Charisma (1970)
by Avon

Completely agree with distortech and his precise and accurate review of Charisma. I found this in a thrift store, which, by the way, is a great place to find vintage scents. Now I'm not too much of a perfume snob, but when I saw the Avon sticker on the bottom, I almost didn't bother to open the bottle. I have never really liked--let's say--actively disliked Avon's frags. The quality is okay at best and most of their stuff has this house note of powdery/amber that seems to suffuse everything and render all their stuff pretty much the same.
Which is why I was so shocked when I smelled Charisma. Not only was it good, it was an excellent facsimilie of Coco by Chanel. But wait, this came out in 1970...long before Coco. How can that be? Coincidence? Perhaps, but the similarities are so striking, I can't help but think that Jacques Polge smelled this and used it as his template for Coco. Of course, it's nowhere near the luxe level of the Chanel, but it makes you wonder.

8th February, 2011.

I'm trying on both to see what you mean, I can identify the similarities, but the charisma is coming over more sugar spicy. I love Coco, but I'm not loving this. It's like a playtime version, altogether less grown up. It has a plastic, powdery, scented doll smell on me.
It may smell nicer on someone who brings out the floral side of a perfume.

12nd February, 2010.

FANTASTIC. Very similar to Coco by Chanel, albeit stripped down a bit with a more distinct powdery/amber note coming through a bit faster than the Chanel - omitting the vanilla/tonka altogether in the base. The similarities with the carnation/clove mid to base notes is certainly undeniable and considering this came out a full 14 years BEFORE Coco . . . WOW!! Very nice indeed.

27th February, 2009.