Carnal Flower
Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle (2005)
Average Rating:
115 User Reviews
Fragrance Overview Where to Buy Reviews Community Ownership
About Carnal Flower by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle
Carnal Flower was inspired by Frederic Malle's aunt, and actress Candice Bergen. Bergen starred in the 1971 movie, 'Carnal Knowledge', with Jack Nicholson.
The fragrance, which took two years to create, was created by perfumer, Dominique Ropion and according to the company, contains the highest amount of natural tuberose absolute in any fragrance.
Fragrance notes.
Where to buy Carnal Flower
Some of the links we use are affiliate links, meaning if you click the links and make a purchase, we may receive a commission, which helps us keep the site running
Reviews of Carnal Flower by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle
There are 115 reviews of Carnal Flower by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle.
WoW...what a huge disappointment. I like and love several Frederic Malle fragrances and have owned several full bottle EdPs. I sampled Carnal Flower with great anticipation and much to my dismay, this perfume is a HELL NO!
I'm not sure if it's me, my chemistry, my nose, or my preferences. IMO, Carnal Flower is headache inducing, soapy tuberose with whatever else is thrown in. I applied a rather generous sample several times because I felt I was missing something by not loving this fragrance. But try as I might, I get nothing more than nauseatingly cloying, thick, soapy tuberose.
Perhaps in 30 minutes or so, something thinner attempts to break through the cloak of white floral but my oh my. It just never makes it.
I'm not sure who could wear this and not feel self-conscious.
Sadly, this is a strong pass and money wasted on a very expensive sample.
I'm not sure if it's me, my chemistry, my nose, or my preferences. IMO, Carnal Flower is headache inducing, soapy tuberose with whatever else is thrown in. I applied a rather generous sample several times because I felt I was missing something by not loving this fragrance. But try as I might, I get nothing more than nauseatingly cloying, thick, soapy tuberose.
Perhaps in 30 minutes or so, something thinner attempts to break through the cloak of white floral but my oh my. It just never makes it.
I'm not sure who could wear this and not feel self-conscious.
Sadly, this is a strong pass and money wasted on a very expensive sample.
The lifecycle of tuberose in scent form. Opens on the green side, blossoms just peeking from the bud. Dewy and pungent. Throughout the drydown the tuberose sweetness continues to thicken, becoming densely indolic and syrupy around hour two. This stage is somewhat balanced by a heavy dose of powdery musk, though I will admit to always getting overwhelmed at this point. It’s like you’ve filled your house with vases of freshly cut tuberose and five days later the petals are browned and the stems have gone to rot and you need to open the windows and air the place out.
Just when you think you might need to scrub the scent, boom, it all but disappears. Aged flowers gone, tossed in the bin, and a faint sweetness lingers in their place - a comforting reminder, encouraging you back into the garden to cut more tuberose. In the end, an intense, short-lived white flower masterpiece.
Just when you think you might need to scrub the scent, boom, it all but disappears. Aged flowers gone, tossed in the bin, and a faint sweetness lingers in their place - a comforting reminder, encouraging you back into the garden to cut more tuberose. In the end, an intense, short-lived white flower masterpiece.
I have a strong visceral reaction to this fragrance, akin to rapture. This is my all-time favorite, and I wish it weren’t so expensive. For every day, I wear Fracas.
This isn't a descriptive review, just a statement that Carnal Flower is the best - the BEST - interpretation of tuberose I've ever encountered. I've tried at least 50, probably more. For me FBW +++. And after years of buying decants, I was finally able to invest in a full bottle. It arrived today, and sits in front of me now. I feel no shame. Before Carnal Flower, there were many perfumes I loved, but this, this perfume...it's "me". It smells like my reflection. All the parts of me invisible, my thoughts, my memories, every aspiration, every book I've read..It sounds silly, but so what.
From the eucalyptus kick in the beginning to the subtle milky coconut at the end of the dry-down, and all its marvelous delicate, waxy, white floral-y scrumptious-ness in-between. There's nothing gaudy, nothing out of place. It's perfection.
From the eucalyptus kick in the beginning to the subtle milky coconut at the end of the dry-down, and all its marvelous delicate, waxy, white floral-y scrumptious-ness in-between. There's nothing gaudy, nothing out of place. It's perfection.
Sharp opening almost jolts you to awareness. I didn't think there could be 'too much' tuberose, now I know there can be, at least to my nose it was just totally overwhelming. I enjoy the dry own an think it's best about two or three hours in when some of the coconut and melon join in to moderate the sweet white rating. I know some people love it, and from a distance I could see myself sniffing a trail and being enchanted, just too intense a scent for me to wear. I love 90% of Ropion's blends, and that's okay, I always give them a trial run or two, he is an absolute master with scents.
Add your review of Carnal Flower
You need to be logged in to add a review.
Log in here, or register
Other perfumes by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle
Other perfumes launched in 2005
Carnal Flower by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle Perfume Ad Campaigns
in the Community
From the forums
Recently Viewed on this device
Whatever your taste in perfume, we've got you covered...
catalogue your collection, keep track of your perfume wish-list, log your daily fragrance wears, review your latest finds, seek out long-lost scented loves, keep track of the latest perfume news, find your new favourite fragrance, and discuss perfume with like-minded people from all over the world...