Fragrance Reviews by Goldaline

I LOVE this fragrance. I think it must be partly because of the vetiver base note. I first smelt Must de Cartier II on a young woman from Madrid whom I met while touring the USA, and I immediately bought a bottle for myself. Whenever I wore it, I felt truly fabulous. But now I want to buy another bottle, and I can't find it anywhere. (I live in England). Has it been discontinued? It would be a real, real shame if it has. TEN thumbs up for this fantastic fragrance which, by-the-way, also smells wonderful when layered over the Must de Cartier EDP (which is a different scent) body lotion.

This is my favourite Annick Goutal scent. It reminds me a lot of Chanel 19, but it is much nicer in my view, and has far greater staying power. I'd describe it as a green scent, despite its fairly powdery dry-down, and I think it is the predominance of iris which makes this scent so extra-special, and which draws comparisons with Hermes 'Hiris'. It really is an exquisite fragrance - aptly named Heure Exquise - which draws compliments galore. If you haven't tried it yet, you should!

I loved this fragrance when it was first launched in 1992, but when I tried it again in 2005, I found that I didn't like it anymore. I think this is partly because it had become so commonplace, and partly because my taste had changed. I now much prefer the very similar Escape by Calvin Klein. But L'Eau D'Issey was very cutting edge when first launched, and it deserves its place as an iconic fragrance.

Jolie Madame is distinctive and very well balanced, but then its creator, Germaine Cellier, was an exceptional perfumer, being the creator of the iconic Fracas, as well as other beautiful fragrances like Visa and Vent Vert.

I particularly love the vetiver note in Jolie Madame, and I even like the violet which, tempered by the leather, manages not to be too sweet.

Jolie Madame is one of my favourite chypres. I always get compliments when I wear it, and it has an uplifting effect on my mood.

Jolie Madame = pure joy!

This is Jo Malone's signature scent. It's the first Jo Malone I purchased, and I have had several bottles since then. I also have the shower gel and body cream, and I layer all three together for wonderful sillage. I'd also like to buy the soap, hair shampoo, hair conditioner and bath oil! It's a distinctive fragrance which (to me at least) is is uplifting and vibrant, and perfect for the warm weather. It especially appeals to people who like citrus and herb notes, but it's not for everyone. So try it on your skin before you purchase!

I purchased this fragrance blind ( - there was no tester in the shop - ) after reading its fabulous review by Luca Turin, and I am so glad that I did. Its drydown is warm and exquisite and long - lasting, which makes it a perfect fragrance for winter days and evenings. Indeed, in my view, Tocade has a much better drydown than L'Instant and Insolence - two of Maurice Roucel's other acclaimed fragrances - because it is much less sweet, despite the presence of vanilla. I think it's the perfect combination of rose and vanilla which gives this fragrance the edge over other orientals. It is not widely available in the UK for some reason, which makes it even more important to own a bottle!

Hats off to Olivier Cresp! I love this fragrance, including its name 'Femme'. It is full bodied and generous and very French chic, and the shape of the bottle exudes grown up womanhood. I get the peach, plum, and cumin notes but I am unable to identify the others, except perhaps some rose? Its dry down is an unmistakable chypre, but a chypre with a difference. There is nothing else like it on the market. It has remarkable sillage, too. I wear it only in the autumn and winter months - but sparingly - and I get lots of compliments (but mostly from women). So, if you want a classic fragrance with a difference, try this one. You must test before buying, though, because it doesn't suit everybody.

I wore this fragrance in its original formulation as a student. It made me feel cofident and self assured, and very Parisienne chic, and I loved the blue/black bottle. Feeling sentimental about my student days, I purchased a bottle recently and this is the new formulation. It seems softer than the original, but just as perfect in its balance and distinctiveness. What I particularly like about RG - old and new - is the drydown, which smells to me of vetiver, oakmoss, and rose, and lasts for hours. This is a scent which can be worn day or night, summer or winter, and is truly different from anyhting else on the market. The British perfumer Miller Harris rates this fragrance highly and refers to it as a true classic which has inspired her.

I'm about to give a woman's review of Trussardi: I cannot speak highly enough of this fragrance. Never having seen it in a department store, I first came across it when a dynamic young woman whom I met in Miami introduced it to me as her favourite fragrance. I subsequently found a bottle to purchase for myself in an off-beat perfume store on South Beach. This was some time ago, and I have been a devoted fan of the fragrance ever since. It is both unique and exclusive in that it is sold in very few places. On me, the fragrance is faintly sweet and powdery, but with a marked patchouli / sandalwood / cedar influence. The fragrance has remarkable sillage and staying power. It always draws compliments, especially from men. I'm surprised that it isn't more widely demanded and available. You need to try this fragrance to believe how good it is.

I bought this fragrance in the EDT strength when it was first launched in 1983. It was the first Guerlain that I ever owned. I met my husband shortly after I started to wear it, and he loved it. I subsequently moved on to other Guerlains, like Mitsouko and Jicky.... But I just bought Jardins de Bagatelle again, this time in the EDP strength. I still love it! It makes me feel very special. To me, this fragrance is essentially a tuberose fragrance, which ranks alongside the likes of the legendary and beautiful Robert Piguet's 'Fracas', and the more recently launched 'Tuberose' by the House of Caron. It has tremendous lasting power, and it is both distinctive and elegant. It never fails to draw compliments. So, next time you are at the Guerlain counter, ask for a spritz of Jardins de Bagatelle, and feel special!