Fragrance Reviews by Twitchly

Smells almost exactly like Mitsouko to me. Fortunately, I love Mitsouko -- which is much more easily found and cheaper.

My first perfume purchase ever, many years ago. I bought it for the name (which means something like wild but shy; I was neither, but that didn't stop me), but loved the fragrance, too. It started me down the road of chypre madness that I still follow today. Here's the description from Jan Moran:

Farouche by Nina Ricci for Women
Year Introduced: 1974
Scent Type: Floral-Aldehyde
Top Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, galbanum, aldehydes, peach

Heart Notes: Rose, jasmine, honeysuckle, clary sage, cardamon, genista flowers, iris, carnation, geranium, lily of the valley, lily

Base Notes: Oakmoss, sandalwood, amber, vetiver, musk

"Farouche is an aldehydic floral bouquet from Nina Ricci. Citrus fruit top notes combine with the greenness of galbanum for a crisp opening sequence of aromas, dissolving into an ethereal floral heart. Soft sandalwood and soothing oakmoss lend a woody backdrop, like an autumn walk through the Black Forest.
Softly tenacious, Farouche is a feminine fragrance that is easy to wear from day to evening for a variety of occasions."

When I first put this on, I thought "Oh no, it's Apres l'Ondee." I don't like almond notes (heliotrope), which I find quite strong in that perfume. L'Heure Bleue, however, blends the heliotrope much more subtly after that initial blast, for which I'm extremely grateful; there's just enough to add a cool feeling, along with the iris and carnation, against the warmer woods.

I really like the drydown on this one; I get lots of sandalwood and vetiver on my skin, lots of woods but tempered somehow so that the fragrance remains light and slightly, gently floral.

This is a difficult fragrance to describe. It's timeless. As others have said, give it some time before you make up your mind; it takes a little while to truly come into its own.

Love this one. It's my tried-and-true fallback fragrance. Warm, sparkling, gingery and citrusy without being sharp. Light enough to wear to work. Pair it with the Ginger Souffle body cream, also from Origins, for an even warmer overall scent.

I get lots of compliments on this, especially as it dries down. I use the gel perfume, which is more subtle, less of a whomp upside the head than the EDP spray. A good fall/winter fragrance, very warm.

(NOTE: The notes listed above and the date of the fragrance's launch are either inaccurate or refer to a different version of this fragrance. The book "Fabulous Fragrances II" also has this same information, so I have to conclude that there was a remake of Laura Ashley No. 1 in 1989. My review is for the mid-1980s version; I purchased my bottle in around 1985. Its notes are included in the review.)

One of my favorite floral chypres. Well blended, very reminiscent of an English garden with its subtle rose. Here's what the leaflet in the perfume box says:

"Laura Ashley No. 1: At the insistence of Bernard Ashley, only the very finest essences of Moroccan rose, Italian iris, and French jasmine are combined to give this fragrance a predominantly floral note--first impressions on spraying the skin are of fresh green jacinthe and delicate orange blossom. Aromatic, herbal tones, such as cedarwood, basil and cinnamon mix with this floral base providing a lasting but subtle perfume. Moss, oak and alpine lichens add a sweeter musky touch to this fresh, light and feminine scent."

This is indeed a slightly green, very fresh floral, not powdery in the least. The oak moss in its base warms it nicely without giving it too much sweetness. A lovely, very English scent. I'm so sorry they discontinued it.

After the lovely initial citrus notes, this fragrance turns to something like Kool-Aid on my skin. Plastic marzipan, maybe. Definitely unpleasant.

No idea why Sephora calls this a water fragrance. I get warmth, ginger -- especially initially -- mixed with just a whisper of cocoa. While I don't smell the vodka notes, they may be what keeps this slightly sweet fragrance from becoming cloying. It's a lullaby in a bottle, a cozy fragrance for long winter nights.

Pros: Dry lemon/citrus with no juiciness or sweetness. Think of the driest champagne with an invigorating twist of lemon, mixed with snow and sipped at high altitude. Very refreshing, extremely light to the point of vanishing. The perfect summer scent for either gender. Cons: It has no staying power on me whatsoever; I have to spray it on my clothes to get any lasting fragrance. It is also the only fragrance ever to cause my sinuses to completely seize up, as though I'd inhaled horseradish. But the scent is worth the occasional inconvenience.

This is definitely a European rather than American take on grapefruit; it's complex and dark and quite dirty rather than light and crisp or sweet. I find I love it and hate it in about equal measure. The sulfrous notes add interest but are also a turnoff, depending on how I decide to take them at any given time. I don't smell vanilla; I wish I did.

Initially, I smell a strong burst of the most accurately "real" grapefruit peel I've yet encountered in a perfume. Heaven. Within 10 minutes, the sulfrous notes make themselves known, and I find myself alternately fascinated and repulsed. Within a couple of hours, just the faintest grapefruit lingers and I'm strongly reminded of tangy B.O. or garlic. I have learned to be careful not to get any of this on my clothing.

This is definitely a scent you'll want to wear for a while before deciding to purchase.

Mitsouko is a noir perfume, reminiscent of an angular woman with a marcel wave in her hair, wearing a black column evening dress and smoking through a long cigarette holder. This is not a modern fragrance, but it is a compelling one. It is deeply feminine but without the obviousness of a floral. Greta Garbo must have worn this.