Infusion d’Iris (2015) by Prada

Another Prada gem, totally unisex. Smells clean with a violet-tinged iris that reminds me of fine soap. Cedar and benzoin base, watch out: it can give some people headaches, so don’t over-spray. It’s not meant to grab attention, but to wear like a second skin. It could be your signature, though in summer I prefer other options. High-end, almost niche; 100mls are available online for €90.

I agree with those who said it smells like baby wipes; it’s the most innocent, fragile, and soft scent I know in perfumery.

I tested Infusion d’Iris over several days, and it was like living through an olfactory experience that changes depending on the moment. It doesn’t shout, it doesn’t ask for attention; it whispers with elegance. Opens with mandarin and orange blossom that pass quickly. Unlike other citrus scents, there’s no explosion here, just a delicate transition to galbanum, bitter but refined. Then comes the iris, the protagonist. Its powdery, clean facet reminds me of expensive but modern talcum powder. It’s simple elegance, but it doesn’t look like it. I never managed to isolate the incense; if it was there, it was just a touch of depth. What I did notice is the benzoin and vetiver base, warm, like wrapping yourself in a light scarf at the end of the day, though I expected more projection. It lingers on the skin for hours but doesn’t leave a strong trail. It’s meant to be enjoyed in silence. Compared to Chanel No. 19, this is kinder and less green, as if it whispers where Chanel speaks. It might have affinity with Acqua di Parma’s Iris Nobile, but this is less floral and more minimalist. In the reformulations, I tested a recent one and understand why many lament the loss of power. The structure remains beautiful, but the performance dropped significantly. If you’re looking for something elegant and ethereal to feel impeccable without being the center of attention, it’s still enchanting. In the end, it’s like a freshly ironed white shirt: always appropriate, always elegant, but perhaps too contained to want to leave a mark.

I’ve never commented on this fragrance before; it’s one of my favorites. Bottled versatility. Iris is one of my favorite notes, and this one is so fresh, soft, comforting, and well-blended; I don’t know the old formula, but I love it. On me, it has good longevity, staying in a very pleasant personal bubble. One word: pleasant. (We’re starting a project: getting a back-up so they don’t discontinue it and I’m left without it). ❤️

Want to smell good? Blindly. Whether you’re a man a woman Elle Ella Illi a dog a cat a giraffe or whatever.

I’ll mention in passing that this reformulation devalues the result, with very poor performance and projection. Still, as for the scent, it remains a masterpiece. Danielle Andrier Roche has established herself as the best at using iris, masterfully musky-ing it to give it that clean, soapy air. It’s unique, and she created delicious flankers like Infusion d’Homme or Infusion d’Iris Cedre. A niche, white, clean, elegant aroma, with a subtlety that makes it portable in summer. On the downside, it disappears in the cold. For short distances, but it leaves an olfactory mark. Perfect for hospitals or the office, where it doesn’t invade or saturate, but acts as an immaculate second skin. Absolutely unisex; the composition ensures it doesn’t lean feminine. A must-have in any collection.

One of the top iris scents on the market. It opens clean, elegant, and sparkly, but dries down to a creamy, dense scent with a resinous wood base that I absolutely love. It’s super versatile and unisex, though slightly more feminine. There’s no age or occasion it can’t handle. The downside is that on my skin, it has no projection and doesn’t last more than 4 hours; if it did, I’d buy it without a second thought.

I’m furious with this perfume: it smells incredible but the performance is ridiculous. It’s heavy on iris—tender and cozy, more feminine in my opinion, though it doesn’t look bad on a man either. When I was young, I got a sample and fell in love with the baby powder scent; I felt tender and pretty, and dreamed of buying it. Recently, I got another sample and thought, ‘That’s the one!’ I was so happy to find it… until I saw it lasted only two hours and stayed skin-scent after 30 minutes. I don’t have the best skin for fragrances, but I hydrate well and they usually last acceptably, so clearly they’ve reformulated this wonderful perfume. It smells the same, but lasts and projects much less. What a shame, because with how expensive it is, no matter how much I love it, I don’t want to spend 100 euros to be scented for less than two hours.

Soft and talcum-like fragrance, ideal for any occasion. The iris and cedar are very noticeable; the mandarin (a bit acidic) only appears at the beginning and fades away over time. On my skin, it lasts very little and has a weak sillage. I bought it in a set with shower gel and body cream, and layering the scent helps it last longer.

A very fine and beautiful scent. It reminds me of dried flowers, stacked letters tied with a ribbon, and room perfume. The feeling it evokes is nostalgia, but also romance and cleanliness. I imagine a woman from Henry James novels, an elegant spinster aunt, or a very melancholic young girl. I picture myself in a Parisian room watching Picasso paint Olga, or a student in her attic wearing a camisole with lace trim and frills. At first, when I put it on, I thought it didn’t represent me. Too much vintage vibe. But today I thought, ‘for sure not?’ It’s perceptible, but not cloying. I find it elegant and original without being loud. It gains with memory and time, and that’s rare.

Change of mind: I find it incredibly boring, it doesn’t last at all, and it has nothing to do with the perfume it used to be. It’s a rip-off; with the price it has, the drop in quality is a disservice to the brand. It’s excessively soft and short-lived; it’s completely gone after two hours, it doesn’t scent the clothes, it just lacks strength and doesn’t stick. For the price, it’s not worth it; I’m extremely disappointed.

An ode to cleanliness and tidiness. Truly, what a beautiful scent; I thought it would be much more woody and leaning masculine, but how wrong I was. It’s a very, very soft but lasting fragrance. I associate it with the smell of newborn babies, very soft. It’s a scent anyone can wear; I’d even put it on my kids.

Infusion d’Iris was born in 2007 as a limited edition a beautiful fragrance that was discontinued and reappeared in 2015 with notes different from the original 2007 version which featured African orange blossom neroli orange and mandarin in the top; iris galbanum and juniper in the heart; and incense Virginia cedar benzoin and vetiver in the base. I won’t go into detail since there are already great reviews on its page but I want to clarify that the 2007 version that made it famous has been discontinued and is no longer sold being very different from the 2015 one: it was more intense richer and lasted longer. That doesn’t mean this version is bad—it’s very subjective and everyone has their own tastes but it’s definitely not the same perfume.

Go grab the Infusions de Prada! They’re refreshing waters that last with woody notes. In my opinion Prada’s are better resolved than Guerlain’s Aqua Allegorias. These refresh evolve and leave a mark. Here the iris has strength and firmness not its tender and coquettish facet accompanied by a fine elegant and strong wood. That wood gives it the masculinity I like in originally feminine perfumes. It’s actually unisex: a strong resilient iris that doesn’t get ruined by the rain.

I’m someone who could never wear perfumes before because I couldn’t tolerate them; they gave me discomfort headaches and dizziness. Seeing reviews for light soapy or talcum-like fragrances I landed on this one. It took me three days to appreciate it but I really love it now. It’s not invasive at all and evokes tenderness elegance and cleanliness. I perceive it as unisex leaning feminine.