Shalimar Souffle de Parfum 2014

 Launched in October 2014, Shalimar Souffle de Parfum represents Guerlain’s delicate reinterpretation of one of perfumery’s most iconic creations. The name is deeply evocative: Shalimar, rooted in Persian, recalls the “abode of love” and evokes the grandeur and romance of the Mughal gardens in India, immortalized by the Taj Mahal. Souffle de Parfum, pronounced as “soo-fluh duh par-fum”, translates to “a breath of perfume” or “perfumed whisper.” Together, the name suggests an ethereal, light, and intimate expression of the legendary Shalimar—a fragrance that feels like a tender caress rather than a dramatic statement. It evokes images of sunlit gardens, soft silk brushing against skin, and the delicate flutter of petals on a gentle breeze, conjuring both romance and elegance.

The perfume emerged during a period marked by a strong trend toward lighter, more sparkling interpretations of classic fragrances. In the mid-2010s, fashion and perfumery alike emphasized transparency, luminosity, and a playful, wearable sophistication. Pastels and soft textures dominated clothing, while fragrance trends favored floral-oriental hybrids, airy gourmands, and sparkling citrus blends. Within this cultural and aesthetic moment, Souffle de Parfum offered a modern bridge: a tribute to Shalimar’s rich history yet designed for contemporary wearers seeking freshness and elegance. Women encountering this fragrance would likely have been drawn to its accessibility—a sophisticated Shalimar experience, now light, bright, and intimately sensual, rather than dense and heavy.

Thierry Wasser crafted Shalimar Souffle de Parfum as a sparkling, light, and airy floriental. The top notes—bergamot, lemon, and mandarin—open with radiant brightness, their citrus oils rich in limonene and linalyl acetate, creating a sparkling, effervescent introduction that lifts the fragrance like sunlight on morning dew. These notes convey energy, optimism, and flirtatious elegance, setting the stage for the heart.

The heart centers on luminous florals: Sambac jasmine from India and absolute orange blossom water. Indian Sambac jasmine is prized for its heady, creamy, and sensual facets, rich in indole and benzyl acetate, giving both intensity and radiant sweetness. The absolute orange blossom water, extracted with meticulous precision through distillation and re-extraction, adds a uniquely fresh, watery floral nuance, highlighting a sparkling, radiant facet rarely captured in conventional orange blossom oils. Together, these florals produce a bright, tender, and slightly gourmand bouquet, evoking petals kissed by sunlight and the soft warmth of a morning breeze.

The base provides a whisper of sensuality rather than density. Vanilla—sourced from India and Tahiti—offers creamy warmth, its vanillin, coumarin, and heliotropin molecules lending gourmand depth without heaviness. The overdose of white musk gives a soft, addictive radiance, wrapping the fragrance in an enveloping, skin-like veil. The effect is intimate, modern, and luminous: a Shalimar that glows rather than smolders, maintaining the oriental heritage while offering a contemporary, wearable expression.

In the context of 2014 perfumery, Shalimar Souffle de Parfum was aligned with trends emphasizing light, sparkling, and floriental interpretations of classic orientals. Yet Guerlain distinguished itself through the careful sourcing of rare ingredients—Indian Sambac jasmine, Tahitian and Indian vanilla, and precise orange blossom water—and through Thierry Wasser’s skill in balancing brightness with subtle sensuality. The fragrance feels like a whispered invitation: airy, radiant, and undeniably feminine, capturing Shalimar’s legendary sensuality in a delicate, modern form.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Shalimar Souffle de Parfum is classified as a sparkling, light, airy and delicate floriental perfume.

• Top notes: lemon, bergamot, mandarin
• Middle notes: Indian Sambac jasmine, orange blossom water absolute
• Base notes: Tahitian vanilla, Indian vanilla, white musk

Scent Profile:

The opening of Shalimar Souffle de Parfum is a radiant, sparkling cascade of citrus, immediately lifting the senses with effervescence and clarity. Lemon, sourced from Italy, bursts with crisp freshness, its aroma defined by high levels of limonene, lending tart, sunny brightness, and citral, which adds a subtle green-lemon sharpness. Italian lemons are prized for their balance of sweetness and acidity, creating a luminous top note that feels alive on the skin. Complementing this, bergamot from Calabria introduces a soft, sweet-floral facet alongside its citrusy bite, with linalyl acetate giving a lightly fruity-floral softness and bergapten adding a hint of complexity. Mandarin, often from Sicily, adds a juicy, slightly tangy lift, with ethyl butyrate and terpenes contributing a playful, succulent facet. Together, these top notes form a sparkling, airy introduction, like sunlight dancing through leaves, brightening the fragrance with a delicate, flirtatious energy.

As the perfume unfolds, the heart reveals a tender floral duet of Indian Sambac jasmine and orange blossom water absolute. Sambac jasmine, grown in the warm, tropical plains of India, is highly prized for its creamy, voluptuous aroma, rich in benzyl acetate, linalool, and trace indoles, which give the flower its soft animalic warmth and sensual depth. Its scent is full-bodied yet luminous, like petals brushing the skin in the golden glow of dawn. The orange blossom water absolute, extracted with a dual process of distillation and re-extraction, captures the freshness of the delicate flowers along with a watery, almost ethereal facet that contrasts with the creaminess of the jasmine. Its aroma is defined by linalool, nerolidol, and minor coumarins, producing a clean, radiant floral note that enhances the sparkling effect of the citrus top notes while reinforcing the soft sensuality of the heart. The interplay of jasmine and orange blossom water creates a luminous, airy floral bouquet that feels tender, flirtatious, and intimate, like a gentle caress rather than a statement.

The base provides subtle warmth and lingering sensuality, rounding the fragrance with comforting depth. Tahitian vanilla, known for its slightly exotic, smoky-sweet facets, and Indian vanilla, richer and more creamy, are layered to create a smooth, enveloping warmth. Their vanillin, heliotropin, and coumarin molecules lend a gourmand creaminess and balsamic sweetness that complements the delicate florals. White musk adds a soft, skin-like radiance, using modern synthetic musks—such as galaxolide or ambrettolide—to provide longevity and a clean, airy glow that enhances the softness of the florals without heaviness. The result is a base that is intimate and delicate, a gentle whisper of warmth and sensuality that leaves a subtle, inviting trail.

Overall, Shalimar Souffle de Parfum is a modern, airy reinterpretation of the legendary Shalimar. The citrus top notes sparkle like sunlit petals, the florals in the heart flutter with light sensuality, and the vanilla-musk base provides a soft, velvety finish. Its floriental structure is light, sparkling, and luminous, offering a fragrance experience that is intimate, tender, and delicately radiant. By combining rare, carefully sourced natural ingredients with precise synthetics, Guerlain has created a perfume that feels both modern and timeless—a whispered caress, luminous and elegant, yet unmistakably Shalimar.

Bottle:

The perfume bottle's shape is the newer pedestal bottle from Jade Jagger, who designed it in 2010 for all of Shalimar's Eau de Parfums and Eau de Toilettes. The usual bottles are clear glass with the blue cap, this flanker edition is tinted blue, a refreshing change for the scent.

Available in the following:

• 30ml Eau de Parfum
• 50ml ml Eau de Parfum
• 100ml ml Eau de Parfum

L'Extrait de Roses pour Les Lèvres c1853

L’Extrait de Roses pour Les Lèvres by Guerlain, introduced in 1853, represents one of the earliest innovations in long-lasting, colored lip treatments. Conceived as a liquid lip color, it promised enduring wear, maintaining its vibrancy even during meals—a remarkable achievement for mid-19th-century cosmetics. The formulation combined both aesthetic elegance and practical performance, allowing women to enhance their lips with the delicate fragrance and hue of roses without frequent reapplication.

The presentation of the product was equally refined. The lip color was housed in a bottle manufactured by Pochet et du Courval, a leading glassmaker renowned for precision and clarity. The container is the so-called “Standard 15g” bottle, a design first established in 1860, featuring colorless cylindrical glass. The bottle’s surface carries the brand name “GUERLAIN” and the location “Champs Élysées” in relief, projecting both prestige and legibility. The base is further marked with GUERLAIN and the initials HP, denoting Pochet et du Courval, which underscores the collaboration between the luxury perfumer and the master glassmaker.

The bottle’s understated elegance, with its clear glass allowing the delicate rose-tinted liquid to shine, exemplifies Guerlain’s early attention to both beauty and function. Its cylindrical form, clean lines, and precise relief inscriptions reflect the mid-19th-century aesthetic of sophistication and refinement. More than a mere cosmetic, L’Extrait de Roses pour Les Lèvres embodies a harmonious marriage of artistry, chemistry, and design—capturing Guerlain’s pioneering spirit in the world of luxury beauty.

L'Artiste: journal de la littérature et des beaux-arts, 1856:

"Consequently, this melancholic face will not ask Guerlain for his Damask rouge, nor for his Court rouge, nor for his Plessis rouge. Yet this pale face will take rose extract for the lips, or carmine ointment, for a small, fresh, and vermilion mouth is one of the greatest aspects of beauty."

Art et décoration, Volume 5, 1899:

"Guerlain’s Rose Extract for the lips eliminates these inconveniences and delicately perfumes the mouth."

 

250 Year Anniversary Guerlain Flacons 1979

In 1979, the House of Guerlain commemorated its remarkable 250th anniversary with special editions of its legendary parfums, Mitsouko, Shalimar, and Jicky celebrating centuries of olfactory artistry and design excellence. These editions transformed familiar fragrances into collector’s masterpieces, emphasizing both the perfume’s iconic status and the House’s dedication to luxury presentation.

The parfum was presented in a striking quadrilobe flacon, produced by BSN-GD glassworks, holding an impressive 8.5 oz (250 ml) of parfum The flacon’s elegant form is topped with a four-lobed stopper, creating a sculptural silhouette that is simultaneously modern and timeless. Its frosted etched label adds subtle texture and refinement, allowing the engraved branding to catch the light while enhancing the tactile experience of the bottle. The combination of clear crystal, soft frosted etching, and geometric elegance exemplifies Guerlain’s meticulous attention to detail and its ability to merge functionality with artistry.

This exquisite flacon was housed in a resurrected 1940s green box, echoing a previous era of Guerlain presentation while updated for the anniversary. The box is adorned with Art Nouveau-inspired gold tracery, its sinuous, flowing motifs highlighting the elegance, sophistication, and decorative beauty associated with the House. Together, the crystal flacon, etched label, and richly detailed packaging create a harmonious ensemble, making this 1979 edition not only a tribute to Shalimar and Mitsouko but also a tangible celebration of Guerlain’s 250-year legacy in fragrance and design.

Jockey Club c1872

 Guerlain’s Jockey Club, introduced around 1872 though perhaps created earlier, belongs to a tradition of fragrances that captured the imagination of the 19th century. The name “Jockey Club” itself was borrowed from the prestigious gentlemen’s clubs associated with horse racing, most famously in England and France. These clubs embodied refinement, exclusivity, and the thrill of the racetrack. To Victorian society, the words Jockey Club evoked images of polished boots, well-groomed horses, manicured lawns, and the bustle of social gatherings at Epsom Downs in late spring. The name suggested elegance and sport, but also a fashionable modernity tied to leisure and the aristocracy.

The time of its creation was the late Victorian era, a period of industrial progress and shifting social customs. Fashion favored elaborate silhouettes, with women in bustled gowns and men in tailored frock coats, while the upper classes displayed their sophistication through the arts of etiquette and personal grooming. In perfumery, the trend leaned toward complex blended fragrances that mirrored the era’s fascination with nature, travel, and exoticism. A perfume named Jockey Club would have resonated with both men and women as a symbol of cultivated taste—fresh, floral, and sporty, yet still anchored in refinement. It was equally at home in a gentleman’s dressing case as on a lady’s vanity table, bridging gendered divides in fragrance.

In scent, Jockey Club was traditionally conceived as a floral blend meant to capture the spirit of springtime meadows and flowering hedgerows at the racetrack. Early formulas often included lavender, orange blossom, geranium, and musk, creating an effect both brisk and slightly powdery. Guerlain’s version stood within this tradition yet carried the House’s unmistakable finesse, updating the theme for its clientele of connoisseurs. Like its contemporaries, it relied heavily on natural extracts, tinctures, and infusions—but by the close of the 19th century, perfumers began experimenting with newly available synthetics such as vanillin, heliotropin, linalool, and coumarin. These not only extended the life of the fragrance on skin but also intensified and refined the natural floral notes, giving them a more radiant, diffusive quality.

Jockey Club fragrances, produced by nearly every major perfumery of the 19th century, formed an entire genre rather than a single creation. Each perfumer added or removed ingredients to make their version distinct, while still adhering to the recognizable “Jockey Club” structure. Guerlain’s interpretation, launched around 1872, carried the cachet of Parisian luxury and stood out for its elegance, but it was part of a wider cultural movement. It was not unique in theme, yet its execution bore the refinement that marked Guerlain’s work, setting it apart from simpler imitations.

For Victorians, Jockey Club was more than a scent—it was an emblem of fashionable modern life, a blend of refinement, nature, and leisure. It reflected the romanticized countryside of racing season while providing a perfumed accessory to the rituals of toilette, a fragrance both nostalgic and aspirational, perfectly in tune with the sensibilities of its time.

Fragrance Composition: 

 

So what does it smell like? Jockey Club by Guerlain is classified as a floral fragrance for men and women. It is an old-fashioned scent based on mixed blends intended to reproduce the fragrance of Epsom Downs in the late Spring. 

• Top notes: Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian neroli, Moroccan cassie, Provencal lavender, Bourbon rose geranium, Russian coriander
• Middle notes: Grasse jasmine, Portuguese tuberose, Tuscan violet, Bulgarian rose, Tunisian orange blossom, Peruvian heliotrope, Saigon cinnamon
• Base notes: Tibetan musk, ambergris, Florentine orris, Abyssinian civet, Jamaican mace, Zanzibar clove, Mexican vanilla, Peru balsam, Levantine storax, Venezuelan tonka bean 

Scent Profile:

Let us step into the world of Guerlain’s Jockey Club, a floral fragrance for both men and women, crafted to evoke the vivid impression of Epsom Downs in late spring. Imagine the bustle of the racetrack—fresh meadows alive with blossoms, herbs crushed underfoot, the mingling of warm bodies, leather saddles, and the distant spice of refreshments. Each note in this composition works as a brushstroke in that atmospheric scene, natural essences interlaced with the artistry of perfumery.

The fragrance opens with a sparkling brightness. Calabrian bergamot lends its sunlit clarity, far greener and more refined than other citrus, with that unmistakable tang of southern Italian groves kissed by sea air. Alongside it, Sicilian neroli blooms—bittersweet and honeyed, a distillation of orange blossom with the slightly metallic edge that distinguishes the best from Sicily’s groves. Moroccan cassie enters with its powdery, slightly almond nuance, soft yet animalic, already hinting at the floral heart to come. The herbal sharpness of Provençal lavender grounds this brightness, airy and brisk, evoking clean linens and warm hillsides of southern France. Bourbon rose geranium adds its rosy, mint-like sparkle, a bridge between citrus and flowers. Finally, Russian coriander contributes a peppery-green spiciness—fresh, aromatic, and a touch exotic—like a gust of wind sweeping over spring fields.

The heart reveals itself in a lush floral tapestry. Grasse jasmine, the jewel of French perfumery, exudes its narcotic richness, creamy yet indolic, carrying the warmth of the Riviera sun. Beside it, Portuguese tuberose unfurls—opulent, waxy, and voluptuous, almost humming with nocturnal intensity. Tuscan violet offers a softer counterpoint, sweet and powdery, with a green, ionone-driven freshness that was so beloved in 19th-century perfumery. Bulgarian rose, velvety and wine-dark, deepens the heart, while Tunisian orange blossom sings high with luminous, honeyed tones. The delicate almond-powder sweetness of Peruvian heliotrope brings a gentle gourmand touch, softening the florals, while Saigon cinnamon provides a warm, spicy ribbon threading through the bouquet, echoing the lively pulse of the racecourse itself.

The base is where Jockey Club finds its full gravitas. Tibetan musk lends an animalic warmth, primal yet enveloping, its sensuality tempered by the oceanic smoothness of true ambergris, rare and ethereal, carrying whispers of salt air and sunlit driftwood. Florentine orris, with its buttery, violet-powder texture, enriches the composition, while Abyssinian civet brings an earthy, leathery purr. Spices linger here too—Jamaican mace and Zanzibar clove contributing dry warmth and aromatic bite. Mexican vanilla rounds this richness with dark sweetness, enhanced by the resinous warmth of Peru balsam and Levantine storax, both lending smoky-balsamic depth. Finally, Venezuelan tonka bean, rich in coumarin, ties everything together with its almond-tobacco softness, leaving an afterglow that is both comforting and sophisticated.

Jockey Club was intended to capture a very particular impression: the air of Epsom Downs in bloom, mingling grass, flowers, and the faint spice of the crowd. It is a fragrance of contrasts—fresh yet musky, floral yet animalic, refined yet robust—balancing the elegance of Victorian society with the earthy vitality of the racetrack. Each ingredient contributes to a scene that feels both natural and heightened, a true olfactory painting of spring leisure, sport, and refinement.

Bottles:

Presented in the Carre flacon.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown.