Paradoxe (1983)
by Pierre Cardin

This is one of those scents that if you know was launched in the 80's you only have visions of big shoulder pads and big hair. Sniffed out of the context of its release date, it is a striking leathery chypre EDP with total unisex possibilities.
Notes I found listed are lemon, mandarin and bergamot, heart of jasmine, ylang-ylang, iris, tuberose and hyacinth, base of frankincense, musk, leather, pepper, moss and amber. Powerful and well blended, I keep catching a pine, or resin note in there somewhere too- or maybe its just a phantom effect because there is a lot going on in this scent, more than I can adequately describe. It is also one of those scents whose effect is intoxicating if smelled from 5-6 inches away but is way too intense when the nose is stuck right up in it and inhaled- the type of scent some people would use as an example of why workplaces should be fragrance-free. But I am lovin' it. My vintage sample's top notes desintigrated quite quickly, but the heart and basenotes went on for many hours.

28th July, 2011.