Ô de Lancôme (1969)
by Lancôme

Ummm.... has anyone stopped at the Lancome counter recently?? They reissued this with a new bottle and it says right on the tester that the bottle is new but the juice is the same..... NOT! it is not nearly as green and now where near as strong.... even the SA said it is not the same...??? TYPICAL!!!

24th July, 2011. (Last Edited: 2nd August, 2011.)

This fragrance is absolutely wonderful. Superb in fact.

I had chosen the perfect day to test O de Lancome. A rather humid Summer day in the centre of a busy and steamy city.

I must say that at first the citrus notes came on quite strongly. It was very green and lemony. Although not entirely unpleasant, I was expecting the worst seeming that these fragrances don't seem to agree with my chemistry or my nose very often. I was about to write this scent off the list when I brought my wrist up to my nose for another sniff.

I was met with a delightful, fresh and cheerful blend of honeysuckle, various herbs/spices, jasmine and mild citrus notes. On my skin the heart and drydown was soft, slightly soapy, musky and feminine.

I can't say that I understand the masculine references here. To me O de Lancome is girly and somewhat sweet, in other words something I can't imagine a man wearing.

I had no idea that this was a fragrance from the 70's, it is very modern and could easily pass as something being produced today. The lasting power is average, around 7 hours. I do recommend this.

26th June, 2011.

Well, O de Lancome has been hanging around, quietly, for 40 years plus. There is a reason for that. It is not loud, it is not trendy, it is not controversial. It is, quite simply, a classic chypre style fragrance that is bright and fresh.

It is a little bit of a tart bomb in the opening. Bergamot green with a dose of lemon sets the stage. This slowly transitions into an herbal melody that stays green and fresh. Some may not enjoy this sour/tart phase, but it is unquestionably a heat beater. The drydown brings a mossy, green woody closure to this little green gem.

Wearable by male or female, easy on the wallet and a green blast of cooling tartness make this an oh! Never out of style, and never quite the trend, it still serves it's purpose with an ease that is to be commended.

9th June, 2011. (Last Edited: 11th December, 2011.)

Ô de Lancôme is absolutely one of the most delightful citrus fragrances I've ever smelled. It smells natural and uplifting and lasts longer than most other classic citrus chypres. It's very green and "balmy", with a kind of herbal face-lotion feel (which many Lancôme fragrances have), but if you want a green citrus fragrance, there's not much out there better than Ô de Lancôme.

My mom actually wore this one for years, and then I started wearing it when I was a senior in high school. Like all citrus fragrances, it is a bit fleeting, however the mileage is still impressive for a fragrance of its type - I get 4 hours out of Ô de Lancôme before it finally dissipates. Besides, with a giant 4.2 oz bottle like I have, I can douse myself in the stuff!

Love it.

13rd February, 2011. (Last Edited: 12nd May, 2011.)

Given my latest kick for citrus, I retested this. It's citrus green mania and it's wonderful . Really bright citrus aromatic top . Then it becomes greener and greener on my skin with really just a little touch of sweet floral before it becomes woodier. Light character but seems tenacious .Well done fragrance and I would get a bottle if I were not in love with so many other similar citrus scents.

21st June, 2010.

Nostagia for scents I wore in my youth prompted me to purchase a vintage bottle of this online. It was an "Eau Fraiche" in brown packaging, and unfortunately it smelled like a vintage aftershave. Puzzled, I went to a department store and tried the tester. Oh gorgeous smell - as fizzy and lime green as the new frosted bottle! Reasoning that my first bottle was simply 'off', I purchased a new bottle. Spritz, spritz. A few minutes of lemon sherbet heaven was followed by that aftershave smell again. Brut? Eau Sauvage? Not exactly unpleasant (might be nice on a guy) - but I don't want to smell like I'm wearing aftershave. What a shame. I sold both bottles to a friend whose husband will probably wear it.

21st May, 2010.