Soleil by Lalique

Mandarin, citrus, elegant yet versatile. Beautiful bottle. Lasted on clothes and skin longer than the 2 hours others claim, which is already a win since I expected poor performance; it lasted normally, well. Moderate sillage, nothing scandalous. You can reapply and you’re good. I really liked it despite it being a blind buy; I got the 50ml and would definitely repurchase if I finish it because I love the scent. Could be a distant cousin of Valentino, but less vanilla. Definitely not gourmand, not even the coffee, but it’s a very energizing and sparkly aroma.

I will always love you, Soleil de Lalique.

I had many desires to try it; it caught my attention because of the lovely bottle and because the scent had such divided opinions. This fragrance has a lot of evolution. In the opening, the mandarin stands out with the almond, and the cardamomo shines with strength; I like that spicy opening. In this first phase, the almond is outstanding (but on my skin, I don’t like it because it sounds very synthetic). In the heart notes, the almond remains latent, but here the ‘plastic’ smell is more prominent to the point where I don’t want to perceive it. After about 30 minutes, that alcoholic sensation fades, and I can finally perceive a note of creamy coffee, but very light. Despite being a fan of floral scents, I didn’t feel those accords here; the jasmine isn’t the protagonist. In the dry down, there’s a gourmand aroma that’s not scandalous, but very subtle. Lasting power on skin is short and the sillage is very soft.

Soleil de Lalique has divided opinions, especially on Fragrantica in English. The curious thing is that the olfactory perceptions are also divided; they differ a lot. That’s why I want to highlight two points if you’re interested: 1. If you expect a cupcake scent, a gourmand that you feel more in your mouth than your nose… look elsewhere. Soleil de Lalique has sweet flashes but it doesn’t hurt your teeth. 2. The olfactory pyramid is: Spicy – Sweet with a tendency towards fruity floral – Soapy/fresh. However, it has many phases; it’s not linear, changing from the first spray to the dry down. Lalique is a French luxury brand with niche perfumes, and Soleil is a jewel. The price and quality, in my opinion, are a bargain, as it’s cheaper than Cloud by Ariana Grande in my country, and believe me, this one is way above. I love how distinguished it is in the market and on the streets, and how relaxed yet sophisticated it is. It makes me feel like I just stepped out of a luxurious shower. Personal suggestions: if you like Coco Mademoiselle or Twilly by Hermès, Soleil could be a lovely surprise.

I had way too many expectations. I don’t smell any almond, milky, creamy, coffee, or even jasmine notes. On my skin, it’s just a mix of citrus and pear sweetened by a boring caramel, with no evolution and no improvement. I’m really sorry I didn’t like it because the bottle is gorgeous.

This perfume is my ‘happy place’. It’s floral, sweet, almond, and super lactonic. It has a vibrant opening, although unfortunately on my skin the cardamomo doesn’t stand out as much as the rest. It quickly starts to sweeten with a juicy pear, the creaminess of the jasmine, and an accord that could indeed remind you of coffee with milk. But watch out, more than a ‘cafe latte’ it would be a ‘latte macchiato’, because I don’t perceive the dark coffee note. Dry down is sweet and velvety, with no trace of praline on my skin. Overall, the aroma seems exquisite… more in the opening than in the dry down, where it becomes more generic. As a fragrance family, it could certainly be categorized as gourmand, but it’s far from the classic. There’s something in this perfume… without summer floral notes, coconut, or other tropicals… that gives it a solar character. That’s why I think it’s ideal for summer. However, when you wear it in winter (like now), it’s a fragrance that wraps and spoils you, totally versatile. Personally, it wouldn’t be my first choice for dates or night outs… but I think it’s a perfect gourmand to wear daily because it won’t offend anyone. As for the bottle… there’s little to say, one of the most beautiful in my collection. Lasting power on skin is notable, about 4 hours, close to the skin approx 8. Projection and sillage are light/moderate. Thinking of a similar scent… honestly, I don’t have one. It’s true that the first spray reminded me, being Lalique Soleil much more lactonic and less ambered, in the style of Terra di Gioia. They share notes but aren’t that similar, although they do give a similar vibe. I feel this is the more summery version of the other, which I see as more autumnal. I insist, it’s a matter of olfactory memory; maybe others don’t see them as similar. Overall, it’s a perfume I really like. Is it worth it? As with everything, it depends on what you’re looking for. If the main thing is the scent, give it a chance. On the contrary, if perfumes with poor performance are a ‘no’, this probably isn’t for you. I got it for 25 euros for 30ml on Notino, and honestly, for that price, I’m very happy with the purchase.

I love it. I detect cardamom, mandarin, a hint of almond, and that milky jasmine note that wraps everything. I don’t smell strong coffee; rather, it’s like very soft milk coffee. It brings me calm and memories of sunny days when it’s cold and we’re looking for warmth. I really liked it, even if it’s not groundbreaking. I’ll always keep the bottle; it’s gorgeous. Lasts about 4 hours on my skin.

It’s a controversial perfume; you have to try it before buying, but I went in blind and found it irrelevant. I don’t smell almonds, cardamom, or praline; just very soft coffee, a milky touch, a bit of vanilla without excessive sweetness, and a jasmine with pear and mandarin air. I’ll give it time to win me over. It doesn’t disgust me, but it doesn’t make me fall in love either. If the longevity is weak, the sillage is too. The bottle is pretty and the price is moderate. I see it as feminine but not standout—a completely forgettable perfume.

Soleil is controversial. Is it as good as they say? No. Is it as bad as others claim? Also no. The opening is cheerful and sparkling, with lots of tangerine and then cardamom, my favorite part. It evolves into a creamy dry down with almonds, milk, and intense pear that accentuates over time. I don’t notice the coffee. It has soft-to-moderate sillage and lasts 7-8 hours. It’s suitable for summer and works in the office. I bought it cheap (38 euros for 100 ml) and I don’t think it’s worth the regular price. I’ll enjoy it for the iconic bottle inspired by the old Lalique museum bottle, but I don’t recommend buying it blindly and I’m not sure I’ll buy it again. Scent 6.5/10, Longevity 7.5/10, Sillage 6.5/10, Value/Price 5/10, Versatility 5/10, Packaging 10/10. Probably won’t buy again.

Soleil is a controversial fragrance. Is it as good as they say? I’d say no. Is it as bad as others claim? Also no. The opening is cheerful and sparkling; mandarin is very noticeable, followed by cardamom, which is my favorite part, perhaps the most original. It then evolves into a creamy dry-down. I perceive almonds and milk over the other notes, plus an intense fruity pear note that intensifies over time. By the end of the day, that’s the note that stands out most. Unfortunately, I don’t smell the coffee, which was what interested me most. It has a soft-moderate sillage and lasts 7-8 hours on my skin. I think it’s very suitable for summer; it’s not invasive and works well at work. I bought it very cheap (38 euros for 100 ml) and I think it’s not worth the normal price. I’ll enjoy it and I’m happy to have this iconic bottle in my collection—a jewel based on the old bottle I saw at the Lalique museum—but I don’t recommend buying it blindly and I’m not sure I’ll buy it again. Scent 6.5/10, Longevity 7.5/10, Sillage 6.5/10, Value 5/10, Versatility 5/10, Packaging 10/10. Probably won’t buy again.

Caramel, milk, coffee, almonds… what could possibly go wrong? I saw on YouTube that it was the perfect gourmand for summer, like chai tea, so I searched for months. Getting it in Mexico was an absolute odyssey. Finally, I snagged it during this Hot Sale at a great discount (thank God), but this is… meh! Totally boring. It smells like nothing on the list, just dirt and flowers, but not jasmine. It smells like gardening, with tiny wildflowers, dampness, green and earthy notes. It’s not pleasant, distinctive, or captivating. It just smells and that’s it. Huge disappointment.

A disaster for me. The tangerine and milk combination just doesn’t work; it feels almost fermented in the background.

A disaster for me. The mix of mandarin and milk sits terribly on me; it almost ferments in the background.

Its opening is a fresh, bubbly yet mature orange, then I perceive a sweet but not cloying mix, very summery and sensual. I see it on an entertained and radiant woman of any age, very chic enjoying an outing in the middle of summer.

A warm scent that opens sweet with caramel, then coffee, almond, and milk become noticeable. It’s super warm, sweet, and sensual, though not gourmand. It doesn’t have much sillage, but it feels on the skin as part of you. I simply loved it.