Carnal Flower is a perfume by niche brand Frederic Malle that was founded by the businessman of the same name in 2000 when most well-known niche houses risen to fame. Frederic, although not a perfumer, is involved in the making of each perfume in the Edition de Parfum Frederic Malle. He is the editor and often guide the way the perfume will evolve. In one interview he said that while making Carnal Flower perfume, he tried out 690 versions of it. The production lasted for two years and it appeared before the audience 13 years ago in 2005. It is one of the bestsellers of this house even after Estee Lauder Inc took them over in 2015.

The creator of Carnal Flower

Perfume creator is Dominique Ropion, legendary perfume maker who created some magnificent perfume and mega-hits: Cacharel Amor Amor, Calvin Klein Euphoria, Dior Pure Poison, Armani Acqua di Gioia, Code for Women and Mania, Givenchy Amarige and Ysatis, Kenzo Jungle L’Elephant, Lalique Le Parfum, Lancome La Vie Est Belle, Thierry Mugler Alien, Paco Rabanne Olympea and Lady Million, Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, Sisley Soir de Lune, Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme and La Nuit de l’Homme. For Malle, he created successful perfumes: Portrait of a Lady and Vetiver Extraordinaire. The list speaks volumes of Dominique’s skill and artisanship. Apparently, the budget for Carnal Flower was huge. So it is no surprise that he chooses as a central motive the most expensive flower in the world. And that flower is – deadly seductive tuberose.

The force of Eros

Carnal Flower, as the name says, is a story about erotic, carnal flower that commands the forces of Eros. Even when people are unaware of it. Certain researchers say that when we inhale the scent of white flowers, especially tuberose, our consciousness perceives the scent as floral but our unconscious, instinctive primal part smells the scent of sex. Consequently, that leads to the activation of certain centers in our brain and because of that numerous libidinous perfumes are based on jasmine, orange blossom, and tuberose.

Perfume composition of Carnal Flower

Tuberose in Carnal Flower is not your ordinary, heavy, creamy often stuffy tuberose. Oh no. The opening of the perfume is extremely green, like the smell of new buds and as time goes by, the juiciness of coconut and melon gets stronger. Fans of Dior Poison and Hypnotic Poison will find a lighter version of their favorite perfume. The translucent tuberose ere has an almost fog like quality.

Dominique Ropion’s genius was to enhance all the positive traits of tuberose and diminish all those that cause headaches and love-hate reaction. 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. People say that Parmigianino was a skillful alchemist. We cannot know that for certain. But what we know is that after Carnal Flower perfume Ropion’s name is on the list of greatest alchemists the world has ever known.

[Fragrance notes] bergamot, melon, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, jasmine, tuberose, coconut, musk.

[Fragrance group] floral

Perfume creator is Dominique Ropion.

parmigianino