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Shalimar by Guerlain, 1925

Shalimar by Guerlain, 1925 + add a photo
183 reviews
90% Positive Reviews
Rated #2 in Fragrances
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By MapOfTheWoods
Hmmm... Shalimar. Ladies smell so nice when they wear it. This is a scent that can bring about many memories. I can recall being a young teenager and being completely intoxicated by a friend's mom's perfume. This stuff MADE her a "hot mom". I remember the bottle... I bought some for my girlfriend. She's in the roller derby, and I was looking for something that would go well with her sport. We've gone through many sweet, fruity, herbal, and sporty scents... tried a few Etat Libre d'Orange, and a couple of samples of various Tom Ford. I settled on trying out the Shalimar because of its longevity (not while wearing... I mean in the sense that it's been around since the 20s), its attractiveness, and the way it can match up with a sport like roller derby: It's dark, dangerous, sexy, and packs a punch, but can keep its wits about about it in social situations. Shalimar comes in with the lemony top note, but does not last long. This dries down into something smoky and subtle, seductive. To me, it gets my mind racing on things like sex, making out, etc. The woman who wears this should wear in confidence that your man will notice. I don't know what the formula was like in the 20s, but I would love to find out. Buy yourself an extrait or at least the EDP. Any other "strength" and you'll not get the full idea of what this scent is supposed to be. I would even wear this myself if I paired it up with something Versace Baby Blue Jeans or put the smack down on it with Amouage Ciel Man. This one's a sultry winner, ladies. (update) I have been wearing this myself lately. I am really enjoying it. The extrait is the way to go... Guys, this smells good and I would recommend trying it. I know it's for ladies, but this can and WILL be quite masculine when worn by a guy... period. It smells nice, and you will get compliments... it seems that this is more unisex than anything else....
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By peachply
Try with caution: not everyone can wear this, on some it will make me feel queezy and give me an instant headache! I just bought a bottle of the cologne being a bit shy to try a stronger concentration and I am absolutely loving this! The lasting power of the cologne is truly impressive it wears on way beyond what I imagined, a good 8 hours. In the dry down I love the burnt creamy vanilla that appears, smells like heaven. Love this but may not wear to work! Sexy, vampy and mysterious is the name of the game here not cookie cutter scent of the week.
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By BTQ
First try of Shalimar... ...there it sat on my skin. The flagship of Guerlain. The first spritz is very lemony of course, but you also get a sniff of cedar which reminds a bit of church pews and old fur coats. I knew at the first whisp this was a great Old World Perfume. A legend. History. The hesperidics are quite elusive and the scent changes remarkably into smoky vanilla. I don't get that much flowers. The smokiness makes me think of a Walpurgis Night bonfire. Shalimar has an aura of wisdom, of a significant other. It's one of the few perfumes that really make my mind wander. True dramatic beauty. Who knows what the vintage version was like, but even the reformulation is aweinspiring. Luca Turin said, Shalimar makes 80% of todays fragrances appear trivial. Of course I now own a bottle. And what a timeless beauty that bottle is, don't you think? When did blue and yellow ever look that good together? I'd dare say: Greatest perfume of all times! Too special for me to wear it every day, but good to know I have it!
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By naqshbandi
Just opened my bottle of Shalimar Pure Parfum and applied a few dabs...omg it is so sensual and beautiful and warm; heady and intoxicating---so luxurious. Wow! Love it!
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By tinkerbell
This was my second ever "grown up" perfume that my boyfriend bought for me in 1973 and nearly 40years down the line I think I have grown into it. I felt very sophisticated wearing it in my 20's but felt it was maybe too old for me because of it's heaviness. However I have always loved the sensual smell and always will, so do the men around me...as I have had many compliments on my perfume whilst wearing this,mainly from the older man !!
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By BetsyMeszaros
This is my signature scent. I can tell you almost the day it was re-formulated in the late 1980's. All that vanilla and orientalness have been replaced with lemon. It suddenly took on a slight chemical scent. A few years later Guerlain finally admitted it. I can fully understand why those that have only experienced the current Shalimar now on department store shelves do not like it. I don't like the new juice either. Thankfully, I have several bottles of the earlier version under temperature control waiting for me. The rest of this review is for Shalimar circa 1970's. The vanilla, the bergamot, and the floral all blend to be a very sexy womanly scent. This is not for the faint of heart or the innocent. I just love Shalimar and almost have to force myself to wear something else but wear something else I try to do. But when in a rush or if I have a special occasion I reach for the Shalimar. I have almost everything in the line. I love to bake and sometimes just take the vanilla and smell it for a few minutes. That probably accounts for my love of Shalimar. I'm really want to try the Shalimar Ode de Vanille.
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By perfumebox
On good days, this smells like vanilla-flavored smoke and leather. On bad days, it smells like bug spray. That said, I'll always have a bottle with me, because there's a disturbing beauty to it, and as an oriental, it smells so completely different from any of the edible, dessert-like fragrances being classed in the same category today. (Not that I don't enjoy those.) I can't say why but to me, Shalimar smells like it contains a tarry leather note. There's a deliberate "dirtiness" to it that makes it more raunchy than romantic, and I definitely need to be in the right mood to enjoy it.
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By Manteuse
Chanel No. 5 ? Fugedaboutit. That powdery senior scent is as out of place these days as Guerlains Vetiver. This is what I imagined a timeless classic would smell like. Dark, vanilla, hints of oriental and side of civet for some carnal verve. Drydown is a creamy vanilla.
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By PeteH
What can one say about Shalimar that hasn't been said one million times? Go buy yourself a bottle of the extrait. Apply to your wrist. Sit back, inhale deeply, and be transported to another universe. And for the record, the extrait formulation is eminently suitable for use as a masculine - there is nothing even remotely girly about the dark-colored juice in the gorgeous crystal bottle, gentlemen.
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Facts and Details

Shalimar by Guerlain, 1925
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Description:

Meaning 'Temple of Love' in Sanskrit, Shalimar is an oriental fragrance with notes of bergamot and vanilla. 305 was inspired to create Shalimar by the story of Indian Emperor, Shah Jahan, who created a beautiful garden (called Shalimar) to

Details:
DetailValue
Top Notesbergamot
Middle Notesiris, jasmine, rose
Base Notesvanilla, opoponax, tonka bean
Launched Date1925
GenderWomen
PerfumerJacques Guerlain
AvailabilityIn Production
ByGuerlain
Bottle DesignerRaymond Guerlain
Models:
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