Scandal Absolu by Jean Paul Gaultier

It smells amazing 😋, though I need to wear it more; I’ve been wanting to try it for ages.

It’s a beast of a perfume, yes, but it’s a remake of Scandal by Night with less longevity and sillage. It didn’t pay off for me since I already own several bottles of By Night and still prefer it. If you’re a By Night lover, grab this one—they’re almost identical.

It’s sweet and warm, perfectly matching my style and easy to enjoy if you like sugary perfumes like I do. It works well on my skin, but it feels a bit flat with little evolution. I like it; it’s not a bad perfume at all, but I don’t feel it’s unique. It’s the kind of scent I could wear daily, though I already have options that evolve and stand out more.

I have to say, this is my favorite so far. Sweet in just the right amount, great sillage, and excellent skin longevity. I’ve been wearing it since launch and I’m not tired of it. I love the sweetness without it being vanilla; it’s not cloying but gives you that autumn-winter vibe. Highly recommended.

Scandal Absolu seems to me right now (thinking of those currently available and not discontinued) to be the best in its range. It has something distinctive with that gorgeous neroli, nothing aggressive, and the fig is very dynamic, giving a non-citrus freshness that’s very elegant. The hours soften it gently with peach, vanilla, and tonka bean, adding body without becoming a dense, heavy mess—a mature sweetness. The patchouli is noticeable but not a criminal. It lasts on the skin like a champ, and the sillage is quite good. Very refined, maybe a bit boring if you’re looking for something bold, but a beautiful creation.

I’ve already talked about this scent before, but I’m back purely for the joy of recommending it again. It’s gorgeous, very rich, and yes, it’s almost identical to Scandal by Night. The only difference is a light ‘coconut’ vibe, probably from the fig, which often gets confused with coconut 🥥. It’s beautiful, an addictive scent; someone sprayed it clumsily on my wrist and I swear it’s still delicious after 4 hours, I keep bringing my nose closer to savor it. It’s not special, no, and yes, it’s very similar to the original Scandals. I’d definitely recommend this purchase only to those who love Scandal so much they’ve thought about getting a backup, but… what if instead of buying the same bottle of Scandal, you buy this Absolu? Finally, let’s be honest and stop worshipping discontinued scents… I have Scandal By Night and can confirm this and Night smell 90% the same, with the same sweetness and longevity, so anyone who denies they’re similar just because SBN is super hyped… well, reality is different. Highly recommended purchase for fans of sweet, gourmand-but-not-gourmand, ultra-feminine, and sexy scents.

Does it resemble the Scandal family? Yes, it follows that olfactive path, but IT HAS ITS OWN PERSONALITY. I couldn’t tolerate the super sweet scent of Scandal; on my skin it felt very synthetic, whereas Absolu is so addictive on my skin, I love it. They declare figs, neroli, and sandalwood, undoubtedly they’re there, but to this composition I’d add HONEY (in all caps), ylang-ylang, or coconut. For people who say they can’t identify black fig, the aroma of this fruit is very sweet, very similar to pure honey. So, this fig is accompanied by neroli and the sandalwood also shines. I perceive the dry down as powdery or lactonic due to an unlisted ylang-ylang or creamy coconut, but they are noticeable. I’m fascinated by this scent, I feel so good when I wear it, and those who identify it on me give me many compliments. It has great sillage and lasts 8 hours on my skin, which is magnificent. For me, it’s a perfume for cold, rainy days, or perhaps autumn and winter. Along with So Scandal, Absolu are my two favorites from this line.

I need help, please, I don’t want to end up with a duplicate perfume. Fragrantica says it resembles Donna Born in Roma Intense and L’Élixir by Victor & Rolf, but they don’t seem equal to each other. What catches my attention is that someone said it was very woody and I’m weak for woods. Can anyone clarify my doubts??? I’m about to buy it but help me with this, thank you a million.

We went to test it and it was a triumph! It won 7.4 out of 10 from my boyfriend. Very sweet, I also liked it a lot. I’m very surprised that the main note of ‘Scandal’ is honeyed and that this version smells infinitely sweeter to me 😱. I think I could buy it 🧡.

A delicious, sweet, and spicy perfume, I really love it. That non-vanilla sweetness is wonderful and stays on the skin, but no more than 6 hours. Loved.

It smells more like So Scandal than My Way or Interdit, where neroli takes the lead. Notes of praline, honey, coconut, pear, mandarin, orchid, and lavender. To me, it’s a nod to the classics: sweet like current trends but with that hyper-feminine neroli and floral-fruit touch that always works. You can buy it blind.

I think this is the best-balanced Scandal on the market. It keeps the classic DNA but with creamier, less harsh neroli. It retains the sweetness of By Night but is much calmer and more harmonious. Good longevity and sillage, though I notice it doesn’t last as long as the discontinued By Night. In short: if you don’t own any Scandal, this is the one I recommend. If you already have the classic or By Night, don’t spend more until you finish them. If you’re on TikTok, check out my reviews @estefybonham.

My favorite perfume years ago was Scandal By Night, and since it’s discontinued, I tried this new flanker with hope because they say it’s very similar. In my opinion, Scandal Absolu is rich, sweet, and addictive; you know it’s from the Scandal family as soon as you smell it, but I don’t find it very similar to By Night. The main difference is the coconut, which I detect from the opening all the way to the dry down, making it quite different. I liked it a lot, but if I have to choose, I’ll stick with the classic Scandal which is still on the market.

Honestly, I don’t understand the listed notes. At first, it smells like super intense coconut, and in the dry down it resembles By Night a bit, with that coconut, lots of honey, and lots of neroli. I went in happy to try it hoping for a more mature and woody version, but there’s no wood. Maybe it shows up a little in the dry down and gets confused with the honey. It’s good and I want it because I’m a JPG fan, but honestly, it’s not that different from what’s already on the market.

I loved the fragrance; I notice it’s similar to By Night but without the same power or projection. Although it’s very sweet, I don’t detect much fig on my skin, just delicious neroli and honey. It has the original Scandal DNA. In my opinion, if you like the predecessors, you’ll like this too. It’s easy to wear, I think it’s versatile for day and night, and great in fresh climates.