I wrote about iris perfumes so many times that I was sure we have previously covered this topic in one of the SQ posts. But I checked – and no, we didn’t. So, shall we?
Saturday Question #265:
What are You Top 5 Iris Perfumes?
Provided you do like this note in perfumes, what are your most favorite irises in your collection? (Any formats above a sample count.)
My Answer
I like iris in perfumes, and in the past, I did a couple of Month of Iris projects where I wore only iris-centric perfumes for the whole month (albeit a short one, February). It was hard to choose just 5, and I feel bad leaving some of my favorites off the list, but I can’t break my own rules, right? So, here we go, in alphabetical order by brand – not to worry about which one I like the most:
Chanel №19 Parfum
Frederic Malle Iris Poudre
Armani Prive La Femme Bleue
Le Labo Iris 39
Xerjoff Irisss
I love them all, but it seems like I can’t recommend any of them! La Femme Bleue was a limited edition, so it’s long time gone, No 19 parfum isn’t on the brand’s site (but it might still be available at one of their boutiques), Iris 39 and Iris Poudre are bleak copies of their original selves, and Irisss is still available but I don’t know how seriously it was reformulated. It will be interesting to find a new iris favorite among the currently available perfumes.
How about you?
Undina's Looking Glass 
You named my two favourites, No 19 and Iris Poudre! But, like you, I now have to grieve for them. I was truly shocked at what Iris Poudre has become (astringent and thin), and I will not search for No 19 parfum.
It took me many years to appreciate iris as for some reason I didn’t think I liked it. I hadn’t realised it featured in some of the fragrances I really liked, it was just that when it was the dominant note in a perfume I thought it smelled like dog! But that changed a while back and I grew to love it. And now I feel sad because we have may have passed iris’s golden age.
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Sad the hear Iris Poudre changed. I guess I’ve waited too long to snap up a bottle.
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Unlike many other beloved ingredients, the use of iris isn’t limited by IFRA, only by corporate greed (it’s so expensive that it would be hard to use the usual mark-up brands want to make in their perfumes). But it leaves us with hope that some creators might still come up with masterpieces containing this note.
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Hey Undina,
Iris is not a huge favourite but I do like and enjoy many iris-centric perfumes. My two favorites are CHANEL No 19 (any strength) and L’Occitane Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc (DCd)
I also love Monegal Impossible Iris, Parfum d’Empire Equistrius and Oriza L. Legrand Jardins d’Armide
There are many more in the collection but you’ve asked for Top 5.
Portia xx
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I also like Impossible Iris and all concentrations of No 19. I don’t know how it is in Australia, but in the U.S., Monegal appeared at some point (with 12 initial offerings), and after several years, quietly disappeared from the stores. It’s available online, but without trying first, I don’t feel like spending money on that brand.
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I don’t think Monegal ever got to Australia Undina. I did all my buying overseas.
Yes, he did go worldwide with a collection but that was a capsule of his already significant oeuvre. We all got him long into his career.
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Another iris lover here. I once saw a huge field of purple shimmering iris in the middle of nowhere, and never got over its beauty.
My favourite iris scents, in no particular order, are Je Reviens, L’artisan’s Jour de Fete, D’zing, Iris Silver Mist, and Iris Poudre. I had no idea Iris Poudre was different now-I have the 30 ml bakelite bottle, which may be about 5 years old-I think it was their 20th anniversary special packaging.
I had a sample of Irissss before, and loved it.
It’s a beautiful day here-we’ve had the coldest darkest rainiest spring ever. Even Friday was pouring rain and 2 degrees C. Today it’s very cool and breezy but plants are starting to bloom. My backyard is about to turn into a feast of lily of the valley-that’s a plant that knows how to spread. There are azaleas blooming, crab apple trees in bloom, and some lilacs trying hard to get started. It all smells so good!
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I didn’t realize that Je Revience was about iris! Many years ago, I tried a vintage sample and loved it, but never got to buy a bottle.
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… and I can’t remember when was the last time I saw LotV not on a photo. It’s such a beautiful (and fragrant) flower!
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Historically iris has not been high on my list of favourite notes. However, as my nose has matured, I have learnt to appreciate iris more. I’m not sure I have a top 5, let’s see.
1. Belle Ame Les Abstraits
2. Étoile d’Une Nuits Goutal
3. Dior Homme Intense
4. Chanel No19
5. Guerlain Initial formally Shalimar Initial
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I was considering your #2 for a while… but ended up not buying it.
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While I’m not someone who actively seeks out iris perfumes, I must admit that I find many of them quite enjoyable. While I don’t have a perfume in my collection where iris is the main focus, it often plays a supporting role in the heart notes, complemented by violet and lavender. Here are my five favorite iris perfumes:
Bas de soie is the only one here I have in my collection and enjoy immensely.
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The last 3 on your list are my favorites as well, and I’m still annoyed at myself for not buying SL when I could.
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Bas de soie was an immediate love for me. I’m glad I got it when I did. It’s still available in a bell jar, if you’re still craving it.
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Iris has been a long time favourite:
no 19 Extrait
Heure Exquise – Goutal
31 Rue Cambon
La Pausa
Irisistible – April Aromatics
Diamond Jubilee Bouquet – Grossmith
Iris Silver Mist
and now I will stop cheating ;-)
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Heure Exquise is one of my favorites also, but recently I noticed i started getting tired of it after a while. I’m not sure if it’s my nose or the perfume started aging.
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Another iris lover. Picking a top 5 is difficult. In no particular order
I also need to mention Iris Doux by Puente. I have a lovely sample I need to test more.
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I like (and wear) Hiris. Your other favorites are not in my collection, but I liked them all when I tried them.
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I adore iris in all its forms and iris fragrances, so beautiful!
My top five iris fragrances:
Guerlain Iris Pallida Extrait
Parfums de Nicolai Iris de Medicis
Lutens Iris Silver Mist
Heeley Iris de Nuit
Neela Vermeire Nirale
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Unexpectedly, Niral didn’t work for me. I will revisit it one day. I like most of NVC perfumes and I like iris… I don’t know why this wasn’t a winner :(
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Niral has a lot of spices and some cumin which doesn’t work on everyone.
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I love Iris and how it can vary so much from earthy to carroty to powdery!
my top 5 (that I can think of off the top of my head)
I never thought of Chanel No 19 Parfum as an Iris. Now I’ll need to dig out my bottle. Perhaps this will inspire me to do a month of Iris scents! So many great ones!
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I want to try some of the ones you mentioned.
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From your list, I tried Iris Cendre (liked but not enough to buy) anf Guerlain (used up a couple of decants but never bought a bottle – I should have). The rest are new to me. Will definitely try if I see them somewhere.
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I remember seeking out iris perfumes a while back, but haven’t bought many… let’s see…
Chanel No 19 EdP
Masque Milano – L’Attesa
Santa Maria Novella – L’Iris (not opened yet)
strangelove nyc – meltmyheart (1-mL vial)
That’s four, and if I were to get another one, it might be Iris Ebène by Atelier Materi or Iris Malikhân by Maison Crivelli. I suppose I like the leathery association with iris!
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Santa maria Novella L’Iris is a beauty, a fresh dewy take on iris, in contrast to the usual powdery cool iris fragrance. I’ll be wearing mine this week.
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How could I forget L’Attesa?! It is one of my strong favorites! I think I like it slightly more than Iris Poudre.
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… I also liked Iris Ebene when I tried it at a store – I need to get a sample and try it again.
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