What It Is: Bewitching gardenia with a startling sweetness. What It Does: Cruel Gardenia is a delightful trap. Bewitching and almost hypnotic, the gardenia flower reveals a startling sweetness. The gardenia accord is imbued with ylang-ylang and charmed by enveloping musks. This vaporous aura bestows the fragrance with a tenderness that tugs at the heartstrings. Gardenia, usually so sultry and opulent, becomes ensnared in dangerously sweet musk. Out of this sensual bodily encounter, the flower emerges deliciously cruel. A genuine Flower of Evil, Cruel Gardenia has that same devastating allure as the writings of Baudelaire. His collections were among the favorite texts of the Guerlain Perfumers, who were particularly appreciative of the multiple olfactory references contained in his poems. Gardenia is a powerful, sensual white flower with fruity accents. Yet, paradoxically, it stays mute in the world of Perfumery, unable to offer up its fragrance through the traditional techniques of distillation or extraction. It must be written as an accord, as if composing a poem. For Cruel Gardenia, notes of rose, neroli, ylang ylang, and peach recreate its trail. Fragrance Notes: Top Notes: Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Sandalwood Heart Notes: Gardenia, Ylang Ylang, White Musks Base Notes: Rose, Peach, Neroli Fragrance Family: Floral Scent Type: Fruity/Floral Scent Inspiration: L'Art et La Matiere Collection: Crowning jewel of Guerlain Fine Perfumery, L'Art & la Matiere is a collection of olfactory masterpieces for true lovers of all things beautiful. As an artist guided by their creative genius, the house of Guerlain Perfumer shapes the most beautiful raw materials to create daring works with talent and passion. About The Bottle: Taking inspiration from the Guerlain heritage Square Bottle (1870) and made by Pochet du Courval - historic glassmakers of the House - the L'Art & La Matiere bottle is an exceptional object whose design exudes unisex sophistication steeped in modernity. 3.4 oz./ 100 mL
