few minutes later I had the experience that I always envied when I heard about it from other Fragranticans: I was walking around, smelling something AMAZING, and realized that it was me!
Sweet, surprisingly woody, perfectly spiced, warmly citric, this is iris at it's best, both deep and rich, soft and warm, velvety with a touch of edge. Just remarkable. Utterly divine, definitely wearable. The first scent I've ever experienced that I found romantic in nature.
This is one for candlelight dinners, cuddles in cashmere, the sort of scent that tells the one you're with that you think they are special, and so you wear this scent for their enjoyment. Because you love them so.
Try this one. It may surprise you!
I sprayed this and thought, sweet...but kind of interesting. A few minutes later I had the experience that I always envied when I heard about it from other Fragranticans: I was walking around, smelling something AMAZING, and realized that it was me!
Sweet, surprisingly woody, perfectly spiced, warmly citric, this is iris at it's best, both deep and rich, soft and warm, velvety with a touch of edge. Just remarkable. Utterly divine, definitely wearable. The first scent I've ever experienced that I found romantic in nature.
This is one for candlelight dinners, cuddles in cashmere, the sort of scent that tells the one you're with that you think they are special, and so you wear this scent for their enjoyment. Because you love them so.
Try this one. It may surprise you!
malindajoquinn
Shalimar's elegant, understated little sister. Shalimar wears a black silk slip dress, dripping with diamonds; Parfum Initial wears pale blush and pearls. She keeps a little more to the imagination, but draws you in with her sparkling personality.
This scent is warm, powdery and bright. Soft and fuzzy like a cashmere sweater.
Absolutely beautiful.
This scent is warm, powdery and bright. Soft and fuzzy like a cashmere sweater.
Absolutely beautiful.
corkscrewcurly
@ IngSoc274
I read your review of YSL Cinema earlier today; here's an extract:
"This is my go to juice when I want to invite a chick to my pad. Women love this scent and this is like baby making juice in a bottle.
I usually play Adele in the background when chicks come over, and display my recycling bins right at the entrance, in full view, and oh sweet baby Jaysus are they impressed. Works great on exotic foreign girls too, so don't worry if their immigration documentation is current or not, it's all good.
This scent is a nice woody masculine scent, close to RL Polio pour homme.
For American girls I pair this with pizza/merlot but for the foreign chicks I've found fried cous cous works better with carbonated bottled water.
Guys, trust me this is a huge panty hose dropper and so be careful.
Rating: A+
Longevity: All night long, we're talking performance here.
Projection: 6 inches (I'm told that's about average; besides women say men worry more about that stuff than women do)."
It was so ridiculous, I checked out the rest of your reviews and discovered that most of them have this theme - as does this review of PI.
Presumably you are writing these "reviews" for your own entertainment; I doubt very much anyone else is entertained as you keep repeating the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over...
This isn't funny; it is just tiresome, juvenile and boring - and potentially offensive.
Please stop.
I read your review of YSL Cinema earlier today; here's an extract:
"This is my go to juice when I want to invite a chick to my pad. Women love this scent and this is like baby making juice in a bottle.
I usually play Adele in the background when chicks come over, and display my recycling bins right at the entrance, in full view, and oh sweet baby Jaysus are they impressed. Works great on exotic foreign girls too, so don't worry if their immigration documentation is current or not, it's all good.
This scent is a nice woody masculine scent, close to RL Polio pour homme.
For American girls I pair this with pizza/merlot but for the foreign chicks I've found fried cous cous works better with carbonated bottled water.
Guys, trust me this is a huge panty hose dropper and so be careful.
Rating: A+
Longevity: All night long, we're talking performance here.
Projection: 6 inches (I'm told that's about average; besides women say men worry more about that stuff than women do)."
It was so ridiculous, I checked out the rest of your reviews and discovered that most of them have this theme - as does this review of PI.
Presumably you are writing these "reviews" for your own entertainment; I doubt very much anyone else is entertained as you keep repeating the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over...
This isn't funny; it is just tiresome, juvenile and boring - and potentially offensive.
Please stop.
Most Popular Negative Reviews
wesleyhclark
My wife is away for a week so I'm taking this opportunity to try certain women's scents. I don't normally like them (I am not a floral person at all), but.. what the heck.
Look - there's my wife's Guerlain Shalimar Parfum Initial sitting on the bathroom sink. One spray, that's all. It's a powdery vanilla Guerlain; I'm sure that might be good. Smells good on her. Why not? One spray.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
Well. I won't ever make that mistake again.
p.s. It smells terrific on my wife, where it belongs.
Look - there's my wife's Guerlain Shalimar Parfum Initial sitting on the bathroom sink. One spray, that's all. It's a powdery vanilla Guerlain; I'm sure that might be good. Smells good on her. Why not? One spray.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
Well. I won't ever make that mistake again.
p.s. It smells terrific on my wife, where it belongs.
Meremere
I have really tried to like this.
I've come back to it three times, because surely my sense of smell must be broken.
To my nose, this opens with a primordial SCREAM of butane citrus with a dab of car exhaust. It makes me scrunch my nose in recoil and cough. Then the drydown is a synthetic lemon/floral/powder leftover from 1910.
For me, this is Dante's 4th ring of perfume hell.
I've come back to it three times, because surely my sense of smell must be broken.
To my nose, this opens with a primordial SCREAM of butane citrus with a dab of car exhaust. It makes me scrunch my nose in recoil and cough. Then the drydown is a synthetic lemon/floral/powder leftover from 1910.
For me, this is Dante's 4th ring of perfume hell.
redskyatnight
Parfum Initial is a masterpiece and a strange beauty. It's called an "initiation" into Shalimar. Though many have wailed at a "cheapening" or marketing ploy to bring Shalimar to younger generations, I think it's a wise choice. I'm in the 30-something perfume no-man's land between fruity florals and heavy hitters, and they've piqued my interest in Shalimar where I was previously averse to it. This may be my step toward one day owning and wearing Shalimar regularly. And Parfum Initial is exactly the lovely, dignified fragrance I was looking for.
The first spritz and drydown of Parfum Initial are a little scary with a sort of haunting, icy blue iris and deep musk. Then the caramel warms things up, its salty aspect speaking to the chilly top notes but drawing them into warmer, tamer lands. The powder accord is unlike anything else I've experienced, lending a smoky, incense-ash quality. For the first half hour, the whole thing has a Victorian boudoir aura, complete with velvet accents, damask wallpaper, and lots of maroon and dark wood everywhere. Then it lightens and becomes chic and modern, yet timelessly beautiful. It's warm and powdery with a little mystery.
Completely a winter or late fall scent to me, for a mature woman (insert your own definition for that) or, I might say, a maturing woman. For the first half hour it has the potential for offending as much as tempting, so wear prudently. Personally I have a hard time with musk, but this is the first truly musky fragrance I've been okay with. I spray on the decollete so it gently wafts up and leaves me in a wonderful mood. After a few days of wearing this, I have fallen in love. So. Hard.
The first spritz and drydown of Parfum Initial are a little scary with a sort of haunting, icy blue iris and deep musk. Then the caramel warms things up, its salty aspect speaking to the chilly top notes but drawing them into warmer, tamer lands. The powder accord is unlike anything else I've experienced, lending a smoky, incense-ash quality. For the first half hour, the whole thing has a Victorian boudoir aura, complete with velvet accents, damask wallpaper, and lots of maroon and dark wood everywhere. Then it lightens and becomes chic and modern, yet timelessly beautiful. It's warm and powdery with a little mystery.
Completely a winter or late fall scent to me, for a mature woman (insert your own definition for that) or, I might say, a maturing woman. For the first half hour it has the potential for offending as much as tempting, so wear prudently. Personally I have a hard time with musk, but this is the first truly musky fragrance I've been okay with. I spray on the decollete so it gently wafts up and leaves me in a wonderful mood. After a few days of wearing this, I have fallen in love. So. Hard.
francie79
I love this scent so much and what is so funny is that I received it by accident. I ordered a bottle of the original Shalimar edp from an ebay seller and received this instead which I fell in love with at first spray. Later I ordered the original Shalimar and ended up not liking it at all. This is a lovely vanilla/patchouli combo and has amazing sillage/longevity. It stays on and smells amazing all day long which makes me reach for it all the time. I oversprayed this one day and almost gave myself a headache...lol This is such a quality fragrance so that means that, of course, it's been discontinued...:( I already have one backup but I'm afraid that may not be enough. If you hated the original Shalimar and haven't sniffed this one, please do! Love this!
*EDIT* I had to part ways with this scent for it started giving me queasy migraines for it's just *soooo* strong. Even one spray was too much and I may try the edt version of this at some point.
*EDIT* I had to part ways with this scent for it started giving me queasy migraines for it's just *soooo* strong. Even one spray was too much and I may try the edt version of this at some point.
Jitterbug Perfume Lover
Shalimar Parfum Initial
The original Shalimar is one of my signature scents. It’s heady and beautiful and nothing in this world compares to it. I was anxious to try the Parfum Initial because I thought it might be a lighter, fresh version of one of my all-time favorites. I am sorry to say that this didn’t work for me at all. It reminded me of a quote from David Sedaris, “The food was horrible, and there was so little of it!” because the perfume was awful on my skin and it didn’t last at all!
In my imagination, I was ready to stroll through the gardens of Shalimar in the afternoon, with a light sexy perfumed breeze blowing through my hair enveloped by the smell of citrus trees lightly warmed in the sun, but I feel like I’ve traveled there by being trapped in a car with Hunter S. Thompson and Audrey Tautou smoking clove cigarettes and drinking spiced rum straight all night while speeding through the desert.
The boozy vanilla and the smokey wood with the cloves, iris and rose turned this into the ashes of clove cigarettes on my skin. I sampled it three times with the same result each time and this lasted an hour. Then for a quick 30 minutes it became a divine but very faint carmel rose smokey vanilla, but I just couldn’t endure the hour of clove ashes to get there! I might keep this until the winter to see if anything changes, but most likely, I will end up swapping it out. I am so sad that this didn’t work for me. I truly wanted to love it.
The original Shalimar is one of my signature scents. It’s heady and beautiful and nothing in this world compares to it. I was anxious to try the Parfum Initial because I thought it might be a lighter, fresh version of one of my all-time favorites. I am sorry to say that this didn’t work for me at all. It reminded me of a quote from David Sedaris, “The food was horrible, and there was so little of it!” because the perfume was awful on my skin and it didn’t last at all!
In my imagination, I was ready to stroll through the gardens of Shalimar in the afternoon, with a light sexy perfumed breeze blowing through my hair enveloped by the smell of citrus trees lightly warmed in the sun, but I feel like I’ve traveled there by being trapped in a car with Hunter S. Thompson and Audrey Tautou smoking clove cigarettes and drinking spiced rum straight all night while speeding through the desert.
The boozy vanilla and the smokey wood with the cloves, iris and rose turned this into the ashes of clove cigarettes on my skin. I sampled it three times with the same result each time and this lasted an hour. Then for a quick 30 minutes it became a divine but very faint carmel rose smokey vanilla, but I just couldn’t endure the hour of clove ashes to get there! I might keep this until the winter to see if anything changes, but most likely, I will end up swapping it out. I am so sad that this didn’t work for me. I truly wanted to love it.
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