Description
Japanese house Shiseido is celebrating its 140th anniversary with new cosmetic products, among which is the new fragrance. Zen Secret Bloom Eau de Parfum Intense is a limited edition for 2012.
This intense and refined perfume envelops you like a precious silk kimono. It conjures up intensive, intoxicating and mysterious scents of golden flowers in a dark night. The composition, which plays with contrasts of floral freshness and warmth of mystical accords, is signed by Michel Almairac, who also created Zen 2007 version, otherwise the third edition of this Shiseido fragrance originally from 1964.
The composition is a chypre – floral blend. The golden flowers are captured with feminine jasmine absolute and sparkling and fresh notes of freesia. Patchouli, incense and black vanilla are there to provide sensuality and to prolong the mysterious aura.
The fragrance is available as 50 ml Eau de Parfum Intense.
vammorybearce – :
I love Zen so much, so I tried this one as well. For the first few seconds it was just too strong for me that I wanted to wash it. But after a min, it was much better. Still, no love happened as with Zen. For me just too much patchouli and vanilla, quite overhelming and I’m afraid it is just to loud for me. Still, can recommend, at least try it I can immagine to be in the mood to wear it sometime, but not always
gugunea13 – :
This is a really pretty oriental vanilla to my nose. This doesn’t strike me as a chypre at all. The most dominant note is my beloved patchouli, musty and a tad masculine. then creamy sweet vanilla. The white florals are light. Incense, tonka and musk add a smoky slightly animalic base. The vetiver gives this a slightly bitter backbone. The silage is moderate, will update on longevity. Zen Blossom is a really beautiful scent, It’s a love 🙂
Mypppka21 – :
Not sure if I got a duff bottle (blind buy on Amazon) but I’m very disappointed. I paid £60 and waited for 6 weeks for something that just smells faintly medicinal. Can’t see myself ever wearing this.
Edit: It’s not that bad, smells better on my skin than it does on paper. It reminds me of Presence d’un Femme by Montblanc which costs a lot less.
gamesea – :
The classical Zen is a masterpiece to me: calm, perfectly balanced, quite cold, on my skin it develops marvelously. I bought all other Zen versions blind and regret nothing.
Secret Bloom definitely has the claw, it is more bossy, hot-blooded in comparison to its older sister. I smell only patchouli and incense – no flowers at all. The incense note here is sexy, captivating, sensual; the patchouli is dirty and oily to my nose. If you are patchouli lover like me, you are going to like it.
It lasts about 5-6 hours on me, which is satisfying.
I enjoy wearing it in the winter. Makes me feel flirty; it is not extremely feminine in my opinion (I consider white florals the most feminine perfumes), but it works like an aphrodisiac to men.
Seepttahded – :
I have a small decount of zen blooming and I find it an interesting fragrance.it’s smokey,spicy,complex but in a modern way and has a dark vibe that makes it differant with mainstream perfumes
I can’t get much citruses here,it opens with spicy florals.florals(freesia,jasmine,blue rose, gardenia)are very well blended and non of them stands out separately.it has a balsamic and deep base which plays the most important role.spicy patchouli,incense and smokey black vanilla/tonka and a hint of musk anchor the florals very well
It’s not a sweet girly scent,it’s sultry,mysterious and mature and although not my usual favorite and not something I love,it appeals to me sometimes
Zen bloom is a cool weather scent,longevity and sillage are both very good.it is newly available where I live in 3.4 oz flacons
B-boy-MD – :
I don’t know why so many people think that Secret Bloom smells similar to the original Zen. To my nose, they are very different. Zen is citrusy, floral and sort of plain, whereas Secret Bloom is balmy, creamy, special and very fifferent from anything that I have smelled before. Scret Bloom is definately on my future purchase list.
ND – :
On the fence with this one, while it is complex and sweet which is something I normally love, there is an element of cheapness I feel about it. Might be that patchouli/musk is just not for me though, brings back childhood Eastern European block memories of dime a dozen perfumes.
I have 100+ niche samples for swap within Europe – updated spreadsheet of samples on my profile, get in touch!
korolevj – :
I am Zen addicted. I have Zen, Zen Secret bloom, Zen Moon Essence. The only and the one is Zen, the classical. When the weather turns to hot, I start to wear Secret Bloom, which I feel more “creamy” (I guess because of Tonka beans) or Moon Essence, which is more fruity compared to classical Zen.
Anyway I love all!
annazigmud – :
Secret Bloom is a frustrating perfume for me, because it just comes THIS CLOSE to a love. It’s an easy perfume to love, it’s modern, it has that fruitchouli perfume thing going on that’s a cross between Coco Madamoiselle and Narciso Rodriguez For Her in EDT. On me the musk is very prominent, and gives the perfume a velvety feel. “Blue Roses?” Sure, whatever. If blue roses smell like sweet flower facsimile, then that’s what the note is, with a rich vanilla underlying everything. But the perfume still wears kind of dark and sultry, which I really like. Also it has great staying power and projection.
What kills it for me is the crappy wood base–underneath it all is a lot of wood aromachemicals that stands in for the patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood, whatever, and I feel like they ruin the other notes. One review I read said that all she could smell from this was “cedar closet” and I will go a step further and say it smells like fake cedar closet, closer to dryer sheet on me. The bad base is really pretty faint, though, but honestly this is more fruitchouli than patchouli, this is not even a floral chypre in the modern sense, with a strong patchouli base. If you like your patchouli ala iso e super than this will probably work for you.
alkogolik12354 – :
Sweet, a little soapy. Warm vanilla. Soft. Understated patchouli. Incensey – like Japanese temple incense.
lonworlpostspoz – :
I was kinda forced to wear this … and …
It’s actually OK! I don’t mind it!! Now a
year or two later, bringing out bottle from
the fridge, upon sniffing it is taking me back
to those good times. And my impression is:
Luxurious! Full bodied! Sultry! And not
annoying! (I expected it to be, Idk why).
Totally wearable. Like able. A lovable
little anonymous lesser known little
buddy, she is. Fabulous actually. 🙂
…Peace…
P. S. Wonderful. Glorious. There I
said it! Deliciously dark without be-
ing morose at all! Deliriously happy
without being chirpy. Mysterious but
not reserved nor introverted. …Peace…
Update 2017 – my taste has outgrown
this and NOW as expected I do not like
this :). Low sillage but mainstream too ..
leroyert – :
I must have bought this at a duty free somewhere – years ago , and , looking at the bottle which is half full, I must have quite liked it .
I’ve just had a squirt – its definitely another ” fruit-chouli” scent , the kind I grew bored of a few years back – this frag dates from 2012 which means I was on my way to Egypt when I purchased it . It has a kind of muted Angel smell ( but no benzoin ) its nothing like Coco Mademoiselle(IMHO) which is more camphorous and resinous .
Its not bad , it just isn’t very original and smells like La Vie Est Belle without the aldehydic burst that opens it . I don’t get the incense but I do get a hefty blast of patchouli which is the clean chemical stuff , not the down and dirty interesting patchouli of , say Coromandel ( Chanel) . I also am not getting a typical chypre dry down so am confused about it being classified as a chypre – its not a sexy come hither thing either, its too clean – I asked my husband ” is this scent sexy to you ?” Answer was in the negative – funny isn’t it ? What we think smells sexy on us, in fact is fairly boring to the noses of those around us .
I love the bottle – its fairly gravity defying – this might be one to just hang onto because its rarity value and amazing cube bottle may one day be worth something . I don’t dislike this scent as it dries down on my wrist but I can live without it – which means its just not different enough for me to wear .
vital1966 – :
I love all the listed notes so when a fragranted friend offered it to me it seem to scream “winner”. This is a VERY nice balsamic chypre but alas it is a chypre and for some reason this is a family that just doesn’t seem to do it for me. I like Zen Secret Bloom it’s mildly sweet, warm, a tad smokey and probably gorgeous on the right skin. But for me like most chypres they all seem to fall flat on my skin and just blah. As a result it didn’t get reached for so I swapped it to a new home.
Divide et impera – :
Zen Secret Bloom is super strong, and hard to love at first, but time works wonders, unfolding from a “punch-to-the-nose” type of scent to a powerfully feminine arrow-to-the-heart. After a dry-down period of about 1-2 hours, the overwhelming saccharine patch dries down to a slightly sweeter version of the beloved Fancy Nights. I am quite impressed by the transition!
vvteks – :
A lovely candied patchouli sent with incense and vanilla. I agree with Lybarra118–this does smell like a gourmand without having a definable “food” note present. It’s deep and dark and sexy, a real dominatrix scent. It screams confidence. Other sweet patchoulis like Coco Mademoiselle or La Vie est Belle are definitely in the same vein, but this is their dark, night time sister who goes everywhere in 6-inch black stiletto boots, heavy black eye makeup, and dark red lipstick. The sillage is definitely something; one spray is more than enough on me. I would only wear it out at night during the summer, but during the winter it is very daytime wearable (as long as you don’t mind attention because this is definitely a head turner!)
fqu952Unlogrere – :
This is delicious! Not in a food kinda way but in a I want to completely devour my own arm because I can’t get enough of this scent! Its vanilla patchouli and incense on me…in that order and then all at once. Very strong and projects really well. I had been wanting this one for quite some time and bought it blind based on the notes and reviews and holy moly was this worth the wait!! I own so many perfumes and I rarely get quite this excited but I can’t help it! This has become a fast favorite and will be in regular and frequent rotation. If you are a lover of vanilla and patchouli-but not the candy sweet typical fare, give this one a shot.
Mystafam – :
Each Zen is beautiful in its own way and I cannot seriously choose which one is the best. Secret Bloom is warm and calming, simple and uncomplicated as a emotion. It is definitely worth to try. So great composition.
icersape59 – :
This is a statement maker. And that statement says, “I’m here to kick a** and take names with one bat of my smokey-eye outlined lashes!”
Sexy, alluring, sophisticated, bold, chic, rich, elegant…I could go on and on. Edible and yummy in a non-gourmand way, if you know what I’m sayin’. I do get a subtle men’s cologne/aftershave vibe, but as a whole the scent is still very feminine. Somewhat similar to Coco Chanel EDT, but not as patchy and in your face.
Even my 4 (almost 5) year old son keeps saying, “Mmmm, Momma, you smell delicious!” Trust me, my boy has got a good nose on him.
Longevity – 8+ hours.
Lily2911, thank you again for picking yet another new favorite for me.
sviktor8 – :
Deeply balsamic on my skin. Far too heavy for me. What a shame, because bottle is absolute beauty.
Walrus – :
When I was much younger, my Mom took me to the Neiman Marcus fortnights that were held each year at their downtown Dallas store. The year it had an Asian theme she bought me the original Zen in the smooth, opaque glass bottle. I felt like a mysterious princess wearing that scent. Those fortnight events also ignited my curiosity about the world, as well as giving me a serious case of wanderlust I still experience today. This is one of my few blind buy purchases I could see wearing, though it feels a bit mature to me now. In the warm weather I feel that Secret Bloom is wearing me, and gives me a bit of a headache. Maybe in cold weather this Secret Bloom will reveal her secrets to me….
guedenpou42 – :
Very nice!! Warm and female Patchouli with jasmin, Insence and soft Sandalwood. A new favourite!
Otroligt trevlig! Varm och kvinnlig Patchouli med Jasmin, Rökelse och mjuk Sandelträ. en ny favorit!
Villian – :
Finally managed to grab myself this delightful baby!! Ohhh… it’s so sexy and balsamic! Take the original zen and add more incense and patchouli to it and you got Zen Secret Bloom. Very well balanced and not overwhelming at all! A “round” fragrance, very very chic and classy!!
NoraWraby – :
I tried it at the airport, and did not have much time to let it cool down a little. While I was a little afraid on vanilla at first (I don’t enjoy much), I trusted patchouli and jasmine in it. As minutes pass, this fragrance turns into something nice, but not making me want it all the time. It’s a mood-dependent scent, I would say.
FriendGavin – :
WOW Very balsamic, deep, sexy and warm! Love it! I tried it thinking it would be something that smelles much like the original zen ( which is a little boring in my opinion ) and found a very sophisticated balsamic perfume for the cold days of winter! This one is recomended! it’s everything but boring!!
vzozulya – :
My name day today & this sexy juice is my husband’s gift <3
He asked me some days ago what will my new perfume adventure for the fall will be for this year & I chose this mysterious, dark, warm sexy thing…
Love it!
NekroHimera – :
Oooft, really love this. I saw it on a clearance table this week and I like Shiseido’s skin care products so I was curious. There was no tester so the SA found me a tiny sample and I put some on my arm, but I didn’t much care for it and wandered out of the shop.
But then, magic!
I continued shopping and kept sniffing my arm and the scent just got more and more beautiful by the minute. In the end I turned back to buy it and I am so happy I found this little gem!
The opening is quite bog-standard white floral on me, and I’m not that big a fan of plain white florals. But give it a few minutes and the deep, warm, smooth, mouth-wateringly yummy heart of the fragrance comes shining through. It’s vanilla, it’s sweet, it’s balmy, it’s comforting. Like a warm embrace from a beloved friend. I can see how some might find this a very sensual perfume, but for me it’s more of a genuinely kind affection. It makes me feel safe and warm and happy and loved.
I imagine this will be nice throughout the year. Tonight I wore it properly for the first time, it had been a gorgeously sunny hot day and it was still a sultry warm summer evening, and the fragrance was just perfect. Not at all sticky or cloying, just beautifully warm, just like the evening itself.
I do not hesitate to recommend this, especially now that retailers appear to be getting rid of their old stock. It’s supposed to be a limited edition so get it while you can!
Yurok801996 – :
It is SOOO sexy and feminine !!! It made my day 🙂
джаник – :
I bought a 50ml bottle just this morning!! T loved it! Mysterious, feminine, warm very sexy!!
hessunire – :
For me Zen Secret Bloom is a quiet hidden garden at night. Moonlight, dark shadows and beautiful flowers. It’s mysterius, yet comforting. Unique and familiar at the same time, like a dream.
Black vanilla, patchouli, jasmin and incence are all very much present here. When jasmin and incence slowly disappear it dries down to patchouli-based vanillaish blanket which reminds me a lot of Flowerbomb Extremes drydown.
LattVeire – :
I’m a man yet I love wearing this. Its powdery top note reminds me of Azzaro Decibel, only more restrained.
Medpz455Bessinepome – :
spend money spend money spend money –
a nice one – at least for me and on male skin –
g.e.n.d.u.g.o.v – :
First of all, the bottle is gorgeous!
I thought this fragrance might be similar to alien because of the jasmine. It’s not. If you’ve smelled flowerbomb, Vince Camuto, La Vie est Belle, and Hanae Mori #4, you will see similarities with all of them. In the first spray, you mainly smell the florals. Then; it gets sweet as the incense, vanilla, and patchouli kick in. The incense stands out to me, and “zen” seems like a fitting name.
Sillage is excellent. I sprayed one spray on my wrist and my husband could smell me from across the room when I got home.
This one is very nice. I do want a bottle, but I’m not sure I want to spend the money because I already own those fragrances. It’s a little too similar, to my nose.
apollo912 – :
I have it, I love it. The bottle is also charming. I have also Zen and both smell masculine to my colleague, but I love them.