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1992aidar9 – :
This is beautiful and all the components smell natural. I pick up an unsweetened vanilla, then coconut and a dry rose. The dry down has incense and a little smoke (must be the tobacco) and some woods. Good performance and after the first 30 minutes this stays close on me.
I see some are making comparisons to Chopard Casmir, and on my skin it’s not similar at all. I pick up a Casmir synthetic banana note and a plastic vanilla. Lalibela behaves in the opposite way on me, so I’m thinking maybe some people are comparing this to the modern interpretation which I have not tried (My bottle is vintage).
Really nice offering and my next full bottle purchase.
Edit: couldn’t stop sniffing my wrist so I bought it today.
shapik – :
A beautiful scent. On my skin I get most Vanilla, Coconut, Rose & Patchouli. After 4-5 hours There is coconut & patchouli and a bit skinclose. Fresh and clean. Elegant and chic. Maybe not for a teenager but sure for a modern woman. Coconut & patchouli-lovers should really try this one.
melkon89 – :
I’m sure some of you will find this review practically sacrilegious, but hear me out. This is like one part Warm Vanilla Sugar (Bath and Body Works) and one part Coromandel (Chanel). But that’s not a bad thing. I actually really enjoy this scent. If you enjoy(ed) Warm Vanilla Sugar but want a more classy, mature version, you will love this. It’s got that super cozy vanilla-coconut base, but enhanced by rich orchid and patchouli. I absolutely recommend trying this.
danilval – :
This is a terrific scent and longevity to boot. Expensive but unique enough to justify the price. High quality material used make it better than most.
abelov51 – :
Mimi you’re so right! I spent two days trying to remember which perfume it reminds me of… thank you!
ALEXXXANDR – :
Somehow it’s smells the same as rituals voyage de indes..actually it’s so similar on me that i could not detect which wrist wears memo and which rituals..and i do not get any coconut here only jasmin rose orchidee some incense ant patchoulli
helgania – :
At first, this is all coconut on me, which I have to say, I don’t mind at all. It’s not a beachy, sweet, suntan lotion coconut. It’s dry and almost like there’s some husk in there. After a bit, the vanilla and a little bit of rose come in. I’m glad there’s not too much rose, as I’m not a huge rose fan. The drydown is a very nice incense, and the coconut remains throughout. This is gorgeous and definitely full-bottle worthy, when my wee sample is drained.
Votamalas – :
Beautiful! evocative perfume,mystical,complex! a mysterious fragrance and unique. At first I enjoyed the coconut but also the orchid, together they blend beautifully.. the fragrance already in the early stages is revealed captivating and mysterious, but with something “hidden” …. after a few minutes,the vanilla merges with the incense labdanum and patchouli This parfum recounts something, something very ancient, angelic… like from another world. I have nothing to add. I love this fragrance, and is one of my favorites! Masterpiece!
Sillage: 7.5/10
Longevity: 9./10
Scent: 10./10
Overall: 10./10
jonn – :
In the top and beginning of the middle, this smells strikingly similar to the original Narciso Rodriguez in the pink bottle. The same powdery, sweet, sharpish musk and abstract florals. The similarity is so strong I instantly decided it wasn’t worth having both. However, Lalibella transforms dramatically in the end of the middle and through the base. Lalibella becomes sweeter and sweeter as it ages on the skin. Turning from a NR dupe into a sweet musk, tobacco, coconut and vanilla near gourmand. I think describing it as a cross between Narciso Rodriguez for her and Casmir by Chopard is very accurate. In fact, if you layered those two perfumes, I’m betting it would smell very much like this fragrance.
Василий Морозов – :
Beautiful legend behind beautiful fragrance. I love the name of it – soft and mysterious, like this juice, perfection.
Lalibela is a town in northern Ethiopia famous for monolithic rock-cut churches,one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities, second only to Aksum, and a center of pilgrimage. Unlike Aksum, the population of Lalibela is almost completely Ethiopian Orthodox Christian. Ethiopia is one of the earliest nations to adopt Christianity in the first half of the fourth century, and its historical roots date to the time of the Apostles.
Looking at notes – hard to imagine THIS level of sophistication, yet it is here, present and solid, monumental blend from softest nuances, silky indeed.
Interesting, how tobacco and incense enveloped by orchid and vanilla, it is like holding fire by bare hands. Sublime quality.
diablo24 – :
Gorgeous. Warm vanilla and incense balanced with a hint of florals. The tobacco note feels unexpected at first but, as it dries down, keeps the other notes from feeling too familiar. Lasts for ages too.
Sanyaiwlev – :
WOW! This stuff is indeed divine. I also have Fragonard Miranda and Chopard Casmir which I do like. They share the vanilla note but from there on they are different to this and this is way better! The first hit is all about roses, jasmine and coconut on me. I do get the vanilla but its predominantly floral on me. It is sweet but not too much. A floral nutty gourmand if that category exists. I do imagine some carefree young woman wearing this. It is feminine but without being girly. Wearing this makes me forget for a bit that I am 51! Its worth buying it just for that! lol With a bit of time the incense and the orchid come to the fore. The rose and vanilla runs all the way through to the end. Moderate sillage and it lasts for many hours.
neenlymidepet – :
The coconut, patchouli, jasmine and vanilla combo remind me a bit of Vanilla Fields, an old favorite, but this smells like a refined floral version. This is creamy, sweet and yet intimate somehow. There are no hard edges or ingenious complexity here, but the outcome makes them unnecessary anyway.
The rose and orchid notes are jammy and thick among the other notes mentioned. I don’t get incense or tobacco, which if detected would have made this more unisex.
This isn’t a formal scent, IMHO, but more of a playful perfume with the capacity to be serious.
I picture a Meg Ryan type, (with her short, flipped hair and her funny walk. Back when she was a bright, happy ray of cinema light), in a rom-com play wearing this perfume.
Once the dry down hits the woods and an ambery labdanum hint at making an appearance, but decide to stay behind the stage curtain, instead of trying to vie for being the star of the show.
I love it for it’s nostalgia, light hearted nature and it’s ability to make me feel young and relevant.
ARFX – :
I worked as an volunteer in Ethiopia, never saw coconuts there 🙂 Though Lalibela is a lovely scent i expected a more coffe-popcorn insence burning wood fragrance cause that is what you smell in Lalibela:-) The Italians playd in 1940 for 5 years their little masculine terrorist-game. The only good thing that they left where their espresso machines though nothing can beat the official coffee ceremonial with popcorn and incense..
Back to the perfume Lalibela, It is a warm womanish cocanut vanille jasmin perfume i think an Ethiopian woman’s dream!
Mushikin1983 – :
Considering the major headache Sundance gave me and the fact that I appreciate lean scents rather than complex ones I was extremely skeptical about Lalibela. I have to say I’m extremely surprised. Lalibela is a different perfume for me but it’s a very interesting, warm, sexy one. Initially I can smell a spicy incense, but once it sets I get the gourmand notes: I smell coconut, vanilla, jasmine and a very well blended rose. The tobacco note is definitely there and links everything together. I can smell something minty and resinous (please tell me what it is!) that I really enjoy. Lalibela is a very nice oriental gourmand that I will try for a little more and probably buy full size.
vivasell – :
A place of pilgrimage and celebration ,located at over 2,500 meters in altitude,the Christian city of lalibela in Ethiopia is shrouded in mystery. legend has it that angels came down from heaven to build its twelve churches,hewn from the rock,in a single night.in the 12th century.lalibela is the sent of joyous fervor..that is what was written on the perfume pamphlet..
back to Africa again but this time going to mid east Africa almost close to the red sea ..where i smell the influence of Arabia on this perfume so much more than Africa..it has an overwhelming rose which is so heavly used in many of the holy cities of Arabia like mekah madina they are in asia yet only the red sea separates them about hours away by the sea..
lalibela is i divine perfume ..festive..happy holly almost bridal…it reminds me of all the rich extravagant Arabian weddings its a perfume from 1001 Arabian nights…full of luscious florals woods hidden and mystery..difenetly a happy sophisticated yet ritualistic perfume ..a cult perfume..a fine refined fragrance hat opens your air pathways to a higher realm weather you appreciate florals or not it will still mesmerise you uplift your spirit and ultimately transforms your state of mind to a more alert and joyous one..
the notes say coconut,orchids,rose,peony,jasmine patchulie citruce,vanilla,tobacco leaf .absolute incense and woods
from all the above notes i don’t smell any distinctively whic is making lalebela more special its not an everyday perfume..its a special unique perfume all in all it has an undertone of finer oud s i dont know why but every time i smell rose layered with woods i go back to Arabian attars for they use rose paired with oud all the time..so some how the rose here with the woods makes for a perfect Arabian perfume yet with a finer twist it smells like almonds almost velvety almost pure almost eadable..like marzipan..like wedding cakes..
it dries down to a mellower oilier more resinous gourmand and sensual perfume..it smells very rich..and for some strange reason it still reminds me of my dad when he used to return from meeting s with Arabian princesses and dignitaries maybe the incense or the oud they burn burned with the rose oil has this lasting perfume on his cloths and as a child i can still remember this sent so distinctively ..i used to go to the female royle weddings the smell over there is a bit different..more oudy and rosy but in lalibela it has a bit of a more masculine side to it
its strange i am reviewing all those perfumes that do contain flowers and i still dont have a headache and there is a smile on my face..to me i think rose and oud were a match made in heaven ..oud on its own is too much as so is rose but when they are combined they become a heavenly scent even if paired with amber musk or saffron..
kdd – :
very intersting fragrance and men also commented everywhere
hollapetop – :
I tried 3 scents by memo. But I didn’t like them much. Too weak for my taste. In particular lalibela is too gourmand, reminding a cookie more than a place in Ethiopia as they say. And even this predominant vanilla’s note disappear in seconds on my skin.
Kyzja2a2 – :
Memo LALIBELA offers a complex blend of a variety of oriental components which really smells familiar to me, although I have been unable to pinpoint what fragrance it is most like. Perhaps because the slightly sweet patchouli drydown is familiar enough to remind me of lots of different fragrances.
The opening of LALIBELA is especially nice–a serious wristsniffer with cinnamon and incense mingling together without either one seeming too strong. The flowers almost seem beside the point, as the overall effect veers closer to an oriental gourmand, it seems to me. Both the sillage and longevity are medium on my skin. Definitely worth trying for oriental lovers.
Снежище – :
I think this one is a better option(very long lasting) if you love Gucci by Gucci(big brown square bottle with golden necklace). Very sexy perfume, indeed.
zhrnek.e – :
Oh, this one is a good one to. As with Sundance it´s hard to actually tell what in it that I like, I only notice that I keep sniffing my wrist all the time. It is floral, a little spicy a little sweet and then there is something almost minty in it… or balmy or almost some kind of chewing gum, but in a good way. The floral notes are really pretty, and the patchouli, incense and tobacco adds a little spice, but only in the nicest possible way.
The drydown is soft and warm, but it is the top and middle notes I like the most, really great. I hope you will give it a try, it´s sure worth it.
I think Sundance was a bit more longlasting, but this one stays one well to, but not amazingly (4 hours at least)