Description
The first edition of fragrance John Galliano was presented in 2008 as a floral-aldehydic composition, with modern and peculiar notes, based on citrusy tea freshness around floral feminine silhouette hiding a mysterious veil of incense, woody notes and amber. Whether you like the flacon created by Joel Desgrippes or not, it certainly attracted attention with creases like on evening gown and flamboyant golden flower on the neck of the flacon.
We are expecting the new, lighter edition in April 2010. The flacon retains the same form as the first edition, but it is pellucid this time and has pale pink liquid. Its curves and creases show it as significantly more gentle, subtle and feminine, while promising a lighter and gentler composition. Neck of the flacon features inevitable golden rose, while top of the flacon is decorated with characteristic letter G.
John Galliano Eau de Toilette offers a union of the modern and the elegant. This ultra light and floral fragrance accentuates rose in center of the composition. Rose absolute is mixed with essences of Monaco rose and Italian iris absolute. Besides floral waves, the fragrance offers essences of Moroccan cedar which contributes to sensual side of the fragrance and moss which highlights elegance of the composition.
The nose behind this fragrance is Aurelien Guichard.
светозар – :
Another lost little gem. Here is a DIOR vibe with no doubt. Iris, rose rose rose and a touch of cedar, just a touch and nothing more with a beautiful powdery base in the caron face powder smell. Well balanced,long lasting with a good sillage. I love it and I am so sad, among the EDP which is totally other fragrance, Galliano fragrances came to an end. The bottle is fancy and beautiful. Goodbye, little beauty.
Impotorenon – :
This is just a pale shadow of the EDP. All I can really smell is roses… Which is not bad, but just kind of “meh” for me. I thought EDT’s were just less actual perfume content (watered down?) But this is missing a lot of the notes from the EDP.
I don’t hate it but I don’t see the point of it.
EDP=YESSS
EDT=Nah
dyemnneumma – :
Got the EdT in the mail today and I am not impressed. A very common rose scent, nothing special. Hope it will work better in warmer weather. The bottle, who look so nice in the photo, is a hideous thing that will be put inside a cupboard and not on the vanity.
Update. Nothing natural about the scent, plain, flat, plastic rose.
AcrordStoorma – :
“Mm, yes” is my first reaction upon putting my nose to my wrist. What a lovely rose, pale pink rather than red for sure. A rose for people who “don’t like rose”. There is nothing old-timey about this. I am even getting a hint of marzipan, or some kind of refined almond like that, but it is most definitely not gourmand. A pinch of fluffy sawdust. Refined, light and airy. I really like it.
EntintyAtmomy – :
For those who collect roses. It reminded me of Chloe roses, but this one is more transparent,it`s the first rose of spring while Chloe is a last September ripe rose. Both are powdery, but the powder of Galliano’s is so soft, it is like a little violet growing near.
santei – :
I’m not much of a mystery scent type girl but this is the one fragrance I keep reaching for when I want to leave a bit of mystery. I wore this on New Years Eve. I find it very romantic. It’s a simple perfume that smells mostly of roses but it’s also got some iris and woodsy notes of oak moss and cedar. It’s like a rose in full bloom in the middle of a dark forest. There’s also something else going on that I can’t describe, maybe some patchouli and incense, but very soft as this is the Eau De Toilette. I’ve never experienced the Eau De Parfum version of this but I was not interested as it appeared to be a Goth perfume and the Goth culture is so not my thing. I’m the polar opposite of Goth. I’m more Disney Princess than Vampire. This is a soft, powdery fragrance with a lovely rose. I love roses. I don’t wear this too often. I think it’s a special unique perfume to wear from time to time.
mist666 – :
How much roses can you handle? I had eau de perfume of this and I was sure that eau de toillete will not reach my expectations, but it did. While it’s no way similar to eau de perfume, they both share goth aura. This is the lighter goth in my opinion. for me it’s all about rose, it’s smells like roses, rain, dirt and dark autumn night. I think that eva green’s character in penny dreadful would wear something similar. I don’t know how to say it, but to me it smells like dead – in a good way! Love the sillage and lasting power!
MobyDik – :
Hi guillermostf, I guess you were referring to my review, among others.
I would like to add that the two scents differ insofar as the EDT is a really tart, peony infused rose&violet, whereas the EDP is a very sweet scent (not gourmand sweet), except for the initial blast, which I think is the part that reminds me the most of the EDT. The drydowns are completely different: the EDT is pretty linear and remains the same tart, rosey scent, while the EDP turns into musky/sweet, vanilla infused incensey violets. Also the rose is less prominent in the EDP.
Of course, this is just my take on the scent, you might experience it differently. If I were you, I’d hope to procure a sample from one of the lovely users around here before purchasing. (This is how I got my decant as well. :))
valery552 – :
hello, can anyone tell me if the edt is very similar to the edp? i read below that it’s the same without incense, and i’m wondering if this “little” difference is really insignificant or not. I guess it is different, but i need your help. thanks
rostxsanya – :
The last drops of this are used up after years and years and I’ve come to terms with the fact that I am not a fan.
There is really only one description that I’ll remember it by and that is a plastic rose. A plastic rose both theoretically and in practice.
The scent itself is a rose, but a bluntly synthetic one, dry and sharp most of the time, but with rare moments reminiscent of dewy stems. I could never determine the longevity or the sillage, but I’d say satisfactory at least.
The spirit of this scent is very much Galliano. As much as his designs managed to be mysterious and intriguing, they always balanced on the line of being tacky. This perfume, in my opinion, crosses that line. It’s tiring, persistent, flashy, irritating and, again, tacky. Hot-pink-leggings-glitter-hair-spray kind of thing. Yet somehow, it manages to be incredibly boring.
It has nothing in common with the EDP.
Having said all of this, I can’t say I never enjoyed it. This was my rose, it brought back memories and I am glad to have had the opportunity to know it before it’s discontinuation.
faerr – :
This is definitely not a tame, boring floral! It’s a beautiful vintage smell, just as boudoiry as the EDP if not even more so: the slightly musty rose-violet combo is a much better match for the lavish quarters of a Victorian madame or a Parisian coquette than the incensey, gothic EDP, which is better suited for the salon of a struggling spiritist.
Anyway, I can definitely smell the Galliano DNA, the EDT smells just like the EDP minus the incense and some sweetness. A slightly boozy, intoxicating violet, contrasted with tart fresh roses, cold iris, vintagey oakmoss and a dash of retro (a mixture of old furniture, Shalimar, sour candies, dust and sweet herbal liqueur a.k.a the apartment of my grandma’s classy neighbour in 90’s post-communist Hungary).
While the notes are tamer and more suited for warmer weather, the EDT is not a summer scent either, and it is not fresh or crisp in any way. It’ s a full bodied floral suitable for autumn and winter, similar in strength and lasting power to the EDP: you don’t need more than 2 sprays to be able to smell it throughout the day.
limonkina – :
Soapy woody rose with a salty edge. It’s as if I took a bite of soap and drank a glass of seawater to get rid of its taste. Retro, soapy, not enough flowers to lift it up. An instant dislike for me, unfortunatelly. The edp has a retro vibe but at least it’s stylish, this one tries to drown me in a salty soap.
tanya1992 – :
I may be the only person who can get a hint of the John Galliano EDP in this EDT scent! While it is a much different fragrance, I can feel the same atmosphere about it – perhaps they are “day & night”, in a literal sense; This version being day, of course.
The opening is a very sweet, slightly watery/green, but spicy rose. It is the same type of rose/iris combination as the EDP, though this is lacking in that powder-puff department. The drydown is where the fragrance begins to lose it’s character a bit, turning more green in a slight *vegetation* way, which is always an off-putting turn for me in perfume.
To compare it to a popular point of reference, this is a less-sharp, less-shampoo-like scent that is reminiscent of the Chloe EDP, but one that has taken a turn into the “gone bad” territory.
Not awful, but not full-bottle worthy in my opinion!
FKTRCFYLH – :
I was hoping this is a lighter version of the original. This is not the case. They don’t have much in common.
This is a light woody rose scent, but it lacks depth and character.
A nice everyday scent, but I was a little disappointed because the original was really outstanding.
grand-s176 – :
I bought this one because it’s been very difficult for me to find an EDP version.
Well, I would say the EDT version is like an ” everyday scent”. For me it has the rose scent that I enjoy, not too strong or offensive.
After 20 mins the scent becomes powdery according to my nose, with the iris lingering in the background.
I live in a country when during summer time the temperature can reach up to 38 celsius degrees, in winter the it’s not that cold, so maybe the EDT version suits me well.
By the way, I wore some of it today when going out with some male friends, two of them said that I smelled really good, while one described it as ” a nice and elegent female scent”, and the other said “this is what I imagine a woman should smell like”.
However, it will be great if I can find the EDP version.
Dimenator – :
Nothing remarkable here. It smells very plain “rosey” scent, flat and extremely faint. On initial sniff, if I had not seen the bottle of this EdT, I would have thought that it was one of those cheap jokes by street vendor, a little non-descriptive bottle with some fancy rosey name on it.
It goes on like this for 20 minutes then it becomes a little more evident, maybe out of sniffing, and a little bit more put together. Plastic rose and fancy fruits, nothing else. It become stronger with time passing. Weird.
Iris? Yes, a faint iris comes in later, not too bad. But I still have to go beyond the drugstore cheapie. I will wait for more or retest.
It’s not a bad smell, but I think that something went wrong with this Galliano.
I was on one of those days when I smell everything amplified and mostly in a bad way and this one smelled very faint. It smells like an extremely diluted version of Cartier Goutte de Rose.
I think that the vintage EdP smells waaay better, totally another planet.
This one is wearable, not a stinker, just a very faint and safe one. Really too safe.
hameyka – :
A gently enticing springtime rose. Dewy, syrupy & fresh.
I was expecting a vintage, powdery, soapy rose.
And if that’s what you’re expecting, you’re best to set your sights, sniffs & spends elsewhere.
There’s just not enough iris in this for me, personally. It’s not powdery enough for my taste.
On my skin this is a sticky, gooey, extremely sweet rose – with some greenness, possibly bergamot or green apple? (sadly not quite “green in a natural rose stem kind of way”), on a smooth, salty cedar wood base.
When considering how blown away by the Galliano EDP I have been, I find myself almost wishing for aldehydes here, maybe a touch of violet, or at least a much more generous dose of the iris to soften this up a bit and add a bit more character to this simple rose scent.
But, with that said, this is really very, very nice, packing a very sweet, hefty rose punch. But I expected more.
As the rose here develops it morphs, becoming muffled, like the air is constricted. Almost suffocating. (I’m slightly inclined to believe that Galliano put something naughty in here. I feel rather lightheaded at this point. Either I’m allergic or just spiritual).
The effect is quite pleasing, like an ominous feeling with no threat of fruition. And the longer it’s on, the nicer it smells.
As it develops, it becomes smoother & more tantalizing. It softens up considerably within the first hour, though constantly retaining its initial sweetness. An extremely dewy, pastel pink, plush rose. Possibly more on the “vintage” rose spectrum than I first gave it credit for.
The longevity isn’t too bad, either – it lasts for around 5 or 6 hours on my skin.
This shares a strikingly strong similarity to “Moment de Bonheur” by Yves Rocher on my skin (dupe of Chloe). However, Moment de Bonheur is a little sweeter, more edible & stronger than this. This is that touch lighter, airier, crisper, greener & woodier by comparison. I might venture so far as to say that this is the nicer of the two, but they’re really very alike to my nose.
So, this is not really what I was hoping for. I’m still on the hunt for the perfect soft, soapy, powdery iris & rose scent that my sniffer so craves. (Off to buy some more soap….?)
Also – this can’t really compare to the (unrivaled) Galliano EDP.
Other than both sharing the same adorably cute, hard to handle atrocity for a carriage, they’re really not so alike after all. Though the dry down of both certainly shares some vague similarity, I would personally prefer to keep them well apart.
For me they seem not of the same age, era, nor of the same world. I find that the EDT is calming, has a vibrant air, is almost comatose in its smooth-nose-itching-sweetness, which is not necessarily a bad thing at all, but it’s not really a scent for me.
If the EDT is the calm, then the EDP is the storm.
If the EDT represents life, then the EDP comes from beyond the grave.
(Review for the “Selective Beauty” 60ml EDT, made in France.)
Кока – :
It’s true that not much is going on with this fragrance: Simple notes, simple composition. But it’s got such a character; I don’t find this an ordinary rose scent at all. And it’s so long lasting on my skin; the moment I opened my eyes this morning, I was charmed by the vintage, delicate rose of John Galliano… These days I seem to like relating fragrances with fabrics: This one would be “lace”… Thank you so much, Galliano and dear Fragrantician EK who swapped this beauty with me!
mostonyks – :
A small house filled with rose chintz wallpaper, and a basket of old-fashioned rose soap in someone’s grand-aunt’s bathroom.
This lovely lady in her 70’s was never a vamp in her youth — she was a wall-flower her whole life, a shy, lovely but very dull Good Girl, who always looked fresh, healthy and well-bathed, followed all the rules, never used rouge, was never rebellious, never had adventures, never travelled, never had a love affair, and dutifully cleaned her glasses every morning before taking up her sewing needle.
Most definitely NOT what I want to smell on myself, on others, or even in a room. This rosy EDT is an unworthy companion to the insanely gorgeous violet-incense EDP by Galliano. It’s a perfume for someone who has never really lived… Even my rosewater tonic I spritz on my face after cleansing smells more interesting than this. Can’t run away from it fast enough.
AndreHrebak – :
It’s a lovely fragrance, as soon as you spray it you’re hit with a strong rose scent, however, it’s not in anyway old fashioned or heavy. I appreciate the tiny hint of Cedar that I could detect, I just wish there was more of it. I’m not usually a fan of rose perfumes, this one however, makes me think of cool summer nights and evening strolls in the park. and the image that jumps to my mind when smelling it, is that of a sophisticated young lady who’s both feminine and mysterious.
It reminds me a lot of one of my favourite perfumes, Jovan Fresh Musk, which was discontinued years ago. It lacks the fresh fruity notes which Jovan fresh musk was full of, but it’s definitely more intense and lasts for ages, which wasn’t a quality that Jovan Fresh Musk possessed.
Lakosta – :
Undecided on this one. I ordered it because I got a really good deal on it and I had the EDP on order too.
This is a very rose scent. Old fashioned rose. At least that’s what I think of until I take another whiff, then I think toilet air freshner rose. I can’t work out which it is. I think the cedar ruins it for me a little (same with the EDP). Oh well, I have a 60ml EDP and a 40ml EDT – at least they’ll look cute together on my dresser.
Update: recently sold my EDP and left this one alone for a while. Revisted it again without expectations and liking it much better this time. A little bit of the shampoo-ey rose smell like the EDP but softer and no harsh incense dry down. Definately like this one better – not a love but worth keeping.
Mickle1963 – :
Quite a lovely take on rose, a little light for me but is rather easy to wear and quite a contrary to what I thought this would be like…
I think I have to save it for spring summer and just try and find a sample of the edp.
Very pretty and easy to wear scent but I was expecting something else.
The drydown is mossy and musky…and a little sweet.
But no wow feeling , sorry…
A rather simple rose with no sharp edges or surprizes.
Maybe because it’s an edt version.
Sorry to say – didn’t find it unique enough to keep it …swapped..
bucha_81 – :
Top Notes: Bergamot, Lavender.
Heart Notes: Monaco Rose, Iris Absolute.
Base Notes: Moroccan Cedar, Oak Moss.
Ganzaq – :
One word – Magnificent. It’s really magical, a perfume of happiness and dreams. I own also the edp both are long lasting, superb first class indeed. The edt is an aromatic rose scent with a powdery deepness. I like it very very much and I am happy to include this in my collection.
dim1 – :
I would, if I could, rename this fragrance: – John Galliano, Drift Away…
It is the fragrance of freedom, of infinite space and air, of width and depth and height; of mist and clouds and trees and grass and seaspray and shrubs and flowers and mountain passes and streams so far below that you have become one with the clouds and the air and the sea that surround all these and you breathe with the trees and whisper with the grasses and spray with the waves.
Yeah …free my soul, get lost, and Drift away.
MichaelOLаааsgdg – :
At first a blast of rose, then it becomes more iris (and i think there is violet as well), a bit sweet green and chill, and after a while balmy rose note rises again and dominates whole stage. Towards the end phrase, its rose note becomes thinner and lighter, gives way to a also light mossy-woody base.
Overall, a nice floral scent, tender and lovely, sweet but not silly sugary.
the design:
The package design is great, and one can get Galliano’s humour when open the box and seeing its inner print.
The bottle looks very great, but i think it’s difficult to hold. and as a violist My hand is larger than most people around, still I found bit difficult to hold the 40ml bottle and press the pump at same time.
shmondya – :
Very nice, utterly feminine, lightly sweet scent. The basic smell of it truly reminds me of Sweet Honesty – the same baby powder quality to it, maybe a touch more woody. Very versatile and just plain nice.
I hate that bottle though.
zpp – :
I saw this going for $26 bucks at a sale but didn’t pick it up.
This is a rather nice pink scent. Sweetened abstract roses with just the lightest hint of a chypre base, if at all. I don’t think anyone will associate this with an ‘old lady scent’ (I hate that term, seriously). This is a modern fresh rose that is pleasant and linear.
Verdict: An okay scent.
P.S: the bottle here looks great but the nozzle is made of flimsy plastic. I nearly broke the tester at the store D:
NikitosLiAZ – :
This must be the perfect fragrance for Tim Burton’s corpse bride! Spider web powdery rose with iris, what a beautiful combination! It reminds me of old fashion high quality rose soap. I have a weakness for rose scents in general, and this is one of the best ones that I’ve ever had the pleasure of smelling. It makes me feel very feminine. I now have a big bottle and a purse spray, and I couldn’t be happier. I adore this lovely creation and will make sure that I always have it in my perfume wardrobe. It will for sure always hold a special place in my heart.
Poefredeecype – :
I just received this in a swap and immediately sprayed it on and I am more than pleased with it!!
This must absolutely be one of the best rose-scented perfumes ever!
This is timeless!
A lovely, velvety soft, sweet, creamy, cuddly, fresh, innocent *HUG ME* kind of fragrance…
I have fallen in love with it already!
How can anyone not like this?
I absolutely adore this one! It’s a Gem!
Pretty good stayingpower for an edt of this kind! 6+ hours on my skin.
LePsIk11 – :
a light.. clean ..soft.. powdery.. floral..its a simple clean ..everyday scent.. fresh ..young ..and light..a crowd pleaser..i wish it lasts longer though ..i am not a floral person.. but i can take this type of flouriness! if i can say so….its not as annoying as heavier cloying florals…
when you want a perfume that will infuse cleanliness and subtle sweetness flowery.. whiffs of rose..a faint sweet rose a monaco rose..light woods ..powdery notes..its the kind of perfume that when you inhale your alveoli open up..as if its got so much alcohol.. in the opening notes that just exhilarates you.. and knocks you off your feet but quickly it disappears to be replaced with a clean ..fresh.. powdery.. rosy.. pinky live accords of light sensuality and pureness..
kvpetr12 – :
With the first spray it was as if I had gone back in time, and was a young child playing with her mother’s handbag. It reminds me of how the inside would smell, a wonderful mix of face powder, lipstick and perfume. I really like this one.
alex2010k – :
It’s very pleasant but not my thing. If anyone wants to buy a brand new bottle boxed and tested (opened in past few days) just once get in touch with me.
Monakh11 – :
This is giving me such a sense of deja vu,but I can’t remember what it reminds me of!-something from my childhood that my mum or aunt used to use in the early 80’s. It is in my opinion a very linear scent, a powdery rosy chypre floral,reminiscent of old fashioned talc and bathing products,slightly soapy,a comforting scent.
On me this is long lasting with a moderate to heavy sillage,and I think is suitable for any season,any time of day. I actually like the bottle,it’s unusual! Am now dying to try the EDP,as it has had some good reviews.
romaboxers – :
It`s rose and sweet
DannyHeiny – :
Quite a pretty floral with evident rose and violet notes. I am disappointed though, that I was sent the EDT instead of the EDP I had ordered. According to the reviews below, the EDP is obviously quite different from this one. On me, lasting power is almost nothing. I’m not a lover of the bottle – it looks better on the screen than in the flesh and the top is easy to pull apart as there is actually no cap – be careful.
rusoooo – :
I love this perfume, it reminds me of Ysl Parisienne edt, it is very diffrerent fron the edp one, and it lasts very long on my chlotes(about 24 hours). I recommend this for sprig – summer days :-).
Gypeaccethy – :
This is much different than the John Galliano edp. Where the original is dark and smoky, this one is a bright floral that is perfect for everyday wear. It’s a very clean smelling floral. I can smell the rose and iris, but then there is a soft woody smell that tones down the floral and gives this a very soft and feminine feel. Doesn’t last very long unfortunately, but as a rose fanatic, I love it!
lezhnyuk – :
there is nothing particular about this perfume…It’s nice and tender but absolutely not a signature one.The bottle is a little bit strange and the only thing that i find cute is the light rose colour.The sillage is not longlasting.Unfortunately,it fades away after almost 2 hours.You can easily find this kind of scent buying soaps or shower gels.
Andrew Drugov – :
reminds me of the smelling of the washing powders e.g. Ariel or Persil I don’t know exactly.
I like it because it makes a clean, refreshing feeling without being girly or cheap smelling.
It is modern and sophisticated for all ages with great sillage and lasting power.
Absolutely recommended.
I only have a small decant so I want a bottle so badly in my collection, I love the design of it as well.
UPDATE: I finally got my bottle. 🙂 I enjoy the washing powder smelling at first, then a fresh, bright floral breeze appears. Moving the notes on my skin like a blooming flower at the first opening, beautifully metamorphosis. Really great perfume.
Salenora – :
I likes it! Yes, it has a an old fashioned feel, but its so gentle, sweet, pretty. And there’s something naughty too; tiptoeing around. I get an image of an erotic postcard from 1900: A blushing girl hiding behind some roses, with a mischevious smile on her face. I also get some nice wafts of cedar under it all which don’t overpower it, but are instead very well blended and balanced.
olegya – :
An ultra-feminine and retro floral, with an elegant sillage but not very lasting on my skin: it reminds me of rose soaps in my grandma closet, and generally of rose scented stuff (is it just me, or this one smells a bit like Rose Essentielle by Bvlgari?).
It’s among my mom’s latest perfumes, and she’s a bit disappointed about this purchase for she says that on paper it smelled better.
I don’t think so, it’s a nice fragrance: on me, it smells exactly like a make-up powder I had once..I can’t find a better way to describe it 🙂
The bottle looks retro too, but there’s something slightly irreverent and ironic in it.
Definitely suggested to those who like rose-y and powdery fragrances.
UPDATE (May 2011)
John Galliano EDT absolutely works better in a medium warm weather, at least for me..I wore it yesterday and it was much more intense, smooth and lasting than before.
The rose note has a warm and powerful tone, and it’s perfectly rounded with hints of dusty iris: an elegance d’antan, with a look to nowadays.
Recently I tried the EDP and I didn’t like it as I was expecting..I guess I should give it another chance in Fall 🙂
miool2007 – :
Unlike a dark and sensual EDP, this one is very commmon rose scent and very different from EDP. Was really dissapointed.
tarax87 – :
This is a wonderful, special, powdery scent with good lasting power. The edp version is too powdery, otherwise they are very similar, but this is perfect! It’s on my wishlist.
ajwrik – :
It is an amazing fragrance.. very elegant and has a good lasting power.
vintik – :
I have to admit that I hate the bottle for this – I wasn’t even considering trying this until it was suggested to me (I’m on a long search for a soft, powdery floral). It really is nice – sweet but rounded, and with no sour notes. It seems to me quite classic, evoking the 1950s maybe.
I will test it on my skin again, I think.
wgt477speagoessenda – :
I’ve tasted this lovely scent yesterday!
At the first moment I was disappointed of difference with the first John Galliano’s fragrance, which I like a lot – it is like the misterious woman, very sexy and gorgeous.
But after an hour I was obsessed of the new one. It is the other side – tender and voluptuous but emancipated woman.
This two JG fragrances give me everything I want from the perfumes. My day and night desire.
John Galliano’s Eau de Toilette is long lasting, chic and feminine. It is very special! Iris and rose are in the perfect proportion.
I fell in love with JG’s EDT – already the first one in my wish list!