Feminitè du Bois (1992)
by Shiseido

A mellow scent that doesn't really strike me as feminine. Feminite du Bois has a strong woodsy note that's only slightly tamed by an undercurrent of dusky fruit and spices. Another poster mentioned plums, which fits. I also pick up a spicy musk when I sprayed it on. Maybe nutmeg?

Not a personal favorite, but at least longevity isn't that good...for those of us who aren't fans.

I'm with Sofresh on this one ~ FdB must be the biological mother of Lutens' entire "Bois series", they are virtually of the same genetics. For a dominantly woods fragrance, I was suprised how much I loved this one in the heat of summer! It's exquisite! I wish it were available for retail purchase here in the USA!

Although difficult to come by (ask at the Shiseido counter if you don't see it), FdB is a must-smell. I have a hard time distinguishing it from Lutens' Bois Oriental/Violette/Musk/Fruit, and at a fraction of the price, its not a bad thing. Perhaps a tad more floral, it retains its dark, purple aroma of plum & cedar. Beautiful bottle too.

I’ve heard comparisons between this and Lutens’ Un Cèdre and I can understand where some Basenoters are coming from. Both have an emphasis on cedar but, while Un Cèdre incorporates tuberose and amber, Feminitè du Bois utilises plum and vanilla notes instead.

After a while, the plum accord surrenders its dominance to the cedar basenotes with a hint of vanilla lurking in the background. It’s also at this point that I start losing interest in Feminitè du Bois, as it was the sultry and juicy plum note that held my attention in the first place.

Still it’s a smooth, sensual and subtle cedar scent that is worth investigating, although I felt its longevity could have been slightly better. I also think that it’s more unisex than Un Cèdre which, paradoxically, comes across as more feminine.

If you found Un Cèdre disappointing, give this a try.

Feminite du Bois starts out with spices and sweet white flowers, quickly joined by a very soft, powdery note that persists into the heart of the fragrance. The florals and spices blend seamlessly into a very pretty accord that's underpinned by the most subtle of wood notes.

Feminite du Bois holds in this sweet woody oriental mode for a long time, then drifts very slowly towards a powdery vanilla and wood drydown. During this process the woods become more and more prominent, eventually nudging the floral/spice accord out of the way and stepping into the foreground. The whole composition is wonderfully light and delicate, particularly when compared to the much heavier sweet orientals Sheldrake has composed under the Serge Lutens label. Too powdery for me to wear comfortably, but certainly a fine fragrance.

I've been looking for a fragrance to replace my, sadly discontinued, favourite, Guerlain "Aroma Allegoria - Exultant" and I've found it in "Feminite du Bois". Surely this is the perfect scent, spicy, woody, sweet exotic, yet not overpowering.It smells of cloves, incense and wax with a warm woody undertone. My new favourite. What a shame that it has been discontinued too!!!!