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Frederic Malle's Iris Poudre

post #1 of 19
2/15/08 at 2:13am
Thread Starter 
Has anyone ever tried this fragrance? What can you tell me about it? Is it worth a sample, a bottle or a goodbye? I love Iris, and I love some powdery scents (unless they smell too grandma), so I was wondering whether Iris Poudre could work for me.
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post #2 of 19
2/15/08 at 3:56am
Alba-
A lot of folks wear and love this one- I believe it's one of Malle's favorites, too.
It's a very elegant aldehydic iris, silvery and cool and metallic, and I'm often struck by some similarities to Arpege-
Although I think that Arpege is more complex and floral.

It's very ladylike to me;can be worn by people of any age, really.
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post #3 of 19
2/15/08 at 8:25am
Hi Alba,

I recieved a sample of Iris Poudre recently but it is not my thing. I have a problem with most scents with sandalwood. If you send me a personal note with your address I will send it to you, I have only sprayed it a few times and it's 2 ml sample.

I'd rather give it to someone who might appriciate it than have it turn old in my drawer!
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post #4 of 19
2/15/08 at 11:14am
i am wearing it today (second time from a sample). i really like it. it starts very bright floral aldehydic. after a half hour or so it settles down into a nice rounded powdery iris with some woodsy notes (mostly sandalwood- i think). i remains fairly bright and cheery.

i am enjoying it quite a bit today. the sun is out and it just feels right.

cheers,
ryan
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post #5 of 19
2/15/08 at 4:38pm
The description and the notes from the website are found here:


http://www.editionsdeparfums.com/mallesite_gb/index.htm


It's lovely, and rich, not something I could wear every day, but when I do wear it

I think it's the best perfume in the world.
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post #6 of 19
2/15/08 at 5:15pm
Frankly, the stuff is simply gorgeous. I rate it alongside Iris Silver Mist and Iris Bleu Gris as one of the finest iris scents I've tried. It's rich and deep, yet not heavy, beautifully blended, and supremely dignified. I heartily recommend sampling it, as it is one of the most sophisticated floral scents I can recall. Here is my review from the Basenotes Directory:
"Stunning. Iris Poudre is at once beautifully soft, yet cool and austere. Magnolia, jasmine and iris meet in an accord whose whole is far greater then the mere sum of its parts. Meanwhile, the powder half of Iris Poudre is rich, and almost creamy, the aldehydes neither too "pretty" or too harsh.

I can't rave wildly enough about the deft integration of the iris here. All of its rough edges are smoothed over, but this iris still has teeth. The development is marvelous, too, with sandalwood, powdery musk, and just a touch of vanilla sweetness underneath the lingering floral accord. Not merely exqisite, but the first iris scent I've been able to wear comfortably."
Hope that helps!
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post #7 of 19
2/15/08 at 8:24pm
I also found a hint of Arpege in this fragrance, also a bit less complex. It's pleasant and the powder develops nicely but I did find that the vanilla distracted from the overall experience.
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post #8 of 19
2/16/08 at 7:13am
If you are a fan of Hiris then it might not be for you.

Iris Poudre has a blast of aldehyde and is dry and not at all sweet.
Gorgeous classic feminine fragrance. I have a decant and can say it lasts all day on my skin.

You must try it.
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post #9 of 19
2/19/08 at 12:17pm
Can anyone compare and contrast Iris Poudre with the new Ferre? I've heard they are similar.
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post #10 of 19
2/21/08 at 6:00am
I filled out the questionaire on the FM website, and this is the scent they recommended for me. I used to wear Hiris and have pining away for a bottle of #22 or #5~ IP is compared them all. I hope to find a sample very soon! It sounds delicious, and I've never tried a Malle.
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post #11 of 19
3/5/08 at 5:54am
Oh I could wax lyrical for days about Iris Poudre - it's gorgeous stuff and up there in my top 5. Very feminine, very elegant. It makes me feel like a lady when I wear it, even if I'm in jeans. It's at the rich end of the iris spectrum, where Hiris is at the cool, metallic end. It's worth the wait to try it, I promise.
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post #12 of 19
3/5/08 at 6:36am
Politely disagreeing with Wordbird here -- it is Iris Poudre that has metallic feel to it, not Hiris on my skin. FM Iris Poudre is a brilliant scent, very cool and comforting at the same time, I enjoyed it from the sample, but I did not get much irises the way I like them -- dry, with lots of green leaves, sweet tickling yellow hearts and muddy roots. Instead, they are carefully selected, thoroughly measured and positioned with a millimeter precision in a low vase (oh yes, and sprayed with something to preserve their picture perfect freshness, I blame this on aldehydes!). Ferre EdP (1995) does have them (too exquisite, too polished, lacking life) too, and overall it is a well composed ikebana of early June blooms with no irises dominating that suddenly caught some unexpected icy blast. Can't wait to hear your opinions of the both after you try them!
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post #13 of 19
3/6/08 at 2:36am
How interesting! That's one of the best things about perfume - it's so different for different people.
I absolutely agree about the ikebana of June blooms - a great description of IP - with just a touch of iris, rather than a full-blown iris bouquet. Absolutely measured and orchestrated with precision. I hadn't thought about it like that before, but it's bang on.

It's also one of the beauties of Basenotes that we're so polite when we disagree - that's one of the reasons I like it here so much!
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Oh and totally off-topic but I couldn't resist it: look at these beauties!
http://www.bearded-iris.co.uk/page6.html
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post #14 of 19
3/6/08 at 8:43am
Thread Starter 
I finally tried Iris Poudre (thanks again, AnnaSa!) and though I can appreciate its beauty and quality, it's not really my cup of tea. Wordbird, you're just right: it's really feminine and rich. And Twolf, your description is also perfect. What I blame aldehydes for is precisely my dislike: I'm one of those who have never appreciated Chanel N.5, for example. That polished finish ruins the whole thing for me: it reminds me constantly that I'm wearing it, while I prefer fragrances that just accompany me, that seem to melt on my skin and just stay there, discretely. Aldehydes are like a great aria for the opera diva, while I prefer a good voice singing just to a piano or a guitar. You'll probably find these comparisons dumb, but I find it hard to express what I mean otherwise.
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post #15 of 19
3/6/08 at 1:10pm
Too. Much. Aldehydes. I couldnt wear this either. Which is ok, because there's a ton of more iris scents out there to sample - and honestly Le Labo's iris has already perked my ears up.
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post #16 of 19
3/6/08 at 2:11pm
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I absolutely love Iris Poudre. It was the first scent that
simply blew me away. I got a sample from the Malle website
questionnaire and it was love at first sniff. Pierre Bourdon
is a genius.
I also own a small bottle of Ferre edp (the new one) and, whilst it
is similar, it isn't in the same league as Iris Poudre, which is probably
my Holy Grail.
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post #17 of 19
3/7/08 at 2:03am
I'm in total agreement with Kewart - this is the one that blew my socks off and was love at first sniff.
But as Alba says, it's a big Orchestra piece, very 'perfumey' in the classical sense and definitely something you get a sniff off during the day occasionally and go 'ooh!'.

I'm very interested in the new Ferre now, as I do have a bottle of IP but I save it for 'best'. (Yes, I know that's silly, but I do.) Maybe if the Ferre works the same way on me I could use it as an everyday perfume.
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post #18 of 19
3/9/08 at 10:40am
I wore Hiris for many years and found IP to feel contrived and pretentious. Twolf's description is far nicer, but I think we probably felt that same overly controlled and uptight quality about IP. Interesting how we all approach the same frag in such unique ways and get such different outcomes.
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post #19 of 19
3/11/08 at 12:47am
My only "objection" to Iris Poudre would be that it is so formal...
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