Bottle drawn in the shade of the fragrance
Cruel Gardénia
Eau de parfum
A recreated gardenia, softened by a cloud of musks.
Cruel Gardénia belongs to Guerlain's L'Art & La Matière. As gardenia yields no oil, the house recreates it as an accord with rose, neroli, ylang-ylang and peach; it makes it a delicate, musky reading of the flower.
The gardenia accord, lifted by ylang-ylang, melts into enveloping musks that soften its usual opulence.
Fragrance notes
The house names its notes without sorting them into top, heart and base. Notes as published by the house. official source (new tab)
Main accords
Volute’s reading: the intensity of each accord.
- White floral70 / 100
- Musky60 / 100
- Powdery35 / 100
- Fruity35 / 100
- Rosy30 / 100
Seasons
- Spring
- Autumn
Moments
- Day
- Night
Cruel Gardénia in detail
Cruel Gardénia belongs to Guerlain's L'Art & La Matière. Gardenia yields no usable oil: as Thierry Wasser points out, the perfumer has to build its illusion. Guerlain recreates it here with several materials and wraps it in musks. Volute files it among florals.
Guerlain lists its notes without sorting them into tiers. The gardenia accord is born from rose, neroli, ylang-ylang and peach, which gives it its fruity accents. Enveloping musks then soften this usually opulent flower.
Cruel Gardénia suits spring and autumn, by day or by night; it is a tender white floral, softer than most gardenias. Peach and ylang-ylang give it a fruity, creamy roundness, which the soft musks then carry on for a long while.
Three florals in our catalogue come close: Enigma Pour Femme by Roja Parfums shares rose, neroli, ylang-ylang, peach and musk; Elysium Absolue, also by Roja Parfums, finds rose, ylang-ylang and neroli again; Danger Pour Femme pairs gardenia, ylang-ylang and peach.
Text written with the help of AI, based on official information from the fragrance houses.