Samsara (1989)
by Guerlain

I think a lot of people shy away from Samsara simply because it's so notorious, a plight which seems to affect many 80's fragrances. Personally I love the 80's; the big hair, outrageous clothing, loud fragrance and of course the music! To me, Samsara doesn't feel out of place or dated, it's a gorgeous blend of jasmine, ylang and sandalwood that feels very exotic on the skin. The EDP is much better than the EDT, the Parfum doesn't seem to last long at all and was a big dissapointment! Definitely a classic and suprisingly 'Guerlain' in style.

this feedback is for the Parfum concentration - Samsara in it;s parfum concentration is extremely creamy and powdery with the Iris and vanilla pods in full bloom with hints of floral and some that smells like rosewood. it very easily reminds me of Parfumerie Generales Cadjmere (the rosewood, and cocunutty vibe) although here it's much more opulent, creamy and thick. i havent tested the EDP or EDT, but i can strongly recommend the parfum concentration, it's pure delight.

EDP: It opens with quite a heavy dose of Jasmine, but I believe the beauty of this scent is in the Sandalwood dry-down and the slightly powdery and incense-y base. This is my reference sandalwood scent.

I'm puzzled. Why do certain scents evoke vivid imagery while others don't? Whenever I smell SAMSARA, I find myself in a tale from A Thousand and One Nights as a dashing adventurer in search of fame and fortune. My daring exploits eventually brought me to the attention of the Caliph's shapely and exquisitely beautiful daughter who summoned me to her private chambers late one evening. While it is ungentlemanly to describe what happened next I could still recall the opulence of her room in its shades of red, burgundy and mahogany. And I remember smiling as I left the next morning, her hauntingly beautiful scent still lingering on my skin. UNFORGETTABLE.

I read something recently which finally put Samsara into context for me. I have had a love/hate relationship with it, which I think centres around the powder. I do like powdery fragrances, but here it seems out of place. I'll happily be wearing a rich sweet oriental when this huge *poof* of powder erupts.

Anyway, I came across an interview with Robert Granai, the bottle designer, talking about the inspiration for it, and he said "we found [this] not in the Souk market, but in the Musée Guimet." Aha! More of an Orientalist fragrance than an Oriental. And there I had it. As we also know, Jean-Paul Guerlain created this for a particular woman. I have seen her, and I know her kind.

Some years ago I worked at a major museum where we would have big galas, and most of the ladies who attended were very wealthy and of a certain age. They all had near-identical ash blonde heavily highlighted, big, highly coiffed, hair. A hair helmet really. We took to calling this "international hair," which carried with it a whole host of associations.

And so I have come to the conclusion that Samsara is the oriental for women with international hair. It is well-mannered. And lest that indolic jasmine or sultry sandalwood should offend, there is a massive overlay of orris to keep it all in place, just as a robust application of Elnett will do for your coiffure.

My all time favorite fragrance. Just perfect! Any description will do no justice for Samsara. Just try it. Buy it. Wear it. Highly recommended and a MAN MAGNET.