Shalimar Souffle Intense Guerlain for women

One word - enchanting.

This perfume will take you to a magical place in the Orient where you will wear it like a precious jewel. It leaves a beautiful trail that makes you feel like a princess in a big palace. It should be the first Shalimar and be called Blue Sapphire because this fragrance is dark blue - sensual, deep, mysterious.

I understand where these descriptions about lemon pie, French patisserie, cola and garage come from. But they miss the complexity and nuances of this perfume. It's way more sophisticated, so well blended that it's impossible to describe it in just one way. And don't just focus on the opening or middle notes. Wait several hours until it dries down. That's when the magic happens.

I don't think it's only for women. Guys can rock it too.

The best one out of the Souffle series. Starts with bergamot and an overdose of benzoin and dries down to a glorious vanilla. Great for cold weather. Distinct enough and a worthwhile flanker.

Of all the Souffle flankers Intense is my favorite. I just enjoy the deeper benzoin aura it creates around you. A shame I can only find 50mls.
If you want to sell or swap yours please message me. I’m currently looking for a backup as my 50ml is less than 1/2 full

My love for Shalimar has so far resulted in a vintage bottle of EDT from the early 90-ies, an EDP from 2010, the Ode de la Vanille from 2013, and the Eau de Cologne from 2019. I have however waited until now to buy Souffle Intense, as I thought it wasn't for me. Unfortunately, I may have been right.

The opening of Souffle Intense is very similar to the 2012 version of Miss Dior. Even the original Libre by YSL comes to mind. There is a fruity/patchouli sharpness that doesn't work on my skin. (I have had to declutter both Miss Dior 2012 and Libre because of this, and I think it is the mandarin orange that turns out so sharp and sour on me.)

When that first generic and screechy phase is gone, Souffle Intense moves towards more pleasant and Shalimar-familiar vanilla/smoke territory: I get a hint of both the sumptuos vanilla from Ode de la Vanille and the dry and rich smoke from Shalimar Eau de Cologne. It is a heavenly mix, but is it worth the wait? I can't make up my mind.

The dry down is a lovely guerlinade, quite similar to the dry down of my Shalimar EDP. The question is does Souffle Intense add something more or different? I am not sure. But the dark blue bottle is stunning!

Absolutely amazing fragrance. I get iced citrus, vanilla, and a bit of smokiness. I love wearing this on the coldest days of winter, in the mountains, frolicking in the snow. It's truly a unique masterpiece, which sadly has been discontinued. I'm so glad I stocked up with a back up bottle! I have a few Shalimar flankers, and this is by far my favorite.

Why the f@#k! Have they discontinued this gem of a fragrance, it's so annoying when they do this.
Any way I do have half a 50ml bottle left which I'll be using sparingly.
I thought maybe I could purchase the original souffle de Parfum but here in Australia I could only find 90ml bottle online going for $260 Aus dollars that's too expensive for a designer, I don't remember guerlain being that expensive.

Oh my goodness. This is timeless elegant and gorgeous.

I have the OG, which stands on its own. The Soufflé Intense flanker has only a slight vibe of the OG, but I like that it is softer and gentler. There is sweetness to it, but it’s not cloying.

I think this is masterfully crafted. I also have the regular Soufflé flanker, and it is a weak sister to the intense version. But I really like that one, too, with its airiness and lovely citrusy note.

The dark blue bottle is stunning.

Bravo, Guerlain. I have not tried all the different iterations of Shalimar, but I have no doubt that the rest in the line is exceptional.

Update: 09/16/2023. I got the Lumiere version, and Intense is my favorite of the Soufflé line. Too bad they discontinued this.

This smells like a vanilla coke w/ lemon to me. This perfume really reminds me of Vanisia by Creed. I had a small bottle of it. I hated it, my husband bought it for me and I wore it for him but was glad in the end that it is all gone. Very vanilla coke w/ a hint of lemon.

I have and love this, which bears very little resemblence to the original Shalimar to me, which I also love. So sad they've discontinued it. If anyone has this up for swap in the UK, please DM me, I'd love a back up bottle!

I love shalimar. Somehow to me it was always about darkness and secrecy. Intimate, enhaced body smell with vanilla and citrus. Perfect to say the least. Its flankers are marvelous. Genetics of shalimar is here, but it matures into something new. This one is deep bouquet of dusty dry flowers. Deep purple, dark red and black. Seductive contemporary daughter of shalimar family.. Love it

Are *ALL* of the Shalimar flankers about pruning the original formula of its "skanky" musks... For people who can't handle them?

Nothing like the original which I don’t like anyway. It’s citrusy but fluffy and very comforting. It lasts forever on clothes. I’m so sad it was discontinued.

Currently I have 3 versions of shalimar souffle; edp, intense and lumiere. Eventhough the souffle line is marketed as a flanker of shalimar, the resemblance is very little (none for some). Iintense version opens with bright citrusy note, like in edp, then comes subtle white flowers, nothing indolic. At the end is a huge blast of powdery benzoin mixed with Guerlain's famous vanilla. To my nose it is denser and more powdery than edp. I love to wear it during colder days, expecially pairing with a cashmire pullover. It has a very good longevity (10+ hours) with stong/medium sillage. I am very happy that I could catch a backup bottle before it was discontinued.

I am wearing this on a rainy October day in the UK, which I think is the perfect season for this scent. It is indeed an intense version of Shalimar Souffle EDP, but I must say the Souffle + Souffle Intense line is quite different from the OG Shalimar line to my nose. The citrus and powdery notes are much more prominent in the Souffle line, with the classic Shalimar vanilla dialed down, so the overall impression of the Souffle line is brighter and a bit sharper than the OG Shalimar line. The Souffle Intense version is a bit more vanillic and rounded than the Souffle EDP, but not by much.

It’s Beautiful. I have constantly sniffed my wrists. However, I don’t like the fact it’s a modern adaptation for a modern nose. I found it rather acceptable, and with shalimar being the legend that it is, it’s too bland and mild in comparison. If you are the sort that thinks shalimar is outdated have a jolly good time with this one ! But I personally think shalimar should be kept glorious.

On me, this is a soft and fluffy lemon pastry and I find it absolutely divine. I think if you’re someone who wants a ton of Shalimar to be apparent, you will be disappointed. The Shalimar dna is there, but it’s a whisper. This is only ever so slightly powdery on me, and the spices of Shalimar are only serving to bring out more of this pastry type of gourmand. That being said, it doesn’t lean quite so heavy into gourmand territory that it would totally alienate those who dislike gourmands. This may be a gourmand for those who don’t normally like them, and a more perfumey fragrance for those who typically only like gourmands. It straddles the middle where I think many people can find comfort and joy in it, and the only people who I think it would disappoint are the ones who specifically want a strong shalimar-esque flanker. I absolutely adore this and wish it was permanent.

I find this much better than the original Souffle which is so faint I could barely smell anything n neither could my son. I know it means breath but it was like gnat's breath, it needed help like an iron lung. This lives up to it's name & is actually stronger. It's quite a leathery vanilla, on me anyway.

Such a luscious, feminine benzoin heavy vanilla with a little jasmine floral/citrus/musky balsamic thing going on the background. I don't get much orange flower, but jasmine has a tendency to overwhelm other floral notes for me. I'm sure I've left a review before, but it's taken me about 8 months to really appreciate this beauty. It's not a sniff and decide kinda scent, it's not overly complicated either, though. A bottle of fragrance always needs time to sit, I've learned that the hard way. A spritz or two right after you get the bottle (or large enough decant) and then let it sit in a dark closet, preferably in its box and the next time you try it you'll be amazed (or not, lol).... This is not Shalimar to me, it's different, but I'm thankful they put it in the flankers simply bc it's in the "bat" bottle and that gorgeous deep blue. Such a satisfying presentation. I've always found Thierry Wasser fragrances not to be simple or simply understood. It takes a bit of time to acclimate yourself. They aren't for the faint of heart, for the trend surfers or for the "pretties". If you can understand that, you'll be rewarded with a beautiful, elegant scent that defies easy categorization and keeps your nose engaged. I like fragrances of all kinds, I hate limiting myself by not fully engaging my nose. Why have this hobby if you don't do that? But having said all that, this isn't a hard fragrance to get along with. It boils down to a pretty vanilla with a lovely path.

I blind bought this prepared for the fact it won’t smell anything like the original Shalimar, but I was still expecting it to be something I was going to love.
Boy, was I wrong.
On me I felt mainly a pungent floral accord, most probably it was the jasmine, mixed with something musky and slightly medicinal. There were citruses only in the opening (which was rather promising) and I did not particularly feel the vanilla, whose role here was probably a supporting one, rather than being the star of the composition as I was hoping.
I only sprayed it on my arm and let it stay for a couple of hours to then scrub it.
I can’t explain it more eloquently than that, but I just simply can’t stand the thought of smelling like this. Not because the fragrance itself is that bad - it really isn’t.
It’s just perfectly unremarkable.

After all, this is a flanker of the legendary Shalimar, you can’t blame me for having high expectations.

I was super excited to try this based on reviews on here so I blind bought it thinking it might smell similar to Zara Sweet Pastry which I adore.
Nope. Smells like a leather citrusy very masculine smell when first sprayed. Stays very masculine with not much vanilla or citrus until about 2 hours later when it begins to smell sweeter. Still not your typical vanilla- maybe like a sweet smoky leather vanilla. I’m not a fan, I don’t like very masculine scents like these and this one in particular is very odd.

I can’t imagine needing any other Shalimar ever!

I wanted to love this as I love the original on others. I’m sure it’s a fine fragrance but sadly not for me. My skin sweetens musks/woods etc significantly and I suspect that is what happened here. I had a powdery musk explosion (which is ok) but sadly it bought its unattractive counterpoint of “melon” yuck. I absolutely loathe melons and can smell them from miles (I deliberately over exaggerate here). An overripe cloying melon. After an hour this was even more apparent :( it’s not to be. I shall try other variations as it’s been years since I tried it on my skin as a teenager. I live in hope and in envy of those who can wear her, sans melons 😁

My first very realistic tangerine note ! I adore it! Soft and creamy tangerine, so fresh and uplifting !

Super gorgeous!

I did not like the regular Soufflé, but the reviews here convinced me to try the Intense version. Sadly, it is still a “no” for me. Not only this flanker has nothing to do with the Shalimar DNA, it also is way too linear and cloying for my taste. I sense very little citrus and do not detect any Guerlain’s trademark vanilla, instead a ton of irritating musk (and I generally don’t mind musk) and benzoin. It just doesn’t evolve on my skin at all. So sad because the bottle is beautiful.

I purchased this as a blind buy because I am a longtime lover of the original Shalimar parfum (mostly for the addictive, resinous, opoponox and benzoin dry down mixed with the best vanilla any perfume house has ever created in my opinion) and because Soufflé Intense also contains benzoin in the dry down, as well as balsam notes. I am so pleased I purchased this! The depth and the longevity of this flanker is topnotch quality, and the various layers come through the longer you wear it. I continue to sniff my wrist obsessively, it is that delicious! I do the same with Shalimar parfum, although they are very different scents…but I do recognize the original Shalimar in this, cousins or distant cousins. I cannot compare this to the original Soufflé de Parfum because I have never tried it. The complexity, layers, beautiful dry down, and longevity in Soufflé Intense make this a beautiful scent. When I first spray it, I detect an almost aqueous, watery-flower on the top note with a bit of a wane citrus note. This creates a slightly cold floral top note effect, not quite metallic but almost leaning that way. The longer you wear it, the watery flower scent contrasts with the warm vanilla, ambery and white musky notes. With this mixture it creates a wonderful new, alien sort of scent all its own. The dry down is ultimately my favorite because the sweet incense-y benzoin and vanilla predominate and is utterly addictive. The blue semi-opaque bottle is stunning as well. Very happy discovery!

This smells like Shalimar and Mon Guerlain Intense had a baby. Almost more like a Mon Guerlain flanker than a Shalimar flanker to my nose.

This perfume is beautiful I get the citrus top notes guerlain is one of the very few brands that I can actually tolerate lemon.It mixes beautifully with the other citrus notes I can smell florals but can’t really pick them out individually as they blend so well together in amongst all this the vanilla is warm and creamy I think the benzoin and musk really give this perfume some dimension and depth I love it so much.Guerlain you’ve done it again you totally work with my skin chemistry and I’m happy to add this beauty to my collection

It's often contested whether these Souffle fragrances can truly be considered flankers of the original Shalimar, given how strongly they diverge from the original scent. I think the answer is that Guerlain considers anything based on citrus and vanilla to be a Shalimar variant, regardless of how it smells.

As a lover of the original I must admit this doesn't come close. Souffle Intense, however, is very pleasant in its own way and seems somewhat avant-garde to me. I get a burst of non-acidic lemon on the opening, which swiftly progresses to a very floral, soapy centre. I suspect it's the fabled orange blossom absolute, but to me this smells like magnolia-scented soap in a bath: citrusy, foaming, and sweet. Running through the scent from top to bottom is an extremely strongly resinous, sweet benzoin note which is granular, crystalline but in the process of melting. This benzoin alone conjures the same fantasy of the East as the original, though here everything is 'wet' as opposed to the dry leathery quality of the original. Vanillic benzoin takes over almost totally towards the dry down, and is the star of the scent and the most attractive element to me. The original Souffle de Parfum has musk in place of this benzoin note, and I think that's why I prefer this Intense version.

Having gone through 50ml of this, I can say that as lovely as it is, it's not going to be a repurchase for me. It is extremely good as an alternate take on Shalimar, however, preserving the structure of the original (citrus yielding to sweetness) but not the scent. Lemon soap on top of purring resin.

It’s a great blind buy for me. Opening with a zesty lemon scent, but soon turns into a dense, quite dark vintage vanilla + Benzoin smell, blended with white flowers. It’s slightly Smokey, but not too sweet or cloying at all. Perfect for fall and winter. More suitable for more mature women (imo)

Blind buy (in streets shops this is nowhere to be found, let alone tested): I relied on notes and reviews.
Alas, a huge disappointment.
I love Shalimar to bits (both edp and edt) and have been wearing it for the last 30 years.
But this one... it's a good smelling, short-lived perfume - will never say it's bad - but it lacks almost all reference to the original.
Even if - as a flanker - it would be a different and standalone fragrance, it's incomplete. Unfinished. It lacks an universe of Guerlain features.
And most of all it lacks depth, personality and a place in my heart.
All I can smell is a creamy, fresh, lemon tart. A hint of vanilla. No spices, no flowers a part the flowery bergamot.
Longevity and sillage close to zero. I spray it for the 5 minutes it lasts on me.
These are 5 lovely minutes but...not enough for the pricey penny i shelled out!
This should not be part of the Shalimar family.

I absolutely love it!! Really! To me it smells like a French boulangerie/patisserie where you smell a lot of vanilla but maybe some tarte au citron as well? It is a genius blend of citruses and vanilla, it gives it sweetness but also sharp and sensual scent. If you wear it during autumn/winter, then I think you give the sensuality it needs. Sexy and fierce fragrance for me, yet definitely far away from "I want all men to like me" scents. It has a certain deepness. With the original Shalimar I can identify the citrus notes but besides that they share only the shape of a bottle and name. For me, one of my favorites, especially if you want vanilla to smell in an amazing way.

I waited so long to snag this for a good deal because I typically like Guerlain fragrances and the notes and reviews appealed to me.
However, sad to say the opening smells like a classic men's cologne. 15 minutes later as it develops on my skin it becomes more unisex and some subtle vanilla starts to merge. At no point do I detect any citrus and somehow this mostly smells like a leather hand bag. To me this is a very unisex or masculine fragrance. This is not vanilla or citrus by any means (on my skin or to my nose) and this is the first Guerlain that has disappointed me. If you have a leather purse go ahead and sniff and there you have shalimar souffle intense.

Just sublime. The opening of this is pure happiness.
On me it's soft and airy. Citrus without sharpness, lemon cushioned on a cloud of vanilla rather than the bright and sparkling star of the show. Sweetish but not at all sugary. Calm and demure, but in no way forgettable. I can't pick out anything floral, but the whole effect is so smooth I don't really expect to, perhaps in time and with more experience.

I'm very much enjoying this in the warmer weather as i'm a naturally cold bodied person, so that outside warmth helps to radiate it more.

I do find it ever so slightly edible, but rather than being served a fabulous dessert, it's more opening the fridge and being greeted by the delightful contrast of the scent of warm vanilla/buttery lemon pie being lightly carried on the cool air. This is what I love the most, I find that cool/warm effect to be so magical.

I will happily wear this year round, and i'm particularly interested to try it in winter when there will be the cold of the outdoors and the warm comfort of home to experience it in.
The wonderful opening lasts well on my clothing and hair, and fades fluently and slowly without anything jarring on my skin.
True love.

I blind bought this on the basis that I liked the sound of the fluffy citrus/vanilla and the fact that I’ve never met a guerlain I didn’t like. I initially didn’t really like it so much- I don’t get any citrus or much sweetness at all really so it wasn’t what I was expecting. But I’ve come back to it now in warmer weather and it’s growing on me. I get mostly amber and benzoin with flashes of a not very sweet vanilla. It’s a mysterious and sophisticated scent to me and I am finding that it works better in warmer weather

Beautiful frag I like it but on my skin it's a bit weak, I expected it should be a bit more heavy as it's intense.

Absolutely gorgeous. If you like Shalimar, but you wish it were a bit lighter and sweeter (not at all too sweet), you will love this. To me, this smells like a fond memory of original Shalimar. It isn't faint, but it is not a beast. Perhaps my favorite.

This is lovely. I don't find it overpowering at all. The opening is sweet but then it quickly turns to a pink peppery powder ---I know there is nothing pepperish in the notes listed but that is the best way to describe it on me - it is intoxicating...I wish this part lasted longer. An hour or so later we are back to the sweet but with a creamy cozy blanket. To paraphrase, I think I'm going to need a bigger bottle!

If you love Shalimar and the so called guerainade effect at the end of a Guerlain frag, this is a safe blind buy for you. I disagree with the poster directly under my review, it's definitely not the strongest fume, or really even close ~ I mean OG Shalimar's lighter fluid blast is way more intense than this.

But on to the perfume review. If orange flower tends to go a little skanky on you, you might want to test first. It's one note that I have to be careful with and SI wasn't an exception. Luckily it's only for a few minutes, then the beautiful resinous vanilla tames it for me. It's one of the ways that this flanker differentiates itself and when it joins forces with the jasmine, mandarin, lemon and bergamot, you get a semi-floral Shalimar. This one doesn't have tonka in it so it never really hits that satisfying depth, but I don't think this one is meant to. I won't rebuy bc I'm sure Wasser will have many more beautiful iterations before too long, but I'll just spray happily until it's gone and then go looking for my next fix of this iconic fragrance. By the way, if you like to layer your Shalimars, this one is very nice with the OG, just wait until the jet fuel phase is over, lol.

Edit after being mentioned by the reviewer above: I stand by what I said--this IS a strong perfume--and most of the people offering sillage and longevity ratings agree with that statement. But a lot of people LIKE strong perfumes, so I do wish I had been more sensitive in my phrasing. It's worth noting that, although the above reviewer and I disagree about how much of this perfume one should be applying, we both agree that it's a lovely scent. That says a lot! Just be careful if you're the kind of person who prefers a more intimate projection because this one can easily overwhelm. Some of us will need to treat it like it's a parfum :)

Original post: I think anyone who doesn't feel this is one of the most overpowering perfumes they've ever experienced is suffering from some serious olfactory fatigue! When I tried this, I put it on at about 8:00 pm (my package arrived late and I couldn't resist!). One spray spread across both wrists, and I was tossing and turning all night because the smell was so strong I couldn't sleep. When I went to bed the next night, I could still smell it on the sheets! I didn't even get into bed until three hours after spraying it! It smells wonderful, but it's just too dang strong. I'm going to try decanting it into a 1 ml vial so I can apply with a very, VERY light hand, and we'll see how that goes.

Beautiful flowers, beautiful citrus, beautiful vanilla ... a beautiful, moderate, sweet, elegant perfume.

Going to the dark side of Shalimar Souffle, the intense lives up to its name. The notes are stronger, bolder and more intense in scent and flavor. The fruity opening is brighter and more cheerful richer more pleasing to the senses.

I love Shalimar perfumes hands down for they all smell good in their own right and this one is just another winner in the line of one of the best perfumes ever developed for women to feel desired, sensual and alluring to self and others.


With its lovely white floral heart and its rich creamy vanilla. musk dry down which I feel is signature Shalimar. A lovely addition to my collection which turn out to be a safe blind buy for me. It has a good projection and lasted all day before I added a spray.

Such a pretty, lightly sweet perfume which will delight your senses. Good for day or night use perfect in cold weather.

“Citrus-Vanilla Shalimar Minus the Struggle”

I’ve been on a citrus-vanilla BENDER the past month or two. Already blind bought Ex Idolo Love and Crime. Love it. Getting close to finishing my big travel spray of Profumum Roma Dulcis in Fundo. Love it. Bought a big decant of Unknown Pleasures. Basically love that, too. Blind bought Nobile 1942 Perdizione. Love it, (the Nobile is in my top 5, but this has more going on than just citrus & vanilla, but that’s the overall style). Blind bought YSL Manifesto L’Elixir, love it, reminds me of Boucheron Trouble which is a citrus leaning vanilla floriental. I suppose Lira should be on my test list now.

Next up on the bender was Guerlain Shalimar Soufflé Intense. Now this one is on trend notes-wise for my citrus-vanilla spree and I do like it. I’m thinking of this more as an office type of scent. It’s not gourmand at all, it’s pretty subtle and veers toward a professional vibe for me. There is the trace of OG Shalimar DNA but if you struggle with the retro-gas-leather style of Shalimar you might still like this one. I’d say you should probably at least appreciate/respect OG Shalimar to really feel like you would like this though. Soufflé Intense is just as others have described; it’s a prominently citrus and vanilla scent with that ambery oriental Shalimar quality dusting the dry down in a very faint way. It’s nice and I don’t wear OG Shalimar (the only one I’ve been able to wear before this is Eau de Shalimar which is also a very citrus forward flanker). I feel like I’ll wear Soufflé Intense occasionally at the office (strikes me as a good interview fragrance, anywhere you want to give the impression of fresh subtle confidence). For me, this is more prominently a warm citrus and musk scent with vanilla just hinted at in the base. It doesn't actually smell strongly like vanilla; I'd list the notes as (from most to least) citrus > musk (an ambery-white musk) > then vanilla (very subtle non-foodie type). Lately I’ve been layering with a spritz or two of a sweet foodie vanilla to amplify that aspect more (CSP Vanille Apricot or V Extreme).

I like this. I’ll wear it occasionally. Seems to suit all seasons. I’m not jumping for joy though and there’s no need for back-ups or anything. Pretty blue bottle
7/10

UPDATE 9/23/21 coming back to say I’ve been wearing this more and more lately. It’s a great transitional fragrance from summer to autumn on those in between still warm days. This is nice. I’m upgrading to 8/10.

STOP THE CAR!! I could just sink into this smell. It truly made me go mmmmm...
There are quite a few flankers so I might be mistaken, but I had thought there was a reported lemon cake element from the lemon and vanilla. Not to my nose. This is an incense and perfumey vanilla, not edible. I could see the nod to dior addict for scent type (the person who wears either fragrance takes no prisoners) but I don’t think they smell alike personally. Incredibly sexy, musky. There’s a sweetness from benzoin. Does have an old school elegance, but very wearable. It seems more fit for cold weather, but I’m late to the party so I’m going to celebrate now regardless. If you like the OG shalimar you’ll love this...
I might name my first born shalimar souffle intense.

Edit: I’ve had this on for 34 minutes and I’m already back on here to tell you this is amazing

8/10. Pleasant from the start. Pure but full bodied, like a merlot wine. Slightly sneezy as it really goes in the air and up your nose, strong sillage, very direct. Green melon, floral, lime, sweet.

I will let you in on a secret: this scent makes my husband amorous. Either that or he had an extremely good mood for no reason. Perfume is normally synonymous with granny scent to him and he is a very reserved person. To see him act like an infatuated orangutan is quite a sight. No joke.

This is the one and true version of Shalimar for me. The notes are not really unusual but the way they combined them is so enchanting, like being transported into another land and time. What I love the most is that it does not "cover" you in exotic vanilla and amber, but it blends into modern times and makes your normal day just a little more magical.

I have and LOVE the original Shalimar Souffle EDP, so I knew I had to try this. I think Shalimar Souffle Intense is aptly named - to me, this is a deeper, richer version of the original. I pick up more of that spicy vanilla note in the Intense, and less of the light and airy lemon which is present in the original. While I really enjoy both, if I was pressed to choose one, I think I would go for the original simply because I am more drawn to that delicious fluffy lemon note. You really can't go wrong with either of these, in my opinion! I am eager to try layering the original and intense versions. I think that might just be the perfect combination. :)

Blind bought this due to the great reviews and now I love it. Shalimar Souffle Intense is a lemon vanilla musky potion that never loses intensity. It brings the oriental fragrance into the 21st century with typical Wasser genius. A scent like this can only come from the genius that created Mon Guerlain, a knockout scent. His blend of orange blossom, vanilla, and benzoin is pure inspiration. Thank goodness there are still creative geniuses out there who can take ordinary scents, blend them with synergy, and turn them into masterpieces.

So why aren’t people talking about this?!
Ah! This is my current scent obsession! This is such a beautiful scent. It’s like a sweet lemon and vanilla cake, not too sweet and not too lemony. It’s just a perfect balance. The longevity is good I got around 5-6 hours, and the sillage is great! Try it and you will love this!

Shalimar extrait and EDP are my faves, so I was excited to try what seems to be the lemon cookie version of Shalimar.

Unfortunately, Soufflé Intense comes across as a (smoother, more refined) version of Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers on me. And Sunflowers has always given me a headache. ☹️

Literally no one else in this thread has mentioned Sunflowers, so please—unless you’re my secret long-lost (Polish/Mongolian/German) cousin and share my weird body chemistry—feel free to skip over this review and read what *normal* people have to say about Soufflé Intense. It seems like it’s really quite lovely on everybody else!

This is EVERYTHING!! In the beginning it smells like a burning lemon scented candle, almost church-y. Slowly morphs into a lemon cake aroma... or lemon cookies with soft leather accord, but not sugary. Very wearable. Burning notes completely disappear in 1 hour or so. Sometimes I get something powdery, like a powdery citrus lotion...
I always loved Shalimar Souffle, but wanted something heavier for colder days. So this flanker of a flanker 🙂 exceeded my expectations. Projection and longevity are great, too. Much better than regular Souffle, and sweeter. Confident, sexy, classy, elegance in a bottle.

Okay this is lemony rather than "citrus-y" - the distinction being I expect sharpness with cirtrus but this is really feels like its a lemon complexity to vanilla and musk. Even the opening is vanilla/musk forward with lemon as a strong and then much less strong nuance. *excellent dry down* -wafts of fragrance with movement 6 hrs later, smell directly on skin 12+ hours

i love the original shalimar but the beginning is challenging because the smoke/leather goes very ashtray on my skin (though it gets much better/amazing later.) so i started reading about shalimar flankers, and well, here we are...i get a lot of lemon and vanilla at first with a bit of orange blossom. a bit of smokiness but not a lot. the vanilla and benzoin strengthen over time, warming everything up nicely, and it dries down to a vanilla-lemon. it's so pretty and glad i tried this and i can't wait to try more.

Oh-oh-oh!
I remember thinking: I need Shalimar, because everyone raves about it; it's a classic.
I was a bit hesitant with my point of view when I bought it, as the original Shalimar is a bit heavy; I had to learn to appreciate it.

But this one! I LOVE this souffle intense.
It's a very dreamy scent.

So, in case you wonder: It can very well happen to LOVE this scent and think the original is kind of OK or even less...

I'm now in the process of trying the other versions and I'm excited!

Petrole and smoke on the top, lemon and leather, lemon cake! tart. Bottle worthy.
Like sitting in Grandpa's garage and eating lemon cake.

Guerlinade (can you make guerlinade without iris? I do get a bit of guerlinade) plus sponge lemon cake with extra vanilla icing. Lemon cookies and iris (it says jasmin but I think it has iris). Vanilla pods and lemon curd. Comfort scent. Not too far away from original Shalimar but different enough that you might love it even if you dislike the Grand dame Shalimar is. Good longevity and moderate projection.
Hoarding this beauty now that is still easy to find with a very humble price.

Update (02/11/2023)
Now this scent has been discontinued and the prices reach >$130
The last bottle I bought was $28 on ebay.
I wore the scent on my arms this afternoon and it's giving me a strong lavender note that I didn't smell before. Now it feels like a lavender lemon cake.

I blind-bought this because I did the same with Shalimar and was very happy with that purchase. I also read many good reviews, so now this is part of my collection. I get lots of lemon on the top with a bit of bergamot. The citrus stays around for the white florals as they come in. The orange blossom isn't too sweet in this and everything is cradled in a bed of benzoin and vanillas. In the end, on me, is a citrus vanilla. And the blue bottle is beautiful. I get moderate sillage and longevity and I'd wear it year-round although I believe it would probably shine best in cooler weather.

The purchase of this little gem was entirely because of selectively reading reviews on this website. All I can say is thank you ❤

This is utterly beautiful. Slightly jagged first 5 minutes of opening where it feels like a minor competition of citrus vs floral notes and then it settles into a gorgeous, smooth musky benzoin.

I predict that I'm going to want a backup bottle of this during the upcoming Autumn!

One of my favorite Shalimar flankers; thick benzoin and vanilla dominate, with a richly perfumed orange flower accord. Very beautiful, warm, and inviting. Definitely recommend.

Adore this scent so much! Honestly I wish this was in the 100ml size as I will have to buy more. This is the 1st flanker in a long time that I'm so loving! I have the original souffle and this I like way more. Actually I love it.The floral in this is beautiful where's with the other souffle it's more lemon and musk, I also didn't pick up on much floral.

With this I smell such beautiful jasmine a little dirty and orange blossom. The citrus is balanced but I wish I did smell more bergamont. That's something that is minor to me as the whole composition works together beautifully.

Finally with the dry down I get the most delicious spicy vanilla floral with a beautiful non soapy musk. The bottle is gorgeous I love the dark blue glass. I will be buying more no doubt. There are so many occasions to wear it for. Plus I could see myself using this on the daily besides my vintage Shalimar. Love! :)

Absolutely divine.

This was a blind buy for me after carefully review and comparing/contrasting it to other Shalimar flankers (since the EDP was slightly too mature for me and the EDT a tad too smoky); I was in desperate need of a new fragrance so I took the plunge, and I am so so glad I did.

The first time I wore it I was reminded of the holidays for some reason? And at first I was worried that it was going to be more of a "like" than a "love" because it was a tad too sweet for me in the beginning...making me think it may be the kind of fragrance for special occasions only, not daily wear...but the next morning it was still lingering on my skin and had transformed into something I quickly couldn't get enough of. It didn't smell Christmas-y anymore, it smelled like home; not like a childhood home, but rather a feeling. It wraps around you like a warm embrace, staying close. If I had to describe what I'd imagine heaven to smell like, this would be it! It comforts the mind, soothes the soul, and lifts the spirit.

My one and only complaint is that I need to reapply throughout the day, more than I'd like to; not the greatest projection on my skin, but on the flip side it makes for a more intimate experience, which is also nice. I'd describe Shalimar Souffle Intense as an "introverted" fragrance...but maybe once temperatures rise a bit, that will change. Regardless - 10/10 would recommend this beauty!

EDIT: I realized my skin had dried out quite a bit, which is probably why at first this seemed a bit elusive. Not anymore :)

As per my previous review, I really like this one, but I have too many Shalimar flankers and find myself not reaching for this one, so I'm putting it up for trade. It's 1.6 oz, 95% full, all packaging included. CONUS only. Open to trade for lots of things, especially other Guerlains.

I ordered a sample of this expecting to get that lemon merengue/cookie gourmand scent that so many described here and was very disappointed that it smells nothing like that. It has the OG shalimar DNA for sure, I'm not sure why I didn't expect that. On me, this is very musky and incensey and there is something in the opening I dont love, perhaps the citrus note that is more bitter than sweet. On the final dry down I do get the vanilla, but not in a gourmand way. The vanilla in this is more airy and oriental due to the incense. I can appreciate this one on others but my body does not project musk pleasantly so its a pass for me.
projection is moderate to strong on me but fades into a skin scent on dry down.


EDIT: when i first tried this I was in frigid cold temperatures (4 degrees c) and I think this perfume needs a little more warmth because Ive tried it a second time in 19 degree weather with a cool breeze and WOW my opinion has totally changed and I love it. This now smells so much warmer and spicy. so comforting. Id wear this in cool but not cold temperatures.
EDIT 2: officially obsessed and need a full bottle of this...it just keeps growing and growing on me and it is so sexy.

The moment I smelled Shalimar Souffle Intense I knew that it smells like another perfume I used to be charmed by -- Armani Code for Women. Checked the notes and sure enough, they're heavily the same/alike. Armani Code is much more potent (at least used to be years ago), but Shalimar is charming and if applied heavily - presents itself nicely. As of now, I do not see anything in common between this one and Armani Code, but I think I'll come to me the more I smell them. I know they share the same DNA, just cannot pick up on it yet.

On me, it's very similar to Dior Addict (the original). I love them both

This should be called Musc de Shalimar. I get clean (but not laundry) musks and Guerlain vanilla with a watercolor wash of Shalimariness. The vanilla musk is warmed and lightly smoked by the benzoin and sharpened by citrus.

To me, this definitely not a citrus bomb like Shalimar Cologne and Souffle de Lumiere. I also don't get any gourmand elements. Vanilla yes, but not an edible vanilla. And this doesn't seem "intense" to me. It's regular strength vanilla musk with a "breath" ("souffle") of Shalimar throughout.

Now that I understand what is, I really like it. I was hoping for Shalimar Cologne with more resins and smoke from the benzoin. It's not quite that because it's so very musk forward. But it's nice to have a flanker to turn to when I want to smell clean and alluring but also Shalimarish.

This is lemon meringue pie with a coolness to it, I don't get much vanilla. I like it a lot on my skin. But on my man, WHEEEW. Smells soooo good, powdery, lemony goodness.

This is Shalimar's younger, sweeter sister. I adore my Shalimar EDP but got this as a decant to try out one of the flankers. Kind of regretting it because I really love it and want a full bottle now, but it seems to be selling on clearance as a discontinued flanker‽
Anyways; I find that that one's initial spray ruffles my feathers a little less than the OG Shalimar EDP does. With the EDP I feel like I'm getting choked out in the first 30-60 seconds by something strong, veering toward a screeching lemon pledge, although it settles quickly. Souffle Intense is distinctly lemon but not the same intensity nor screechiness of EDP. To me, it smells like lemon drops, then lemon cookies. I absolutely love the drydown of Souffle Intense as it goes into delicious cookie territory without being obnoxiously sweet. There's no smokiness at all, and thus I find Souffle Intense a little more linear than the EDP but definitely not ordinary or boring.

Ok I've had a bottle of this for couple years now and had all but given up on it because it had always smelled terrible to me. Texas is HOT most of the time and every time I had tried this it was 95 degrees + outside and it smelled like something I would use to keep the mosquitos away. Today in the cold I gave this a try and I have to say I am pleasantly surprised. I now understand why so many are fond of this. It is a scent that wants to bring you in, nuzzle and is quite inviting which is the opposite of what it smells like in the heat. It's pretty. I'm not in love but I definitely will not be tossing her now that I know how to enjoy her. IMO this is a COLD weather scent for sure because she does not behave well in the sun and heat. I don't know why but I feel like I can layer this with something a bit more masculine like MM Jazz Club and I would enjoy her even more. I now appreciate having this in my collection.

Sexy, fizzy, orange-vanilla creamsicle/Cola. I’d take this one over ‘Soufflé de Parfum’ because this doesn’t have the almost annoying powderey lighter vibe of that one. Not sure if I want to keep both lol. They are very similar but this one a bit warmer. Hence the name ‘intense’

I have already reviewed this and raved about it. I am wearing it today for the first time this season. It's been months and months since the last time I wore, an I am in heaven. Like any love, I suppose that over time, my love for Intense has blossomed and deepened. I just love the lemon, Guerlain vanilla, and benzoin. Unlike others, I absolutely detect the DNA of the OG Shalimar, as I do with the Initials. They are most definitely their own fragrances but they clearly owe a debt to the Queen. I am going to have to purchase a backup, no doubt about it. However, if anyone has a bottle they don't like and wants to swap, let me know.
I am curious to try Lumiere as well. This reminds me of everything that makes Guerlain a great house.

A big surprise !! Seeing that I did NOT like the original Souffle' at all...I sold my bottle asap.

But this intense version was a love at first sniff!!

Somehow...the "cloying-ness" of the original is gone...to my nose.

This is way smoother and a touch more powdery...and...for lack of a better word...more "zingy"

Decent performance/sillage.

LOVE!!

As I have found nowhere near were I live where I can test Guerlain, this was a blind buy. But fortunately a very successful one.
The opening is a bit sharp for my liking but it settles very fast to a soft, cozy, spicy, musky benzoin/vanilla scent on my skin. It isn't as strong as I expected - but I like that. In fall and winter I feel this is perfectly wearable for me who doesn't like too heavy scents. I might even wear a spritz or two in daytime. It's definitely rich and deep but not suffocating or heavy.
This does remind me of Dior Addict (2002) edp, but it is much softer and lighter. I also agree with another reviewer that the musk in this is similar to the Narciso ones - and that if you like those you will like this as well.

I have a tough time with the opening of Souffle Intense, a bit too bathroom cleaner-y for me, but it dries down to a pretty unique balsamic citrus powder. I'm not really feeling it for my own personal wear, & I definitely do not find it comforting or reminiscent of cookies. However, I do prefer it to the regular Souffle, which seems like it's missing a little "umph" that is provided here by the benzoin.

PS. A youtuber had mentioned that she considered this a "melancholic perfume" and I 100% agree.

Cinnamon (my #1 fave note along w/vanilla/) isn't listed as a note but I smell it somehow. This is a spicy little perfume!! Edit: I purchased Xoxo Heartbeat and it arrived yesterday. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it's a dupe for SSI. It's so similar to this, vice versa.

Just received this from eBay yesterday. It is right up my spicy alley. It will receive a lot of wear from me.

I have avoided all Shalimar due to the idea it would be to dated smelling. I've seen reviews about different flankers but never wanted or purchased. During a recent fragrance swap I was given a sample of this perfume. OMG...delicious snickerdoodle cookie!!! Thats what this smells like. I asked my husband what he thought, he said it smelled like rootbeer. I get where's he's coming from because it has the sweet spice scent to it.

On first spray your not to sure if you like it or going to pass on it. Give it one minute, just one minute for the glorious sexy gourmand notes to bloom. I was driving to work and could not stop smelling my wrists. I hope its not true but I heard this is now discontinued. I'm getting a back up bottle asap.

sometimes I feel distress seeing "This perfume reminds me of" are all flankers, they are made to be alike, right? I sincerely hope I would learn something like what on the Aventus page says there is a Club de Nuit like like me ;)

sniff Shalimar Souffle Intense one would learn this is a fresher Shalimar. but compare to the freshness of Souffle de Parfum, Souffle Intense quickly turns to something else. compare SI and SDP side by side, SI is like the other side of Shalimar, when one is the sun, the other is the moon, they're all around Shalimar but have worlds of their own.

SI has an undertone of tricky something, reading from the notes I think it's the benzoin. if these fragrances were named seperately I would take them as different works. here they are flankers and each rules its own anthem...

Shalimar EDP tells the great love story. EDT, the happiness time together, not long-lasting promise, still splendid and memoriable. Souffle de Parfum is before the two meet, contently in each own's carefree. Souffle Intense, for the deep-blue-to-black bottle, after the beloved left how to carry on by ones own. to keep faith, for the bright freshness; with melancholy, for the dressed colour, and the unfamiliar element, benzoin, encounters in Shalimar to say there is always the unexpected, for one turns a new page <3

I saw the notes and I had to buy it!

I sprayed on my wrist for the first time today. The benzoin is a bit sharp and almost salty at the opening but smoothes out into a creamy/gourmand vanilla and jasmine scent. I'm so glad the floral notes didn't get too intense. I find the middle to be similar to Dior Addict except this one is more mellowed. The citrus notes aren't too strong either and they kind of give the vanilla some character. I definitely wouldn't label this as a citrus fragrance... at least not on me.
It keeps close to the skin and somehow reminds me of the softness of velvet or a soft sweater. I understand the Souffle name now. Shalimar souffle intense isn't sharp or screechy. She envelops the wearer in a creamy, cozy and warm embrace.
I sprayed a piece of paper and it is totally different. Im gladly gonna keep this in my collection as a cozy autumn-winter fragrance.

Wow, I eagerly opened my 2017 bottle from a large reputable retailer. My first Shalimar. It's intense, but light, vanillary, lemon, maybe a bit musky. If you run your nose along your wrist, it smells different from one spot to another... I can't stop smelling this. To my nose, it dries down masculine after a few hours. After 8 hours, the basenotes are Amber, vanilla, jasmine and leather. This perfume smells a lot like premium business class airport lounges, I'm thinking particularly of Silverkris lounge at Changi Airport in Singapore. Maybe, people who use the lounge wear Shalimar! This is a luxurious fragrance. Wear this when Chanel Coco is too much (I have a 15 year old vintage original). I've fallen in love with the House of Guerlain.

@kata_ban

I’m so so glad you love it ! 🥰

It is my favorite Shalimar too and you’re right this is the perfect blend of benzoin vanilla with a hint of smokiness and intense on my skin too

Enjoy your souffle intense 😊

Oh my!

I received a decant of this (@gelkita thank you once again), and it was love at first sniff. I saw it is now discontinued, so quickly ordered a full size. Let me also say I never tried any Shalimars before this, so can't compare (even though it made me intrigued about the entire line now).

Nothing citrusy about this on my skin, or maybe it's a very sophisticated citrus so I can't detect it? It's a gorgeous benzoin-vanilla on me, with a hint of smokiness and the first perfume (of what I tried) with the name "Intense" that is actually intense!

Hats off to Guerlain (as always).

A pretty, interesting, yet comforting fragrance for fall and winter.

The best way I can think to describe the scent is that it smells like a sugared lemon cream candle you just snuffed out. Smoky and clean with the sweet lemon vanilla at the forefront throughout.

UPDATE: ITS MY FAVORITE NOW OH GOD LOL

Received this perfume last night after having an obsessive love affair with Shalimar Souffle EDP and decided I should try the Intense everyone is gaga for. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great and I love it...but I way prefer the EDP version, it is god tier for me. I feel like the added benzoin in the Intense kind of taints the brilliance of the lemon vanilla musk marriage. But then again, this review is first impression. I will follow up to see if my nose grows into its nuances.

On my skin, there is a strong aquatic note that makes me uncomfortable. Not for me I guess.

It's lovely, but too light, I like more projection. Hubs likes it.

Update: does so much better in cold weather.

This one is quite pretty , but does not remind me of Shalimar . It is an intensely spiced vanilla with a hint of incense and has good longevity and sillage . Shalimar Soufflé Intense definitely makes a statement and is not a subdued scent .

Actually this perfume reminds me of Allure Sensuelle before Chanel watered it down a few years ago and left it with very little longevity . Overall , I am impressed with the scent , the cobalt bottle , and the performance of this perfume.

This is really beautiful and a complete surprise to me, my first Shalimar flanker, I was expecting something more akin to it's name -but it is not even remotely the same. It's absolutely relaxing, sophisticated, classy and lady like. I feel like it's the appropriate thing to wear to a high tea party. Really lovely, I'm gonna keep my eye out for a miniature of it to keep around and refresh this pleasant memory. 8/10

This fragrance is strangely addictive. I love Eau de Shalimar for the lemon vanilla fresh fluffiness. But I also love this fragrance as well. It's the same concept but with a different affect. This time it's not about the lemon but it has citrus and vanilla and the vanilla is very creamy..much more creamier than the original and lasts longer because of the orange blossom and benzoin..It slightly reminds me a bit of Lui with that creamy vanilla. There is a light airiness to it as well. I love EDS more but this is a runner up that I'm really liking allot that I would buy again and the price is really affordable. The original was all about being a fresh citrus fragrance but this version is given some more depth with the added creamy vanilla base. The bottle is so small and cute. I do wish it did come in a larger size for sure..it's so pretty in blue but this is one I will use allot.

Thank you fragrant friends and reviewers below. I am at the station waiting for the blind buy train to arrive. I decided I needed this to tide me over until September when I hope to try the new Philtre de Parfum! Edit, late; but this is a joy!

Wearing this fragrance feels like surrounding yourself with a lemony, fluffy cloud. Ladylike musk and powdery vanilla dominate, with lemon and airy florals on top. While certainly not a dupe, the musk in here reminds me of the Narciso Rodriguez line in the rectangular bottles. If you like those, this should be a safe bet.

This is what I imagine a rich, mature lady might smell like. If Cate Blanchett doesn't wear this, she should! I respectfully disagree with those who think of this as a sexy evening scent. To me, this is a perfect pretty, inoffensive scent for work or during the day.

After receiving a bottle of this, I can't say I understand why so many people compare this and Shalimar Souffle to a lemon meringue pie, lemon cookie etc. To me, these are far too musky and lacking in sweetness to be compared to a lemon dessert. It starts out with cituses and vanilla. The vanilla is not a very sweet vanilla, and there is a hint of smoke/incense/rubber in the first 30 minutes of wear. But, it goes away after 30 seconds so don't be wary if you don't like smoke/incense/rubber. Something that bothers me about this perfume is the strong musk that persists through the entire wear. When dried down, it's nothing but powder and strong musk. I love powdery perfumes, but this powder is dry to the point of being uncomfortable. Overall, I do like the scent of it even though I'm not a fan of the drydown. If you are expecting a lemon dessert/gourmand scent, then you may be disappointed like I was. I think there's a lot of hype when it comes to this fragrance so I'd recommend obtaining a sample first before committing to a full bottle.

Blind buy for me as well, and this is my first time wearing it. I like it! It's the 1st Souffle I've tried. The original Shalimar is my #1 of all time, & I love all the flankers I've tried.

I've had this one on for about 10 min and so far it's a big musk bomb. 1st thing I smelled was warm cozy benzoin, then vanilla, then musk. The lemon and flowers I can feel in the background currently. At 1st I thought I might be smelling anise and realized it was musk. I'm looking forward to experiencing how this perfume unfolds. So far on me it's gentle, pleasant, fresh, and cheerful. I'll update after I've worn this a few times.

Update: Sadly I'm not sure this one is for me, and I'm contemplating passing it along to a nose who will love it better. It's just not Shalimary enough for me. Too much clean musk maybe?, makes me think of sniffing new clothes at a clothing store, but I bet some people like that.

I wanted to love this so much. On paper, everything looks delightful. And the bottle is absolutely stunning.

However... The musk in this is nauseatingly overpowering and gives me a terrible migraine every time I try to wear this. And I'm not THAT prone to migraines.

I think I'll store this away for now and try again some other winter. If it still doesn't work for me, I'll have to sell my beautiful blue bottle, my first ever Shalimar, so deeply wanted, so devastatingly disappointing.

A moment of silence for another fabulous beauty lost... I can’t understand why the most unique and lovely scents get discontinued. There are two Soufflé versions I love and own. This and Lumiere. They are very different yet similar in sharing that original Soufflé DNA. This version really only differs from the original in one magical little ingredient...BENZOIN! I would recommend this as one of the top benzoin scents I have ever encountered. There is something mystical in that benzoin/vanilla/orange flower trio. It’s richer and deeper then original Soufflé, INTENSE and exotic. I just adore it. I think men would like this one, it dries down slightly masculine on my skin. Maybe that’s why it wasn’t all that popular. This soufflé version is also the one that most resembles the original Shalimar EDP. If you love the benzoin in that, you will probably love this too. Oddly, I get this amazing Champaca vibe towards the dry down. So weird, but I’m not complaining! I adore Champaca and I’ve been really craving it lately. Silage and longevity are fantastic.

At the risk of embarrassing myself, I ordered a bottle of this and upon smelling it, I immediately sent it back. It was WAY too heavy for me, spicy and 'old' for my taste. This was strange to me because I love the original Shalimar. But I truly have never had such a strange reaction to a scent before.

Fast forward days later, I grabbed the sweater I was wearing when I tested this out of the clean-ish pile, and HOLY MOLY - what the heck is that? Turns out, Shalimar Souffle. Dang it.

So another bottle on its way, I clung onto the scent of this sweater like it was going out of style.

Weird long story again, this is truly a gorgeous fragrance. It is so unique. Unless you are a true fan of spicy, heavy, classic perfumes, I would not suggest blind buying this.

To describe it, this smells like Christmas Eve, coming home from church with a bit of heavy incense in your hair, maybe the smell of a honey cigar is still on your jacket from your weird aunt that borrowed it because she left hers in the car but needs a puff before communion - mixed with the smell of warm rum cake, almond marzipan and honey beeswax candle.

Obviously - I have a lot of feelings about this fragrance. In my eyes, Guerlain can do no wrong - and it makes sense that my collection is almost 1/3 of this house.

Overall - 7/10, but give this a sniff before you splurge on this.

The closest I can get to heaven might be Shalimar Souflee Intense... I have cherished this one since the day I first laid my nose on it.... souflee without the accent mark actually translates to “breath” in French and to me this perfume is a breath of cooling vanilla and lemon powder. Typically I’m not big on scents this powdery but this one really has this light and fluffy airiness that transports me to a fairytale kingdom. I think the cold vanilla aspect might be one of my favorite elements in this perfume, the other vanilla scents in my collection are warm. The bright part of this scent is what I call “lemony” because it isnt a typical sharp citrus, it smells like lemon custard but not in a custard way... lol that doesn’t seem to make sense but I’m trying to say that this has a more rounded and smooth lemon scent that is powdery instead of creamy. The quality is exactly what you would expect from a Guerlain and the performance is great as well. Another plus is this gorgeous deep sapphire colored flacon in the shape of the iconic original Shalimar bottle. Seriously this is one of my top favorite fragrances in my collection 💙

Blind buy bottle just arrived. 😍 Swoon!!!! I already like it better that the original Shalimar Souffle EDP. I haven’t had a love at first sniff like this in a long time. I’ll report back after it gets proper testing.

This smells like Shalimar Cologne to me with a heavy dose of benzoin. Unlike some other Shalimar flankers, like the Initials and even Souffle and Lumiere, there is no doubt this is a close relation of the iconic original, sharing the same citrus, spice aka. Guerlinade, and famous Shalimar vanilla. As such, it shares more than a passing resemblance to Shalimar Cologne. In fact, without the addition of benzoin, it would probably smell almost identical to my nose.

Since I wanted to get a back-up of Shalimar Cologne anyway I no longer think it's necessary as this is so similar it would be redundant. While I like this a lot and think it's very pretty, out of all the Souffles my favorite is still Lumiere. I find it softer, fluffier, creamier, and somehow more rounded, despite having bergamot as a note running throughout. Like the aforementioned scents it also has vanilla, but is much lighter on the spice, only becoming apparent in the dry down as it becomes a skin scent. It shares the benzoin of Intense but whereas the benzoin subsides greatly in Intense as the scent progresses it stays throughout the life of the scent in Lumiere. As a result, the fragrance remains light and fluffy from beginning to end. I also find with Intense that like Shalimar Cologne it has a strong citrus presence that stays strong from beginning to end. Sometimes I find the Shalimar Cologne citrus too sharp in hot weather (I actually prefer wearing it in cooler weather) and I fear the same thing will happen with Intense. Despite Lumiere starting out with a strong bergamot opening it greatly subsides as the fragrance progresses becoming softer, and as such I think will be more versatile for year round wear.

My personal opinion – if you have Shalimar Cologne you probably could do without Intense and vice versa. If you have either (or both) and want something different, I highly recommend Lumiere.

An Ode to Shalimar Souffle Intense

In the meadows of desire
Lay the open heart of a woman so bare
And with you, my breath flew away
To the sky, you held its wings,
And I began to pray.

A hot air in the night so tender,
Loveless and blue,
I sat, staring at the water
And I cried and fumbled with moonless delight,
pregnant by your warmth—

I agree with Churinl...I love it, it's prettier and more a crowd pleaser than the original, but both have their place with me. When I'm feeling like rebelling or vicariously going *back in time* I wear Shalimar. When I wanna feel girlie and decadent but not controversial, I'll wear this. Win-win win! Very pleasant sort citrus, benzoin/ vanilla and maybe a bit ambery. No musk or " burnt tire" smell for those who find original Shalimar a bit challenging.
I think my mom would like this and that's saying a lot!

Green creamy white flowers Gorgeousness! Benzoe done right, a vague sweetness, vanilla just a tiny drop in this soul balsam, made to perfection. I sense a similarity to "Pure Poison" from Dior; but this is everything that PP tried but couldn't be. I love it and Guerlain once more!

Gorgeous stuff! I bought this blindly based on reviews and my love for Guerlain, and received my bottle today. I need more time to fully appreciate all the stages of this fragrance and will give it the customary time to settle down before I really get to know it, but I still gave myself a bit of a heavy spray and am just enjoying it's beauty, especially in the cold night air. She is a Shalimar alright, but a kinder, gentler, and lighter Shalimar as the name Souffle would attest, even with Intense tagged on. The beautiful Guerlain vanilla is the star here, and the benzoin adds to the oriental lushness. As for the floral aspects, I will need to wait to really discover and fully appreciate. Surprisingly, I love this even more than Initial, which is no mean feat! This is a reminder of Guerlain at it's finest, and much preferred to the sweeter gourmand offerings the house is producing these days. It can be found for a very decent price and if you are a Shalimar and/or Guerlain fan, I think it's a safe blind buy. Oh - and I love the blue bottle!

To me Shalimar Souffle Intense - is mysterious, softer, richey-"rounded " version of Shalimar Souffle.

From citrus nuances Intense reminds me of the scent of lemon sponge cake, and then it immediately turns into flowers, - with an echo of a white lily. It's like a gentle nectar. This aroma is uncommonly, just impossibly gentle, and at the same time noticeable. It creates wonderful fragrant waves in which I prefer to swim in the winter time. I like to wrap myself in his fluffy base.
Shalimar Souffle Intense is a fragrance with a gradual opening, to the finish as if it becomes even more distinctly & richer. It's just miracle.

(January 2020) This is my second day wearing Intense. It's cold, dry, and wintery outside, which seems to bring out the bright, fresh citrus and warm, cozy benzoin. I can't wear original Shalimar (smells like gasoline and cigarettes to me) and the original Souffle was too lemon-powdery for my taste. I much prefer tart bergamot over lemon, and Intense delivers.

I'm curious to see how this performs in summer. For now it's like a mojito, smooth and refreshing, not heavy at all. Lasts all day but it's a very subtle fragrance on my skin. I am so pleased with this blind buy!

Update: I’ve worn it all week and it’s still a love. This is not a spectacular, edgy fragrance, but something that makes me feel like winter isn’t quite so dull.

Update 2: Still wearing it. I took a week off while I was sick with a cold, but otherwise it's been #1 for a month now. Even my grandson loves it on me. It's ridiculously easy to wear, and I'm wondering if I should invest in a backup bottle.

I really always did love the original and always thought that was the only Shalimar, until just recently, and I know Guerlain has many other fragrances, but never ventured too far away other than L'Instant and L'Instant Magic and some of the others and Oriental Brulant which they did discontinue and sadly so, because I love that one so much, but every now and again I find a bottle popping up on here and there. I will say, that I took a chance on this, and as Shirley Temple, the little national treasure during WWII used to say OH MY GOOOOONESS, this is lovely. Yes, I love it more than the regular juice. I stocked myself up. It is such a fragrance that takes me back to a time where I do believe reminds me of something my grandmother must have used back when I was little. So, if you like BOE beautiful smells of the women of yesteryear, who were all dolled up, get this. Then I looked to see who the nose was behind this and was not surprised. I'm going to try to find the other Souffle's. This is really gorgeous. I might add, the right gentleman could pull this off entirely with quite a bit of sophistication. Gosh it is gorgeous. I can't believe a blind buy, wait, yes I can, miracles do come true. So they discontinue Oriental/Asian Brulant but this I found...ah thank you Guerlain. Don't mess with this. A very safe blind buy for me.

I received this today and I have to say I'm disappointed. I remember smelling the original Shalimar Souffle, it was light and smelled very much like lemon cake, so I thought this would be similar. It's not. This is really too heavy on me. I don't get any lemon at all. If anyone is in the U.S. and is interested in swapping for Shalimar Souffle, pm me.

Very interesting flanker. I get a lot more bergamot and orange blossom than others, I think. Love the bergamot, not too keen on orange blossom generally, but I like that it's mild here and not indolic at all. The benzoin really rounds it all out for me. It's a touch savory keeps the vanilla from reading 'generic perfume' if that makes sense. Souffle Intense is sweet and floral, but not toothache-y or gourmand at all. If you're familiar with the current Shalimar EDP, this is like if the citrus top notes were really amped up, and the leather-y base notes diminished. Better for cooler weather, I can see this becoming too 'perfume-y' in the heat.

So much richer than the original, the vanilla is so well rounded in this one! I love it.

A warm rich, intense and very vanilla. An evening lovely scent

what a nice scent.
skin and fabric test for souffle intense.

warm day.

i liked it as soon as i tested it.
its like 'level up' of the souffle one.

purple florals + fruit + shalimar souffle dna depth.

its not like the standard (and quite nice) offereings at perfume counters (i have never seen anything bar the original shalimar at any perfume counter).
theres warm wood, purple florals, a touch sweet... but what i dont know, its quite rich and sexy. i was comparing it to some other scents people call sexy that were dry and aromatic talc with bitterness.

this one is heavy, the normal souffle is the light one.

Absolutely beautiful. Rich, lush and deep. I’ve been a Shalimar EdP lover for almost 40 years, have a dozen different Guerlain frags but I never took the leap on any of the Shalimar flankers. I held my arm out for my SO to sniff and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. I’d call that a successful blind buy!

@ andrewatic

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain and all these info. It makes so much more sense now !

Souffle not soufflé...
In french the "e" ist not spelled at the end of a word.

@gelkita, @Chischek
Hi guys, here is how it works at Guerlain:
Pillar fragrances are marketed internationally, “smaller” fragrances / flankers not necessarily. Many of them are developed for French market exclusively, as in the case of Souffle Intense.
Now, keep in mind that Guerlain in Belgium, Germany or any country other than France, is sort of an independent branch/entity, having their own marketing departments who have the power to make their own decisions in terms of buying and/or dropping certain products for their country of jurisdiction. Those decisions are based on local demands and are made carefully to avoid stocking products that don’t sell. And that’s why you will see on the French version of Guerlain website many more fragrances than on website versions destined for other countries. So, the sales assistant at Champs Elysees boutique was right. But it’s not always a discontinuation that actually takes place, but rather distribution policy so to speak.

When it comes to definite discontinuations, Guerlain issues periodically a document called “end of life” directed to their sales personnel, in which they list all articles that are planned to be discontinued, ahead of time. But as far as I know hardly anybody bothers to read it. However, you can always ask the sales assistant in your country, and if they are employed by Guerlain directly, they should normally be able to answer the question.

@ Chischek

Yes I get it, and I didn’t mean anything like « oh well it doesn’t matter if it is still sold in France »
On the contrary it just seems weird to me why it would be discontinued everywhere else but in France ...

What I wonder is where does this info of being discontinued come from ? Maybe it is just a rumor and it would be nice if we can ask a Guerlain sales person to confirm it or not.

I asked a Guerlain sales person in Champs Élysée if I should consider restocking because of the rumor it will be discontinued and he answered that it will only be discontinued abroad but will still be sold for the French Market ...

I don’t know if his intel is reliable but I would advise every body to ask a Guerlain sales associate so we can confirm or end this rumor...

I love this, it's gorgeous! Decided to buy a bottle after reading that it's discontinued...

The original Shalimar is slightly too much for me but this is just Wow! So glad I blind bought it... lovely oriental vanilla. It reminds me of Hypnotic Poison but it smells sooooo much better on me. With HP I mostly get incense but this is straight up lemony vanilla on me. It's not too heavy and doesn't give me a headache (lately I have been prone to those when wearing perfume). It smells so scrumptious, like some kind of lemony baked good.

Longetivity is not that great tho. Still worth it and I'm even considering a back-up bottle.

Love it! I tried the original Souffle and for me it was a little to heavy on the lemon (as bubbles1964 said "lemon meringue" definitely!). This intense version is more like Shalimar proper, just sweetened enough for me and toned down in the smokiness. I may have to purchase a back up bottle!

Thanks to bluemerle for the swap! I took a chance and swapped it blind and it's a success!

This was a blind buy which I took a chance on based on the good reviews. Unfortunately it just doesn't like my skin, my skin doesn't like it. It turns to a skanky musk on me, and my husband complained when I wore it. Shame as it smells beautiful in the bottle. I now have a 50ml bottle still in its box that has only been sprayed a few times, so almost like new. Would anyone like to swap? UK only.

Edited to say: it's now been swapped, thank you Kittykatkin!!

I just added this to my fragrance library, and what a blind buy disaster. I have Shailmar Cologne, eau de Cologne and Shalimar edT and they are all lovely! This Souffle Intense is cloying, gives me a headache and on my skin smells like cheap sandalwood Samsara (another Guerlain disaster on me). The bottle and box however are gorgeous, but the scent kills me. If anyone wants to swap for something else Guerlain or Angel Mugler, let me know!! Only 1/2 spray used, so essentially brand new in the box!

I really like this. It is pleasing and easy to like but more distinctive than the vast majority of mass market fragrances of the moment. I don’t get the lemon that others do, but the vanilla is definitely there as well as a cherry blossom vibe, though I’m not sure where that’s coming from. The benzoin must be what’s adding this lovely saltiness. I know flankers are a bit obnoxious and ubiquitous these days, but this could and perhaps should have been released as it’s own stand alone fragrance. It’s unique enough that it would be a shame for it to not be available anymore.

This is an interesting one. On me it's not very strong, more skin scent. I get a lot of vanilla and jasmine and I can also detect something airy... Cold... You know that smell in late fall when you go outside on a cold morning, there is frost on the ground and you know that winter is just around the corner?... That cold, fresh, icy smell?.. That's what I get, icy, airy yet heavy vanilla. Weird. I am not sure what to feel about this one. Not a summer fragrance, but I see a potential for this during colder months.

Oh no... I had such high hopes for this fragrance, being a fan of Shalimar and looking for something a bit softer, a bit more lilting. Alas, to me this smells like overpowering old-fashioned room spray. Very synthetic, for the most part. The drydown is okay, but nothing special. Shalimar devotees, this flanker has NOTHING to do with the original. Beware.

Already discontinued.. are you for real???

Replaced by those petite robe noire flankers that all smell equally terrible

@Aramandy

fragrance.net has it for sale on their website.

I bought a bottle of original Souffle to have in my collection even though my modern heart belongs to Cologne 2015. I was surprised to find that when the Intense was released that I did a double flip when it was sprayed on my wrists. I resolved to have it but I did wait until I could buy it at the discounter. Did Thierry Wasser put some Freesia in it? I live in the cold part of the South Pacific but we holiday in the warm parts, Tahiti, Rarotonga, Norfolk, Fiji, and the tropical beauty of Souffle Intense just wows me. Whatever that blend is it makes me think of our flights to summer climes.
I think there's a big leap from Souffle to the Intense, it's a game changer. Without smelling of Tiare, the Pacific gardenia, the blooms appear in my mind when wearing this, along with hibiscus flowers, Port St John Creeper, Mandevillea and rampant climbers over thatched rooves. Call me mellow yellow.

I have Souffle intense on my left hand and I must say, I really like the interpretation Thierry Wasser has done with it. I can pick up the balmy resin note intertwined with the lemon and vanilla from the Souffle de Parfum version, which is like taking the oriental component of the original Shalimar and mixing with the creamy lemon-vanilla cake of the Souffle de Parfum. While still honeyed by the orange blossom absolute, I think the resin takes the musk’s position in creating a much more exotic yet sweet oriental smelling Shalimar. Ashamed that it only comes in 50ml. I would love it to be in 100ml but thankfully still can but it at my local Debenhams store.

Thank you Bubbles1964. It sounds soooo delish! I am dying to buy it. I know from the notes that I am going to love it too. I just checked and eBay now has some available. At least that means there are some bottles still floating around out there. Prices are steep though, so it looks like it will go on my wish list for a future purchase. Guerlain still sells it on their European website so it might just be a production issue on their end. Hopefully they'll make it available again to the US market in the future so I won't have to pay an insane price for a bottle.

@Anamandy I bought mine recently off fargrancenet.com for around $50. It was a tester, so check there.

Edit: I just looked and it’s not on their site anymore. Sorry, I’ll post back if I find it.

Has this been discontinued already? I've searched all over for it and it is not available anywhere. I've searched on the Guerlain site but it is not available to US buyers. Bummer. Anyone know where I can get this in the US?

Thanks for the correction! blame it on spell check....(but I also didn’t know).

It's Souffle not Soufflé

True to it’s name, this is an intense version of Shalimar Souffle de Parfum, of which I own two bottles.

I’m currently wearing the Intense perfume one arm, and the 2014 Souffle on another and they are the same scent but the Intense version is a much better performer on my dry skin. I’m getting a few extra hours with slightly better projection, but this is still a pretty skin scent after the opening dry down.

Vanilla with fresh citrus, still reminds me of a baked lemon meringue pie with a bit of powder and benzoin in the final act. It’s fuller and warmer than the original. The first Souffle is a bit brighter, burning out quicker.

If I had to pick, hands down this is the bottle I would buy. As a side note I wear the original Souffle to bed, but this one would be too intense, so the marketing department got the name right.

Wow! This is divine and seductive! The opening is magical: a beautiful vanilla, complimented by a hint of citrus, meets a touch of benzoin in a soft and delicious way, giving some depth to the perfume! Florals remain in the background. Dry down is soft, sweet, enchanting. It is a very modern and feminine perfume. Very well blended fragrance. I absolutely, really dislike the original Shalimar, BUT this "Souffle intense", has (fortunately) nothing in common with it. I just Love it! Sillage is moderate longevity is good. I stocked up on 4 bottles as it's getting harder and harder to find and prices are going up! Honestly, that's Guerlain's masterpiece in the whole Shalimar family!

Very sophisticated, for some reason I love to use this perfume especially with silk clothes & accessories! I feel like benzoin sets great in the composition. As some have mentioned before, Souffle Intense is a bit "cold vanilla", but yet oh so good! Personally I think this suits slightly better daytime (spray carefully though) for those days I want to feel extra classy, but this one is also my trusted perfume for date nights :) It's sweet enough and pretty for us who like sweeter scents, but with great oriental twist. Boosts my confidence and is versatile, I'm hooked!

Shalimar Souffle Intense is pure magic. I have no other words to describe it!

What an absolutely beautiful magical, sexy, sweet fragrance. Lemon and orange blossom sweetness, whisked up into a delicious whipped vanilla delight with crushed amber droplets and powdered white florals... this is a fantastic blend! Absolutely well done Guerlain! Bravo!

Oh Helbo thank you!
I absolutely appreciate this response. Now I am stuck.
I have parfum initial and I was Not Fond of it I am going to sift through my hoard and find it again and I wonder if my nose deceived me or has finally grown up a bit? ha!
I’m not sure I am using fragantica in the correct manner. I made a post of the exact same question and maybe this should be a private reply ?forgive me. I am normally here just for the reviews.
So I have already gone and bought the intense is it lemony at all!? Some reviews are saying it smells like lemon cake!?
Oh dear. I hope I enjoy it. Fingers and toes crossed gulp!
I will love the bottle nonetheless.
Thank you thank you thank you

Hi ismellsogood, my guess is that your Sensational Body Lotion more closely matches Shalimar Parfum Initial.

The Guerlain website says this of the Sensational Body Lotion -

Oriental.
Voluptuous, sensual, spellbinding.

A flight of flowers and bergamot whips up the top notes with a breeze of freshness. The heart is warmed by enveloping and delicately powdery notes of iris, jasmine and rose. To conclude, the presence of vanilla, rounded balmy notes and the gourmand warmth of tonka bean orchestrate a sensual symphony for the dry-down.

As there is no Tonka in either Shalimar Souffle or the Intense, I think that the lotion is more like Shalimar Parfum Initial which has Tonka, iris and rose as well as the citrus you mentioned as being noticeable in the lotion. I own all three of these flankers, and there isn’t a huge difference between the Soufflés. If you were considering buying the original Souffle to try to match it to the Sensational Body Lotion, my advice is not to bother, because it isn’t markedly different to Souffle Intense. You can still get Parfum Initial on the web from time to time.

BTW, the Shalimar body cream in the flat round bowl smells intensely of incense, and does not layer well with the Souffles, just in case you were thinking of getting it. I hope this helps a bit. Cheers

I need your help everyone.
I received a bottle of shalimar body lotion I was so disappointed because I have never got on with the Shalimar EDP. I also have parfum intial and it’s lovely but not my favourite.

But let me tell you the sensational lotion is absolutely incredible and it is called sensational body lotion wow!!!
However it doesn’t smell like the edp to me at all! It’s lemony and fluffy.
Now I’ve bought this Shalimar Souffle intense but the description of the original Shalimar Souffle sounds like the lotion. Fluffy lemony and a beautiful expensive musk.

Does anyone have the lotion to in understand what I mean and compare with the shalimar flankers? If so can you tell me if the Souffle smells like the lotion at all?
Pretty please with lemon cookies on top?
I’d really appreciate it x

I love Shalimar on other women but Shalimar doesn’t like my skin chemistry unfortunately.
I ignored Shalimar flankers because of that and what a waste of time !!!

Thanks to Shalimar Lumiere, I dared to test all Shalimar flankers still available for sell.
I am in love and completely addicted to Shalimar Souffle Intense and Shalimar lumiere.
They both feel and smell so good on me !

Shalimar souffle intense is really warm and sensual.
I also like to mix it with Shalimar lumiere or Insolence EDP

This is the most gorgeous Shalimar bottle in my opinion !
This bottle is so mesmerizing.
I keep my fragrances in the dark so every time I use Shalimar intense, it welcomes me with its deep blue sapphire color, lit from within when in the day light.

I must agree that it is a bit different than Shalimar souffle. I can say that I like it more. It is deeper and less fresh, I can even feel something similar in Molinard Habanita. It is very beautiful and sensual. I really recommend to try it.

Tried it on my wrist today and BANG! What a positive reaction!! What a beautiful scent!

My work colleagues (used to my many approaches on their nostrils, some might call it attacks) all loved it.

Not sure whether I can pull it off as a man, but I adore it, especially on this year's most miserable day, weather wise (London drowning in rain and blustery winds of 6-8 degrees Celsius), this beautiful creation of a Shalimar flanker, can be wrapped around your neck like a thick and luxurious silk scarf.

I happen to have and use today a beautiful peacock blue silk scarf with a forrest/ hunting theme (deers & foxes) and this EdP goes perfectly in terms of theme/ colour with it.

Basically a lighter, more tea biscuit wafer, dusty, pillowy, heavenly, take on vanilla, with some of the typical Shalimar components. However, not as dense, sexual and vampy-trampy as its godmother (the original), but more of a dreamy-sensual pleasure that cocoons you into its intimate allure.

The banana-leaf moment in the very beginning is exotic and interesting, but it fades soon into the early vanilla-pillow-powdery territory.

A true work of art for a flanker, and for me, yet another near masterpiece in the world of GUERLAIN. If only it lasted longer on my skin. (Maybe, do an ULTRA INTENSE VERSION?)

Verdict: 9.5/10

Beautiful "cold vanilla". Reminds me the sweet scent of new balm poplar leaves and buds - spring, walking in a balm poplar park after the rain. Try it if you like Hypnotic Poison.

A definite improvement on the original Shalimar Souffle, although I really enjoy that one too. This one I find to be true to its name, more intense. It's a little bit deeper and thicker, smells more full bodied and richer. It still keeps its airiness about it, the citrus and musk keep it quite light and fresh. The vanilla is denser and cozy, along with the warm and resinous jasmin. It reminds me of a lovely sugar coated lemon drop or light lemon pastry a little more than the original Souffle, which is much lighter than this.

Beautiful and sexy... Only downfall is you have to keep the bottle with you. The scent lasts on me an hour tops, maybe 20 minutes! I had to check that it wasn't a cologne strength or body mist. Definitely a marvelous creation so it's a shame about the lack of silage and minimal projection.

Shalimar Souffle Intense would make a perfect:
1. Guerlain's L'Art et la Matiere collection
2. La Petit Robe Noir's mother
3. Bvlgari Goldea flanker
4. Elie Saab - any
5. Viktor & Rolf - any

However, I don't think it is elegant nor big enough to fill the chair of the Majestic - Glorious - Legandary, HRH Shalimar's parliament.

SSI is a nice, well-rounded, creamy rich fragrance - with great longevity and projection. It is also a better version of the previous Souffle de Parfum. But it is just too sweet and cloying, too heavy on benzoin. I can't call it Shalimar.

Too much white sugar grains raining down on Taj Mahal.

I just can't..

The Real Shalimar, please stand up and summon Souffle back to the kitchen.

-AB-

Truly a beautiful scent . It is its own creature for shure . I am full wearing shalimar edt and testing shalimar souffle intense . The souffle intense doewn not have much of the shalimar originality at all . But all the flankers of shalimar has preperd us for different takes of the beautiful original .
The Souffle intense is a creamy almost almondy milky vanilla on my skin slightly powdery .A slight touch of citrus orangeflowres and musk .I thought initialy this might be closer to Eau de Shalimar in away !
But not close to that one ither. it is its own unike creature . Beautiful sligtly Colder then the other flankers . a more distant beauty kind of scent .
This is perfect bouth in cold weather and warm weather i belive . lingers and swirling so beautiful outside in the cold winter weather
This is a must have for me high on my want list for a full bottle <3
Shalimar and its flankers realy has a special place in my heart <3

And the next morning I woke up wrapped in a very sensual, floriental scent. The pillows give off Shalimar Souffle Intense, the hair has locked the scent and there are still traces of it on the wrists and the palms of the hands. It's a bliss, like a heaven.

I haven't really worn yet Shalimar. And this was one of my favorite moments in Sephora: when they don't see you, douse with a perfume. My hand grabbed the dark blue bottle, that stood out. I don't regret it. It's a true floriental, that has a very nice sillage for the first three hours and then stays close to the skin; it lingers and lingers and lingers.

Combines two vibes: a vintage green citrusy and florals with vanilla. It is aromatic, nothing foodish or gourmand; my worst fear with vanilla is the foody aspect. There is no such thing here. No cakes, no cookies, no cheap tacky vanilla.

It's a smooth combination of vanilla, totally upfront, honeyed; I'm a sucker for honey,it's not listed but I sense it, a subdued caramelic sweetness that actually complements a composition when in proper dosage.

The opening is green and cologney, there is the vintage vibe, classic, nose-filling, a wake-up of the senses. The last thing is the florals. Shalimar Souffle Intense doesn't win in complexity, but that's not a problem, we've got Shalimar for that. A lovely blend of jasmine mainly and less orange blossom. Honeyed. Somewhere metallic. White florals can do that.

The perfume it reminded me of is Allure EDT Chanel, I wonder how anyone hasn't spotted the similarity though. The difference lies in benzoin, that makes Shalimar Souffle Intense thicker.

Not a heavy scent, actually it's youthful, undoubtedly feminine and sensual without smelling cheap. Contemporary with bits of the past. I really really liked the effect it left on me, well done Thierry Wasser

Souffle Intense is my first real dip into the world of Shalimar, I had absentmindedly spritzed it in a department store a while back, purely for the luurvely blue bottle and 30 minutes later when I actually started paying attention to how it smelled I had to then go back and actually find out what it was! 2 weeks later I tracked down a tester bottle on ebay and she is mine!

She opens with mandarin sweetness and the sharp note of lime (love!) and shortly after introduces that gorgeous vanilla and the jasmine. When reading other reviews I saw that people were referring to it as 'fluffy' and that is absolutely on the nose! I suppose with a name like Souffle that makes perfect sense.

I tried the original Shalimar Souffle as well but prefer the intense, I'm not 100% sure why that is as the notes seem fairly similar - I don't notice anything wildly different between the two but I'll happily go with the intense.

I find her to be grown up, but still very feminine and kind of carefree... just divine!

Shalimar Souffle Intense by Guerlain is a significant improvement on its predecessor Shalimar Souffle de Parfum. This new release is a full-bodied scent with more in common with the original Shalimar EDP than Shalimar Souffle de Parfum ever will.

The vanilla note is back with a vengeance. Whilst Shalimar Souffle Intense is still muskier than the original masterpiece, I welcome it as a new, modern interpretation. It has an enveloping dark, musky aroma on the skin which is both mysterious and soothing.

The drydown is quite familiar to my nose, almost like a cross between the vanillary drydown in the original Shalimar EDP blended with the drydown of vintage Dior Addict. If you're a fan of either of these scents listed above, Shalimar Souffle Intense is worth a try.

Let's take a moment to appreciate Shalimar Souffle Intense's stunning packaging. The dark, midnight-blue bottle is to die for. Guerlain has outdone themselves yet again with a bottle worthy of being displayed. Although the scent is gorgeous, I would not be surprised if customers bought this fragrance for the bottle alone.

I am so incredibly glad that I didn't allow Shalimar Souffle de Parfum to put me off testing this beauty. If you're new to this line of flankers I highly recommend starting off by testing Shalimar Souffle Intense first. You can thank me later.

Not a review, but a plea! Please help me get my greedy hands on this perfume! If you have one you don't want, I'll happily buy it from you!

Smelling this perfume for the first time today and had such a strong reaction that I had to sit down and write a review. I own a bunch of versions of Shalimar, some that are tried and true hardcore versions, along with some flankers. I like both. Reading reviews for Souffle Intense, I thought for sure I'd love it. Spoiler alert - my 1.6 oz bottle is available for trade if someone wants to try it (UPDATE: Traded).

Here we go...

I love Shalimar because of its crazy evolution, its unexpectedness. I think I disliked this one because of three things:

It's the sweetest Shalimar flanker I own. In fact, it's now the sweetest fragrance in my collection. If you like sweet fragrances, think about HOW sweet you like them. I own and like some, but this one is too much for me.

There's some sort of aquatic-ish note that didn't agree with me. It stays with the fragrance (four hours on my skin so far and going strong). I don't remember reading about this in reviews, and it surprised me. Perhaps it's the melon or fruit note I've seen people mention? I'm not used to this quality with a dark, vanilla fragrance. It isn't bad, but it isn't my thing.

It's lost the quirk that distinguishes it as a version of Shalimar. People are right to say that this is best judged on its own, separately from other versions of Shalimar. It is its own thing. This veers into popular fragrance territory. Think along the lines of Tom Ford's Black Orchid. This is not Black Orchid. But it has a mainstream likeable quality that makes me think of one of the strong, modern, popular scents such as that one. As far as perfumes go, it's very wearable.

There's truth in all these reviews. I hope I've shared some new characteristics to help describe this Guerlain for people who haven't yet experienced it. If you'd like to swap, PM me.

NEXT DAY UPDATE: I can still smell this going strong on the sleeve of my sweater. It smells less sweet, and definitely like something I'd enjoy on a man. This is one of the more interesting fragrances I've encountered in a long time. Well done, just not my thing.

I love how approachable this version of Shalimar is. I think this would be a favorite for many age groups, I think men could absolutely pull it off too.

I get the burst of citrus at the beginning, first the lime, then mandarin orange, then lemon unfolding. This citrus scent is like the real fruit, not window cleaner at all! I normally dislike citrus top notes, but I just kept sniffing this...
After about 10-15 minutes later I get the soft notes of orange blossom, then jasmine. They are not distinctive florals, rather already wrapped in the warmth of vanilla that is to come.

Sillage is moderate, it doesn't scream sweetness or vanilla off my skin. I absolutely wear it in the office during the day in the colder months, however I only need one spray for the day.

I only have Shalimar pure Parfum from the Shalimar line, so I can only compare it to that. This doesn't smell like Shalimar at all. I would say this is much more youthful, the vanilla here is not the burnt / creme brulee kind, but vanilla bean kind. It's not too sweet, but sweeter than original Shalimar.

I definitely recommend it, I would repurchase.

I feel as though there's an unnamed patchouli note in the base. Anyone else sense the hint of dirty, earthiness? Compared to the original Shalimar Souffle, Souffle Intense bears a stronger resemblance to its mother. It's still lighter to be sure, but the citrus opening is replicated and modernized and the benzoin gives a little extra oomph compared to Souffle, which I found a little too light. A perfect perfume for those who want something that is in the same family as Shalimar, but without the heaviness.

This reminds me of Guerlain's Bois D'Armenie without the smokey opening. Like a warm enveloping slightly sweet veil. Don't really smell the citrus in this one quite linear.
Edit: Sprayed better next day, tester bottle spray a bit on the cheaper end so only got smaller spray first time. Second time got the powdery orange it’s sweet and heady not citrus or refreshing. The rest is balsamic rich and kind of benzoiny sweet. In the heavier side of things. Not sure if I like that much thankful cheap price.
Edit: Another try after about a month of not even looking at it. All of the above still applies but I was trying to identify a note the occurs in the period where the powder orange leaves off and before the benzoin skin scent starts that has an unidentified note that left me puzzled the first two times and I think it it comes across to me as melonish? It's like a cool sweet melon wrapped with powder benzoin. Enjoying this fragrance better now that I stop comparing it to Shalimar which I love but I expected this to be more similar to. Glad I bought it now.

Shalimar Souffle Intense starts out as a bit of a mix of Eau de Shalimar and Shalimar Souffle and then ends up more similar to Shalimar Souffle. The top notes of Shalimar Souffle Intense smell like a younger fresher sister to the original Shalimar whereas I did not recognize Shalimar Souffle as being "related" to Shalimar EDP/EDT at all.

I did not care for Shalimar Souffle. I don't "love" this flanker but I do like it.

For those who care about bottle caps, my Fragrancenet tester did come with a cap and looks exactly like a regular bottle in a white tester box.

I don't smell lemon or citrus. This is a sweet gourmand fruity floral with a depth. There is benzoin and musk underlying everything but what is the fruit? It isn't lemon or orange.

Worn with a cold, I get a fluffy limoncello with musk.

If anyone is looking to get rid of their bottle, PM me!

This is my favorite Shalimar ever! Smoky lemon bars from the first spray. It is so warm, cozy, and delicious!

In my mind, the relevant framework for comparison for this fragrance is Shalimar Souffle de parfum. I really don't feel it would be relevant to even talk about Shalimar at all. This is, as I expected, a fragrance inspired by Souffle, but a much less musky version and definitely less lemon, The airy dimension is missing and it plays more on the benzoin and jasmin aspects. If someone finds this "intense" then the two "culprits" for that are the jasmine and and benzoin. Strangely enough - this took me by surprise - I feel that the vanilla is subdued and the warmness comes mainly from benzoin. Definitely a beautiful creation. I think I need to address something: I think all of us that were eagerly anticipating this scent were drawn to it by the "intense" promise. Souffle - something we adore!- just more intense?! Awesome, right? I think that a review of this is tricky just because I think there were expectations of intensity around the original Souffle. It is definitely based on that composition, I just feel that the intensity is not straightforward. This, for me, is simply an evening, more elegant (jasmine) Souffle, whereas Souffle is more musky (which I love) and perhaps more gourmand. That's as best as I can put it :)

This arrived yesterday - I bought the tester 1.6 ozs for $43.29 AUD - bargain considering how seductive and stunning this is. I didn’t think it would be possible but I adore this even more than the Shalimar EDP. As most Shalimar fans will attest, the beauty of the original fragrance can be found in the dry down.

Not so the Souffle Intense (intense breath or blow) - it’s captivating from the start, as the slightly oily EDP opening is eliminated in this flanker. Sillage and longevity comparable to the original...love it.

@equestre, as a fellow Aussie resident, $149 at DJs...same size is $46 on Fragrancenet...just saying. Ordered mine last week.

It's available at David Jones in Australia, fellow Aussies! I tested it today :).

So, initial spray on paper. It's obvious why this was called Souffle Intense - it really is Souffle but richer, warmer. The jasmine is a lot more prominent than in Souffle, and I must be getting the benzoin which is a smell I'm not that familiar with.

Next, sprayed on skin (once on arm). Very similar to Souffle for about 10-15 minutes, so I felt a bit let down. And then I started to get wafts of this warm, almost spicy vanilla. Wow! Not strong, but steady. It had a persistent familiarity which bugged me until I twigged - it's as if Souffle and Hypnotic Poison had a baby! Apologies if this offends anyone in either camp, I'd be interested to know if I'm the only one getting this vibe!

Conclusion: on the Christmas wish list ;).

I should start by saying that I haven't smelled original Shalimar in years, having always dismissed it as too mature for me during my early 20s working in the cosmetics department at Macy's. But in the last few years, having renewed my fragrance obsession via reading the amazing articles and reviews here on Fragrantica, I began searching for a high quality vanilla based fragrance, like so many I had in the past that are either now discontinued or reformulated beyond recognition. And surprisingly, all roads seemed to lead me to Shalimar.

As you may already know, there are dozens of listings for Shalimar and all her variations. But which one would be the right one for me? I didn't want to fall in love with something discontinued, which eliminated a good chunk of prospective juices right off the bat. I liked the idea of a newer, maybe more modern take on the original, so Souffle was a contender... until I discovered the Souffle Intense reviews a couple weeks ago. The reviews described her as less citrusy and closer to the original Shalimar than Souffle, while retaining her own identity. So since I've always loved rich, vanilla-heavy orientals, and with winter right around the corner, Souffle Intense sounded like a perfect new seasonal addition to my collection. I pulled the trigger and blind bought, and she arrived today.

It's been a few hours since the first spray, and I'm still a little overwhelmed. Shalimar Souffle Intense is absolutely beautiful. The first couple minutes are citrusy and bright, but almost immediately the top notes dissapate and lush, white florals begin to emerge. They are creamy, dewy, and a bit powdery. But the floral notes never overwhelm the true star of this fragrance, which are the base notes. The vanilla in here is to die for, and while sweet; Souffle Intense never veers off into gourmand territory, as there's something a little spicy/smoky to keep her in check. I wish I had the vocabulary to accurately describes the sumptuousness of how she dries down, but I don't so you'll just have to trust me. It's heavenly.

I remember in the early 2000s there were a slew of gorgeous Oriental fragrances introduced: Dior Addict, Armani Mania, Boucheron Initial, Givenchy Organza Indecence, just to name a few. I had and loved them all. Most have sadly gone the way of the dinosaur, and I'd all but given up the search to ever find anything comparable. Until today.

If you're new to Guerlain, or Shalimar like me but have always wanted to give her a try; or if you just love a good vanilla based oriental without the sickly sweetness that can accompany some of the newer gourmands, Souffle Intense might be for you. I actually ordered two back up bottles because at this moment I don't ever want to be without this!

Oh, and speaking of bottles, the midnight blue glass is simply divine.

10/10

I love Souffle de Parfum, but I have to admit that I prefer Souffle Intense. It's more oriental, has more depth and warmth, and, yes, the scent is more intense. It's the type of fragrance that is very comforting in winter, it's a cosy fragrance, and yet so elegant and feminine ! The add of benzoin is such a good idea. It brings the oriental vibe that Souffle was lacking in my opinion. The mix of vanilla and benzoin gives a milky and powdery vibe, which I really love.
Does it worth to have both? Yes if you like them, because Souffle is more floral and citrusy, whereas Souffle Intense is definitely on the oriental side, it has more of the Shalimar DNA.

I really like Souffle Intense, it is beautifully done, and definitely more floral/ oriental than the original , which I kind of liked, but didn't find very exciting... Intense just offers more depth, on the skin the trail it leaves is delightful, warm, sensuous, I simply really like this scent..utterly feminine, it will be my staple for cold weather..it is a beautiful veil of a perfume..
I don't get much citrus, it is rather a mix of vanilla and jasmine..on a warm bed of white musk, with the benzoin giving it a milky sweetness..beautiful art by Thierry Wasser.

Souffle Intense is an effervescent explosion of citrus accords intertwined with a powdery vanilla: simple, yet elegant and sophisticated. This is much like the original Souffle de Parfum, but has better longevity {6 hours+ on my skin} and depth. It does wear close to the skin but in my opinion, it is a fragrance that is enjoyed wholly by the wearer.

I've had a chance to test this (I work in the industry). This is a nice fragrance. The fragrance is definitely more intense than the original Shalimar Souffle de Parfum. Definitely an evening scent. I really like this scent, it's quite pretty. I will be buying a bottle when it's available.