Shalimar Parfum Initial 
Guerlain (2011)

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Average Rating:  35 User Reviews

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Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain

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About Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain

People & Companies

Guerlain
Fragrance House
Thierry Wasser
Perfumer

Shalimar Parfum Initial is a women's perfume launched in 2011 by Guerlain

Fragrance notes.

  1. Top Notes

  2. Heart Notes

  3. Base Notes

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Reviews of Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain

There are 35 reviews of Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain .


It opens with the Shalimar characteristic bergamot, and evolves towards a very green fragrance. I'd like it to come more around you, with some plushy softness. But then it would just be Shalimar. Maybe it's going to be good in summer; which is when it comes out again. But shhhh... I just learnt it's a secret.


Skin coloured velvet

For a long long time I have been strolling in the woods, adoring them in the company of spices, amber, incense, benzoin, etc.

Recently I have been gifted a decant of SPI and I find myself in grave danger of becoming ladylike at last.
Soft, intoxicating, alluring and very sweet.
Not too sweet, just adorable.

Along the day it reminded me of Le Bain de Joop!... SPI is more refined of course: no cedar, no sandalwood, no aldehydes.
Matching notes are: vanilla, tonka, patchouli, rose, musk, bergamot and jasmin.
Iris, caramel, vetiver, orange, and green notes round this baby up.
The drydown gives soft wafts of vanille and beautiful iris.

I love it.


I could change my mind while wearing the rest of the sample and come back and make this a thumbs up, but I was disappointed during my first wearing of Shalimar Parfum Initial.

The fragrance I wore recently that it kept reminding me of is Dior Homme Sport 2008, not because the smell is similar, but because the plan for both is the same: to have a pleasant-enough, steady synthetic accord that develops only minimally.

Compared to Dior Homme Sport 2008, the opening / main feature synthetic accord wasn't as nice here, but there was slightly more development that redeemed it somewhat in the base.

This one smelled like a kind of pipe tobacco, perhaps. It smelled more masculine than feminine to me. Some other fragrances that might be somewhat in the same ballpark are D&G The One for Men, Spicebomb, L'Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme, and Mon Guerlain.


Whoah! Aldehydes! Those are new for Shalimar. It takes me a minute or two to be able to recognize any Shalimar here. At first it's a sharp-sweet aldehydic floral and while I know there is likely bergamot, it's hard to detect. After a bit that tonka/leather/vanilla thing that is Shalimar's base arrives, and I can make the flanker connection. The citrus is brighter-- more like a tangerine note than the lemon/bergamot for which Shalimar is famous. The citrus I can detect is more reminiscent of the bright, aldehydic citrus in No. 5 L'Eau. Later, a heavy dose of white musk announces its presence loudly. Finally, a patchouli note sashays in and steals the spotlight.

This is a far less citric and astringent Shalimar, with the tonka and white noise turned up and the smoke, citrus, and rich vanilla turned down. It's not as dark, bright, or sweaty as Shalimar. I like this better than Shalimar Soufflé; it's not as thin. It's fine-tuned to attract the gourmand-loving 20- and 30-somethings to whom things like Black Opium were directed. It's lovely, and I think I'd like it a lot if I weren't expecting it to be Shalimar.


This fragrance is just like a beautiful harmony on notes in the bottle. very elegant and charming combination of notes.
This fragrance opens up with a slightly sweet and very delicious caramel note followed by fresh, sweet and juicy citruses and soft but at the same time pungent earthy aroma of patchouli.
As we all expect citruses (mostly orange) give the start a fresh zesty feeling, but not like summery fragrances because it's followed by semi sweet caramel and earthy, peppery and a little damp note of patchouli. also scent has a faint powdery feeling but completely in the background.

As time goes by, in the mid citruses are gone and now I can smell more patchouli with peppery and kind of bitter woody/soft smoky aura plus mellow caramel and vanilla combo and some powdery feeling. it's less sweet than the opening and also more mature and more woody.
In the base scent changes a little bit. in the base I'm getting that slightly sweet caramel and vanilla notes, mellow powdery iris and bitter woody/peppery aroma of patchouli but now less bitter and woody. patchouli in this stage is damp and earthy just like the start. also scent has a very mellow soapy aroma and only in the base that stays in the background all the times but it's not that hard to spot.
Projection is very good and longevity is around 8 hours on my skin. I think except summer you can wear this all year round and mostly formal, not casual!

P.S: Iris plays a smooth role in this fragrance and has a mellow powdery feeling. similar with DH and DHI?! I don't think so.

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