Creed • Vanisia • Fragrances

Giggio on 8/2/2011 7:25:00 AM more reviews by Giggio

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I had to write a review about my favourite fragrance. but what can I say about this perfume?!? Its opulent, regal, sexy, sensual and very feminine. I would describe this fragrance as the Rolls Royce of fine perfumery and a must have on my dressing table.

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rhiannon_chiana on 2/4/2011 6:28:00 PM more reviews by rhiannon_chiana

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I would describe this as a mature scent, powdery and old-fashioned. Not ugly, but definitely not for me. It's kind of a church lady scent and not in a comforting way, in a slightly stifling, starched, stilted way. It left a trail wherever I walked for a couple of hours even though I applied it on the top of my wrist where it could be easily washed off, and did wash it several times during those hours. Something about it vaguely reminds me of No 5. I can't really remember No 5 all that well so maybe the resemblance is more in the old-fashioned impression than in the actual scent.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Chamuda on 4/4/2010 10:55:00 PM more reviews by Chamuda

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I would give this a 3.5 actually. This is like a softer more wearable Chanel Coco. Spicy soft subtle warm vanilla amber. Nice for winter or fall.

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*TOP REVIEWER* msm4slm on 2/26/2010 6:29:00 PM more reviews by msm4slm

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I agree this is more an amber than a vanilla. Very warm and elegant. I like it for winter months. Not an "in your face" gourmand, it makes me feel well-groomed and elegant, rather than smelling like a piece of cake.

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selkins on 12/3/2009 12:34:00 PM more reviews by selkins

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Beautiful! The top notes are straight amber, no denying that! The amber softens, and the sandalwood comes out briefly. In the end, about 3 hours into it, it becomes an ambery vanilla rose. Another beautifully blended Creed product.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ellizam on 11/25/2009 2:52:00 PM more reviews by ellizam

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Poor Vanisia - it has been burdened with a triple whammy: 1) the wrong name; 2) the wrong timing; 3) the wrong perfume company.


Vanisia is not a vanilla. Assessing her now when mondo plus gourmando vanillic is the minimum for anything hinting at having brushed by vanilla in a kitchen, her name alone dooms her. And having her come from Creed puts her under the burden of pre-existing irritation at the pricing and snob appeal marketing, and/or reverence and inflated expectations.


Vanisia is an amber. She's just an amber girls, not vanilla, not My Mom's Cupcake Cupboard, not Vanilla Gone Upscale... she's just a good-time, even-tempered, happy-go-lucky amber. Erase the name. Re-present your arm to your nose and tell your brain this is High Tea in Amber, or China Amber, or Flowering Amber. Now do you get it? -- she's a pretty, rich, organized amber that has just the most subtle wash of a nice, tea-quality, dry jasmine.


It's a lovely conceit. Your basic sandalwood/vanilla/rose trio makes the classic amber accord to our nose, with a really really really subtle wash of green-tea type jasmine pitched at the very top. This is a dry, head-shop-y jasmine, not so much indolic as the almost camphor-y jasmine they put in good jasmine tea. It's also not the ripe, sweet, indolic jasmine getting play now. So, on top of a mellow amber this high, dry, aromatic jasmine is playing the rose notes. It's really pretty, kind of pretty flowered, embroidered, delicate lawn shirt with torn, groovy, faded jeans.


As always with Creeds, I think it's overpriced. But the vanilla, sandalwood, rose, and jasmine are all of lovely quality. I don't think the vanilla is vanilla essential oil or absolute -- I think it's vanillin. But that's fine. It's why this is a wet, rich, sweet amber and I think it holds back the powder in the sandalwood. So, can we shake poor Vanisia's hand, pretend she's really named Flowering Amber or something, and admit she's gotten a rough deal lately? The delicacy of that floating jasmine really is awfully pretty...

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debrsl on 10/9/2008 7:19:00 PM more reviews by debrsl

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Definitely not foody. It's smelling too perfume-y to me too.

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*TOP REVIEWER* jiicky on 8/2/2008 5:28:00 AM more reviews by jiicky

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Black    

Creed's Vanisia is definitely not a youthful scent. As most reviewers commented, the overwhelming scent is of powdery ambergris and for me, I smell a lot of incense (without the smokiness generally associated with it). It takes a few hours for the vanilla to peep out but you have to really search for it underneath the heavy layers of powdery notes.


Vanisia is not a bad scent but one that people will probably associate with (much) older women. Because of it heaviness, it is a scent that is meant to be worn to afternoon tea at the Ritz by some old moneyed type or an evening affair rather than the office. Definitely not a perfume for your average afficionado of vanilla scents.

As one reviewer said, it does smell much, much better after a few hours-- the first whiff is wayyy perfumey but it evolves to a warmer. spicy scent that sits closer to the skin.

Not my cup of tea-- I give it a 2.5. I might wear a free sample on occasion but wouldn't purchase it outright.

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mariegabrielle on 6/7/2008 9:11:00 AM more reviews by mariegabrielle

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight   Eyes: Blue    

I had looked forward to receiving this one from a reputable online discount perfume site out of Florida. First off, the date stamped on this bottle of Creed Vanisia was "2002." Most sources will tell you there is a shelf life of 3-5 years for perfumes. The scent was fresh enough. Perhaps it was stored in the box and was never opened (one can hope, anyway). This is mostly an ambergris scent, with the drydown evolving into mostly dry sandalwood. I plan on wearing it this summer regardless. I'd like to at least give it a try.

I agree with one of the posters here on MA; it should have been called "Sandalia" for the sandalwood being showcased in this perfume.

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IncaColaCutie on 4/4/2008 4:21:00 PM more reviews by IncaColaCutie

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

Will somebody please tell me WHERE THE VANILLA IS in this fragrance????? I smell ambergis and uhhhhhhh AMBERGIS. Wouldn't be so bad, except that I really don't like ambergis.

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*TOP REVIEWER* reihasama on 12/30/2007 9:35:00 PM more reviews by reihasama

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

As a hardcore vanilla fan, I'm sorely disappointed. I got a sample of this and eagerly sprayed it on, but was completely dismayed to smell absolutely nothing of the vanilla about it. All I get is a chypre-ambergris scent. Still, I waited, but even in the drydown, zero hints of vanilla. Quite misleading, for the name :(

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*TOP REVIEWER* Gracious_Lady on 11/9/2007 10:56:00 PM more reviews by Gracious_Lady

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium Brown, Warm   Hair: Brown, Relaxed, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Vanisia is a bit on the blah side for me. Okay, I'll just come out and say it... This fragrance bores me to tears. On me, it is nothing special at all. It actually reminds me of Cashmere Bouquet soap and powder. I'll pass...

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*TOP REVIEWER* SensualSusanna on 8/10/2007 2:33:00 PM more reviews by SensualSusanna

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Vanisia is basically vanilla and ambergris and it takes a while to bloom on the skin. Once it does it's pleasant, but there are other fragrances similiar that I like better (Jicky EdT & SL Chergui). Pleasant just not my style.

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hrhhhr86 on 6/13/2007 12:00:00 PM more reviews by hrhhhr86

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

I recommend Vanisia to all women! It's perfect for a night out on the town because it's a very sensual fragrance. Every time I wear it I get compliments. I also find it very cool that the fragrance was originally made for a Spanish Queen.

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serene111 on 1/2/2007 5:54:00 PM more reviews by serene111

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I received a sample of Vanisia a few years back and absolutely hated it! It was overwhelmingly potent and much too powdery. I tried it out a few more times...but inevitably washed it off almost immediately. For Christmas, I got a bottle of Creed's Fleur de The Rose Bulgare perfume and along with it came another sample of Vanisia. So I decided to give it another try...however, this time I actually kept it on. I have to admit that my first reaction was the same...didn't like the opening notes at all -but since this time around, I forced myself to bare through the initial phases of this strange frangrance....it evolved into a sweet, warm and sensual fragrance. It's actually quite nice. I'm so shocked! I have a great love of perfume, but do not consider myself a connoisseur - I can absolutely see how most people will dislike this on first sniff....but give it a chance. It's quite sexy and mysterious -very grown up. With all due respect to all...it's definetly not a beginner's scent. It took me a few years to finally appreciate this.

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Olfactive on 9/25/2006 8:49:00 PM more reviews by Olfactive

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I admit I'm a vanilla fiend! But who isn't? Vanilla is one of the best loved scents on earth! I love Vanisia! I understand one of the guys from U-2 does as well. What can I say? I just find vanilla very comforting scent.

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*TOP REVIEWER* LipstickLil on 7/1/2006 5:16:00 AM more reviews by LipstickLil

Age: Unknown   Skin: Normal, Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is a strangely named scent. The opening notes are unbelievably rancid, but I persevered and the scent that emerged was a very dark, dry oriental. I couldn't smell any vanilla for a long while - mainly sandalwood, spicy ambergris and the faintest hint of jasmine trying to get through - but then after an hour or so it came out and the scent took on a sweeter aspect. Still, overall, Vanisia is a very masculine, aftershavey scent, probably fabulous on the right chemistry skin, but not mine!

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SavvyNose on 11/19/2005 5:53:00 AM more reviews by SavvyNose

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I was at the Holt Renfrew store in Canada recently and the bass player from a world-famous rock band that shall remain nameless was buying Vanisia! I don't want to name the band or the person because celebrity name-dropping is so tacky, but let's just say the lead singer of this band is renowned for his work on Third World debt relief and meets with many world leaders! Anyway, I was impressed that the bass player from this band, a man who travels the world and can buy anything, buys Vanisia!

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Alicka on 10/29/2005 9:01:00 AM more reviews by Alicka

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

Very nice, but I didn't get vanilla as well. Instead, a nice warm rose at the beginning, long-time lasting middle note in the form of wonderfull best ever sandalwood, just a trace of jasmin. But vanilla - mightbe at the total drydown but very very weak. Just a hint. Should have had other name - Santalisia or so.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Maller on 8/31/2005 9:52:00 PM more reviews by Maller

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Liquified plastic. Utterly vile and not a trace of vanilla. That was my original impression of Vanisia - "original" being the key word there. I retried it a couple of years later and it gave me pause...not the vile concoction I'd remembered at all. I then got a sample of it from yet another place. Again, bizarrely attracted to it. No longer was it liquified plastic. However, it still has hardly a trace of vanilla. Maybe Vanisia is a woman's name that the perfumer admired? It's a very spicy, woodsy, floral scent that almost smells like a tea scent to my nose. Extremely attractive and quite long lasting and strong for a Creed scent.

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