Bois d'Iris Van Cleef & Arpels for women

No projection
No longevity
Very dry wood and dusty iris reminds me of Bo by Liis
Not for me 4/10

I had a sample of bois d'iris and fell completely and totally head over heels in love. Besotted.
It was the fragrance equivalent of holding a lit stick of incense at a moonlit beach, salty air and all. Then it dried down to a heavenly, cozy amber, with a powdery make-up and lipstick finish. Divine, and so understated.

Then I bought a full bottle and the smell is totally different :( I know I'm going to have to let it oxidize and age but I'm so sad it smells so different brand new, I'm impatient! And knowing I have to mature the perfume to get that beautiful smell back is killing me...

This stuff is soooo good!!! I just wish the performance was better. This is a make-up iris with noticeable vanilla that lends it to be a bit gourmand. What makes this unique is a slightly churchy incense and marine/aquatic vibe running in the background. The marine aspect is both slightly salty (I'm guessing the ambergris note) and fresh. Both the incense and marine effects are subtle but noticeable. This could easily be a sibling to Dior Homme Parfum/Intense, but the incense and marine accords give this such a nice twist. It's like wearing DHP in a church by the sea. As stated early on, the performance on this could be much better...it sits close to the skin and I have to reapply after a few hours. But, I love this so much that it doesn't bother me to do so.

Light powder make up with some dry wood . The incense and myrrh give it this warmth and smoothness. I get a hint of the vanilla and sugar .It’s a very soft fragrance . It’s beautiful but it has no sillage or longevity

smells like a man that i was obsessed with who wrecked me emotionally. harrowing to smell in public for this reason alone. personal traumas aside, it smells really really nice, unisex, delicious and addictive. woodsy iris, clean and almost powdery, but sweet at the same time. luxurious.
daniel, i hate you forever, but you smell very good.

Just bought a bottle of this that is 2-3 years old. Projecion is average and longevity is high. To all those disappointed by performance, let it macerate. That sugary drydown is wonderful.

Bois d'Iris is gorgeous, a woody, deep, vegetal iris with a little vanilla, but it's definitely a skin scent. The projection is quite faint, even with several lengthy sprays. This is lovely, but I think there are other iris fragrances that offer more bang for the buck, especially at this price point. I do think the performance is unacceptable. Maybe 15 minutes after I sprayed it (several times) on a tester strip, I asked my husband to sniff it, and he had to inhale several times to pick up anything at all. When I asked him to describe it, he said, "Very faint." He preferred the OG Trésor that I offered him afterwards, probably because he didn't have to struggle to smell it.

I retract my comments re: longevity. I must have just been noseblind to it then, because I sprayed some on a handkerchief about 24 hours ago, and it's still going strong. I still think it's a lot like Prada Infusion d'Iris, of which I have a large-ish bottle, but it's not identical--woodier, much less feminine, a bit chillier and Frencher. I love them both, and I'm glad I have a travel-sprayer of Bois d'Iris so I can try it in different seasons, or under different conditions. I think if I had based my decision on that first wear, I would have thought its longevity was subpar. Mea culpa.

One of my favorite notes is Iris, which always surprises me, with its varied interpretations .
Iris can appear soft, creamy , dusty, sensual or, as in this case, melancholic.
It's an interpretation that I really like and that ended up on my wishlist.
A fragrance that opens dusty, but only for a moment, giving space to woody, dark nuances, which make it appear to my nose, I don't know why, veiled in this feeling that is so important and integral to our lives.
Yes, because it is intrinsic to us, and that life which is not permeated by it even for brief moments cannot be defined as such.
Try it, and be reborn from the ashes, and keep a fond memory of it.
In short, without this feeling we would not be able to grow and strengthen ourselves, to find the will to fight to get out of it.
“Melancholy is not an escape from reality, but from the unreality of the world.”
Raheel Farooq
“La Madeleine à la veilleuse” painted by Georges de La Tour

Very weak , projection is in the trash, Whats the point ?

Barely can smell it on skin. Smells nice on clothes. Not strong enough to project. A letdown. You have to really overspray to get decent longevity or projection.

Boiled carrots, then wooden construction materials. Iris fragrances are not very loud or with gigantic sillage, but this one disappeared in 30 min, I swear. All Van Cleef & Arpels fragrances underperforming on me, this one is shockingly short-lived. Better to get Dior Homme Intense.

Bois d iris is a very unique iris scent. Slightly Different than any other dry and non sweet iris perfumes I have smelled. Well that isn't from a niche brand. I don't get any of the sugary notes at all. This fragrance for me is more about the dry and powdery iris and driftwood and a soft saltiness of the ocean. I would've called this perfume iris ocean or sea iris. Something like that. It is a very clean perfume like Chanel 1957 but without the peppery notes on top. Also Chanel 1957 is more soap and water clean with iris where Bois d'iris is more salty ocean air clean mixing with powdery iris. Unisex. If you like dry iris scents with a new twist this is a good one. Edit: while I do like this I have to downgrade it to just a like vote. The sad thing about this line I am finding is the lack of longevity. Such a shame. I have 2 more from this line to test but if there longevity is as bad as the most of the 5 (midnight patchouli was the exception for longevity but leans masculine IMO) I tested today I will not be adding a full bottle of any of these vancleef perfumes to my collection. In fact I wish they would bring back the original vancleef from 1992. I have a decant of that given to me by a wonderful friend I met here. Now that one has longevity!

My mom’s signature scent.In my opinion better than bois d’argent. Beautiful fragrance that is unisex,the only downside being the performance,but this is meant to be a soft,gentle perfume.

I think I might love this. Sounds like it’s my kind of fragrance but I’m tired of purchasing a full bottle with little to no projection. If anyone wants to swap decants or a partial bottle for something I have - message me. I have lots of fragrances and my shelf is current. It’s almost a year later and I purchased a bottle. I do love it lipstick Iris with incense and woods it does sits close but I truly think with some air in the bottle it will bloom. I have a newer bottle (2021) now I need to compare this to an older Dior Bois d’argent

Where is the sweetness, the sugar and vanilla and amber? I don’t think they put any myrrh/incense in my bottle either! What I do smell is cold, smooth iris (minimal powder) and driftwood (cold and dry wood rather than rich and warm). Overall this is cold and aloof, any sweetness and depth it contains are hidden from me. I’m disappointed because I think if I could smell all the notes it would be amazing.

Edit: I’ve worn this a lot over the last few days. If I spray roughly 6x more than I do with any other perfume (usually 2 sprays is enough for me), I can smell some sugar and get a tiny hint of the warmer balsamic notes every now and then. Even though I really I like it and I generally appreciate soft, subtle scents, I’m not sure yet if it’s worth the price of a full bottle.

This iris forest is colder than Bois d'argent. It makes me think of prelude from Wagner's "Tristane and Isolde" : pearly moonlight, violet iris arabesques on a Fortuny dress, gentle winds... Stunning take on iris, one of the best in the genre.
I don't have problems with longevity; but I don't think such perfume seeks to be loud anyway.

Soft and pretty, but so so weak. At least the bottle is pretty.

This one is in the same family of Celine's Dans Paris with its Playdoh note. If you have one of these no need to get the other one. I've just opened a new bottle, will let it sit for a few weeks and try again.

it would be nice if i could experience this perfume similarly to the other reviewers. blind-bought this fragrance just like almost all of the perfumes i tend to choose, and it's the only one that's got me questioning if i understand the overall feel of each note. for whatever reason, on my particular skin chemistry, this thing smells like ocean water 🌊 💧. i don't go to the beach, nor do i enjoy being outside enough for me to even begin my.... abysmal interpretation of what ocean water is supposed to smell like... but if i had to capture the essence of what going to the beach smells like... within a perfume bottle, it's this. i've worn this perfume now at least 6 instances, each time intending to experience it a little differently than the last. i'm getting nothing but salt, ocean water and a distant echo of a whisper of vanilla. maybe one more try...

Soft airy iris
Very soft and elegant iris fragrance. This fragrance is very gentle and intimate. A very good option for those who want an aery transparent fragrance, not a loud one, especially for an office environment. It's a very well-balanced and refined fragrance when all the notes are in harmony around the iris note. If you are an Iris fan, you will love this one. Although it may not be interesting for beginners or may not be a good first iris fragrance.

7/10

Very nice scent. Light, airy, and sophisticated. The opening reminds me of Loewe 001 Man. Smells like Clean Reserve Skin and Loewe 001 Man had a baby. 7.5/10

A recent blind-buy that immediately became one of my all-time favorites and most worn, but the performance is abysmal. I will quickly run out and I’m not sure I can justify repurchasing. Recommendations?

I found a cure for the new-ish longevity issues. Once spritz of Juliette Has a Gun Superdose. Superdose is caustic stuff. So caustic, if you smell it directly after spraying you will go nose blind. You have to let it calm down before you smell it. It’s great for pairing with Bois D’iris. It helps D’iris last a really long time and accentuates the balsamic quality.

Classy, sophisticated, understated. Longevity on skin but sillage is virtually non-existent. Trick is to spritz a little in hand with your mildly scented/unscented lotion/oil, then overspray after.

@essennsen is right about the similarities with Maison Crivelli’s Iris Malikhan though that one leans more green-gourmand as the vanilla is more prominent and sweeter especially in the dry down. For a dreamy multifaceted iris combo - layer Bois D’Iris and Iris Malikhan!

Warm, a touch sweet, a touch salty, enveloping, elegant. This is so incredibly sexy, but not "date night at the bar" sexy, rather "night in a luxury hotel room" sexy. Projection is intimate, longevity is decent. Would also work well as an office fragrance for a highly successful, classy woman. I love this.

I have a decant and tried the perfume 2 times in two different shops. It is comically bad performing. The scent is nice but there are similar options that lasts 10x for less money.

(01F14F023), 2015 batch
approx 55 ml. left (USD 49)

The Interpretation of Iris in Bois d'Iris is something I never faced before.
It's surprise me surprisingly and It's also stunning in the same time.
This could be Iris interpretation as Gourmand (?!?)

When applied Iris do greeting you right away.
Iris in this is not makeupky like Dior Homme or Prada L'Homme.
It's smooth buttery Iris, that sit on top with Vanilla perfectly.

No so long you will be introduce by Sugar (in mild caramelized manner) and Sea salt.
The smell of refine sea salt probably come from Ambergris (my skin enhance Ambergris very well) and this is authentic ambergris and also a note of Sugar.. This is create Sea Salt Vanilla Ice Cream accord on my skin.

We walk to the heart now, Iris - Vanilla - Salt and Sugar still remains but more glittery.
Incense starts to kick-in along with Myrrh & Amber. It's deep. Sensational - it stay here, quite a while.

As we walk to the base, greeting my old friend - Vetiver.
In this - coming in dry and hay like similar to Jo Malone Golden Vanilla & Vetiver.
But this smooth out the edge, unlike the Jo Malone.

Then the soap accord start to build up reminiscent of Prada Iris d' Cedar.
To make you feel fresh and clean as fresh Labdanum provide mild human touch skin to soften everything.

However, while the twist is very interesting it is become more typical Iris as it dry down, It make me crave a bit more. The scents is a bit thin and it would be great if it is a bit denser.

Scent projection starts moderate low and become intimate at 2-3 mark it is not as close to the skin as Dioramor (that one is very close) however the longevity is impressive (6-7 hours) and it do enhance your skinscent extremely nice.

For the experience and the twist provided, I will rate 10/10

In real life usage, this could only be given 8/10.
...

Gender Classification : Unisex (55% Homme / 45% Femme)
(I rate this more Homme as the wood has a bit bitter quality that suitable for men)
Longevity : 6-7 hours
Projection : moderate low, become intimate.

This is my second review and it’s also a rant. This was my favorite, it could have been my favorite HOWEVER I have one HUGE issue... It’s gone in ten minutes and it lacks even a minuscule of a dry down. I have heard that this wasn’t always the case and it only began with the latest formula. This had the potential to be my number one but it doesn’t even qualify as a skin scent. You can’t even attempt to try and stretch it out by spraying on clothing… it’s gone on clothing in ten minutes. I found this fragrance after Glossier changed their formula to one that has zero staying power as well. For either fragrance to cost between $75 to $100 and not last? It’s clearly a grift. Glossier pulled a bait and switch. They originally put out a quality product, only to replace the ingredients with cheaper ones. When people complained, they claimed they didn’t change anything.. they gaslighted their regular customers. They later changed their story and claimed the lack of quality was due to the ban on Lilial… which is another bullshit lie. The entire fragrance industry is full of grifters who participate in price fixing to keep everyone over paying. Most ingredients these days are synthetic and inexpensive, yet we’ve never paid more. The industry made it the norm for a fragrance with mass appeal to be priced at $500.. and it’s nothing more than a grift by a fraudulent industry. No bottle of cheap synthetics should ever cost over $100.

Oh hell no.... Opened my back up bottle that I purchased in 2022, to wear as my SOTD and to my utter disgrace, the fragrance was gone in 2 hours. Like WTF???? VC&A, what have you done to my beloved signature scent that I have been wearing for years??? This stuff used to last for hours on my skin and leave the most intoxicating sillage. People would run a mile to get to me just to ask what I was wearing. I've gone through so many bottles and then you do this? Come the eff' on for Pete's sake. This is why I will not buy anything else from this house because everyone complains of the abysmal longevity. Money wasted!

I am not sure what I think of this one. The first time I tried it on my wrist. Pretty open and developed to a beautiful smoky, powdery element. Not warm, not cool, but very chic.

Today I spritzed it on my chest. Open was nice. Then I smelled a little powder after the drydown, but different than before. Not soft, silky powder. Maybe a hint of metal. My nose has to seek out the smokiness this time. I can't figure out what the prominent note is that I am smelling today. Not offensive, but not something I am drawn to. Vegetal mixed with spice. Sort of cold.

I liked it better on the first try. Will probably try again since it was so varied, just to see where it lands.

EDIT: In case anyone is looking for better longevity, I recently sampled Iris Malikhan, which I found quite similar to Bois d'Iris. To be honest, IM is now in my fave top 5 frags.

I just adore this scent! To me it's the female version of Dior Homme Parfum...same iris profile with lighter woods. Great for anytime of year, day or night. Totally full bottle worthy and a safe blind buy if you love powdery iris.

I got a sample of this to compare to L'Oblio, which I love but which is very light. This is indeed quite similar, but somehow even lighter and lasts even less time!

Scent-wise, this differs from L'Oblio in that the orris is more prominent, and the overall scent is gentler. There are moments where L'Oblio leans salty, whereas this one leans vanillic/sweet. It's subtle though, so if you like one, you'll like the other. Personally I like L'Oblio a bit more, but largely because this one is just SO faint.

Really pretty, if I shove my nose into the spot I sprayed it in immediately after I spray. Blind bought this based on notes and just began my relationship with this fragrance. So far the projection is zero and performance is nonexistent. Will update to see how it performs with molecule 04 underneath. Great bottle that looks prestigious on my shelf though! *shrug*

This is a very forward iris perfume with soft vanilla lingering in the background. The same vanilla as in orchidee vanille. In the drydown I detect a bit of incense and vetiver too, but still with iris being the star. It’s a beautiful perfume if you like powdery flowers! Wish the longevity was a bit better though

I can smell iris and woodsy notes. They are well blended and there is a sweetness but not like “sugary sweet” like mentioned in listed notes.

Bois D’iris has great longevity but very poor sillage. What you smell won’t make you upset but I would not recommend anyone to buy cause of its projection.

Very elegant and sophisticated scent nothing negative to say about it 10/10

Oh this is gorgeous! Lots of spicy teakwood/driftwood, with the incense present but not churchy, more smoky resinous. Sweet, peppery, and the iris is there but it's not stealing the show. This is more of a resinous woodsy smoky smell, which is right up my alley with enough sweetness to feel cozy. Love!

** 200 samples for swap uK - 10 + bundles, custom shelves, get in touch! **

This perfume is phenomenal. I usually gravitate towards loud oriental fragrances. But this one is so intimate and comforting. The Iris, driftwood, and sugar are prominent for me. Fluffy, soft, slightly dusty with a very gentle sweetness. It smells clean and warm without being an entirely "fresh and clean" scent. Its absolutely beautiful. Its softness is its most endearing quality. A truly blissful wearing experience that is uncomplicated and elegant.

Honestly this one is much lovelier than I remember. The comparisons to Bois d'Argent are apt but this exists entirely on its own. A lovely iris fragrance. However, it doesn't perform well on me like many of the others from the line. It's interesting this line. They're never really groundbreaking, but they're genre toppers if that makes sense. The pricing isn't too bad, either. I think I really like this.

I've recently become obsessed with Iris/orris root/powdery fragrances. And I'm really enjoying this one. So much that it's moved to my top 5. I love a good powdery Iris fragrance and this one is stunning. It's mostly Iris but surrounding the Iris is a warm vanillic amber with a touch of sweetness. The woodsy driftwood comes forward once it starts drying down to give some depth.
It is powdery, but not straight powder on me like Prada candy (I really like this one too). I'm not comparing BdI to Candy, as they aren't a like. Bois d'Iris is much more refined, complex and better overall. Performance & longevity are decent too - but I don't mind reapplying when I need/want to.

It's such a comforting fragrance for me to where as the weather transitions to fall and winter.

I'm wearing this today. It's autumn where I live, not too cool but certainly coolish. I've had it for close to a year but have yet to wear it outside because for some reason, as many will attest, this seemed to completely off my skin in record time. An hour would be a stretch! Unfortunately, I never got more than the smell of driftwood, which if China White is any indication, it's a wood note I don't find particularly appealing. I bought blindly based on my love for the VC&A Collection Extraordinaire, my love for iris, and the reviews. So I put her aside, spraying on occasion.
Well today is my lucky day. The weather is right, it's apparently had time to "age" in the bottle. Don't laugh!! As I'm sure many can attest this can really make a difference. I have many perfumes that have improved after resting for a year! Anyway, today I sprayed lightly, to the inside of my elbows and not only can I smell it beyond just driftwood, it's lasting and wafts gently as I move. I can clearly smell the lightly powdered iris and the nonmedicinal myrrh and smokey incense that in my opinion shine best in cooler weather.
While I still consider this a Like, it could very well become a love with further use. While I haven't tried anywhere near all of this collection, the ones I own or have sampled are very well done. Though on the expensive side, bargains can be found. I wouldn't say it's a completely safe blind buy, but on the other hand, may be so if you know what you like. In any case, I recommend a try, especially if the weather is cooling down in your part of the world.

PS - I want to add what some may perceive as disrespectful of personal experiences with fragrance, though I truly don't mean it that way. All is subjective in the world of fragrance. However, as a lover and owner of many iris fragrances, I can't help but notice that regardless of the fragrance, if iris dominates, many people liken it to Prada Infusion d'Iris. That is a gorgeous perfume, but if you have the interest, I'd encourage you to try other irises. Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile, Boucheron Iris de Syracuse, and Frederic Malle Iris Poudree are all examples of irises that smell nothing like the Prada beyond the inclusion or iris. I encourage people to give them and others a try. If you still find Prada to be the one it reminds you of most, that's fine too. It's only that it's a flower with so many aspects that it surprises me to see Infusion d'Iris as the reference Iris for so many. That's "surprise", not "disagreement". Peace!

My 12 yr old son said this was “Glossier with Grit” and I totally agree with him. I love Glossier, I love Iris scents in general and I never thought iris would blend so well with vetiver and amber/ambergris. I also never expected an iris to be so balsamic. This is a score. My only complaint? It’s got the kind of amber note that drives me to go nose blind almost immediately… but I will still wear this. I love to combine it with an amber oil… Persian Star oil from Kuumba’s or one like it (Nemat)

Powdery, woody scent with a hint of spices and sweetness in the background. I would say this is more of a woody than an Iris scent. Overal ok, but nothing new and a little boring. Longevity is also weak.

i got the floral iris & powder more than I got the ambery notes. it's nice

It's interesting. Definitely unisex. Nothing familiar, it's a new scent story to me, which I enjoy. I'm into woods, they're my home, and I like sweetness to have an edge... well, there's a sharply bitter note here that has my attention. Not sure how I feel about this. I prefer smoother scents and this one has trouble settling, but it's nice, especially when I get a whiff of incense smoke. Will update with future wearings. Maybe it would be better out of the summer heat.

Review of travel spray decant purchased from Fragrancenet.com

UPDATE
I like it. Sweet but clear and clean with fresh woods. Nothing like this in my large unisex/gourmand collection and I'm really enjoying it on these cooler summer days. Safe for work but still unusual.

FINAL UPDATE
Decluttered. Everytime I wore this I wished I had worn BOIS DORÉ instead. There will never be a day when I would reach for this over BOIS DORÉ.

I have issues with iris soliflore fragrances because of the lilac-like bitterness of iris... Bois d'Iris is very smart in combining with the soft warmth of driftwood and vanilla and the powdery caramel-like notes of myrrhs and sugar. I am still unsure if I can get myself to wear it regularly, but it is my best try up to now.

I have to say I'm surprised to see the note profile of this - to me it's a rich lipstick scent; softly sweet iris mixed with a clean woodsy smell. I don't pick up on any other notes. It's a really lovely fragrance, very unisex and would make a good signature. I'm excited to test it more in the colder seasons.

I was a little unimpressed when I first sprayed this - I tested it on a blotter card and thought it had a sharp mineralic / woody character that I attribute to the driftwood and iris notes. It seemed cold and uninspired, but thankfully I had accidentally gotten some of the mist on my hand when I had sprayed the card. On skin, the vanilla blooms and it becomes a gorgeous, soft iris vanilla - not exactly groundbreaking but a really nice cool weather fragrance!

A scent that combines the powdery scent of iris and the sweetness of vanilla with the smoky scent of incense for adults. The impression that the sweetness of Labdanum and Ambergris is also hidden behind.

This has been MY signature scent for years. I have a brand new back up bottle just in case. On me, it's a powdery iris that is anchored by a non-offensive woody note. Excellent projection and sillage. A real compliment getter.

At the opening and mid this is everything i love about Orchidee Vanille minus the chocolate notes. It has a cooler vibe tho, the opening hints of camphor giving it a chill initially. Very powdery iris.
It's the cosmetic make up scent I'm always on the hunt for, a pressed powder compact.
This also reminds me of Jovoy Remember Me without the warm cuppa spicey Chai latte. (Not dupes of one another by any means) It transitions into a much more subdued less powdery but still gorgeous iris in the drydown and I can now smell soft resins peeking thru. Sillage is moderate at arms length and longevity is at least 6 hours. This is really gorgeous, a must sniff for iris fans.

To me this perfume smells expensive, like the lobby of a boutique hotel. When wearing it, I don’t tend to notice any one note over another. It’s very well blended and fairly linear. It lasts well on my skin but has a very “elegant” sillage - you have to come close to me to smell me. I’m a chronic oversprayer so I find that to be a good feature but others might want more bang for their buck. I also got this during a sale at FragranceNet so it wasn’t as costly.

Man, this is so good, I'm in 🥰. This has great similarity to Goutal's Etoile d'une Nuit minus the makeup facet. The opening is divine, out of this world. The iris here is made to perfection. It is super soft, cozy, well rounded, and well balanced. It smells of high quality. I am loving Van Cleef and Arpels perfumes. I wish to have the opportunity to meet more of them.

Driftwood is a really interesting note, I wonder how that’s showing up here. This was too powdery on my skin for my own personal preference, but I can see why so many love it

Powdery (in a cozy way) and woody amber, medium lasting power with very little projection. I like having this scent profile in my collection, as on spring autumn days when I am not in the mood for something too sweet, too floral, too fruity or too loud, this one can be handy to have. Good for office or casual daytime wear. I gave this an OK instead of Like, mainly because the rather poor performance of this perfume somewhat reduced my enjoyment of it.

This fragrance is unique. It's powdery, smoky, a bit floral. I absolutely love it! Recently I purchased Victoria's Secret new Untamed Velvet Petals and it is very similar. It is a just a bit sweeter than Bois d'iris. It will be nice to layer these two fragrances.

Having heard bad things about VC&A longevity across the board, my expectations were low and I was actually pleasantly surprised I got about 5 hours, not one that projects much but I could smell it on myself.
It started foggy & cold this morning so Bois d’Iris was a cosy, warm scent for that but as the weather heated up I wasn’t a fan, it was too rich and sickly. I mainly get amber & vanilla so its really sweet & woody, with a vintage vibe when the slight powdery element in the dry down. Not really doing it for me, am I bored of amber? It seems to be overpowering in an overwhelming number of samples I have.

Very powdery, quiet and with no projection whatsoever. Added to that, longevity is next to null which makes this perfume a meh 😑 in my humble opinion. It’s a shame because the first 30 seconds are absolutely divine 😔😔😔 and gone into oblivion after that...sigh...

It was a LOVE for me, now it's just a LIKE. I still love the scent, but the projection is terrible...

From what I gather, van cleef perfumes are the van cleef's versions of existing perfumes for the most part (if not all)*I say this, because I can only assume this one is a dupe for prada infusion d'iris. However, as I already mentioned it is Van Cleef's take on what they think they should smell, so I guess they are dupes with a twist. This, is like a softer and a more closer to the skin prada d'iris, only the twist here, is that I pick up a sharpened pencil/pencil shavings if you will, on this one-like the sharpened wooden part of a freshly sharpened pencil. For that reason to my nose this is a soft combo of prada infusion d'iris and agent provocateur blue silk.

Would I repurchase?Probably not. Not because I don't like it, it is indeed a beautiful scent, perfect for any season and summer included due to its softness, but because I do have the richer, longer lasting and better projecting perfumes I mentioned above. I have Prada infusion d'iris which is a love for me (all aspects considered) and I have also the blue silk which is a richer, more natural take on pencil shavings which smells gorgeous on the skin (and that one could easily be my signature perfume - or one of them anyway!LOL).

Am I glad to have it? Yes, because it is a more ethereal combo of 2 of my most loved perfumes - and sometimes in very hot weather especially, this would be the perfect weather-suitable choice.

TIP: As with most perfumes, let your perfume air and rest for a couple of weeks (after spraying it a couple of times when you first get it, before determining how it performs and what it beings out (note-wise) on your skin. I cannot stress enough how that can be a game-changer and it usually works for the best, before deciding if you like it and if you are going to keep it. When I first sprayed this, I thought this was a no from me (not a terrible -scrunch your nose no, just not for me). Now, it is a solid good choice and a strong like, bordering on love.

TIP2:Also, there are some perfumes that are suitable for one season only, like for example Narciso Rodriguez for her. And that, can mean that on other seasons they can smell 'meh' and their suitable season like perfection, or, on unsuitable seasons and weather conditions they can smell like sth you want to scrub off your skin, or like the aforementioned narciso, whereas in their proper season they can smell sooooo gooood (in Narciso's case it is winter and it smells like an elegant heavenly powdery contortion).

TIP3: Menstruation as well as age (hormones) as well as skin can affect how a perfume performs on you

Hope this helps! :)

Breathtakingly beautiful soft, feminine, elegant yet fleeting.... I sat on the sands amidst the resting place of dry and gnarled driftwood remnants. I was mesmerised by the distant white yaught, only subtly recognisable. It was gently bobbing and rocking upon the gentle waves, dancing with the beat of the ocean. The sea gulls noisily hovered in the slightly smoky sky, as the speck on the horizon slowly, gently but surely and ever so gracefully disappeared into the unknown.....dreamy, airy, smoky, vanilic,soft,woody, iris and salt, going going going gone:(
I wish Van Cleef & Arpels would bring out a stronger version of this beauty<3

Iris, Sugar, Vanilla and Myrrh dominate, with some smoky wood and amber in the background. Very classy and beautiful. Unfortunately it stays close to the skin and fades very fast. Beautiful as an intimate skin scent, but probably won’t buy it given its performance problems.

Van cleef & Arpels Bois d’Iris (2009) - woody iris - #emiliecoppermann ‘s perfume goes quickly to its heart: Iris and Incense on a woody base. It’s supported by Vanilla, an Amber-like accord, and Vetiver that helps create roundness and refinement. What interests me is on the woody note that I’m smelling - I wonder what perfumery magic she did because the woody notes feel hollow and transparent. Reminds me of Iris and moss enveloping an old piece of wood - roots and flowers meshing with it.

This is probably my favourite from the VCA collection. Like others have mentioned, there are definite similarities between this and Bois D’argent- I think the dry down on the VCA is ‘smoother’. It annoys me that this is such a beautiful and elegant fragrance and yet it simply does not last on me beyond half an hour!

Bois D’Iris smells very similar as LoubiRouge for 1/3 of the price. Really beautiful woody iris fragrance with a vanilla amber aura. Longevity is good but sillage is week. I like it and I wear this one just for me, if you want a loud fragrance try something else. Very unissex and beautiful crafted scent.
@deepgreenbeauty

Can't really smell much at all with this one.

I almost never use more than one spray of a perfume. A lot of times I'll use half a spray, if I can, or I'll take the top off of a decant to dab a bit on. Most fragrances are plenty strong for me, a lot of them are way too much.

I ordered the little splash bottle of Dior Bois d'Argent from fragrancenet last year because it sounded SO up my alley even though it was expensive. And I could barely smell it. I poured a bunch on, thinking I wouldn't really want to sell or pass it on since it's in an open container and smells like almost nothing. Still really couldn't pick much up.

The vial of Bois d'Iris from Lucky Scent that I have smells pretty much the same. Like the memory of a really pretty iris scent. Idk if I'm anosmic to something or what. There seems to be a split between people enjoy this and people who can't pick much up from it. Usually I'm on the other side of things, where a bit of one of various aromachemicals drowns out the rest of the scent.

I would say not a safe blind buy unless you know you'll not mind going to the trouble of selling it on, if you happen to be in the "where's the perfume" camp.

Way more complex that Bois D'Argent. In this one, you can actually feel the sweetness of vanilla and sugar, the woody spiciness, the iris root. Bois d'argent is just a shadow...a ghost of some general iris root.

This scent smells exactly like Bois d'Argent by Dior. This scent is really nice and it's totally unisex even though the listing on here says it's Female.

At first it reminds me a lot of Dior Homme Intense, and then it completely disappears, is gone within the hour. I usually have a lot more to say about a fragrance but this one doesn't even give me enough time to get to know it well enough.

Excellent classy, warm iris with woody undertones. If you want to smell like a million bucks and old money, that's the scent for you. The fact that it stays close to skin makes it even more classy BUT is also its greatest issue for me. While it lasts 8-10 hours on my pulse points, for the 2 years I had it, I received only one compliment, the very last day I used it :( Same with another one of the series I bought, Santal Blanc; extraordinary smell, zero sillage. Not going to buy it again I think, as I like my perfumes on the louder side.

I'm looking at the note list n wondering where all those nice things were hiding in my sample.. which was a dull n dusty iris, something I can only describe as grey, a bit bleak.. is grey a smell? Here it is. It's quite a weak fragrance as well, disappointing.

I am still in the process of getting to know this fragrance, but I am a bit puzzled by it. I feel like there is a note of licorice or anise, though it is not listed. I feel like that is the main thing I smell and cannot figure out why! I don't pick up the iris and incense, I just feel overwhelmed by the anise smell.
I am going to keep trying it out though, because the description is so up my alley, maybe the weather changes my perspective. I do hope so, otherwise I would be so disappointed. If anyone else detects that note, please let me know!

It is so imperceptible, I can hardly smell it at all. I'm sorry I bought it. No one can smell it, not even me. It's like water ... I've never had a scent so faint as this. It's a shame, because the smell is divine, but in vain if I have to put my nose in my skin to smell it. I was going to buy 2 more from this range, but I changed my mind, because I also ordered a sample from Bois Dore and it is just as weak. Total disappointment ... Wasted money
. I do not recommend. I should have bought Infusion D'iris instead.

Finally, I am able to review this gem... I think this is easily the most likable scent from the collection Extraordinaire. On paper, it is very fresh but on the skin, it projects more musk like a skin scent at least in my experience. This kinda gives me a vintage vibe a vintage iris but so modern at the same time, making it a timeless staple. The wood in it makes it so lovely, so earthy and natural nothing synthetic also the incense in it gives a little edge to it if you know what I mean. What I hate about this fragrance is the fact that after 5 hours it is barely there? like you really have to stuff your nose into your skin to get a proper sniff again but it is supposed to be a perfume. don't get me wrong it is still there but the projection lacks a lot. maybe my skin chemistry does not work with this one. but you can always spray more am I right... anyway a beauty in its form. this oddly reminds me of a summer night looking at the stars or the moon, just being there in the moment and taking all the good energy in. 9/10 superb really, I could easily say that any wearer of this perfume is someone who knows how to rock a beautiful outfit, just an odd thought... I can almost imagine a woman sipping tea or coffee outside a nice cafe in Paris. do not why but I do.

also, it kinda reminds me of babies, not like a baby powder but a mother's warm embrace kind of feel, I guess the creaminess of this fragrance gives me that emotion, and also it is a savory type of fragrance so yeah super good.
as a side note, this kinda gives me the same vibes that miller harris' violet ida has, and obviously, it is because of the violet it is a powdery note to it but this compared to violet ida is more feminine and subtle.

Bois D'iris is such a subtly beautiful scent. It starts off with a burst of powder and alcohol and before you know if, you are getting a powdery Iris and sugary vanilla, with a hint of woods and I think amber.
It is a really cosy scent for me. It does about 6-8 hours on my skin, or over night. If you wear it to bed, the smell just pulsates from your pulse points. A beautiful bed time scent and rather unique in my collection.
Even if you are not a vanilla fan, I would suggest trying it.
I would say it has pretty good projection. I keep getting whiffs and thinking how beautiful is that!
If you like powdery, sugary vanilla Iris, I would certainly recommmend!
I bought a full bottle after trying it once! And the price fluctuates so you can catch it at a good price if you keep an eye out and buy at the right time.

Starts with: A cold, airy, floral iris (not lipstick-y on my nose; unlike DH, VUI), supported by a sweet backbone

Settles to: An interplay of mild incensy woods and thin, sugary vanilla which makes it appropriate for any gender imo. There's also a surprising freshness in the background which reminds me of the seaside air, if that makes sense?

When I was starting out in the hobby of fragrance collecting, I tried not to stray too far from what companies dictate "what a man should smell like". I used to not believe in the mentality of "all fragrance are unisex" and "wear whatever the hell you want"; that is, until Bois d'Iris came along. I tried to convince myself that I'm not supposed to like this, but I find myself drawn to it every time I smell it. For me it smells aloof yet cuddly, elegant yet confident, while still being quite versatile, and perfectly unisex - the hell with the marketing. Longevity as an EDP is satisfactory; it, however, sits close to the skin which works well imo (you don't want scents like this to shout). Perfect for milder weather, day or night, but there's a freshness to it that can make this work even in warmer days.

I've never smelled Maison Dior's BdA so I can't make any comparisons, but I'm satisfied with how BdI works for my purpose - I plan to use this as a date scent that I know my picky missus would like to smell on me. Actually, this "female-marketed" scent has become a top contender to be my wedding scent... in the past, I would've scoffed at the idea. I'm a changed man now, thanks to BdI. :)

Successful blind buy....Sweet, woody, creamy, iris scent. A very nice pairing of woody & sweet notes with the iris with a touch of incense for depth. Longevity isn't stellar, however what I do get is quite lovely & for the price, over-spraying is not too much of an issue. 8.5/10

Bois d'iris is a simple and complex perfume in one!! When you spray it you think it is very weak of the perfomance that you are thinking you wasted your money! After ten minutes its magic starts to show! The woody notes are definetely prominent but they are so well blended with iris and sugary vanilla ,in the end you have a creamy woody sensual scent.The worst thing about it is that hasn't good sillage,it remains as a skin scent ...You have to overspray it to be noticeable

I just got 10ml of this today.Extremely woody perfume ;thats all from the notes that I get.However ,it is a lovely perfume,Van Cleef is very underrated niche brand and deserves bigger hype.That being said this perfume is just not for me.I would call it "eine Dame" or perfume for a lady.I am not a lady ,yet ,I am 21 years old and I still enjoy fruity playful fragrances.However this would be perfect for my mother and all classy women ❤

perfection - simply sophisticated smell but not too artsy or philosophical
just van cleef = smoothness, gentleness, quality, roundness, non-offensive, posh, classy, elegant ... and you can get it for a nice price!

I bought a decant of this and love it. The problem is that it just doesn't last so I would have to spray it on myself frequently and that's not affordable. I mostly get a warm, woodsy, vanilla scent but it isn't the sweet vanilla of candy. I used to grow an heirloom flower called Mrs Sinkins Pinks. (Pinks are related to Carnations) Their scent is spicy vanilla,and although I loathe the scent of cloves it might be that there is a touch of cloves in this spicy vanilla scent I like. It reminds me a bit of vanilla scented pipe tobacco. It doesn't get cloying or induce a headache (unlike the L'Heure Bleu I have attempted to scrub off myself today and am still stuck with)and I could wear it comfortably day or night, possibly indulging in it as a bedtime scent as the only affordable way to use it.

As other reviewers have mentioned, this is not an iris-dominated fragrance. Instead, the stars of this composition are ambergris, woody notes, vetiver and vanilla, while iris is there as a quirky, likeable, but ultimately unimportant character. The opening is fresh-green, and then it becomes progressively sweeter. It’s nice, but not what I expected. I’m strongly reminded of D600 by Carner Barcelona (in direct comparison I prefer D600),

This is just a solid wall of vanilla on me. Smells nice but I don't pick up any iris whatsoever. Meh.

Loving this! To me it is a woody, buttery iris scent with a somewhat salty quality.
Also, it is a feminine take on Bois d'Argent and a solid addition to my perfume wardrobe.

This is the scent that sent me down the perfume rabbit hole - admittedly, after I had been hovering in its vicinities for quite a while.
A friend had bought it, and she let me smell it, and then we could not stop smelling and smelling and smelling. It was in the evening, and I was tired and about to go home, but I stayed on, because I could not get away from Bois d'Iris.

It is how others have described it: dry, sweet, warm, cosy, woody, elegant. Very elegant indeed. An absolute marvel of a scent.
It mostly reminds me of Dune. Both perfumes are like sitting on a wooden, sun-soaked peer. Bois d'Iris is more evocative of early evenings to me, while Dune smells of late afternoons.

On a more mundane level: this a perfect for smelling wealthy. Along with Violet Blonde, Bois d'Iris might be my poshest smelling perfume.

I so wanted this to be love at first sniff....but it is not. It is not a cool iris, it is creamy, and it is overpowered by the amber and vanilla; beautifully blended, elegant scent. Just not my iris; Full bottle up for swap or sale :)

No, it doesn't smell that much similar to Prada Infusion D'Iris, as much as it does to Prada Candy. And I'm certainly not the first one who noticed and made that statement here, but I guess there will be always more of those smartass fellows here, who keep voting down anything they can, for the reasons they may only know.
So whoever is interested in this one and has nowhere to test it, yes it has certain resemblance to both of Pradas mentioned:
It is dry, mildly sweet, a tiny bit smoky and the tiniest bit salty. It's both like Sun bleached wood and sea washed sand. And warm skin.
Indeed it is a skin scent - in terms of its fair radiance. Quiet and tasteful.

This is the driest scent I've ever experienced. On my skin doesn't evolve any vanilla, far to be gourmand. It's straight up woody powdery scent, no more and no less.
It doesn't remind me to Prada Infusion d'Iris, it has no freshness it's mostly powdery, dry, old dusty books scent.
It's linear on my skin, with low sillage and longevity, for the price I'd expect more... Now I know why I wear it once a year.
But don't get me wrong, it's beautiful perfume for it's genre.

The more I wear this, the more I like it.

Similar to Prada's Infusion d'Iris, so it is transparent and light, but sweeter and with a heavier vanillaic and dark wood dry down, perhaps mahogany?

I had the lucky misfortune of braking an almost full bottle in my closet 5 months ago. I decided to "dry" the spill with my bras and tshirts. Some of them, I have worn, of course, and some I have not.

My closet: wonderfully scented even 5 months later.
My clothes: the scent has lasted up to 2 washes, and the clothes I haven't used, still smell wonderful.

I've upgraded this from "Like" to "Love"

Smokey vanilla. Expensive but unfortunetly doesn't last more than 20 minutes or so....like a eau de toilette...:( A disepointment

An every day substitute of Dior esxclusive bois d'argent, less spicy and sweet. BA is more complex , has honey and resins in it, more balsamic than BI which is a bit more powdery. For a massive daily use, when you are sorry to use an expensive bois d'argent.

The scent is very nice: an interesting woodsy iris, not too feminine, not powdery, not lipstick scented. Extremely elegant and with a wonderful edge.
The problem is that it's virtually impossible to perceive it: I've never (ever) tried a perfume with so little sillage. You can swim in it and come out only vaguely scented. I guess it must have been reformulated because i get the same impression with other scents from this line. Longevity is a bit better, but everything remains extremely soft and close to the skin.
Not worth the full price, get it discounted and be ready to respray ad libitum.

The opening is woody and a bit salty. Has a masculine touch. Later it’s woody and slightly sweet. Everything is very soft. It’s an interesting fragrance, but i am not really impressed. To me, all fragrances from this line are ok but underwhelming.
If you’re looking for a soft woody fragrance and you have the money, try this.
Final note: 7/10

I experienced a lovely soft vanilla iris that is also very very similar to Prada Infusion d'Iris (one of my all time favorites), minus the neroli. It also reminds me of my beloved Heeley Iris de Nuit, and since I have IdI and IN, I don’t need to get this. But I woudn’t say no to a free bottle.

The notes :
The iris here is not to powdery.

The woods comes of as a pencil shaving accord, just a little bit piercing, some may describe it as dry. But it’s very pleasant and gives an interesting aspect to the perfume. It counter balance the sweetness and the powderiness.

There’s a sweet accord probably from the vanilla and the sugar.

When :
Casual, it’s a white t-shirt type of fragrance. Somehow simple but very sophisticated.

Who :
Any age and any gender

Projection/longevity :
On me it last 6 hours but sits close to the skin.

nota bene : It does have a bois d’argent vibe. However bois d’argent comes off more rounded, more myrhh-y and with a much better sillage.

verdict : very original, appealing, easy, up lifting fragrance.

Beautiful, elegant, dry old wooden fragrance, a hint of iris powder, but how can it be so expensive for something so shy? I am the only one to detect anything, pressing my nose to get the holly scent. At some point, a light fragrance becomes a non-fragrance. It is the summum of sophistication ? Parsimony is ok, miserliness not. I must say that I am disappointed, even if I keep the very selfish pleasure to wear it.

Although this and Dior Bois D'Argent are very similar, they have different enough characters to justify owning both, if you like this kind of scent obviously.

Both are beautiful fragrances, and if you enjoy this type of smell, you'll love both of these. Bois D'Argent is more playful, sparkly, and casual compared to Bois D'Iris, however the later is more sophisticated, introvert, and dare I say natural, something you wear for yourself rather than for others.... that said, neither of these are playful or introvert perfumes, just when compared to each other.

Bois D'Iris is discontinued so grab at an affordable price whilst you still can! It's a 10/10 for me.

Ps: you need to spray liberally for better projection, performance, and silliage with this... then it's fine, however just 3 sprays and others will only smell you up close, but that is something I love about this perfume, you can control how it performs, rather than it going out of control on just a single spray.
Also I'm a guy and it's definitely straight unisex no question about it! The bottle is class as well, the feel and look of the clear glass and ceramic cap is great, I don't usually care about presentation, but here I appreciate it quite a lot

Someone once asked me: "When you choose a perfume, which stage is the most important to you? do you decide based on the top, middle, or base notes?" -- Having been guilty of many impulse purchases, I answered with wisdom that the middle and base notes are the most important to me, and that I can wait past a lesser opening before I judge and decide whether I like the perfume or not.

Today I went to a local store, remembering that I liked Bois d'Iris and wishing to try it again. I left the store wondering why I had liked it. The opening had a sweet custard-like smell, then I sensed the smoke and woody notes, which persisted for the longest time. The smell itself wasn't bad, just unbearable for me personally. I left the store thinking to cross this one off from my wishlist or to come back in a colder season and try it again. Third stage emerges, as I'm sitting comfortably on my couch at home: an incredibly smooth combination of vanilla, orris and vetiver. I suddenly realise I cannot stop smelling my wrist and that it has an aromatic quality that I am rapidly falling in love with.

So, coming back to the above question, Bois d'Iris poses a real challenge for me and makes me wonder if I should rethink my answer. It is a gorgeous perfume and I love the dry-down, but is it worth sitting through the first couple of hours before the smell gets there? I will challenge myself to smell it again and again until I find the answer.

Very interesting and unusual smell - there is a sour note to me and some crayon/pencil/woodsy notes.

A dry leather and something that I would describe as tobacco glowing in a wooden pipe. This note or composition that I perceive as leather is not as far removed from the isolated leather in "Uomo Intense" by Valentino as claimed. I think that I can sense the quality here, however it seems a bit too linear and too slender not necessarily in projection but in composition to me. I would have wished for an interpretation of sweetness instead of what could be interpreted as sweetness of the tobacco to have been incorporated throughout, as to me there is no noteworthy sweetness to the first phase as claimed below. There was a reason why I was sceptical about its passionate power beyond an elegant appearance. This is not directed at anyone in particular but folks really should start to contemplate on whether or at least on when to provide input and recommendations to others. After writing this and having it in the back of my mind for its complaining nature, I perceived pleasant but, as applied to both underarms only, faint wafts of sweetness, the harbingers of the drydown as it turns out, reminiscent of the final phase in "Midnight in Paris" in a somewhat softer, more powdery texture which is sharper at the same time. This fragrance has grown on me. I have come to the conclusion that its relatively faint projection even at four healthy sprays and not its composition is an issue for me. This leads to two other caveats, first that what was described as a scent of sweet dough, which is different from the somewhat sharp sweetness mentioned, is difficult to experience and that the attempt to mitigate this issue will consume the fragrance over time, which then again means that I would need to stock up on it.

The opening is very, very sweet. It reminds me a lot of Etro's Heliotrope; sweet custardy vanilla. As it develops you can detect a bit of oceanic funk coming from the ambergris, which evokes a sophisticated salted dessert. The sugar note smells a bit burnt when combined with the incense base. To me this is a gourmand through and through. The iris note really doesn't play a prominent role until a couple of hours into its development. When it does it softens the whole composition like blurred chalk, creating a truly beautiful effect.

Another under rated fragrance from VCA, and many comparing this to a very popular Dior Bois D'Argent. Maybe because of the Iris and vanilla on both frag that blends well with ambergris. One thing I love about this is the build up of the notes after the dry down. The opening is very weak and almost like a skin scent. After 30 minutes the notes starts to build up very smoothly with elegance , the sweetness is just right. Wish they pump up the vetiver a bit more. I personally love this even its leaning towards a feminine scent.

Oh, this is such a lovely, creamy, cozy gourmand iris. Its not cold at all, moderately powdery to my nose and it will not offend anyone, ever. It almost has a maternal dimension to it. It just gives me peace and comfort every time I get wafts of it.

This should have been called Bois d’Ambre, as iris is a distant background note after the initial 15 minute opening has dissipated. Ambergris and a luscious vanilla comes out in the drydown, reminding me of a smoother, more gourmand Ambre Gris by Balmain.

Projection is soft, but that’s not a deal breaker because this has staying power. Full bottle hunt has begun.

Again, I’m impressed with this line from Van Cleef & Arpels, and testing them has become dangerous for my bank account.

A powdery/woody iris, with a unique drydown: it's sweet (sugar/vanilla), a hint of smokiness (incense) and I nearly get anice/fennel seeds (I guess that's the effect of the accord myrrh/vetiver/ambergris). In the middle notes, I would have sworn to have smelt gingerbread (I know... it doesn't make sense, but that's the impression I had).To me, this is a woody amber fragrance supported by iris.

For me, a very surprising fragrance, perfectly unisex. I just wish that the projection was heavier (modest projection and becomes a skin scent after an hour).

Would I recommend a blind buy? At current eBay prices yes, but do not pay retail price for that, because the projection is really under average. (That said, longevity is great)
Still a love for me because I can feel the quality, and this blend is pretty unique and high-end smelling. Not in my top 10, but still, it's an addictive scent. I confirm it's close to Dior Bois d'Argent.

Unisex, colder Fall and Spring days (and also milder winter days), 30+.

Very nice , i see thé similarities with bois d'argent but this one IS better .performances better too
7,5/10

Good nice clean and woody iris, not too powdery. Nothing too spectacular here vs other iris based fragrances in this style but a very solid addition to the range.
The slight difference I would say than with those is some mild incense in the opening and then very long lasting sweet and "watery" phase in the deep dry down, which could possibly be what is described in the breakdown as the sugar and ambergris notes.

Feels unisex to me it's no more feminine than Dior Homme (or Eau) is.

If you own DH, DH Eau, Bois D'Argent or anything else that does iris and wood but doesn't go soapy (like Prada does) then I think you could safely skip this as it would be redundant.

This is infusion iris homme on Eso Super molecule
Very synthetic
That woody feeling is syntheticly made
I still like it but it will be better without this strong molecule vibe
... i need few wearing and some time to see if i am keeping it

I've sampled this because I know that it's close to Bois d'Argent by Christian Dior.

It opens up with a profound concoction of Iris along with some Amber, Vanilla, Myrrh and Blonde Woods. Iris stays throughout the whole wear length. It's sensuous but also clean smelling at the same time.

It dries down into an inoffensive powdery Iris fragrance and all of the heavy notes fade away. The dry down smells nearly exactly like Infusion d'Iris by Prada.

So smooth pure woody perfume I have ever tried .

Maude Abrantes - Amedeo Modigliani
ERIK SATIE Gnossienne 1

i have a sample of this, many thanks to chloematilda.this is a really lovely expensive smelling scent full of opulence. creamy vanilla with iris and amber. stunning.
it reminds me of dior bois d'argent.

Such a great and somewhat underrated Iris scent that’s starting to get a bit more love. Can be had for a good price to if you look around and it’s well worth it. Sweet, creamy, slightly resinous and perfectly unisex. It may seem subtle but it’s one I become very nose blind to after a while but others can catch the sillage. You might think it’s weak but I promise it’s far from it. People who love the Dior Homme line or anything that has iris accompanied by sweet notes then this is one you have to check out! Seriously good stuff! This isn’t one you smell right up at your arm either but just let the scent linger around you. I think Dior steals the spotlight just by being a more well known brand but this one seriously gives bois d’argent a run for its money.

This one was something different! It is calming and refreshing both at the same time. Very pleasant and relaxing. I could see myself buying this one day...!

Nice very soft BUT
120 euro and it disapears after 10 minutes
Very close to skin, you have put your nose on yor skin/clothes to smell it

More vanilla than iris, although the iris is there. Bois is wood, but the wood in this is abstract, more of a suggestion of a woody theme rather than the depth.
Moderate sillage, elegant and addictive. Easily unisex, if you can find it on line at a good price, grab it because you will return to it when you want something beautiful but understated.

Gorgeous, just gorgeous! This is definitely a fragrance that exceeds the level of hype. Everything about this is a win for me.

However... for years, my husband's signature scent was Dior Bois d'Argent. It was a spectacular contradiction to be near him, embraced by the such a lovely fragrance. I was always a little jealous he discovered it before me.

Although he no longer wears it often, Bois d'Iris reminds me too much of that time for it to ever be mine. I seriously shed an internal tear.

All my baggage aside, Bois d'Iris and Bois d'Argent are both beautiful marriages of Iris and Myrrh. The most notable difference for me was the opening. Bois d'Iris is a bit woodier and Bois d'Argent has a bit more juniper and leather. Both settle into a lush composition of cold iris, warm myrrh, a bit of sweetness, and dry wooded base. Longevity is great for both. Bois d'Iris stayed around a full day whilst Bois d'Argent will politely stick around for multiple days.

Ethereal, atmospheric, and unforgettable.

At least to me, Bois d'Iris might just be the ideal woody gourmand. Of course, that's oversimplifying it, because there's a lot going on in this lovely creation, but that's what it comes down to: sensual woods and delicious sugary vanilla coming together in perfect, velvet-smooth harmony. This is a match made in heaven: the blending of these two aspects means this scent doesn't smell quite edible, but gives it a silky vibe that's almost chocolaty in a subtle way - and somehow it's more successful in that regard than most perfumes with an actual chocolate note listed! I thought I must be crazy to think this, but I see that one other reviewer has mentioned it, so there might be something to it after all.

The balsamic notes stay politely in the background to provide depth, and the iris is the star of the fragrance only for the briefest while in the very opening - it's very well done, dry and natural and also wonderful in combination with the driftwood, but after just a few minutes it blends in seemlessly with the gourmand/woody main event. It does easily stays around all day though, and to my nose it gets better and better with time. It's easy to overspray since it's so addicting, but be careful - sillage is stronger than you might be aware of. My colleague hinted that he's "very sensitive to scents" and that I was "wearing more perfume than normally" today, and it's true I used four sprays instead of two just to be sure not to miss out on this lovely smell throughout my day. Lesson learned - better to keep this gem a bit more to myself!

It's a no-brainer. It really is. Let me tell anyone who is on the fence about this. If Guest_Colin Maillard says it's good, you can trust him because he is one of the toughest critics out there and I value his opinion. I didn't know iris could be this good. So smooth and creamy with a touch of vanilla and I do pick up some of the incense like he said as well.
Beautiful scent.

9/10

It s a better version of By Marcel.

I simply canno't live without this perfume.Applied today one more time after a long time not wearing it. And its the same wonderfull smell. Moderately sweet,lingering gently from my skin,never in an annoying way. Masterpiece for me. Love this a lot. Need to buy one more bottle till its become sadly discontinued...

5/10

This is soothing and pleasurable scent. A scent of quietness and equanimity. I don't smell a lot iris but mainly vanilla and also a bit of woody and incense notes. When I first got interested in this fragrance, I tested it side by side with Dior Homme and found it sweeter in comparison. Fortunately, it becomes less sweet and more about iris and vetiver in the drydown three hours later. However, at this beautiful stage, the projection is so soft that you won't be able to smell it without putting your nose up against the skin.

Despite its unsatisfactory performance, there's something about it that made me miss it when I wasn't wearing it. There's such a wonderful mixture of luminosity and comfort to this scent that I miss its invigorating effect in daytime and its comforting quality in the evening. It's so versatile I can never be without it. With that said, if one day I somehow have to give up this fragrance, I'll replace it with Orchidee Vanille, from the same VCA collection, because it shares that lovely combination of luminosity and comfort.

Absolutely unisex. The "driftwood" reminds me of Creed Viking and TF Oud Minerale and the iris is very similar to YSL privee line's Velours. I can only compare Bois d'iris to what I all ready own and I must say I love it! 10-12 hours of longevity and arms length sillage. A very ethereal and transparent scent.

I wear it today and it's amazing and soft fragrance that reminds me Victoire d'ambre by Rituals. Amber is more present than iris in the notes, the name of this perfume could be "Bois d'ambre" !

I blind bought it and I'm so angry at myself. I wish it was anything like it states here, all I can smell on my skin is very sweet vanilla with a touch of powdery iris. Nothing woody or balsamic for me; I'm really dissappointed.

Edit: I've noticed the sharper tones after a couple applications: it seems more interesting now, but I can definitely smell just a little bit of rubber too

Maude Abrantes - Amedeo Modigliani

This becomes candy sweet iris on my like insolence except this has a lovely dry woody background and the smell of frankincense.
I find the sillage quite good actually, the more it warms up on the skin.
I dont smell much amber at all.
The most noticeable notes to me are sugar, iris, wood and frankincense.

This is another one of those that just break my heart...It is SO, BUT SO very beautiful, but has no sillage no lasting power, no ...nada! Except sheer vanishing beauty...Yes, I can see the metaphor in this, I have thought about it:" Perfumes are like so many other things is life, fleeting, etc etc..." But God damn!! :) Poetic, but frustrating....

Van Cleef & Arpels Topnotes Extrordinaire

This was simply love at first scent. I dabbed a bit of Bois d'Iris on my skin and was immediately enveloped in a heavenly strange accord of salt, dark wood, sea air, iris, powder, and a bit of musky moss. Simply stunning. I had to have it. It was the most interesting wood and iris perfume I'd ever smelled, and I've been around the block a few times, as far as iris goes. I had to have a bottle.

So once I got a bottle and did a full wearing, I was not anticipating what happened next. The woody marine iris accord slowly slid into a sweet, faux wood, annoying musk. The iris jumped ship, the driftwood got awfully synthetic, and what was loudest was this aromachemical wood, laundry musk, and sugar sugar sugar melted all over it.

I could not have been more disappointed. The lovely topnotes lasted maybe half an hour before descending into a generic sweet sugar, blonde woods, and white musk perfume that lasted for hours. When will learn not to judge a perfume by its top notes??

Do I want to smell like a creamy, iris campfire? Yes, I do.

Possiedo bois d'argent e ho provato questo.
Mi piace.Forse anche di piu'.
Bois d'argent e' piu concentrato e maschile con cipresso e ginepro.
Bois d'iris ha la meglio nella dolcezza piu ariosa,dilatata dello zucchero al posto del miele appiccicoso e presente.

in pratica gemelli alla nascita.

Bois d'iris non spicca certo per l'originalita' e carattere essendo un clone ma la parte zuccherina e' amministrata egregiamente.
Tornassi indietro nel tempo, tra i due avrei comprato Bois d'iris.

Piu ruffiano ed espressamente un ottimo profumo lussuoso,pulito,quasi goloso vicino alla pelle.

iris with powder, vanilla, maybe a hint of herbal/balsamic note

Bois d'Iris: a hypnotic lullaby; narcotic sweet solace.

Tobacco-like incense, starchy iris, tranquilizing vanilla, balmy amber, crystalline sugar, papery wood, and transcendental myrrh.

Familiar, yet arresting, Bois d'Iris will loose you from your woes. Let go and allow yourself to be pulled asunder.

Let me say, this is not a bad fragrance. But if you, like me, are in search of a fragrance like the name of this one suggests, one that is woody and iris-y...this may not be it. With a name like Bois d'Iris, I was expecting this to be quite dry, powdery, more of an old-world scent. It certainly is not. The vanilla and sugar notes are very prominent, so the iris and woodsy notes are more of an afterthought. They are certainly there, but you must also want sweet vanilla in your fragrance if you want these woodsy irises. It's cozy, it's quite warm, a little bit powdery...but not what I was looking for. Not a safe blind buy in my opinion, but certainly one to sample!

Bois d'Iris wraps you in a soft and warm blanket made of sweet powder. To me it's a kind perfume and totally inoffensive, which is appropriate anywhere every day.

Even though it's supposed to be an iris based fragrance, I don't detect this note at all. On me this smells of a powdery sweet myrrth with some vanilla and woods on the background. It's sweet, resinous but at the same time very delicate and gentle. This scent smells very refined and overall it's gorgeous, worth being a signature!

Trovo questa meravigliosa fragranza più simile al Diptyque Eau Duelle che al Bois d'Argent di Dior. La vaniglia associata all'iris e a note legnose e fumose mi fa subito venire in mente un boschetto dai sentori polverosi tipici dell'autunno, stagione che amo tantissimo!

Maude Abrantes - Amedeo Modigliani

this is a beautiful plush iris perfume.
the vetiver note stands out for me, swirling with the incense and woods, there is smoke in this vetiver, all adding to a rather ethereal quality to my nose. there's a pipe tobacco note for me too.
can't stop sniffing my wrist. that lovely dry sunbaked slightly sweet driftwood.
a good dash of ambergris. lovely.
only lightly i smell black vanilla pods. more myrhh than vanilla.
this is a very meditative concoction.

it reminds me of the dry down of Passage D'Enfers not in smell particularly (sweetened incense), but in the feeling i get from it.
and Chanel's Sycamore in the balance of vetiver and dry woods sweetness on my skin.

Bois d'iris is refined.
and to me, is indeed all about woods and iris, surrounded by some magical meditative soft notes of sweet incense, ambergris and myrhh.

this is not the scent of a place on this earth, it is from a beautiful place inside the mind.

Like the exceptionally tasteful Woodlandwalk, I love iris and wood so suspected this one would be good for me, but I wasn't prepared for how plush this scent would be. I am really enjoying my sample.

I have been used to smelling recently either fresher, more airy iris scents, like Prada's Infusion d'Iris and Dzongkha, or more powdery iris scents like Lipstick Rose, Insolence, Donna etc. This is richer, smoother and more buttery. The vanilla, resins and sweetness in this remind me of the middle section of Shalimar Parfum Initial (I put this in the 'reminds me of' section but it is not a dupe, so I expect for that reason it will be voted off pretty quickly but it might be helpful to some of you looking for a replacement for that discontinued fragrance). My husband thought it smelled like white chocolate and it definitely shares some of that Coromandel/ Iris Ganache/ Shalimar PI gourmand vibe.

I like this very much indeed. I would say that the sillage is moderate - it is discreet enough to be worn at meals and in public without bothering others, but those close to you or walking in your sillage will be able to smell the scent. The longevity is extremely good - I still smell it well after 12 hours. It is fairly linear to me but I find it delicious: rich but not cloying, a lovely buttery iris, and enough resins and incense to add mystery. Whilst this normally spells "evening" and "winter", it is still transparent enough to be worn daily.

I love woody perfumes and orris/iris, so I was bound to enjoy this one.

I also liked Traversee du Bosphore (iris/rose/amber/sweet) which this reminds me of slightly, except that Bois d'Iris is less sweet, far more woody, but still soft and floaty like TdB.

This is natural, with a soft yet definite presence. It opens with a very distinct high quality iris/orris note that reminds me of Iris Silver Mist by Lutens, but then becomes more woody, very cedary, also sweet - a bit nutty, like nougat and rice paper.

The general impression is soft and gently elegant. It's one I'd wear if I didn't want to wear something too 'perfumy', for example on holiday in the country it would work beautifully, enhancing the natural smells around you yet lending a very pleasant aura.

If it was a colour it would be soft green or mauve, yet it's also quite sunny and uplifting unlike the more melancholy iris-based perfumes (I love those too, but I think Bois d'Iris is warmer thanks to the sweet, soft woody aspects)

I could imagine an author or composer wearing this while musing in a sunlit library.

Lovely stuff!

She pulls away from you, slowly. The room feels like it's watching you, waiting. You can hear her heartbeat in sync with yours...you feel truly alive for the first time. The burning crimson of her lips, so tempting. Deep purple iris-flecked eyes, dancing. You are awash in everything, it rushes to be noticed. The room, cool and clean, lingers in your every breath - the musk of passion and the pristine sheets leave you wanting more. Your lover's touch sends shivers up your spine, her sweet skin tries to swallow you whole - she oozes saccharine sweetness lit against the backdrop of sinking sun. This moment is burnt deep into your mind...the crisp white of your pillow is the last thing that registers - the powdered musk of a lost love, the last you smell. Today is for the living....tomorrow may never come.

Day 67 - Half past five
Listening to: The Weekend - The Hills

Notes: I now understand what people are talking about when they say something smells like 'cocaine' - I never have, but this is that experience for me. It's pure and sinful all in one breath, and it's exhilarating. While not as complicated as I initially thought, this scent is extasy. The iris is front and center for the first hour or two paired with a cognitive trip of clean and slightly human-esque white musk. These core notes are accentuated masterfully with a rich and resinous saccharine note...soft vanilla and amber and a touch of myrrh and labdanum simmer beneath the enveloping musk. It comes and goes in waves and every time it comes around you want more. Perfect on a woman and quite intriguing on a man and this trip lasts over 12 hours. I also believe that Bois d'Argent by Dior is a similar but slightly more masculine version of this which highlights a more honeyed iris than a powdery iris and musk. This one is gorgeous though...

This a weaker version of Diptyque Eau Duelle, both are vanilla themed and with same dose of sweetness. Actually, I didn't get any iris or it might be so light than went undetected.
overall, its nice fragrance, but overpriced. If you need same ingredients but with immense longevity and reasonable projection, go for Duelle.

Oh my GOD, this fragrance smells really velvety and smooth, the best iris one imo, not so earthy nor dusty but creamy and very well balanced, romantic still powerful and better than bois d'argent too. Longivity is amazing and sillage is medium. Definitely one of my best and closest to my heart in terms of smell. Thumbs up van cleef and arpels ;)

Looking at the notes and considering the fact that this one is an “exclusive” I did expect Bois D’Iris to be far richer and denser that the regular VCA offerings. Well it is not. Starts of very alcoholic, transparent and remains light and transparent to the very end. The alcohol smell takes good half an hour to evaporate – or is it something else that resembles the smell of pure spirit? It seems to go on and on – very unpleasant. After 30 minutes, what’s left on my skin is some hard to recognise, spiky woodsy notes, laced with iris as found in Iris Poudre – bright, sharp with a slightly metallic aftertaste, sweetened by vanilla in the base. Vanilla as found in most mainstream, candy-like fragrances targeted at woman.
I don’t like. This fragrance has no body and smells extremely alcoholic. 90% spirit 10% if not less fragrance… the problem is that you can actually smell the spirit, from start to the very end.

Oh god the opening was so strong with alcohol that for a half-minute I thought I actually sprayed pure ethanol on me, but after that faded away my wrist smelled like pencil shavings. This is very peculiar and definitely one of the softest scents I've tried. It makes me keep my wrist close to my nose. My skin smells like smooth electricity when I'm wearing this. Intimate, soft and intriguing iris.

EDIT: after wearing Bois d'Iris few more times I find it too sugary. I would really like it I if only it did have less vanilla and other sweet notes.

Very interesting iris scent. I like how it's quite serious with it's woody, powdery and ambery tones. I like this scent, but I feel right now it's not a one for me. Maybe, when I get older I will look it up again.
I just find it to be more of a mature scent.
Interesting and luxurious niche fragrance!

Its an amazing smelling iris fragrance. However... Dior's Bois D argent is almost identical but has much stronger staying power and better projection. Dior's bang for your buck is also ALOT better, so i guess Van Cleef and Arpels hasn't convinced me to make the switch.

Very beautiful iris incense scent that smells luxurious and classy but with an eccentric development. My nose seems to be unable to register the initial opening of Bois d'Iris. I remember the first time trying this as a sample I thought I got a fake vial filled with water: that's how weak this perfume opens for me. Even now after many wearings I still barely smell it when I spray. weasley in her review for Dior's Bois D'argent mentioned she has difficulty smelling the perfume too, so perhaps it's due the combination of notes?

Thankfully as the time progresses Bois d'Iris becomes unbelievably substantial and handsome. The perfume is now lusty, showcasing its delicate salty incense note threaded with thin mists of purple powder. It is quite dry yet full-bodied from the warmth of myrrhe and labdanum. I'm happy to report that I don't get much vanilla or sweetness from this perfume, which seems to be a problem for some folks. It's definitely a solid oriental iris for me, and I truly think it delivers the reference of bone-white driftwood on sea shore with its salty and balmy portrait of iris.

This perfume has tenacious longevity. I can still smell wafts of it 12 hours after application. And like I said before the projection only gets better after the first 2 hours, which is absolutely amazing!

Bottom line: If you're an iris fan you have to try Bois d'Iris, and not just once. But honestly the entire VC&A Collection Extraordinaire is fantastic so you might as well buy the sample pack to try each of them. I'm obvious sold :)

I tried this fragrance for the very first time today and immediately, at the very first sniff ( and later too) it reminded me so.very.much. of Diptyque's Eau Duelle! An extremely similar scent, only Eau Duelle has even more spice ( which I don't like), whereas this perfume is creamier, gentler. I was very surprised that it has 'iris' in its name, because I don't feel any iris in there. Ok it's true I didn't take much time to see how the scent developed but in the head notes - nope, no iris, at least the iris I'm used to from Hermes' and Lutens' perfumes... Also, to my nose, it is not similar to Prada's Candy...
Apart from all the comparisons, I liked the fragrance. It's full of warm, creamy vanilla, that wil warm you up on a cold autumn day ( or night), it's lovely.

This is a beautiful creation.:) I have been using it almost a whole week now. That is very unusual for me. Love it. :)

Sent très bon, l'odeur de l'iris fait effectivement penser a DIOR collection privé bois d'argent. Coute moitie moins cher, par contre, je trouve qu'il est très faible et ne dure que très peu de temps. Je ne le rachèterai pas

To me this is all about iris and benzoin. I know it's not listed in the notes here, but that's what I get. Very similar to Orchidee Vanilla, Infusion d'Iris and, believe it or not, Prada Candy. Vanilla is very present, as well.

I get no vetiver, no salt, forget about the driftwood. It is lovely and soft, however, so no complaints, but not a lot to interest me, either.

Perfectly wearable, all-ocasion scent.

EDIT: I should've read previous reviews: Others have also found it very similar to Prada Candy. There has to be benzoin in this.

I get smokey amber from this. Not my favorite from this line.

Such a comforting perfume.
Bois d Iris is something which actually keep my stress away.
The moment i spray it over myself,I just undergo a therapy mode..CALM and RELAXED as much as i can be!!!

Thanks Emilie for creating such a wonderful fragrance.
I hope it gets more n more love.

And friends no offence but do you really think the lasting and projection to be the primary criteria for judging the fragrance?
I mean there is something far beyond this lasting and projection thing,and thats the "Immmense happines" you get when you smell it..

Its a unisex frag..
Cheers

I was very excited to get my hands on a sample vial of this. I love VC&A, and find them to be a very reliable house, turning out good quality scents with nice compositions.

Bois d'Iris is one of the nicer Iris scents I've tried. I am a recent convert to this note, and I'm still trying to find a scent that I could wear on a regular basis that represents the iris in a way that appeals.

BdI opens softly, with vetiver in front. True vetiver, from the scent, very green, slightly moist, almost peppery, and a little earthy/dirty. This note is soft enough to be very intriguing, and quite pleasant.

The heart begins to open after about 5 minutes, and the almost waxy citrus like scent of myhrr becomes apparent, as does a rather leathery labdanum note. This combination is nicer than it sounds- warm, and the labdanum is softer than leather, but has that character and texture. Think of it as the faintest hint of a soft brown leather jacket, remaining on the skin after the coat has been removed. This scent feels very elegant; BdI has stature, but remains relaxed.

During the dry down the sweeter elements appear, particularly the vanilla and ambergris. At this point I found the sillage to be the strongest, which was a surprise. Faint drifts of almost haylike sweetness, the scent of old cedar from inside a trunk, warm, dense, rich, combine with hints of spice- not the heavy handed pepper so common right now, but just the faintest touch, almost an impression, which seems to be the incense note mentioned above. To me, this seems to be nutmeg, rather than incense, but it is lovely, regardless.

My primary criticism is that for the price, a bigger scent envelope is needed. There is good sillage during the dry down, but it is more in the form of the occasional drift of soft scent, than a scent envelope. If one could afford to apply liberally, this would improve, I'm sure. But at $169 a bottle, greater strength would be a major pro.

Longevity is outstanding, at 12+ hours for my skin. And while I love this scent very much, it seems worth pointing out that no iris appeared for me. Unless, of course, that powdery tone in the dry down is considered to be iris. A more appropriate name, based on my experience with the scent, would be Bois d'Incense.

This is one to try- recommended highly. But please be aware that if you seek iris, this may not be the scent for you. A gander at the other reviews here indicates that this issue was not purely a matter of my personal skin chemistry.

EDIT: I just noticed that this was marked as "for women", which is bizarre. This is unisex, easily, and I would actually think it would find a greater audience among men than women. If this scent were to be gendered either way, i would consider it a masculine scent that is wearable by women. Gentlemen: Give it a shot, please! I think you'll find this one quite impressive!

Very elegant scent. It's woody and deep balsamic. Pleasant, but too intense orient for me. I prefer softer scents.

I like this Bois d'Iris more than most iris around. It wears so smooth and gentle yet very present.
I had kind of a lesson about Van Cleef scents in a perfume store, so I had time to smell it for a hour there, then on my skin for the rest of the day. It's very pleasant, clean, not sweet but not a bitter scent, very powdery in a delicate way.
Sugar is listed and I couldn't say it.
You won't be submerged in a cloud of sticky baby powder as it happens with many "iris" scent. I really smell the woody side of iris in an elegant and discreet way.
All the other notes are complimentary and not invading regardless of their strenght, like labdanum and myrrh. It's a smooth blend.
It's long lasting.

I adore Bois d'Iris. The first few minutes smell like opening a new package of pencils---wood and plastic shink wrap. This transitions over a period of hours to a vaguely vanillic powder and an unburnt myrrh incense. What remains after a day of wear is the smell of a bit of ambroxan and bitter myrrh. Despite these warm sounding tones, I find that this wears as a rather cool fragrance due to the iris.

I was surprised to see the comparisons in the reviews below to Prada's Candy. I don't get that at all. Bois d'Iris reminds me of Prada's Infusion d'Iris rather than Candy, they are both built around woody incense accords mixed with powdery iris. Both also exhibit classic traits of iris perfumes: melancholic, a bit austere, and somber.

On me this reads as a casual perfume or a work perfume. Very nice and quite wearable. This also smells wonderful on my husband.

ETA: wearing it again, I've found that I'm getting a strange almost Dr. Pepper pop like note after it has dried down.

Last evening in the drugstore I happened to spritz first Prada Candy, then Bois d'Iris (this one for the first time) on the opposite sides of my left wrist and they were almost identical, maybe Bois was only a bit sweeter and less musky/powdery.

I'm having a similar experience as most other reviewers on this scent...

Bois D'iris is pleasant, but didn't floor me. Certain days I *REALLY* do love it, though. I have a vast variety of iris scents in my collection, as it's one of my favorite notes - and I don't see this as a "must have".

The iris in this composition is softened, it's very mild and not too earthy, nor too powdery - it's almost there to balance everything out. The myrrh/incense are slightly more woody than smokey, and do tend to overthrow most of the notes here, even the mild gourmand-sweetness to it (reminiscent of the caramel/musk combo in Prada Candy, weirdly enough).

The atmosphere to this is fairly relaxing, simple, something shy and understated - perhaps for work, or for meditation, anything that involves focus or introspection.

You can feel quality in this fragrance, and the notes are blended to perfection - wonderfully unisex - but it is just "okay" in my book!

Another True Beauty from Van Cleef & Arpels. I love Bois d'Iris but on my skin it turn maleish (a problem I have with many scents). Maybe the Driftwood and Incense makes it turn male - I'm not sure. But the Iris, Amber & Vanilla glows in great way. Its a wonderful scent.

Ytterligare en skönhet från Van Cleef & Arpels. Jag älskar Bois d'Iris men på mig blir den manlig.(ett problem jag har med många dofter). kanske är det Driftwood och Rökelse som skapar det manliga, jag är osäker. Men Iris, Amber & Vaniljen glittrar på ett underbart sätt. En helt otrolig doft!

This is a very soft powdery, sweet vanilla/Amber perfume. A perfume that whispers rather than shouts. It's intimate, gentle and reserved.

Sweetened vanilla is what I most get from it. Iris is highly present in this composition which gives the perfume a huge powdery note. Some woods and resins are thrown here and there but they remain subtle through never outshining the vanilla. An Amber note heats up the perfume to make it that more intimate and cozy warm!

7/10 Good, but, nothing's better than orchidee vanille in this collection.

I concur with other reviewers regarding the similarities between Bois D'Iris and Bois D'Argent. I've been fortunate enough to try both fragrances simultaneously (I happen to be wearing both as I write this). I find that Bois D'Iris is slightly warmer, creamier and to borrow @jaymatff's term, "saltier". Bois D'Argent is colder and I detect more of an incensey note (probably the myrrh). Bois D'Iris has slightly more longevity and both are quite close to the skin. In selecting my preference, I can't choose - I love them blyh!

YES. Yes. I agree 300% with the review below. I would love someone to explain how Jacomo #8 is similar to Bois d'Iris. I love Bois d'Iris, it's a sweet and woody iris-vanilla. It's lovely and smells very close to Bois d'Argent (I actually can't tell the difference but I haven't compared them side by side, Bois d'Argent might be a bit colder).
I blind bought the Jacomo because it was listed as a similar scent but they have nothing in common. Jacomo #8 is everything you would expect from its notes: warm spicy tea.

Wait a minute--16 people have compared Bois d'Iris to Jacomo Art #8? There is nothing about them that is similar. This is powdery, woody, vanilla. Jacomo is tea with spices. Makes no sense at all.

On with my review.

I don't smell any iris, but there is plenty of vanilla and pencil shavings! Kind of amazes me. The wood here smells literally like pencil shavings with the little bit of lead on the edges. Reminds me of being a little girl in school, getting up from my desk to sharpen my pencil. While the perfume is not bad, it's not something I would want to wear.

I agree with Fabio Condé. At first sniff, Bois d'Iris definitely IS a Bois d'Argent smell-alike.
However, I find BI more complex with its slight salty note coming back and forth. I have no problem adopting incense and amber scents while, despite my attraction, I have always had a hard time feeling comfortable wearing either iris or vetiver.
BI manages to make me love both on my skin.
Very complex and refined to me.

If I can make an ideal incense fragrance (yes, incense) then it would smell like this.

This is all about the burnt wood but done in a very elegant and stylish way. Reminds me a bit of Kyoto by CdG but smoother and softer.

However, there is something that smells like a diluted synthetic vanilla note that keeps lurking in the background and becomes stronger in the basenotes that makes a "could have been" amazing fragrance end up smelling somehow synthetic & cheap

This review is based on a tiny decant from luckyscent. A very nice smokey orris root. Same orris root I get from Dior Homme that I love. Unfortunately, it has below average projection and longevity on my skin.

Today I had the chance try almost all perfumes from the Collection Extraordinaire (Muget Blanc was missing) and Bois d'Iris impressed me the most of all.
It started with dark iris and developed to a warm smoky wood. It felt like I was near a capmfire and I could smell the burning wood. Very cozy, yet elegant scent.
It dries to a incense-balsamic base.

this is a very interesting fragrance. it is not your average sweet pie alluring mainstream type.

the woody note is very noticeable for the first few minutes, then sweet notes emerge... then the woody note comes back. can't say I notice anything salty about it, but it is a "cold" fragrance.

my mom said it reminded her of the smell of her granny's old oakwood furniture. It's nice that a fragrance can bring back childhood memories :-)

Almost an exact replica of Dior's Bois d'Argent. Perhaps the only thing that seperates the two is a slightly stronger woody facet found in Bois d'Iris, but this difference only reaveals itself with a side by side comparision. Projection is quite low, while longevity is above average. Unisex, leaning slightly masculine. Very nice for around $100, but not worth the retail price.

sorry, NEVER ventures into the pumpkin spice territory.!

Yes. How does a perfume smell dry and woody but yet sweet at the same time? Vanilla on driftwood, a tree branch covered in spun sugar...It's a sort of winter wonderland scent that ventures into the Yankee candle/pumpkin spice territory. Soft, gentle and sexy. Very full bottle worthy.

Probably I am mistaking, I don't know, but this reminds me of chanel 19 poudre.
Maybe I have to try it day or three more.

This is nice, but I soon realized it smelled very much like Prada Candy. You would be better off purchasing PC for the price and longevity.

This perfume is definitely gorgeous, but I get very little iris and very little wood from Bois d'Iris. Don't let the name fool you.

It is primarily vanilla and amber and smells almost exactly like Vanille Orchidee, another Van Cleef and Arpels perfume.

OMG! The opening is simply out of this world beautiful! Iris never smelled so good. I almost bought a full bottle on the spot I fell so hard for it. It took all my willpower to resist the urge and to walk out of the store to give it time to reveal itself. The next hour was was heartbreaking, it was like watching something very precious slipping through your fingers. If the Iris didn't fade away so quickly, this - without a question - would be the perfect, most excellent interpretation for me. But in an hour or so it turns into sweet vanilla on me. If you're an iris/vanilla type of person, this can be a DREAM come true. But if you're not so much into vanilla, like me, it will only be a very alluring mirage. But in any case, it's still worth a try especially because of the exquisite opening hour.

A very kinky and sensual iris and amber composition, very spicy and yet sweet, perfectly suitable for both sexes. "Bois D'Iris" has it all - it is very classy, the quality is amazing and the scent is so inviting and sensual that I simply cannot keep my nose off my wrist. The silage is very close to skin, but that's how it should be - such a kinky scent shouldn't be loud, it should be noticeable only for those who get close enough.

A perfect scent for intimate gatherings or simply for days one wants to stay mysterious and alluring to others. On my wishlist it goes. One of my favorite Iris scents together with D600 by Carner Barcelona.

I've worn Van Cleef & Arpels BOIS D'IRIS a couple times now, punctuated by a few other iris-centric perfumes, and I've decided that my initial impression was sound: this composition contains every bit as much vanilla--if not more--than iris. So that may be good or bad news depending upon one's view of vanilla.

I myself am ambivalent toward vanilla: sometimes it works; sometimes it does not. I definitely don't get overly excited about vanilla-extract facsimiles, but a complex vanilla creation is always welcome to my nose, provided that it smells very natural and is not cloyingly sweet.

BOIS D'IRIS meets those criteria, but I must admit that it is not my favorite iris perfume. I think that I prefer the other niche-quality iris perfumes--by Heeley, MPG, L'Artisan Parfumeur, Hermès (Hermessences--yes, there are two iris options...), the list goes on and on--to this one.

I do recommend this Van Cleef & Arpels composition as a stand-out among vanilla fragrances, but vanilla appreciation is absolutely a prerequisite to wearing this perfume. In fact, I think that a better name would have been IRIS VANILLE, because the woods are far less pronounced than the vanilla. I should perhaps add, however, that the sweetness does not approach that of FEERIE edp, which to my nose is a kind of fruit syrup scent.

This composition seems much closer to something from L'Artisan Parfumeur than probably any other house. BOIS D'IRIS is definitely more of a subtle niche creation than a mainstream designer fragrance--as it should be, given the price!

absolutly luxury! On me sounds as very gourmand perfume,toffee caramel with so much wood and extremely delicate incense (that is very important!).Longevity is good,quality is perfect!

For iris, this is pleasant and woodsy, and lacks that chewy-gooey texture of many of the cheaper irises out there. Elegantly powdery backdrop. But the brow does tend to furrow at the price. Why?

Gorgeous, gorgeous scent - like wood shavings - earthy, comforting and warm.

It smells very good. Woodsy and powdery with a hint of cool iris...but..it has no personality! Its like the pageant queen of its time, pretty, perfectly proportioned, but ultimately boring and forgettable. It doesn't say anything new or interesting. It doesn't challenge. I am over buying expensive "nice" scents when I could get the same effect from a BBW lotion.

I so wanted to own a bottle of Boid d'Iris by The Different Company but could never get over the poor staying power. The scent was great but it was not worth the money.

When I asked a SA which perfume she would recommend to me as a substitute she sprayed some Bois d'Iris by VC&A on a test strip. And - I was in heaven! I think I would even have bought it without trying it on skin, it was that good.

Does the two Bois d'Iris versions smell totally alike? No, they don't. The TDC version is more airy and a bit more realistic. It is like the name says: an iris in the woods with a very light breeze around you.
Bois d'Iris by Van Cleef & Arpels is deeper and more intense. The ambergris and labdanum make this one sweeter and there is a certain liqueur-note as well (not an alcoholic note but a dark, smooth feeling). I always think of branches that are covered with caramelized sugar though it never becomes too sweet.
The wood, sweet notes and the iris take turns all the time and I am glad that none of the notes is too dominant.

However, I don't get the driftwood reference. There are no salty hints when I smell Bois d'Iris. I always think of a magic wood with strong colours, sugared tree branches and an iris standing right in the middle.

The longevity is very good (especially on clothes), the sillage is medium (non-offensive).

Definitively my favourite of the VC&A Extraordinaire collection!

Dry wood heated by the sun in the morning sea. I love it. Worth every penny. Durability - over 10 hours.

To begin with it’s just cedar and incense, with a strange, slightly rubbery note. As it dries down, it sweetens a little, the iris appears, and it becomes a dry mix of incense and orris root, with very little in the way of powdery violet.

The hype from VC&A claims that it’s supposed to represent driftwood, but I really don’t see any resemblance. Driftwood is skanky and salty, but Bois d’Iris is clean and pure smelling, at least the first half is. To me, it’s evocative of the inside of a cathedral with the lingering smell of incense, subtle flowers, old stone walls, and the faint scent of perfumes worn by previous visitors. It’s a subdued scent, but the sillage is definitely there.

After it’s dried down for a few hours, it transforms into a slightly fruity amber-vanilla scent. It’s very tenacious, lasting all day on skin and longer on clothing. This is something I would definitely wear and enjoy.

It has the character I am looking for especially in the morning. Remains for longer than a usual fragrance. Tonality on clove in the right way.
I really love it. Price is absolutely too high as alcool density remains high. I bought it for $100 in an airport...and now I see it on Ebay for $285...and $185 anywhere else... Would pay up to $125 not one cent more.

I love henri345que's review. Spot on!

For its $185 price, you gotta love this scent if you're buying it for that much. I was lucky to find samples first of all the scents, and Bois d'Iris seemed to be the only one that had character to me. It was unique, understated, and elegant--but still, the price!

Persistence and patience pays off on eBay. They finally had a bottle offered from someone, and luck would have it that no one bid on it. I bought the bottle for less than $50!!

I don't wear it as often as I'd like to. Sometimes, I can't help but think that it smells like cardboard. Not a bad thing for me, I do love quirky and strange scents. But in my book, it's gotta smell like what you paid for it. I love this quirky $50 scent!! :D

This smells like sauna or chopped wood. I really can't smell anything else here but wood!
I love it though, it's really addictive. Still, this is not what I would want to smell like. I would however love to smell it on my boyfriend! :)

This opens much more gourmand than I like, and i was set on writing a so-so review. Fortunately I got caught up with something and forgot about it, and for the past hour I've been wondering where that delightful smell was coming from.

Luckily the dry down is the selling point. Woody references aside, this is a 'hot' fragrance wrapped in wetness. I had a hard time deciding where my mind was going with that, but a memory surfaced to help me out.

I used to live in Phoenix, and a short drive out of town there is a river that winds through the desert. Over the centuries it carved out a cavern from the surrounding bedrock, and the mist allowed the walls to fill in with lichen and moss.

When you stand inside this cavern you get the hot desert air caught up with the dank decay from the walls. And there it is- the 'hot' wetness that I'm picturing here.

I also think Bois d'iris is an 'active' fragrance, not a comfort scent. I don't feel 'warm and cuddly' while wearing this, I feel like jogging or riding a bike. I don't even agree with the ad copy that its 'luxurious'. To me it is strong, confident and focused.

Either way, I like it.

Beautiful iris--and Celina wrote a wonderful review. If you're looking for something like Luten's Iris Silver Mist, you won't find it here. This is a slightly sweet, woodsy, and spicy concoction with a hint of iris. I find it more gourmand than the other iris scents I own, but an adult's gourmand made by a master who knows not too put too much vanilla and just the right amount of sugar and spice. Wonderful!

It is unfortunate so many look down on Van Cleef & Arpels collection. Sadly, it is not popular either as it comes with a high price tag, but there are so many other scents on the market as expensive as these ones and less interesting…
As many other “things “ made by this house… this collection has uniqueness in approaching textures and details.

Regarding Bois d"iris: if you expect a woody-forest-leaves-green iris this is not the one. I tried other “bois” and “ irises” as I have an obsession for both of them and this one is just something else. I wasn’t prepared for it. I had to take a step back, clean my mind of any expectations and step in with an open mind.

Nobody would describe this composition better than its creator Emilie Copperman:
"Bois d'Iris imagines the scent of wood from a totally different angle, without the forest, leaves and earth. Created to replicate the scent of driftwood on the seashore, Bois d'Iris is an atypical and enchanting woody blend created by a minimalist and ultra-qualitative structure. Precious essences of exotic wood are punctuated with a vibrant, salty note of ambergris, while a beautiful powdery iris lends soft elegance, reminiscent of Tuscany."

Suddenly it makes sense. The amber gris note is leading this composition. It reminds me of Ambre Gris by Balmain without too much peppery-spiciness. There are some common notes, but Balmain’s is bolder and actually has pepper in it. Here, the spiciness and peppery tones are more of an aura and the result of secondary effects coming from amber gris, labdanum, vetiver, frankincense, myrrh.

The opening is amber-myrrh creamy and sweet. There are few woody exotic semi tones coming from the mixture of frankiness and driftwood.
So well balanced. It may sound overwhelming… far from it. Its creator brought tones, semitones, flat and sharp, all together in harmony.

It is called Bois d’Iris, but the iris is just a guest somewhere in the background adding a soft powderiness to the glorious ambergris.

The dry down is sweeter and more vanillic, but still ambery and myrrhic with a touch of smoky- resinous labdanum and incense. Good silage, long lasting.

The actual composition: sweet notes, frankincense, iris, driftwood, vetiver, ambergris, labdanum, myrrh, and vanilla.


Beautiful, distinct and classy.

8.2/10

To me it smells like stale, flat fountain soda with a wooden popsicle stick mixed in. Oddly addictive though. I have to be in the mood to wear this one. It has good staying power on me. I find it a bit overpriced. Overall, I like it. Worth testing.

Silky-dry soft wood underdraught with vanilla.

A bit similar to oblique play from givenchy,very good quality and long lasting, it is fresh, a little sweet and a little spicy love it.
IMO a man can wear it also.

PS Also the drydown after some hours is beautifull and warm silky.