Splendor Elizabeth Arden 1998

Bottle Design:
Susan Wacker

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7.0 / 10 155 Ratings

A perfume by Elizabeth Arden for women, released in 1998. The scent is floral-fresh. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Floral

Fresh

Woody

Green

Fruity

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Hyacinth

Wisteria

Bergamot

Freesia

Peony

Pineapple

Sweet pea

Apple

Heart Notes

Lily of the valley Jasmine

Jasmine

Magnolia

Lily

Orchid

Poppy

Tea

Rose

Base Notes

Brazilian rosewood Cedar

Cedar

Musk

Sandalwood Amber

Amber

Dark woods

Perfumer

James Krivda

Ratings

Scent

7.0155 Ratings

Longevity

7.0119 Ratings

Sillage

6.5123 Ratings

Bottle

7.2133 Ratings

Value for money

8.842 Ratings

Submitted by MartinGE, last update on 08/11/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Ocean Dream Eau de Toilette

Live in Love

Sparkling White Diamonds Eau de Toilette

Wings Eau de Toilette

Diamonds and Sapphires Eau de Toilette

Miu Miu Eau de Parfum

Reviews

8 in-depth fragrance descriptions

06/02/2013

7.5
Bottle 10
Sillage 10
Longevity 4
Scent

LadyRogue
166 Reviews

LadyRogue

Very helpful Review 5

A Dangerous Lily

I have a few EA scents in my collection and like/love most of them, so when a friend bough "Splendor" for a very cheap price, I was curious to test this one.
One spray on my wrist and it instantly hit me...a lily-of-the-valley note that allows no competition of any other notes.

On me "Splendor" is a lily-of-the-valley bomb like no other, its LOTV note is sharp, unforgiving and too much of a good thing, which makes it a bad thing. It doesn't mellow out and doesn't seem to have a middle or dry down, no, on me it's all sharp screeching LOTV. It gives me a headache and makes me slightly dizzy. After enduring it for 3 hours (I was in transit and couldn't scrub my wrist) I had to pull my sleeve down in a futile effort to *stop* the LOTV note from permeating my head into a dizzy spell, but alas, this Splendor is a longevity and silage monster and I applaud the chemistry that can tame it.

On the plus side: if you're a REAL LOTV fan then this one should be on the top of your must try list. It's very inexpensive and this lilly wont wilt and will stay with you far into the next day because even a scrubbing of my wrist could not really diminish its power.

Alas, despite the very friendly price and the elegant bottle, this one is definitely not for me - but don't let that deter you fro trying and enjoying it. Good luck!

11/16/2012

5
Bottle 7.5
Sillage 7.5
Longevity 7
Scent

Missk
1357 Reviews

Missk

Very helpful Review 3

Seriously overlooked

Elizabeth Arden, in my opinion, makes some real quality scents. It's such a shame to see some people so ready to disregard the brand before giving it a fair chance. Splendor is highly underrated, and far beyond average when compared to some other white florals, most notably lily of the valley based scents. Splendor is almost as pretty as Diorissimo.

This fragrance is fresh, feminine and clean. The florals in this composition are sparkling and pure, just enough to satisfy some serious floral cravings. Lily of the valley comes across as being rather dominant in Splendor, with jasmine, hyacinth, freesia and wisteria smoothing out the scent and adding a pleasant soapiness.

Splendor is innocent and casual. A great scent to spritz on when you don't know what else to wear. It also suits almost every season and occasion. I personally love it for its versatility.

Young women, like myself, most likely walk past this fragrance in the stores thinking it'd be something boring and plain like the bottle and packaging it comes in. I half expect there would be discriminatory remarks like, "only for grannies" to follow in suit. I stand up for this fragrance, and openly declare that it is a scent worth testing, especially if florals are your thing.

Splendor is wonderfully inexpensive, however I also fear that it may be soon discontinued. My mother loves this brand, and this fragrance. I would be saddened if fragrances, such as this one, were to become no longer available. It's a beautifully composed scent, that has really left a good impression with me. Did I mention that the sillage and longevity was good too? Please, give it a try. It's not just for 'old ladies', even though I don't disagree that your grandmother would probably love Splendor too.

02/02/2012

5
Bottle 7.5
Sillage 5
Longevity 5
Scent

Lola82
361 Reviews

Lola82

Very helpful Review 2

Splendor

When i first smelled this it reminded
me of fresh linen hanging to dry on a
warm sunny day and so i thought there where aldehydes in this and there's a bit of it in this but does'nt last
then the scent changes to an Lemony like
aroma i truely beleve that is the spicy
Hiacynth note is making it lemony
then the drydown consisting of sweet
freesia and green apple for the tartness.
there is an strong presence of an lily
note which i love lillies sweet magnolia
jasmine is a bit noticible but to be a bit diluted under the other notes.
the bottom has a strong note of cedar
then it ends with sandalwood.

this is an lift me up kind of a fragrance the hiacynth lillies and the
tartness of green apple it's bright
and cheary the reason it's not my favorite because i'm not a fan of hyacynth they put a little more then
they should but neverless a happy perfume

07/18/2019

Athenaida
41 Reviews

Athenaida

3

Splendor in the grass.

I just received my 125ml bottle yesterday and I'm wonder God I really wonder what there is not to like in a spring floral fresh perfume full of bliss and charm.

I have read many reviews that this is a grunny perfume and some ppl cannot stand it while they are in love with Diorissimo and some other heavy vintage hitters.

I haven't try the vintage Splendor but all I can feel is a magical hyacinth, Lily of the valley and green fresh flowers that when the time pass it becomes a beautiful and elegant happy and lilac coloured perfume a must for a date in a wonderful place outside or a garden party.

I feel so sorry for all those negative votes but I have it on my boudoir that see's the mountain and soon the sea in my summer house that fits perfect also with the place, house, etc and every lit thing.

Thank you Elizabeth Arden for another one gem that I payed so little but I receive so much joy and elegance.

V

09/22/2023

Exciter76
78 Reviews

Exciter76

4

Claustrophobic 1990s Floral Musk That Runs Between Friendly And Combative

Originally reviewed on December 7, 2011:

Splendor and I have an odd relationship. I am an all-day-sucker for the sultry innocence that are white florals. However, Elizabeth Arden fragrances and I have a ‘frienemy’ kind of relationship: Red Door was my first love but 5th Avenue is a wretched, regurgitated mess of bad, bad flowers on my wrist. (2023 UPDATE: 5th Avenue Eau de Parfum and I have made amends and we get along fabulously, sometimes. I find 5th Avenue Eau de Parfum can be as claustrophobically cloying as Splendor at times.) Splendor straddles the fence between the casual flippancy of most late 1990s fragrances (the fruity floral aspect) and the romantic intensity of a late 1970s powerhouse (the floriental aspect). This sometimes translates to a duality of personality that I find I have to be in the right mindset with which to deal.

Today I was in the right mood and the right climate to handle this velvet steamroller. The first spray is the sharpest, blasting on with a pungent fleshy fruitiness that I am never fully prepared for. I am pretty certain I can blame the pineapple and sweet pea for this. It is also at this point that I wonder why I still keep this one around. Luckily, I have acquired patience as I’ve gotten older so I do not mind waiting out the fifteen minutes or so for the top notes to pop a Ritalin and calm down.

What I am eventually left with is a sweet cream concoction of bold white florals that were meant for the winter months. This is a white cashmere cardigan, one that is totally appropriate for winter wear, contrary to fashion standards which state, “No wearing white after Labor Day.” The heart packs a white floral wallop using spicy amber-flavored brass knuckles (think vintage Chloe-esque). The base smolders with a soft, subtly smoky musk that does not fall prey to the powderbomb trap of most 1980s fragrances; imagine the last few strains of musk that linger in Happy before it completely evaporates. It is for those elements that I continue to reach for this one.

The sillage is pitch-perfect—just enough ‘linger’ to make an impression but not gas out the masses—and the duration is impressive. Like all EA fragrances this should be used with a light hand. It is a thick and spicy white floral that should be used appropriately.

It's September 22, 2023 and...:

...nearly twelve years later I still have mixed feeling about Splendor. I got rid of my original bottle, then found myself missing it and buying a 1 oz. replacement bottle years later. I still need to be in a particular mood and headspace to wear this because it easily annoys me with its loud white florals and massive 1990s style musk.

I must've been trying to describe amber musk when I described it as 'smoky' and 'smoldering,' as my perfume vocabulary was still pretty limited in 2011. It's not smoky, incense-like, fiery or anything else like that; it's a somewhat woody, ambery musk. And to clarify, it's the same musk found in most 1990s perfumes, one that is mostly clean and white. There is no skankiness to be found here.

I caught myself being contradictory in my review—I said it doesn't, "gas out the masses," then I said, "this should be used with a light hand." So which is it? It's a matter of preference. I find it loud. I can't do more than one spray without feeling claustrophobic. (See why I need to be in a certain mood to wear this?) Splendor is the person on public transit who looks around for an empty seat and chooses the one next to you, even when there are plenty of other seats. Depending on the day, that person is delightfully cheery, friendly, and well-mannered. Other days, they're unshowered, unfriendly, and obtrusive. When I wear this I know I roll the dice and take a gamble.

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