Description
Cruel Gardenija is one of the fragrances of Guerlain‘s L’Art et La Matière collection, and as the people of the Guerlain house say, it is ‘on the verge of cruelty’ and ‘stuns with its diabolical power’.
It was launched and presented in 2008 together with fragrance for men, L’Âme d’Un Héros. It was created by two noses, Randa Hammami and Sylvaine Delacourte. It is designed in a way that its notes ‘sunny, silky, smooth and lingering…can become an obsession’.
Unlike the usual tradition, the creators of this fragrance did not strive towards the richness of notes that gardenia creates when combined with the precious light musk which would give velvety soft aura… In the contrary, Cruel Gardenia is like an arrow that aims directly at the heart and stays there forever.
The magic starts with the notes of mouthwatering peach, Damask rose and neroli. The heart of Cruel Gardenia bursts of floral notes, revealing the fusion of violet and wafts of ylang-ylang, touched by light musk. The base notes follow with the accords of Tonka beans, light musk, vanilla and sandal wood.
The fragrance comes in luxurious elegant 80ml (2.8 oz.fl) bottle. It is available at four La Maison Guerlain in the world – Bergdorf Goodman in New York-u, Neiman Marcus in San Francisco, The Breakers – Palm Beach, and French Pavilion at Epcot.
narimanbala – :
Cruel Gardenia is Nuit d’Amour’s perfect sister as they share the wonderful powder and musk that Guerlain does so well. It’s a shame the gardenia is indistinct after the opening. However, the floral combination of violet, rose, and whatever else is in there is so gentle and satisfying to the nose. Truly intoxicating.
kondratyk – :
The name is just sooo wrong but this fragrance is perfection. It’s calming, healing, pleasing and I find myself refreshing even when I don’t need to. A warm gentle gardenia perfectly balanced with a kiss of peach and rose.
challensjkee – :
Cruel Gardenia by Guerlain is the most sensual gardenia musk on the planet! This musk has that salty skin, body heat, kissing your lovers neck quality to it. It is not dirty and stinky, but it’s very human – soft to the touch. The musk mixes with the most divine gardenias that have a light soapiness, but are still elegantly floral. The violet adds a touch of powder and the sandalwood is detectable in the dry down. This is not a date night scent – it is a bedroom scent! This fragrance says “I want your body” in the most subtle and sincere way. Cruel Gardenia is a gem, well done Guerlain!
unefeamma – :
I am wearing that yellow dress again. You know it, the one you gave to me. You’ve said that it has the lively color of the ylang ylang flowers. I adorned my fingers with the pear ring and I am wearring your favourite earrings in my ears. At my neck I wear Cruel Gardenia. And I’ve added a bit to my wrists.
I want it to invade your senses when you will take me in your arms. I wish that when you walk your fingers over my shoulders ,absenlty drawing symbols of tenderness, the smell of blooming gardenias to reach your soul. Do you remember when you said to me that my skin always smells like musk? Do you like how it combines with the fragrance I am wearing? Are you anxious to hide your face in my sandalwood perfumed curls? This ingenue fragrance makes you dizzy, isn’t it? Are you afraid to let yourself spoiled by your senses? Don’t worry, I’m here. And I will take your hands and keep them at my chest until you regain ballance. It’s just the two of us now, and Cruel Gardenia glazes at us, hidden in the hollow on my neck. Come, come into my world now.
sined43 – :
Beautiful scent but the drydown awfully reminded me of Flower by Kenzo. It’s musky floral and powdery. Also, the scent didn’t last on my skin more than an hour. Sadly, the performance is really weak for the price.
TrueMan40 – :
This is a sharp, crisp, cool white floral with a slightly metallic edge. I have a generously sized sample of it, and when I put it on this morning for the first time, I was reminded of watching my mother prepare for a night out when I was little. She favored Rive Gauche and L’air du Temps – Cruel Gardenia has quite the same feel as those scents, as well as Estee Lauder’s Beautiful. Cruel Gardenia, though, is much softer and more modern than any of these, with a fresh, cool sprinkle of powder in the mix.
It’s really quite lovely and impossibly elegant…so much so that I actually changed my mind about the outfit I was planning to wear today; I upgraded to something classier and more stylish!! Yes, that’s right…this perfume makes me want to be a better woman. 🙂
I’ve had it on for about 3 hours now, so the longevity is not bad. Sillage is soft, floating in a transient halo around me.
This fragrance is TRES CHER, so therefore not a safe blind buy, but do test it if you have always liked the sharp white florals of the past, but wish to wear something less boldly stated.
This is an incredible fragrance.
BloodyZ – :
When I spray it in the morning, just like originaldeftom (the reviewer) I get a transient mushroomy scent for a quater to half an hour which makes me think at Vuitton’s Turbulences where the effect is the same but much longer. I was very intrigued by this as the ingredients here are totally different: the mushroom scent in Vuitton’s Turbulences is due to the tuberose, while this frag does not feature any tuberose.
Earlier this week I met Sylvaine Delacourte (the creator of this frag) in a Guerlain Q&A session, and she told me that the transient mushroomy scent was clearly due to the Gardenia: so I got the answer ! It seems that this occurs on some skins, obviously on mine, and I’m not a fan of it, though the frag is very nice once it gets to its full expression.
Fortunately I bought only the 20 ml refill spray set now available in the Paris boutiques, so I’ll see if this is temperature, mood, or season dependent, so I can decide if I go for the full bottle or not.
Ordik – :
Why is this so expensive? I wanna try it!
Qarartur – :
Elegant purse suede with slight rose/gardenia blend, lots of smooth aldehydes, not for me (too proper/snooty in feel).
trofim123 – :
Guerlain L’Art et la Matiere – Cruel Gardenia (EDP sample)
It is absolutely cruel that this beauty is too expensive.
Lush, heady, vibrant, joyful gardenia.
The first spray on my skin is a peach blending with a soft floral note. The gardenia comes through, it is creamy and mesmerizing. I love the gardenia on my skin. The musk is gorgeous and very delicately supports the gardenia. The violet is a nice touch, it adds a slightly earthy powdery aroma to the gardenia, Ylang Ylang is romantic and sweet, it feels like it helps to softly mitigate the clean, soapy scent from the neroli. The fragrance is warmed up by a sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla accord.
Cruel? Not at all, it is a gorgeous creamy gardenia, this fragrance is for gardenia lovers only. My skin is dry, I am disappointed by the performance, longevity is about 4 hours on my skin and sillage is a intimate skin scent.
Tajfun27 – :
I approach all Guerlains, wanting to love them. I could like this one but I couldn’t love it.
Cruel Gardenia? more like Shy Gardenia. I get a whopping amount of rose and violets.
My first thought was – “this is Insolence, off the steroids. ”
Eventually a bit of vanilla but by that point, the scent was almost non existent.
If someone gave this to me, I would wear it. Would I purchase it for myself? No.
shurup4 – :
mmmm- I like… I smell neroli, violet, iris and ylang- but where’s the gardenia??
Sophisticated soapiness reminiscent of a cross between Insolence eau Glaeee and Faubourg
tgm – :
An oriental take on the gardenia flower. Smells like a gardenia flower that’s been dropped in a vat of J&J baby powder for a long long time. Kenzo Flower with jasmine and ylang ylang added.
Halaponga2 – :
Not bad. This would be great if you would like a soapy floral scent. But why the crazy price tag? Is that what is cruel about this perfume?
dentim4 – :
A mushroomy, sausage-salami, alkaline yet a bit soapy kind of Gardenia, I get on my skin. Perhaps that is what makes it “cruel”?
I cannot say I love it straight away but it is interesting.
It definitely has got some “Mitsouko” meaty and salty qualities, but I wished the floral burst was stronger.
Perhaps “Bizarre Gardenia” would have been a more appropriate title.
If you want a reference Gardenia, try Penhaligon’s and it you want “smelly feet” and downright “dirrty” Gardenia, try Robert Piget’s offering.
I cannot make up my mind about this one. Perhaps, if you were to layer this one with an overly floral Gardenia you may get closer to the “real thing”.
Good effort though, yet a bit too “salami” for me (I am vegetarian).
…and the quest continues….
learloxense – :
I live in the Czech Republic and therefore I can not say what is the Cruel Gardenia.
I can not buy her anywhere.
I am very curious about what is and I have to go abroad.
I look forward to!
P.S. I then write my feelings 🙂
Have a nice day!
fishkaforex – :
Out of all the fragrances in this special series, I was attracted to Cruel Gardenia the most. I adore the fragrance of Gardenia flowers, and the other notes appealed as well.
As soon as I sprayed it, it triggered a long lost memory. I know this scent from somewhere, but a long time ago. I racked my brain trying to pin it down, but it was always out of my reach. The opening is a lovely soft cloud, not heavy or jarring, just a rose tinted softness. Then along comes violet, yes, I agree with Sherapop, there appears to be violets in the bouquet. I must say, the Gardenia is not at all prominent, and, I was really expecting more. In fact, there is more Neroli and Ylang-Ylang than a very faint Gardenia. This is definitely a skin scent. For the price, it should radiate proudly, so others may experience the beauty of the composition! This is how it reacts on my skin, stays close, and has a very low projection). The dry down is very pleasant. A very soft vanilla, with a well behaved sandalwood. The funny thing is, when I sniff it from the sprayer, it appears a lot stronger, than it is when sprayed on the skin. Mind you, I do prefer stronger fragrances, as have perfume eating skin, so this would probably come across perfect for those you don’t like heavy hitters.
At one point, I even thought it was similar to White Shoulders, without the Aldehydes! But the White Shoulders of about 40 years ago). It may come to light, one time when I’m not concentrating on where I have smelled something so similar.
Now the cruel part…As much as I adore this fragrance, even though it isn’t as Gardenia laden as I would have hoped), is the longevity! It fades far too quickly, and just as you are really in heaven, it leaves you! A brief encounter with a lovely floral cloud that gives you a passionate hug, then flees into the night….
lisi4ka – :
Am I the only one to get just Vanilla and Pencil Shavings – absolutely nothing else.This is a totally linear scent on me.This is a sample test though.
GordonSt – :
BEAUTIFUL scent. I loved it so much, but along with being a skin-scent it’s also extremely short lived. I couldn’t smell it after 20 minutes. Which is appalling considering the price. Such a shame, I would still purchase this if I had a few extra dollars though.
Vendevideof – :
@scorpiosheep ~ As this fragrance is still in production, I think no one should pay a higher than retail price for it. I believe the price should still be around US$275 as I paid for it at the Guerlain counter in Hong Kong last year.
Cruel Gardenia to me is a gorgeous floral fragrance with lots of airy powdery rose and greenish Neroli at the opening and later joined with heart notes of strong Gardenia like scent and musk decorated with touches of peach, Ylang Ylang and slightly bitter Violet. In the base I smell a most beautiful musk with slight sweetness of Tonka and warm Vanilla and a faint scent of Sandalwood.
sbp842speagoessenda – :
The fragrance name simply doesn`t reflect it at all. Cruel gardenia is not a dark or difficult gardenia fragrance; instead, it`s a sunny powdery floral bouquet where the ligth aspect of gardenia flowers is hidden inside of it. You get at first the impression of citrus flowers, then a non indolic powdery white flower bouquet, and this sings on the skin for quite a long time. When i was not expecting gardenia anymore, i could detect it emerging from the powdery bouquet, a slightly sweet and fruity gardenia, similar to the one in Chinatown (altough Chinatown and Cruel Gardenia doesn`t have so much in common). The scent fades to a soft musky vanillic drydown and stays there the rest of the day. It doesn`t seem so linked with the idea of the line, but it`s a pretty lasting powdery scent with a touch of gardenia, and maybe this is the only cruelty of the fragrance, not using more gardenia.
Russianman – :
Upon first spray, the air is filled with a cooling, powdery, clean white floral – almost sterile in feel. It is breathtakingly icy in the opening. However, I cannot seem to pinpoint the gardenia in this as the name would suggest.
As I put my nose closer to my wrist, I get a very buttery, oily ylang ylang which gets softer and sweeter in the dry down. When I press my nose right to my skin, there is the bizarre note of cherry liqueur and fresh cut green stems. I find this fresh-heavy interplay to be very pleasant.
Sillage and longevity are excellent.
kolyanmel – :
Definitely one of the most beautiful gardenia frags out there!!! No headache here!! A very well done gardenia that is softened by the violet and tonka bean. The dry down presents more vanilla. Really very lovely!!!
Master_Well – :
I just got a bottle from Nordys and it was unsealed 🙁 Bummer, it’s going back. I bought it because I had purchased another one from that big online selling site and one day it smelled great on me, and the next….well it smelled chemical. So therefore, I thought I got a bottle that was cut with something? Well, to my surprise, both bottles smell the same. I don’t know why I am getting this chemical smell on me 🙁 I adore, and probably my favorite for winter is Coquin Gourmand, Angelique Noir and Asian Brulant. They are to die for, so rich and creamy and long lasting on me. AN is almost heavenly. I have the Iris one and it smells awful on me also 🙁 So, while I simply ADORE ADORE the other three, this Cruel Gardenia smells chemical on me for the first 30 minutes, then it mellows out, but I’m not in love with it at all. It’s very light on me also, not heavy. Will edit on how long it lasts. Probably long because Guerlain is so well made. Sad, I want to love this, from that first day I wore it, it was gorgeous. Now, it hates me 🙁
Edit: It sometimes works on me and sometimes not. I just figure it’s menopause. Just sprayed it on me now, and it is delightful. Oh dear, who knew menopause would play games on you like this. Where’s that Eve?
toutsv – :
Though i get very little GARDENIA, this is so beautiful! There is something “minty” in here but it’s lovely!
john_vea – :
Cruel gardenia is also available in Germany. I tested it today in Berlin (Douglas Kurfürstendamm). It’s a lovely soft creamy scent. I love it!!!
Таня – :
LOVE at first smell! LOVE LOVE LOVEE THIS. Don’t typically like gardenias…but when i smalled this I had to have this! Buying it for my mom on her birthday!
c_silencer – :
This is so beautiful!Generally I do not like gardenia, as well as other white florals, but here it is perfectly blended with the other notes and in the end we get a super classy, feminine, warm delight.
The base is just fantastic-musky creamy vanilla with a strong but fresh floral touch.Love it!!!
vasyan05 – :
I have never liked gardenia on myself until I tried this one. Leave it to the Guerlain elixirs to capture your heart… I think its the peach, violet and ylang that make this so wearable on me, it smells fresh and clean and lightly floral. I would call it “classy”. Don’t understand the name, either, but who cares? It’s the juice that really matters 🙂
(not that the beautiful package doesn’t help).
I purchased from Neiman marcus and they let you customize your bottle to have 10 letters. It is the same price as the regular bottle, but takes longer to arrive. The site offers both options. The engraved bottle is a great thoughtful gift, but if you do engrave a personal message, it is not refundable- so make sure the person you are gifting it to likes it.
I bought a small decant to hold me over until my bottle arrives (I got it personalized so it can take weeks!) from the perfumedcourt which sells decants/samples.
I cannot wait to get my personalized bottle, I have been aching for this perfume for a long time. If you are thinking about getting a personalized bottle for someone special, you can buy a sample to make sure they like it 🙂
I LOVE IT!
AAAndrey – :
Guerlain’s CRUEL GARDENIA, contrary to its name, is a warm, compassionate floral composition prominently featuring ylang ylang, neroli, and violet–at least according to my nose! Bizarre.
Maybe this would be cruel to those who were looking for a pure gardenia frag, or a big white floral? Anyway, aside from my disagreement with the name, CRUEL GARDENIA strikes me as an excellent creation. A complex, somewhat yellow composition with a touch of sweetness in the opening. But from the opening through to the finish, this is much more of a ylang than a gardenia fragrance. Happily, the ylang is balanced and buttressed well.
CRUEL GARDENIA is the very antithesis of a “diabolical” perfume (of which I have encountered a few): neither overly sharp nor officiously invasive nor a scrubber nor a carcinogenic sci-fi nightmare. Good staying power and sillage, too.
mutnieglaz – :
Gardenia at highest power still not offensive, but very powerful, use sparingly! It’s truly a beauty. In spite of its extremely floral nature I agree with Jeca that Cruel Gardenia is not so cruel after all! A little bit dramatic, but just as a joke, it can be languish.
Error – :
too much gardenia in this bottle, perfectly done though!
Nobanion – :
I have no idea why the name of this fragrance includes ‘cruel’? It is a calm and light fragrance, weightless, I smell branches, leaves, but I can’t find flower, I just can imagine it 🙁