Cruel Gardénia Guerlain for women

Cruel Gardénia Guerlain
(Store test)

Cruel Gardenia catches my attention after I actually found my love in Gardenia after Honour 43. "Oh actually, I haven't tried that once yet.." when I wanna find another Gardenia.

Guerlain offers 4 white floral for daily use "Angelic Noire, Jasmin Bonheur, Joyeuse Tubéreuse & Cruel Gardenia" I was test another 3 first but it didn't blow me away as much but somehow I ignore Cruel Gardenia.. and yeah...Just to fall in love later...

From my personal experience "Gardenia" is the creamy white-floral experience.
This one is integrate so well between "Powderiness, Muskiness and Clean white floral side" and Cruel Gardenia merges the Guerlainade with White floral so welly done.

The muskiness in this I really like it, I could just sell 1957 from Chanel about now to grab you. I think I have never been sniffed the white floral that as Blanc as this.

I will definitely add this to my collection.
9/10

(First to add in May)..
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May 5, 2024

I revisited Guerlain boutique in Thailand as I wish to reassert my personal thought.

Still, Curel Gardenia catch me in a heartbeat. I bring Chanel 1957 to store just to compare the difference.

I notice that, maybe the musk accord is difference. I personally don’t find that redundant but you may. While 1957’s musk contains strong element of musk with mild animalic tone, dear or civet like I’m not sure

Guerlain’s musk seems other side of Animalic…(?) it’s a bit mustier than Chanel one, but it smooth like silk. , I smell mildly carnal aspect underneath. Ylang - maybe.

I like this, the mild carnal white floral and smooth blend, keep me going in this one. It just so right in all aspect consideration.

This might be my first truly negative review.

Cheap Gardenia soap. This is what I get when I try this on myself. There is a fleeting moment when it dries down to an amazing true Gardenia scent, but that goes away quickly. It then disappears to a kind of powdery generic white flower finish, with limited sillage and longevity.

This may be just my individual chemistry, but man, Guerlain cannot pay me enough to wear this.

Definitely reminds me more of Delacourte than Guerlain, but perhaps we can say this in the spirit of Apres l'Ondee. Sheer, soapy, violet powdery like laundry detergent, supporting a gardenia that is enhanced with rose and neroli.

I do like it, but it reminds me too much of Ombre Rose; mostly powdery, salty, and musky on my skin, Ombre Rose is the boudoir whereas Cruel Gardenia is tea time.

This (surprisingly) is my favourite from Guerlain's L’Art et La Matière collection. It’s the most demure, simplistic and understated, as most shout and explode in avant guarde triumph. Cruel Gardenia is simply; beautiful white floral bridal elegance.
I’m told that it’s one of the ones from this collection that’s being discontinued. Luckily I don’t love it but it’s just pretty and very easy to wear. It does give me a feminine and powdery face cream vibe, but I would wear this over Chanel’s Beige which has a similar creamy white floral femininity, as Cruel Gardenia is more creamy-soapy than powdery-musky-sweet.

This is a beautiful perfume. Unfortunately I go nose blind to this, or it doesn't last long on my skin. I also have Totally White 126 Parle Moi de Parfum, and the two are similar enough that if you have one, you don't need the other one. Personally I prefer Totally white. A must for people who love white flowers.

It smells like the OG black bottle Kim Kardashian perfume. Very gardenia-focused, soapy white floral.

unobtrusive and forgetable well-done floral with a beautiful natural effect of a creamy flower. The musky backdrop captures that elusive shower clean freshness, the scent of skin that still carries the scent of soap and talcum powder, far away of any cruel intoxicating gardenia.

What a disappointment as the combination of gardenia and violet can be so intriguing. This is your typical "old lady" or "grandma" scent. When it comes to these stereotypes, this fragrance nails them all: powdery, soapy, outdated, musty, waxy and rubbery, synthetic, dusty with a touch of halitosis. It's very outdated smelling and leaves behind a bomb of white floral powder. The fragrance settles into a very clean, soapy white floral concoction supported by potpourri roses. Perhaps the magic will come in a few hours, but right now, this is a scrubber.

This smells disappointingly generic. It smells like Pond's Cold Cream. Extremely SOAPY white floral, honestly I get more neroli than gardenia. This kind of floral always makes my nose twinge, like I'm about to sneeze. Opens with classic Guerlain aldehydes, dries down dreadfully baby powder musky and vanilla.

This perfume somehow manages to be too grandma and too baby for me at the same time.

Edit: This improves dramatically for me in the drydown! Normally white florals disintegrate into powder in the drydown, but this one somehow does the opposite? The soap and aldehydes fade away, leaving just the florals. I'm going to guess this is due to the high quality of Guerlain's ingredients.

Creamy, musky white floral,
With smell of plastic, leather and oily,
Smell just like a lady and skincare from decades ago.
30mins later, it smells like worn leather shoes... and it’s the smell of the inside or a pair of feet which have worn leather shoes for hours without wearing socks
Hello trash can..

I bought this for my wedding day and can’t help but reach for it every morning. All the reviews nail it. Clean, delicate, aloof almost. Sexy, but in a quiet way. Truly timeless, it could be a beautiful lady you remember from childhood or someone you saw at the flower stand just this morning. Clapping block heel, lipstick, pearl earrings, a leather shoulder bag. Smells like a woman.

Full blown white flowers. Very 80s. It has a strange plastic smell as well for some reason? Not a bad thing, just something that’s there. It’s what I want it to be. Although I would NOT recommend this if you’re looking for a “gardenia”

I got a hefty sample of this. It is so darn pretty. As everyone says, pretty white flowers. So much so that it truly isn't me. I wish I could try it in a spray. I always love to try a spray to get the real feeling of it. Anyways, don't shy away from it because of my quick review, it is gorgeous. I am looking for a straight up Gardenia, I mean full on Gardenia. This is a gorgeous Guerlain, but not what I'm looking for. I will keep my generous glorious little bottle. It will be good for a wedding or something, but I don't love it. This time around anyways, I will come back to it, and probably be in love with it, as usually the case. Put on the back burner for now.

I had no interest in this fragrance from the description and the name and I am so glad I got a good price on the discovery set or otherwise I would never know how much I love it and how it makes me feel! This should be Serene Gardenia or Gardenia Cream. It is exquisitely cooling and calming. It is the most luxurious and expensive cold cream (as someone else said) with big waxy white gardenia smell. It might be reminiscent of certain ladies in the 80s, but also timeless. Perhaps she is cruel in that she is unaffected by drama around her?

I wish I could douse myself in it, but it's too expensive for that. Seems great for the spring time especially if you want to smell elevated, but not make a particular statement, like floral or gourmand etc. People will still smell you, but it will be safe to wear in offices or places where fragrance isn't permitted, as it smells like rich-folk body care.

If it were closer to $100 rather than $360, I would buy a bottle for sure, but sadly I guess I will have to stretch out this mini bottle instead.

Beautiful scent. Well balanced and just super unique. Does not overdo the floral. Very pretty scent.

White florals done right
No neroli nonsense just other creamy white florals with musky notes
The main note gardenia is prominent and running the show
The performance was very good

It smells like thick heavy but expensive face cream or moisturiser from the 80s.

Musk, musk, and more musk. Cruel Gardenia is an incredible soapy musk scent with a refined sillage. There's a hint of something indolic in there but becomes cleaner as it dries down. It is long-lasting and perfect for those that like to smell like you've just showered.

I got no gardenia…. But reminds me of Chanel 1957… hmm is it because the musk and powdery feeling ?😦

A dainty white floral that is made to feel 'cold' (I know it makes no sense!) by the chill violet and musk. It's an interesting accord, not one I particularly care for, but intriguing nonetheless. It reminds me of my uni days working in a supermarket for the dairy case and smelling -20 degree air (celcius, you godless heathens) -- violet has that effect. Not for me, but I like what's going on here...

I don’t even like gardenia, but THIS is divine.

Perfectly blended, high class, sophisticated, complex but easy to understand, mass appealing but unique, signature worthy, all year, day and night, eternal longevity, and the perfect level of sillage. Heavenly!! FBW!!

My personal experience is that it smells as described. I got synesthesia with this one. I feel like it vibrates on two levels. The first level is gardenia and musk. Feels angelic. The 2nd level is a dark, iridescent, inky, cold navy blue. In that odd experience, I feel the ‘cruel’ vibration.

Pure magic. If I had the cash flow, I would SO buy this…a gardenia scent!!!??!!

A clean, elegant white floral with creamy, powdery and even slightly soapy aspects. Nothing cruel about this, this gardenia is neither too sharp, nor extremely narcotic. Just polished, harmonious and chic.
I have read people describe Gardenia as "mushroomy" before and I never really got it. But now I do. It's mainly a texture thing to me. Imagine big, plush petals with the same firm, smooth structure as fresh, dry white button mushrooms. Then add a hint of vegetal, earthy bitterness to the white floral scent to emphasize the feeling, and there you have it: Mushroomy gardenia. Which might sound off-putting, but actually smells quite lovely to me.
This is one of the less sweet fragrances in the L'Art & la Matière line. It's decidedly feminine with a dash of rose and a soft layer of powder on top of everything, while the sweeter and warmer notes like vanilla, tonka and peach are extremely subtle and just exist to balance the scent and warm up the white musk base.

The combination of gardenia and creamy musk makes me think of the white Narciso Rodriguez cube. These don't smell the same, but give me a similar vibe of being very well-groomed and softly perfumed. Professional, but with an underlying whisper of sexiness. Cruel Gardenia is definitely much more floral though and also has a subtle Guerlain signature that makes clear which house created it.

I don't think I would buy it for the high asking price, but I absolutely love to smell this.

My sample was decanted from one of the older golden 75 ml flacons.

I’m picky about gardenia fragrances but this isn’t really one of them, honestly. I like it, however there’s the slight violety aerosol nose burn of old school hairspray that reminds me of my grandmother (this is NOT an insult- my grandmother always smelled amazing with that mix of makeup, hairspray and perfume and I love that smell). If you don’t enjoy that scent I’d definitely try this one before taking that $360 plunge.

This reminds me of Nivea body cream/lotion. Very comforting, like a warm hug :)

I love how gardenia does not dominate this scent like it usually can in other scents. It is very light and powdery which I adore. I think the neroli mixed with the other notes gives this a slight mushroom vibe like a reviewer said below, but it isn't a deal breaker or that overpowering. The "cruel" part comes from the seductive sensual vibes. This does not feel like a typical daytime gardenia scent, but it is not your typical nighttime heavy scent either. But this can definitely be used for date night

I get a lot of gardenia, but as other reviewers mentioned, I also get a big mushroomy note, along with the vegetal smell (most closely resembling celery).

I don't get any of the rose, violet or neroli here. I've read every review here and it's simply amazing how different this is on all of our skin! As I already have a few of the L'Art & Matiére line, I will be happy with those and keep searching for more gardenia scents.

Is it only me who finds very big similarities between Noa Cacharel and CG?
Giving this a second round today (January 9th 2022) a full day wear, still no gardenia, at least how I know gardenia smells from a plant, actually this is one of my favourite plants, heady flower, intoxicating... and to my nose it's aroma is not here, just am getting the creaminess of it (someone else above mentioned this already). What I get surprisingly is a delicate violet mixed with musk, well violet is in the pyramid (middle notes) obviously, but as the fragrance's name is cruel gardenia, I thought I should expect the composition to had been built around it, in fact it seems the centre flower here is the violet (on my skin, at least) But then why Cruel Gardenia? What am I missing here? As it is still though reminding me of Noa, I am going to apply Noa on one wrist and CG on the other and see what happens... Will come back later... Middle stage and this turned out to be one of the best luxorious soapy scent one can imagine (I definitely understand the reviewer below who mentioned the luxurious soap used in luxury hotels). Coming to dry down, yes definitely there is a tiny bit of vanilla, however musk and sandalwood are taking it all over until it gets a skin barely there scent. Very similar(not the same, but very similar) dry down to Noa, indeed, but CG is the elegant sophisticated sister whereas Noa is the loud, noisy one. Just for the records, still no gardenia here, nice creation overall.

From the sample, it has a similar longevity problem as the previous two I've tried but I won't call that overly bad when discussing the overall enjoyability of the fragrance; it's glorious. Pure, unadulterated elegance. This smells like the first primary school I went to when I was little, of the caring and kind teachers there.

I mostly get powdery white flowers, sandalwood, peach, neroli, vanilla and rose (in order of prominence) - it's exceptionally well blended so gardenia isn't entirely noticeable to my nose, but the creaminess I get from other notes may be blending with the creaminess of the gardenia.

I sometimes get extremely pleasant wafts from my wrists up to my face, which must mean that the sillage is pretty decent. Overall extremely lovely and possibly my favourite out of the 3 I've tried in the past few days.

Powdery, well-mannered sweet floral that I have a hard time thinking of when and how to wear it, but it has an addictive quality to it. As many reviews state, it's definitely not a notably gardenia-esque gardenia (i.e. Tom Ford's beloved Velvet Gardenia)...but beneath the powder and inoffensively-white-musky-abstract white floral core is this lovely, ever so slightly offbeat gardenia funk. The kind of scent I enjoy having samples of, spritzing at counters, etc., even if I feel like I can never commit to buying. In terms of bang for the buck, EL's Tuberose Gardenia is a better pleasant white floral with a fun gardenia element to it.

7.5/10. Vegetal rose. Moderate sweetness. Delicate, mild, natural floral with a little green tangy citrus. A bit of white pepper underneath. The white pepper musk wins out over time surpassing the delicate floral.

Ehhh, starts great with some gardenia but settles a bit too much for me and loses gardenia. Powdery with some oriental ? hint in it.
I would say it makes a heavyish statement, floral heavy, musky. Mature perfume, reminds me of velvet black dresses with white pearls and old theatre smell.

No gardenia.

I received 2 little samples from different online sample companies. I used the complete sample and only got a tiny smell of gardenia. It was gone in about 30 seconds. Same for the other sample. How did I get 2 complete duds from different sellers?

- Dries down to the creamiest gardenia with dashes of neroli. I smell some sunny ylang. Gorgeous woody vanilla guerlain base. FBW! I would definitely trade Angelique Noire for Cruel Gardenia.

First impression: Elnett hairspray in a bottle... I was wrong; this perfume did not reveal herself to me immediately. This is a light, upbeat, clean, expensive soapy gardenia scent with a mysterious spicy ylang ylang shadow. Quite reserved with no hints of intoxicating creamy tuberose, but now one of my favorite Guerlains..

The opening of this fragrances is like a time machine transporting you to the elegant boudoir of a high society lady while she gets ready for fancy party, putting on her make up while perfumed lukewarm bath water sits in a tub close by. There is a touch of something vintage in the floral opening of this fragrance that evokes this image in my mind. Once the fragrance settles into my skin for about 30 mins it becomes a soft, creamy gardenia and ylang dominated soapy floral, like the soaps you find in expensive hotel rooms. The opening did take a bit of getting used to for me however, this does evolve into pretty floral that feels both elegant and expensive.

It is like an arrow! True gardenia, lush and rich but somehow also fresh/creamy! Love it!!

I'm sad!! I just received a 3.5ml sample of Cruel Gardenia, which has been on my radar for quite some time. I have no doubts about the authenticity - it's a real carded (or in this case, enveloped) sample - the kind Guerlain gives out at fragrance counters, so I am really at a loss as to why this is so extremely fleeting on my skin! I dabbed a few drops on, and caught a whiff of something somewhat creamy that resembled gardenia, though it could also have been ylang. I really don't know because it seemed to just vanish after that. I then decanted about half of it into an atomizer to see if that would help intensify things a bit, and it did to a small degree, but not long enough for me to get any type of handle on it beyond that first floral note.

I am going to let it sit for a few days, as it summertime and it did sit in my mailbox. My nose may have just been being difficult as well, but if this goes nowhere for me for whatever reason, all I can say is that even though it was a lot of money for a "free sample", at least I didn't jump the gun and blind buy!

More to follow!

Joliefille: You're 100% right.

Got this in 2019 as it is an exclusive in HK as far as I know. Lovely gardenia, floral and gentle.

I'm crazy about Gardenia now so am exploring gardenia scents. My fave is still Dame Perfume's Gardenia Soliflora though...

Same as the rest to say that I don't really understand the cruelty, apart from the fact that I don't live in HK so will not be able to buy more unless I make a trip there again so it's cruel for me? BUT I haven't used it a lot yet, so I may not be able to tell if I will become sick of it.

Whoever named this perfume was out of touch with perfumery. Rather than being cruel, it is tender, feminine, and inviting. And Gardenia? This is such a well rounded bouquet that no one flower takes center stage. Certainly Gardenia is in the mix, but it is so beautifully blended it’s hard to discern. Add in the signature guerlain dna and you’ve got another masterpiece by Guerlain! And even though many floral perfumes have many of these same ingredients, this is so beautifully unique, and stands apart from the usual, generic department store offerings. Highly recommend!

there is no gardenia. some ylang ylang that disappears after sometime. then it's mostly neroli, violets and musk. i don't like musky fragrances. it smells very ordinary, not expected from Guerlain - it is indeed 'cruel' of the house to launch something so pedestrian. smells like cheap soap. too expensive, wouldn't recommend even at a discount.

Why am I always the bad guy? Is it because I care more about trying to convey the scent to others to help their decision on whether they want to try it or not.... vs being artistic in my description? I dont know? but here we go..

This scent is disgusting! And when I say that I mean it smells like a warm mushroom mashed with some nice very very light airy almost not there scent.. its like they tried to convert warm mushroom into an expansive Guerlain! This is the only fragrance in my life that I only sprayed once and will never ever even try to spray again because it was that gross... (in a very light perfume)

weirdly enough my husband and 17 year old son said it was ok and nice. Not me though :)

I can still smell it like a ghost scent even though its long gone. yuck

I think it’s called Cruel Gardenia because you automatically think it’s going to be green floral fresh but it’s not, it’s like very expensive skin care feminine scent. It’s so light and airy and feminine. Honestly femininity is the best word to describe it.
I can smell musky gardenia, vanilla, rose and violet ads a little powderness. Ylang Ylang is noticeable in the beginning, but slowly disappears. There Is nothing cruel about this gardenia. I read someone describing fragrance like a nice big hug from a mom. That’s what this fragrance is for me. A cozy warm yet gentle hug from loving mom. In love.

Tender floral veil.
Not loud iris powder, delicate white musk & some herbal bitterness. In the base notes Cruel Gardenia sounds as cosmetic care by the Premium brands. The fragrance remind me Cartier - Baiser Vole. Only by here instead of the lily Gardenia. But it similar enough like lily, and yet to yellow iris too. Cruel Gardenia is changeable : sometimes it looks like to a hot breath of summer heat and suddenly from it blows cold.
If to muse about the name... yes, there's something bitchy about it : like a beautiful girl who in addition have a complex character doesn't give admirers a chance and choosing someone she quickly gets tired of it all.
The fragrance is a little detached, aristocratic with a nuance of Guerlain Meteorites powder. Cruel Gardenia by Guerlain perfume is not loud, but need to apply in it moderation, because its floweryness when the nose catches the trail - powerful, almost epatage.

The Cruel Gardenia is the real embodiment of femininity - a shot in the heart.

Oh yes!! I have found love! This is why Guerlain does fragrance like no one else. This isn't a screetchy fake flower. I feel like I am standing next to a fragrant flowering bush on a warm spring day, but I am what smells so good!

The entire collection L'Art et La Matière by Guerlain is finally available in this corner of the Earth. I was curious to test them, although the retail price of +250€ for an 80ml bottle was quite discouraging. My favourite from this line is Cruel Gardenia, created by Sylvaine Delacourte and Randa Hammami. So I wasn't surprised to discover that Cruel Gardenia bears the signature of these two ladies: it is very sophisticated, classy, creamy, alluring. This scent was made for a woman who is aware of her attractiveness and doesn't need to reinforce it by wearing tacky clothes and tons of makeup. The funny thing is the marketing blurb provided by the brand that states: "Unlike the usual tradition, the creators of this fragrance did not strive towards the richness of notes that gardenia creates when combined with the precious light musk which would give velvety soft aura..." -- well, in my experience they created exactly the type of velvety soft scent that they were allegedly trying to avoid!
This scent lasts about 5-6 hours and projects beautifully; still, I wasn't convinced that it is actually worth the asking price. By the way, now that Mme Delacourte has left Guerlain and launched her own brand, she hired Randa Hammami as the nose behind the majority of fragrances for her Musc and Vanilla lines. So, if you like Cruel Gardenia, but cannot afford it, do try one of Delacourte's reasonably priced fragrances - you might find what you're looking for!

Cruel Gardenia is Nuit d'Amour's perfect sister as they share the wonderful powder and musk that Guerlain does so well. It's a shame the gardenia is indistinct after the opening. However, the floral combination of violet, rose, and whatever else is in there is so gentle and satisfying to the nose. Truly intoxicating.

The name is just sooo wrong but this fragrance is perfection. It's calming, healing, pleasing and I find myself refreshing even when I don't need to. A warm gentle gardenia perfectly balanced with a kiss of peach and rose.

Cruel Gardenia by Guerlain is the most sensual gardenia musk on the planet! This musk has that salty skin, body heat, kissing your lovers neck quality to it. It is not dirty and stinky, but it’s very human – soft to the touch. The musk mixes with the most divine gardenias that have a light soapiness, but are still elegantly floral. The violet adds a touch of powder and the sandalwood is detectable in the dry down. This is not a date night scent – it is a bedroom scent! This fragrance says “I want your body” in the most subtle and sincere way. Cruel Gardenia is a gem, well done Guerlain!

I am wearing that yellow dress again. You know it, the one you gave to me. You've said that it has the lively color of the ylang ylang flowers. I adorned my fingers with the pear ring and I am wearring your favourite earrings in my ears. At my neck I wear Cruel Gardenia. And I've added a bit to my wrists.
I want it to invade your senses when you will take me in your arms. I wish that when you walk your fingers over my shoulders ,absenlty drawing symbols of tenderness, the smell of blooming gardenias to reach your soul. Do you remember when you said to me that my skin always smells like musk? Do you like how it combines with the fragrance I am wearing? Are you anxious to hide your face in my sandalwood perfumed curls? This ingenue fragrance makes you dizzy, isn't it? Are you afraid to let yourself spoiled by your senses? Don't worry, I'm here. And I will take your hands and keep them at my chest until you regain ballance. It's just the two of us now, and Cruel Gardenia glazes at us, hidden in the hollow on my neck. Come, come into my world now.

This is a sharp, crisp, cool white floral with a slightly metallic edge. I have a generously sized sample of it, and when I put it on this morning for the first time, I was reminded of watching my mother prepare for a night out when I was little. She favored Rive Gauche and L'air du Temps - Cruel Gardenia has quite the same feel as those scents, as well as Estee Lauder's Beautiful. Cruel Gardenia, though, is much softer and more modern than any of these, with a fresh, cool sprinkle of powder in the mix.
It's really quite lovely and impossibly elegant...so much so that I actually changed my mind about the outfit I was planning to wear today; I upgraded to something classier and more stylish!! Yes, that's right...this perfume makes me want to be a better woman. :)
I've had it on for about 3 hours now, so the longevity is not bad. Sillage is soft, floating in a transient halo around me.
This fragrance is TRES CHER, so therefore not a safe blind buy, but do test it if you have always liked the sharp white florals of the past, but wish to wear something less boldly stated.
This is an incredible fragrance.

When I spray it in the morning, just like originaldeftom (the reviewer) I get a transient mushroomy scent for a quater to half an hour which makes me think at Vuitton's Turbulences where the effect is the same but much longer. I was very intrigued by this as the ingredients here are totally different: the mushroom scent in Vuitton's Turbulences is due to the tuberose, while this frag does not feature any tuberose.
Earlier this week I met Sylvaine Delacourte (the creator of this frag) in a Guerlain Q&A session, and she told me that the transient mushroomy scent was clearly due to the Gardenia: so I got the answer ! It seems that this occurs on some skins, obviously on mine, and I'm not a fan of it, though the frag is very nice once it gets to its full expression.
Fortunately I bought only the 20 ml refill spray set now available in the Paris boutiques, so I'll see if this is temperature, mood, or season dependent, so I can decide if I go for the full bottle or not.

Why is this so expensive? I wanna try it!

Elegant purse suede with slight rose/gardenia blend, lots of smooth aldehydes, not for me (too proper/snooty in feel).

Guerlain L'Art et la Matiere - Cruel Gardenia (EDP sample)

It is absolutely cruel that this beauty is too expensive.

Lush, heady, vibrant, joyful gardenia.

The first spray on my skin is a peach blending with a soft floral note. The gardenia comes through, it is creamy and mesmerizing. I love the gardenia on my skin. The musk is gorgeous and very delicately supports the gardenia. The violet is a nice touch, it adds a slightly earthy powdery aroma to the gardenia, Ylang Ylang is romantic and sweet, it feels like it helps to softly mitigate the clean, soapy scent from the neroli. The fragrance is warmed up by a sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla accord.

Cruel? Not at all, it is a gorgeous creamy gardenia, this fragrance is for gardenia lovers only. My skin is dry, I am disappointed by the performance, longevity is about 4 hours on my skin and sillage is a intimate skin scent.

I approach all Guerlains, wanting to love them. I could like this one but I couldn't love it.
Cruel Gardenia? more like Shy Gardenia. I get a whopping amount of rose and violets.
My first thought was - "this is Insolence, off the steroids. "
Eventually a bit of vanilla but by that point, the scent was almost non existent.
If someone gave this to me, I would wear it. Would I purchase it for myself? No.

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this. I was so very disappointed in it! I fell in love with the fragrance at Epcot. The sales associate spritzed the tester on a strip, which I kept in my phone case and enjoyed the whole vacation. I decided to pony up the $260 to own a bottle because obviously, at that price, it was the highest possible quality. Wrong! While the spritz from the tester had lasted for days, the one I actually bought could not be smelled after just a few minutes. I was SO angry! The one good thing is that I was able to contact Guerlain at Epcot and arrange a return, and they did refund in full. Still, what a scam!!! That tester was a completely different thing than what they sold me. I wish I could buy the tester! P.S. It also does not come with a cap! Does it get any cheaper than that??? The beautiful atomizer it comes with does not work right even once, so you are stuck with the spritzer and no cap. Lame. Greedy, actually. I will never buy Guerlain again.

mmmm- I like... I smell neroli, violet, iris and ylang- but where's the gardenia??

Sophisticated soapiness reminiscent of a cross between Insolence eau Glaeee and Faubourg

An oriental take on the gardenia flower. Smells like a gardenia flower that's been dropped in a vat of J&J baby powder for a long long time. Kenzo Flower with jasmine and ylang ylang added.

Not bad. This would be great if you would like a soapy floral scent. But why the crazy price tag? Is that what is cruel about this perfume?

A mushroomy, sausage-salami, alkaline yet a bit soapy kind of Gardenia, I get on my skin. Perhaps that is what makes it "cruel"?

I cannot say I love it straight away but it is interesting.

It definitely has got some "Mitsouko" meaty and salty qualities, but I wished the floral burst was stronger.

Perhaps "Bizarre Gardenia" would have been a more appropriate title.

If you want a reference Gardenia, try Penhaligon's and it you want "smelly feet" and downright "dirrty" Gardenia, try Robert Piget's offering.

I cannot make up my mind about this one. Perhaps, if you were to layer this one with an overly floral Gardenia you may get closer to the "real thing".

Good effort though, yet a bit too "salami" for me (I am vegetarian).

...and the quest continues....

I live in the Czech Republic and therefore I can not say what is the Cruel Gardenia.
I can not buy her anywhere.
I am very curious about what is and I have to go abroad.
I look forward to!

P.S. I then write my feelings :-)

Have a nice day!

Out of all the fragrances in this special series, I was attracted to Cruel Gardenia the most. I adore the fragrance of Gardenia flowers, and the other notes appealed as well.
As soon as I sprayed it, it triggered a long lost memory. I know this scent from somewhere, but a long time ago. I racked my brain trying to pin it down, but it was always out of my reach. The opening is a lovely soft cloud, not heavy or jarring, just a rose tinted softness. Then along comes violet, yes, I agree with Sherapop, there appears to be violets in the bouquet. I must say, the Gardenia is not at all prominent, and, I was really expecting more. In fact, there is more Neroli and Ylang-Ylang than a very faint Gardenia. This is definitely a skin scent. For the price, it should radiate proudly, so others may experience the beauty of the composition! This is how it reacts on my skin, stays close, and has a very low projection). The dry down is very pleasant. A very soft vanilla, with a well behaved sandalwood. The funny thing is, when I sniff it from the sprayer, it appears a lot stronger, than it is when sprayed on the skin. Mind you, I do prefer stronger fragrances, as have perfume eating skin, so this would probably come across perfect for those you don't like heavy hitters.
At one point, I even thought it was similar to White Shoulders, without the Aldehydes! But the White Shoulders of about 40 years ago). It may come to light, one time when I'm not concentrating on where I have smelled something so similar.
Now the cruel part...As much as I adore this fragrance, even though it isn't as Gardenia laden as I would have hoped), is the longevity! It fades far too quickly, and just as you are really in heaven, it leaves you! A brief encounter with a lovely floral cloud that gives you a passionate hug, then flees into the night....

BEAUTIFUL scent. I loved it so much, but along with being a skin-scent it's also extremely short lived. I couldn't smell it after 20 minutes. Which is appalling considering the price. Such a shame, I would still purchase this if I had a few extra dollars though.

@scorpiosheep ~ As this fragrance is still in production, I think no one should pay a higher than retail price for it. I believe the price should still be around US$275 as I paid for it at the Guerlain counter in Hong Kong last year.

Cruel Gardenia to me is a gorgeous floral fragrance with lots of airy powdery rose and greenish Neroli at the opening and later joined with heart notes of strong Gardenia like scent and musk decorated with touches of peach, Ylang Ylang and slightly bitter Violet. In the base I smell a most beautiful musk with slight sweetness of Tonka and warm Vanilla and a faint scent of Sandalwood.

Upon first spray, the air is filled with a cooling, powdery, clean white floral - almost sterile in feel. It is breathtakingly icy in the opening. However, I cannot seem to pinpoint the gardenia in this as the name would suggest.

As I put my nose closer to my wrist, I get a very buttery, oily ylang ylang which gets softer and sweeter in the dry down. When I press my nose right to my skin, there is the bizarre note of cherry liqueur and fresh cut green stems. I find this fresh-heavy interplay to be very pleasant.

Sillage and longevity are excellent.

Definitely one of the most beautiful gardenia frags out there!!! No headache here!! A very well done gardenia that is softened by the violet and tonka bean. The dry down presents more vanilla. Really very lovely!!!

I just got a bottle from Nordys and it was unsealed :( Bummer, it's going back. I bought it because I had purchased another one from that big online selling site and one day it smelled great on me, and the next....well it smelled chemical. So therefore, I thought I got a bottle that was cut with something? Well, to my surprise, both bottles smell the same. I don't know why I am getting this chemical smell on me :( I adore, and probably my favorite for winter is Coquin Gourmand, Angelique Noir and Asian Brulant. They are to die for, so rich and creamy and long lasting on me. AN is almost heavenly. I have the Iris one and it smells awful on me also :( So, while I simply ADORE ADORE the other three, this Cruel Gardenia smells chemical on me for the first 30 minutes, then it mellows out, but I'm not in love with it at all. It's very light on me also, not heavy. Will edit on how long it lasts. Probably long because Guerlain is so well made. Sad, I want to love this, from that first day I wore it, it was gorgeous. Now, it hates me :(

Edit: It sometimes works on me and sometimes not. I just figure it's menopause. Just sprayed it on me now, and it is delightful. Oh dear, who knew menopause would play games on you like this. Where's that Eve?

Though i get very little GARDENIA, this is so beautiful! There is something "minty" in here but it's lovely!

Cruel gardenia is also available in Germany. I tested it today in Berlin (Douglas Kurfürstendamm). It's a lovely soft creamy scent. I love it!!!

LOVE at first smell! LOVE LOVE LOVEE THIS. Don't typically like gardenias...but when i smalled this I had to have this! Buying it for my mom on her birthday!

This is so beautiful!Generally I do not like gardenia, as well as other white florals, but here it is perfectly blended with the other notes and in the end we get a super classy, feminine, warm delight.
The base is just fantastic-musky creamy vanilla with a strong but fresh floral touch.Love it!!!

I have never liked gardenia on myself until I tried this one. Leave it to the Guerlain elixirs to capture your heart... I think its the peach, violet and ylang that make this so wearable on me, it smells fresh and clean and lightly floral. I would call it "classy". Don't understand the name, either, but who cares? It's the juice that really matters :)
(not that the beautiful package doesn't help).
I purchased from Neiman marcus and they let you customize your bottle to have 10 letters. It is the same price as the regular bottle, but takes longer to arrive. The site offers both options. The engraved bottle is a great thoughtful gift, but if you do engrave a personal message, it is not refundable- so make sure the person you are gifting it to likes it.
I bought a small decant to hold me over until my bottle arrives (I got it personalized so it can take weeks!) from the perfumedcourt which sells decants/samples.
I cannot wait to get my personalized bottle, I have been aching for this perfume for a long time. If you are thinking about getting a personalized bottle for someone special, you can buy a sample to make sure they like it :)
I LOVE IT!

Guerlain's CRUEL GARDENIA, contrary to its name, is a warm, compassionate floral composition prominently featuring ylang ylang, neroli, and violet--at least according to my nose! Bizarre.

Maybe this would be cruel to those who were looking for a pure gardenia frag, or a big white floral? Anyway, aside from my disagreement with the name, CRUEL GARDENIA strikes me as an excellent creation. A complex, somewhat yellow composition with a touch of sweetness in the opening. But from the opening through to the finish, this is much more of a ylang than a gardenia fragrance. Happily, the ylang is balanced and buttressed well.

CRUEL GARDENIA is the very antithesis of a "diabolical" perfume (of which I have encountered a few): neither overly sharp nor officiously invasive nor a scrubber nor a carcinogenic sci-fi nightmare. Good staying power and sillage, too.

Gardenia at highest power still not offensive, but very powerful, use sparingly! It's truly a beauty. In spite of its extremely floral nature I agree with Jeca that Cruel Gardenia is not so cruel after all! A little bit dramatic, but just as a joke, it can be languish.

too much gardenia in this bottle, perfectly done though!

I have no idea why the name of this fragrance includes 'cruel'? It is a calm and light fragrance, weightless, I smell branches, leaves, but I can't find flower, I just can imagine it :-(