Best Iris fragrance, please help - Page 2

Ok, you talked me in, and I will definitely look into it

Well, I did it!!! I ordered decant of Dior Homme, original formulation. I can't believe I did that, but you guys finally convinced me to get out of my comfort zone. It is just amazing how much love Dior Homme gets here, there must be something to that...In any case, there is always my husband who developed a deep appreciation for fine perfumes (not a good thing, less perfumes for me)

I also ordered Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile and will be back with more thoughts. Sorry it takes me forever: I live in a small town in a middle of nowhere, 100 miles to closest big city and major interstate so the Internet is my only bet.

Oh no, I am very frugal. I got a decant of Dior Homme and samples of Iris Nobile, sorry for confusion. I already made a blind buy mistake with Azemour Les Orangers and though I like it a lot I will never do it again (Of course, as they say never say never ).

And I will most certainly report back! Thank you

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping up with my updates, it is very kind

Hello everyone!

Today I received following samples: Naiviris, Prada Infusion D'Iris, and beloved by many Dior Homme. Here is what I think so far and of course as the case with many perfumes, opinions will change in time, but these are my initial impressions. Also, I just recovering from my cold, so please be kind to me

Naiviris - What a pretty, pretty Iris. Diamondflame pretty much summed it up when he said that it is warm, woodsy, and understated. It is definitely that. Too bad it doesn't last long, and for the price I much rather get something of Lutens or Tauers. My hubby said that it suits me better than Iris de Nuit and he is right - I am a brunette who wears heavy florientals on a regular basis. I would love to have it, truth be told, but longevity is a big issue for me -especially for the price.

Prada Infusion D'Iris - It seemed like a weaker, cheaper sister of Iris de Nuit. It is very girly and I love it! And for the price I am definitely getting it, I won't feel guilty spending money on it and it is a good value for the Iris lover. It is not necessarily deep, but very pretty and quality for the money.

Dior Homme - W-W-W-W-O-O-O-O-W-W-W-W!!!!! I would like to put in a disclaimer and ask all Iris Silver Mist lovers out there to not stone me to death for what I am going to say next. Dior Homme IS A MOST BEAUTIFUL IRIS EVER! It is not too carroty, nor too powdery - it is just right. So classy, so sophisticated, S-O-O-O-O-O beaitiful.... Or poor, poor and so stubborn me. Did not wanted to listen when so many of you mentioned it to me. Or snobbish, narrow minded me...Dior Homme - what a boring, unassuming name that turned me away and does not suit this amazing scent at all. Don't get me wrong, I still think Iris Silver Mist is a masterpiece, but to me it will probably be like having tea with a Queen of England: very special and very awkward experience. Too much Iris.

Sorry guys for this haphazard post, but I will be back after I come down from my initial high with hopefully more refined thoughts.

Thanks again for your suggestions, guidance, and warm comments!

Hello everyone again! I just received Iris Nobile and thought I would post few quick thoughts:

Iris Nobile - it is very beautiful, but for the life of me I couldn't smell Iris in it. All I could smell were gardenia and tuberose. Not big fan of both, and therefore, Iris Nobile is at the bottom of my Iris list.

Prada Infusion D'Iris update: - I take my words back on saying that it is weak, it is not. It has pretty impressive staying power. Don't know if I want to purchase it though, there is something in it that I already getting tired of this scent half way through my 1.5 ml sample.

Dior Homme update: I still think it is G-O-O-O-R-G-E-O-U-S but I started to detect masculine notes on my skin, on my DH it smells feminine and powdery. I will treasure my decant and continue to explore, when I will ran out I will see if it is going to work for me.

I just ordered samples of the whole Parfums D'Empire line, I thought it was pretty generous: 13 samples 2 ml each for $29 including shipping from France. Thus I should be able to test Iris intensive Equistruis and will be back with more thoughts.

Thank you guys again for everything, this whole experience was an absolute blast!

As I mentioned in my earlier post Iris de Nuit and Prada Infusion D'Iris seemed similar to me so I had to try them side by side. I don't think they are that similar now. Infusion d'Iris is more loud and cheerful and Iris de Nuit more restrained. In addition, Iris de Nuit possesses an air of fine breeding while Infusion just pretends to have it. It is even more apparent in the drydown: Infusion d'Iris is a cheap soap on me while Iris de Nuit retains its classy irisness till the very end. I honestly don't think I will be purchasing Infusion, looks like I will have to shell out for Iris de Nuit - still my most favorite Iris...

I have received Equistrius and Cuir Ottoman and here is what I think:

Equistrus- very well done, unfortunately after 15 minutes I can't detect anything on my skin....Move on...Sigh

Cuir Ottoman - Foustie, I have already had itsy bitsy sample of Cuir Ottoman before but I was babying it so I couldn't make up my mind. Parfum D"Empire's more generous sample allowed me to get better understanding and appreciation for Cuir Ottoman. It is a great scent and fits me well. Iris here is golden and opulent, lounging leisurely on the leather sofa, a beaut! Will definitely acquire in a near future after Iris de Nuit.

I wanted to thank everyone again for their advice and inputs and it is time for me to wrap up this thread as it is getting too long and I feel ashamed

My clear winner is Iris de Nuit. I am not declaring that it is the best, most gorgeous Iris perfume out there, certainly not. But it is precisely what I was looking for on my Iris journey - quiet, romantic, aristocratic. ( I am not claiming that I am, far from it ).

The Greats I encountered on my journey and will never forget:

ISM - awesome, Dior Homme - amazing, Iris Poudre - Feminine with big F, Dzongkha - special.

It was a great journey and I would be lost without all your expertise and guidance. Thank you BNers, you are all as awesome as majestic Iris Silver Mist!

Thank you, Knit at nite, that was very kind

Hello everyone!

I know I said I will wrap up this thread, but amazing opportunity came up and I had to report! Thanks to the generosity and kindness of the wonderful PerfumedLady, I have famed and loved by many Le Labo Iris 39 coming to me soon. I haven't tried anything from Le Labo line before, and needless to say, I am drooling...

Thanks again for sticking around, you guys made this journey so much fun!

Once again, double post, sorry folks

Yes, I know. I have been suggested Dior Homme on this thread more times than I could count, and it took some serious collective pushing from BNers who contributed to this thread before I finally gave up . I am so glad they did, it is gorgeous, isn't it?

Oh, you absolutely have to try Heeley! It is such a a beautiful and pure iris: not too much carrot, not too much powder - its quiet beauty tugs at my heart and reaches deep into my soul. I think it might not be the most gorgeous iris, but definitely most romantic and noble one. Very English smelling, if you know what I mean - reminds me of Jane Austen novel, something that Mr. Darcy's wife would wear in their elegant country estate on a pleasant weekend.

Thank you, Foustie, this is really sweet .

And I agree with you about the "nuit" part, I don't know how Heeley came up with it - there is nothing "nuit" in it at all.

Thank you for your recommendations, but I already tried Love in Black and to my nose it smells nice but a bit commercial and skin deep. As for Fleurissimo, I tried to sample that one for ages, but alas, it is always eluded me.

Well, I have received Iris 39 and it is a strange beast. It smells moldy, musty, and spicy but in attractive way: an elegant lady from upper class working on her tomatoes and herbs, pulling weeds from the wet earth. (Not that elegant lady from upper class wouldn't have somebody do it for her).Then she plucks spicy peppers and brings them into a kitchen on a way giving a brief glance to iris flowers faraway in her neighbors yard. I have to confess: I have hard times picking out the iris, mostly patchouli and spice and thats probably explains what I imagine smelling Iris 39. I have never smelled anything so natural smelling and abstract in the same time. Iris 39 is definitely not for everyone but it deserves it place in the fragrance Hall of Fame. I still don't know if I like it or not, Iris 39 is just is.

Thank you, PerfumedLady, and you have nothing to ask forgiveness for. I greatly appreciate your support and the opportunity of testing Iris 39. I think my iris journey wouldn't have been complete without Iris 39 and I am glad that our perceptions of Iris 39 are so similar.

As for a break... Curiosity did kill the cat but it is what makes me feel so alive . If all goes well I will be finally ordering Iris de Nuit next week (drool) and for the samples I will request Bois D'Iris by Van Cleef & Aprels and Mythique by Delrae. Bois D'Iris is iris-wood-ambergris combo and it sounds too good for me to pass up. I have been thoroughly enjoying iris/ambergris in GIT on my DH and I hope Bois d'Iris will not disappoint me. Mythique has iris/leather combo that I also love, which is why Cuir Ottoman is on my next buy list.

I am honored to share my experiences on this thread where I received unbelievable support ans saw amazing kindness. It looks like my Iris journey is still continues...

Hello folks!

I finally received Iris de Nuit and I am ecstatic! I could finally spray it to my heart's desire instead of babying each drop. My DH was mowing the lawn at the time and when he came rushing in he stopped in his tracks and asked me what I was wearing. I told him that it was the Iris I was waiting for. He said: WOW.....so beautiful and romantic, it is way better than Chanel 19! (my DH is not big Chanel fan in general, but obviously 19 popped in his head when he smelled IdN). I guess mission accomplished: I found Iris that will take a place in my heart next to Chanel 19 and my DH likes it more.

I got samples and VC&A's Bois d'Iris has us both pining after it. Damn! Though I have to say that to my nose Bois d'Iris is more about "Bois" than Iris: it is very woodsy and ambergris is divine. I have sandalwood incense that BdI reminds me of, sweet wood but not sugary sweet. Mythique by Delrae is interesting and Iris/leather are definitely there: it is cool, green, with a chypre vibe. I like part 1 and part 3, but part 2 not so much. I think on a right person it will be magnificent, but I still prefer Cuir de Russie and Cuir Ottoman for the iris/leather combo.

Well, my family budget called and told me that I can't do this anymore, so I think I will have to finally stop my Iris Quest. And again, I want to thank generous BNers for support and for sticking around, it was an AMAZING adventure!

Thank you Foustie, that is very sweet

And you most certainly won't get rid of me now when I have met many wonderful people on this journey, but I will haunt other threads. I think when my family budget will give me green light I would like to go on a Tuberose journey (I hate Tuberose, and I think it is because I have never found right one, such a sexy, beautiful flower).

Thanks, I will!

Well, I am back...

I know I said I will close this thread I don't know how many times, but I had to share another Iris experience. Through amazing kindness of 30 roses I had an unbelievable opportunity to test ever elusive and really hard to find Iris Pallida by L'Artisan. I think the closest to Iris Pallida, to my nose, would be Iris 39. It is also green, spicy, and slightly musty but much more reserved than Iris 39. It is the coolest Iris I have ever smelled: I get menthol like coldness, probably from anise and I think of high quality cold green tea.

Iris Pallida also shares the "haunting" quality of Chanel 19, Iris de Nuit, and Iris Silver Mist, but it is easily the most haunting and haunted of them all. I don't necessarily agree with everything Mr. Luca Turin says but his description of Iris Pallida is spot on - "eerie". It is most definitely that. Ghostly. Despite all that I love it. Heeley is still my Number 1 but, Iris Pallida is very close second. It is so indescribably aristocratic but eerie, like a haunted castle where once dashing young heir lost the love of his life and wasted himself away. If Iris de Nuit is Jane Austen, the Iris Pallida to me is "Jane Eyre".

Thank you, Kiliwia, I will definitely look into that. I do like Jo Malone, but haven't tried any of the iris one's yet.

Thank you, 30 Roses for a great tip! I will certainly look into JM's Iris & White Musk. Anything to stretch IP out...

I have tried MI and I like it quite a bit. Maybe I will get on a split with heperd one day...