Ineke Gilded Lily Review

Gilded Lily is yet another enigmatic but captivating scent by niche perfumer Ineke. Like other Ineke fragrances, Gilded Lily combines unique notes to create a scent-scape that is truly original and divinely intimate. Described by Ineke as “gilding the lily with sparkling fruits and cypriot woods”. This perfume is warm, Oriental, and filled with exotic mystery. This is the perfect fragrance for a glamorous train journey across Europe on non-other than the Orient Express! Think of passenger cars lined with lush velvets and gold brocade. Think of the smell of the rich aged leather of a Louis Vuitton case and picture a dark mahogany table with a crystal vase of fresh white lilies perched on top. This is the ultimate opulence, and Gilded Lily is the fragrance you wear when you live in it, or at least dreaming to be in it!

The heart of this perfume is the Goldband Lily and it is a breathtaking lily scent that is both spicy, waxy, and pollen-like. Surrounding the Lily are bright notes of astringent Grapefruit and tropical Pineapple (very hard to detect but gives off a slightly sweet hint) and tart Rhubarb. These sparkling top notes are placed perfectly as the rest of the scent is quite rich and deep.

But what really makes this fragrance exotic is the use of Elemi; which is a resin that smells very green and pine-needle like but also citrusy and pickled. Elemi is what gives this fragrance a masculine tone and an avant-garde edge. This aromatic citrus pine accord mixed with the spicy Lily is a brilliant combination. And a combination that is exquisite to say the least, but also unique and one-of-a-kind.

To add even more warmth and depth to the fragrance, base notes of earthy Oak Moss ground the spicy heart notes and a Chypre Patchouli adds a green woodiness to refresh the scent. And I’ll save the best for last, Labdanum is perfectly placed as a base note and you couldn’t have picked a better one to compliment the spicy Lily and aromatic Elemi. The Labdanum envelopes the skin in the dry down and leaves a trail of rich leather and glowing amber. It’s the perfect ending to an opulent journey of the senses.

Please read my review of After My Own Heart, another gorgeous Ineke fragrance.

Buy it on Amazon here

The Perfume Expert Rating

Longevity

Sillage

Complexity

Overall Impression/Smell

Value

Summary: This is yet another exquisite fragrance by Ineke. It is truly gilding the lily with richness, depth, warmth, spiciness, and a few fireworks thrown in just to make this scent even more extravagant! It is unique and captivating and as usual, Ineke, creates such perfectly balanced scents that leave you mystified with their beauty! What's nice about this Oriental fragrance is that it isn't overly strong, it's the most subtle oriental I have come across which makes it a great introduction to oriental scents.

4

Opulent Orient

Tags: Chypre, Ineke, Oriental

About the Author

The Perfume Expert The Perfume Expert is an online Perfume Blog, Beauty Blog and Skincare Blog all rolled into one so you can stay looking good, smelling nice and feeling great all in one place! Written by an expert you can trust, I provide you with Perfume reviews, Best Perfumes, Beauty reviews and Makeup trends that are all written with passion and an eye for excellence.