Hi there Perfume Posse, I’m on a rant. Long Fragrance Names! Don’t they give you the pip? If the fragrance name takes longer to say that the joy in saying it then you can be quite sure I’m not buying it. No matter how fabulous it smells, no matter how much I want it. When someone asks me what I’m wearing I would like there to be a 90% chance I can get the name out before the enquirers eyes glaze over and all thought stops. The recent ELdO: Hermann A Mes Cotes Me Paraissait Une Ombre by Etat Libre d`Orange I am definitely looking at you. Smells great. Wouldn’t buy it if you gave me the money.
Long Fragrance Names
Hermann A Mes Cotes Me Paraissait Une Ombre by ELdO
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Geosmin, island musk, pepperwood, petalia, rose, patchouli, ambrosian
Seriously? Everyone is calling it Hermann anyway.
Shalimar Ode a la Vanille Sur la route de Madagascar by Guerlain
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citruses, mandarin orange, cedar, bergamot, lemon
Heart: Iris, patchouli, jasmine, vetiver, rose
Base: Leather, sandalwood, opoponax, musk, civet, vanilla, incense, tonka bean
Alright. I own this little lovely. When people ask me what I’m wearing I tell them Shalimar. If they are perfume people then I’ll say the Madagascan Shalimar, or if they are a hard core perfumista I’ll tell them it’s the Sha_Lemur (thank you Sheila from Alembicated Genie who first coined it).
Eaudemoiselle de Givenchy Absolu d’Oranger by Givenchy
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom, jasmine, rose
Heart: Rice, incense, woods
Base: Tonka bean, vanilla
Yes, I know this one was designed for the Asia/Middle east market but still it is a LONG name. You can’t say just part of it either unless you called it Eaudemoiselle Orange but that sounds crap. Givenchy is a serial offender in the Long Fragrance Names stakes but I wanted to get one from the last couple of years, their longest name being Ange ou Demon Poesie d’un Parfum d’Hiver Santal d’hover. Seriously, try saying THAT in a pub after a couple of martinis. Ridiculous!
Surrender To Chance has fragrance samples of stuff with sensible names.
If you have enjoyed this then please pop over to Australian Perfume Junkies and continue the scented conversation. We love visitors, say HI while you’re there.
So which Long Fragrance Names give you the willies. Go on. You can unleash here with us.
Portia xx
Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi. Puh-lease. It’s one of my favorite summertime scents, but ‘Fico di Amalfi’ is enough for me.
Then there’s Smell Bent’s Werewolf Lumberjack Reclining on a Bearskin Rug. At least it’s funny 🙂
I like that Smell Bent one – Brent has fun names for his ‘fumes and that one is at the top of my Fun List! xoxo
I laughed out loud when I started reading the name of the Shalimar flanker. Then I started imagining all the ways one might make it longer, like what if you stopped somewhere else on the way to Madegascar, perhaps make a few pitstops in Mozambique and Malawi, why don’t we throw that in too? Thanks for the very funny post 🙂
Hey there Nemo,
I’m glad you got a laugh, it is funny but it’s also nightmarish. Imagine being the person in a room who is so freaking bored that they make up these asshole names that are sent to torment us. Yes, why not throw the whole journey in.
He he he
Portia xx
And while you’re on it Portia what about long brand names. Au Pays de la Fleurs d’Oranger is a key offender. I happen to really like the perfumes but a name like that is not ideal.
Yes, also very annoying Megan. We can always be thankful for CHANEL, Tom Ford and DIOR; simple names only mildly tricky to say.
Portia xx
Too, too funny, dear Portia! And several of those are so long they really had their work cut out for them to fit it on the label. It’s all I can do to manage one of my faves: Le Couvent des Minimes Eau des Mission Cologne. That’s plenty long enough for me, ha!
YAY! If I’ve brightened your day Ann then my work is rewarded.
PLENTY long enough I reckon.
Portia xx
hi, babydoll! We were just yapping about this whilst in Santa Fe, testing the Fleurs d’Orangers. It’s a way longer name than that but I don’t want to risk carpal tunnel trying to type it! 😉
xoxoxoxA
I bet you guys had the best time ever!
Ha Ha Ha Carpel Tunnel! You’re hilarious.
Portia xx
You’re so right Portia, and the combination long name + in French = frustration for all of us who don’t speak/understand French. One of the perfumes where it took me longer to remember the name (but I had to because I wanted to buy it) is Bulgari’s Mon Jasmin Noir L’Eau Exquise. C’mon….!
I feel your pain Neva. Such a mouthful.
Portia xx
You know, it’s funny — I went to my collection to see what I could find with a TL;DR name, and I really don’t have any. My scents are the Prince and Cher and Madonna of the perfume world — Mitsouko, Salome, No 19. I mean, I’m drawn to the smell, not the name, but it’s an interesting coincidence! I agree with you, though — the longer the name, it sounds like they’re trying too hard.
Lucky you HeidiC,
I wonder if subconsciously you have rejected the frag by the name alone?
The easy to say stuff does feel less pretentious.
Portia xx
Any long name drives me crazy. Especially the flankers. La Vie est Belle Elixir Rouge EDT or something like that. All the flankers have ridiculously long names. Silly
Yes, hit the nail on the head Rickyrebarco. At least CHANEL keeps its flanker names neat Coco Noir, Egoiste Platinum. The rest should take a leaf.
Portia x
Amen, Ricky! The flankers are some of THE worst!!
I’m with you on t:he long name bit. Especially when they seem to be making up words.
ha Ha ha Eldarwen,
Oh yes. SO annoying.
Portia xxx
Yup. With you on the Hermann, Portia.
YAY GreenNote2.
Thanks for dropping by. It does not make sense to me, glad you approve.
Portia xx