Royal Bain de Caron / Royal Bain de Champagne (1941)
by Caron

This really does have a brief champagne "sparkle" at the very top that seems to involve honeydew. The middle starts to resemble C. Howard's square violet-flavored candies, which are very unique in their sharply floral smell and taste. Later on, a base of mostly vanilla remains, with a little leather and flowers. This one is too feminine for me, though it might not be for some guys, and a lot of women might like it. I could see the appeal of its "old money" flapper-era nostalgia, not the least in its unique bottle, but I personally couldn't use it; it's just too over-the-top sweet and anachronistic.

Royal Bain de Caron is a bright, citrus-laden oriental scent built over a sweet and intensely powdery vanilla and amber base. The creamy texture of its citrus accord reminds me for some reason of Shalimar, and I suppose that if you peeled away the civet, the smoke, and the spices from Shalimar, you’d wind up with something like Royal Bain de Caron. All of which is a roundabout way of saying that Royal Bain de Caron is a stripped down version of the classical oriental fragrance structure.

In its apparent simplicity and the “tutti frutti” nature of its citrus accord, Royal Bain de Caron seems surprisingly modern for a 1920s composition. I recall reading somewhere that Royal Bain de Caron was reformulated in the 1990s, and I have to say it smells like it. I can’t deny that it’s buoyant and cheerful, rare qualities among oriental fragrances, but Royal Bain de Caron also smells thin and bare to me, like an orchestral theme played on an electric keyboard. Whether you enjoy this scent depends on what you want out of an oriental fragrance. If it’s sweet powder and good cheer you’re after, Royal Bain de Caron has plenty, but for the exotic spices, sultry atmosphere, and mysterious depths an oriental fragrance can conjure, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Can this house do no wrong?I'm not convinced this is supposed to be a skin fragrance, mostly due to reports of zero longevity.  Indeed, Royal Bain de Caron lasted all of 15 minutes on my skin.  But what a beautiful 15 minutes it was!  Sweet and floral, slightly powdery and spicy, with that delectable Caron signature.  I love the idea of a few drops of this in the bath water.

This is bubble gum at its finest. Sweet, cloying, cheap, and offensive. One would think it sophisticated and aristocratic given its lovely bottle and name, but it should have stayed a mere bath oil.

Bazooka Joe eau de toilette. Very weak sillage. Very feminine.

Sparkling florals on an almost powdery base. Great for spring and summer, complex, yet uncomplicated and comforting.