Top Notes 
Ylang-ylang
Green notes
Peach
Bergamot
Lemon
Nivskribdal
Heart Notes 
Carnation
Jasmine
Narcissus
Orris root
Rose
Violet
Base Notes 
Sandalwood
Tonka bean
Vanilla
Amber
Iris
Musk
05/31/2022
Elysium
891 Reviews
Elysium
Helpful Review
6
Awakening To Reality
Maybe not everyone knows that Samsara is a religious concept of reincarnation in Hinduism and other Indian religions. The word means “wandering through, flowing on”, in the sense of “aimless and directionless wandering”. Perhaps it is for this reason that Samsara is rich in harmony and balance, thanks to the purest Mysore sandalwood and Arabian jasmine that until then had only been used for religious offerings. And Samsara features the best sandalwood and jasmine that were used only n religious ceremonies. Even though Samsara was known to me as one pillar of Guerlain, I don’t think I’ve ever tried it. Until a few days ago, when I found a fortuitous opportunity that allowed me to buy both Samsara Eau de Toilette and Insolence Eau de Toilette, blindly because, being promotions, the tester was not available. And my instincts didn’t let me down. Once at home, I unboxed both, and just sprinkled them on warm skin, Samsara resulted in a riot of sensual notes. Every single note brings with it a tropical and sensual aroma, which, when mixed, gives rise to a kind of sensuality made a person. Samsara is wonderfully delicate but has a subtle warmth that creates a romantic atmosphere. If Indolence is a flaunt to the violet flower, Samsara is the ostentation of sandalwood. The jasmine and sandalwood reign, but that’s not all there is here. Not even close.
There is a creamy opening, an explosion of oriental edges, rich in sweet, delicate and fruity citrus fruits, with a sharp balsamic and resinous background note. There is something tart, floral, not sweet and brilliantly aldehyde, with the aldehyde top notes never mentioned that don’t fade at all quickly and give a pungent nuance like coriander. A ripe nectarine peach and a mellifluous ylang-ylang flower sweeten the lemon and bergamot. I can’t say for sure whether the resinous note I feel on the base is due to green accords, the overdose of sandalwood, or the amber notes of the base. Anyway, especially if you smell the sprayer, you will get that typical greenish accord of the 70s and 80s fragrances. Already from the first notes, the scent envelops with the predominance of indolic jasmine and solar ylang-ylang.
Slowly, all the bittersweet harshness of the opening subsides, leaving room for a heart full of creamy flowers. The dusty iris rises very high, wrapped in a bouquet of exorbitant jasmine and daffodils. Instead, I feel the rose and violet flowers are very docile. Here, the violet does not dominate as in #insolence but supports the iris in creating a powdery accord. There is also a veil of precious carnation, one of those beautiful flowers that have fallen by the wayside in modern blends. It is a smell that I adore, whether smelled by a real flower or mixed in a perfume. The result is a flowery and creamy heart, of light and dark, delicate and virile flowers, a beautiful oxymoron of contrasts and opposites. At times spicy, then fresh, then powdery floral, then soapy and woody.
The creamy, milky, and woody notes of sandalwood rise from the bottom, perceptible from the start, but here they become overbearing and dominant. This tropical wood native to the Indies divides the scene with the spicy and gourmand notes of vanilla beans and tonka beans. The sandalwood stands out more than the vanilla; the amber adds warmth; the iris maintains the powdery hints, and the musk and tonka bean add more interest. To make everything less cloying, there is a touch of white musk and a salty veil of amber. The result is something timeless, classic, but always pleasant. In all this beauty, I get a kind of like gingerbread aroma. The dry-down is discreet like it was a part of my skin but fragrant with powdery sandalwood and blossoms, so soft and slightly musky florals.
For an Eau de Toilette, Samsara boasts impressive longevity; its subtle powderiness and warm sandalwood nuance remain on the skin throughout the day or the night. It stays close to my skin but lasts for eight hours. The modern reformulation is pretty inoffensive, so perfect for wearing at work, or for an evening party. The florals and creamy woods make me prefer it during the transition seasons of fall and spring, but summer nights might be an option. I can’t help but think of another perfume in my collection that smells a lot like it, but I can’t find it. I will update the review if the light bulb turns on!
I base the review on a 30ml bottle I have owned since May 2022.
-Elysium
There is a creamy opening, an explosion of oriental edges, rich in sweet, delicate and fruity citrus fruits, with a sharp balsamic and resinous background note. There is something tart, floral, not sweet and brilliantly aldehyde, with the aldehyde top notes never mentioned that don’t fade at all quickly and give a pungent nuance like coriander. A ripe nectarine peach and a mellifluous ylang-ylang flower sweeten the lemon and bergamot. I can’t say for sure whether the resinous note I feel on the base is due to green accords, the overdose of sandalwood, or the amber notes of the base. Anyway, especially if you smell the sprayer, you will get that typical greenish accord of the 70s and 80s fragrances. Already from the first notes, the scent envelops with the predominance of indolic jasmine and solar ylang-ylang.
Slowly, all the bittersweet harshness of the opening subsides, leaving room for a heart full of creamy flowers. The dusty iris rises very high, wrapped in a bouquet of exorbitant jasmine and daffodils. Instead, I feel the rose and violet flowers are very docile. Here, the violet does not dominate as in #insolence but supports the iris in creating a powdery accord. There is also a veil of precious carnation, one of those beautiful flowers that have fallen by the wayside in modern blends. It is a smell that I adore, whether smelled by a real flower or mixed in a perfume. The result is a flowery and creamy heart, of light and dark, delicate and virile flowers, a beautiful oxymoron of contrasts and opposites. At times spicy, then fresh, then powdery floral, then soapy and woody.
The creamy, milky, and woody notes of sandalwood rise from the bottom, perceptible from the start, but here they become overbearing and dominant. This tropical wood native to the Indies divides the scene with the spicy and gourmand notes of vanilla beans and tonka beans. The sandalwood stands out more than the vanilla; the amber adds warmth; the iris maintains the powdery hints, and the musk and tonka bean add more interest. To make everything less cloying, there is a touch of white musk and a salty veil of amber. The result is something timeless, classic, but always pleasant. In all this beauty, I get a kind of like gingerbread aroma. The dry-down is discreet like it was a part of my skin but fragrant with powdery sandalwood and blossoms, so soft and slightly musky florals.
For an Eau de Toilette, Samsara boasts impressive longevity; its subtle powderiness and warm sandalwood nuance remain on the skin throughout the day or the night. It stays close to my skin but lasts for eight hours. The modern reformulation is pretty inoffensive, so perfect for wearing at work, or for an evening party. The florals and creamy woods make me prefer it during the transition seasons of fall and spring, but summer nights might be an option. I can’t help but think of another perfume in my collection that smells a lot like it, but I can’t find it. I will update the review if the light bulb turns on!
I base the review on a 30ml bottle I have owned since May 2022.
-Elysium
IrinaSpalko
Elysium
Jazzy76
