Guerlain Shalimar
notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Jasmine, Rose, Iris, Incense, Opopanax, Tonka Bean, Vanilla
It’s all about fall and winter, I just love those seasons and can’t wait for them to finally arrive. It’s the time, where I feel settled down, relaxed … indulge my pensive mind, my melancholia has free space. It’s the time, where I more than ever enjoy wearing my perfumes, the musky ones, the vanilla takes over, jasmine is my friend. I am not good at describing scents at all, so I won’t even try. Every single perfume I own, reminds me of something, be it a place, person or a happy moment. I like to wallow in memories, the good ones. Scents make me forget the sadness, the negativity, the pain. I like the romantic and quite naive idea of positive sadness, that one, the fall and winter seasons reveal with the days becoming darker, the lights, the stars (yes, I am like that).
Guerlain Shalimar is my first choice every year to kinda celebrate the end of summer (omg). It makes me feel … just good, comfortable in my own skin, makes me dream (so, basically, every perfume makes me dream about something tbh). It reminds me of a left alone place, where I can just be myself, enjoy the silence, take a long walk. Have worn it a lot last year, so it also makes me feel strong now, like nothing can take over me and bring me down (ha, so I wish). I am enjoying my life again, this scent got a lot of new, positive memories I can go back to whenever I want. Beside my signature scent, Brecourt Haram (renamed in Farah now), which has a special meaning to me, Guerlain Shalimar is my, maybe second most worn scent.
I like to collect scents, for me it’s more like collecting positive memories. When a scent does not remind me of anything, I can’t wear it, on the other side, when a scent reminds me of something bad, I toss it, because it will bring back my memories to those feelings, everytime. As it happens, I also have the lipstick.
I don’t like pink on myself that much, don’t know why to be honest. Guerlain Rouge Automatique 166 Shalimar, is one of the very few I actually like wearing. I love how forgiving the jelly texture is on my dry flakes. Yes, I have weird shadows on my face (two of them are scars actually, the rest just some shadows, took picture at night), my front teeth aren’t straight nor super white, I am not perfect … I don’t have to be. I dyed my hair something dark (washed out red with some death bleached something in between), it was a reddish-purple before and the picture is not showing it but it still is something red and purple. Going to my hairdresser next month though and I will see what work appropriate hair colour I get. Also sans makeup, only Shu Uemura Stage Performer and Shalimar. Are you ready for fall?
I really love the drydown on Shalimar! Apparently Guerlain makes a flavored tea based on it, which I’m convinced must be the best thing ever.
Shalimar is awesome, and a tea? how amazing is that?!
Beautiful writings and beautiful pictures, Claire. 🙂
I like the story behind Shalimar but I can’t do the fragrance. Or I couldn’t. I had an EDT bottle but ended up swapping it away. I couldn’t agree more that all the worthy scents are intertwined with some memories. It is fascinating yet sad that we cannot control this.
I really love the lipstick color on you. Just so pretty.
thank you lena. I love the stories behind a perfume, I think it is my romantic soul that demands all the things. It is sad indeed, that we cannot control it, I have thrown away a lot of stuff, but now have an excuse to go and shop all the new things, haha.
I tried Shalimar and find it a little too heavy on me. Maybe it’s the humidity here, I don’t know. The pink looks great on you, Claire. I love the jelly shiny look of it 🙂
hi lily, it can be the humidity indeed. I like perfumes with a strong base, also, I have been discovering the florals and sweet scent for me lately. rouge automatiques are my fav lippies, I like to collect them for some reason, love the packaging as well.
Beautiful post, Claire! I have tried Shalimar L’Eau and I like it, but I don’t think I have explored other versions of this classic scent. I love Shalimar Rouge Automatique. That’s probably the only lipstick Dr. D actively likes on me, so it has a special place in my heart 🙂
thank you sunny. it’s always nice to have those things that have a special place in our heart. and if dr. d loves it on you, what would you want you more eh? love shalimar.
Wonderful post, Claire. I love when a fragrance becomes totally yours and evokes special memories from deep within. And that RA! You wear it beautifully, too.
thank you. shalimar is one of the very few pinks I like on myself.
you have such a lovely lip shape! I’m getting more and more into jelly lipstick/gloss — I think it’s the early 00’s revival getting to me 🙂
haha, thank you. the jelly texture of those rouge automatiques is the best ever and those shades are just right up my alley, especially the reds.
Beautiful post, Claire. Shalimar is on my list of beautiful fragrances to try some day, although I suspect I will not be able to carry it off. I agree that scents that are tied to memories are an elevated experience.
hi larie, I am so much into scents right now. hope you get a chance to try it out soon. I like those heavy fragrances all year round actually.
I really like the photo you posted. It is amazing that you don’t have makeup on other than the lipstick, your face looks perfect. Why do you apologize for it? Lovely lips too, and I love your hair. I always wanted Shalimar lipstick, but I was carried away by the limited editions, so never came to pick that one up. That should change soon, especially after this lovely post.
hi sara, the shu uemura stage performer blurrs the pores and photographs beautifully, adds a nice glow as well. after reading this post I asked myself the same, question, why apologizing, lol. guerlain makes amazing limited editions, you should try shalimar some day, it is a great lipstick.
You’ve got enviable lips, claire!! Gosh darn it. Show your whole face pls! (girl crushin’ much, Shari?) Love Shalimar on you! I think you rock pinks well 🙂 You have no makeup on ‘cept the lipstick and Shu Stage Performer? Girl, share your skincare secrets!
thank you shari. I keep it simple with skincare, works the best for me. will do a post soon. I don’t know what that is about pinks, but I just don’t think they suit me. I love fuchsia though.
You look lovely in that pic, fellow partial-face blogger. 😉 I really like some of the Shalimar incarnations but can’t keep up with all the changes. The last one I liked was the extra vanilla one but it was gone before I could decide whether I wanted a bottle or not. A friend sent me a decant of a vintage EDP but I can’t make myself use even a tiny bit of it, it feels so precious.
thank you liz 😉 I can wear such heavy scents very well and even people who don’t like those in general like them on me for some reason. I can’t do anything too citrusy or fresh, because it smells like loo on me. the decant you got sent sounds really precious, you should use it and there is nothing better than vintage, haha. more partial-face pics eh?! xxx
The lipstick definitely suits you quite well. I am sorry that you have to get a “work appropriate hair colour”, I feel your pain on that sort of thing!
I just found out about Shalimar while researching for classic scents. I love it!