My Mother wore Shalimar when I was growing up. Shalimar smelled elegant and unique as her signature fragrance. I will always hold a place in my heart for Shalimar.
"let people decide what they want" I agree 100%. Obviously we all want our fragrances to be safe but it just seems that IFRA and the EU are being overly conservative with their regulations and it feels as if they're robbing the creativity away from perfumers, simply because a small number of people might get a bad reaction to a perfume.
I’m noticing a trend where today’s fragrances are geared toward having a great opening note, with a less interesting drydown, vs classic fragrances, which have a drydown that gets much better from the opening. It’s as if fragrances nowadays are made to grab as much attention from distracted people with far too short attention spans to wait for the drydown. Maybe this is the industry’s response to the Tik Tok and social media generation that is constantly being stimulated, and is forgetting how to slow down and savor things. 🤔 As I’m approaching the third decade of my life, modern fragrances are far less appealing, as they just go flat and lifeless when the drydown hits.
I will try to keep this short, there was a shift in how formulas are built. I would say pre 80’s most fragrances were built around bases and naturals, bases can be multiple materials to reconstruct some natural, or to be like a little perfume. But they would use bases inside of bases inside of bases inside of bases then build around that, plus naturals a fragrance could have upwards 500 different molecules. This would create something beautiful from opening til it’s completely gone. We are now in a time where many fragrances are built around 2-3 overdoses of single molecule materials(which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) and then some form or another of personality is added to the composition though as you say focused heavily on the opening, long enough to get you to buy. I also feel IMO perfumers who learn from way too many gcms results of other frags tend to work in this single molecule way. 4-5 materials that make up 80-90% of a fragrance could be extremely diffusive and long lasting then a perfumer just has to fill in the last 10-20% with jargon and usually DPG. I feel it’s inherently lazy esp when every fragrance contains 50% iso e super and hedione, which cost 14$ a kilo, it’s cheap stuff. And ath over here using 5% oud, blows my mind what his costs are.
Openings last maybe 10-15 mins? I keep writing this: for a wearing time of about 6 hours, the opening is just ~4% of the wearing experience. Openings are made just to lure people who don't know better into buying the fragrance when they just test it in stores smelling right after spraying. My motto: always compare and assess the drydowns. F#$%ck openings! ;)
@@jamesmonforte2278 Very interesting insight, and perhaps that might account for why classic fragrances had a laundry list of notes? The overly simplistic molecular structure of modern designer fragrances might also be why fragheads are gravitating toward boutique niche scents, but that could also be due to higher quality raw materials. Anecdotally speaking, when wearing my bottle of Guerlain Vetiver, I can clearly distinguish the top, middle and base note stages. Most modern frags to me are opening and dry down, and that’s it, no discernible difference between mid and base.
@@chi-towncalifornia5916 Not to sound pretentious but I have been making fragrances (getting better lol) for about 3 yrs now and I can say the more you know you realize how much marketing goes into fragrances. As you say "a laundry list of notes" could just be marketing. By example, I can say my fragrance has rose, carnation, jasmine and bergamot, though the perfumer may only use constituents of each "note". The perfume may only have Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol - rose, Eugenol - Carnation, Hedione- Jasmine and linalyl acetate - bergamot. So using 4 naturally occurring single molecule (possibly synthetic versions which work just as good) materials, I can sell you 4 "notes". Higher quality materials doesn't make a good fragrance either, though people do venture off into the indie house realm because designers set a basic, high profit trend where as the indies, primarily self taught, have few boundaries or limits, capital or lack thereof is probably the largest limitation. Guerlain vetiver is wonderful. Guerlain did have a base which was used multiple times called the "guerlinade", and referring back to my original post this base was put inside a base etc etc. Pre thierry wasser (no disrespect) guerlain has ridiculously complex fragrances, and it sucks to say you can't smell originals, and if you find one it's probably degraded. Sorry to be long winded, I can go on for hours.
I don’t mind smelling “old lady-ish”because I love to wear history! I’d love to go back in time to F Scott Fitzgerald era NYC and party all night! I imagine a beautiful flapper girl wearing this and dancing up a storm. I have a small collection of vintage perfumes that I love and wear often. To heck with the allergens!
When I worked for House of Frazer for Benefit in the early 00s, Guerlain was the counter directly opposite. I loved learning about Guerlain's history from the sales rep. Fascinating. The first time I tried Shalimar I thought it was heady and intoxicating. I was blown away. I thought I was too young to wear it at 17-18 years old. I have it now and love to wear of to bed. Its smokey and resinous on my skin. Love, love LOVE. I love to wear "mens" fragrances as well. Some of my favourites are Mugler A'Men and Pure Tonka, Tom Ford Noir Extreme Pour Homme and Guerlain L'homme Ideal EDP, Comme des Garcon Wonderwood and Zadig & Voltaire This Is Him. If it smells wonderful to me I'm going to wear it and enjoy it. I like to make a bold statement with my fragrances. Not blend in to the background with the most popular scent at the moment. IDGAF 😊
This is my signature scent. Often described as baby powder, "old lady-ish", smokey, creme brûlée, incense-y, balsamic, oriental, old fashioned, French etc. It is all of the above, but it all boils down to an extremely well blended powdery dry vanilla base. Will stay evergreen. Shines in the dry down, the sillage is what I die for, every now and then sniffs of it make me smile. A wonderful fragrance, that will never be replaced for me❤️❤️❤️.
If you love it that’s all that matters. My signature is POAL from Frederic Malle and many find it very deep/gothic but it defines me in a way. It’s old fashioned yet elegant
I’ve never understood IFRA - we don’t ban nuts because a small number of people have allergies to them, or ban all dairy products because some people are lactose intolerant etc - we label the products so people are aware of the contents & we trust the common sense of a person who has a nut allergy for example not to eat an item that’s labelled as containing nuts. Yet in perfumery raw materials are banned because 1 person in 10,000 might have a minor reaction to an ingredient - it’s crazy !
Thank you for the review of Shalimar! It has been my experience that Guerlain does reformulations very well. They seem to do their best to keep the core DNA of their fragrances as close to the original formulations as possible while only changing what is needed to comply with IFRA. And your review seems to confirm that. Looking forward to many more reviews from the historical house of Guerlain. Hopefully, Samsara EDP and Heritage EDT will be reviewed in the near future.
My mom used to wear this when my parents would go out on a date. She wore a decent amount of fragrances but this one always stood out. For the life of me I don't remember what this smells like but I'm pretty sure I would recognize it immediately. This one holds a special place in my heart. Great review as always!!!
Probably the best quality house in existence (to my personal tastes, and no disrespect to ANY house or perfumer for that matter). Even as a man I love Shalimar. Something about the classics, even when geared and marketed towards women still work well for men. This and Crystal Noir by Versace are two scents heavily marketed for women that I wear in my rotation comfortably. Great review!
I’m glad you did this, this is in my top 3 favorite fragrances and I’m a guy, I love this along with black orchid and bleu de chanel. Thanks for the review!
Well black orchid can be worn by younger people for sure. Shalimar I would say is more 30+. But tbh you can rock whatever you want if you like it. I’m 34 and I’ve had younger girls give me compliments on it. My girlfriend likes it and she’s 24
Good review Aaron!! I enjoy this fragrance, mostly in the winter months, it's a complex frag. I enjoy complex frag's.....i,e. Narciso Rodriguez. Keep em coming
My great aunt wore this perfume. I’ve never smelled it on anyone else. I’ll always think of her. I want to buy this perfume just to have memories of her
Finally Guerlain and Finally the most amazing Women's fragrance ever. Shalimar the Goat, you need to wear this for 2-4hrs to really appreciate this. The Masterpiece
I've always found the sharp powdery lemon accord in the opening of Shalimar reminds me far too much of 80s household cleaners like Pledge that were probably just jumping on a fragrance trend of their time. Etat Libre d'Orange has a gorgeous perfume called Bijou Romantique that feels very much like a modern take or an updated version of Shalimar and just dives straight into the classic oriental deep end with zero f*cks given. Great stuff!
I am glad to see you Reviewing some offerings from Guerlain. Im still new to Fragrances but I like this House. some of the first Frags I bought were Ideal Cologne and Ideal EDP which I really enjoy. it's a good fall scent. It has I think an Incense note that I really enjoy. I've heard you talk before about unethical Companies. what are they doing that makes them Unethical? I just assumed most companies that make Fragrance were subject to the same regulations ect. but Im asking because I don't know. BTW I really enjoy how you do your Reviews. Most people can say if they find a scent pleasing or not but the way you get to the Conclusion is pretty unique.
The dry down is where Shalimar definitely shines. The citrusy top catches you, that dark rich end is what keeps you. And I do have to comment on the original formula and your mention of finding very little masculinity due to when it was first introduced (early ‘20’s). I have a few of the older vintages and they are HEAVY in the birch tar, incense, and animalics! So much natural bergamot oil too. The older ones have obviously changed and rounded out with age (and definitely hazardous, lol) but it was a far more ‘masculine’ scent than what it is today. Though my partner really enjoys the current formula as well.
Love the way you can separate your personal view from an objective account of the fragrance. It's what makes you such a great reviewer. When it comes to male/female/non binary use of fragrance I totally agree. I often start the day with something almost ridiculously "male" and at the end of the day, as it starts to fade, layer something beautifully floral over it - it seems to fit my late mid life crisis, part of which has led me to embrace less codified ideas of who we are, from a sexuality/gender point of view!
I recently received a ton of your fragrance samples from a friend. I've been watching for some time and now I'm subscribed after sampling these masterpieces. Me and my wife will be making a few full bottle purchases soon. Keep up the great work!💪🏾🤞🏾💯
Another great review. I know your likings are of a more dark rose accord but I would be very interested on your take on a more spring/fall watery green take on rose with Cartier's Declaration d'Un Soir.
Totally agree! In first smell it hits you and you’re like ‘what is this??’ But give it a chance, it settles and it’s lovely and you can actually smell it hours later. Not like lots of modern perfumes imo. My new favourite! (My daughter doesn’t agree, she thinks it’s vile but it’s an acquired taste!)
This is one perfum that each time i've used, i've got complimmented on! Because the dry down is just beautiful masterwork! ❤️ Still, i don't use it quite much...
I adore your videos and the way you describe scent (I haven't had the pleasure of trying your own perfumes yet, though). However I need to say this: it's pronounced bergaMOT, not bergaMONT or bergaMON. There is no N in there whatsoever. PS. I 100% agree with your stance on allergens in perfume.
Hi Aaron! Loved the vid, I've only smellt the newer flankers of Shalimar and not the original but your video got me interested in changing that! I'm the same as you, I love rose scents. I'm a little disappointed by it almost always being followed by saffron and or oud. I want a scent that really just celebrates the note of Rose.
You must be trying mostly trendy niche perfume then. Try Nahema by Guerlain, la Fille en Berlin and Sa Majeste La Rose by Serge Lutens, Une Rose by Frederic Malle, Lyric by Amouage
Are u in my head? I just blind ordered a 50ml bottle of shalimar edp this afternoon and have been anxious on whether i’d like it or not.. just not enough useful (for me) reviews on youtube about it but I felt I had to have it and so I just closed my eyes and checked my cart out. I agree with you that no one should refrain them self from buying and wearing notes and accords they like. I too am a massive rose fan, like more than half of my frags are rose centric or at have roses in them. Smelling notes and accords you like in perfumes will improve your mood, your state of mind, help regulate your hormones (i think lol), everything.. dont deprive yourself!! lol For me notes/accords are like a musical instrument in music, and rose is like the piano in perfumery, i seek it and it has led me through all sorts of lovely florals, orientals, fougeres, citruses, aromatics, etc and now chypre perfumes (and vetiver is like a harpsichord, sometime it hits, sometimes it dont) . its amazing how that one note/accord can be used to make a fragrance exude such a melange of different scents.. last week i tried Roja’s Diaghilev (explosive indescribable opening, then dries down to the most beautiful scent that yearns for my attention.. its a total alien of a scent for me) for the first time and it sent me on a crazy ride of buying and trying out different chypres just to see what emotions it’ll evoke from me.. and mann are chypres wild! and testing them now in this current heat we’re in is like playing russian roulette seems like lol. Love your review as always. Sorry for overyapping!
1:43 I have to agree so much. for example, currently, about 75% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. and did they put normal milk products on an index of restricted products? of course not. I am totally fine with that. as long as it is on the list of ingredients on the package. and there are alternative products.
Hey, Aaron! Stumbled upon you not too long ago and have been extremely addicted to your videos. Finally gave your house a try. My first pickup is Boss Bastard and I absolutely LOVE IT. Violet Delirium, Onyx and Daddy also really grab my attention. Which should I buy next??🤔
I love Notorious. Its going into a 50ml soon as ive added a few things to make it extra magical. Thank you for supporting my work. Its so amazing to hear how much love I get back
Perfect review! Thank you for your videos. Can you please please please review Francesca Bianchi 'Under My Skin'??? It's a leather heavy fragrance. A really interesting one. People say it's a pornographic perfume 😉
Tried it today and its a love /hate for me…the opening with vanilla and incens and spices is, its a lot! But the dry down and where i am now 2-3 hours in? Perfect! Its smooth, comforting, sexy to me! Im new to perfume so going over genders, betinga man is still a bit weird for me, but i actually think i will buy it
Hi. Fairly new subscriber here. I enjoy your channel and I am a fellow lover of perfume. If you like (or love) "orientals", you should get your hands (and nose) on a much later but equally as iconic Guerlain perfume from the 1980s, Samsara, which is very different from Shalimar, and just blows the mind many reviewers say - it's that good. I haven't been able to locate one of the vintage or original versions of this perfume but someday, someday... The French perfume houses - and let's face it, they were the lead in perfume, just like the French were in European food and wine - (and because of their own colonial past) - were totally fascinated with the East and the Far East. Guerlain's Shalimar and Samsara are at the top of that perfume mountain, but later houses like Boucheron created "Jaipur" and the house of Jean Louis Scherrer created "La Nuits Indienne" (or Indian Nights) EDT. The latter especially, though sadly now discontinued, is a totally amazing and delicious "oriental" and so worth checking out. My father in law gave me a bottle of Scherrer's Indian Nights, decades ago, and I still have it and absolutely treasure it. Btw, Shalimar was named after a great human love story. The Shalimar Gardens (now in Lahore, Pakistan) were the favorite gardens of Queen Mumtaj, the beloved wife of the great Mogul King and Emperor, Shah Jahan. When she died, he mourned her so deeply that he had one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, commissioned and built - to memorialize her. Shalimar is an iconic perfume named after an ancient, iconic love affair. The love story behind the scent somehow lends itself to the total experience and enjoyment of the perfume, I think...
You need to try Shalimar Soufflé Intense edp that one is up your league with dark oriental but not so heavy but smooth. Try and get it. It’s unisex fragrance. Guerlain has great smelling scents.
There are brands like Areej Le Doré and Ensar Oud to name a few that do not follor IFRA Restrictions. Areej compositions follows french prefumery before all regulations came to play in perfumery.
Aaron, i THINK Oakmoss was banned or reduced due to other people having bad allergic reactions to it while someone else was wearing it. Truly sad so many regulations today. My signature i was OBSESSED with when i was 16 in year 2000 going to the clubs illegally lol was Armani 'Lei/He', it had tons of Oakmoss apparently. Today after so many basterdized reformulations it smells like dirt water.
This has been my go to for many years. I have a couple frags of vintage shalimar... i use those on special occasions and the newer bottles for everyday. Edit... shalimar was introduced in 1925.... 100 year anniversary is coming soon
I think you raise a fascinating point with your 'some men like' - what I'm thinking is to what extent can we all be categorised...or is it more situation based? Would anyone like to join me in collecting some data...... For my part - some fragrances I like..... Some fragrances I really love.... Aramis, Kouros, Tom Ford Noir, Tom ford Noir de Noir, Tom ford Noir extreme, Ombre leather, Tuscan leather, bois de portugal, Eau Sauvage Terre d'hermes, grey vetiver, intoxicated by Killian (I know I know - I have unfortunately expensive tastes - Its why I often wear Aramis, I can afford to) and randomly - shaghaf oud - A cheapie I bought - apparently it smells a lot like Lancome oud bouquet. A great smell if you have an evening shower, then go to the bedroom (ideally with a beautiful lady of course), just luxurious and oriental......romantic somehow. Scents I don't really like Aventus (and clones), 1 million, Invictus, black orchid....& almost anything with a strong coffee note..... Scents I find boring Sauvage, Layton, percival, Prada l'homme
my mom wears samsara. an auntie gave her a bottle of shalimar *parfum* when i was in my mid 20s. i tried it and fell IN LOVE. that was the start of my fragrance journey. one of the best and most influential frags ever made. classic. french. yes yes yes, aaron! i dont get florals or green notes on my skin. mostly just bergamot, amber, and the most delicious vanilla drydown that is truly dry and not too sweet. i am curious if any folks have recommendations on where to purchase to guarantee authenticity, freshness, proper storage & care. i've been disappointed by some high-end department stores.
Have to agree about florals, when done right. If anyone told me 10 years ago that I'd own fragrances with Iris, Jasmine and especially rose, let alone getting compliments for them, I'd probably have thought they were starting to lose their marbles.
That's the perfume I hate the most, why ? Because it's too loud for me, not really sophisticated because this perfume have too much ingredients inside and it doesn't work for me. And maybe it's too vintage but the millésime 2021 with a big proportion of Vanilla is amazing ! You should try to see the difference.
Good video. I appreciate the thought you put into your review. I would like to say, though, that referring to fragrances as "old lady-ish" isn't cool. It's rooted in ageism. Thank you.
Its time for all perfumers to gettogether and move out of IFRA how can naturals be the problem . Least it should b given as a warning on the boxes of the various perfumes naturals and allergens then people can choose . This is more a commercialy motivated stance by big Chemical companies. We sell cigrattes and alcohol with warnings why not fragrances. Damn the IFRA.
Yes yes yes! Decide which chemicals you can use. I am dangerously allergic to penicillin but I do not expect it to be banned so that others cannot benefit. I am a chypre lover and am so sad that all the best chypres have gone. Please don't use the term "old lady" in a pejorative way. It makes old ladies like me very unhappy. I smell wonderful. Atm I am wearing a Kurkijan fragrance.
My Mother wore Shalimar when I was growing up. Shalimar smelled elegant and unique as her signature fragrance. I will always hold a place in my heart for Shalimar.
Finally a Guerlain!
You took the words out of my mouth
More guerlains needed 😍
@@jenniferlatifa1314 i would love to see a Guerlain Vetiver review
One of my favourite fragrances of all time
"let people decide what they want"
I agree 100%. Obviously we all want our fragrances to be safe but it just seems that IFRA and the EU are being overly conservative with their regulations and it feels as if they're robbing the creativity away from perfumers, simply because a small number of people might get a bad reaction to a perfume.
Shalimar: the first ever "oriental" fragrance.
I'm a man and love Shalimar 🤷♂️ not at all ashamed to say it.
Not ashamed at all! Shalimar and Mon Guerlain are in my regular rotation as well ;)
Idgaf if they say it's for women. I rock Shalimar all the time!
Same bro 😎
Hey, Joe, can you tell me something about the performance on a man's skin? Does it last long?
Some things are just that good, they transcend gender or time.
@@vukasinstanisavljevic4387 it lasts about 3 hours on me.
@@joebaumgart1146 it last like 8 hours for me i smell it in the air where i had walked throughout the day
I’m noticing a trend where today’s fragrances are geared toward having a great opening note, with a less interesting drydown, vs classic fragrances, which have a drydown that gets much better from the opening. It’s as if fragrances nowadays are made to grab as much attention from distracted people with far too short attention spans to wait for the drydown.
Maybe this is the industry’s response to the Tik Tok and social media generation that is constantly being stimulated, and is forgetting how to slow down and savor things. 🤔 As I’m approaching the third decade of my life, modern fragrances are far less appealing, as they just go flat and lifeless when the drydown hits.
Interesting observation
I will try to keep this short, there was a shift in how formulas are built. I would say pre 80’s most fragrances were built around bases and naturals, bases can be multiple materials to reconstruct some natural, or to be like a little perfume. But they would use bases inside of bases inside of bases inside of bases then build around that, plus naturals a fragrance could have upwards 500 different molecules. This would create something beautiful from opening til it’s completely gone. We are now in a time where many fragrances are built around 2-3 overdoses of single molecule materials(which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) and then some form or another of personality is added to the composition though as you say focused heavily on the opening, long enough to get you to buy. I also feel IMO perfumers who learn from way too many gcms results of other frags tend to work in this single molecule way. 4-5 materials that make up 80-90% of a fragrance could be extremely diffusive and long lasting then a perfumer just has to fill in the last 10-20% with jargon and usually DPG. I feel it’s inherently lazy esp when every fragrance contains 50% iso e super and hedione, which cost 14$ a kilo, it’s cheap stuff. And ath over here using 5% oud, blows my mind what his costs are.
Openings last maybe 10-15 mins? I keep writing this: for a wearing time of about 6 hours, the opening is just ~4% of the wearing experience. Openings are made just to lure people who don't know better into buying the fragrance when they just test it in stores smelling right after spraying. My motto: always compare and assess the drydowns. F#$%ck openings! ;)
@@jamesmonforte2278 Very interesting insight, and perhaps that might account for why classic fragrances had a laundry list of notes? The overly simplistic molecular structure of modern designer fragrances might also be why fragheads are gravitating toward boutique niche scents, but that could also be due to higher quality raw materials. Anecdotally speaking, when wearing my bottle of Guerlain Vetiver, I can clearly distinguish the top, middle and base note stages. Most modern frags to me are opening and dry down, and that’s it, no discernible difference between mid and base.
@@chi-towncalifornia5916 Not to sound pretentious but I have been making fragrances (getting better lol) for about 3 yrs now and I can say the more you know you realize how much marketing goes into fragrances. As you say "a laundry list of notes" could just be marketing. By example, I can say my fragrance has rose, carnation, jasmine and bergamot, though the perfumer may only use constituents of each "note". The perfume may only have Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol - rose, Eugenol - Carnation, Hedione- Jasmine and linalyl acetate - bergamot. So using 4 naturally occurring single molecule (possibly synthetic versions which work just as good) materials, I can sell you 4 "notes".
Higher quality materials doesn't make a good fragrance either, though people do venture off into the indie house realm because designers set a basic, high profit trend where as the indies, primarily self taught, have few boundaries or limits, capital or lack thereof is probably the largest limitation. Guerlain vetiver is wonderful. Guerlain did have a base which was used multiple times called the "guerlinade", and referring back to my original post this base was put inside a base etc etc. Pre thierry wasser (no disrespect) guerlain has ridiculously complex fragrances, and it sucks to say you can't smell originals, and if you find one it's probably degraded. Sorry to be long winded, I can go on for hours.
I don’t mind smelling “old lady-ish”because I love to wear history! I’d love to go back in time to F Scott Fitzgerald era NYC and party all night! I imagine a beautiful flapper girl wearing this and dancing up a storm.
I have a small collection of vintage perfumes that I love and wear often. To heck with the allergens!
When I worked for House of Frazer for Benefit in the early 00s, Guerlain was the counter directly opposite. I loved learning about Guerlain's history from the sales rep. Fascinating. The first time I tried Shalimar I thought it was heady and intoxicating. I was blown away. I thought I was too young to wear it at 17-18 years old. I have it now and love to wear of to bed. Its smokey and resinous on my skin. Love, love LOVE.
I love to wear "mens" fragrances as well. Some of my favourites are Mugler A'Men and Pure Tonka, Tom Ford Noir Extreme Pour Homme and Guerlain L'homme Ideal EDP, Comme des Garcon Wonderwood and Zadig & Voltaire This Is Him. If it smells wonderful to me I'm going to wear it and enjoy it. I like to make a bold statement with my fragrances. Not blend in to the background with the most popular scent at the moment. IDGAF 😊
This is my signature scent.
Often described as baby powder, "old lady-ish", smokey, creme brûlée, incense-y, balsamic, oriental, old fashioned, French etc. It is all of the above, but it all boils down to an extremely well blended powdery dry vanilla base. Will stay evergreen.
Shines in the dry down, the sillage is what I die for, every now and then sniffs of it make me smile. A wonderful fragrance, that will never be replaced for me❤️❤️❤️.
If you love it that’s all that matters. My signature is POAL from Frederic Malle and many find it very deep/gothic but it defines me in a way. It’s old fashioned yet elegant
Shalimars dry down is so so beautiful to me
It’s like wearing the softest, most expensive suede jacket. Very indulgent
Have you tried the extrait? It’s even better
I’ve never understood IFRA - we don’t ban nuts because a small number of people have allergies to them, or ban all dairy products because some people are lactose intolerant etc - we label the products so people are aware of the contents & we trust the common sense of a person who has a nut allergy for example not to eat an item that’s labelled as containing nuts. Yet in perfumery raw materials are banned because 1 person in 10,000 might have a minor reaction to an ingredient - it’s crazy !
I agree 100%
Aaron, this video is a flat out surgical operation, of a phenomenal fragrance. Your thoughts are very refreshing, as well. Keep the videos coming. 🤙🏾
Thank you for the review of Shalimar! It has been my experience that Guerlain does reformulations very well. They seem to do their best to keep the core DNA of their fragrances as close to the original formulations as possible while only changing what is needed to comply with IFRA. And your review seems to confirm that.
Looking forward to many more reviews from the historical house of Guerlain. Hopefully, Samsara EDP and Heritage EDT will be reviewed in the near future.
My mom used to wear this when my parents would go out on a date. She wore a decent amount of fragrances but this one always stood out. For the life of me I don't remember what this smells like but I'm pretty sure I would recognize it immediately. This one holds a special place in my heart. Great review as always!!!
Thank you sir absolutely.... good ratings. Let’s see more Guerlain reviews....you gave shalimar good ratings. Best house in perfumery.
Probably the best quality house in existence (to my personal tastes, and no disrespect to ANY house or perfumer for that matter). Even as a man I love Shalimar. Something about the classics, even when geared and marketed towards women still work well for men. This and Crystal Noir by Versace are two scents heavily marketed for women that I wear in my rotation comfortably. Great review!
I agree about their quality for sure. Have you tried any of their other womens classics?
Thank you for taking the time to review this. I'd like to see what you think of mitsouko
I’m glad you did this, this is in my top 3 favorite fragrances and I’m a guy, I love this along with black orchid and bleu de chanel. Thanks for the review!
Well black orchid can be worn by younger people for sure. Shalimar I would say is more 30+. But tbh you can rock whatever you want if you like it. I’m 34 and I’ve had younger girls give me compliments on it. My girlfriend likes it and she’s 24
Love, love, love your voice.
Good review Aaron!! I enjoy this fragrance, mostly in the winter months, it's a complex frag. I enjoy complex frag's.....i,e. Narciso Rodriguez. Keep em coming
My great aunt wore this perfume. I’ve never smelled it on anyone else. I’ll always think of her. I want to buy this perfume just to have memories of her
Ahhh.. you are absolutely amazing...i ordered Violet delirium and can't wait to smell it.
Violet is my most sexual, animalistic Oud!!!! Interesting choise
Finally Guerlain and Finally the most amazing Women's fragrance ever. Shalimar the Goat, you need to wear this for 2-4hrs to really appreciate this. The Masterpiece
For me. this and Chanel 5 are the only perfumes who worth to buy. Shalimar is so beautiful. I am addicted for life.
I've always found the sharp powdery lemon accord in the opening of Shalimar reminds me far too much of 80s household cleaners like Pledge that were probably just jumping on a fragrance trend of their time. Etat Libre d'Orange has a gorgeous perfume called Bijou Romantique that feels very much like a modern take or an updated version of Shalimar and just dives straight into the classic oriental deep end with zero f*cks given. Great stuff!
I am glad to see you Reviewing some offerings from Guerlain. Im still new to Fragrances but I like this House. some of the first Frags I bought were Ideal Cologne and Ideal EDP which I really enjoy. it's a good fall scent. It has I think an Incense note that I really enjoy.
I've heard you talk before about unethical Companies. what are they doing that makes them Unethical? I just assumed most companies that make Fragrance were subject to the same regulations ect. but Im asking because I don't know.
BTW I really enjoy how you do your Reviews. Most people can say if they find a scent pleasing or not but the way you get to the Conclusion is pretty unique.
I love your personality 😘
Enjoyed Aaron 💥
The dry down is where Shalimar definitely shines. The citrusy top catches you, that dark rich end is what keeps you. And I do have to comment on the original formula and your mention of finding very little masculinity due to when it was first introduced (early ‘20’s). I have a few of the older vintages and they are HEAVY in the birch tar, incense, and animalics! So much natural bergamot oil too. The older ones have obviously changed and rounded out with age (and definitely hazardous, lol) but it was a far more ‘masculine’ scent than what it is today. Though my partner really enjoys the current formula as well.
Love the way you can separate your personal view from an objective account of the fragrance. It's what makes you such a great reviewer.
When it comes to male/female/non binary use of fragrance I totally agree. I often start the day with something almost ridiculously "male" and at the end of the day, as it starts to fade, layer something beautifully floral over it - it seems to fit my late mid life crisis, part of which has led me to embrace less codified ideas of who we are, from a sexuality/gender point of view!
I recently received a ton of your fragrance samples from a friend. I've been watching for some time and now I'm subscribed after sampling these masterpieces. Me and my wife will be making a few full bottle purchases soon. Keep up the great work!💪🏾🤞🏾💯
Oh amazing. What did you love?
@@AaronTerenceHughes Homme, Daddy and Alpha Man. Onyx just blew me away! My wife loves Goddess and S!@t lol! Great work!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
@@nofnway9918 amazing!!!!!!!🦄😍goddess is changing name soon
You can give the edt a try as well. I love it!
I can see that this one had the technical side of your brain popping off with joy. Would you consider do more videos on Guerlain and Chanel classics?
I love your channel, just found it!
Another great review. I know your likings are of a more dark rose accord but I would be very interested on your take on a more spring/fall watery green take on rose with Cartier's Declaration d'Un Soir.
Totally agree! In first smell it hits you and you’re like ‘what is this??’ But give it a chance, it settles and it’s lovely and you can actually smell it hours later. Not like lots of modern perfumes imo. My new favourite! (My daughter doesn’t agree, she thinks it’s vile but it’s an acquired taste!)
I often hear that Shalimar is a masterpiece but have never smelled it. Thanks for this review.
Smells like old lady
This makes me wanna buy a sample of Shalimar before moving on to a full bottle. Btw hope you can review Insolence and Samsara soon ❤
Aron, since you like rose so much, try Aramis Calligraphy Rose. I think you will love it
I. Love. Florals. I’ve worn Jessica McClintock. I’ve worn Rive Gauche pour femme.
This is one perfum that each time i've used, i've got complimmented on! Because the dry down is just beautiful masterwork! ❤️ Still, i don't use it quite much...
We need Aaron to get a hold of Patchouli Ardent and Santal Royal from Guerlain's Les Absolus d'Orient line
I adore your videos and the way you describe scent (I haven't had the pleasure of trying your own perfumes yet, though). However I need to say this: it's pronounced bergaMOT, not bergaMONT or bergaMON. There is no N in there whatsoever. PS. I 100% agree with your stance on allergens in perfume.
Hi Aaron! Loved the vid, I've only smellt the newer flankers of Shalimar and not the original but your video got me interested in changing that!
I'm the same as you, I love rose scents. I'm a little disappointed by it almost always being followed by saffron and or oud. I want a scent that really just celebrates the note of Rose.
You must be trying mostly trendy niche perfume then. Try Nahema by Guerlain, la Fille en Berlin and Sa Majeste La Rose by Serge Lutens, Une Rose by Frederic Malle, Lyric by Amouage
I love this. Friends of mine, too - we all hate the opening, though^^
Are u in my head? I just blind ordered a 50ml bottle of shalimar edp this afternoon and have been anxious on whether i’d like it or not.. just not enough useful (for me) reviews on youtube about it but I felt I had to have it and so I just closed my eyes and checked my cart out.
I agree with you that no one should refrain them self from buying and wearing notes and accords they like. I too am a massive rose fan, like more than half of my frags are rose centric or at have roses in them. Smelling notes and accords you like in perfumes will improve your mood, your state of mind, help regulate your hormones (i think lol), everything.. dont deprive yourself!! lol
For me notes/accords are like a musical instrument in music, and rose is like the piano in perfumery, i seek it and it has led me through all sorts of lovely florals, orientals, fougeres, citruses, aromatics, etc and now chypre perfumes (and vetiver is like a harpsichord, sometime it hits, sometimes it dont) . its amazing how that one note/accord can be used to make a fragrance exude such a melange of different scents.. last week i tried Roja’s Diaghilev (explosive indescribable opening, then dries down to the most beautiful scent that yearns for my attention.. its a total alien of a scent for me) for the first time and it sent me on a crazy ride of buying and trying out different chypres just to see what emotions it’ll evoke from me.. and mann are chypres wild! and testing them now in this current heat we’re in is like playing russian roulette seems like lol. Love your review as always. Sorry for overyapping!
So, what does Shalimar smells like? Heaven is the accurate answer.
1:43 I have to agree so much. for example, currently, about 75% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. and did they put normal milk products on an index of restricted products? of course not. I am totally fine with that. as long as it is on the list of ingredients on the package. and there are alternative products.
Yes heavy florals like frangipani magnolia jasmine rose tuberose etc.
Fantastic videos Aaron! Can you do a review on Kilian Intoxicated? Thank you!
Done. Check his channel 😊
I love your impatience 🤣
Thank you.
Hey, Aaron! Stumbled upon you not too long ago and have been extremely addicted to your videos. Finally gave your house a try. My first pickup is Boss Bastard and I absolutely LOVE IT. Violet Delirium, Onyx and Daddy also really grab my attention. Which should I buy next??🤔
I love Notorious. Its going into a 50ml soon as ive added a few things to make it extra magical. Thank you for supporting my work. Its so amazing to hear how much love I get back
@@AaronTerenceHughes I'll be keeping an eye open for the 50ml version!!
Perfect review! Thank you for your videos. Can you please please please review Francesca Bianchi 'Under My Skin'??? It's a leather heavy fragrance. A really interesting one. People say it's a pornographic perfume 😉
Tried it today and its a love /hate for me…the opening with vanilla and incens and spices is, its a lot! But the dry down and where i am now 2-3 hours in? Perfect! Its smooth, comforting, sexy to me! Im new to perfume so going over genders, betinga man is still a bit weird for me, but i actually think i will buy it
Thank you
Hi. Fairly new subscriber here. I enjoy your channel and I am a fellow lover of perfume. If you like (or love) "orientals", you should get your hands (and nose) on a much later but equally as iconic Guerlain perfume from the 1980s, Samsara, which is very different from Shalimar, and just blows the mind many reviewers say - it's that good. I haven't been able to locate one of the vintage or original versions of this perfume but someday, someday... The French perfume houses - and let's face it, they were the lead in perfume, just like the French were in European food and wine - (and because of their own colonial past) - were totally fascinated with the East and the Far East. Guerlain's Shalimar and Samsara are at the top of that perfume mountain, but later houses like Boucheron created "Jaipur" and the house of Jean Louis Scherrer created "La Nuits Indienne" (or Indian Nights) EDT. The latter especially, though sadly now discontinued, is a totally amazing and delicious "oriental" and so worth checking out. My father in law gave me a bottle of Scherrer's Indian Nights, decades ago, and I still have it and absolutely treasure it. Btw, Shalimar was named after a great human love story. The Shalimar Gardens (now in Lahore, Pakistan) were the favorite gardens of Queen Mumtaj, the beloved wife of the great Mogul King and Emperor, Shah Jahan. When she died, he mourned her so deeply that he had one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, commissioned and built - to memorialize her. Shalimar is an iconic perfume named after an ancient, iconic love affair. The love story behind the scent somehow lends itself to the total experience and enjoyment of the perfume, I think...
Hi. Can you pls review Tom Fords personal favourite fragrance Beau de Jour. Mr. Ford use that perfume all the time.
You need to try Shalimar Soufflé Intense edp that one is up your league with dark oriental but not so heavy but smooth. Try and get it. It’s unisex fragrance. Guerlain has great smelling scents.
I really like Shalimar souffle EDP not tried intense
Idc I’m buying this one for me. The notes are spectacular!!!!!
There are brands like Areej Le Doré and Ensar Oud to name a few that do not follor IFRA Restrictions. Areej compositions follows french prefumery before all regulations came to play in perfumery.
Aaron, hopefully you'll have a chance to review Amarige some time?
Aaron, can you review the newer Habit Rouge Prive? It's been claimed to be the masculine version of Shalimar.
You should try Le Lion by Chanel, its seriously amazing, and i think it would amaze you
Aaron, i THINK Oakmoss was banned or reduced due to other people having bad allergic reactions to it while someone else was wearing it.
Truly sad so many regulations today.
My signature i was OBSESSED with when i was 16 in year 2000 going to the clubs illegally lol was Armani 'Lei/He', it had tons of Oakmoss apparently.
Today after so many basterdized reformulations it smells like dirt water.
Would you plz do a review of Dior poison. And maybe m mcallif rouge no 2
Guerlain at last!
What are your thoughts on Dior poison
I’m not a blue or citrusy fragrance person either. I always suffer in the spring and summer since I never know what to wear😩
This has been my go to for many years. I have a couple frags of vintage shalimar... i use those on special occasions and the newer bottles for everyday.
Edit... shalimar was introduced in 1925.... 100 year anniversary is coming soon
I need to try Shalimar. It sounds right up my alley but I had avoided it because I assumed Shalimar would be “old lady”. You have changed my mind.
It’s old lady scent. Some people love it. Some people don’t.
@@ArtbyMagic I ended up trying it and have to agree with you. I appreciate the artistry but it isn’t for me. Maybe in a few years…
You are the best fragrance reviewer on UA-cam I feel like I learn something every time you make a video.
Can you do a review on Guierlan l'Homme EDT
By the way did you notice if it had any civetone in it? I think older vintage formulations from decades ago had real civet in them.
I think you raise a fascinating point with your 'some men like' - what I'm thinking is to what extent can we all be categorised...or is it more situation based?
Would anyone like to join me in collecting some data......
For my part - some fragrances I like.....
Some fragrances I really love....
Aramis, Kouros, Tom Ford Noir, Tom ford Noir de Noir, Tom ford Noir extreme, Ombre leather, Tuscan leather, bois de portugal, Eau Sauvage Terre d'hermes, grey vetiver, intoxicated by Killian (I know I know - I have unfortunately expensive tastes - Its why I often wear Aramis, I can afford to)
and randomly - shaghaf oud - A cheapie I bought - apparently it smells a lot like Lancome oud bouquet. A great smell if you have an evening shower, then go to the bedroom (ideally with a beautiful lady of course), just luxurious and oriental......romantic somehow.
Scents I don't really like
Aventus (and clones), 1 million, Invictus, black orchid....& almost anything with a strong coffee note.....
Scents I find boring
Sauvage, Layton, percival, Prada l'homme
You should check out Guerlains Habit Rouge
How did I miss this? I have a theory that ALL perfumes come from Shalimar. I think she is the Mother of all Perfumery ❤❤❤ Thanks for your thoughts!
AC ( smells good ) made me buy this.
if you love habit rouge you'll love this.
Ah another "Fellaaa"! He made me buy Habit Rouge and Shalimar, which are one of my favourites now :)
@@brahmsianer5899 "fellurrrrs" lol. same here mate, he could sell a deep freeze to an Eskimo.
This is said to have been a signature scent of Frida Kahlo. I think it has aged really well for a 100 year old creation.
As a man I was really surprised by this formulation. I think personally it is a very beautiful oriental fragrance.
Will it be nice to wear to a wedding?
my mom wears samsara. an auntie gave her a bottle of shalimar *parfum* when i was in my mid 20s. i tried it and fell IN LOVE. that was the start of my fragrance journey.
one of the best and most influential frags ever made. classic. french. yes yes yes, aaron!
i dont get florals or green notes on my skin. mostly just bergamot, amber, and the most delicious vanilla drydown that is truly dry and not too sweet.
i am curious if any folks have recommendations on where to purchase to guarantee authenticity, freshness, proper storage & care. i've been disappointed by some high-end department stores.
Please try Gourmand Coquin by Guerlain
Yeah id love to see Aaron review that one
👍👍👍👍
Aaron what do you mean by Heady?
Lots of top notes
PLEASE tell me that Rose is not being banned! I couldn’t have fragrances without it
No. But the type of Rose is restricted to having no Methyl eugenol
@@AaronTerenceHughes oh ok, thanks. Btw, please do Guerlain’s L’homme ideal edp
I have it and spray it out of nostalgia.
is this the one martin freeman smells before he dies to remind him of his wife at the last moment in netflix's film charge?
The every mom's favourite
The worst notes for me, that make me nauseated every time:
Anything leather, anything "lipsticky," anything "handbaggy."
Thanks for the review!
please send him some areej le dore or bortnikoff
Have to agree about florals, when done right. If anyone told me 10 years ago that I'd own fragrances with Iris, Jasmine and especially rose, let alone getting compliments for them, I'd probably have thought they were starting to lose their marbles.
That's the perfume I hate the most, why ? Because it's too loud for me, not really sophisticated because this perfume have too much ingredients inside and it doesn't work for me. And maybe it's too vintage but the millésime 2021 with a big proportion of Vanilla is amazing ! You should try to see the difference.
Lots of Hollywood men and women wore this during the Golden Age of cinema.
Greetings from Germany, to the best reviewer on Basenotes.
@@benjaminlindner3475 I appreciate that. I'm just a humble strawberry. 🍓
I go to bed wearing Shalimar
That’s what I’ll be doing right now!
Frank Boclet Erotic is a more masculine take on this.
I would've loved Shalimar if it didn't dry-down to a big fat coumarin.
Good video. I appreciate the thought you put into your review.
I would like to say, though, that referring to fragrances as "old lady-ish" isn't cool. It's rooted in ageism.
Thank you.
Its time for all perfumers to gettogether and move out of IFRA how can naturals be the problem . Least it should b given as a warning on the boxes of the various perfumes naturals and allergens then people can choose . This is more a commercialy motivated stance by big Chemical companies. We sell cigrattes and alcohol with warnings why not fragrances. Damn the IFRA.
Yes yes yes! Decide which chemicals you can use. I am dangerously allergic to penicillin but I do not expect it to be banned so that others cannot benefit. I am a chypre lover and am so sad that all the best chypres have gone.
Please don't use the term "old lady" in a pejorative way. It makes old ladies like me very unhappy. I smell wonderful. Atm I am wearing a Kurkijan fragrance.