Guerlain Shalimar: Iconic, sexy, and unforgettable
I have already talked about my current favorite day scent, the Guerlain Herba Fresca. Today I'll talk about my default scent for the evening which is Guerlain Shalimar (P3,998). It's one of the most iconic fragrances in the world and toted as the first oriental scent ever created. It's got a lot of impressive history in a bottle!
Guerlain Shalimar was first created in 1925 by Jacques Guerlain. It's inspired by the passionate love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, two familiar figures behind one of the eight wonders of the world: the Taj Mahal in India. The word "shalimar" is actually Sanskrit which translates to "temple of love".
Shalimar is recognized as the first oriental fragrance in the world, created 85 years ago and given the honor of being Guerlain's flagship scent. But what does oriental in perfume speak mean? An oriental scent is described as rich, sensual, and heady. Most of them are musky, with accords of resins, spices, and exotic fruits or flowers. Shalimar itself is a work of citrus (top notes of mandarin orange and lemon combined with bergamot and cedar), floral melding with woods (mid notes of jasmine and rose mixed with patchouli and vetiver) and finally ending with a musky glow of leather, incense, and vanilla.
It can be an intimidating scent, the equivalent of red lipstick in the perfume world. It's something that can wear you instead of the other way around because it is a strong perfume - literally and figuratively. It's designed for the Greta Garbos and the Katharine Hepburns, sexy, headstrong, stylish, and sophisticated women who are self-aware and unashamed of who they are or what they've done.
It's been reviewed as an "old-lady perfume", but I disagree. It's a mature scent, yes, but it's certainly not outdated. It's something you wear to a dinner in a fine dining restaurant or to a power lunch with important people. It's something you wear to impress, along with your stilettos, suits, or LBDs. Shalimar, if anything else, is not for little girls.
Do I love it? Yes. I like on me during evenings, since wearing it out in the sun can make it overwhelming. I love that it lasts a long time on me - I can put it on at night and wake up in the morning with it still on my skin. I fancy that this fits my personality and makes me feel like I'm a woman in charge. Haha. I find Shalimar and empowering scent, something I can't say for others I've tried before.
Have you tried Shalimar? If not, are you interested in trying it? Let me know what you think!
Guerlain Shalimar is available in Rustans.
