Oriens by Van Cleef & Arpels

Exquisite; the bottle is a true jewel, just as beautiful! I’ve already purchased my second unit. It has an enviable longevity and a lovely trail. Fresh and fruity, I absolutely adore it 🙂

Beautiful bottle. I found it on clearance a few years ago, but at the time I couldn’t wear anything sweet and it felt too much so. I forgot about it, and now, at a better price, the opportunity has presented itself again. I no longer detect the sweetness as strongly; instead, I smell a lot of patchouli, almost overpowering everything, with a hint of mint or eucalyptus, which I understand comes from the patchouli. I’m still not sure if I like it or not; it reminds me of Montblanc Individuelle Femme. I will continue to test it. EDIT: 2020, I bought it during the pandemic and finally it has become a sweet fruity fragrance with significant patchouli that doesn’t overshadow the other notes. It is now a permanent part of my collection.

Update: Oh Oriens, your bottle is definitely beautiful. I find a very similar sillage to Miss Dior, but you are fresher, have a good trail, and your longevity on my skin is also very good. I tested you in summer and yes, you convinced me; I really liked your scent. Perhaps in winter I had a different impression, which is why I am updating my review: you are a summer perfume and it is in this season where you shine, both during the day and on summer nights. I loved you; and yes, when I finish this, I will repurchase <3

It feels so good to wear this perfume. The bottle is as beautiful as the fragrance itself. It opens up super fruity: a dance between orange (more the zest), blackcurrant, and raspberry, with the latter really standing out. As it settles, the fantastic patchouli appears with its craveable praline, which reminds me a bit of Mugler Angel but without quite the same potency. Then come the white flowers, amber, and a very light vanilla that passes quickly. I’m not sure where to classify it: neither a floral Chypre nor an oriental, nor a gourmand, because although it’s sweet, it’s very soft. It’s strong, mysterious, classy, smells fine, and is ideal for cold weather and evenings. Moderate trail and high longevity. Rating 9/10.

The blend of this perfume is different; I like it very much. I perceive a light balsamic herbal note, something fruity, slightly earthy, which is very pleasant in my personal opinion.

At first, I didn’t like it altogether; I felt a masculine note that I didn’t understand. A few years later, I wanted to buy something from the brand and was surprised when I smelled it again: I loved it. It’s as refined as everything in the line and sweet. Perhaps when it first came out it was more original, but the bottle is unique and now it really convinces me.

I have a miniature of this perfume, which leaked halfway during shipping. I tested a bit of what remained, and the truth is it is not for me. I have always had problems with perfumes that have heaps of patchouli. The combination of this with amber and praline feels very heavy and strange on my skin most of the time; we simply do not click. The first time I wore it, it was very hot, and I became quite sickly sweet, almost to the point of nausea; I thought that was not a good day for so much patchouli. Today I have tested it again in a fresh, humid environment with light rain. The result is more tolerable but nothing enchanting; the patchouli feels a little lighter and mixed with the amber gives a slightly woody and incense-like sensation, while the sweetness comes in bursts, and I never perceived any fruits or flowers. That said, its trail and longevity are good, and its ingredients are perceived as high quality. I also do not consider it a chypre; for me, it is a fruitcholi like many others but of high end and a little more ‘mature’. I’m sorry, but as the English say, ‘it’s not my cup of tea’. It might be for you if you love super sweet perfumes like La Vie est’ Belle and have no issues with patchouli like I do.

I picked this up at a ridiculous price compared to what it costs in the big department stores here. I got it right 100%. The bottle is a real gem, visually stunning, and on its own that would have made it worth it, but the perfume is another level altogether. It opens fresh with a cheerful mandarin, red and black fruits, a hint of jasmine and patchouli. The vanilla isn’t the star, but that praline creates a velvety sweetness that melts into the skin and adds warmth. It lasts a long time, has a lovely trail, and I’ll be wearing it in autumn and winter. I agree with those who compare it to Coco Mademoiselle or Miss Dior Chérie, although the patchouli gives Oriens its own unique charm.

First impression: beautiful bottle. The fragrance is of good quality. Is it a Chypre? I’m not sure; it sounds more ‘fruity-floral’ to me with a very noticeable praline. It’s cosy, pleasant, and suitable for many occasions, but at first it didn’t seem charming enough to me. Edit: I tried it again and now I absolutely love it; I’d put it in my collection. Over time it becomes soft, like part of my skin, and the base notes (plus that praline) become much more apparent. It’s a very lovely perfume.