Frederic Malle Carnal Flower was released in 2005 and was created by the legendary perfumer Dominque Ropion (Dior Pure Poison, Thierry Mugler Alien, Malle Portrait of a Lady and Vetiver Extraordinaire). Carnal Flower is the carnality of tuberose wrapped in the glorious fresh green from an opulent bouquet of flowers. Candice Bergen was the muse for Dominque Ropion in the creation of this fragrance. There was no limit put on the budget for tuberose in the creation of this fragrance and it allegedly contains the highest amount of tuberose ever included in a perfume. Notes of tuberose, bergamot, melon, eucalyptus, ylang-ylang, jasmine, white musk cocktail, coconut and orange blossom absolute.
From the Malle website description - "If nature offers olfactive clashes, tuberose is probably the best example of it. These pretty flowers exude an almost carnal smell, superimposing in a quasi-miraculous way flower shop freshness, camphorous violence – spicy and animalic – and milky sweetness. This mysterious equilibrium has always fascinated perfumers. 18 months were necessary for Dominique Ropion to forward a modern version of that theme, an “olfactive Everest” that only the most talented perfumers were capable of reaching."
From Perfume Posse - "Green, gorgeous tuberose. It is chewy and buttery and covered with lovely greenhouse aromas puffed out with eucalyptus."
From Now Smell This - "Carnal Flower opens on heavy green notes, evoking the fragrance of crushed stems and leaves over mild citrus. As the tuberose begins to peek though, the green notes fade into camphor, but it is very soft; it warms and dulls the heady floral notes without calling attention to itself."
From Scentertainer - "Carnal Flower is a tuberose that grows in Parmigianino’s garden, like the characters on his paintings, gracious milky white, with long and soft limbs like the petals of a flower."
From eauxsillage - "Almost retracing the “doesn’t smell like Fracas” path paved by Tubéreuse Criminelle, in creating Carnal Flower, Malle and Ropion have crafted a truly unique tuberose perfume – a soaring symphony of intoxicatingly fleshy tuberose buoyed by jasmine and orange blossom, deftly cut with green eucalyptus and coconut to stave off any cloying elements – more natural than the buttered orange blossom heavy Fracas, but still less capricious, more wearable than the Lutens example. A modern classic, a tuberose whose opulence never veers into the realm of antiquation or cloying heaviness, Carnal Flower is green, gorgeous tuberose. My ultimate tuberose"
From Olfactoria's Travels - "I had a very wrong impression of Carnal Flower. There was no need to be afraid, it is a very wearable, elegant, beautiful and almost understated floral. It evokes feelings of well being and contentment in me. Tuberose has this knack of seeming like internal sunshine to me. As soon as I wear Carnal Flower it is as if a lamp has been switched on inside."
More information and Frederic Malle reviews can be found at:
| Perfume Name | Frederic Malle Carnal Flower |
| Year Introduced | 2005 |
| Perfumer | Dominique Ropion |
| Gender | Unisex |
| Strength | Eau de parfum, edp |
| Notes | Tuberose, bergamot, melon, eucalyptus, ylang-ylang, jasmine, white musk cocktail, coconut and orange blossom absolute. |
| Country of Origin | France |
Strong pepper and carnation scent. Really lovely and well balanced. Turns peppery and slightly sweet on skin. Really unique compared to most, I think you could wear this with a sexy dress for a night out and it would register as a sexy scent by your date, but if you wanted to wear it at work with a nice blouse, you could pull that off too. The unique scent makes it very versatille.
This is a very well made fragrance, but is too tropical flower for me. My sister loves it as she wears Pikake all the time. It is quite enduring. I like it best when it is nearly gone. For people who like a tropical/flower shop floral, this would be rated higher.
Strong pepper and carnation scent. Really lovely and well balanced. Turns peppery and slightly sweet on skin. Really unique compared to most, I think you could wear this with a sexy dress for a night out and it would register as a sexy scent by your date, but if you wanted to wear it at work with a nice blouse, you could pull that off too. The unique scent makes it very versatille.
This is a very well made fragrance, but is too tropical flower for me. My sister loves it as she wears Pikake all the time. It is quite enduring. I like it best when it is nearly gone. For people who like a tropical/flower shop floral, this would be rated higher.
A beautiful white, creamy, and fresh tuberose. Less indolic than some might prefer, but taken on its own it's heady, bright, and lovely.
It's like walking into a florists' shop. Flowers, plants, and leaves, plus whatever else they're selling in there. I don't feel like it's loud, let's say "assertive". I spray it once in the direction of my ankles.
I can tell this is a well made perfume, with good sillage and longevity, but its too lady-like for me. If you like tuberose, though, this could be for you.
I haven't worn perfume for decades as it all smelled like bug spray on me. There were some restrictions on making old stlye perfumes and maybe that was the problem. Also our executives were counselled not to wear any fragrance. This is just wonderful and different and I wear very little but got a compliment from a man the first day I tried it. I don't know the lingo. So that's it. I really like it.
This is a super green tuberose screamer on me. It goes on with a roar and stays potent. Tried to wait it out but could only last an hour. I generally like tuberose and perfume with good sillage but this was bananas. I had to take it off after an hour and even with alcohol scrubbing it left me with a headache. Not for me at all, but glad I tried it as it is much loved.
Luuurrve this scent. It's sexy yet fresh and not at all overwhelming. I just wish it lasted a little longer on my skin!
A FEW SPRAYS AND THIS EDP STAYS AND SURROUNDS YOU IN ITS HEAVENLY TUBEROSE SCENT. I FEEL SURROUNDED BY A GARDEN AND IT CERTAINLY KEEPS MY SPIRITS UP.
Such a nice fragrantly floral scent with a large hint of sexy polish in the undertone. It just lasts and lasts which is phenomenal on my dry skin. Nuances of fruit and flower are blended into a creamy smoothness. A very well thought out scent, which I love, besides makes me feel quite beautiful
I liked this perfume, but found it rather linear. It's just tuberose on my skin and nothing more. Perhaps if I'd gotten a larger sample with a spray pump, I'd be better able to detect the various notes. I think I like Serge Lutens version better. It has a little more character with that camphor thing going on in the beginning.
There's no doubt that this is a very pretty and complex fragrance! Having said that, it doesn't quite have the "wow" factor that I was expecting from all the hype. Worth sampling, though, if you like florals.
Very tight blend. I enjoy it very much. One of my favorites. Can't go wrong with Malle.
lemme tell you, florals are my least favorite notes in fragrance (they usually smell too soapy on me or give me a headache) but this thing is SO GOOD. not gonna lie, i got a decant because of the hype, and i was curious. i don't want to oversell it, but for what it's worth, it's a tuberose that i like! i probably like it because despite the strong tuberose because it's so complex and not so overpoweringly floral. like, there is some subtle sweetness in there to balance the sharp (to my nose, anyway) floral. basically, i imagine a beautiful old hollywood star wearing this, but she's, uh, really chic and not grandmother-ish at all? like, she secretly stays up in her mahogany-paneled library and writes lengthy thought-pieces while dressed in a tasteful lingerie set and drinking gin. idk. it also lasts FOREVER and transfers its smell to everything around it, which is something i personally love
The reviews for Carnal Flower had me in a state of must-have curiosity. I imagined myself in a fragrance cloud of pure loveliness. When my sample arrived , I couldn't wait to smell it and try it on. Oh well. This floral scent was so not for me. I promptly gave it away.
This is the type of floral I like. Something you haven't smelled before! Very green and beautiful. I get compliments.
I will preface my commentary by stating that I am not a fan of predominantly white floral fragrances, but I purchased a sample of this fragrance out of curiosity given the rave reviews of it. If you are a fan of white florals, you should really give this a try - the fragrance definitely has presence and attitude. It's just not for me. With my chemistry, all I get is tuberose.
This is such a different kind of floral. Never tried one with so many "layers". Only need a small spray, it is so sensual.
Since I'm not experienced in picking out notes I'll go with my impressions of Carnal Flower. Rich florals appeal to me and Carnal Flower really fits the bill. If this perfume were a woman, I would say that she is an experienced, mature, assured, and gracious woman. A woman of beauty and sex appeal. As a perfume, Carnal Flower has good tenacity and moderate sillage (on me). For those who want a giggly, girly, flirty fragrance, Carnal Flower is not that type.
Carnal Flower is so exotic that it left me feeling like a different person, in a good way! Initially, I thought it was too one-note, and too island-scent-ish. However, it quickly grew on me, and now I really love this fragrance. It is so different, and quite strong, that it makes me feel more feminine and luxurious. Love it! (for reference, other perfumes I like are Bond no 9 Chelsea Flower, and Givenchy - Perfume Ange ou Demon Le Secret)
