Vanille Reve, created by Maurice Roucel for Shalini Parfums, and launched in spring 2021, is the sixth addition to this line of quite elegant perfumes: a vanilla-centered fragrance brightened by spicy anise, enhanced with white florals, and delivering a very finely balanced sweetness. It feels cocooning and embracing, like a late-night (silk) pillow talk…
Comfort, warmth, creating your own Paradise, and perfume escapism: during the past two years, many a fragrance promised to soothe our (locked-down) souls. When “normal” life is “a wondering desire in the mist”, dreams do become a space without a measure! Sweet dreams…what are they made of?
Closeness. Intimacy. Love. Those sweet moments of late-night pillow-talk, bordering between falling asleep and staying awake, far away from the reality of everyday life, gates to your soul, and the tenderness of vulnerability felt freely in a safe environment, this is what this fragrance smells like to me. And it reminds me of sunshine, vanilla skies, summertime sunsets, and the living-is-easy feeling.
Tenderness, warmth, self-love, love, and bonding: you don’t need to go to Bora-Bora to feel your inner source of light shine brightly! There’s always – the power of perfume.
“Vanille Reve caresses your soul and envelops you in a warm embrace. You have found your home. “- Shalini
Sweet dreams, sunshine, and shadow: just as I tend to stay away from direct sunlight at noon on a hot summer day, I also tend to stay away from sugary-sweet gourmands, especially the simplified, cloying, and vanillin-laden heavy-hitters. It doesn’t have to be this way, vanilla (natural) is such complex material, so nuanced and versatile, with gorgeous woody, floral, musky, ambery, or smokey tones, adding suaveness and depth even in minimal dosage.
Suave, I like that word: charming, confident, sophisticated, and elegant…well, that’s how I like the “vanillas” to be.
It can be very suave indeed, and this is what Master Roucel has accomplished with Vanille Reve! The very beginning feels airy and cool with the addition of anise dipped in licorice and spices, giving an uplifting edge to vanilla – which is immediately present but still quietly dormant in the background.
That initial, floating feeling is subtly sweet, developing into a Tarragon-like impression of very soft licorice and anisic notes that become milder and milder, as more spices roll in to ground the fragrance. The texture becomes creamier and denser, reminding me of vanilla skies, sunkissed skin, and an easy-going sensuality. I love this part of Vanille Reve!
Smooth, finely indolic shadows of jasmine and tuberose become more prominent as the fragrance develops further, and only in their shadow does Tiare begin to bloom, supported by the golden glow of vanilla flowing beneath it. The tone of the fragrance becomes denser, with darker hues, vibrating at a much slower pace and reminiscent of sundown.
At this moment Vanille Reve becomes a full-bodied gourmand, blending the borders of spices with the smoothness of florals, rolling deep in creamy undertones, letting this -now tobacco-tainted – vanilla-infused bliss shine constantly.
Although it might seem linear at first, there are subtle changes and mood shifts that make the core of the fragrance feel suave. Much later (it does last quite long), Vanille Reve softens up in a dreamy way, loses with time all of its companions, and becomes a purring, soft and clean vanilla with a slightly soapy undertone. Relaxed and sensual. Pillow-talking to your skin while hugging you gently, singing softly: Cover me in sunshine, shower me with good times!
Notes (as described by the brand): Vanilla Abs, Star anise, Tuberose, Jasmine, Tiare flower. Parfum extrait, available at Shalini. Always sample first. Please keep in mind that I don’t discuss perfume pricing in my reviews.
If you want to know more about Shalini’s latest release, Fleur Japonais, do check out my review here!
The Plum Girl
Elena Cvjetkovic
Photos: Shalini, Pexels, Elena Cvjetkovic
A 7,5 ml bottle of Vanille Reve was kindly provided/gifted by Shalini for my consideration. Opinions are – as always – my own.
If you like what I do, you can always:
2 Comments
Was looking for a relaxing scent for the sunday evening. This one seemed to be a great choice
Happy I could help find a right one!