Red Door (1989)
by Elizabeth Arden

When I first smelt Red Door I fell in love with it & wore it all the time. Now however, I find it too strong for me to wear without getting a headache - I actually gave my last bottle away for that very reason. I do still love it when others wear it due to it's elegant nature, but I think it is best left for a younger person to wear, as it lasts forever.

20th January, 2012.

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

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

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

10th December, 2011.

I'm wearing it right now. It's actually not bad at first. I like it a lot for a couple hours. It's cheap and old lady but I liked it.
But then it turns to litterbox smell, at least it's not as strong but still, putting my nose to my wrist, it's not good at all after two hours- but then it softens even more and isn't that bad again.

7th November, 2011.

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

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

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

26th April, 2011.

A jumble of diverse elements produces lack of balance, overly sweet smell and absence of any olfactory criterion. The scent is cloying and powerful, i find it too fruity and floral and endly a bit disgusting. I'm sorry but i find it unpleasant.

28th February, 2011. (Last Edited: 16th March, 2011.)

Oh Lord what can I say except......eww, this is headache inducing and makes me feel like sticking my head out the window, it's waaay to strong, even a light spray is too strong and long lasting. To those that love it I'm sorry but PLEASE don't come near me.

16th October, 2010.