parfums*PARFUMS Series 2 Red: Carnation (2001)
by Comme des Garçons

A minimalistic, straight forward and tremendously realistic take on carnation reinforced by a consistent dose of clove and a slightly (slightly) powdery rose note.

While carnation is surely the main note at the same time clove plays an important role. It is really well rendered and never overdone so to avoid conjuring images of dental offices, clove cigarettes, baking hams and stuff like that. It adds the right amount of body and paired with a subtle note of pimento provides an intriguing piquant vibe. Rose and other floral patterns refine the fragrance with a discreet yet essential presence.

Possibly among the most gender neutral carnation-based compositions around. Easy to wear and pretty distinctive. Very well done.

19th January, 2012.

Excellent fragrance!! Cloves, pepper and carnation combination "somehow" works... spicy yet does not make you feel like a walking spice cabinet. wonderful discovery for me and definitely bottle worthy... good sillage too!

11th November, 2011. (Last Edited: 15th November, 2011.)

At first I get a big dose of aldehydes. Then, carnations & red hearts candies. However, this is not a BPAL fragrance. Surprisingly, CdG carnation works.

16th October, 2011.

CDG CArnation is, literally, a very good quality reformulation of an iconic 1959 classic called..................... Tabac Original EDC. Yes, you read me correctly. I say this with all seriousness, and as a devoted lover of TO. Wear the two side by side and the similarities are stunning. CDG Carnation is TO with the carnation, cloves and pepper ramped up a bit, and TO's aldehydes attenuated. This reconfiguration follows Carnation through to a drydown that anybody familiar with TO can already imagine, except that the pepper note also common to both scents continues in Carnation to the drydown.

The sillage of Carnation is (to exaggerate a little bit) just a class below weapons-grade. An unabashed liberal sprayer, even i need to apply Carnation with a careful hand. Longevity is, to understate, impressive. 10 hours on now and i still get nice whiffs from my chest (and i am wearing a knotted tie!).

Honestly, there is no way i can comment on Carnation without reference to TO. So, that's the objective of this review met. Do i need the two scents in my wardrobe? Rationality says no, but the collector that i am welcomes them both. TO i have known and used for about 33 years and will always keep. Carnation is, to me, a refreshed version which i will resort to when i want the scent of TO with amped-up cloves.

Carnation is a wonderful scent.

5th August, 2010.

Distinctive clove -y ,pepper spice with a creamy floral note .Quite light to me ,subtle-ly hot I guess. Pretty spicey carnation. I like it but it's not love. I think it's a little thin but still very lovely.

1st July, 2010.

I never sought out a carnation scent, but received a sample of Love Comes from Within and was stunned at how much I loved the carnation clove fragrance. I then began seeking the carnation scent I had begun dreaming of and thanks to basenoter reviews tried this gem! This is the fbw of the carnation kingdom for me, I find it incredibly uplifting and puts me in a very happy place. Thankfully, good but not overpowering sillage and lasts and lasts and lasts.

14th March, 2010. (Last Edited: 20th March, 2010.)