This is another in a series of bargain fragrance reviews, scents that may be found online or at discount stores for US $25 or less. Leave a comment below for your chance to receive a sample, shipped anywhere in the world, free!
Summary: A refreshing and vibrant 1990s offering from the family-run, French beauty company, Orlane (originally known as the house of Jean d’Albret and famous for fragrances such as Ecusson and Casaque), the unisex and refreshing Eau d’Orlaneis typical of the eau de cologne style but in this case is easy on the neroli and heavy on the vetiver.
Perfumer: Unknown; please tell us in a comment below.
Try this if you like: Traditional eau de cologne; citrus such as orange and lemon; green and airy vetiver; soapy aromas; subdued sillage; easy-to-wear, clean-smelling scents.
Pros & Cons: A refreshing and completely unisex eau de cologne that is just different enough to warrant attention; opens with a typical, soapy lemon verbena and bitter orange but has a bit more body than most eaux thanks to the warm vetiver and cedar in the base.
As a typical eau de cologne the sillage is minimal. However, the longevity of Eau d’Orlane far surpasses many of the more expensive eaux.
The formula hasn’t changed as far as I can tell and so despite high prices for the current versions, go for a low-priced vintage spray version in the polkadot box with silver and blue cap or the tall blue cylindrical spray bottle that came just afterwards.
Notes: From Fragrantica.com, “Top notes are aldehydes, green notes, mandarin orange, neroli, bergamot, lemon, verbena and bitter orange; middle notes are orris root, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley and rose; base notes are tonka bean, amber, musk, oakmoss, cedar and vetiver.”
From the current Orlane website, “Eau d’Orlane is a delicate, tonic and subtle eau de toilette. * Top notes: Lemon, Verbena, Neroli, and Bitter Orange. * Middle note: a floral Jasmine. * Base notes: a surprising harmony of Cedar and Vetiver. Sparkling and cheerful, Eau d’Orlane is the ideal companion for indefinitely prolonging the summer months.”
From the current Orlane website, “Eau d’Orlane is a delicate, tonic and subtle eau de toilette. * Top notes: Lemon, Verbena, Neroli, and Bitter Orange. * Middle note: a floral Jasmine. * Base notes: a surprising harmony of Cedar and Vetiver. Sparkling and cheerful, Eau d’Orlane is the ideal companion for indefinitely prolonging the summer months.”
Reminds me of: 4711, Eau de Guerlain, Jean Naté (but with less emphasis on the sweetness of the lemon), Banana Republic Classic (but less shampoo-like).
Designer’s Description: N/A
Number of times tested: 20+ over the last 5 years.
Number of sprays applied for this review: Two sprays to the back of hand from an original mid-1990s bottle I purchased.
Fragrance strength: Eau de Toilette
Development: (Linear / Average / Complex) Eau d’Orlane offers no development; what you smell at first spray is what you get at drydown.
Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) I’ve been surprised to find Eau d’Orlane sticking around for a good 4-5 hours.
Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) Wears close to the skin; office-friendly.
Note about the packaging: As noted, the original from 1992 is housed in a blue and white polka dot box with an inverted triangular silver and blue cap. I have two of these, a splash and a spray and both are still in perfect condition! The second iteration was a plain, thin, tall glass cylinder with blue juice in a silver box; I haven’t tried this. The current formulation is a shorter, flattened blue glass cylinder with matching cap; again, haven’t tried it.
Where can I buy it? Found online for as little as $18 USD for a 100 ml EDT Tester and sometimes less.
The Bottom Line: Orlane is one of those houses that I’ve always heard about but never really explored. Once the designer of some of the world’s most adored fragrances, these days the Institute is really all about comsetics and skincare. In my experiences with Orlane I’d sampled the dated and forgettable yet still oddly available Derrick andDerrick Silver, powderyFleurs d’Orlane, the pistachio-focused Be 21, and a few scents from the Autour collection. Nothing had really excited me. While exploring, however, I bought an $8 bottle of Eau d’Orlane and having absolutely no expectations, found myself quite pleasantly surprised.
Eau d’Orlane is simple: a rich, sharp, traditional citrus and aldehyde top; a touch of floral jasmine, rose and lily of the valley that is practically imperceptible; and anchors of cedar and vetiver that actually stick around for quite a while. There may be notes such as amber and musk, but don’t expect to be aware of them. As such, some have concluded that Eau d’Orlane tends toward the masculine while also being quite soapy and sharp (again, the citrus). It stays away from herbal greens, light florals, powdery musks and hasn’t a hint of fruit or gourmand notes. Even more noteworthy is how subtle the neroli is here, a note typical of many eau de cologne compositions.
Not being a huge vetiver fan, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed the lower notes in Eau d’Orlane, perhaps because of the cedar pairing or the strength of the citrus notes. Think of the soft, airy nature of Creed’s Original Vetiver, for example.
Not being a huge vetiver fan, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed the lower notes in Eau d’Orlane, perhaps because of the cedar pairing or the strength of the citrus notes. Think of the soft, airy nature of Creed’s Original Vetiver, for example.
Overall, I find Eau d’Orlane perfect for hot weather—subtle enough not to overwhelm yet present enough that I know I am wearing fragrance. And different enough from everything else I own to warrant some attention. And at that price, I can douse myself liberally without a care in the world. But remember this about Eau d’Orlane: it’s soapy!!
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