 | Chypre de Coty by CotyI have a 1 oz. bottle (EDP) of this that is most likely from the 1970's, when it was discontinued. I agree 100% with with Miss Denise's review of Coty Chypre: as you wear it, you can get a hint of almost every one of the classic chypres that was ever made and so wearing it is like getting a lesson in the history of the chypre genre as it unfolded down through the years, as I sniffed it at different times during its development, I found myself calling out the names of several of the other chypre perfumes I've had the opportunity to experience. I can see how this can be considered the mother of all chypres. If your looking for something classically pretty and beautiful in this scent, you won't find it. This scent has a more "jolie laide" (spelling?) kind of beauty, which makes it all the more mysterious and compelling to me. Clean, fresh, fruity-floral lovers will run screaming in the opposite direction because this is as far from that as you can get. I'm one of those believers in the theory that when Coty fell on hard times, he sold some of his formulas to Guerlain, What confirmed that for me was when I first opened my 1930's bottle of Emeraude. "Mother of Shalimar!" was my first thought. With Coty Chypre I get aspects of Mitsouko, Parure, Bandit, Miss Dior and on and on! Now I'm dying to get my hands on just a little of the pure parfum. 3rd February, 2012. |
| | L'Air du Desert Marocain by TauerJust received a sample of this. My thoughts: There are certain perfumes that go beyond just being great scents, they become more of an expoerience because the moment you apply them, you're instantly transported to another plain of existance while you're simultaneously still in this one. I can't explain it, but it feels kind of like being in two places at one time. A really surreal thing. That's a rare experince since I can count on one hand the scents that have made me feel that way every time I smell them: Serge luten's Douce Amere, Guerlain's Djedi, Vero Profomo's Onda and now, Andy Taurer's L'Air du Desert Marocain. 1st December, 2011. |
 | Champs-Elysées by GuerlainA light, sweet, run-of-the-mill floral...not my thing. Citrusy, grapefruit-like opening that mellows into soft florals with almost no basenotes to speak of. Could be interesting in warmer weather, but I'll have to wait and see. Love Guerlain, but this is NOT one of the better ones. 29th November, 2011. |
| | Safari by Ralph LaurenI'm at a loss for words with this one. All I can say is that I woke up this morning craving it. On me this smells like a somewhat green vintage chypre with galbanum and my beloved oakmoss (think Chanel No. 19) and all. Supposedly this was discontinued and then reissued (and most likely reformulated), so if you haven't yet tried this and want to, try to search the internet for one of the tiny, "vintage" 4 ml pure parfum minis ( which is what I'm wearing now) if you want to experience what I've described and to know what perfumer Dominique Ropion's original intent was. This has wonderful sillage and is unisex, in my opinion. 17th November, 2011. |
| | Gucci No. 3 by GucciThis review is for the pure parfum. Everyone below has described this very well, although I wish I could get the civet note that's supossedly present. On me it's all warm patchouli/oakmoss with hints of rose and a very brief and fruity note at the opening (maybe it's the aldehydes). As it dries down there is a kind of wonderful leatheriness that emerges. The sillage is perfect...not too close to the skin and not 1980's loud. A man could definitely wear this as well as there is nothing sweet about this scent. 3rd November, 2011. (Last Edited: 13rd November, 2011.) |
 | Night Scented Jasmine by FlorisI agree with everyone who has already reviewed this. It's a very beautiful and transparent jasmine/mixed floral scent that's subtle an non provocative. I get no musk and no vetiver and that's too bad because if those notes were amped up a bit, they could give this scent the soul that it's lacking. On me, the sillage is close to the skin. I found it at TJ maxx for $19.99 so I really can't complain. 30th October, 2011. |
| | Aromatics Elixir by CliniqueI've had a half a bottle of pre-reformulated AE for over a year now that a friend had passed on to me. I only accepted it because it used to be my aunt's favorite when it came out (1971) , but I disliked it tremendously. However, it was mentioned in a blog I was reading last week so I felt compelled to spray it on my skin for the first time. OMG! I can't explain it, but I was immediately smitten. I chock it up to having experienced so many vintage perfumes in the last few years that my nose learned to understand AE. Now my half full bottle suddenly looks half empty and I need more! I shudder at the thought of testing the new stuff. Now I'm on a search for some vintage AE and that Aramis 900 just in case I can't find any. 30th October, 2011. |
| | Diorella by Christian DiorI bought a bottle of EDT that looks like the one pictured above about a year ago. I wanted to reserve judgement on it until I'd given it a few good wearings. I'm wearing as I write this and I have to say that it is nowhere as iinteresting as some of the descriptions that come up in other reviews. Where's the intriguing "flowers on a garbage heap" dynamic and where are all of the wonderful notes listed above? I suspect that what I have is an awful and cheap refomulation. I keep searching Ebay for a vintage bottle to get a real Diorella experience, but they're rare and expensive. My EDT doesn't have enough going on to make much of an impression, because it doesn't last long enough or project very well and smells a little to obviously synthetic. I cant say what other versions of Diorella are like, but I can tell you not to waste your money on this version. 17th October, 2011. |
| | L'Eau Serge Lutens by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal ShiseidoNever thought I'd say this about a Serge Lutens Fragrance, but ho-hum...I'm bored. Thankfully it was a gift so I'm not out of money. I really appreciate that my friend thought of me on her trip to Paris, knowing that I like Serge Lutens fragrances, I just wish she would have asked me first so that she wouldn't be out of money as well. I may eventually wear this on the hotteset of summer days, but I don't see myself reaching for it just for the pleasure of savoring it as there isn't much to go on in complexity or sillage-wise. Hopefully my friend won't ever see this review. 6th September, 2011. |
| | Rubj by Vero ProfumoI've had samples of both the parfum and the EDP of Rubj for about a year now and even though I had preciously spritz them on from time to time ( sometimes layering them) over the year to enjoy them, I realized this morning that I had never looked up the notes to either or read any reviews of them. I decided to leave it that way to write this review because I didn't want to be influenced by any list of notes or anyone else's impressions of them. 4th September, 2011. |
| | Tuscan Leather by Tom FordI've had a 10 ml decant of this for over a year now and each time I screw off the top, I keep coming up with the same thing: a chemical-fruity-leather. It smells more like it's trying too hard, via synthetics, to smell like real leather instead of simply smelling like leather and, for me, fruity notes never work well with leather when they're too pronounced. I believe in trying a scent I'm not crazy about at first, several times over a period of time hoping that something will click oneday, but this one hasn't. It smells too thin and linear in that it never evolves beyond the leather and fruit (berries?). On me there are no phases or basenotes to speak of. What goes on in the beginning is what you get all the way through. It's not worth the price as there are more rich and beautiful leather scents out there. 9th August, 2011. |
| | Sira des Indes by Jean PatouThe previous reviewers have done a great job of describing all the aspects of Sira des Indes, so I won't do that. I'll just add that even though I despise most of the fruity/floral offerings in recent perfumery, I actually like this one because it has a little something that separates it from the rest. It's really subtle so the sillage doesn't project much, at least not on me. Most men may find it a little too fruity-floral-feminine, but personally I'd love to catch a whiff of this coming from a guy standing in the hot summer sun. I have the EDP and my only complaint is that it doesn't last long enough. I find myself having to reapply it an hour later. 23rd January, 2011. |
| | Fidji by Guy LarocheI've had a nice little bottle of vintage Fidji in my collection for a while now. I got it a while back after reading all of the glowing reviews about it and felt thet I needed to have it in my collection of vintages. Today I decided to wear it after not reaching for it in a while, and I have to say that Doctor Mod hit the nail on the head in her review. It's nicc, but icy cold and inaccessible...just like Grace Kelly's image. I would expect a perfume called Fidgi to be much warmer and evocative of tropical ease and sensuality. This is too Upper East side for me. 21st January, 2011. |
| | Chant d'Aròmes by GuerlainNo one should ever write a review of Chant d'Aromes until they've smelled the vintage extrait, even if it means you have to order a few drops from the Perfumed Court. I say this because I acquired a bottle of vintage CdA EDC more than a year ago. I splashed it on, but wasn't impressed as it was just mildly interesting and really didn't last long enough to develop in any kind of way that would allow me to grasp the notes in order to to undrestand the scent. Later I nabbed a 7.5 ml decant of the new EDT thinking that it may be a little stronger and last a little longer. Same dissappointing results. I had just about given up on CdA and questioned why those vintage bottles of the extrait that occasionally show up on Ebay were going for astronomical prices. Then I ordered a batch of vintage Guerlain samplers from the Perfumed Court and a 1/4 ml sample of CdA pure parfum was among them. I put it on this morning and was floored by how beautiful, meaty and rich the parfum is compared to the cologne and EDT. Why does Guerlain do this when it comes to their EDT's? Many times it's as if their parfums and EDT's are two different scents altogether. It's like they remove the rich basenotes, leave the the top and middle notes and say "Here...boottle this as the EDT". 28th October, 2010. |
| | Andy Warhol Success is a Job in New York by Bond No. 9I'm not a big Bond No. 9 fan, but when I smelled this in one of those fold-out ads in Vogue Magazine last year, I decided that I wanted it. First of all, while I know most perfumes these days, even the best ones, are composed of mostly synthetic notes, some manage to smell less synthetic than others. With that said, Success smells a little too obviously synthetic to me, but I can live with that because it has just the right combination of notes that satisfy my rare craving for a sweet, spicy gourmand scent. That's the only time I reach for it and I couldn't see wearing something like this every day. I don't see the spiciness of this scent as sexy. To me it comes off as playful. 10th October, 2010. |
| | Diorling by Christian DiorVintage Diorling smells almost exactly like vintage Bandit. It's a nice leather scent, but I agree 100% with Caltha's review 4th October, 2010. |
| | Miss Dior by Christian DiorI'm addicted to Miss Dior. This is so mysterious and beautifully complex that there really aren't words to describe it. Each time I wear this it seems that some different facet reveals itself, expecially as the seasons change. I have both the vintage parfum and vintage EDT. They wear a little differently, but each has its own unique qualities (the parfum is a little more rich, floral and refined, while the EDT is more "raw" and overtly animalic (read: skanky...in a good way). To my nose it goes through a million wild and wonderful stages before the leather note finally reaveals itself, so it's not like Lanvin Scandal, Chanel's Cuir de Russie or Diorling, but that's just fine with me as I thoroughly enjoy the ride each time. I keep a top 25 list, and Miss Dior is always in the top 5 of that list. 4th October, 2010. |
| | Mandarine Mandarin by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal ShiseidoThis was a blind-buy 1/3 of a bell jar. Usually scents that focus on citrus notes don't interest me, but when I say that this was available, I read up on it through many reviews, including the ones here on Basenotes, and decided to risk it since Lutens/Sheldrake have surprised me before. Well, they did it again. I won't describe it as others have done the job in the many reviews I've read on the net. I'll just say that this is strange in a beautiful way. It's fruity, but not in that cloying fruity-floral way that I've come to despise in contemprary perfumery. It's the smoky tea and spice notes that off set the fruity sweetness and it has a very comforting warmth to it that makes me think of the sun in some tropical place whenever I wear it. I acquired it in the winter and wore it then, but this is definitely one that really blossoms in warmer weather, in my opinion. I agree with Off-Scenter, this is a sleeper and I'm surprised more people aren't curious about it. 8th August, 2010. |
| | Cristalle Eau de Toilette by ChanelThis review is for the EDT and the EDP. I agree with most of the other reviews that the EDT is sparkling and citrus-y, especially in the opening and like Jean Patou Fan said, there is a similarity in the beginning to Chanel No. 19. However, I can't add much more to that, as the EDT fades on me very quickly and seems to not move beyond the opening and early middle stages. 26th June, 2010. |
| | L'Instant de Guerlain by GuerlainThis morning after deciding to put on L'Instant after not having reached for it for over a year, I had an "ah ha!" moment. All this time I had a hard time getting a grasp on this scent. I like it but I could never figure it out. Some scents you understand immediately and some you can like, but they can continue to throw you off. Mitsouko and Bal a versailles are two others that do this to me. I would read other's reviews of L'instant to try to help me understand something about this scent and what came up a few times is that L'instant "doesn't seem like a Guerlain." Then this morning, I think I understood why: It may be a Guerlain, but to me it unfolds like an older Caron. If your used to figuring out any Guerlain scent based on Guerlain history and suddenly you get one that developes like a Caron that would throw you off balance a little. I like that this happened and I think that somewhere Maurice Roucel is winking. Those of you who have some of this, I would love for you to try it again thinking from a Caron point of view, so I can see if this is just my imagination, or not I like this and think it's underrated. 21st June, 2010. |
| | Parure by GuerlainTo me, after to Djedi, this is the strangest Guerlain scent I've smelled. I agree with JaimeB in that there is a pervasive note of cinnamon that moves through the scent from beginning to end. In the beginning I get plum/cinnamon, in the heart I get rose with a more quiet cinnamon and in the dry down the faint leather finally comes riding in on the meaty oakmoss. I don't get any of the amber that was mentioned. I also agree with JessicaGrace that it fades rather quickly. I started out with a vintage 5 ml min of the EDT which left me frustrated that there was very little sillage and it disappeared too quickly to truly get a handle on it. I held my judgement until I could nab a small amout of the pure parfum, which anybody who has been looking for it knows is basically next to impossible. However I managed to find a few drops and It is so much richer and deeper. But eevn in parfum form it doesn't project that well and lays close to the skin. It's such an intriguing scent that it's worth it. BUT apparently "intriguing" is enough to get a scent discontinued in today's perfume world. I don't even like rose or plum notes, but I love this! 17th June, 2010. |
| | Youth Dew by Estée LauderVintage Youth Dew is warm incense with spicy clove and cinnamon. On me it's pretty linear in its developement, (until the end, when the ambery vanilla and tolu take over), but that's okay because it has enough going on that those who love dense Orientals should like this. 9th June, 2010. |
| | Interlude by Frances DenneyThis is in the vein of vintage Youth Dew in its Oriental richness and density. Even the the juice is as dark as vintage Youth Dew. The notes (from Perfume Intellegence) are listed as, Orange flower, Bergamot, rose, jasmine, patchouli, musk and myrrh. This starts out a lot like Youth Dew, but as it dries down it seems to veer into a kind of soapy/smoky patchouly/oakmoss place that reminds me less of Youth Dew and more of a vintage scent like Replique. I find it very dark, mysterious and romantic. If you like dense Orientals like Opium, Youth Dew, Shalimar or Emeraude, and the basenotes of scents like vintage Replique and Crepe de Chine, you may really like this. This can be found cheaply and regularly on ebay. The sillage is equal to all of the Orientals I mentioned and this could work for a man or a woman, especially in the drydown. 26th May, 2010. |
| | Boucheron by BoucheronOn this rainy spring morning I decided to wear this as I sip on my coffee. I have a mini in EDP concentration. This is definitely in the style of the big 1980's floriental with its slightly boozy fruity floral sweetness which I'm not really fond of. However, there is also a dark woody/mossy quality that provides a counterpoint that keeps the swwetness from ever becoming cloying. This scent has a kind of Baroque density that makes you feel like you're wearing heavy silk brocade in shades of deep crimson or purple. Sillage is good and it smells expensive. 23rd May, 2010. |
| | Passion by Elizabeth TaylorI've never been drawn to celebrity scents knowing that the makers and marketers are relying on the celebrity's name to sell the "product" instead of the quality. With that said, I avoided Elizabeth Taylor's "Passion" like the plague. Yesterday a friend called and told me that he'd found a little purple bottle of perfume in his basement while he was scrounging around. He said that the print on the bottom was so small he couldn't read the name, but he would bring it by later. As soon as he laid it in my hand I recognized the ugly little bottle and knew it was Passion. Not interested in what I had always assumed to be just another loud fruity/floral, I sat it aside and went on about my business. 13rd May, 2010. |
| | Cuir Venenum 03 by Parfumerie GeneraleThe opening is kind of strange and medicinal and although I wouldn't go as far as calling it "grotesque", I agree with soirdelune that it has a grape juice note over what seems like stale cigarettes after it's been on for several minutes. While the cigarette ash note works in a leather scent like Oud Cuir d'Arabie, it doesn't work here because of that grape hard candy or juice note. As far as I'm concerned this is a combination that doesn't work at all. 3rd April, 2010. |
| | Styx by CotyI just acquired a vintage 1 oz. bottle of Coty Styx EDT that arrived by mail today. Frrom the design of the bottle I would say that it's from the l940's. Before it arrived I had been looking all over the internet for information about the composition of this scent, but was unable to find any. After I applied it it was immediately familiar and It drove me crazy for most of the day trying to figure out what it was that it reminded me of. Then I realized what it was: Worth's Dans La Nuit. However Styx preceeded Dans La Nuit by 12 years. I applied Dans La Nuit to one wrist and Styx to the other and they were indeed very similar. However, where Dans La Nuit was cool, Styx was warmer and less powdery. at some point during the scent's progressiion it started to remeind me of Guerlain's Vol de Nuit.and like Vol de Nuit, Styx definitely features notes of galbanum, iris, violet, amber and oakmoss. In the end I would say that this is a cross between Dans La Nuit and Vol de Nuit. Styx EDT is relatively long lasting and is worth nabbing the perfume if you ever happen upon it. 18th March, 2010. |
| | Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal ShiseidoThe opening is intense and herbaceous and made me feel like I was wearing an amber scent while chopping oregano and other ingredients in a warm kitchen in preparation for a rich spaghetti sauce. It eventually softens to a perfectly balanced, soft leathery amber that's never too sweet or cloying. When it gets to this point it doesn't change much through the dry down. It's a beautiful amber scent, but I prefer Parfum d' Empire's Ambre Russe because it's more challenging and complex...Ambre Sultan is a close second. It's totally unisex and the sillage is perfect. 24th February, 2010. |
| | 1000 by Jean PatouLike others have said, 1000 is a hard one to define. I've had a small 2 ml mini EDT that I've been testing on and off for the past couple of years. At first I didn't get it so I kept putting it away, only to pull it back out again a few months later. About a month ago I started reaching for it weekly and then something finally came together. From what I've experienced of chypres, I would place this in the chypre category before I would place it in a floral category. It has floral notes, to be sure, but that's not the first impression you get. It doesn't scream flowers or sweetness. I can always count on purplebird7 to give a good, intelligent review and she has come through again in her description of 1000. She's described what its notes and phases are better than I could so I'll leave that alone. However, what I will say is that I totally agree with those who have mentioned a "leather/suede" note. This really does have a kind of suede phase, and it's not the superficial suede of Diam Blond. To my nose 1000 is a rich, woody suede overlayed with flowers that are a little past their prime which is what I think gives it the "darkness" That Purplebird7 is referring to. 16th February, 2010. |
| | Histoire d'Eau by MauboussinFrom what I read about this it sounded like something I was really going to like. I grabbed it off of the internet for about $14 for 1.7 oz. I like scents with a leather note which is why I was interested in this. However, this does not come off very leathery to my nose. What it remindes me of is a cross between Mauboussin's Mauboussin (which I like much better) with it's stewed fruits, minus the booziness (and some of the quality ingredients), and Armani's Cuir Amethyste, which is another "leather" scent that I own that doesn't seem to have enough leather to support it's name. If your a fan of either one of those scents or both, you may lke this. As it dried down it did have some of the (very subtle) "suede" qualities that other's have mentioned and some people may be looking more for suede than intense leather and so they would be satisfied...if so, this is a good buy, especially for the money. It's not bad at all, but since this didn't have the more of the leatheriness I expected, I can only give it a neutral thumbs up as a big leather fan. The packaging, everything from the bottle to the box, is gorgeous in a funky, space-age kind of way. 7th February, 2010. |
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