Prada’s new Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger is the first in a projected yearly series of limited edition “Ephemeral Infusion” fragrances drawing on fragrance notes from the harder-to-find (and more expensive) Prada Exclusive scents. According to Women’s Wear Daily, the Ephemeral Infusion fragrances are designed to “evoke a light memory of the original ingredient”.*
I adore the Prada fragrance line, most or all of which (including this new one) was developed by perfumer Daniela Andrier. I adore Prada Infusion d’Iris, which along with Prada No. 4 Fleur d’Oranger was listed as a progenitor of Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger. Another iris + orange blossom combo, Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile Eau de Toilette, is one of my favorite spring/summer fragrances. So while I didn’t tempt fate by assuming I’d adore Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger, I was pretty sure I’d at least like it.
Nope. I do like it for about 15 seconds: the opening is lively and spring-like, and does smell very much like Infusion d’Iris with a goodly layer of sparkling orange blossom on top (the notes: neroli, orange blossom, tuberose, jasmine and serendoline, whatever that might be). After that, everything goes wrong. The sparkle vanishes, and it turns soapy — I don’t always mind soapy, but this is very soapy — and flat. I would not say that it smells bad, in fact, it’s arguably a pleasant scent, but it reminds me of laundry flakes + orange baby aspirin flavor + musk in a way that is annoying when it’s on your skin and following you around all day, and as is the case with anything I don’t love, it lasts hours upon hours, and the sillage seems monstrous (it probably isn’t; still, it does seem stronger to me than Infusion d’Iris).
Reviews around the internets have been mixed so far, and I have a feeling many people are going to love Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger. As always, it’s worth a shot if you are so inclined, and if you’ve already tried it and loved it, do comment!
Prada Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger is available in 50, 100 and 200 ml Eau de Parfum and in matching body products. It will reportedly be available for 4 months.
* via Women’s Wear Daily, 1/23/2009.
116 Comments
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Uncharacteristically for me, I am up-to-date with the launch of this one, which I recently tried at an airport duty free. Having already been smitten by the Infusion d’Iris, I was expecting something sheer and ethereal, like a “Jo Malone Orange Blossom Perfect Veil” type of thing. I agree with you about the monstrous sillage. This was too heavy, too orangey – not bad or scary in the way Mona di Oiro’s Nuit Noire is those things for me – but not good either!
Glad someone else had the same reaction. Daniela Andrier referred to it as a “footprint in the sand” — very light & ethereal — but it does not wear that way on me at all.
I personally LOVE this fragrance…in fact…I traded my small bottle for the large…only because you get five times as much….it is clean and a tiny soapy…but on me.. it’s like beautiful italian soap, with a hint of musk at the end of the day….and I can still smell it at the end of the day….must be my chemistry…it really works on me…..it’s my new favorite at the moment….I had to say something good about it since it didn’t seem to get very good reviews here…..I was a bit bummed about that, but that just means more for me….
))))))
A few other fans did show up in the comments, but always glad to hear from another fan!
I had almost exactly the same experience/reaction when I tried this last night, except instead of just going flat, it vanished almost entirely. But I’m glad I got my try in before reading this, or I’d wonder if my experience was influenced.
..and now I see a portion I skimmed over. I had the same experience in terms of how it smelled…but the opposite w/sillage and lasting. Whew!
I might have been happier if there was something in it I couldn’t smell, LOL…I wonder if the Serendoline is an artificial musk you’re anosmic to?
Although I also suspect it’s a typo in the notes all the stores listed, and it’s really Givaudan’s Serenolide musk. That’s most likely.
Could be, although it was more like it all just vanished…even the parts that smelled like Id’I could hardly be smelled beyond the first 15-20 mins. Just as well, I guess…there are certainly plenty of others to love!
Not very special is it? Many people were looking forward to this one, so did I. Too bad, I didn’t like it much either.
I am keeping my fingers crossed for next year…I still think this could be a wonderful series. Just not this one.
Hi Robin,
I’m in the same boat. When I wore it the first few times, I **loved** it. I even loved the extreme soapiness of it. Now, the love has diminished. I still like it a lot, it’s definitely no scrubber, and is easy to wear. Because of the darned LE thing, I’ll probably wind up buying a small bottle, because it fills the “soapy” hole in my collection quite well. (Hey there’s a thought for a great article–soapy frags worth buying.)
But comparing it with Iris Nobile is just no fair. Nothing compares to Iris Nobile EdT, imho. I prefer the EdT over the EdP, it’s one of my absolute favorites.
It’s true, many people think soapy is always bad, but not to me…in fact, I find Prada Homme quite soapy and I love it.
Ivoire de Balmain is that “clean soapy” thing for me, nice in a boring sort of way. I’d think that I might quite like to wear it, maybe a lot of it, after a camping weekend.
Well, at least the bottle and the packaging look nice!
(I’m in a “Glass-Half-Full” kind of day!)
Baby aspirin! Remembering that smell I just got the feeling you get when you imagine someone licking a just sliced in half lemon.
Do you recognize the feeling? Is there a word in english to describe it?
The packaging is lovely, as always. The outer box is especially gorgeous, not that I care much about outer boxes.
If there’s a word for that, I don’t know it! Maybe someone else will chime in…
Kaos.geo…hmmm, I’m trying to think of a word for that feeling you get when you have such an acrid taste in your mouth and your face scrunches up (same for baby aspirin ha), I think usually we just say “I feel so..ICK!” I’m trying to remember if when I lived in Buenos Aires I learned any such word in Spanish…what would you say?
mmm, not that I’m aware of!
The feeling seems universal, so well, that’s what I feel when I remember the smell of baby aspirin.
(Here they are called “aspirinetas”)
i totally recognize the feeling. however, i do not have a word for it and also would like someone to find one (make one up??)
the response i get from baby aspirin and freshly sliced lemon is a reaction from my salivary glands (under my ears????) that takes a while to go away–several seconds. it is really weird…..it almost gives me a physical feeling of a streak of sour all along my jawbones.
yeah. i know that sounds strange.
Jo, I don’t get it from aspirin, but do get it from other sour things, so I know just the feeling you describe. Might still be strange, but at least you have company in your strangeness.
Company in strangeness is a good thing!
I get that same sensation from eating anything sugary – popsicles, plain sugar, certain chocolates. Sometimes I get it from eating pineapple, if it’s too acidic. I always liked baby aspirin to chew on though; there was something tart and salty and sweet about the orange flavored ones.
I’m saddened about the Fleur d’Oranger… it was disappointing to me. I’ve yet to find a truly good orange blossom. I do have a bottle of orange blossom water that comes close, but it’s NOT perfume!
Soapy and flat? Good for me, so I don’t go over budget! I like Infusion d’Iris, and was looking forward to trying this one. I still might, but seems the temptation is less… whew!
By the way kaos.geo, I love your cheetah avitar!
But do try it! I promise, it has had good reviews. Wallpaper magazine loved it:
http://www.wallpaper.com/lifestyle/prada-infusion-de-fleur-doranger/3230
Thanks! I love all animals, but cats have stolen my heart!
So I like your avatar too!
In my parent’s house we have 4 cats and a dog (who get along pretty well)
Thanks for your honest opinion as always,Robin..but nope this is definitely not for moi…I don’t like orangy scents,let alone soapy.
Hope you mean that you tried it & not that you’re taking my word for it! So far we’re not getting many positive comments but I swear I’ve seen them elsewhere.
I Love Infusion d’ Iris, but it just doesn’t last and I even use the body lotion, a lot of money for something that only lasts about 1/2 hour. I would almost try this because you say it lasts. desperate to find a lasting scent???
Well, bear in mind that Infusion d’Iris lasts pretty well on me too — although not as long as this one.
None of the Prada scents have worked for me so far, so I don’t expect this one will either. I really wanted to love Infusion d’Iris, but something about it really turned me off. Oh well. One less house to clutter up my perfume cupboard.
I tried Iris Nobile EDP and it was way too intense. Now I really want to try the EDT. I think I’d like it much better. Haven’t tried many irises…so not sure if it’s actually “iris” that’s turning me off (with Prada’s version as well), or something else!
Speaking of orange, has anyone tried Avalon Organics Sweet Orange and Bergamot body lotion? Wow! Smells amazing. Makes me want to try the shower gel as well. Like most of their scented lotions, this one disappears fairly quickly, but it’s a great head rush for the first 15 or so.
Arrgh – I meant to type, “15 minutes…”
I know the scent of orange flowers (heavenly) don’t have much to do with the scent of oranges, but I took a segway cause I put that lotion on my hands last night and it’s crazy orangey!
As for orange flower scents, Fleur d’Oranger 2007 from L’Artisan is wonderful. Of course, it’s prohibitively expensive. Haven’t tried the Jo Malone. But laundry flakes, baby aspirin, and musk in that Prada sounds really quite awful!
The AdP IN EdT is very different from the EdP, it’s worth a shot to see if you like it better.
Have not tried that lotion, now I want to! I like the Avalon brand.
I’m sorry it did exactly on you what it did on me – 15 seconds of bliss followed by “uh-oh”. Way too soapy – not the dreaded Zest soapy but still too much soap. I am not a huge soap fan – MPG Tubereuse is about the best “high-class-hotel” soapy scent I have tried, and I rather like that one, but I tend to reject soapy in general.
I’m still finding my way with Iris – I got a sample of Infusion before my training started and I think I threw it out. I have samples of Le Labo and Iris Silver Mist and am tip-toeing around them a bit. I don’t think it is the iris in this that is putting me off, though.
I did just try the Le Labo Fleur d’Oranger and it was crisp, bright and flowery – just the kind of orange blossom I like. I have yet to try Serge Lutens but I do have a sample of one of the l’Artisans, which is also very nice but goes away too fast. I had high hopes for this Prada, but now I don’t have to buy it!
The L’Artisan is gorgeous, but way too expensive for me. For some reason I don’t love that Le Labo…one of the few of theirs I don’t love.
Eek! Don’t you just hate when scents go too soapy? That happened to me with Burberry Brit Sheer… started off nice and fruity, then nothing but soap from 5 minutes later until I scrubbed it off.
Sometimes I like soapy! Just not in this case
oOOOOo… i was just thinking about when you were going to review this! i haven’t had the opportunity to sniff it yet, but i still have high hopes. i absolutely love infusion d’iris (although i cannot spray it on my wrists/forearm area because it goes sour) so we’ll see!
Hope you’ll love it then!
your review is dead on with my impressions when i sniffed this last week. i had *high* hopes, everything was telling me i would like this- the name, the notes- even the gorgeous packaging (shallow, i know). i like the Infusion d’Iris, not love, but like, and i hoped that Fleur d’Oranger might be an easy breezy summer scent that would be a no brainer.
boo! i was SO underwhelmed. i actually adore soapy, but there has to be something under the soap, something *special* that lifts the soapy notes and makes them sing. you nailed it with baby aspirin- like a generic additive scent. ah Prada Infusion Fleur d’Oranger….i’m just not that into you.
I had high hopes too. Oh well, next time…
I think this is probably money saved for me here…Infusion d’Iris is so pretty, but just a little too pretty/soapy/powdery on me, yet somehow this one sounded more appealing. Based on this description, I think my wallet will stay happily in my purse on my next trip to Nordstrom…
Perhaps it will surprise you, but if not, hey, money saved…
i admit that i own this one and love it. i had to decide between this one and the infusion d’iris at the duty free and decided i’d take this one and buy the iris later on in the year (as this one wouldn’t be around that long) and haven’t regrettet it. on me it is exactly like infusion d’iris but with a lovely orange in the opening. yes, it does turn a little soapy, just as the iris one turns soapy after some time, but i like this kind of powdery soapy smell on me. it feels clean and fresh. the lasting power is ok for me, but i do reapply once or twice a day.
on the other hand i do not like infusion d’homme at all. i guess it’s too much incense in there for my liking, it smells horribly like butter and cold smoke after 15 minutes.
Yay, glad a fan finally showed up! Glad it works so well for you.
Oh, I had rather high hopes for this one – not so much anymore, lol. The bottle is pretty, I can picture a stylish row of these LE scents with different coloured caps in the future…
You never know, maybe you’ll love it!
I haven’t rushed to find this one, because I’m not a great fan of orange-blossom (the l’Artisan LE is the only one I’ve ever actually loved…but so spendy). But I’m excited about the link with the artisan range, especially the Cuir Ambre – now THAT will be the ephemeral LE for me! What are the others – Carnation, Labdanum, Myrrh, Iris, Violet, Tuberose?
And, of course, we’ve had the Iris already. Doh!
You can see the others here:
http://www.nstperfume.com/2008/05/1/the-prada-exclusives-opoponax-benjoin-myrrhe-new-fragrances/
(Scroll down, it does list them all)
I haven’t smelled this one, but it seemed like it would be right up my alley – I love orange blossom. Anyone out there can comment on this one v. the Varvatos Artisan, which was very tempting to me. It seems like Kevin really liked Artisan and I’ve read other good reviews of it….
I tried Artisan and this is nothing like it. Artisan is much more a masculine base with the orange flower up top. I liked it, but need to skin test it more. It might be a little too “boy” for me – sometimes I like that and sometimes it goes too far. But definitely WAY different from the Prada.
So far, have only tried the Artisan very quickly on paper, but Tama’s take is about what I thought. The JV is way less soapy, and not iris-y at all. I liked it, but need to try it on skin.
Ohhh! Sounds like something I wanna try!
Hope you’ll love it!
I have been anxiously awaiting this one. In a way, I am glad it isn’t wonderful. I will still love for it and try it, but it sounds dreadful.
Oh, I also love infusion d’ Iris. I am wearing it now in fact, towards the end of my 2nd or third sample. I love it more each time I try it. I guess it is time to cave and get a bottle.
Might as well try it before you buy the Infusion d’Iris, just in case!
Last I knew there were some absolutely amazing deals to be had on evil bay—you can pick up just about as large a bottle as you need for prices so good it’ll make you squeal….I love the Infusion d’Iris as well, only the 200ml size would do (I don’t actually bathe in the stuff, but I’ll admit to ‘applying freely!’
the Fleur d’Oranger is kind of soapy….fancy soap, but still soap. A little like if you were cleaning up an orange nehi spill with a soapy cloth. And yet I still like it —decant like it, probably not bottle like it.
At least you “decant like it”, better than nothing!
Hi R,
Glad to know I am not the only one who did not care this new Prada scent. I thought it was too much like Infusion d’Iris with a fleeting top note of bergamot. Very disappointing.
Dawn
It doesn’t seem to have a lot of fans here, at least, not who are willing to comment.
This is beyond wild!!! Just took in my mail, sat down with Bloomingdale’s Beauty Fragrance catalogue and of the 50 someodd pages, I was taken with the scent of the new PRADA INFUSION D’ORANGE!!! Walked over to my computer to see what news my favorite blog had to offer, and there it was! Does this mean I must buy a bottle? I think I will! Found it to be very soapy, but in a good way. Would not mind at all smelling like this on a hot summer day. On my way to Bloomies!!
Sounds like fate to me! Glad you love it.
Blah. Sad to hear Prada messed this one up. I hope it won’t be the same for the rest of this new series.
I don’t know if they messed it up or if it’s just not my taste…it isn’t an “ugly” scent.
I LOVE it! It is on the clean side I suppose but not too soapy on me. I get a lovely (not too sweet) orange blossom/honeysuckle springy scent- my beef with the L’artisan (aside from the PRICE) was it was just too sweet for me- this I am a fan. Now I am fickle- so I am not sure this will hold my attentions indefinitely, but I am reaching for it in the spring of 2009
Good, I knew it must have more fans! And you make it sound lovely, too.
R, late to the party to say I smelled just the cap (not on my skin) and was so overwhelmed by the perception of soapiness I couldn’t bear to put it on. I know orange blossom can be a little soapy sometimes, and I can take a little (not too much) but it smelled like laundry detergent, and not one I’d want to use, either.
It’s pretty darned laundry-ish. But hey, you know smelling the cap is cheating!
it was pleasant for the first few minutes…. then it disappeared! poof! gone! i was so shocked.
Interesting, it lasts forever on me!
I’ll sample a spritz of this next time I’m in a store that carries it, but I’m certainly not eager. I never was on the Id’I bandwagon either, and I need to do more testing of Id’H.
For my orange+orange blossom needs, I’ll stick with CdG Grapefruit (which I coincidentally wore today) and I’ll definitely try to nab a bottle of Varvatos Artisan as soon as I can get a decent discount. I know Kevin raved about it in his review, but did you get to try it, Robin? I’m curious what you think.
I only tried it on paper. Liked it, but didn’t snag a sample yet. I will though — I really do love orange blossom.
.Hi Robin! I love your blog and have been reading it daily for the past 3 years. I just never leave any comments (don’t know why). Unfortunately for me, I love orange blossom. I actually forked over $300 for L’Artisan. And I really like this one too. I found it to be less soapy than Infusion d’Iris. How strange, that my perception is so different from everyone else.
Hi & welcome!
Lucky you, that L’Artisan is a really great scent. I wish I had a bottle, but I’m too cheap. Glad you liked the Prada too.
Me three with the soap thing. If I want classy French soap I head for Caleche. Plus it was gone in an hour. I also own Jo Malone’s Orange Blossom, and it stays on all day, oddly.
Caleche, yes! Another great soapy fragrance.
This is disappointing to hear Robin. This was THE ONE I was looking forward to in spring, as an orange blossom lover. I’ll have to get out there and try it.
Maybe it will work perfectly for you!
Does anyone know if any stores in the UK have this yet?
Sorry, I don’t.
I never did like the original prada infusion either thought it too harsh and not subtle, with notes of soap already tehn! All this new trend reminds me alos of JC Ellena’s series for Hermes…un jardin… which I have not got to grips with either, maybe someone can give me the good points on these?
There are reviews of Sur Le Nil & Apres La Mousson in the index (click on Perfume Reviews at the top).
I love the original Prada Infusion d’Iris (and the Infusion d’Homme, too), so I am very excited to try this one. I love soapy perfumes
and I also like orange blossom. I hope it will be here in Germany
soon!
Sounds like it might be perfect for you!
Seems not many people are into this one~~I do hope that the orangy smell of it can last longer! But the lasting power of the whole thing is amazing! I was using it like everyday with 3 spritz, now my whole wardrobe is filled with the soapy smell! Good that I do like it!
btw, Hermes has also released a new perfume, Un Jardin apres la Mousson, with middle notes featuring “freshly picked Ginger flower”, i tried it before buying Oranger, thinking it’s too light…….but now….i also want to buy it……..going broke soon….
Glad you like it!
OMG,
I did smell this one last week and i fell in love. You can smell the orange blossom which i totally adore.
Glad it has another fan
I wouldn’t mind soapiness. Soap is fine. But the tuberose in this scent… Oh no!
Do you find the tuberose that strong? I hardly notice it.
There’s tuberose??
Yep.
I loved Kevin’s review of Varvatos Artisan and I appreciate your honesty regarding Prada’s new LE.
Robin, I was wondering if you have tried L’Eau de Neroli by Diptyque. So far it is my favorite Orange Blossom and I am comparing it with Varvatos Artisan at the moment to decide which to buy. The notes seem very similar.
Any opinions?
I have tried it:
http://www.nstperfume.com/2008/05/08/diptyque-cologne-trio-leau-de-leau-leau-des-hesperides-leau-de-neroli-fragrance-review/
Unfortunately I haven’t yet tried the JV on skin, only very quickly on paper, & can’t really compare them….sorry I’m not much help!
Looking forward to trying this!
Hope you’ll like it!
I tried it and loved very much – i think mostly because for me it smells almost identical (but just a little better, maybe) to the old and famous Russian perfume Moscow Rouge. Does anybody here knows this fragrance?:-) It was very popular once, and I bought it mostly for nostalgia several years ago in Moscow, but also like it very much.
Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger was strong on me too, and i didn’t find it similar to Infusion d’Iris (which i don’t like) at all. It lasted for the long time on me, too.
That’s the carnation one, right? Yes, have tried it (thanks to the generosity of other bloggers, have tried a fair number of Russian perfumes).
Right. What you think of it, Robin (if you remember the smell)?
This is the only Russian perfume I know. I heard that modern Russian fragrances are mostly copies of popular modern perfumes…
Very sweet, spicy carnation w/ a somewhat skanky base…guess I thought it could be nice if it were made with higher quality materials? Smelled like it didn’t cost much, if you know what I mean.
Yes, and it’s really very cheap. Everybody says it’s been reformulated several times and smelled better once. But i like it anyway…
I just tried Fleur d’Oranger, and loved it for about the first 10 minutes. It was very pretty and soft, then things went straight downhill. Now it is very screechy on me.
At least I won’t have to worry about purchasing it and my Q2 budget stays intact!
It’s a nice feeling, sort of, when you find you don’t need something!
I absolutely adore Infusion D’Iris,but haven’t tried this one yet.I’m drawn to the idea of Orange Blossom……as an old romantic it conjurs up summer weddings in the 50′s…..Audrey Hepburn shimmering in a Dior gown and Tiffany gems.
Soapy I like.Infusion D’Iris always makes me think of Imperial Leather (still my usual brand),and I find it very uplifting in a wistful way.Happy memories……….
Anyhoos,shall seek it out in our local emporium tomorrow.
Hope you will like it!
Has anyone ever heard of or used (ages ago- lat seen in the 60′s!) a fragrance called: “Un Air Embaume”? Was it by Rigaud ?? I’d love to know a) what was in it so I can try to find a replacement b) anyone else found one like it?
Yes, but sorry I’ve never smelled it so can’t help.
No, I prefer the Infusion d’Iris one, as it’s more light and subtle
So do I.
So agree with your review. It smells like orange medicine to me.
I’d love to know how it’s selling.
I finally got a sample of this and love it. It is so well done in the beginning with the orange blossom, a hint of orange and the lovely Prada base. It reminded me a bit, in it’s lovely sopiness, of the first release for women from Dolce & Gabana. I think the packaging for that one is red (but could be wrong), but I remember finding it too soapy in my teens when aquatics/fruit frags were in style. I smelled it again a few years back and I adore it. Both it and Prada Infusion Fd’O are soapy, but in a high end, squeaky clean make-you-feel-fresh-as-a-spring-night kind of soapy. Like the sort of soap you only bring out for special occasions to give your skin that touch of clean sweetness under a dressy warm weather outfit, if that makes any sense at all. I’ve got to invest in at least a small bottle of this before it disappears and really want to try the tuberose and vetiver interpretations now as well.
It does not seem to be disappearing very quickly, so would guess you’ve got some time! and would think it was at the discounters by now, but haven’t checked.
Tried this early this afternoon. On my skin, it was great on the first three minutes but after that, smells like LAUNDRY SOAP. Not for me.
I was going to get this for the summer last year but decided against it.
they dont sell it this year :/
probably the only Prada fragrance I like
Lots of stores still have it this year, including Nordstrom.