Shalimar Edt: Oh Lordy Options

[Morticia Addams]

Yes, I bought a recent bottling of Shalimar EDT from an online purveyor. I tried it today hoping it would fulfill my need for a light but complex oriental.

On another topic a perfumista had remarked on Shalimar's petroleum like initial blast. When I'd read that, I'd doubted. Now I don't. Shalimar EDT's initial impression is almost gasoline-y. *Me so SAD*

I've been wearing this an hour and 15 minutes. Now I'm smelling sugary Play-Doh. There's some spice and orris in this kaolin. Some flowers and cheap vanilla.

Is Guerlain willing to sacrifice their classic perfumes as readily Lot offered his daughters to the horny mob in ancient Sodom?

Guerlain, once you've cheapened and sold out you can't go back. Thus, I'm asking Perfumistas to PLEASE suggest a light dry oriental for summer wearing. Shaal Nur isn't it as it's soaked with a dessert like vanilla.

[FiveoaksBouquet]

Mortie, isn't "light," "dry" and "oriental" a triple oxymoron?

Actually, I can think of one: Les Nuits d'Hadrien. It's classified as an oriental because it has an exotic amber base but it's a musky, citrusy scent as well and dry rather than sweet.

[Fumebag]

I really never properly tested Shalimar because it's not really my taste of perfume but I wonder if the gasoline is from the jasmine in it? I never posted this because I was afraid someone would think I am nutso but I get a gasoline smell in No5. Or at least I "think" that's where it's coming from. We have a Harley and it sits in the garage but my husband is careful to bring it in after it's cooled down and we raise the garage door to let out any "gasoline fumes" that may come from it. It's a newer touring bike so it's not really known for smelling like gas but you can occasionally smell it if it's the least but hot when it comes in or the garage gets really hot and we forget to open the door for the fumes to escape. I swear tho the motorcycle will be sitting there for days and me not smell a thing and as soon I will put No5 parfum on and I almost curse the stupid motorcycle for smelling like raw gasoline! I read somewhere about jasmine smelling like petrol. Maybe that's what it is in the Shalimar? Hopefully someone will come along to confirm or tell me I'm nuts about the jasmine/petrol connection.

Ok, I found an article.

http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalaman...rd_to.html#more

[Morticia Addams]

Fiveoaks, Les Nuits d'Hadrien is my regular eau de toilette in summer. I love it. I am looking for a scent which is like it without heavy citrus.

[Morticia Addams]

Fiveoaks, Les Nuits d'Hadrien is my regular eau de toilette in summer. I love it. I am looking for a scent which is like it without heavy citrus.

Fumebag, I am thinking you are sensing what I sense. Chemistry means that even scents and fabric fibers are derived from petroleum. Scientists don't care where the molecules originated. But perfume 'noses' seem to catch the artificial.

[FiveoaksBouquet]

Fiveoaks, Les Nuits d'Hadrien is my regular eau de toilette in summer. I love it. I am looking for a scent which is like it without heavy citrus.

Mort, have you tried Les Orientalistes? You might find something among them that you like: Encens Flamboyant, Ambre Fétiche, or Myrrhe Ardente.

[rebecca1964]

Have you tried Shalimar Light? I have a sample of this and it is wonderful.

[Fumebag]

Fiveoaks, Les Nuits d'Hadrien is my regular eau de toilette in summer. I love it. I am looking for a scent which is like it without heavy citrus.

Fumebag, I am thinking you are sensing what I sense. Chemistry means that even scents and fabric fibers are derived from petroleum. Scientists don't care where the molecules originated. But perfume 'noses' seem to catch the artificial.

Morticia, when you are wearing it can you smell the gasoline smell mostly when you get into your own sillage? I can walk into another room from the kitchen and return to the kitchen and smell it so strong when I return and about go nuts thinking it's the Harley in the garage right outside the kitchen.

[Clancurrey]

"Is Guerlain willing to sacrifice their classic perfumes as readily Lot offered his daughters to the horny mob in ancient Sodom? "

Mort...superb allusion....
LVMH is willing to sacrifice......

[Clancurrey]

Mort, dear Mort...
I just discovered Kokako by Bourjois created by Ernest Beaux in 1936..
(available at Parfum1 at a steal...they're still havin 25% off...NOT AFFILIATED)
A very light spicy oriential...I don't get ANY citrus and just a touch of floral.

Also,
Bal a Versailles (Desprez) in the vintage Eau de Cologne

I have both and happy to send you a sample. Just PM me.

[Jicky]

I bought a bottle of Shalimar edt too and was very disappointed. It goes nowhere that the edp goes. Big disappointment.

[altodiva]

Mort, I feel your pain. All I get from Shalimar EDT after that ghastly chemical opening is Playdoh. I well remember the day I tried it--I had bought it unsniffed and couldn't wait to get it home to try...and I could not for the life of me figure out what all the fuss was about. It was awful, just awful. I don't doubt that you found it repulsive--I couldn't wash the stuff off fast enough.

I'm still not a huge Shalimar fan, but I do have a slightly vintage bottle of the parfum that I lucked into that I keep around because at least you can smell what it is that the perfumer intended you to smell. Every now and again I take a sniff and put a little on the back of my hand. It'll never be my speed, but at least one can smell something other than a big chemical mess.

I will second a couple of recommendations already made here--Les Orientalises and Shaimar Light. I happen to love Encens Flamboyant; it's very dry and incensey. Shalimar Light has a lemony opening, but it's not a citrusy lemon, if you can believe that--it's more of a creamy Lemon Pledge thing. After the opening, it becomes Shalimar's baby sister. Again, not my speed, but miles better than what you've just tried!

[Therese19]

Morticia,

Shalimar today is an Elvis impersonator who takes himself seriously. I have bid Shalimar goodye, finally, after much kicking and screaming.

I recently bought a vintage Bal a Versaille EDT from a POL'er that is the real deal.

Opens with a bit of a spicy, cola and the civet makes this a sexy, womanly thing all the way to its beautiful amber drydown. It is great in the hot weather.

I bought a backup because, like Shalimar, the later versions of BAV are throwaways.

http://www.perfumenetwork.com/balversfetsp17u.html

[perfumenut]

Being an Oriental lover, I find myself wearing Chembur by Byredos this summer more than any of my other fragrances....Love it!

[Leffleur]

I'll tell you what. I've tried Shalimar EDT years ago - probably 7 years ago (so it's been reformulated at least since then) and more recently (latter part of last year) the parfum/extrait- and got "gasoline" in both forms. I've given up completely on Shalimar.

[Leffleur]

I really never properly tested Shalimar because it's not really my taste of perfume but I wonder if the gasoline is from the jasmine in it? I never posted this because I was afraid someone would think I am nutso but I get a gasoline smell in No5. Or at least I "think" that's where it's coming from. We have a Harley and it sits in the garage but my husband is careful to bring it in after it's cooled down and we raise the garage door to let out any "gasoline fumes" that may come from it. It's a newer touring bike so it's not really known for smelling like gas but you can occasionally smell it if it's the least but hot when it comes in or the garage gets really hot and we forget to open the door for the fumes to escape. I swear tho the motorcycle will be sitting there for days and me not smell a thing and as soon I will put No5 parfum on and I almost curse the stupid motorcycle for smelling like raw gasoline! I read somewhere about jasmine smelling like petrol. Maybe that's what it is in the Shalimar? Hopefully someone will come along to confirm or tell me I'm nuts about the jasmine/petrol connection.

Ok, I found an article.

http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalaman...rd_to.html#more

I don't think you're nuts. I get the jasmine/gasoline connection to. Haven't found a jasmine I can wear yet, or that I enjoy smelling for that reason. Other people get fecal, but I have always smelled gasoline.

[SandraL]

Have you tried any of the Opium summer flankers? I love Opium d'Ete.

[Therese19]

*

I've been wearing this an hour and 15 minutes. Now I'm smelling sugary Play-Doh. There's some spice and orris in this kaolin. Some flowers and cheap vanilla.

I never imagined that Guerlain would come to "cheap vanilla". Guerlain was the master of vanilla. Nobody came close. Nobody! It is so sad and the current generation wearing Shalimar will never know its past, inimitable seduction. Welcome to the digitalized and "clean" smelling new millenium.

[Twitchly]

Some of my favorite orientals for this time of year would be:

- Roma -- it has that grassy, minty top note over the amber base
- Anne Pliska -- I think the bitter orange cuts the heaviness of the amber, which makes it a year-rounder for me
- New York (Parfums de Nicolai) -- theoretically a masculine, but I find it wearable myself. A hint of orange but not strong, with amber and spice. Very serene, unlike its name.
- Passage d'Enfer -- woody but somehow clean.
- Vetivert (Bourbon French) -- powdery, woody oriental; starts smoky but dries down into powder
- Borneo 1834 -- dry patchouli, wood, spices.

I love Shalimar Light (Eau Legere), but it has too much vanilla for me to wear in hot weather. I will wear it to bed on cooler evenings, though.

[chanel22]

One of the MPGs is considered Shalimar-ish. Is it Or de Indes? Anyway, MPG does a good job and never chemically. Lots a deals these day to be had on line, too.