Reviews of Flowerbomb (2004)
by Viktor & Rolf

I really like it. It's a heck of a lot like another "expensive" perfume of its ilk, Curve Vintage Soul. And even in that Flowerbomb is like Coco Mademoiselle. The citrusy patchouli drydown really gives that away. Even then it's the jasmine "florals". And another commonality is Flowerbomb shares the patchouli, musk and vanilla (what doesn't?) with Coco Mademoiselle. Flowerbomb is much more floral and sweet patchouli and is not as vibrant as Coco Mademoiselle nor as open and "clean as Vintage Soul. Now contrary to the "flower" name, Flowerbomb dries into a patchouli musk with touches of vanilla. Oh yeah, and there's rose but it's overpowered by everything else going on. The EdP is fantastic but the EdT is so mild that it just kills the essence.

WOW! That was my first reaction to this beauty. Instant love at first sniff! Very sweet, but somehow Flowerbomb pulls off the sweetness without being cloying. The delicate floral notes wrap around the sweetness to produce a smooth creaminess that is pure decadence. Intoxicating! Reactions from female friends are somewhat "meh", but my male friends practically started drooling on me!
I cannot detect the bergamot note at all. In fact, I am skeptical that it's really there at all! Bergamot seems to astringent to mix with the other notes here. A light tea moving rapidly to light jasmine is what I get. The middle notes last the longest on me; I only get the faintest notes of rose. Truthfully, there doesn't seem to be any drydown; like Ultraviolet (another winner for me) Flowerbomb has a very quick opening followed by hours of an unchanging middle.
I also do not detect any patchouli, in fact was surprised to see it listed as a note. I suspect a light hand was used with the patchouli, and it is probably that note that keeps the sweetness in check. Not super long lasting on me, but with my chemistry that is typical (only about 4-5 hours at best).
All thumbs up for me!

I only recently discovered Flowerbomb and tested it several times before deciding its charms were collection-worthy. There's more sugar than flowers, but the rose definitely comes through in a soft, powdery, sweet sort of way. Amber isn't listed in the notes but it's definitely there (to my nose) and warms everything up nicely. The tea comes through as well, as does the freesia. I believe the jasmine note is of the sambac variety, which I instinctively gravitate toward, and which smells more liquid, powdery and light than any other species of the plant (for reference, see Alien). The patchouli is a very clean version of itself - hardly there, in fact. Nothing like the patchouli hangover of Angel (which I adore but which would ruin this lovely feminine). I detect a slight hint of chocolate, as well. I used to own and adore Bath & Body Works' Sensual Amber, which is very similar to Flowerbomb, but with fruity notes replacing FB's chocolate.

The lasting-power is good, as it is with most powdery, rose scents. In structure, I would certainly compare it to Alien, and it has that same, sweet-rosy-powdery vibe that Tresor offers, only much softer and "pinker," and with a tea accord keeping it just slightly brighter. I think over-applying this scent will keep it from developing. It stays close to the skin however, so over-applying won't leave a strong trail of sillage in your wake.

My guy smells caramel and I did too, on the test strip, but on my skin, it's a different story. Sometimes, when the weather's colder, I get more of a grape-juice-and-tea smell at first, which fades down to a very sweet jasmine. Other days, when my body temperature rises, I get more rose, more chocolate, and more of the powdery amber which is my favorite part. On the test strip, as my guy correctly noted, it smells of the trick-or-treat candy bags of our youth. He was sweet enough to get me a refillable bottle of this juice for Valentine's Day and I could not love the bottle more! The black V&R tab of the original has been replaced with a pink, metallic tab which matches the cap. It's overall, a thicker, rounder bottle and extremely original (though the juice may not be).

Definitely recommended for anyone who likes Tresor, Alien, Lipstick Rose, or other sweet scents.

What a damn shame this one is. Both my mother and sister own this fragrance and its hello and goodbye at lightspeed. The notes are very boring and non chalant. I can't see why anyone would drop the bucks for this one. It's a nice bottle with a popular name. Thats it.

The first time I smelled this it must have turned under the lights and on top of the hot glass case at the department store. I purchased two bottles to sell overseas to French West African clientele when I rediscovered this perfume. Wow is all I can say. It is somewhat reminiscent of Coco Madamoiselle BUT in my opinion more modern and wearable than C.M. (which my mother wears and seems way too dry and dead after a bit). Men love it and everyone asks about it-after all we wear perfume to attract the opposite sex, and it seems to me that the compliments I get from them are a positive. I only wear one other sweet floral and that is Carolina Herrera but this is a departure. I disagree with the negative comments on this one. It is extremely sexy and I wear it for every occasion. This is not a young womans perfume.

fairly young floral. for ages 35 and under i would think. very sweet jasmine, and patchouli without ever being to cloying. at least they did not over think this one as the men's version "antidote" has 25 different notes!!! i like them both though.

Floral, powerful, and unique scent.
It is a Floral - Orange Tuberose type of perfume.
The perfume starts with a floral scent, which later becomes sweet and floral, as middle notes start to come out. The ending has a sweeter and a little musky scent.
The floral notes in the middle are the dominant scent, which can be a little overwhelming.
The perfume has a new and unique scent, but it does not motivate me enough to buy it.

Interesting name, appealing bottle and good marketing made me try this scent in the mall... I sniffed the bottle first then gave up trying it on my skin as I thought it was another sweet sugary smell out there.
Found it ordinary... But two weeks ago, a lady who I met in a conference was wearing a perfume which was amazing, she said it was Flowerbomb. Couple of days later another lady in the office was wearing a very good perfume and she said it was Flowerbomb, again. So I tried it again on my skin and changed my mind about it. Because it develops on your skin in a very good way. I cannot detect bergamot, tea and flower notes much, except jasmine, it blends with patchouli very well and becomes milky. This is definitely not an Angellike overly sweet perfume, not offending, and quite good choice for night and special occasions... Oh by the way, drydown reminds me of Gloria of Cacharel (although the notes are not similar)

I fell in love with this when it came out. I only where it during warm weather. My dr. who has never commented on anything "personal" asked what smelled so good when he came into the examining room. Now I have gone there for 15 years on a regular basis. I find it to be sexy and I feel confident when I am wearing it.

I love it, like I love Allure and cafe (an older fragrance). I like sweet fragrances and this one is perfect and last for many hours. I almost gave up buying it because the grenade bottle that remember me war, I hate it! But it smells so good I couldn't resist!
It's pricey here in Brazil, but it's irresistible, my husband loved it!

According to the Dana Thomas book 'Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster', "perfume companies buy juices they think are marketable and keep them in reserve until they find the right brand for them." One of such companies was Loreal, and apparently they bought this juice from IFF, sat on it for three whole years until Victor&Rolf knocked on their door for a new scent - and now that juice is called 'Flowerbomb'.

So that is the mystery behind this very 'elusive' designer scent. It is not a story that grand. Truth be told, 'Flowerbomb' is not really a Victor&Rolf creation. It is just a juice that some businessmen thought was marketable.

After that 'fact check', I must say I think almost everyone posted an accurate review that summarized what Flowerbomb is. Personally, when I think of the name 'Flowerbomb', I think of some fragrance like YSL Paris. Not necessarily the candied flowers of this one.

'Flowerbomb' is not awful, but to me, also not quite exceptional.

I feel like they tried hard to create a somewhat lighter dose flower induced version of Angel and they truly succeeded. The scent's charm heavily relies on the wearer's personal skin chemistry. Honestly, it is perhaps one of the most un-apologetically sweet juices out there.

Every afternoon in a local gym a ripped, rich, middle-aged estate agent with loads of attitude struts her stuff in a cloud of Flower Bomb, in the firm belief that she's da bomb. This cloud to me reeks of grainy, unclean patchouli on wilted flowers. Not at all objectionable, but perhaps a bit too much in a semi-crowded gym where ventilation can be an issue from time to time. All this doesn't mean to say that I won't be testing it on myself soon, make NO mistake...

The only thing missing from this fragrance is the orchestra. I am both repulsed and fixated by this near to parfum. At once, I resent the powdery languide of the middle note's predictable miss on seduction. But let it wait, like an overdressed girl on a park bench. Let it wait, the tension alone will elicit immediate attention, as the base notes politely demand. Sugar, spice and everything you'd better keep your eye on. This scent reminds me of Belgium beer and very tan boys. There is a definate bang to the end, which you are bound to find satisfying. Enjoy!

This one is spicier than I thought --from the sweet n fruity reviews I figured it would be like candy sweet but the tea note and patchouli make it a really sexy scent and only sweet until it warms up and blossoms on the skin. It reminds me of other scents though, still if I was given a bottle I'd certainly wear it.

Sweet vanilla flowers in a cigarette ashtray. Even sans the unappealing smoke odor, it'd still be too sweet.

I love it.... words can't explain.

I absolutely love it!!! It's the bomb. Flowerbomb, I mean. It explodes with so many different scentsations, it tickles my nose. I've gotten numerous compliments, and it lasts.. But, I do think it is a bit pricey.

disappointing!

It's too fruity and sweet on me, just like "candy floss" as lots people described. I get the tea note which I like, but it was blocked by that cloying-and-never-cease sweetness... I just wonder where the flower is. If I want some candy, I'd rather go for a bottle of hilton's heiress, at least it's much cheaper!

Maybe all these are due to my body chemistry. but since quite a lot people felt same as me, I think is wise to have a test befor purchase.

Flowerbomb is great. I really like it when my lady wears it. I love it from to to base...

Flowerbomb is not for my skin, it becomes way too sweet and too uninteresting. I am sorry.

WOW! I just love this Flowerbomb! Everything about it is remarkably unique. The bottle, the name, the fragrance notes...the way they "explode & smolder" ~ simply brilliant! There has been so much extreme opinion on this one, but I personally find it attractive and wearable!

It is absolutely amazing that their are so many people that are smelling burnt sugar and carmel and stuff....sticky sweet, sugary etc. WOW! I don't get that. I do like RoseAmber's review, that describes it with light citrus-florals and powdery vanilla, etc. THAT, I get. It IS beautiful. It's fresh and brilliant. I have such a sensitive nose and am not the biggest perfume WEARER, more of a hobbyist...but for me this is very wearable and soooo agreeable with my chemistry. So far, all have really liked it on me...even those who are not afraid to wince with disgust for other perfumes. Flowerbomb, who cares what it's called or how the bottle is shaped??? Maybe the reviews are so poor because of the people expecting a certain kind of fragrance and this not being that. People should just try it...I almost didn't because of the others it was likened to, so I crossed it off of my list to try. Go figure, I accidentally tried it and love it!!!

I smelled it together with Antidote for men... it felt nice but it gave me the sensation of an aroma not plenty original, smelled on another perfume.

It starts with sweet flowers, a bit fresh, with notes of bergamot an tea. Middle notes appears quickly, dominated by freesia in a Ralph Lauren's Romance or Lancome's Miracle remembrance, plus other notes I felt like a floral mix. The base is sweet, like orchid plus sugar or caramel, and maybe a soft wood and vanilla noticeable since the beginning.

Very feminine, flowers fit well at summer and the vanilla is nice at winter. A bit complex for daytime use, better for office or evening use, for women between 25-45 years old.

This fragrance is amazing! It lasts forever, sometimes when I'm doing my laundry I can smell it on my clothes weeks after I've worn them. I always get tons of compliments when I wear it and whenever I smell it on someone else I think it smells amazing.

Awfully boring tutti-frutti syrup for such a big price tag.

Viktor & Rolf need to put on their big girl panties and come up with something other than these treacle-covered blossoms of theirs.

Unless this is the first review you're reading about Flowerbomb, you already know it's not flowery. It is sweet and styled to make friends quickly when first encountered: vanillic with caramelized sugar and a passive patchouli presence; any "flowers" must have been dribbled in from a vat marked Generic Floral Mixture #3. Until a better expression comes along, I'm going to refer to department-store frags as being manufactured with "A Big Paddle." (I'm attracted to niche and vintage-style scents whose molecules are stacked more meticulously.) For a Big Paddle frag, Flowerbomb is pleasant enough not to scrub off, but not attractive enough to mean something special to me.

flowerbomb..not impressive but sensual
sweet and warm should be worn in the daytime or weekends.

"Caramel bomb". No flowers. Another, boring, sticky, caramel stuff. So childish, barbyish.

I'm not usually a fan of floral, but Flowerbomb is absolutely amazing, i'm obsessed

I don't agree that it's as polarising as Angel, but it's just as instantly recognisable and for that, deserves some respect. The pink grenade shaped bottle mixes masculine and feminine imagery. The idea of a bomb I think suggests a gradual war on the senses rather than an overpowering effect. In the vein of Agent Provocateur's first one, it's a dusky musky floral. Powdery but quite bodily in that it's pungent. Like a voluptuous lady that's shaken talcum powder under her arms on a hot day. Feminine but absolutely not girly it also has a quite bitter smell. Some smells go 'up' when you smelll then, some 'down'. This one stays level in terms of the progression of notes to me.

the new angel competitor is this bomb who hide very spécial plastic flowers!!
"courage fuyons"
they want to destroy our noze,pitty,
or, i go to live in sooth pole!!
with pinguins !!

I am not as sophisticated with perfume lingo so I will just use amateur words. I loved it a lot at first, smelled sweet yet suave and sophisticated. It reminded me of Coco Mademoiselle. However, having major perfume longevity problems, I had to pass because I felt that the drydown was weak and barely there. I own Mademoiselle and after an hour it is gone on me - so I could not take the risk with this one too, specially that the price is a bit up there.

Hmmmm, Im not too impressed with this one, but maybe I was expecting too much :o\ First of all its lacking too much vitality to be a "bomb". It doesnt smell bad, but it doesnt have much kick and from all of the reviews Ive read I was expecting it to be way more gourmand than it is. It just smells like a clone of Allure. Contrary to some opinions, Flowerbomb does NOT smell anything like Angel, I wear Angel on a regular basis and FB is nothing like it, Flowerbomb smells like flowers Angel does not.
Flowerbomb and Allure share the same type of light floral scent, with that same light hint of spice. They're not bad scents, but arent distinctive enough for me.

I was really dissapointed by this one. I was expecting a really lovely and loud floral. All i was presented with was candy floss, it's sickeningly sweet and 'sticky' smelling. Not worth the price (about £50 for 50 mls over here in the UK). Fantastic bottle though!

I melt everytime i smell this...as a guy,
everytime i get a chance to go to a dept. store to see scents...this would be the first or second scent i would ask for a sample just to smell...
amazing theme and concept on the name and bottle construction...
it is a floral explosion...
i forced one of my friends to put it on...and for the rest of the day...shopping around the mall...i could still smell it...
perfect...

Tried this one yesterday and I didn't find it as extroardinary as I thought it would be. It starts with a smell that is very familiar (must be Allure) and further.... nothing. It just doensn't last on my skin and fades after a few minutes.

I recently sampled this at Nordstrom's on a female customer's wrist. It's very similar (but a bit less "foody") than Angel. The two are very similar, but I think FB is more feminine, and has greater mass appeal, than Angel. Viktor and Rolf claim 16+ hours longevity, and sillage is excellent. Of the two, FB is superior to Angel IMO, and is more suited to the more discreet and discriminating 30+ woman. If you are into gourmand (edible) fragrances you can't go wrong with this one. It is expensive, but also exclusive. If you like the candy style but want to stand out from the crowd, this is the one to buy.

Frankly, it is a mess. I tried both the original and etailer versions of it (some people suggested that the etailer interpretations were much better). None were better than the others. The notes are mixed up in an indecipherably manner. It is flat, but ironically loud and cloying. You don't get the complexity of the artisan fragrances, just a sickly sweet cloud.

I love this scent. I particurally like the patchouli element in the dry down. It's floral, but in an unusual way but not at all prissy. I don't know what it is, but on me there is a very sweet element to it. Not the scent of a definate food, but a lovely sweetness.

Flowerbomb (quite appropriate name) is wonderrrfull! haha only way to put this one. My friend and I tried this one out for his younger sister--keep in mind she is young and I agree with La Senora that this can be very..youthful;). Regaurdless it just evoked this happiness in both of us, this sort of unvoluntary smile. It was very similar, in this effect and in scent as well, to a Creed frag we tried once some time back. Unfortunately we CANT remember the name and it kills me. I liked the drydown as well: reminds me a bit of something similar to YSL Cinema, but it has its own character from it as well.
Just try it...Im not really a floral fan anyway =\

HOWEVER it seems important to this fragrance particularly that I note we tried it on paper on not yet on skin.

I want it! One thing I noticed is that on me, the scent does change. Strange as it may sound, it becomes masculine. I've always liked pushing the gender barrier, like Viktor & Rolf say, look for the contrast: this is my No. 1 rule. No drag obviously, just that I'm a man, I know what I want and I do what I want. I want pearls.

too too. it's trying to hard and the drydown is worthless. you need to be really young to pull this off. sense memory of disco in the late 80s, amyl nitrate and all.

I have survived the explosion of Flowerbomb. Is this a good name for a fragrance? And do I want to buy something in the shape of a hand grenade? Well, it's a violent experience of flowers that will certainly get the (shocked) attention of everyone around you with the noise of fragrance. One of the reasons I wear perfume is to experience the flow of a fragrance from top note to drydown. Flowerbomb doesn't do that. You put it on and it stays that way till you scrub it off. Or surrender. It should be called Flower Claxon. Perfect for someone who likes a lot of attention over a long period of time. Unfortunately, not for me.

I love this perfume. On my way home, I stopped at the store at London Heathrow airport to kill time. I tried on flowerbomb and was very impressed by the smell. It's lovely.

I love it in the bottle but it smells musty and unimpressive on my skin- like patchouli and burnt sugar. With different body chemistry it would be lovely. A must have for floral fans especially if you like patchouli but try this one before you buy- especially with the price.

I love the bottle and the marketing did wonders on my psyche... BUT it's too strong and very smoky to me. I'm not sure that makes sense, but reminds me of a room where someone's been smoking a pipe or a fancy cigar.

Ijust recently purchased Flowerbomb. It does last on my skin. Since I love orientals the most, especially woody-orientals, I was surprised that I would like this as much as I do. I find it to be just the right balance for someone who avoids florals and wants a softer, sweet floral. It is not too intense for me. A miracle for this oriental fanatic!

Flowerbomb? Smells sweet, spicy, caramelly and a bit like all-spice. Also this reminds me of blonde brownies baking in the oven. This isn't what I expected from a perfume named Flowerbomb.?! This is one-dimensional, as it doesn't change from the moment you put it on till it slowly wears off. In all honesty, Flowerbomb smells EXACTLY like Avon's Extraordinary! In a blind sniff test, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart. The only difference is Flowerbomb does last longer and has a bit more sillage. Also on the plus side the, bottle is very unique and makes a great conversation piece. Tho I like this, I don't think it's bottleworthy!

My wife and i love this! dandelions and vanilla at first then into daffodils. You only need a very small amount. My wifes favorite of the moment. Very different.

This one makes me smile. It's container is shaped like a grenade which is clever because the scent is so strong it really does "explode" onto you. The bad points are it's an extrememly overpowering blend of florals, so overwhelming, it gives me headaches. It's also extremely expensive as a 50ml bottle costs £100 where I live and it's sold in limited locations (which could be a good thing...). The only good point for me is that it's long lasting and smells alright on my skin.

Burnt vanilla sweet with a furniture polish drydown. It's all right, but nothing striking. I'll use my BLV Notte or Allure when I'm in the mood for this type of fragrance.

i think its so aggressive and i smell in it so much flowers that personally dislike ,i will not like to get out with a woman that wears this

Flowerbomb smells like cotton candy and is overpoweringly sweet. It is much too cloying for me. I liked it more on a paper strip than on my skin. It might work best in very small concentrations.

Sticky, sweet, hot...like melted sugar..not really sexy, or fun, doesnt even smell all that good...imagine being buried in cotton candy on a very hot day...

1980s-aggressive and rather sickly...This is a no go for me!

hmmm very excited at first....and it smellt like candy floss..however it didnt stay long withme..and therefore could not consider as a purchase...it is lovely if it stays...

A very basic gourmand with flowers. Nothing breathtaking. Nice but not impressive.

Gorgeous, warm scent to make you feel young and sensual. It is more sophisticated than the candy apple scents that teens would wear and comes with a unique bottle that signatures it's scent.

This perfume smells so good that I was compelled to ask the first woman I smelled it on, "What IS that perfume you're wearing, it's amazing!" It's not flowery or hippie-like as some would imagine, it's very warm and sweet. I absolutely detest patchouli, but due to a new distillation technique, it's lost that nasty dead-body smell. The staying power is great, too.

I fell for this upon first sniff. It reminded me of a sweet Allure at first, but now it's become an amazing and unique fragrance. This isn't like Coco Mlle on me in the least (nothing against CM, which I love as well); it smells like light citrus-florals and powdery vanilla with the slightest hints of sweet musk and patchouli. It smells elegant and evokes being pampered at a spa in the morning and wearing jewels at night. It beautiful. I would guess that lovers of Allure would like this as well. Flowerbomb is a fragrance that makes me want to get body wash and lotion so I can lavish myself in this scent!