Cruel Intentions

Cruel Intentions, inspired by Kilian Cruel Intentions, tempt me (2007)

Rose leads, with bergamot keeping the first moments clear and slightly tart. Guaiac wood, which has a smoky, almost tarry sweetness, then joins papyrus and vetiver, and the rose starts to read as woody rather than floral. Oud comes up in the base with styrax, a balsamic resin, and amber. Castoreum gives the whole thing a faintly leathery, animal depth, and some wearers find the drydown powdery.

About the original

Kilian Hennessy introduced Cruel Intentions in autumn 2007 as part of By Kilian's first collection, L'Oeuvre Noire, where it sat in the Les Orgies Parisiennes group with Liaisons Dangereuses. Sidonie Lancesseur is named as its perfumer. It was sold in refillable 50 ml bottles. The scent has no connection to the film of the same name, and it no longer appears on any of Kilian's current collection or refill pages.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Kilian stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Autumn and winter suit it best, according to wearers, for day or evening. Castoreum and oud are not to every taste, and a buyer hoping for a fresh rose may find the base too animalic.

Related scents

• Kilian Amber Oud
• Kayali Oudgasm Rose Oud 16
• By Kilian A Kiss from a Rose

Notes of the original fragrance, as given in the launch information.

Top notes: Rose, Bergamot

Heart notes: Guaiac Wood, Vetiver, Papyrus

Base notes: Castoreum, Oud, Styrax, Amber

Rose and bergamot open it, the citrus fading quickly behind the flower.

The heart turns woody, with guaiac wood, papyrus and vetiver drying the rose down.

Oud, styrax and amber build the base, with castoreum lending a leathery, animalic depth.

Is Kilian Cruel Intentions discontinued?

It is no longer listed on Kilian's collection or refill pages, and retailers show it as unavailable. We have not found an announcement from the brand.

Is Cruel Intentions a rose or an oud scent?

Both. Rose is the first thing you notice, but oud, guaiac wood and castoreum take over as it develops, so the finish is woody and slightly leathery.

Is Kilian Cruel Intentions coming back?

So far, we have found no announcement from Kilian that it will return. Our version is an eau de parfum in 50 ml or 100 ml.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Kilian and Cruel Intentions, tempt me are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Kilian in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.