I think Etat Libre d’Orange Bendelirious may be a perfume inspired by a fictional, carefree, fashion victim New Yorker – I’m thinking a mix of Carrie Bradshaw and generic, young socialite. You can tell this from the brand’s copy. Bendelirious can go from rich socialite to “urban fairy” that drunkingly dances on tables. Frankly, if Bendelirious were an actual woman that I knew or casually encountered, I’m sure she’d get on my very last nerve. But, no worries, if she were a person, I wouldn’t know her anyway. I’m too poor and too old. Now when it comes to Bendelirious the perfume, I rather like it. (But, at the same time, I can see how a cherry-champagne-iris-suede perfume can get on someone’s nerves).
Bendelirious opens as this sulfuric grapefruit and cherry throat lozenges. There’s champagne but trust me, if you want a hardcore champagne accord, this isn’t the perfume for you¹. Now if you want some effervescent sweetness, it’s there. And I guess it’s champagne-ish in that it’s dry but effervescent – “brut aldehydes”. The heart is like a creamy iris suede. It’s soft, rooty, earthy yet delicately powdery. Bendelirious dries down to a sweeter powdery suede.
I added Bendelirious to my collection because I wanted an iris that wasn’t too serious. (I feel like all the iris perfumes that I own are so damn solemn). And at the time, for some weird reason, I wanted something fruity and powdery, and well, Bendelirious covers all of these bases: a trivial fruity, powdery and slightly sleazy iris (thanks to the addition of cherry cough syrup).
Notes listed include grapefruit, champagne accord, cherry lollipop accord, violet leaves, orris, leather accord, vetiver, musk and tonka bean. Launched in 2008. PERFUMER – Antoine Lie
Give Bendelirious a try if you like leather amber scents or iris perfumes. Or perfumes like Chanel Chance, Malle Iris Poudre, Lolita Lempicka, Juliette Has a Gun Citizen Queen and/or Penhaligon’s Iris Prima. I think this is a great “intro to niche” sort of perfume for anyone that likes the modern Chanels (like Chance or Coco Mademoiselle) or even Victoria’s Secret perfumes. Plus, the price is about the same as designer perfume prices.
Projection and longevity are above average.
The 1.7 oz retails for $85 at B-Glowing and Etat Libre d’Orange (EU).
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Powdery cherry iris. And sometimes I want to smell like like a powdery cherry iris.
¹Here’s my guide to perfumes that smell like champagne.
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Fragrantica – Member reviews
Thank you for this review. It really makes me want to sample this. It sounds like a good time without the hangover.
I really need to try more of the ELdO line. I tend to like many of the ones that I’ve sampled.
Ah!!My ultimate party fragrance!Bendelirious on Saturdays,Iris Silver Mist on Sundays:My Iris fix for the weekend:Sorted!
Sounds like a good weekend to me!
[…] perfect. I could have sworn I had a sample of Bendelirious and wanted to drag it out recently when EauMG was writing about it. But my records indicated I did not. Seemed odd to me (as I have thought hard about this […]