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Does anyone have an affinity for Molinard?

post #1 of 20
8/11/08 at 7:53am
Thread Starter 
Some years back, I picked up a bottle of Iles d' Or; it's lovely in the summer, a little fruity and sweet with great lasting power. I've always been intrigued by Habanita, but have not worn it.

This line is extensive, and it's interesting that it doesn't come up very frequently here at BN.

So...who likes Molinard? What have you not liked in the line? They must have a factory in Grasse - has anyone visited? What was the experience like?

Thank you!
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post #2 of 20
8/11/08 at 9:58am
I'm a big fan, spent a lot of time at their factory/ museum years ago...
I' m a fan of the 1849's, all of 'em; the chypre for Aedes, Nirmala, Iles d'Or, Les Feminines, etc.
Been wearing Habanita, M, Molinard de M, Un Air de Molinard, for years.

Some of the re-mastered, more recent EDT's are a bit disappionting- but they have something for everyone...
Their sandalwood- years ago- was a glory.
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post #3 of 20
8/11/08 at 10:51am
Thread Starter 
Many of the 1849's appeal to me as well - they're not listed on the Molinard website - strange.
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post #4 of 20
8/11/08 at 11:15am
I sure did for a while. I wore Rafale (the women's version), which appealed to me in the same way that Rive Gauche does. I also wore Molinard de Molinard a lot when it first came out. In the parfum especially, the MdM had a black currant note that was not sweet at all and it would morph, flee and re-appear during a single wearing. I smelled a recent bottle of the EDT and it had been ****ed with, to my nose. Molinard also made little sets of various "concretes" - solid perfumes in a wax base, mostly soliflores - I had a trio that included muguet and rose and mimosa, all in their separate little pots with a floral illustration on each.

I admire Habanita, but was never a wearer.

Has anyone ever tried the Musc that was out in the blue-bottled series?
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post #5 of 20
8/11/08 at 3:29pm
Thread Starter 
That musk is on their website, I think. There was a musc and fruits, or something like that.

One thing for sure, they have great frag names!
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post #6 of 20
8/11/08 at 4:03pm
I will go to the wall for Habanita...and will be happily carried to my next life in her gorgeous arms. And that's just the EDT.

Got hold of samples of the Parfum and am working the streets to afford the three hundred clams for the drop dead black Lalique bulb bottle.

Well, not really.

Have tried Molinard de Molinard and it's also on the FB list...evanescent roses and bergamot and ylang over creamy woods and patch. Yumsters.
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post #7 of 20
8/11/08 at 4:04pm
It's called Musc et Fruits - Blackcurrants, blackberries and raspberries.

Their Violette de Molinard is very nice.
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post #8 of 20
8/11/08 at 4:17pm
Yup me likey too!! They sent me 4 samples earlier in the year and I loved 3, admire the 4th but don't really want to smell like that (Habanita). I ended up getting Nirmala for me birthday and Musc et Fruits and Vanille Marine were really nice. I should look into FBs....
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post #9 of 20
8/11/08 at 4:22pm
Habanita is not for me either.
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post #10 of 20
8/11/08 at 4:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by seattlelight View Post

Some years back, I picked up a bottle of Iles d' Or; it's lovely in the summer, a little fruity and sweet with great lasting power. I've always been intrigued by Habanita, but have not worn it.

This line is extensive, and it's interesting that it doesn't come up very frequently here at BN.

So...who likes Molinard? What have you not liked in the line? They must have a factory in Grasse - has anyone visited? What was the experience like?

Thank you!

Every time I wore Molinard de Molinard, I got compliments! For YEARS!
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post #11 of 20
8/12/08 at 3:34am
I like Nirmala, and bought a bottle (new formula). It's similar to Angel, but less synthetic, with a definite skanky kick of cumin. Very naughty stuff.
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post #12 of 20
8/12/08 at 5:11am
I've never tried any Molinards, but they have such an extensive line and seem so affordable that I've been tempted to order blind (I stopped myself). I should probably start by trying Habanita, which is the one everybody talks about the most. Once we've moved over to the new house, I can start ordering samples again (my latest addiction). What about the ones called Les Senteurs...? I noticed there was lavender and patchouli and others. Are they any good?
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post #13 of 20
8/12/08 at 5:19am
I went to Grasse this summer and visited the factory and museum for a guided tour that ended at the shop. It sells EVERYTHING! There were dozens of different variants on each theme. Take Vanilla, for instance - they had a table with what seemed like half a dozen different vanilla-plus fragrances - Vanille Patchouli, Vanille Musc, Vanille Marine, etc etc. I found it all too confusing in the end, plus I was trying to keep my daughter from putting every single bar of soap in the place into our shopping basket!

I ended up buying small bottles of Habanita (Tao got me into it) and Molinard de Molinard for myself and, yes, lots of soap because my little girl was fascinated by the soap-making bit in the factory. Hubby even got a tube of their famous shaving cream, Rasoline. I took some photos outside and I'm still trying to work out how to post them into an album here (give me time!)

One of the loveliest things about Molinard was the artwork. They were obviously very big in the early 20th century and their labels and posters have absolutely stunning illustrations. I wished I could buy some postcards with them on. Does anyone know anything about that?
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post #14 of 20
8/12/08 at 8:18am
I have worn Habanita for many years; it's gorgeous. I absolutely love Une Histoire de Chypre, and I would gladly work overtime to buy a bottle of it; however, it lasts only about an hour on my skin.
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post #15 of 20
8/12/08 at 9:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wordbird View Post

plus I was trying to keep my daughter from putting every single bar of soap in the place into our shopping basket!

That's so cute!
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post #16 of 20
8/12/08 at 9:32am
Habanita is not for me (Jazz Age powder, vats of it, and tobacco), but I have liked their simple vanilla and vanilla/patchouli blends. I also have two bottles of Nirmala in different formulas, which I don't really wear but which I did enjoy at some fruitier phase of my scented life.

I'd like to try the green Molinard and compare it with the greens already in my collection; one day I will order it unsniffed.
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post #17 of 20
8/12/08 at 11:14am
I love, love, LOVE Molinard de Molinard and it's been on my 'buy again' list for a long time (but other 'fumes keep vying for my attention), and have only tried Habanita on a paper strip. I liked it but should have put it on skin when I had the chance.

Those are the only two I've had the opportunity to try in stores.
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post #18 of 20
8/12/08 at 11:21am
I just got a bunch of samples from the Les Fleurs de Provence line from Hampton Court (hamptonct.com). I also picked up a full bottle of LFdP Muguet at a fragrance wholesaler for $10.

Unfortunately, I've been so distracted with other samples that I haven't tried any of them yet.
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post #19 of 20
8/12/08 at 4:07pm
Thread Starter 
Which formulation of Habanita do you prefer? Are they that different?

The green Molinard - the Verveine - is quite intense.

Un Air de Molinard is quite beautiful. That is the 1849 in the dark blue bottle. Iles d' Or is in the light blue/ turquoise bottle.

But now, I really want to try Habanita.
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post #20 of 20
8/13/08 at 5:21am
I have the new EDP and some vintage parfum. The heliotrope note is much stronger in the perfume, and the initial tobacco stronger in the EDP, which would make sense, because of the increased volitility of the EDP. The EDP is sweeter at first, and through the mids. The drydown on both is gorgeous, the EDP slightly "drier," and both last and last.
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Female Fragrance Discussion › Does anyone have an affinity for Molinard?