Safari Ralph Lauren for women

Safari Ralph Lauren for women

main accords
aromatic
green
woody
fresh spicy
balsamic
floral
earthy
herbal
sweet
citrus

Perfume rating 4.13 out of 5 with 3,155 votes

Safari by Ralph Lauren is a Floral Green fragrance for women. Safari was launched in 1990. The nose behind this fragrance is Dominique Ropion. Top notes are Galbanum, Tagetes, Narcissus, Hiacynth, Orange, Black Currant, Cassis and Mandarin Orange; middle notes are Narcissus, Orris Root, Rosemary, Rose, Italian Jasmine and Orange Blossom; base notes are Vetiver, Amber, Sandalwood, Cedar and Patchouli.

The scent of Safari, just like many other Ralph Lauren fragrances is inspired with American life style. Safari symbolizes another American myth, the call of the wild planes, the spirit of freedom and adventure, the joy of discovery. For all that Safari has enjoyed a great success in the States, just like the Polo and the game of Polo as those are topics that are dear. Safari for women is a floral aroma with light breeze scented by grasses, freedom and romance of open vast space. The top notes are galbanum, mandarin and hyacinth. Aldehydes cheer up the composition. The heart brings a gorgeous bouquet of rose, lily of the valley, narcissus and iris. The base is composed of vetiver, moss, Tonka bean and styrax. Safari was created in 1990 by Dominique Ropion.

Read about this perfume in other languages: Deutsch, Español, Français, Čeština, Italiano, Русский, Polski, Português, Ελληνικά, 汉语, Nederlands, Srpski, Română, العربية, Українська, Монгол, עברית.

Pros

Pros

34
0
Vintage scent that appeals to those who enjoy classic fragrances
25
0
Long-lasting fragrance that stays on for hours
23
1
High-quality fragrance that lasts for years
19
0
Has a strong and long-lasting concentration
17
1
Great for special occasions and formal events
14
4
Good for fall and winter seasons
11
1
Received compliments and admiration from others
13
6
Suitable for both men and women
Cons

Cons

16
2
Reformulated version not as good as the original version
13
3
May not appeal to everyone's taste or preference
10
6
Some people may find the scent overpowering or too strong
11
9
May smell dated or old-fashioned to some
0
5
May cause allergic reactions or aggravate asthma in some individuals
2
10
May be considered too heavy or musky by some
0
9
Scent may change over time and become less appealing
1
15
Not suitable for casual or everyday wear

Note: The pros and cons listed on this page have been generated using the artificial intelligence system, which analyzes product reviews submitted by our members. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, we cannot guarantee the complete accuracy or reliability of the AI-generated pros and cons. Please read the full reviews and consider your own needs and preferences before making a purchasing decision.

Fragram Photos
Perfume Pyramid

Top Notes

Galbanum
Tagetes
Narcissus
Hiacynth
Orange
Black Currant
Cassis
Mandarin Orange

Middle Notes

Narcissus
Orris Root
Rosemary
Rose
Italian Jasmine
Orange Blossom

Base Notes

Vetiver
Amber
Sandalwood
Cedar
Patchouli

Fragrantica® Trends is a relative value that shows the interest of Fragrantica members in this fragrance over time.

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All Reviews By Date

KristinaAlexis

This is my all time favorite fragrance. Absolutely stunning, lush, romantic, nostalgic and gorgeous. I don't know why this was discontinued it is an olfactory trip thru paradise, a francophile fantasy of the exotic. The olfactory equivalent of the film "Out of Africa."

konga5

This is a RODEO in a bottle. I cannot believe it was marketed for "women". A better name for this would be Irish Horse Hair . I have a few vintage bottles that I will savor. I think this is discontinued.

onebadbaby

Back in the late 90s a friend had a bottle of this, but even then when it was a new fragrance it smelled vintage to my nose. I was always intrigued by it and wanted to love it just so I could have the beautiful bottle on my dressing table, but alas my young and frivolous nose preferred the likes of Boudoir, Coco Mademoiselle and Angel for their sweeter and modern personalities. As I have got older, whilst I'm still partial to a good dose of patchouli, I have started to experiment more and appreciate greener and sharper fragrances. When I saw Safari was being discontinued I took the plunge and bought a bottle so I could own it before it disappeared forever. Smelling it now it it starts as a green aromatic and as it dries it turns into a vintage powdery cloud. I can't really make out the individual florals, but there's a definite animal note in the dry down. It has good projection and lasts reasonable well.

ramin1215

Carol Aird ( Cate Blanchett ) in Carol 2015

Cartimandua84

I inherited my grandma’s bottle of safari years ago, and had stuck it in a drawer of my dressing table and forgotten about it. Hunting around today for other things, I came across this gorgeous cut glass bottle, opened the lid and there she was. My foul mouthed, hard as nails, terrifying Irish matriarch of a grandma. She taught me all the swear words I know, and loved us all so fiercely.

I was transported back to a time when I was shorter than her (and she was under 5 foot so I would have been very young indeed), being enveloped in a cuddle so warm and completely non-negotiable.

Those of us that grew up in the 80s and 90s- give safari a whirl. It’s powdery, it’s very grown up, and it smells like a time when we didn’t have bills to pay. Proper perfume.

Fonna2

Like being out in the jungle after a heavy rain. and the sun shines........ when the flowers (Damascus rose included), roots, plum, and green leaves blend heavily with the ozone. However it is a green scent throughout.
I smell violet in there as well, even though not listed.
Not a laundered soapy freshness, but a natures freshness.
I believe if you like Femme by Rochas you may enjoy this.
Just let it breathe after spraying, or walk outside and let it reel in the wind. Mmmmmm

I really do like this. I might get to love it.
It's unique.

.

MademoiselleMaya

Python sibling - powdery, cold, smoky and fruity slowly decomposing into miriads of scented notes. Nearly loved it. Secret obsession also seems similar to me, but was less dry and refined. Safari leaves a trail of smoky plums and spices - I loved that effect. It is a gem for people who do not like being obvious. Courage is needed to love wearing it - the composition is refined and bold.

konga5

Check these boxes: GREEN, UNISEX, STRONG, ANIMALISTIC, OLD SCHOOL 1980s / 1990s. UNIQUE. BOLD.

If you buy a vintage bottle (easy to get on eBay ! ) check the box marked POW/ LONG LASTING/ ALL DAY !

I'm a GUY and I love this !!!!!

Titti Claren

After years I had the chance to try again Safari, I was little afraid about reformulation , but for me is still an amazing fragrance, so good and deep, and last for hours. A real love.

COLOREDGIRLSHUFFLE

This has been on my bucket list for a while. Seeing some of the noses and tastes I respect on here extolling its virtues, I had to get my hands on a bottle.

Today was finally my day, and I ran to mailbox and shredded the packaging with my bare hands. The bottle is pretty, I see why people were enamored with it. It looks like a crystal goblet filled with rich potions. This scent is a tropical, floral heat, with an undercurrent of greenery and spice. It’s Katherine Hepburn in a wicker chair, under bamboo ceiling fans, a crisp khaki dress, unbuttoned, but just high enough to not be trashy, dewy skin, and sexy frizzy curls.

Initial spray, it smelled like vintage perfumes I’ve smelled, specifically ‘50s and ‘70s, but after a minute or two the citrusy narcissus made their introduction followed by the rain forest green floral bouquet that’s at its heart.

It’s incredibly well blended I can only make out citrus, rosemary and a hint of rose here and there before the dry down gets enveloping, soapy (the expensive kind) and powdery. I love this. Safari is one of the superior ‘90s fragrances and after a whiff I knew I smelled it on quite a few of the adults in my life at the time.

While I don’t think it’s an “old lady scent” per se- I don’t see the cloying sweet, gourmand crowd enjoying this. However, the noses looking for a little excitement and complexity will get a thrill from this Ropion masterpiece.

FlowerSeeker

A nice vintage fragrance. A little too green and spicy for me. Strong and lovely for those who like those notes.

mirrorghost

i am testing from a vintage vial. this opens with woods, flowers and greenery-galbanum, vetiver, hyacinth and narcissus. i get a woody sweetness from the black currant too, but just a hint. then i think i get some rose rounding out the florals. it gets a bit sweeter and not as woody over time, though it is still quite woody. i think i remember it from back in the day, and i like it. i think it gets better over time.

olga_adriana

the galibanum and narcissus are the prominent notes. i like it, but it's very dry, and could be a little more balanced out with some more fruits or florals that don't come through as much. It comes off as being a little cold and uninviting. It doesn't smell dated, but I can't see a young woman pulling it off very well because it really lacks any semblance of playfulness.

TinaRibena

I saw this online recently and was transported back to the 90s when a former boss bought each woman in the department a bottle of this for Christmas. I remembered I loved it. So with that in mind I ordered some. Either this has changed since all those years ago or my sense of smell has. I liberally sprayed myself and all I can think of is old women, talc, bath cubes and the old smell of a bright red lipstick. I am so disappointed ☹️

Scooty77

As a teenager, I went to get my hair done by this eclectic older lady. She wore too much make up and dressed over the top. She always smelled so luxurious and beautiful. I bought a bottle of Safari in the 90s immediately just to smell like her. When a friend of mine on one of my Facebook perfume groups put it up for sale, I immediately grabbed it. One sniff, and I was taken back to that pink salon with white fur rug, jangling bracelets, and red lipstick. It is creamy and fresh and beautiful. This is not a fragrance for a little girls, but for elegant, strong, and unique women.

tashwakefield

I found a vintage bottle of this crystal bottled beauty on eBay and I'm glad I bothered with the original formula, because it's something else! It is so familiar and it's strange that I couldn't figure out why, until my eldest daughter came home from school and told me 'It smells like grass!'; my mind clicked like a puzzle into place! Vetiver!

Conclusion, this fragrance is a dead ringer for Living Lalique. I know this because 'It smells like grass' was my daughter's reaction to that fragrance too.

Safari is sweeter, softer. But the vetiver is so sublime that I cannot help but see them as birds of an African feather flocked together.

Enrium

As a lover of green scents, particularly at this time of the year, I decided to open Safari. Safari is one I've wanted to try for a while, so I bought a vintage miniature. As with everything, the current version is apparently a victim of reformulation (not that I've smelled it), but my miniature is a beauty. A soapy green floral that becomes deliciously powdery as it develops, Safari is hazy, dewy and sweet rather than camphorous.

Safari opens with heady, rich hyacinth, with hazy, vintage-style galbanum providing the greenness. The hyacinth is waxy and sweet, a flower I associate with childhood. It is a beautiful accord that has springtime written all over it for me. There is a light, dewy fruity undertone that adds fresh sweetness.

As it develops, it becomes powdery, with a lovely hay-like narcissus note adding some grassiness, and clean jasmine and a hint of iris rounding it out nicely. Rose follows as it develops further, big and powdery. Orange blossom prolongs the fruity sweetness of the opening.

It becomes woody and musky as it dries down, with softly animalic amber emerging. The green florals remain until it fades, becoming a little soapy. It fades to a musky floral skin scent. Sillage and longevity are moderate.

A nicely-crafted green floral featuring a nicely-placed hyacinth note, Safari is a sweet floral take on a green scent. Fresh and feminine, Safari suits the preppy American aesthetic of Ralph Lauren. 4/5.

brandybasisty

I was introduced to Safari in 1997 and loved it on others, but didn't feel ready to wear it until now. It smells so powdery and sexy, but not in a baby powder way. The sweetness doesn't feel vanillic, it seems to come from the all the flowers combined with amber. So perfectly balanced--dry but creamy. The tagettes and galbanum are strong in the opening, with a sticky pollen feel reminiscent of Vivienne Westwood's Boudoir. But instead of following Boudoir into that honeyed rose and tobacco drydown, it continues to unfold into a bouquet of spring flowers, honeyed by the tagettes. This continues for hours with barbershop powder and aromatic spicy touches. Just one spray is enough for me to get wafts of its magic for hours. One of Dominic Ropion's masterpieces to be sure. Btw, this is a vintage bottle, and I haven't tried a newer formulation- though Ouch110 says the newer one is less powdery than the OG. Love love love this one.

buster21

I’m on the love train with this one. Tagetes is one of my favorite growing annuals in Florida. It’s also a mosquito deterrent. I grew a border around my patio in my last house and would love to brush my feet against the flowers so they would emit that lovely spicy green fragrance into the air. I have been on the hunt for this scent and I found it in a vintage mini glass bottle!

suexilin

A few hours ago I tried this Safari and totally and irreversibly fell in love. I bounced around the rooms, sniffing my wrist, chasing my husband and daughter to ask them what it smelled like. (Him: meh..., her: lemon grass and oranges. No idea, but at least she got 'grass' right)

This aroma threw me right back 20 years ago, on a dusty street, bathed in the rays of the setting sun, with cracked pavement overgrown with tall wild grass, swaying yellow tips as I walk. There was a sound of buzzing insects, buses were passing somewhere behind. The weight of kilograms and years had disappeared, the street led to many others, and the sunset at the end of the day meant the beginning of something else. The wind carried the whiff of freedom.
This aroma is a portal to another reality, another me, another time. It is amazing. I take deep and easy breaths and I can see clearly in the twilight.

It smells green, fern maybe, grass but not wet grass and earth, no, this is open space and freedom, a bit of danger in the air and a road to follow.
I love it.

dasazornova

Katrin77
I believe that after time you will change your mind. I'm not the youngest, I can remember something and maybe I'm influenced by age and the nineties, but I think you'll change your mind. Please let me know then!

Katrin77

I normally strongly dislike when someone describes a perfume as dated, or for old people. Unfortunately I have to do this myself now.

I remember the beginning of the nineties as an era smelling of potpourri - dried leaves and flowers - in many private bathrooms. This is what I get from Safari, and I wish it wasn't so. I just received my bottle yesterday, and maybe I should give it longer time before writing av review. But as for now, it feels kind of dated for me. Better suited to perfume a guest room than oneself. Perhaps it's just my memories colouring my impression too much.

Maybe an update will follow.

Mags322

I’ve had this in my perfume cabinet for some years nearly full. After reading all the lovely positive reviews on here Ive looked it out . It’s still beautiful and it will be my perfume for the next few days.

Garofita4

I agree with the review that this perfume smells like anais Charchole. I wanted to smell it for a while now and I bought the traveling size but I still have ANAis from a long time ago they are so similar that I don’t see a point in buying the whole bottle . If I run out and I want it again I will get traveling size again.

dualaokto

I had to give Safari a couple of try before I came into a verdict. It is a magnificent multifaceted fragrance. I smell lots of grass and fresh spicy notes in the beginning, I also detect its woodsy aspect after a while (dominated by vetiver). The heart enriched by some florals and fruits, and rounded by amber and orris.

Aromatic, sweet (yesss!!), green, balsamic. Bold, elegant, and reinforcing. ❤️

RottigrlNYC

I love this perfume, it’s unlike any of my other fragrances, but buy the vintage version, it’s so much better and lasts longer. Such a beauty.

cmh9217

Ahhh…yes! One of my absolute favorites from the early 90’s. I worked as a cocktail waitress in the 90’s and every time I wore this when I was working, the waiters and the busboys would always get close to me to catch a sniff…they just couldn’t resist. Just a spray or two of this nectar would last on me for HOURS.

About 15 years ago, I decided to revisit it and so I purchased a mini bottle. It still smelled just as lovely. But I didn’t ever wear it. Recently, for some reason I have become absolutely fragrance obsessed, so I got my little bottle out and put some on. Ahhh glorious! However, after an hour and a half or so, no trace of it could be found on my skin. That led me to the conclusion that I must have the reformulated version. Bummer! Still love it, but it’s lasting power on me is brief, unlike the powerhouse that the original was.

LMBelvi

I gave this one a try despite almost never liking women's designer fragrances. I gave it a whirl because, number 1: Dominique Ropion!
Also, really nice reviews. However, I played myself. Normally I have a rule that 4 floral notes in any fragrance is too many and I better not go there. Also galbanum is a huge risk. It is in many of my most hated scents, but also a few that I love. So...experiment gone awry in this case. This is not terrible for me, but a sample is plenty. What I really didn't like was the opening 20 minutes or so. After that it got milder, and I think the amber sandalwood and patchouli came to my rescue.
It will go in my giveaway pile though. In the end, too much of a feminine floral for me.

este96

7/11/22
Once again I am duped by my own nose, or so it seems! I did a blind buy on RL Safari, based on ....notes listed, date of release, marketing & very motivating reviews. So some of the descriptions that motivated me were: green notes, wide open spaces, dry, unisex ,hay& grasses notes. All things I lust after a bit!! Unfortunately for me, NONE of those lovely notes or images were perceived by my nose.Quite to the contrary, upon first spray, I got (& I HATE this term, as at 65 I AM an "old lady"by MOST persons standards!!)....never the less I got an old lady's lipstick/ makeup drawer. Just EW...I am old & I NEVER want to smell like this!! It smells like OLD OLD....way pre-seventies....30's type make up smell. For the life of me it is the farthest smell from "Africa & Safaris" I mean maybe, I see Ava Gabor wearing this at a safari & sticking out like a sore thumb...like she did at "green acres". So silly, its all just perception! I envy those who found in this perfume, what I longed for! So glad I got the small spray, but at $25 it still stings!

swedishmilk15

OMG ADDIC-TIVE. INSTANT LOVE. Refer to user SmellyB's review below, her words definitely sum up my experience of this scent, as well.

Safari has the aromatic freshness of 4711 Original Eau de Cologne or Avon Sweet Honesty, with a sweet and delicious floral heart. Smells like the grownup and classy women from my childhood, of the late 80s. I can't stop sniffing my hand.

I received my beautiful lil' 4ML bottle with a vintage set; I purchased it for the Paloma Tentations, but Safari was the breakout star. While I adore my rosy-peach Grojsmans, I'm a chypre-lover at heart. This isn't a pure chypre, but the tagetes and galbanum give it a greenness that other chypre lovers will likely appreciate.

It smells great on top of Aromatics Elixir that I'm wearing while testing. I love when I buy in multiples, and the quiet one that I have no expectations for blows me away like this.

I've been pondering why this is called "Safari," coming from an American brand, with a rather domestic-smelling juice. There's nature in it, but not the exotic kind. I can definitely imagine a Jane Porter type wearing it (someone who takes trunks of clothing and possessions with them to "rough it" in a tent, 19th century-style.)

forallinose

I was 26 when this was launched. However, I never wore it or even smelled it. I did wear Lauren in high school though.

Ok, so, I just blind bought this and I love it! It's green without being too green. It doesn't smell dated to me.

PerfumeEmpress

I wore this, too. And Lauren, as well. Gorgeous, classy scents, both ot them. I wish I could be Samantha (from Bewitched). I would go back in time and buy the oldies at the time they were launched. All the ones from my I Had list, and then some. Sigh.

tecfield

This smells really nice and close to unisex in my opinion. It's a beautiful woody floral scent. I got a vintage bottle recently and I am happy I got it. This is more masculine than many of today's unisex fragrances. Rose and narcissus are very prominent in the cloud it makes and up close it becomes woody with sandalwood and cedar. Overall, it's a very beautiful and well-blended fragrance. It's much better than what I expected.

Azriela

This fragrance reminds me of the 90s going shopping in the winter with my sister who wore it. It smells sophisticated, and I envision my sister dressed up with a fancy scarf, Christmas shopping with our European friends who were visiting. It is a strong scent that is not for everybody, and more suitable for the winter. I have a vintage bottle of this and put some on today as winter is coming and I feel nostalgic.

Konga5000

For the FULL EFFECT: Vintage ONLY . 100% unisex.

SmellyB

I love this fragraaaaance!

It makes me feel like I'm playing in my grandma's shoes. It feels very reminiscent of sitting at her vanity, trying on jewelry much older than me, dancing around in fancy scarves and through clenched teeth teasing an "eat your heart out daaaaahling" over my shoulder to an imaginary, doe-eyed, me-struck suitor, lol

This fragrance reaches back even before it's time with it's initial bite and presentation of floral green notes, but it puts them forth in a way that is going to keep it interesting for years to come. It's the hip kind of vintage.

It has depth and class and color and reach and is dynamic and interesting and shrill, but is also safe, and warm and enveloping and inviting and anchored. It's my grandma's nose on my face...if that makes sense. It has all of the memory of days passed, but still sits well in every "today" I bring it to. Sillage and longevity are wonderful. This fragrance is one of my favorite things and I didn't even ask it to be.

Pickeral

Tried a decant of reformulated Safari, a few generous dabs: It was very "safari-ish" to me. Altho I've never been on an African safari, I've done a lot of back country camping in the US and it took me there: grassy green outdoors, and yet very dry, summery, also smoky like a little woodsmoke, a little jazzy/awesome like starlight. It had some spice and floral to sweeten it. But not too sweet. And then it faded and became an impeccable powder. A really great perfume! Probably even more wonderful before the reformulation. It is not in my wheelhouse, the older I get the more I like florals, but I think its a great one.

diego.lesgart

What do you mean with VINTAGE BOTTLE!!!????

venussansfurs

Good composition and standard Ralph Lauren, though the name does not fit the scent. Doesn't conjure up anything exotic for me. Instead it's a warm, deep floral that gives off an expensive shampoo vibe. I don't get much greenness from this other than some vetiver in the dry down. I do pick up the marigold note at the beginning (wish it was a bit more prominent) and a lot of orange. Sweet, rich ambery finish. A mature scent and very much of its time. Best for autumn/winter.

Descartes

Vintage Safari: It could be a great scent if it wasn't because the powdery Irish stays too long and hides the rest of the notes but after an hour or so finally the jasmine and narcissus take over and I enjoy the white and yellow florals melange of the dry down dominated by a rich jasmine accord. If you are looking for an elegant powdery Irish scent then Calandre by Paco Rabanne is the one you would love the most or Vetiver by Mona di Orio. No similarities with Robert Piguet's Bandit.

Konga5000

I am rocking a VINTAGE bottle now and it's VERY similar to Robert Piguet's Bandit . Bandit is now discontinued so.......

alicemarcone

wow, I just found the scent I was looking for. I am in love. This is the second time I'm wearing it, I blind bought it, and I am very glad I did. When I first sprayed it, I knew this would be my signature scent. Now I'm sure I found it. This is vintage, mature but also provocative, woody, spicy, elegant. It is also very versatile, can easily be wore all year round, suits a lot of occasions (a nice dinner, an office day, staying cozy at home, an important event). I grew up in the countryside, nature based scents are my thing. And this is nature itself. Thank you Fragrantica for making me discover this fragrance. I'm considering stocking so I won't lose another signature scent by discontinuation. Also, this is a fragrance designed by Dominique Ropion, the perfumer that designed a lot of my favourite fragrances, such as Alien, Givenchy L'interdit and the Intense flanker, Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant and my dream of consumption Soir de Lune (that I don't own just because I don't have the money for it).

Yzabell

I remember when this came out in the early 1990s, it reminded me so much of a squashed stink bug. I could never wear it! But my mother loved it!

who.am.i.you

An earthy dream. This is ethereal to my nose and transports me to open areas basking in the sun with the scent of bitter vegetation radiating in the heat. Also, warmed skin (amber?). It's powdery and clean, yet green and gritty at the same time. A floral green chypre that seems to be very popular to this day!

I love the bitter greenness of this and the earthy vetiver, woods, and patchouli. This would fare well in both formal settings as well as casual imo. Refined and casual, depending on the occasion and what a person wears with this. I imagine a pale yellow, or white, starchy dress and nude heels for women, and can also see this pairing well with a light-colored suit. In fact, a woman's power suit in white would fit this perfectly. On the other hand, I envision jeans and a t-shirt as well. Lovely!

ScentLoverJen

I have loved Safari since it first came out in the early 90's and used to wear it religiously. I recently purchased a vintage bottle and oh my, it's still as wonderful as I remember! While this smells nothing like my beloved Bal D'Afrique, I realized I had made a correlation between the two in my mind. They both evoke an exotic locale, Africa, a warm and sunny place in my mind. I was surprised to see they do share a few common notes - the tagetes, vetiver and amber being the most pronounced, but really don't smell similar at all. Safari definitely stands alone, is truly unique and is still a beauty to this day.

zadewee

I took a big risk blind-buying this... as a male... hoping it would be mostly galbanum. The main accord is powdery and feminine, with added galbanum. Smells okay

Calvinvf

I started using this perfume when I was 16 years old in middle school. To this day, my friends smell it and say "it smells of you". I was a 90's teenager and completely fell for the "Desert-Safari casual elegance" of their ADs. Since the 90's, it has never left my perfume collection. Personally, it really gives me this chic-elegant-safari-theme vibe. It's very spicy but fresh at the same time. I love many perfumes but I have to say that this became my signature scent over time.

sallyming

This smella like Anais Anais Cacharel to me. But this is more layered and stays longer on my skin.

fragrances-fanatic

Got a 4ml miniature of the pure PARFUM formulation today...shocked that this is still in production...though the mini I'm smelling could be 20+ years old for all I know! The liquid is golden like pure apricot juice.

I usually don't like chypres but I LOVE aromatic and green fragrances. I love the green/fresh element in the opening. The floral I get smells like marigold but I see from the list there's no marigold in it. This is complex, it smells vintage...smelling it, it's like I have a window into another era. The patchouli is pretty soft so far (thank goodness because I usually don't like patchouli). The cedar note is noticeable and lovely. I feel very sophisticated and classic with this on my wrist. This would be a good perfume for a business meeting where you want to be classy and in control...or for a summer's night get-together with your rich friends at a beach house on Nantucket. (Too bad I don't have any! haha!)

Love the cut glass bottle...love the box it came in, which looks like dark brown crocodile leather capped with silver (like an antique suitcase or trunk) - and the box is even embossed to feel like crocodile leather. Cool details!

EDIT: I just checked the batch code and it says it was made in the year 2000. So it is over 20 years old! Still smells great. I only dabbed on a tiny bit and I'm really surprised how well it projects considering how old it is.

bodnerrachel

Exquisite perfume! On first spray the orange jumps out at you through an effervescence of woodsy aromas: galbanum, cassis, rosemary, vetiver, patchouli, cedar, sandalwood, and then dries down to a floral garden. Earthy, evocative, aromatic. Smells like the great outdoors.

ballerina

I finally got around to sampling this and expected it to match the “Out of Africa- like” safari ads that Ralph ran. Khaki, white cotton, dusty earth, hot sun drenched days and romantic nights in a tent under a ceiling of night sky and stars. I did not get this. Even tho the fragrance is lovely it did not conjure up those images at all— just didn’t seem to live up to its name. I got a real mix of flowers- nothing stood out as it does in “Ralph Lauren”perfume. I like simpler single florals and this seems to have too many in one blend. But I don’t think it should be flloral anyway! Safari should be exotic but clean, a little earthy and hot.

LaContessina

Oh well, I guess anyone has their own story about certain perfumes….
It’s the essence of it, as perfumes are so much linked to a period of our lives or to an occasion, or remind us of a person.
Safari, besides being a drop dead gorgeous fragrance, reminds me of a romantic moment back in the early 90’s.
I first encountered this fragrance thanks to a friend who was a miniature collector – we shared the same passion (I no longer collect mini bottles, but full bottles Lol).
She got a wonderful miniature bottle of the recently launched Safari while travelling in the US, in Europe it was yet to be released. I fell in love at first sniff: what a majestic scent!
I had to have it and I was desperate to have it released in Europe.
Also the hype of something “non available” in Europe played its part, making it immediately hype and posh – in those years Ralph Lauren was the hypest brand.

Then there was this boyfriend I had; it was really a cute romance, you know those first loves that leave a sign and sweet memories.
Well, that very spring he was meant to go on a trip to NYC with his parents, and he asked me what I wanted as a present from that trip.
I answered ”Nothing”, as I did not want to bother him with any requests.
When he came back, one week later, I got my present anyway.

Guess what? In a cute Bloomies Little Brown bag, there was a HUGE 125 ml gorgeous bottle of Safari…. I was overwhelmed.
How could he possibly know it was the one and only thing I wanted from the US?
I asked him how could he know I love that perfume (since my collector friend and him didn't know each other).
He just said ”I thought you might like it, it smells like you”.
I was impressed and really moved, as I grasped this young man knew me much deeper than I thought, having guessed exactly what kind of perfume would suit me.

Safari is really a unique fragrance, bold, a little screaming once sprayed, so you need a light hand.
Spicy and warm, but starts green… huge on the hyacinth and narcissus, for a moment you could think of Ysatis (but it's not the same).
Huge on florals, goes down being warm and spicy, ambery patchouli with sandalwood.
Lots of warmth in the drydown.
Like being on a safari night camp, besides the fire.
Surely it has loads personality and depth, it’s sensual and very feminine.
It suits better winter times.

Sadly it got discontinued, years ago. I still have a bottle and I will keep it and smell it, from time to time, just for a reminder of those fabulous days when I was young, in love and happy.

tandem_4x4

Smells just old school vintage (some say "grandma", this one even more like "grandpa") I have old Cosmair spray bottle.

AnaisLouLou

Ha... Another green floral with galbanum to add to my collection. I am a green floral fan. I saw this at my local pharmacy and thrilled to get this for a good store. I remember that Ralph Lauren Safari for men came out first. There was a huge marketing campaign and it was a huge hit. Safari for women came out shortly after but, it suffered in the shadow of Safari for men and other women's perfume releases in the market.

On the ingredients on the box, there is no real oakmoss in this perfume. Oakmoss may no longer be an included ingredient in the modern reformulation. Made in the USA.

I remember smelling Safari for women when it was released. Without oakmoss and other ingredients in modern Safari, it has become a light aromatic cologne on a woody base. Nothing like it used to be.

It's wearable without straying into aftershave, masculine, putrid wee smelling or cold vibes. It's a little warm.

Dominique Ropion has created some good fragrances. This recent formulation is a tad disappointing. The beveled bottle is gorgeous.

Took me a day to realise, but this reminds me strongly of a woodier Vol de Nuit!

giri-boni

I really want to like it...
But it is not my stile. I do like vintages, but sparkling, white and yellow flowers... This one smells too masculine for me.

Edit: after a couple of wears and months, just noticed how cozy it can be. Chic, green, ambery... Delicious!

Konga5000

Just purchased a vintage bottle from a thrift store, in the box, for $30.00 . (Bottle and box seem at least 20 years old?) This is strong stuff! Certainly a woody-floral-amber-aldehyde with an emphasis on the Galbanum / Hyacinth / Tagetes . This is 100% unisex ! I sprayed the back on my hand ONCE and you can sense the different notes flying around-- and there is a LOT going on here. Black Current is VERY strong here-- if that bothers you move on to something else. I wish MORE Ralph Lauren fragrances (new & old) had as many nuances as my vintage bottle here ! Not a safe blind buy because this is going to be perceived "too masculine" by some of you. I was actually buying this to re-sell , but now-- I think I'll keep it!

davidzev

I found a 2002 miniature splash at a thrift store and it seems to perform ok. Sits very close to my skin but it’s tenacious and still pretty potent as far as I can tell. I’m a 32 yr old man and I really like it. Reminds me of something I may have sampled from Mandy Aftel, who would definitely make something nice like this.

correspondencepersonal

Love the bottle of this, it is truly GORGEOUS - a Classic Design that is always Ageless and Timeless.

I initially purchased this when it first launched because I was carried away with the furniture and romantic scenes in the movie "Out of Africa" - which was a gorgeous movie with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. The thought of a photo safari to film (not hunt) animals in their natural habitat has always been something that has been in the back of my mind as a fabulous vacation.

This fragrance has an earthy quality about it, which I like - but the ozonic type aldehydes in this aggravate my asthma reaction. I can't wear this - and it is difficult to be around this very long without wheezing. It is WAYYYYYYYY Too Strong on me.

This has a similar vibe to Avon's Far Away Gold - which also calls to mind Africa and lions prowling the open land. I seem to be able to wear Far Away Gold much easier than RL's Safari.

Liz Claiborne in the triangle bottle has a similar marigold and hay note that appear in Safari, so if you really love Safari, you may want to try Liz Claiborne's scent as well.

Lauren, by Ralph Lauren - has less aldehydes. That is one that I can wear, it does not affect my asthma reactions. I wore this all through high school and LOVED it! It is worth trying similar fragrances to things that you may really like or love, you never know when you may find a New Love!

Pearlstar

I bought this because I smelt it as a young girl dabbing on some from my mum's bottle and I loved how it warmed and transformed on my skin over time, what a surprise. Got my bottle from Fragrance X and was nervous if it would be the same after reformulation (mine is a 2019 batch). Admired the beautiful bottle and then sprayed. Ok, phew , this smells familiar and has that scent I remember and loved. Wore it out for a day, and here's what I think: I do believe this reformulation is not as potent nor lasting as the original Safari I loved, even though it's probably close to identical in its smell profile. The way it dries down also feels a bit different to me, but hey that was 25 years ago. I do feel this might be the closest thing to a signature fragrance that I would choose.
I don't think this is a blind buy perfume, because it's so distinctive and different (and some people don't like it), but if you've never smelt it before, you should try to get yours hands on a sample as it's one of the greats of its time, and unique-smelling even amongst today's perfumes.

Stormodig

I've always loved this scent, even if it at times felt a bit too strong. It's very distinct and has a dryness that I like a lot. Can't add much to what has already been said here but a heads up: This is not a Blue Bottle 1.6 from Histoires de Parfums is almost an ideantical twin - at least in my olfactory system. ;)

brt

Alright, I've had the EDP on since 7:00 am and it's almost noon now, and I'm getting a warm, sweet grass scent emanating from my skin and clothes that seems to be carried on a dusty breeze. It's green with a tiny touch of floral and something herbal. This is an older bottle and I wish I could pinpoint a batch code or date on it but I can't.

I wore it in the nineties to work, not long after it's debut. I'd received a sample from the store then and I loved it! Unfortunately, no one else did for I was told by a good friend, "Don't wear that again!" as he didn't like it on me. I was so disappointed and so gave up my thoughts of a full bottle.

Fast forward to more recent times. I found a vintage and now wear it only at home. It allows me to sit happily teleworking while pretending to be in an exotic locale ...'I once owned a farm in Africa, etc...' and wear a satisfied smile as I type along.

miss mills

I work with a woman who wears this and every single time I smell it, it hands down wins against everything else in the building worn by anyone else, just wipes the floor, end of. I thought she was wearing No 19 at first but this is warmed up.

Classy as a fine champagne, Safari's aldehydes and galbanum are bang on. This walks the fine line between coolly sophisticated yet somehow softly approachable. Absolutely stunning, am almost scared to try this in case it doesn't smell the same way on my skin but if it doesn't I'll stick with my No 19 (they're cousins) and simply admire if from afar.

Santorini

I found a vintage bottle for a good price on eBay. Beautiful, nostalgic scent that reminds me of two perfumes: Anais Anais and Annick Goutal Heure Exquise. The first because of the hyacinth. The second due to the lovely green of galbanum. Lush, classic, and not-too-sweet floral by a master perfumer. Highly recommend!

chinook

I was trying Safari for a few days and I was having a hard time describing it.
First impression is definitely a vast open space. There’s a bit screechiness from the hyacinth that creates this effect of a high wind like a dust storm. The warm florals that show up afterwards are feminine, tenderly, and reminiscent of the 90s. My mom said it smells like the Olay facial soap she used to use. It’s glorious on a hot humid day or when the body starts to sweat a little bit. It smells hot, like dry heat of a desert, and naked bodies. Sillage is a bit more than arms length. Longevity is almost a day.

Austrian_in_Denmark

I once worked with a colleague who has in her 50s? 60s? (she NEVER would have told me). She was a grande dame with great taste and a great face - someone who had seen a lot, and who was never shy to share that vast experience of hers and give advice. I adored her and learned a lot - mostly, that I am never supposed to marry anyone: "Just do not do it. It will bring all kinds of complications. It is ut-ter-ly unnecessary."
She herself had been married three times, and she wore Safari.

JSpines

The fact that this smells "dated" is exactly why I love it. What is "smelling dated" anyway? To me, how something smells to someone is all about perception and what appeals to each individual. Personally, I go by the notes within the scent to decide if it's for me or not. My tastes are varied, as varied as they can be while still being governed by my wallet! HA! I never smell a fragrance and think, "wow, this smells like 1989, 1997, 2006 or 2019." I don't know what a "year" is supposed to smell like. I just know if it appeals to me or not. I think trends are a real thing though and with each decade, there are trends in fragrance, just like in fashion, hair, make-up, decor or whatever it may be. It drives me crazy when people smell a scent and say "ew, that smells like an old lady!" Most mature women I know, smell absolutely fabulous. Confidence goes a long way when sporting a fragrance.

My Grandmother used to wear Timeless by Avon and it smelled lovely on her. She didn't care that some perfume snobs looked down on Avon, she loved her perfume and her confidence in wearing it made others think that she smelled divine. Same thing with my Aunt and her Charlie by Revlon or my Mom and her Tabu by Dana. They rocked those scents because THEY loved them on themselves, all else be damned! There is a woman I work with who always wears Eternity by Calvin Klein. My goodness, she smells like a million bucks and you can tell that she loves the scent herself, just by the way she carries herself. I find people like this, impressive and inspiring. Wear what you love, even if everyone questions it! Life is too short for any other nonsense!

I suppose when people say that a fragrance smells dated, it's because what was on-trend then has now become off-trend. I, for one, prefer this. Generally speaking, I have no desire to smell like the masses. I even layer scents now and then to make up my own concoction and why not? It's fun for me to conjure up some kind of "swamp-water!" HA!

Safari, oh glorious Safari. Beautiful in every way. Blended to perfection. A little dry, a little green, a little spicy, a little florally and a lot classy! I adore it. I much prefer it over the men's version which I don't find nearly as fetching.

The bottle, a gorgeous piece of art, ensures that long after the golden liquid has disappeared, it will be kept, empty or not. I don't display my fragrance bottles (they are kept hidden away in a dark cabinet) but if I did, this one would be front and center.

Safari lasts all day on me and only really starts to fade after about 10 hours and even though it's fading out by then, I still catch whiffs.

If this fragrance is considered dated by today's standards then I will happily wear that badge with honor.

UnearthlyApothecary

At first sniff this has become one of my favorite perfumes, and since my best friend is the reason I have it, I can always associate it with her :) this isn’t dated or overwhelming or bitter or overly green or anything I feared it might be. I’m only kicking myself I didn’t try it sooner. If this one reminds me of anything the marigold and creamy sandalwood remind me a bit of Adam Levine. This one has a lot more going on though with incredible depth and complexity, this is a COMPOSITION. The scent version of a musical masterpiece. If you are looking for something that smells classy and sophisticated, a bit luxe with a timeless feel without smelling overly mature, this one is for you. For me, it’s comforting and cozy like a second skin. Like it was made for me. Signature-worthy.

Wow, now THAT is galbanum! I'm a fan of that note, which is why I love Chanel No. 19 and Guerlain Chamade. This actually smells a great deal like Chamade, but with more bitter-sour-green galbanum. It's almost too intense for me at first. The vetiver comes in second place, supported by cold, fresh hyacinth and that mysterious marigold note, which I haven't seen too much in perfumery. The narcissus is there, but only as a delicate lattice woven between the other florals and aromatics. There is something wild and almost animalic here, so the name fits quite well. This is one of those fragrances that works better not on clean skin, but on skin that still has some of its natural oils and environmental residue. Safari's note structure both elevates and intensifies those natural odors and works very well with them. I'd say this is more of a warm-weather perfume, and gorgeously unisex. Extremely versatile in terms of age, and doesn't feel dated, unlike so many other late-'80s/early-'90s fragrances. Excellent performance, particularly compared to some of Ralph Lauren's other offerings. And the bottle is so cool and unique!

floydwellian

I have a late 80s EDP version of Safari (Cosmair). It was a blind buy. It's a 50-degree day in January. I have no scent memories of the perfume.

I don't get any sweet florals at all, only little, bitter, weedy flowers or marigolds and dry grasses. It leans herbaceous green. I'm fascinated because it doesn't smell like any other perfume I've smelled before. I don't hate it. Perhaps in the hot summertime I'll love it.

I'm going to keep trying Safari. I think it's going to be a "grower."

The bottle is lovely. I think it was a good purchase.

EDIT: I could still faintly smell the base notes on my skin the next morning.

Anamandy

I purchased a vintage bottle like I used years ago, and it smells just as lovely as I remember. Today I had the opportunity to test the latest version and was surprised to find it really is not much different from the vintage. The composition and the transitions seem the same. It also appears to have very good silage and longevity. I only sprayed the back of my hand and could smell it all around me. When I got home, I washed and moisturized my hands and could still smell it even after it went through all that. I had to go through the whole process all over again to get it off. There is one major difference which I don't see listed in the notes though, and it seems the vintage has civet in it, because I could smell that clearly off my skin after it becomes a skin scent. So, keep that in mind when choosing which you'd like to buy.

When this bottle is used up, I will not hesitate to purchase the latest version since it seems the differences are so minor, with the exception of that civet, they're not even discernable.

CarolineF

I got this perfume yesterday, new and sealed but I think it's fake or to old....I was so looking forward to smell it after reading all reviews, but it smelled nothing like you say here. It was only a smell of maybe a little soap and LOTS and lots of powder...no flowers or freschnes at all. It must be to old? Or fake?

Marie69

A perfume truly like no other in my mind. At least not at the time it was launched. Vintage is the way to go here. It reminds me a little bit of EL Private Collection again the original vintage. It is almost bittersweet, woody, green and hugely romantic in my view, but freshly romantic, not boudoir sexy. This was the perfume Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) would have worn when Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford) took her flying in Out of Africa...Awesome scene... maybe this scent was inspired by that iconic movie, the timing is right.

Vegas Pauli

I remember Safari for men and women when they came out. I had a bottle of the mens and grew tired of it quickly as I found it too soapy and kind of boring. I remember liking the women because it was so grassy and green smelling. So, 29 years later I see a vintage Safari pure perfume on line for less than $40 and I get it. First off, they don't make perfume like this anymore. This stuff is like a nectar. Once it hits the skin it melts in and then starts radiating for hours after. This stuff is super strong in a rich syrupy way and it wears extremely well. On me its all green galbanum with dry grassy vetiver and clean moss and it is incredibly beautiful. The flowery elements are nice, but its not my favorite part. As a guy I layer this with a veriver heavy cologne like Tom Ford Grey Vetiver as this can get too flowery when you first put it on. Once you lived with it for a few hours, then the magic happens. There are bottles of the vintage perfume out there if you look hard enough. If you are a perfume lover, it is well worth tracking down.

DrRosie

Will RL ever make anything this beautiful again? Every woman needs this to wear on Saturday morning after that early morning workout, go home take a shower, wash your hair, put on these sexy shorts with a nice shirt ten spray this baby on and get your on with your day. Believe me you will smell divine. Nothing else smells like this perfume.

Eugenia Olesen

Finally, I have this little slice of Africa in my collection – fantastic! The smell that makes you straighten your back – classy and sophisticated. Slightly “out of date” which I love. Safari fragrance is nothing like I have ever tryed before, very unusual. Perfect for September weather - beautiful, harmonious, tranquilizing. Ropion is a true genious!

HennaQueen

Second review:

From the first spray to the drydown, Safari (vintage) is one of the most beautifully balanced florals I own. I have several backup EDP bottles. The faceted glass bottle is so pretty and the weight of the glass feels substantial in your hand. The beauty of the bottle matches the substantial green notes of galbanum, the not-too-sweet hyacith, and earthy notes of vetiver and marigold. There is a deep powdery accord that really comes alive as the florals tone down, must be the orris root and amber. I consider Safari "old-school pretty" and I will always have her in my collection. I just love it!

Thank you, Dominique Ropion. You have created some of my other favorite fragrances as well (Jungle Elephant and Ysatis). I have Chanel No 22 on today but I am sniffing my Safari from the bottle as I read and sip my coffee this afternoon. Anyone else do this with their "perfume babies?" :-)

Henglertdavis

My amazing Dad bought me a bottle of this when I was in college. I wore it constantly. I dated my first (but not last😉) love wearing this. Oh, Jim I’ll never forget how you loved this. Amazing longevity.

yunaluna

Thought I had never smelled Safari in my life. But as soon as I opened the cap, it was all too familiar to me. It reminded me of a person I had forgotten for decades - the mother of a childhood friend. I can picture her vividly, a tall red-haired woman who kept an eye on us while we stormed the playground.

I spritz Safari on my wrist, and I'm back on that same playground, on one particular day. That day, I will successfully hang upside down from the monkey bars for the first time. I have always been too scared of falling off. But I make it happen, and see the world more beautifully upside down. This woman comes over to witness my feat, to tell me how brave I am. Her bright hair is also more beautiful upside down.

There's no way of reconnecting with her -- I only knew her daughter for a year or two of my life -- but I am convinced Safari was and is her scent. I guess it doesn't matter whether I can corroborate. What matters is that her beauty was recovered, dusted off and held to the light again.

Batch code on my bottle dates it to 2016. So this must be a reformulation, but I still enjoy it deeply. The opening is grassy and peppery, with a hint of powder. Soon after the scent gets thicker and creamier and muskier, and is even a bit play-doh-ish on me, but not unpleasant. Sillage is moderate, and that's a very good thing, a lighter touch is necessary for this kind of scent. It reminds me of sinking my fingers into a bowl of potpourri, also in a very good way, the brittle delicacy of dried petals. The dryness is fascinating to me. I'll save this for cooler weather. Would be particularly lovely in autumn rain.

bartenderbabe

Safari opens with strong top notes, and something in the presentation twitches my nose a bit. Someone in the reviews mentioned marigold, which I sometimes have difficulty with. Luckily this quickly passes and I am transformed on a roller coaster of olfactory bliss and surprise. Safari, for me, is all about the basenotes. This grassy green scent has basenotes that are amplified and enhanced by the perspiration of the wearer, in a good way! I have only encountered a few perfumes in my life that actually smell better on me when mixed with my sweat, especially in Texas weather. Safari is one of them. The basenotes soften and gel, giving me a feeling of ease and relaxation. This gives me a strong indication that this would be a good perfume for a day outside, or at the gym, or maybe, ahem, between the sheets. Haha. Another thing that makes this fragrance so appealing is the beautiful glass bottle with etching and swirled designs in the silver top, along with a dark wood finish on the cap. Nothing is better than a lovely fragrance in a lovely bottle. There is a reason that Safari has stood the test of time and is still highly sought after even despite being a 90’s fragrance that is discontinued. This is the stuff of legends.

MnM

I remember owning a bottle of Safari, a gift from someone. I loved Ralph Lauren then and I love Ralph Lauren now. Maybe it's time to revisit an old friend.

Update: I have a full bottle on my dresser again :)

evie71

This is my absolute favorite fragrance from the 90s. It’s actually one of my favorite perfumes of all time even though I don’t wear it very often. I have both a small vintage bottle and a large one of the reformulation and there is a noticeable difference in silage and longevity, although I personally prefer the reformulation as it’s lighter. Smells exactly the same to me, just less potent. Although it’s still strong, neither formulation is for the faint.

Safari definitely lives up to its advertising which is what drew me in in the first place. It smells like dust and vegetation on your shoes after a day in the bush.(I’ve never been there myself, but this is what I imagine.)

Sad it’s been discontinued again, but I’m not surprised. I can imagine the innocent horror of an unsuspecting young girl picking this off the shelf at Sephora. The equivalent of my first encounter with Shalimar. Just a sign of the trend.

ptilda

This is one of those painfully beautiful scents that gives you a different perspective every time you sniff it. Sort of like an enormous bouquet of exotic flowers. Each angle features a different blossom. That's this scent. It's one of the things I love about the classics.

One of the refreshing things about THIS particular classic, however, is that even while it is lush and full with many notes, it's not heavy in the least. At least not to me. I feel that it's entirely appropriate for very day wear in virtually any setting. To me, it screams energetic, confident, cultured, ambitious, and down-to-earth.

It won't go on my want list, only because it doesn't fit me QUITE right. Maybe a bit to poised and polished for me? But I definitely enjoy it and will treasure my little decant.

Thank you, my Fragrantican brothers and sisters, for giving me the opportunity to try these astonishing scents!

louiee

Just bought this again.
Soooo green and so classical in my nose.
Galbanum, vertiver and woodsy/ green flowery notes.
Feminine, clean and mature.
Classy and stylish lady scent.
Strong silage and amazing longevity.
Beautiful bottle !

HennaQueen

One of my all-time favorites since Safari came out in 1990. The vintage cologne or even the vintage EDP is much richer, greener and longer lasting than the current formulation. But the newer version is still very green and floral, unlike many pefumes on the market today. The galbanum, vetiver and marigold create a lasting dry and earthy backdrop to support the rich florals of narcissus and hyacinth. All of the notes are very well-blended in my vintage versions (mostly EDP) and I will always have this in my collection. I need to wear this more often! Safari is tonight's SOTE. If you love Chanel No. 19 this is her leather-free second cousin.

Phantomias

Safari has a unique combination of soft, warm, green and spicy notes. The notes have equal strength and make this a wonderfully blended perfume.
S. could be successfully worn by a woman or a man, although there is a S. version made for men.
This is a very nice, very wearable scent. Sillage and longevity appear good. I like this scent very much.

annxyz

I love Safari ! I know there are many other women missing this kind of scent that is green spicy and lasting . If you want to ask Ralph Lauren to reissue it ( as I have ) you can contact them via email or at 888 475 7674.

I hate to see a classic like this disappear while sugary scents that do not last proliferate exponentially .

meg0825

A stunning green floral chypre! Sharp but refined galbanum, honeyed marigold, and sweetish narcissus over a dry, woody-amber base. A must try for chypre lovers. Beautiful fragrance, beautiful bottle. It's the whole package!

LisaLovesPerfume

I purchased this fragrance when it first arrived. I still love it do this day! I evokes wonderful memories. It is soft, yet makes a statement. Safari is unique and distinctive. The sillage is outstanding. It makes a statement. I still wear this gorgeous fragrance to this day. When I want to feel 90's fabulous, I opt for Safari.

PerfumedParrot

It was the lure of another Dominique Ripion masterpiece which brought me to finally smell Ralph Lauren’s ‘Safari’ after somehow bypassing it in the 90’s until now.

I love his work, but Safari encapsulates that 90’s vintage vibe (albeit in a pleasant way, it’s certainly not a screamingly scary powerhouse). But it doesn’t quite transcend modern olfactory persuasions. It’s a bit like how Jon Bon Jovi was once a handsome rocker heartthrob in the 80’s, was still dreamy in the 90’s, but now he doesn’t quite have that same appeal and looks like an eyebrowless Stretch Armstrong. Some things from the past, lose its charm in the present.

It’s certainly Dominique Ripion’s magical 90’s juice. If you love a floral vintage, then this is so much better than the likes of Arpege and Diva. The elegant cut-glass bottle is stunning and looks like it houses the elixir of youth.

annxyz

Ralph usually makes quality creations - reliably . They are usually classy and well conceived and packaged artfully . He is my idea of the face of American design ( how about Melania Trump’s blue inauguration dress, gloves, and pumps ? ) He is a class act and SAFARI is has the preppy Lauren vibe .

These days there are not that many perfumes that are distinctive or long lasting . Safari is both and it sporty and preppy and one of the best fragrance values I see today . It smells quite sophisticated and stands out among the perfume counter which is smelling more like the candy store for children at the mall . ( I am dead serious . )

This is perfect for a white blouse and khaki pants ( or jeans) and loafers , or a Lauren wool navy blazer . It has oomph !

If you like this , you also might enjoy another long lasting green and spicy scent ( very affordable too ) Aliage, buy Estée Lauder . It was the rage in the 70s on college campuses, and reminds me of Safari .


Update : Forget Aliage . It has been ruined and I wonder how long Estée Lauder will stay in business after trashing the fragrances that loyal customers have purchased for years . That company is being led by fools and they are losing customers and confidence of buyers.

Venusia

The opening: strange, edgy, somewhat difficult but still smart, interesting and captivating
The heart: a beautiful mix of wild, bitter and still sweet herbs and flowers that sing so beautifully together
The drydown: the finest breeze bringing aromas from heaven's garden
This scent is a perfect song: starts loud and impressing, it steels your heart with the perfectly orchestrated middle part and it conquers your soul with a promise - that of untroubled peace
And so is the woman who wears it

I love it!

roxyjuliet

Safari is warm, soapy, clean and spicy, with a moderate amount of sweetness. Its a mix between the woodiness and dryness of the jungle (think pencil shavings) and the clean smell of soap and fresh white linen. It reminds me of Lauren by the same make, only sweeter. This is the most beautiful bottle in my collection - shaped like a crystal decanter.

Venusia

Quality essence, a beauty from wilderness in an elegant bottle.
It insipres me a feeling of complete freedom of choice with amazing adventures in an exotic far away land... reminding me of the great film "Out of Africa"
Somewhat in same vein with Mitsouko. Happy to have discovered it at last!

mohsen95

5/10

Fluffyandpuffy

A classic beauty, still smells great, never outdated. Love.

KiwiMax

I received a miniature bottle of this way back in 1993. The bottle was sculpted (like in the image) and was so beautiful. It was the most luxurious, unusual scent I had ever smelled. I was a poor student at the time, and each time I wore it, I felt beautiful, sophisticated, glamorous and unique -- no-one I knew had this fragrance! I was just about to graduate and I had a new job in Arabia and it made me want to look like the model in the advert -- tanned, feminine, sensuous and unique. In fact, I used to wear it while wearing a crisp blouse and suede waistcoat.

I can hardly remember the scent now, but I remember it being very unique, green, feminine and wondrous. What a gem this was!

soniamcalear

One of the BEST PERFUMES EVER!!!! I could drown in a Sea of Safari, that’s how much I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!! Unlike ANYTHING in the world. A stand alone scent.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

LCor

Beautiful, dry and clean.

Green grass, floral without being 'flowery', masculine on one side but flips to sheer, angular femininity with ease.

The bottles, especially the tear-drop shaped one, are some of the most beautiful I have seen. The tiny 4ml ones are little treasures!

mounen

I picked up a bottle of this in The Perfume Shop yesterday and asked if it was discontinued, they said it wasn't, but that ralph Lauren were selling it exclusively through them.

_christine_

Safari one of my favorite Dominique Ropion fragrances and it aligns with the phenomenal work he was doing in the 1990's (Gucci Accenti, Givenchy Ysatis and Amariage, Krazy Krizia).

Safari is gorgeous. There are the dry green notes, balanced with a light breeze of honey florals (tagetes and narcissus) and powdery iris. The bottom notes are warm amber and dry sandalwood. Safari is as dry as a savanna in the Kalahari. There's no candy or artificial sweetness.

Alas, I think it's discontinued in favor newer, more boring offerings from Ralph Lauren. If you run across Safari, and like Ropion's work, it's worth your attention.

Kiwichick1

I was given a well looked after 4ml EDP Bottle of Safari. The bottle is at least 8years old, or more. However, I loved it so much that I purchased a 75ml EDP. When I first dabbed the 4ml, it transformed instantly into this beautiful floral on my skin. When I sprayed the 75ml, it was initially very alcoholic, then morphed into the same family floral as the mini. The mini smells different, more depth to it than the spray, perhaps it's due to its age! But I love this scent. It's a 'mature' floral, not old ladyish like some out there.

coffeex4

I just checked out the Official Ralph Lauren Website, and didn't see Safari there. There were alot of newer perfumes, all in the same types of bottle, all of different shades of perfume inside them, and I wondered if any of those were anything close to the old Safari. Does anybody know about that? Thanks in advance!

coffeex4

Why, Oh Why, did Ralph Lauren discontinue this perfume? Yes, the bottle was beautiful (to say the least), but the perfume was a perfect match to the bottle, and a complete WINNER!
I must say, however, that the reformulation that happened right before the discontinue, was not very nice (EXTREMELY POWDERY).

efox

I have had this perfume for years and always keep an unopened spare bottle in case it's discontinued. I am one of those people that, due to body chemistry, use different perfumes for different seasons. And this is summer. Literally the hottest days of the year. Safari stays linear on me, and that is fine because I love it as it is, no development necessary. Earthy and green and warm without sweetness, it opens up beautifully in hot weather. It is so unfortunate because I'd love to use this beauty all year round yet it remains silent on me in cooler/cold temperatures. Silage and longevity both moderate, have to respray throughout the day. Definitely not a blind buy material and would say not suitable as gift if you don't know the person's taste.

Mariaro

An interresting perfume, well made, but still I find it vintage, not modern at all, suitable for an old elegant lady , over sixty, I tested this twice because I wanted so much to like this, but after a time smells very vintage, and all I wanted was to take a shower and get rid of the smell....

heatherita

I just got my big bottle of this in the mail (ordered it from ralphlauren.com so i know it's legit). I love it. The 80s was a time of fragrances for me - Lauren, Poison, Magie Noire, Paloma, Obsession, etc, but this one never passed through my radar. My first impression of Safari is that it's spicy. And yet it is clean. I think it's a natural sort of clean smell, like the way they used spices in the middle ages to get rid of bad smells. It's not obviously a "clean" scent like Issy Miyake or CK One, which are nice but can be so refreshing that they seem cold. It doesn't go overboard to be "clean" and yet it is. I can live with it all day at the office and it never feels cloying or too musky. And that is what I love about it. It's spicy and warm, yet it opens the window to allow a breath of fresh air. Nice going Ralph Lauren!

msginsling

I wore this when it was first released. I loved it. When it was discontinued from sale I was gutted. I found a seller.
Then It was replaced by other fragrances. Recently I re-visited my bottle and didn't like it at all. For my nose what you smell is what you get, whether its in the bottle, a few seconds in, or three hours later. There's no nuance, no fluctuating subtle changes, no disappearance with a remarkable come back 20 minutes late. Tomorrow I'm going to give it a go, 2 bursts on my neck and I'll see if I can fall in love with it again.....

Plumaria

I bought this scent more than 20 years ago because I was mesmerised by the TV commercial and because I loved, really really loved the chiseled bottle. I bought the refillable purse spray, the leaf shaped one that came with a little silver funnel, but didn't like the scent. On me it was obnoxious and I had to wash it off after a while. I also didn't smell it on many other women, only on one friend and it smelled like plastic. I guess that I couldn't handle galbanum. I couldn't understand why this was supposed to be the scent of the Africa dream, but I didn't care, I just wanted the bottle.

When I moved from the country I used to live and gave away many fragrances I wasn't using, I kept this one, alone for the bottle. The plan was to throw away the juice inside and fill the bottle with one of my favourite fragrances, but somehow I didn't dare.

Short time ago I toke it out of the beautiful croco printed box, just to admire the bottle again and out of curiosity have tried the scent and surprise surprise, now I like it a lot, now I can envision the Savannah, the infinite sky, the dryness, the tent, the wood, the leather and the whisky in a chiseled crystal glass.

It is a summer scent the same way Dune, Eau the Merveilles, Un Jardin en Mediterranee and Un Jardin apres la Mousson are, something that transports you into a time and a place. There are scents that I can wear all over the year and I love because they are the essence of me and inspire me joy or calm or elegance or sexiness, and then others, like this, that are like airplanes or time machines.
Safari is the perfect name for this scent and the bottle is his temple.

stacia79

I found a vintage cut crystal purse flask of Safari. It's beautiful to look at and hold, like some kind of amulet or maybe a potion from a storybook.
The fragrance itself quickly became a favorite. So much galbanum, which is great because I really love the smell of galbanum. This is the only note that my nose can truly pull from it, everything else is a supporting hammock for the galbanum. I do feel wild, free and sassy when I don Safari. I'm going to be bummed when my bottle is finished. It definitely conjures up an image of standing in tall dried grass and an herbal breeze is blowing around you. And yet I wouldn't call it a casual scent really. This would fit right in at a formal event.

amanda7

I decided to try a sample of Safari today. It was quite a hot summer day so I thought it would be a good choice. As the main note is galbanum I really liked it, but then I did some housework and didn´t really think of it anymore. Suddenly the sky got dark and the storm started. I must say I really like summer storms with thunder and lightning so I went out to watch the rain, because I was quite hot and I wanted to cool down. Then I realized that I could smell something really beautiful. It was Safari on my wrist. The rain helped it to develop a wonderful scent. So for me this will be the scent which will remind me summer storms and rainy weather. Try it with summer rain because it is a kind of magic.

myjebo2012

Smells awesome! Great smells

myjebo2012

Smells awesome! Great smells

gtabasso

a tad fruity in the top with lush yellow floral that are a bit sharp and crisp. Seems like some oakmoss and aldehydes in here. Leave it to the vetiver. This is a bit spicy and sharp but definitely a floral/floriental but not in the spice category like an Opium. Top-heavy florals but not a light scent. Deep and complex.

AMBRA GRI

What an interesting fragrance! This is like layering 2 different fragrances that they have too strong personalities to blend. I had the impression of smelling 2 very distinct precise layers. One was sweet and warm and ambery, reminding me a lot of Boucheron. The other layer is herbaceous, bitter and green, a very realistic taget(My grandmother had tagets in her garden, this is exactly their smell if you rub their petals in your hand). They never blended on my skin and actually I don't know which part is smelled by others - the warm one or the herbal one. It's an outdoorsy, completely non-urban fragrance, earthy,mossy green, raw, and ambery warm. Indeed, Out of Africa , Meryl Streep , her white natural fiber shirts, straw fedoras and kaki or sand colored pants - that's the image I associate with Safari.
I put this in the same league with Cartier La Panthere.

Raaven

Safari was my signature scent when it was released in 1990, it was the most beautiful scent I had ever worn and it wore like a second skin on me. For me it was the quintessential chypre, but unfortunately the reformulation of this Regal beauty has diminished it to a sad shell of it's original self. I do have the new formulation which I keep for the vintage cut glass bottle, but every time I see it on my dressing table I am both reminded of her beauty & demise all in the same instance. It's a perfumista conundrum!

Update: It's getting into late summer here in the southwest and the early mornings are starting to whisper the cooler dryer winds of the promise of autumn, which is the quintessential season to wear Safari & I have actually started reaching for this in the last 2 weeks. I just have to apply it sparingly to the back of my neck and down my spine & no more than 2 good sprays, as the reformulation has lost it's smooth rounded quality and keeps its sharper green notes well into the life of the wear. I'm training myself to enjoy Safari once again and it seems as though this classic style chypre & I have come to an understanding and are willing to enjoy each other once again.

Elisabeth M.

Most sophisticated American perfume ever! - I tested 'Safari' for the first time, when it came on the market in the early 90's. From the beautiful bottle design and packaging my European nose expected an oriental-ambery fragrance, slightly animalic. Instead I was surprised by the initial yellow-floral opening and overall brightness of this fragrance. Only in the background are mingling some herbal notes (vetiver, rosemary) that live up to its adventurous name 'Safari'. This is an American perfume in the line of 'Giorgio' by Beverly Hills or 'Bijan'. Though everyone says this is an 80's powerhouse, the sillage is only moderate on my skin. Anyway I am so glad to have this treasure now in my collection.

Contessa01

I always feel badly when I have to say anything negative in a review but I think it's important if it's not just one line with no information. First I will start by saying I blind bought this perfume. I had never smelled it. I felt jinxed because everywhere I would go noone had a tester for the female version. In hindsight I could of bought a mini online. So I unwrapped and sprayed and immediately was hit with a smell I have smelt before and thought that it is very retro but not in a bad way. It fits the chyrpe category which unfortunately screams 'older person' to many (I am not saying this) but you know what I mean. It reminds me of Magie Noir etc. It does smell a bit dated but I still didn't mind it. Now here is the problem. So I had sprayed two sprays and came into work and was hit with comments 'something reeks omg thats disgusting what is that? that is awful is that a perfume?" I knew they knew it was me and I felt tears almost well in my eyes and so I put my headphones on for a while and ignored it. Then I went to the bathroom and washed my arms and neck. So that's what happened when I wore it. I don't always care what others think of my perfume but I have not had a reaction like that before. I think if you love it - just wear it and wear it confidently. I still wear perfumes others hate on me. The reason I added these comments is because I was fifty fifty on if I liked this perfume on me and now I am not sure it works on me. So perhaps try before you buy. If you like vintage chyrpes you will probably love this. Also, I will add it does have a bit of a floral note which prevents that bitterness which I love about it.

tandaina

I am currently in South Africa at Ant's Nest doing a fabulous horseback riding safari. I've worn this every day and it is perfect. The spicy floral, the green, the woody oakmoss. It is so perfect for winter in Africa that it totally melded with the scent of the bush until I can't tell where one ends and other begins. Perfect, and will forever smell like Africa to me.

Soofiya

Last year a half full bottle of safari was offered to me in a swap,I checked it's notes and when I saw that it's a floral-green I decided that I don't want it so I swapped with another perfume but my swap partner also sent me a 2mil decant of safari which I totally forgot about until recently
When I first sprayed it I could smell familiar green scent of galbanum,narcissus,hibiscus and a hint of citruses.something that is more or less present in most perfumes of this genre:chanel 19,hermes amazone,Issey miyake a scent &... Which is nice and springy but not my type
But it develops to a heavenly scent which makes me dying with regret of not adding it to my collection when I had such a good opportunity
I don't know how tagets smell like.I can still smell floral-green notes of the opening(galbanum,narcissus,hibiscus) but now they warmed and rounded by Woody notes and amber.I can also smell something like a honeyed orange flower which is what makes it so gorgeous to my nose .it's not what I usually like and go for.it's unique,mature and strong but also pleasant.a memorable perfume with a beautiful scent,strong longevity and sillage and a beautiful bottle
I can see how it can be signature for ladies with different tastes,for me it would be something I rarely crave,still I'd love to have it in my collection for that rare occasions

lani.myburg oelofse

I was looking for something new and mature. Read a lot about Safari and ordered it blind. Got my order today and I'm surprised about everything. It smell gorgeous like heaven. I'm so glad I got it. I will never say it is something to do with safari. I'm from Africa and went on safaris from the day I can remember. The Buffalo's will chase you the elephant will lift their ears (and you know what happen then),the flying insects will not leave you and all the bucks will run away. This is a fancy expensive heaven smell for smart dinners, functions, meetings or just going out. It's strong longlasting and for sophisticated women. If you search for a perfume wearing on a safari you can go with obsession CK. The animals will love you specially the lions.

tandaina

Oh this is gorgeous.

This isn't roughing it safari, this is an old style film star safari. It's "Out of Africa." On me it's warm and dry with sweet hay, and beautiful florals. The oak moss and the geranium mix to make a note that's almost cinnamon.

Warm, elegant, floral, spicy. Truly gorgeous and really wearable I think. If you remember the great perfumes of yore with fondness you'll enjoy this.

Sherihan

There is nothing to add after reading all those informative truthful reviews. Just one comment, if Chakras have a suitable perfume for each, then Safari is a Root Chakra kind of perfume.. earthing, rooting scent, I felt safe and relaxed when tested it on my skin.
The bottle is one of the best bottles...just art

Hayhay123

Just recieved my vintage 125ml bottle wow just how i remember it strong and long lasting my first memory of this was bk in the 90s my first serious bf at the time had this on i said to him show me the bottle and there it was a ladies one not the mans one and right there and then he gave me a 50 ml bottle as he thought it was the mens one i treasured that for ages one of the best smells iv ever smelt the funny thing about it it actually smelt gourgeous on him bought a bottle around a year ago nothing how i remember it looked in to it and found it had been reformulated so i searched on ebay and got a great deal on a 125 ml bottle wow all those memorys came flooding back

Norgirl

I finaly got this ,And wow this is so different then what i was expecting . I was expecting somthing truly green crisp and fresh in line with Chanel no19 ,Balmain and such .
What im getting from this is a warmer fruity, floral slightly green scent .I cant find much of galbanum and crispness in this at all. Maybe my skin amps up different notes then i thought .
This lingers sweet and almost amber like on my skin , Yes there is Tagetes and sweetnes from it , somhow i thought the greennes would stand out much more . I like it but this was not the kind of scent i initialy was looking for .
Nead to wear again with the cravings for Green scents layed on a different shelf . This is not it thats for shure .

Lom

I was thinking about Geranium pour Monsieur that I love so much and then I started smelling Safari in my head. I had to check online and to my surprise they are both by Ropion. This used to be the smell from the fashion magazines when I was a kid. The smell of richness and luxury. Beautiful.

BarefootContessa

Ralph Lauren's muse...I can see that gorgeous 80's woman in khaki cargo pants and a white silk button-down blouse. Terribly sexy with that strong sandalwood base that is not for the faint of heart.

kates babyblue

Smells like after shave a bad buy on my part ..Not everyone can love this and I do not with a passion

Estela B

This is the best fragrance I have, it belonged to my mother. I remember using it just for special occasions, when she would let me use some drops of it. The bottle is gorgeous. This is a very special scent, it has many layers so you can't have a total impression just by sniffing it quickly in a shop. This is what I wear on special parties and events, I have an original bottle from the nineties, which is not a spray but with delicate cap. And oh yes the male version is just as good as the female. Have both, love both.

Piscean-Blue

It took me a minute to warm up to this. My first impression was, "Wow... This is really retro... Interesting but such a throw back..." Yet and still I kept coming back to it.

Safari is definitely one of those fragrances you have to let settle on your skin. It opens harshly but once it calms down it's really lovely. And the name "Safari" suits it. It is a safari, but a romanticized old-Hollywood version of one, starring Elizabeth Taylor. (If you want to smell an actual safari, may I suggest Chanel No. 5, which smells like lions mating and peeing on each other on a bed of lily of the valley petals... That or a living room after your house cat sprayed all over the furniture and your futile attempt to cover up the stench with Febreeze).

So I love it. But I do recommend trying a sample first and getting to know it before committing to a full-sized bottle.

Toronto_pro

I somehow missed it in the 90s, so my impressions are fresh and recent (got it as a part of a box with miniatures along with "Paloma", "Tresor" and "Noa").

2 words that come to my mind: bitter and borderline male perfume. I don't feel anything "green", however lots and lots of wood, sun-drenched bitter herbs and some citrus. Then patchouli kicks in.

Definitely not a "candy shop", "powdery", "flowery" or anything like this. Not even oriental.

Very interesting, expensive, striking, but too strong if you have a "girly girl" image.

Breannethalasa

It's amazing how this perfume has touched the lives of so many. I love reading the stories - here is mine.

I was introduced to Safari through one of my mom's best friends. She's a fashionable lady with the money that allowed her to indulge in all the top shelf makeup and perfumes. She's also a generous lady who passed on the stuff she didn't like or grew bored of to my mother and I. Hence how I wound up with two nearly full bottles of the vintage perfumed Safari creams in 1997.

I was 14 and somewhat of a tom boy, as well as a huge geek, but I was still becoming a young woman and so I was drawn to some of that lifestyle, despite the fact that I barely wore make up and had not yet taken a set of tweezers to my eyebrows. I had a vanity made of clear glass and cheap brass metal set up in my room contrasting with my Xena, Sailor Moon and dragon posters. Those crystalline jars graced the glass top, more for aesthetics than any appreciation of the scent they contained, next to GAP's Grass, Vanilla Fields, Adidas for Women and CK One.

When I was 15 I met a shy boy at high school. My first real crush. I asked him to accompany me to our highschool's Winterfest dance and to my delight he said yes. I picked out a deep blue dress made of crushed velvet, and my mother lent me her white velvet, faux fur collared Winkleman's jacket that she used to wear to attend church as a little girl in the early 1960's. She curled my long auburn hair into loose ringlets. I looked like Kate Winslet from Titanic. I looked, first the first time in my life, like a lady.

But what kind of perfume does a lady wear on her first date, with her first crush, at her first school dance? The elegant, romantic bottles of Ralph Lauren's 'Safari' caught my eye on my glass vanity. I went to the dance wearing that deep scented vintage concoction and felt as rich and classy and as beautiful and rebelliously wild as Rose DeWitt Bukater that night. As I slow danced with my date, he leaned in and whispered in my ear, "You smell incredible". My first perfume compliment from a boy.

And the boy would soon become my first; my first boyfriend, my first love. And Safari became my first scent as a woman. A rich, creamy scent of grasses and powder and wildflowers. An elegance not afraid to explore. A perfume I wore while sitting in a field near my house in cargo shorts and hiking boots wearing brown eyeline, weaving flower crowns of rushes and dandelion and thistle.

The years began to pass, and I slowly used up all the beautiful, richly perfumed lotion in those elegant bottles. And my life went from a young girl's fairy tale to a horror story, with different instances of abuse and trauma and developing PTSD. All the scents that had come to grace that glass vanity over the years tarnished much as the brass that lined the glass did; J'Adore, CK One, all tossed in the trash can because they became connected with abusive, terrible memories of a life I desperately fought to escape and leave behind.

All except the empty bottles of Ralph Lauren Safari. As I unscrewed the cap of that crystalline bottle a sense of peace, beauty and innocence washed over me. I was taken back to a time when I believed in love, people and the world. A time when I felt beautiful. A time when I felt loved. A time when I had hope.

The empty bottle moved with me to many states in the country. It accompanied me through many experiences. Through many achievements and many losses. When I felt down, or depressed, I unscrewed the silver and brown elegant cap on the empty bottle and sniffed, and was instantly transported to a time of innocent childhood. As I got older I meant to either re-purpose the jar or throw it out. Yet somehow, it just managed to tag along.

Three years ago I found the jar again. After many years of forgetting about it and it's magic, I unscrewed the elegant top... and the scent still lingered, still hit my olfactory memories like a wave crashing against the cliffs here on the Pacific Northwest coast. I decided it was finally time to purchase the perfume. To my dismay, I saw it had been discontinued, some vintage bottles of the juice for sale on Ebay for an exorbitant amount of money. Sadly, I accepted it was just to remain what it was, along with all the emotions tied to it - a beautiful memory.

Last year, I ended up hooking up again with that first boyfriend. And yesterday, I bought my first bottle of Ralph Laruen's Safari. I will wear it on our next date, and I will never say a thing about it.

SueC

I really love this, it is a wonderful and underrated perfume. It is a less haughty cousin to Estee Lauder's Private Collection, and also a good substitute if you can't get hold of vintage Ivoire de Balmain.
Safari is complex, has many notes of a gorgeous bouquet of flowers plus the very green galbanum, lovely herbal notes, plus delicious orange blossom and jonquil and a wonderful powdery base that lasts for ages. Fabulous on a rainy spring day. And the bottle is so beautiful, made to sit on your dressing table. Karen Blixen/Isak Dinesen would have loved it. I regret not grabbing a second bottle when I saw it discounted. Like someone else here I haven't worn it for a while but have come back to it. I hope it's not actually discontinued.

Angela Agiannidou

I first came by this gem 13 years ago in a Ladies facilities at a prestigious London Gallery I had visited with my Artist ex. I was struck by its beauty, it was just what I wanted, a deep, sensuous, aromatic scent. In this, Galbanum is the king, to my delight, while the fruits only add a delicious aromatic streak with woods, vetiver and Cedar kissed ever so delicately by rose, providing an aromatic bed for the rest of the notes to shine! This is an adult concoction, rich in fruit but dominated by a resinous, woody heart touched gently and sensually by florals. This is a gem, a beautiful scent, classic and eternal. This is of those scents that are eternal!!!! Pure love!!
For those sophisticated enough, PURE class in a bottle!

TillyWave_archive

Oh, I have so much to say about this one. There's so much going on here, from the era, to the bottle, to the perfume itself.

Safari was released in 1990. It was not a shadow of things to come, as it bears no resemblance to the light as water, soapy, sheer floral, or citrus perfumes that were really popular at that time (EL Pleasures, Issey Miyake, CK One, EA Green Tea, Gap perfumes, you know what I'm talking about!) Safari seems to span several decades--you have your huge florals, 80s style--there are tons of flowers in here--the aldehydes that have been popular since forever, but in a nod, again, to the 80's the aldehydes are pleasantly reminiscent of hairspray. The aldehydes and hairspray make Safari smell decidedly 'perfumey' for a few hours (certainly a verboten style in the 21st century:) Then you have the green notes--the galbanum, moss, vetiver, that reminds me of a great green 70s perfume. And the other florals, pungent marigold, hyacinth, lily, so unusual. Yet the perfume is so beautiful and lovely that it reminds me of a perfume even older, maybe like a 40s Dior, or L'Air du Temps or something. The bottle itself is also classic in structure, a cut glass jewel, made to be put on your perfume tray that sits on your vanity.

And the quality--this perfume will last all day with several sprays. And I have no desire for a touch up spray, because it has such a progression--there are like 10 stages Safari goes through before drying down into the base.

The advertising is almost funny in retrospect. This is not a 'wide open air, grassy flowers on a desert wind' type of perfume. Safari is a veritable kitchen-sink 10 styles in one complicated perfume. And the notes are STRONG--the flowers are huge, this isn't some, oh, I think I smell a rose about 5 miles away. The drydown is definitely earthy-very woody & mossy for sure. But otherwise, who's wearing hairspray on Safari??

If I had to put Safari in a category it would be Green Floral Chypre Aldehyde. You really, really need to like green perfumes in order to appreciate Safari. And florals. Lots of flowers--hyacinth, daffodil, marigold, rose, jasmine, a compelling mix.

So Safari isn't really of its time at all. But that's okay. And--the vintage is easy to find. Admittedly the topnotes are a little off on my bottle--I don't smell any citrus notes at all, and there is a definite nail-varnish smell to everything for a few mintues. But the vintage bottles can be found for even cheaper than the new stuff--I've never smelled the new bottles, but I would like to.

PastelMoon

Safari is amazing. It reminds me of bittersweet school/childhood years due to a slight chalkiness it has, yet it also is classy and rich (in many senses of the word) possessing a beautiful, sparkly,very green top that mellows into floral-aromatic wood with a touch of sweetness.

This scent has many contradictions to it, yet mingles in such a pleasant manner, it is both dark and light, like a shadow spectacle.

It is a very classic composition that works well in current postmodern circumstances.

Esmeralda1

I first tried this in 1997, introduced by a very classy elegant sexy and rich woman. She was like the big sister i never had. I was so young but i looked up to this woman cause she had an air of cosmopolitan, experience, beauty and got everything in her life set! The sent just accentuated all this i wanted to grow into myself. She and the scent became a mark for some time in My life were i started to grow from girl to woman.. It is an extremely elegant rich grown-up scent in a positive way.. Like the life experience by living a life fully gives You more power, more access to grown-up exclusive experiences.. It really speaks class, like the woman wearing this also wears diamonds and dating James Bond. The scent is vintage, like these years before the millenium shift were a bit innocent, that You can feel those times Are gone. The new reformulation is more sharp and have corners, at least in the start, then it transform. The perfume and smell and memories and class are all there still in its beauty ❤️

Jacquelyn1

So I am trying all these perfumes and not finding anything that makes me want to wear them again. I bought this blind on my favorite site for finding discontinued and vintage fragrances, based on some reviews I read. I should pay more attention overall. Live and learn.
This isn't horrible. Its just not for me. I'm not a fan of florals in general and I don't like powdery. This is both floral and powdery.
Longevity is just so so on me.

Anyway, I have happily sold my bottle.

TimeIsLikeABrokenWatch

This is a bright, sunny fragrance and I really enjoy wearing it. I was first introduced to Safari as one of my mom's handful of fragrances; she wore this in the 90's, alongside Beautiful and, later, Amarige. When her bottle ran out, she never replaced it, but I missed seeing the cut-glass disk and the tortoiseshell in the stopper.

I finally ordered a sample vial years after she passed to see if it held up to my memory of it. I'd been going through her perfume collection and realized that, as it happened, my tastes were developing to be closer and closer to hers. I sometimes have trouble with fragrances turning on me and, wouldn't you know it, so many of her picks work with my chemistry. Imagine my surprise when Safari smelled so much sweeter on my skin than it did on hers. I remember it being sharp and grassy on her; on me, it's round and sweet, like sweetgrass or hay. I broke down and ordered a bottle after wearing out my little decant.I actually like that it smells different on me; I love the fragrance (and the bottle!) and like being able to wear it without smelling like my mother, even though I originally revisited it out of a sense of nostalgia.

So, about the fragrance itself: I get a lot of galbanum, that's the main note I detect. As I mentioned before, it smells sweet on me, but the way hay smells sweet, it isn't a candied or gourmand note. I honestly don't feel like I can speak to the other individual notes, as this is one of those multi-faceted fragrances where the various notes all seem to blend together. I love that each time I catch a whiff of this, it will smell subtly different throughout the day. The sillage on this is great; it unfurls throughout the day, and it's one of the few fragrances that has any projection at all on me. I have to be careful about how much I spray. It may be an older scent, but I think it can hold its own today; it doesn't smell dated to me, though it is definitely a departure from what dominates department store fragrance counters. If you're ready for something a little bit different, this may be the perfect fragrance to revisit.

DLElf

Sadly, I'm one of those women whose body chemistry clashes with Safari. It's a wondrous scent on others, but I smell like I just rolled in freshly cut weeds and grass. I can't bring myself to get rid of my beautiful 90's vintage bottle. I love the fragrance as long as it's not on me.

Southern Blonde

This smells like a woman on safari with a cute little hat and khakis. She accompanies her husband or fiancé on Safari in Africa. They are on a jeep, they run out of gas, they get lost and end up sleeping out in the savannahs and jungles of Africa. This smells of wildflowers and fields of grass and trees. There is not a lot of wood and yet it has something outdoorsy about it. It's got galbanum and vetiver which are chypre ingredients. This smells of mostly narcissus jasmine and rosemary to me. It's not very floral but it's flowery enough for a woman. In no way does it smell like Ralph Lauren Safari for men which is a huge patchouli. The citrus here is fresh and sweet and the flowers are noticeable. This is very pretty and perfect for spring and summer. I know exactly where and when I will wear this. The bottle is cute and very old fashioned. This throw out great sillage and lasts all day. Reminds me a bit of Dior Dune. If you like perfumes like that check it out. Great stuff.

Astrogenie

This is a lovely, complex fragrance and strong on me. It lasts for hours and projects well which is is becoming more rare these days, with many perfumes having poor staying power. It reminds me of the fragrances of the 1980's because of its' strength and in particular it made me think of the original Armani for women perfume that I used to love in the early 1980's, which was sadly discontinued. I compared the notes listed on this website for both and they have many notes in common. Safari is green and woodsy when first sprayed but then soft powdery edges and floral aromas emerge. In the end I am left with rose - not a dewy cultivated rose but rather a wild, woody, rambling rose which is rather lovely. I would find it too strong for hot weather but somehow it makes me think of woodland walks and enjoying the outdoors in spring/autumn. I love it and will always want it in my collection. The bottle is also very lovely.

bananas

Well I always come very late to the party, & then make a swift escape if I need to, thereby creating an air of mystery, so by admitting that I have NEVER got around to smelling this olfactory piece of heaven until now...in my late forties, & many many fumes under my belt, no less, means that I have arrived many many years late to this Safari party!!

I am blown away by the effect this scent has on me. It is utterly a divine magical experience that to me, is very reminiscent of another masterpiece of that same time; Christian Dior"s Dune. I feel these types of perfumes from this era can all deserve to be included under the same umbrella that translates as ICONIC.

Yes , there are the similarities to Dune, they share many of the same notes...the citrusy mandarin vibe , the aldehydes, the rose, the moss, the amber, cedar, sandalwood & patchouli bases, but Dune can switch between masculine & feminine to me, it gives off a mysterious, wild, free-spirited & elusive dry heated essence, where Safari is rich, smooth, creamier, the more refined, sunny & floral romantic sister.
But that calming comforting sandalwood comes into play in both their dry downs & I guess that's why I'm comparing those two scents.....they are both born from a 'golden' era in perfumery.

It lasts & lasts & keeps giving & pleasing & I really do love this. It's next on my 'must have' fragrance list.
& it is NEVER too late....I still have enough years left in my life to enjoy this amazing creation.

Gigi The Fashionista

Depending on your skin chemistry and how it handles perfume, this one will either smell really good or really bad. Normally I can handle anything a fragrance throws at me so this smells so good. I do admit that the Safari for men (which I tried but prefer to smell on men) is way too strong like a mega elephant with loads of patchouli and citrus that I just couldn't take for too long. This one is clearly designed for women but it's still very outdoorsy and sporty not too different from the "sporty" scents like Charlie by Revlon, except far more sophisticated and floral. The galbanum replaces the patchouli in the men's cologne and thank God for that. I love galbanum. It's probably the most beautiful of any chypre scents. This fragrance evokes being outdoors somewhere in Morocco with a flower garden but the flowers are sleeping and under moon light. Fruit opens the fragrance: a definite mandarin and citrus scent. But it's also got aldehydes old fashioned and luxurious, brilliant, very reminiscent of Chanel or old fashioned Avon (in a good way). The flowers are exquisite: hyacinth, rose, lily of the valley, narcissus and iris. Narcissus is on here two times and it's therefore a narcissus frag. White floral but not heavy or offensively floral. The base is composed of vetiver, moss, Tonka bean and styrax. Vetiver is clearly there and adds a touch of spice. The styrax does the same thing. The vetiver and oak moss is very nice, elegant, woodsy, and cool like walking under trees and catching the breeze that blows on trees. This smells fresh, sweet and spicy, and it's color is very golden and amber I wondered if there was amber here because it almost feels like there is. A scent for summer and spring for the woman who loves her vintages but she's still modern as this frag is still wearable for today. A 90's power fragrance of lush beauty and class. I recommend this for day time wear but formal day time wear. And you have to be ok with the stronger notes of galbanum and patchouli. It's totally a chypre.

ramskates

I don't know what it is with every Ralph Lauren scent I've tried. They all turn into horse pee on me. I so wanted Safari to work on me when I got it in the 90s because it smelled really good on a friend. But to my embarrassment after having it on for a few minutes we kept smelling a urine smell and discovered it was the Safari on my wrist. Safari, indeed. Safari of the horse stables before they are cleaned. I was so disappointed! But I still have the bottle because it is truly one of the most beautiful perfume bottles ever made.

magimae

I bought this back around the time Obsession came out. Both were my favorite fragrances at the time, and somewhat reminded me a little of each other. Safari seemed to be more floral and lighter scented, but had an undercurrent of a darker more earthy scent as well. To me, it was a great scent to wear during the day. I think they have reformulated this as the last time I was able to buy a bottle of it,it just didn't smell the same at all..Very light watered down and and not as smooth as the older version was much more green scented and I don't care for that with my chemistry.

mounen

I'm a fan of floral orientals, so don't really feel qualified to rate this perfume as good or bad, but I do believe that this would not smell at all wrong on a man.

PLUMPIE

This is gorgeous, a hybrid of EA private collection and Ungaro Diva green, musky floral-oriental. Crisp and musky, powdery, spicy outdoorsy 90s yellow floral. To me this is like Dune but more glamorous and much, much stronger- evokes a feel of the outdoors but goes from summer outside to a glamorous dinner. Dune is more of a day at the beach to my nose. Gorgeous and glamorous but a bit too overwhelming for me personally as I would like a touch more spice than green.

Cannelline

I think it has a clear similarity to Balmains Ivoire (2012). There is something piercing, sharp, coarse, I think it is mainly the vetiver I am noticing as similar, but I'm not sure. They have following notes in common: vetiver, galbanum, cedar, jasmin, patchouli, rose and mandarin orange.

monamonib

Finally I got safari it was blind buy and iiwas afraid but after wearing it Ivan say shortly it has the opening of Chloe narcisse and the dry down of red Giorgio Beverly Hills it's so warm and nice but all what you need cool weather to wear and one spray is enough

J919480

I'm selling a bottle of anyone is interested ... message me

Kshan

I'd easily call this old-school pretty. Although they do not smell alike, the strength and overall vibe of Safari reminds me a lot of EL's Knowing. Top notes are dry and bitter but mellowed out by the floral aspects that are wholly evident about 90 minutes after application. It's stunning and unique. THIS is how perfume should be done!

allie kat

I have never smelled the original but blind bought this reformulation based on the reviews here, hoping to find a treasure. It reminds me of a much loved plug in air freshener I used to buy solely for use in my bedroom. I loved it so am thrilled to find a perfume that reminds me of it. After a couple of minutes of screeching greenness this settles quickly into a soft, sensuous, golden breeze. It's how I imagine a roadtrip to the Grand Canyon in a beautiful convertible would smell. I love it.

mymlan

Safari has wandered on and off my wantlist since I first tried my sample. If I didn't try to downsize I would probably have bought it a long time ago. To my nose, It's an intriguing mixture of marigold, sticky patchouli and a whiff of mint (probably the rosemary) and I adore it. I don't know if my sample is the vintage or the current formula. Anyway, it's quite powerful and it lasts for a long time. A good purchase if you like woody aromatic fragrances.

powdery

Its very intense.Not feminine at all.But my husband love it.

silverbutterfly

Here is my story about Safari RL. In 95th our boss sponsored HR project called 8th of March (it is big in Russia to celebrate womanity, women:wives,mothers,grandmothers,daughters...)and which means every woman in a company (a huge bank) should receive a perfume and flowers.

So every woman in a bank received wrapped present.5 minutes later every woman started to ask each other "what did you get?" Another 5 minutes later most of all women started to exchange with one another for "their taste" perfume.
One girl, who worked in a kitchen got Safari, I asked her to trade with mine (I believe I was Kenzo D'ete, but don't remember for sure)She didn't. Alas.
I was trying to buy many times, and each time something happened, I didn't bought a big bottle, until the testers became so expensive and real one unreachable. Then I decided to buy miniature at antiques store, it also didn't happened.
( Now,2015 June : 20years later, fills like it was yesterday) I finally got a miniature,I put it on my hand and went to watch TV program at 8p.m. Now, I am writing you at 10p.m. Every second minute I sniffing my wrist, can not stop it! It last and last! evolving & developing better and better.One of the best smells from 90th still actual today!I am happy I got vintage version!

shellapoo

I wish I could write such an eloquent ode to Safari, my long-time friend and signature sent, as you did Guagamela. I was wearing Safari in my late teens when I met my husband. I wore it on my wedding day. And now, 18+ years later, I am close to finishing the original bottle that has remained such a faithful friend all these years. Her intoxicating yet complex scent brings back all the happiness, joy, and romance of being young and knowing what you want in life. Safari went with me to each job interview, celebrated all the highs of life and helped comfort me during all the lows. If I could give a gift of myself to a fragrance, it would be to you, Safari!

Macushla

Guagamala, what a beautiful review! I am new to Safari, and I am sure I do not have the vintage *sigh* but your descriptions of the mood and feel that perfumes invoke are spot on. Perfume is very much about the 'feel' to me.

If I may, since you love vintage, I think that you would love Tendre Poison if you can get hold of it. Since I first smelled it I have wanted to wrap myself in it and breathe it.

Thanks again for your review.

Gaugamela

Honestly, in my heart? Forsaking all other fragrances, for me it's Diva by Ungaro (vintage, of course) and Safari, cologne concentration, 1989 version, my mom's bottle (and I definitely mean 1989, that is the year listed on the sticker label on the bottom, along with a legit 3-digit batch code. Hashtag EARLY!!) I can make this very bold statement, with over 60 perfumes on my dresser, including an ever-increasing vintage classic collection - and I love Halston, and I love Passion by Liz Taylor - having just re-smelled Safari *this evening*, after maybe two decades. In an overwhelming frenzy to collect and try, vintage vs. reformulated, I am so at peace with this scent. I keep smelling my wrist: can this be true? -- Was it really just as beautiful as I thought I'd sensed, 7 seconds ago? I must make sure -- Suddenly 98% of what I have...doesn't matter. Is this what it feels like to be able to "settle down"?

I have next to zero literacy when it comes to notes. All I can vouch for are feeling and thought. Aristocratic. Serene. Approachable. Intimate. Grand. Majestic. Warm. Sunny. Viable. Heated. Relaxed. Soothing. Lovely. Embracing. Captivating. Heartwarming. Elegant. The height of femininity arcing over something timeless, primal, foundational.

Incarnate, this is the woman who, from afar, is so exquisite as to render you petrified by reputation and appearance, and when you meet her, you wonder how you were ever intimidated, as she is the loveliest, most inviting creature on earth.

I had thought Nombre Noir, never having smelled it, the finest, most rare delicacy in fragrance in existence. After thinking this bottle of my mother's Safari perfume had been thrown out years back, and disovering only three hours ago it has been here, in her house, all along, tucked away, covered in dust, in a corner of her cosmetics bin, and is not only half full but gorgeous and smells exactly the same as I didn't remember that I didn't remember (and no, that's not a typo), and I can cradle it in my hands? A huge, round, cut glass flacon. And it smells like...a type of sanctuary? You can keep your N squared. I'll take my Safari miracle any day of the week.

laura.linger.3

I am wearing several spritzes of my 1989 vintage today...this magical fragrance. I sprayed it twelve hours ago and it is still keeping me company, delighting me now and then with little wafts of scent. It's so lovely to smell like a *WOMAN* again, not some cotton-candy-covered little girl. So gorgeous.

Planet_X

I was avoiding Safari for some unnown reasons, probably in my imagination it should be prickly-green and bitter-scratchy, sour maybe even. So glad I did that blind swap "out of curiousity"
Lush, rich and creamy, almost fruity on my skin, soooo long-lasting and all those good creamy-wipped qualities are staying all the way, plus projection is terrific. I do leave the Trail after myself, as Safari is warm and feminine in the base, love the bottle , the smell is expensive.
Would strongly recommend it to lovers of herbal-sweet, full-bodied fragrances - Fath de Fath, Ungaro Diva, Knowing EL, Sicily D&G

flowers-in-the-springtime

I have often wondered why this perfume is called 'Safari'. To me it doesn't remind me of the African heartlands, or the Serengeti. This perfume is a sweet and creamy explosion of all things floral, it's delightfully British in my humble opinion. It reminds me of an English country garden in midsummer as one sips tea from a china cup and enjoys the smell of fresh, blooming, summer, flowers.
I wore this decades ago and loved it, time came and went, life passed by and Safari was forgotten, left in the realms of my fading memory, but today I was reminded what a beautiful perfume this is.
Elegant, classy and silky soft, are how I would describe this fragrance. The longevity is stupendous, as it lasts until you wash it off and it has a good silage which may be a powerbomb on some body types, but on me it remains a fairly quiet perfume. I get a sense that this scent is a love it or hate it affair.
Fabulous bottle, 10/10 from me.

alfarom

Safari is what might be considered a transitional fragrance from the big green florals of the past such as, say, Givenchy III, YSL Y, No.19 and the more restrained floral style of the late 90's. Overall a good galbanum / floral driven composition with enough body to not result exactly *clean* but already devoided of the massive animalic presence of some of its similarly themed ancestors.

Honestly, I'm not crazy about it but put this juice in any of those modern *uber-luxury* niche packagings and you'll see…

Rating: 6.5/10

meissie1982

To me this is summer in a bottle!
Like to use it in june/july/august when it's summer in the city ;-)

Very rich, green and floral.

First spray, I smell the galbanum and together with the black curant it can give that sort of ammoniac kind of feel.
But this is only right after application!
The mandarin and mandarin orange provide that yummy sweetness but also a crisp and fresh summer citrus blast.
This stage is short but oh what lovely.

For me the hyacinth gives that intens and devine and sort of overwhelming smell.
When you overspray this fragrance my guess, it can be heady due to the hyacinth.

After 3-4 hours on my skin I get an powdery amber like veil. So smooth and beautifull.

In the last stage; soft sandelwood lingers on my skin before it slowly disappears...
Great fragrance, last for hours and hours.

Queen0fCups

This is my first review, so please be kind, especially since this isn't as much of a review as it is a comment. Ihad this perfume in the 90s. I loved it. I was disappointed to know it's been reformulated. However, i sprayed some Alfred Sung Sung on this morning and had a memory rush of Safari. I compared the notes and saw there are strong similarities. Anyone else find a resemblence?

samsara1977

Another fantastic 90's scent which stayed in my memories for years. Untill I finally found a bottle in the States and purchased it.

Thinking I was buying the 90's scent. Which was not...
Just like Lauren this Safari had been turned into a cheap replacement of the Original divine scent.

I think the brands that are not really perfume brands (read: Hermes, Guerlain,... ) only want to profit lost success and seduce people who suffer from some nostalgic memories (which we all do at a certain age).

I will make a post saying: Which 80 - 90's perfume smells exactly the same as in those days.
More of us would like to know and I don't feel like buying or huntin on ebay each bottle hoping for a miracle.

pixiecup

Aah safari. I got this back in 1994. It was heaven to my young, adventurous nose. That was the original formulation, rich and earthy with smooth creamy notes. I just got another bottle of what is absolutely not the original :-( Yes, the heart is still there but it's been weakened. It no longer lasts for hours, delivering me through it's many phases. The initial blast is headache inducing aldehyde - another reviewer described it spot-on. I'll leave her open to breathe for a few weeks and see how she develops. I'm hoping I can resurrect the Magnificent Safari from those great old days. She was a masterpiece!

lindafoley58

Just got a mini of this fragrance & love it. What a treat. I'm in love with this fragrance. I love buying minis because it gives you a chance to try different perfumes without making a costly mistake, but after trying it I will tell you I will be buying a big bottle soon. This is such a delicate fragrance. I could just bathe in it. It's not too much of one ingredient, but a well blend of everything.

velvetrose23

Safari is my all time favorite perfume! Every time I wear this fragrance my three teenagers act like they are gagging and dying from the initial blast of this perfume. My daughter always says,"oh great mom is wearing her old vintage perfume"....which always makes me laugh because I was a teenager when this fragrance was launched,and this was the kind of perfume teenagers wanted to wear,lol!! Ah...how subjective fragrance can be to time!! Anyway, on initial first spray the galbanum is very dominate on my skin and gives off a strong musty smell. This is the note that causes my teenagers to act like they are dying,lol! (which does not bother me) This is the way Safari has always opened up on my skin. After ten minutes of this,the galbanum settles down into the background and lingers. The hyacinth, mandarin, and narcissus come forward and produce the most lovely intoxicating green floral. With the galbanum hovering in the background. Then after an hour of this the vetiver,amber,and sandalwood come into the mix. Safari then becomes that classic smell I will always continue to fall in love with. The longevity and silage has always been moderate on me. Maybe four to six hours? Depending on the weather. My skin seems to eat fragrance no matter how strong too. I have only mentioned the notes that I can smell in this composition. But I'm sure the notes that I can not detect are there at work too, making this one knock out perfume!!

Angela Agiannidou

What can I add to all these amazing reviews, this perfume is a rare case of both crowd pleaser AND one of the most sophisticated niche like perfumes, a heaven of galbanum and jasmine, sharp yet powdery,exotic and green, I get endless positive comments whenever I Wear it.

aber19

This is one of the best perfumes ever made, considering I collect over 120 perfumes (discontinued and vintage) in my collection. If you really want a reasonable parfum this is it. It was lovely. It captures green grass, light florals, nature, fields and class easily. As a great winter perfume it has positive energy to it. The projection on this is absolutely wonderful. I dabbed a small amount on the wrist which lingered strongly on the skin. I had about a 6 inches projection for about 2 hrs, then 4 inches about the next 2 hrs, then 2 inches for the next 2 hrs. If placed on clothes even the EDP stays for days. I would definitely try to get a vintage bottle of any size, because newer versions may be weakened. I hope one never discontinues this classic. I have 2 x 75mls EDP and 10mls of pure parfum which incorporates a refillable purse spray. While when buys a parfum, sometimes the quality is lacking for example the first Anna Sui parfum because it is designed as a weaker fragrance. This parfum has excellent quality and worth a try for any serious perfume collector. The bonus is that it is quite reasonable for a 4 ml amount of pure and excellent perfume. The design of the bottle is first class and regal which gives it a distinction of greatness. I placed the parfum on the skin 24 hrs ago and it still smells lovely and quite surprisingly strong.

tubereuse

Forgot all about Safari! This was on the rotation in high school/college days! A gentle, warm, spicy floral. Good balance and not too strong, not too light. Will have to dig this one out for another dance again.

Vanessa Dunlap

Seeing the picture of the Safari bottle reminded me of an incident from around 1992, that I hadn't thought about for a looooong time. First, the Safari of the early 1990s was something that I admired and loved smelling its trail on others, but could never pluck enough courage to purchase one and wear it myself. Second, this story really happened: it was 1992, I was working in a radio station in Wisconsin, and one of the radio sales executives wore this as her signature. She was one of those femme fatale types of young women, a saturated pollen-loaded blossom with fangs, lip gloss, high heels, and a breathless voice, who could cry as easily as laugh if you suggested it. I used to bring extra apples and pears to work, as she was always hungry (she said she was a vegetarian; I hate to see people go hungry)...did I mention that Safari was her signature fragrance? Well, one afternoon while everyone was out on sales calls, I stepped out of my office and noticed a little white pad on the floor. It looked just like a shoulder pad from a woman's blazer, and I assumed that it had fallen out of someone's business suit jacket. Even holding it in my hand, I could smell the Safari coming from this little pad. I pressed it to my nose, and inhaled deeply and exclaimed to my boss (who was watching, bemusedly) how lovely it smelled! I recognized the scent as Safari. We decided that it must have fallen out of the femme fatale's suit jacket, so I brought it to my office and pressed it to my face a few times, inhaling deeply and thinking how delicious it smelled. When she came back from her sales calls, I asked her if she was missing a shoulder pad from her jacket, as the pad that I'd rescued smelled of Safari, and we all knew that she wore Safari exclusively. She looked confused, then all of a sudden she reached her hand down into her shirt, patted her breasts, and started laughing, "oh, one of my bra pads fell out! I wondered why I felt lop-sided! It fell out of my shirt and you found it, thank you!" And so there was my boss collapsing into a fit of laughter and me sort of thinking, "em..." so ultimately, this is why I never purchased Safari. And here's your story for the evening!

diego.lesgart

Gorgeous fragance . . . for me is sweet, aromathics and I can smell honey, banana, and black peper in its . (black peper told me the parfumerie s assistant) Power, full of life, american? or really Safari . . .

Another bad idea becoming discontinued it as LAUREN ...

I had Suspense by Lancetti and is too similar

boruvka44

The opening of Safari smells 90% like Van Cleef, just less sweet.
The dry down is very nice, thank to natural dry sand/dirt earthiness.
Galbanum, narcissus, sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, a bit of creamy soap.
Soft creamy sweet aroma with a hint of antelope or zebra skin musk.
The flacon and the perfume really evokes colonial Africa of 1920´s - Out of Africa.
Reviewing 2005 version. 2013 one is nothing like this.

beatrix75

beautiful scent i like the green opening and the woodsy draydown like creamy sandalwood soapy smell 10/10

Maodo

I have it for years. I forgot about it. And after reading these fantastic reviews today, I am gonna spritz it tomorrow. Can't wait!

Edit: What a shame that it took so long till I grapped the Safari bottle again. The perfume is lovely. It's rich, warm and it tells me a story. About human and nature, the wild and the (so called) civilized. About florals and woods, about surviving and joy. The drydown is creamy woody and the longitivity is more than okay with me, about 8 till 10 hours. I am happy.
It's green (jungle) and it's brown (desert) at the same time. Even the lions would love it. You Tarzan, me Jane. And as my favorite scents are Vent Vert from Balmain and Chanel No. 19 EDT I always thought that nothing compares to it, well here it comes, the big news guys: SAFARI DOES. A tiny little bit. In the drydown that is.

Tigerlillian

A stunner of an opening with as much drama as an African hawk screeching across the savanna as it circles the open sky. Beautiful, golden and regal; untamed, yet deliberate and penetrating. Bitter, resinous galbanum and tagetes (marigold) capture this introductory note perfectly.

The energy of this fragrance builds with the warmth of dry woods and grasses--still green, almost turning to hay: a young lioness crouching quietly in the long grass as her supple leathery pelt twitches with anxiety, spotting her prey--a nubile gazelle--and getting ready to race for the kill.

Then it's on! Bounding out of her cover, she dashes through the grassy plain, snapping freshly dried stems and collecting lovegrass flowers on her pelt; the loamy dry earth billowing a trail of its sweet, wooded aroma as she makes chase.

The agility of the gazelle triumphs as it darts away over the horizon. Submission is bittersweet as the lioness stands defeated in a sunkissed plume of talc, her shadow long in the hot dusky sunset.

~ I've been nursing a mini of this fragrance for quite some time, dreading the moment I use the last drop from the colonial crystal style vessel. Safari for me is assuredly full bottle worthy which I plan to acquire soon for liberal use during the summer--day and night. I also agree with stromovka that there are parallels with this beautiful fragrance and Jacomo Silences.

BillyJean

Beautiful packaging. Reminds me of the times of the British Empire in Africa when gentlemen dressed in khaki shirts and pants out on a safari but still wore a black suit and tie to dinner, and to hell with the climate.
The fragrance itself is reminiscent of no.19 but has a solid dry down. A little on the harsh side but it has its beauty. I have Heure Eqxuise which has a softer dry down so i guess will stick with that for now. But if i was offered a bottle of Safari it would make my day. So far have only been offered a mini but very happy with that too.

Daphne du Maurier

I had original Safari as a teenager. It was a rich, earthy, deep olive-green scent, a bit boozy I now realize. That was nearly 25 years ago, and I've been missing it lately, wanted to smell it again. I'm not a reformulation snob, I usually like them very much, so I went ahead and ordered it, and this beautifully crafted bottle in its nostalgic box contains something that is not Safari! Not even its ghost, just a bizarrely powdery, flimsy, aldehydic impostor.

Aldehydes...they were imperceptible in the original. Safari was marketed successfully to teenagers who were wearing Obsession, Escape, Opium. Aldehydes were considered "old-youknowwhat-ish", we would never have worn this stuff. It smells more like VC&A First than the real Safari. Safari was an adventurous scent in a relaxed way, like someone you would like to know better saying, "let's go this way together and see what we find", the feeling of a summer road trip. Safari was a good name for it. But we're not on safari anymore, we're riding the mini-train through a cut-rate wild animal theme-park, and someone is covered in stale old toilette powder!

Boo hoo. I wish I could smell the real thing one last time, just for memory's sake. Dune is the only thing I know of that has a feeling similar to the real Safari. Well, not really similar, but in the same continent, at least.

The drydown is nice, extremely nice, but not worth the hours of aldehydic horror.

UPDATE: It has now been two months since I opened my new Safari, and the bottle has been sitting uncapped, breathing, in the hopes that the aldehydes would diminish somewhat...and thankfully, they have. Now I can smell something in the spirit of the old Safari, that reminds me of it, and I no longer regret buying it. The drydown is almost Safari itself. Can't wait to see what it smells like a year from now!

stromovka

For me, this one includes Jacomo Silences notes at the opening ( i can smell almost nothing else then gbitter galbanum), and then transforms to Habanita from Molinard. Non of above mentioned are noz my favourites, neitehr Safari is. I was hoping for something more fresh and elegant.

melancholybaby

A bright, very green opening that reminded me a bit of Y by YSL. But then, an overwhelming brash, still green, floral note. Lots of lily of the valley, not much else on my skin. Unfortunately, too bitter and even headache inducing for me.

HALEY-SUE

I always kept it around but, it wasn't a go-to fragrance. a little more pungent than I care for. I felt like I smelled the rose in it more than others. Still it is compelling. Sometimes, I'd just like to wear it an hour or two and then I'm tired of it. Not as green as I'd like. My best friend loved this and REalities to death, though. I may have smelled it TOO much.

coffeex4

Thanks Lumiere! I've never heard of Escada Margaretha, but I'm looking it up now. It seems that due to the fact that so many women, and I'm sure even some men as well, grow somewhat attached to our perfumes, it would be nice if we were fore-warned, or given some kind of explanation when they suddenly disappears off the shelf. One day here, the next day gone. It's hard to find one we love, then we have to start a new search, and that can be expensive!

Lumiere

I see Safari on sale however very rarely. It seems like it is still produced but very limited. I got mine in Australia, and the shop assistant said they only get it very seldom. It was $50 for 100 ml. On Fragrantica.ru I see Safari is compared to Escada Margaretha Ley. I do not know anything about this latter fragrance, or whether it is in production, but hopefully it may help you somehow.

coffeex4

Safari used to be a favorite of mine. It was kind of an herbal, dry, sandalwood scent. I used to be very happy wearing it every day. Then it seemed to change, maybe reformulated, it got more powdery, to my nose anyway. Then it got discontinued....at least I thought it did....but now I see some of the people here are still finding it somewhere? They're either really old bottles, or "are they making it again?"

Does anybody know of another perfume that smells almost identical to Safari? I haven't found one yet, as Safari was so original. If anybody knows of a cloned scent of Safari, Please let me know!!! Thanks!

pipergirl

When I wore this in the 90's Safari blended perfectly with my chemistry - a gentle soapiness, subtle spice, earthiness, dry grasses; both green and warm at the same time. Safari was at once elegant and untamed and it was a beautiful departure from the flowery or spicy orientals that the older crowd seemed to be wearing a lot of at the time.
Flash forward a couple of decades and either Safari has changed or my chemistry has changed (more likely) but it is no longer the magic that it once was on my skin. On the right chemistry, this is a gorgeous, complex and very different sort of fragrance - a true knock out. On my skin now, it's o.k. but a very far cry from what it used to be.

Gingerwoman

I want this back! >:-(

SorceressOfTheDark

Safari began as a very earthy scent for me, a welcome winter fragrance that is full, rich and seems to embody heavy spices. It's a very powerful perfume that can overwhelm if used with a heavy hand, I found. If dabbed on the pulse points and one allows the heat of the body to release it, Safari is better allowed to express itself. But then it began to change.
It seemed to switch around at mid-point for me and become more cloyingly thick with floral overtones. I had difficulty with this perfume. As time went on, it thickened, rather than mellow out and ease into my own body chemistry. The scent became more astringent and dark green in affect rather than sweeter grasses. It was far more pungent than I expected.
This vintage safari turned out not to be my style and work against me, rather than with me.

SolangeN

Starts out a beautiful, albeit linear, green chypre and then a harsh "bug spray" musk takes over and ruins it. Too bad Lauren had to cheapen this masterpiece - it would be perfect if only it had a drydown that did not smell like chemical warfare.

Scout

After wearing the original "Lauren" in high school and early college, I transitioned to Safari looking for something more spicy, austere, "mature." What was incredible about this fragrance was that it had a dual personality, both floral and warm, but it never felt conflicted. You could be both soft and leathery at once. I eventually found it to be too "coconutty" and heavy and went back to the brighter fragrances. But still a work of art in my book. I'm especially fond of looking back on it in today's world of fruity vanilla pepper.

Scents8ionalwoman

Safari Is a lovely green floral fragrance that I absolutely loved back in the mid 90's. I had purchased a set with both the fragrance , and the body cream. The bottle and jar are both elegantly crafted. I would wear it to work sometimes really enjoying the scent and one day one of my co-workers commented on my perfume stating that she thought it smelled just like an old fragrance by Revlon(?) called Intimate. Does anyone remember Intimate, and does anyone agree with the similarity?

woodlandwalk

I wore this in the early 90s and actually found it quite sweet then. Of course now the impression is not sweet at all in comparison to all the fruity vanillas and 'gourmands'.

Now, my main impression is of soapy astringency at first, not dissimilar to the opening of Chanel No. 19. This is the combo of hyacinth/rose/galbanum - clean florals and green, bitter resin.

The fuzzy warmth strengthens as the perfume takes to skin, which I think is mostly thanks to sandalwood and orange and Tagetes or Marigold (I'm really smelling the orange and to me it's more dominant than chosen notes above suggest)

I'm reminded a little of Ma Griffe (used to remind me of oranges and astringent chypre). Safari has just the right touch of vetiver to add that pungent and astringent 'grass sap' feel.

As this dies down a lovely dry rosemary note also emerges alongside oakmoss and overall the entire impression is sun-warmed grass.

This is definitely a clever, unique perfume - it takes classic green floral and chypre aspects, then warms them up with oranges and dried herbs, then voila - safari grass! If they'd added the tiniest touch of immortelle, we'd have been on the Mediterranean coastline, less orange and we might be in Europe, but somehow this dry, warm grassy haze places us in the epic grasslands of Africa, quite beautiful.

But that touch of soap (rose/hyacinth) is what makes it feel white, a little bit colonial, makes me a bit uncomfortable, but maybe now those associations can just say 'tourist on safari' rather than
dodgy colonial-style perfume. Hmm, then again, I think of the lions and animals still bred soley for the purpose of being shot by rich Europeans, then again, safaris nowadays are also about wildlife conservation, not just about killing animals cos it makes you feel primitive and alpha.

What can I say? I'm Scottish, the upper classes destroyed Scotland's landscape for centuries by turfing out Highlanders and turning the entire country into a shooting party for the rich. For fifty years the destroyed flora and fauna have gradually been re-introduced and Scotland's natural beauty is returning. Communities are buying up land, rather than sole owners. The landscape and society are all the better for it.

Somewhat tangential I know, but ultimately I dislike the connotations of this perfume, even while I admire the perfume!

Also, you might be interested to know that Lynx body spray for men made a copy of Safari ('Africa') cheaper and more 'chemically' yes, but similar. So this could definitely be worn as an aftershave. Amazing how smells evolve, and that I found this sweet in the early 90s

suemass

Gorgeous! Not for the "shrinking violet" though. I wore this in the '90s and it is one of two fragrances that I wore that would actually have men follow me and say how good I smelled. The other was the wonderful original Norell. Safari is very warm, strong, floral, spicy, grassy.... a blast of hot yet moist air......a true original. I believe it to be a great classic in its own right.

bluebellinthewoods

The only positives for me with this scent is I like the bottle and it lasts a long time. To me it smells wild, crude and in no way sophisticated. I guess it's a matter of taste. Mind you maybe a little wild and crude would do you good.

beatrix75

i cant imagine how it s smell safari ,but i read so many beautiful rewiev,that i order one allready and i wayt to recive and see how i fell how its gone be my reaction .

mad.kat.96

Just got this as part of a mini set yesterday, I did not expect to like it as I dont go for aldehydes, chyphres, or anything green.. I'm a oriental floral, oriental vanilla, most any oriental type usually.

The first hour or so was really hard for me to get thru terribly harse, burning my nose & throat, tasting it in my mouth.. I hadnt sprayed it on as it was a tiny bottle, just a drop or two on my wrists.. Wasnt too bad after that but still not my thing, then by 2 hours totally gone, zip zero nada.. mega wierd for the strong onset

antswife

Beautiful scent. Haven't worn it in years. If I can find it will get it for winter.

Atreyu_Crimmins

What a sensory banquet!

From the green aldehydic opening to the marriage of rose, narcissus and hyacinth and compelling chypre base. The green woody notes are dry and crisp and fill your mind with visions of the Serengeti or some sensual otherworldly prairie.

I owned a 30ml in my late teens and loved it madly, but felt that it was a little out of my depth. I used to spray it on my sheets and roll in them while listening to Rachmaninoff's piano concerto #2, fancying myself amidst heady grasslands and in the arms of the male model in the original commercial (watch the video).

Fast forward 20 years, and I now have the confidence to wear it with pride and panache. Divine scent that will stay with me forever.

itsallgood

I wore the heck out of this perfume when it was first released. I loved the scent, the bottle, and the box that it came in. I still have a box that I use for keepsakes. Safari was memorable right from the start. At the time, I wouldn't be caught at home or in public without it. This is the first perfume I bought at Macy's. Those were good times.

KATERINA LABROPOULOU

I knew this perfume since 90s. What can I say it is really a masterpiece. Thank goodness it was again once more available after so many years of disappearance. It is so aromatic yet exotic and soapy too. I can't find many words to describe this one but such perfumes of this quality will never be made again. I would suggest this is appropriate for spring/summer. Longevity is great and sillage much appropriate. I must not forget to praise enough the first class bottle along with the snakeskin magnificent box. All collectors of perfumes should get this one. 10/10.

 
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