Shalimar Eau de Parfum by Guerlain

A scent you either love or hate. Shalimar is a historical entity, not just a perfume. It has a difficult opening with sharp leather and citrus, but if you have patience, it rewards you with a creamy, exquisite vanilla mixed with incense and iris. It becomes warm, rounded and unisex, losing that initial harshness. In the dry down, it is elegant, spicy and balsamic. Ideal for autumn and winter, it is seductive and timeless. Lasts 22 hours and projects well at the start. It is the temple of eternal love dedicated to Mumtaz Mahal. Try it before buying.

Out of curiosity, I tried Shalimar EDP and it reminded me of my grandmother: a woman with elegance, presence and independence. I bought it again and now I use it without labels, simply enjoying its exquisiteness. It is a jewel among so many saturated vanilla scends on the market. My advice: try it several times to enjoy its different notes such as patchouli, sandalwood or vetiver.

I found Shalimar EDP thanks to Juan de Huelememucho and his passionate description. Upon trying it, I had a surprise reaction: it smells like something I knew but didn’t know where. It is super charming. It starts with classic, elegant citrus, then after two hours it softens with powder, giving a warm and lovely sensation, like grandma’s makeup brushes (but in a positive way). In the dry down, it is a delicious vanilla-incense blend. Lasts 8 hours like a personal bubble. The only thing is that it causes strong olfactory fatigue; after the third hour I can’t smell it on myself, but my family can. Scent 10/10, longevity 9/10. Ideal for dates and night outs with elegant clothes. If you like classic and warm scents, use it without fear. I recommend it!

A work of art. So many years and it remains relevant. It is magical. In women it has spectacular nuances and in men it is perfect. Totally elegant and imposing. A jewel with history that suits anyone.

Neither the opening nor the dry-down convince me, although I do enjoy the heart notes. It’s a classic 90s oriental. I’m looking for intense scents, even orientals, but that sandalwood dry-down is far too dry. Don’t buy it blindly, though it might be the best for some. Perhaps it was, who knows.

Shalimar, even the name is sensual. It’s a well-made fragrance, just like the Opium EDP. I love classics with incredible quality and a beautiful story behind every note; despite reformulations, they remain unmatched. Both the EDP and EDT have everything. I adore that it’s different, long-lasting, and sensual. Try it before buying to avoid misunderstandings.

This fragrance is beyond the comprehension of the inexperienced. Shalimar means ‘temple of love’ and refers to the gardens Shah Jahan I built beside the Taj Mahal for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The poet Tagore called it ‘a tear on the cheek of time’. The creation was inspired by that love. The bottle evokes the palace, and the entire product is studied as a complete work. Imagine how it hurts romantics to hear it described as ‘decadent’ or unpleasant. If someone perceives it thus and says so respectfully, others should remain silent, for it is a personal opinion. What is not acceptable is saying anything just to be understood. A reviewer uses sarcasm to defend Shalimar against poorly educated opinions; while the sarcasm is low humour, the wit is high. Disparaging old ladies or grandmothers for disliking fragrances is annoying and shameful; it lowers the standard of human decency. Shalimar is complex and the epitome of a distant era. Although it may not match the quality or longevity of the past, it outshines many proposals from the 70s and 80s. Testing it is learning something new, taming the fragrance, and sculpting yourself as a person, accepting that if you like something, the rest is superfluous, because in reality, you are learning to like yourself.

If Elvis was the King of Rock and Roll, Shalimar is and always has been the king of perfumery. Influential and charismatic like few others. Old, heavy, challenging? Of course. Some say it smells like a neighbourhood chemist’s soap, others recall my mother’s Nivea in Gandia in the 80s, some claim it reeks of a wealthy old lady, while others compare it to an aunt’s pet… the thousand silly things people come up with. Shalimar EDP by Guerlain, uuuff, what a totem. Kings and queens, we are looking at a true beast, ladies and gentlemen. A proper classic, not Amouage, not Creed, not milks… Without being the 1920s edition, this is pure perfumery history, and today we thank heaven and Guerlain for continuing to manufacture and sell it so the public can enjoy it without distinction. Among the dozens of niche brands and designers who merely try to give this eternal scent a twist to make a buck, this stands out. Naturally, it is an old school EDP, with presence, a powerful scent and performance in the traditional manner. With a small 30ml bottle, you are well advised, as this packs a real punch. There are plenty of alternatives, but I stick with this one. Quite moderate pricing for the market. Good pairing. Health and eternal life, Shalimar. Fulfilled? Haha, this smells of sex, lad, lass, and child.

It is a treasure in my collection… beautiful… it is attractive, sexy, even sexual.

Yesterday I finally managed to test this fragrance. Its opening surprised me; it is an oriental start that recalls Chanel 5. I thought the dry down would be a pleasant surprise, but no, it simply smells like Nivea soap with some smoky touches. I understand that for those times that scent was a novelty, but Nivea products eventually turned Shalimar into a common smell.

I adore Guerlain’s essence: classic, elegant, and without taking too many risks. I discovered Shalimar because it’s a name every perfume lover knows and respects. The scent reminds me of well-settled ladies from the late 70s and early 80s, eager to leave behind Chanel No. 5 and feel modern. I believe it’s for a mature woman; if you’re young and wear it, go ahead, but be aware it can feel heavy and cloying in the dry-down. Strong fragrances always stick with me, even if I don’t love them. I feel it no longer smells quite as original; there’s a trace of talc that, in my opinion, makes it outdated. I’m not saying it smells bad, but that’s my perception. For an elegant, clean, strong-willed lady over 65 with a taste for fine things, it’s perfect. The fragrance, launched in 1925, has its place.

I bought a 5ml decant to try it over several days. At first, the first few times, I didn’t like it: it smelled very vintage, cloying, and dusty. After a month without testing it, one October night I decided to give it another chance and the magic happened. I understood everything read about it. On my skin, it smells from the start of finest talc with spices and elegant animal touches. I perceive neutral citrus notes, not piercing, slightly vanillaised but not sweet, and in the base sandalwood, flowers like iris and violets (not declared). I never perceive incense, leather, or rose, perhaps because the other notes are potent. I enjoy this original, unique, and elegant scent immensely; its trail floods the room and lasts over 8 hours. It seems strange I rejected it initially. I considered it feminine, but I tested it on my husband and it changes completely: the citrus stand out with vetiver, sandalwood, and incense, seeming like different perfumes. Definitely classic Shalimar, and its flankers are favourites in my collection. I recommend testing it on skin several times before buying, it’s worth it.

This perfume reminds me of the smell of my mother’s makeup brushes’ hair when I was little. While she put on Yves Saint Laurent blush, I would fiddle and smell the lipsticks, creams, and powders, and I have a very clear memory of the smell of the little brush’s hair, which smells very similar to this. It is elegant, pompous, and warm. Beauty powders with deep skin and incense. Chanel’s Le Lion is a clear attempt to resemble Shalimar. It is a reborn vintage perfume to shine again, which deeply pleases me.

Hello to all the beautiful ladies commenting here. Every woman is different due to our genetic pH. But every day high-end perfumes are reformulated; it’s a competitive market and they remove ingredients so they don’t last and we have to buy another. This industry tries to deceive us. I bought this Shalimar at Macy’s four days ago for $140, what an error! It’s not the same scent it had five years ago. I’m very disappointed; it doesn’t compare to the classic Shalimar before the reform. Almost all the original classics from the 80s. I remember when my mother used big brands and perfumers created works of art. Today we only buy low-quality reformulations at sky-high prices. I collect fragrances and reached the point of not throwing money at dishonest companies; they only sell brands full of juices and flowers, nothing of quality.

This perfume smells of heaven, but I feel it lacks something, as if in the reformulations they removed or modified key notes, losing the original structure. Creamy lemon with white flowers and a hint of vintage incense. On me, the projection and longevity are low.