Joop! Femme (1987)
by Joop!

I bought this after loving the male version. I prefer the male version to be honest but would still give this a thumbs up. It's really quite a heavy scent on me so its evening perfume and holds its own among the Poison, Opium and Angel wearers.

I just knew that the women’s version of Joop! would be a complicated, rather outrageous, aggressive, powerhouse of a fragrance. This is a worthy distaff sibling to Joop! Homme. Joop! Femme arrives on the scene with citrus, cilantro, and aldehydes in a firm, but not over-the-top citrus / green opening. Then moves to a floral middle where it earns its classification of “floriental.” The florals are full and vibrant. I can identify the jasmine, orange blossom, and lily of the valley… I’m not so sure about the rose. There is an incense that floats in an out of the florals, and adds some resinous drama to the accords, as if bright citrus, strong white florals, and aldehydes weren’t enough drama… Incense! – I love how they think at Joop! This scent is not letting me down. After a very long lasting middle, the scent moves into the woody base: sandalwood and patchouli sweetened with vanilla… quite nice, especially when the civet comes out, and, at this point, I’ve just arrived in over-the-top heaven. This scent is audacious, and I can’t help but admire the depth and breadth of the audaciousness it exhibits… It is so far from transparent that it’s cool. To recap: strong sillage, long, long lasting, and it smells great, but it sure is pushy.

The beginning lasts too little to worry about, then in the middle I came a thick waft like a car-deodoriser. It might have been a chemical attempt at orange blossom- I have never smelled a perfume that really captures orange blossom well. It was pretty horrid, nowhere as stomach dropping as Armani Code though, which has to be the lamest attempt at orange blossom ever. ( I use a lot of neroli as an essential oil, so I know what it really smells like!) Once that died down though, what remains is a long lasting powdery amber. I have some genuine Arab rub on block amber at home to compare with, and this is not too far different.

I have had three different people ask me what Im wearing -thats a compliment in itself. Its a deep, dark, incense scent...and powerful. It also has a certain aniseed originality that I havent experienced from other oriental scents and this is what makes it stand out. The only other scent that I could compare this to is Midnight Poison by Dior -I would say it is like a softer, more 'friendly', perhaps more mainstream cousin to Joop! Femme.

Who could not like this. Is it a Floral or a musk? I can't decide. I just know its very unique and I love it. Has the Femme been discontinued? I can only find the male version of this, which is ok. I feel these are unisex fragrances.

Joop! Femme is a beautiful mysterious, husky & woody scent. For anyone who is familiar with Revlon's Unforgettable - Joop! Femme seems to be the "adult" version. It lasts a long time for an EDT. Recommended!