If any perfume can claim to have history, it has to be Shiloh that takes the price. I do not have to go into the details of the infamous battle with a celebrity about who owns the name. However the perfume itself is based on a concept of adding up different delicate scents with the objective of creating a heady final concoction. In this objective Shiloh has more than achieved its aims and with some style too.

The Brand

Hors Là Monde is definitely in the news from new perfume launches to high profile legal battles. Fortunately for the brand they have not taken a tabloid stance to their marketing so  they retain a good deal of their dignity in spite of the celebrity dramas. Perhaps this has been achievable because they have not had a high profile celebrity endorsement. It seems that is one of the easiest ways to cheapen a product.

The Fragrance

The perfume starts off with lemon, bergamot and herbs. This is a mish mash of fruits and cookery flavors but I suppose they work on a deeper level that is apparently obvious to me. We then move on to the obligatory rose which is essential for any floral perfume. I am not sure what they mean when they talk of Virginia cedar because to me cedar is just cedar wherever it comes from. The complex fragrance ends with sandalwood, incense, oakmoss, musk, patchouli and vanilla. There are some standard notes there but also some quite intriguing ones.

The Packaging

A very angular and straight faced stance on packaging with a plain bottle and while labeling. There is a stopper to add some element of glamour but essentially the packaging is not fussy in the least. I am not entirely sure that that is the best way to market a feminine perfume. Nevertheless it is an improvement on some of the extravagant monstrosities that I have had the displeasure of reviewing.

General Customer Feedback

Curiously most customers said that they did not like the perfume at first but once they got used to its strange flavors, they decided that it was all right after all. In fact it was not just all right. It was excellent. Most customers praised Shiloh to the heavens after overcoming their initial reticence.

I just landed on this perfume by chance and had never had a chance to see it or even wear it. However I know a friend who had a sample which she kindly gave me for purposes of this review. I have to say that for an innovation perfume, it was quite pleasant and I felt that it is something that I would quite happily buy for a loved one.

The Brand

This is not one of the highly branded products that we often hear about over and over again. There are no visible celebrity push sales. However I believe that the perfume speaks on its own terms and in due course it will become a major brand. I particularly like the simplicity with which it has been presented.

The Fragrance

The fragrance list can read like a confectionery store. It starts off with a strong presence of tangerine which leads to freesia and marigold. Those who have used the perfume on a regular basis also talk of white rose mixed with apricot and jasmine. This fruity top is then counterbalanced by the warmer flavors of sandalwood and vanilla.  You are left with a perfume that is both fresh but also deep when you take time to really smell it.

The Packaging

The packaging is composed of clean golden lines that suggest understated luxury. I actually like the packaging better than the perfume which is somewhat of an anomaly. However I have to point out that the packing does fit in well with the extravagant scents described above so it is all good.

General Customer Feedback

Most customers who reviewed the product were ladies and they felt that the perfume was quite good. A certain apprehension was expressed about the fact that it was not a well known brand but in the end everyone felt that the perfume more than compensated for this obscurity. I would definitely buy that perfume for a friend over Christmas but I would not go out of my way to search for it. It is nothing more than an adequate addition to your collection. This is not about being pithy but providing an overview of this perfume.