question about Shalimar Eau Légère / Shalimar Light / Eau de Shalimar

[granola357]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to uncross my wires about the very complicated history of the "modernized" Shalimar versions. Basenotes' directory and Ebay haven't been much help.

My understanding (I hope Mr. Guerlain will correct me if I'm wrong) is that there have been 3 distinct versions:

The first, Shalimar Eau Légère Parfumée, composed by Matilde Laurent in 2003; straw colored liquid in the bat-wing bottle. This was supposedly the best version.

The second, Shalimar Light, which saw Jean-Paul Guerlain tweak the notes and take credit for the result in 2004 after Laurent left Guerlain, comes as pale blue liquid in the bat-wing bottle. The box says "Shalimar Light" but the bottle confusingly says "Eau Légère parfumée Light Fragrance."

The third, Eau de Shalimar, released in 2007. Apparently it is credited to Matilde Laurent even though by this point she was long gone from Guerlain. It comes as clear juice in the bat-wing bottle.

Do I have this right? It's also said that the quality declined with each reformulation, particularly the last.

[teardrop]

l also asked this question a few months back, & never really got a definitive answer. The general consensus seems to be that Eau de Shalimar is actually Eau Legere under a different name, but l have read conflicting information on this. l will be watching this thread with interest to see if you get an answer. Good luck, & let us know if you do!

[PerfumedLady]

Well,the only one of those that I have any experience with is Eau de Shalimar,which I currently own.I was informed that this is a 2008 Jean-Paul Guerlain creation,maybe incorrectly?I like it very much and feel it is a better Shalimar EDT than actual Shalimar EDT.It's undeniably Shalimar,with a twist of lime and probably a better choice for those who find Shalimar EDT lacking on the Guerlainade.I'm pretty confident that Eau Legere and Light were the same fragrance with a slight tweaking on the latter by JPG;I suspect Eau de Shalimar is a completely reworked version,really making it an entirely new fragrance.Guerlain shows this one on their website,along with Eau de Shalimar in a collector's bottle;I believe the fragrance is exactly the same.Perhaps JPG wanted to rework the two previous versions into something he could actually call "his".It's all just so sketchy!I find Eau de Shalimar's quality to be what I expect from a Guerlain;beware the reviews on anything Shalimar related,I think there's a possibility that some of the negative reviews on its flankers come from traditionalists who are just not going to enjoy a modern take on Shalimar.Nothing wrong with that mindset at all,though-I just don't think any modern fragrance is going to hold up when one approaches it that way.

[Mr. G]

You're absolutely right! My review of the three different scents:

"Mathilde Laurent created in 2003 Shalimar's first flanker, Eau Légère Parfumée aka Shalimar Light, that true to its name had all earthy and spicy notes cut out and only citrus, orris, jasmine, rose and vanilla left of its ancestor. She added key lime, a fruit that is often associated with the flavour of Coca-Cola but interestingly does equal wonders in Shalimar: the result was the perhaps loveliest of all Guerlain vanillas (that it took an outsider to do this is astounding), a puffy pastel-hued dessert, supremely delicate and precise, and deservedly popular. Even so, it was taken off the market after some years (by which time it had already faced reformulation towards a heavier lemon-saturated drydown attributed to, and typical of, Jean-Paul Guerlain who might have found Laurent's version too soft or pale) and in 2008 replaced by Eau de Shalimar, officially the fragrance unaltered under a new name but in reality a deconstructed formula of dusty orangy vanilla, a disappointment to connoisseurs yet as immediately toothsome as the crème anglaise that Earnest Beaux once so belittled."

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to uncross my wires about the very complicated history of the "modernized" Shalimar versions. Basenotes' directory and Ebay haven't been much help.

My understanding (I hope Mr. Guerlain will correct me if I'm wrong) is that there have been 3 distinct versions:

The first, Shalimar Eau Légère Parfumée, composed by Matilde Laurent in 2003; straw colored liquid in the bat-wing bottle. This was supposedly the best version.

The second, Shalimar Light, which saw Jean-Paul Guerlain tweak the notes and take credit for the result in 2004 after Laurent left Guerlain, comes as pale blue liquid in the bat-wing bottle. The box says "Shalimar Light" but the bottle confusingly says "Eau Légère parfumée Light Fragrance."

The third, Eau de Shalimar, released in 2007. Apparently it is credited to Matilde Laurent even though by this point she was long gone from Guerlain. It comes as clear juice in the bat-wing bottle.

Do I have this right? It's also said that the quality declined with each reformulation, particularly the last.

[Frenchie Day]

A few years ago I had the Eau Legere version and did not like it at all. Citrus and vanilla were very strong and the combination just wasn't right on my skin: they didn't really mesh into something, but remained distinctively citrus and vanilla side by side and reminded me of a very sweet pastry with initial sharp lemony smell.

I have Eau de Shalimar and find it a much better version. It is sweet but not pastry sweet and very smooth. Citrus and vanilla are better blended and I find it more related to the original than the Legere version.

So I definitely would say that there were reformulations of the flanker, and for the better imo.

[PerfumedLady]

I have Eau de Shalimar and find it a much better version. It is sweet but not pastry sweet and very smooth. Citrus and vanilla are better blended and I find it more related to the original than the Legere version.

That's interesting,as I never tried the previous two versions and I keep hearing how awful Eau de Shalimar is!I enjoy it and wear it frequently,so I was thinking I must have pretty bad taste!Glad to hear from someone who has actually owned more than one of these flankers.Your description is perfect-there's certainly nothing dry about it,it is sweet in that regard-but I never feel as though I smell like I've been baking when I wear it!And it is just so smooth,it really is very nice.

[granola357]

THanks so much Mr. Guerlain. Now, my only (humble) suggestion: add this info to your already SPLENDID website, which I check obsessively.

You're absolutely right! My review of the three different scents:

"Mathilde Laurent created in 2003 Shalimar's first flanker, Eau Légère Parfumée aka Shalimar Light, that true to its name had all earthy and spicy notes cut out and only citrus, orris, jasmine, rose and vanilla left of its ancestor. She added key lime, a fruit that is often associated with the flavour of Coca-Cola but interestingly does equal wonders in Shalimar: the result was the perhaps loveliest of all Guerlain vanillas (that it took an outsider to do this is astounding), a puffy pastel-hued dessert, supremely delicate and precise, and deservedly popular. Even so, it was taken off the market after some years (by which time it had already faced reformulation towards a heavier lemon-saturated drydown attributed to, and typical of, Jean-Paul Guerlain who might have found Laurent's version too soft or pale) and in 2008 replaced by Eau de Shalimar, officially the fragrance unaltered under a new name but in reality a deconstructed formula of dusty orangy vanilla, a disappointment to connoisseurs yet as immediately toothsome as the crème anglaise that Earnest Beaux once so belittled."

[Guest 3]

And now there is Shalimar Ode à la Vanille, too.

[Mr. G]

Oh many many thanks for those kind words! I actually just copy-pasted the text from my blog, so it's there, written under Shalimar.

THanks so much Mr. Guerlain. Now, my only (humble) suggestion: add this info to your already SPLENDID website, which I check obsessively.

[Frenchie Day]

That's interesting,as I never tried the previous two versions and I keep hearing how awful Eau de Shalimar is!I enjoy it and wear it frequently,so I was thinking I must have pretty bad taste!Glad to hear from someone who has actually owned more than one of these flankers.Your description is perfect-there's certainly nothing dry about it,it is sweet in that regard-but I never feel as though I smell like I've been baking when I wear it!And it is just so smooth,it really is very nice.

Maybe we both have bad taste LOL.
I think it is very difficult to find a vanilla based perfume that doesn't smell like cake, and that's why I like this one.

[john parker]

In 1966ish or 1970ish I bought my wife a large bottle of Shalimar perfume in Hong Kong. Did and do love the scent; it is still good and she still wears it! When it runs dry, what is the Shalimar called that I would get to replace it with the same wonderful scent? Or is that one gone forever?

[PerfumedLady]

John,Shalimar has been reformulated since you last purchased it but I do still love it.I would recommend either the EDP or extrait in the current formulation.You could also look for vintage Shalimar on e-Bay.Many department stores carry the current version,so it shouldn't be too difficult to have your wife sample just to be sure she still likes it in its modern form.

Maybe we both have bad taste LOL.
I think it is very difficult to find a vanilla based perfume that doesn't smell like cake, and that's why I like this one.

Oh,surely it's a case of great minds thinking alike,right?! I agree,I love vanilla but sometimes I think maybe I just really like it in Shalimar.Every time I buy another vanilla based fragrance,it becomes too sweet to my nose before I finish the bottle!Shalimar and her baby Eau have never done that to me.Thanks for the comparison on the Eau and Eau Legere,Frenchie-I really had been curious and there's just not a lot of info out there on these.

[john parker]

Thanks, PerfumedLady! Sampling certainly makes sense. Just checked the box of the bottle she has (I'm cleaning house) and it says Shalimar Extrait. Sure smells nice!!!

[BetsyMeszaros]

When are we going to have Shalimar Ode de Vanille and Eau de Shalimar added to the Fragrance Directory? I can't believe they ar still not there. Many fragrances that have come since them have been added. Does anybody else find this annoying?

[Primrose]

When are we going to have Shalimar Ode de Vanille and Eau de Shalimar added to the Fragrance Directory? I can't believe they ar still not there. Many fragrances that have come since them have been added. Does anybody else find this annoying?

No.

You can add these scents to the New Scents directory.

[BetsyMeszaros]

No.

You can add these scents to the New Scents directory.

How do you do this? Can you post it as your SOTD from this directory?

Thanks,

Betsy

[teardrop]

How do you do this? Can you post it as your SOTD from this directory?

Thanks,

Betsy

l would like to know the answer to this, too!

[Kiliwia]

If you go to the Forum page, then to the Basenotes Plus Members Forum threads, under General Discussions, there was a thread started by Grant instructing you how to add fragrances to the directory. I am still waiting to see the ones I added, so it still takes a while.

[mr. reasonable]

I managed to pick up some vintage Shalimar here not long ago - there is still one little indie perfumery in Tsim Sha Tsui and the owner is a gentleman who obviously stocked up on good stuff in the 80s - and I agree that the current EDP or Extrait would be the best replacement.

Re; adding to the Directory - I have tried to add a few and still no show - it's not just a case of 1,2,3 (yet)

[BetsyMeszaros]

Well, I can't seem to add anything. Would someone that thinks it's easy and doesn't find it annoying that the cloying Parfum Intial has been added but Eau de Shalimar and Shalimar Ode à la Vanille have not please add these last two? I can't believe they have been out as long as they have and are not in the directory.

[teardrop]

Well, I can't seem to add anything. Would someone that thinks it's easy and doesn't find it annoying that the cloying Parfum Intial has been added but Eau de Shalimar and Shalimar Ode à la Vanille have not please add these last two? I can't believe they have been out as long as they have and are not in the directory.

l agree. lt seems you have to be a basenotes Plus member to add anything.