Cialenga by Balenciaga, 1973

I like Cialenga for the summer: it is a light, slightly slightly green and woody floral, which reminds me very slightly of Hermes' Amazone though it is much "cooler"; I have not smelled anything that is quite the same. It is lighter and not as rich as the other Balenciaga frangrances, and possibly not as elegant, but a lovely perfume for hot weather.

I got an old sample of the parfum from a generous Basenoter. The topnotes have gone off, but from what I could make of it, it starts off with aldehydes and a bright floral note, lily I think. The middle notes are spicy and of fresh florals and what I think is a bit of rose. The overall effect is a spicy, soapy, and woody green floral that reminds me a little of Hermes Caleche, although I do prefer Caleche a lot more. Despite its fresher and soapy aspects, I think its much better for one who likes to reflect their more serious side with the love of the outdoors.