Guerlain • Shalimar Parfum Initial • Fragrances

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*TOP REVIEWER* bluezinnia on 2/17/2013 10:27:00 PM more reviews by bluezinnia

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

Pleasant enough scent, but it essentially disappeared in less than an hour. Not worth it.

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gmstrack on 2/10/2013 9:21:00 PM more reviews by gmstrack

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain is not a disappointing “very berry cupcake”. Basically, take Shalimar EDC, add a dash of Angel, hit yourself in the head, and there you have it. The composition opens with citrus, vanilla, iris, and spicy leather, and at this stage, the genetics of Grande Dame dominate the composition. As the fragrance develops on the skin, I pick up liquorice loud and clear. Basically, a huge liquorice root is chasing me around the room, trash talking and spewing obscenities. An hour later, the liquorice thug sulks in a corner and suddenly crazy Auntie Angel shows up with caramel and funky patchouli. Crazy Auntie and I are fabulous friends—we have caused quite a bit of trouble together—and we spend the next four hours trying on clothes and deciding if I look better in the vintage floral dress or the one made out of rubber (it snaps).

4/5 Just try it!

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babaleah on 10/20/2012 2:18:00 PM more reviews by babaleah

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Okay, this is for both Parfum Initial and PI L'Eau. I tested PI L'eau on my hand and PI on my forearm, so I could distinguish them, but also detect the combination. Here's my assessment: You will be driving along and put your arm up to your nose, and you will scream to nobody in particular "holy, do I smell gorgeous!!" PI is definitely related to Shalimar but has none of the smoke. The first blast is fruity, girly meh, but the drydown after an hour is guerlinade beauty with a tiny bit of good musk, fruit and floral. It's a lighter version of the Shalimar drydown but no skank here. (Shalimar can turn to skank on me.) The PI L'Eau starts out an unidentifiable green. I know other reviewers have said it's like AA Pamplelune, but I didn't detect that in the top. It's light and green, and it too is meh to begin with. And here too the drydown is the best. it's delicate with a really good musk and a hint of the AA Pamp drydown.
And the bonus here is that not only is each scent fine in its own right, but they also complement each other. So, unable to decide, I purchased both (gotta love the 20X points and redemptions at Shoppers...), and yes, I did have to say out loud how good I smelled on the way home. Both scents have merit, neither as profound as older sister Shalimar..

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hacmarshall on 9/29/2012 3:24:00 PM more reviews by hacmarshall

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Beautiful, i've never experienced such an unbelievable transformation in the drydown, so you really need to try this on your skin. I was looking for something classic, sensual, dark and warm but have such trouble with my skin chemistry that nothing seems to smell good on me.

I asked the woman at the counter for something with a bit of spice and she suggested Shalimar Initial straight away. I hated the smell in the bottle but gave it a go on my skin, and I still don't know why, because I really didnt like it at that point. It started out very, very green and herbal to me, really not very pleasant at all, and a bit too heavy on some sort of spice (i'm not very good at identifying notes sorry!). Well, within an hour I went back to buy a bottle, which I absolutely never do. It developed into a very creamy, warm, interesting soft vanilla, with just a hint of the spicy herbal from the beginning, which remains at the edges of the spritz zone, so a bit further up my arm. . It's the best perfume I've ever had on my skin - I can't stop smelling my wrist!

I write this as I lie ill on the sofa with a throat like it has been cheese grated, but have it on anyway because it is very unobtrusive and I get nothing of the headaches which so many perfumes seem to give me.

I really think this would suite a wide age range. I'm 27 and have been toying with more grown up fragrances. In the last year my two perfumes have been Idylle and Chanel no. 5 Eau Premiere, both of which I love, but neither of which have the sensuality and sexiness of Shalimar PI. Also, neither of which ever graduated to become my signature scent, which I think this will.

So, if you have trouble with your skin chemistry definitely give this a try. And it must be tried on the skin and allowed to develop!! It seems to me it sits very close to the skin so I'd give yourself a couple of spritzes a good half hour before you leave the house. Definitely don't spritz and go! I have only had it a couple of days but I think it will be a scent which people just catch from you when you walk past, or best appreciated up close with your partner.

All I have ever wanted is to get that "wow what are you wearing" reaction from people, which I only ever got from the sadly discontinued Dolce and Gabanna Feminine. This is a completely different fragrance but I have no doubt that I'm going to get compliments - it really is that good! Beautiful bottle is a nice bonus too.

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keiki300 on 8/16/2012 9:14:00 AM more reviews by keiki300

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

this is by far a very different perfume if you want to stand out from all the basic florals. This is sexy and mysterious. any age can wear it as it changes on people. LOVE it and since i am a perfume junky that says a lot as i buy perfumes and give them away as i get bored. this one i adore. smells expensive and it is a good price. it should be 500$

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*TOP REVIEWER* apparently on 7/23/2012 3:11:00 PM more reviews by apparently

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I must have thirty cards sprayed with this rattling around my house. I always sample it when I'm out -- I can't resist the bottle, and I love the pop of alcohol and cedar that I get the instant it's sprayed. I have always been hesitant to put in on my person, though, because I don't really love that heavy mustiness I get from all Guerlain fragrances (Guerlinade maybe?)

Today I took the plunge and sprayed it on my wrist. Sadly no cedar on my skin, but an interesting spicy orange. To me it smells like a dusky sexy fruitcake. Wearing it I feel like a tipsy Salma Hayek at a Christmas party. No mustiness.

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plutteluran on 7/9/2012 9:18:00 AM more reviews by plutteluran

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This is how I wished the Original to smell. I guess that´s my bodychemistry. It was Johnsons´s babypowder troughout the fragrance to my sadness.
Initital is a whole different story. It develops so nicely on my skin. Many people think that it´s similar to Dior Homme Intense which I have never smelled. All I know is that I love this gorgeous creation. Especially the drydown is to die for. Still sweet from the flowers but spritzed with patchouli and caramel. I am not good at describing fragrances but I have to say that I higly recommend this to lovers of oriental fragrances. It is so incredibly beautiful.

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sophrosyne on 5/13/2012 9:47:00 AM more reviews by sophrosyne

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

LOVELOVELOVE my new training-bra Shalimar. I have the original and have owned several of the flankers. I like them all for different reasons. The smoky notes in original Shalimar have a way of turning sour on my skin, so that one is usually reserved for colder weather. Eau de Shalimar has been my recent favorite for its lemony punch. However, it has grown a bit sweet for me in recent months. Shalimar Initial hit me with a blast of iris -- I have no idea what the notes are, so if I'm wrong, it was something LIKE iris -- and a healthy dose of that signature Shalimar lemon. The powdery notes are a bit synthetic, like something I'd find in a teen-marketed fragrance (hence 4 lippies instead of 5), but that phase passes, and I'm left with a supremely comfortable clean-but-not-detergenty scent that I can wear with both sweatpants and professional attire, and most importantly, around my young children. (No, I'm not suggesting that some fragrances are more appropriate than others around children, just that I don't want to overwhelm my own kids with my more statement-y scents.)

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*TOP REVIEWER* takemyhusbandplz on 5/11/2012 7:55:00 PM more reviews by takemyhusbandplz

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

All the flankers for Shalimar do not bother me. I love to sample them, because, Guerlain can make a flanker like none other.

This reminds me of Shalimar but, it seems icier and more musky. On my skin I get mostly iris, bergamot, orange, patchouli, just the smallest hint of the green notes, rose and a blast of powdery balmy musk. Many iris notes tend to go dusty smelling on my skin and this one doesn't.

It has nice lasting power on the skin and the sillage lies close to the skin making this a wonderful intimate scent. I love to wear this one to bed it's icy, yet comforting and relaxing.

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AlessBL on 5/9/2012 1:25:00 PM more reviews by AlessBL

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

How can someone not love it? This is the most beautiful scense ever, even better than the original one, has much more body... its a bit sweeter much closer to the original formula, the one noone has hold of these days, believe me. This is actually what the original smelt back in a day when the accident of pourring the artificial Guerlain's vanillin into the Jicky decanter gave birth to the original Shalimar, and yes, at this first accident it was very sweet... We can also recognize a little of Vol de Nuit in it, what reasures it's much closer to that date than to the lemonpie Shalimar we have now. Maybe that's the real reason for the name 'Parfum Initial'. Allthough advertisement can manipulate us in the way they say 'it's the contemporary version of Shalimar'. I thank Guerlain for this master piece!

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aliora on 4/22/2012 2:52:00 AM more reviews by aliora

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

My first impression was this harsh medicinal blast of patchouli, so harsh that I was briefly reminded of those chemical cleaners they use in bathrooms. It's in the dry-down that the Shalimar relation becomes apparent...that is, if you were looking for it.

It's not bad, but overdosing it with patchouli isn't exactly thrilling for me when it's so loud and sharp, hardly seductive or sexy. I'd prefer it if they capitalized on the burnt vanilla that characterizes Shalimar, but no, I get a a bastard child with an Angel impersonator (not even the real Angel). It's like the kid who suddenly shows up at your doorstep, demanding an inheritance because of a DNA test.

Recently I had a chance to sniff Prada Amber (or, the original Prada EDP as some would say) and I realized that they smell almost the same, except Prada did it better. In the latter's case, although the patchouli is still there, I don't have to wade through it in order to grasp a bit of that Shalimar-like resemblance. Prada Amber smells way more Shalimar-like to me than Shalimar Parfum Initial. Funny eh?

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PINUPROCK on 4/13/2012 1:42:00 PM more reviews by PINUPROCK

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Black    

I was very hesitant to buy this I had tried a couple of times ans just couldnt seem to like it there was something not quite there but couldnt put my finger on it , until one day I decided to give it al last try and really try to distinguish the notes, Im very glad I did because I just so much love it now..... it smells like soft powdery vanilla, but not the sweet kind, just lovely spicy vanilla, it is fresh but at the same time misterious and defenetly not common no fruity floral generic..........

just lovely spicy cozy and to me perfect for any time of the year, it alse has amazing staying power wich is hard for me because I have a hrd time finding perfumes that really stay on me ... really give it a try with an open mind

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Melony on 3/31/2012 3:39:00 AM more reviews by Melony

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

I find Shalimar parfum Initial far too sweet for me. The opening is interesting but sadly too short: I get sharp green notes, vetiver, a slight mint edge and bergamot. These top notes get swiftly intercut by the clanging sweet jasmine and generic sugary fruit of the middle notes. Shortly afterwards, a sweet powdery vanilla/violet/iris note with a bare hint of sandalwood(?) - very similar to the middling notes of Lolita Lempicka - arises. Sadly the sugary jasmine and fruit keeps bouncing back through this note for a while before the dry down stabilises. And finally it all seems to disappear disappointingly into a blend of sugary baby powder. Overall it lasts on me about 5-6 hours, with the drydown taking up about 4 hours of that time.

Just a note on tastes - I find it useful when reading reviews on fragrances I haven't tried to know what the reviewer's favourites are. My taste is ekletic - I like orientals, but sometimes I like florals and sweet gourmands; I buy lots of samples in the hope of finding that perfect perfume that makes me feel wonderful. My staples are YSL Opium, Nina Ricci Nina, Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant and Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle.

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*TOP REVIEWER* blooiejagwa on 3/21/2012 1:30:00 AM more reviews by blooiejagwa

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I dunno if anyone here has been to the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, Pak.. built by the emperor Shah Jehan (same man who built the Taj Mahal along with many other architectural marvels), but I have, and I think this perfume is appropriately named.. The scent itself is very regal, but not too serious/overpowering. Romantic (powder-y, pretty, feminine scent).. evocative of eras past which appeal to my imagination as "the ideal" ..(although there were a lot of wars back then.. well, there are now, too..). It's quite beautiful, and I don't wanna compare it to the original Shalimar, cuz they are not alike at all. Not as overpowering and dreary (sorry Shalimar fans.. btw i've only smelt the modern version not the vintage) as its grandmama, kinda airy and youthful. Bottle's lovely. Reminds me of Paris and that's always a good thing. I like the magazine ad a lot, apart from the nudity (prude here), it sold this perfume to me, as the model bears a striking resemblance to my mother when she was younger.

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flyingcolours on 2/24/2012 12:42:00 PM more reviews by flyingcolours

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Mmm! I got a couple samples of this at the Guerlain counter and I couldn't stop smelling it all day! I can't describe scents but it's got that lovely spicy, woodsy kind of smell that I adore, with lighter fruity topnotes. Probably! All I know is that I love it a lot, and the scent wears for a long time. I haven't tried the original Shalimar perfume but I'll definitely be looking into Guerlain's other fragrances now.

EDIT: I have now tried the original Shalimar EDP, and love it too! However I think it's slightly misleading that these share a name as they're not particularly similar. I find Parfum Initial to be a lot fruitier and sweeter than the original Shalimar. Both are gorgeous perfumes but not really similar enough for comparison in my opinion.

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hesperia on 1/13/2012 10:14:00 PM more reviews by hesperia

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

My family came to spend Xmas with us. My brother-in-law gave this to my mother, who wore it every day. I seldom smelled anything so sublime (at least, on my mother). I would follow her all around the house just to smell this beautiful perfume. And the lasting power is amazing. I already got my Christmas present (Dior's Midnight Poison, which I also adore), but I am seriously considering asking hubby for this scent this for my bday (Feb). It is sweet and powdery, but not in a talcum powder, old fashioned way. It really is quite delicious.

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DevonBlue on 1/8/2012 8:07:00 PM more reviews by DevonBlue

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I totally surprised myself when I fell in love with Shalimar Parfum Initial. I was given a couple of samples in my local Debenhams when it was first launched and I put them aside for awhile, thinking it probably wouldn't be my kind of fragrance. How wrong I was! After testing it a few times I found I was getting addicted to the beautiful drydown of this perfume. I was not familiar with the original Shalimar before this but now I'm certainly intrigued to try it.
As for this one, it goes on rather strong at first, then it melts into my skin with a lovely soft caramel powdery sweetness. The drydown is equisite and you don't need to apply a lot of this...it could be cloying if over-applied. It's so refreshing to find something different from the usual fruity florals that are all around us (not that I don't like them but this is a nice change) I received a lot of compliments when wearing this too...always a bonus! Will definitely re-purchase.

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*TOP REVIEWER* LizWords on 1/2/2012 9:58:00 AM more reviews by LizWords

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I'm really loving the shalimar flankers lately. This is probably the least like the original shalimar of all the flankers, it only vaguely reminds me of the original with the base notes of vanilla. The vanilla is very subtle, its sweetness is balanced out by the vetiver. The fruity notes, which I usually dislike if too strong, combine with some of the soft florals to create a soft sweetness with a bit of powder that balances out the musky, masculiness of the vetiver and musk. At first blast this scent is a bit too much, but after a few minutes it settles into my skin very nicely. It has pretty good staying power, better than the original shalimar on my skin. I will definitely be repurchasing this after I run out my giant 3oz bottle.

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*TOP REVIEWER* abfabjeanius on 12/27/2011 3:01:00 PM more reviews by abfabjeanius

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I'm a huge fan of the original Shalimar, but find the scent a bit too strong for me to wear on a daily basis. I do like Guerlain fragrances, though, as I find that they have that certain "je ne sais quoi" which makes them a step above other brands. I find Shalimar Parfum Initial is no exception, despite the awful reviews that I have seen.

I'm no expert on fragrances, but according to Basenotes.net, the notes of this perfume are the following:

TOP: Bergamot, Orange, and green notes

MIDDLE: Fruity notes, Rose, Jasmine, and Iris

BASE: Patchouli, Vetiver, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, White Musk

So, what does that mean to a lay-person like myself? The inital spray is indeed very green and fresh, and initially is not so attractive to me. Then, soon after drydown, the jasmine and iris notes come out, and Parfum Initial becomes more complex. My favorite part of the fragrance is when the warmer basenotes come out. On me, the vetiver, vanilla, and musk are the most dominant, and there is a bit of woodsiness provided by the patchouli.

I find the bottle to be very beautiful, too, with the gorgeous shape of the glass and the lovely blue tassle. I personally don't mind the pink juice... I'm not a fan of pink, but I think the shade is more of a rose' champagne, which is elegant and sophisticated.

Overall, a delightfully pretty fragrance that, while it may not become an iconic classic like Shalimar, is very suitable for aspring dames such as myself. It is appropriate for the lifestyle of a lady who works during the day and then goes to the opera at night. Love this fragrance and am glad that I purchased it!

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*TOP REVIEWER* belleepoque on 12/23/2011 7:47:00 PM more reviews by belleepoque

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I'm really surprised at how I fell in love with this. I guess the negativity from so many of these reviews stems from the belief that this is a dumbing-down of the original Shalimar, but that really isn't the case. The iris notes make me think of Hermes' Hiris, but the EDP concentration means staying power :) Very reminiscient of cotton candy, but done in a mature way, almost like cotton candy macarons (if they existed). PI is pink, but not Barbie-like; it's young but not stupid. Also, this is the most gorgeous perfume bottle I have ever owned - even my favorite, Elixir des Merveilles, can't hold a candle to this bottle! Kudos to Guerlain to making the standard size bottle two ounces!

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