All Invited! ♥ ♥ ♥ Sniff 'n' Speak Saturday, March 7, 2009 ★★★ Chypre

FANTASTIC! I can't wait for 'communal Chypre' to permeate the earth's atmosphere. I have about one spray of 31, rue Cambon left from my cherished decant...I might part with it for SnS.....Will have to look ito all the possibilities.......

Woah...getting into the big guns fragrances...I think I'll stick with Mitsouko. Mike Perez sent me a sample of the perfume. !!!
Oh and I just figured it out...so did Dimples. What darlings both.

wow i missed so many!
I don't even remember when was the last time i posted on the S&S, maybe it was the time i wrote about all the EA's Green Teas way back when?

Hopefully I'll give my 2 cents here...

I will wear Miss Dior

This might even be my favourite category. Well, maybe not - it flip-flops between florals and chypre. Nevertheless, I am spoilt for choice: will it be the reference chypre Mitsouko (though sadly a mere amputee of the original version)... or what I think might be the best chypre in the world, Y... or one of the newfangled chypres (which are quite a different beastie), NR for Her... or something else entirely! FUN!

Well, I'll be going away so won't be able to post but I do like chypres, in fact wearing one today: Chant d'Aromes by Guerlain.

I think Bandit is somewhat a chypre right? I also have a decant of 31 rue, but I have a feeling I´m not a chypre girl :/

Ah, now this is the category I struggle with. I just don't seem to get along that well with oakmoss. But maybe I'm getting more accustomed to it.

Anyway, having looked at everyone else's choices and especially after checking last year's (and realising how much I miss a few faces that don't post here very often now), I've come up with my own shortlist:
Bandit (edp)
Jolie Madame
Miss Balmain
Libertine (is this REALLY a chypre?)
Mitsouko extrait from a sample Vivek sent me
31 Rue Cambon from a sample Quarry sent me

I'm sure that a sift through my large bag of samples will throw up a few more possibliities.

I am determined to find some chypres that I love and to extend my enjoyment of perfume to include this category. I know I can never learn to love Cabochard, but maybe one day I will discover the joy of Mitsouko.

A question: does SJP's Lovely count as a chypre?
And what about Madame Rochas?

Instruct me!

I think I'm going to wear Knowing.
Or Femme.
Or maybe Cristalle.
Unless I decide to go with Chanel No 19.
Of course my first thought was to wear 31, rue Cambon.

Gaaaa...Help!

Dear Quarry, and other chypre fans,
What makes a non-oakmoss chypre?
Confusedly Yours,
NOPSWICH (Novice Perfumista Struggling With Chypres)

lizzie_j, I think the non-oakmoss chypres are ones that give the effect of powdery oakmoss without actually having it as an ingredient. I don't really get the illusion in 31RC, even though I think it is a masterfully composed fragrance.

Thanks very much...!!

I wasn't sure what I was going to wear - the only chypres in my collection that I knew qualified for sure were a sample of Bandit and my "modern woody chypre", Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme, which gets zero love in this place (and my be somewhat of a poser chypre to begin with). But then I found this thread, which told me that my Tiffany For Men qualifies. I'm overjoyed! I rarely have reason to wear this beautiful but über-classy scent. TFM it is.

I scampered over to OzMos and got some clarification.

Sort of.

I now see I have a STAGGERING array of lovelies from which to choose: Badgley Mischka, Aromatics Elixir, 24 Faubourg, Bandit, Cabochard, 1000, Missoni...and of course the DIVINE Ume.....

...not to mention the few drops of vintage Mitsouko sent by a sleek and lovely wolf girl....

I've been told what notes are in a Chypre, I'm still drawing a blank.

Can anybody give me an example of a well known Chypre?

PLEASE!

I'd be glad to.

Here's a few:
Derby
Chanel pour Monsieur
Tiffany for Men
Giorgio for Men
Devin
Macassar
Aramis
Bulgari Black
Town & Country

What fortuitous timing! Just this week I had one of those rare eBay super-scores, and obtained a bottle of perfectly preserved Givenchy III EDP. The EdT has been a favorite for some time, and the EdP turns up the volume without being overbearing at all. I regret I didn't get it sooner so that I could send out samples to whomever wanted for SnS day. I look forward to wearing this tomorrow!

I wore Giorgio for Men last year and was very tempted to do so again this year.

I ended up wearing Giorgio yesterday so that I could dedicate today to Jacques Polge's masterpiece - Tiffany for Men!

I'm starting the day with Yvresse. It always gives me a lift. However, I prefer the early stages of it, the drydown is not so great on me :-/

OMG !!!
My gateway to the scented world...
I love these to death- I'll probably wind up in several.

My M de Molinard arrived last night-from the 1849 line, but at a fraction of the price [ literally].
Pyramid, per Molinard:

Bergamote, cyste esterel, fruits, galbanum, bourgeons de cassis
Jasmin de Grasse, ylang-ylang, rose centifolia, narcisse, encens
Ambre, patchouli, vetyver

Dry, green, elegant as all getout.
The narcissus and patchouli , I find, pull sweetness from the rose and jasmin-
While the galbanum, cassis buds and vetyver make everything sparkle... and green !
Of course, there are aldehydes, no doubt.

I like to wait until it is warm to wear this one; on me, it blooms with heat.

No doubt- I'll also succumb to Antilope edp [ a warmer, softer aldehydic green chypre], Y, the Scherrers, Chamade, Mitsouko, Quartz de Molyneux, Jub 25, Molinard de Molinard, Cristalle edp,
# 19, Miss Dior, Diorella, Yvresse....

Just STOP me.

Have a wondrous day !

Acqua di Parma Profumo
Notes: bergamot, orange, ylang ylang, orris, jasmine, rose, patchouli, oakmoss, grey amber, vanilla

Chypres have always been a challenge for me, but that's exactly what keeps me interested. Part of the intrigue, I've found, is their dualistic nature. While they can be utterly elegant and feminine, they can also hint at a warm, womanly voluptuousness. Similarly, they can have a bold, rock the room presence even as they evoke a close, intimate quality. I recently twigged onto this duality and it was a eureka moment, a big help towards my "getting" chypres.

In the beautiful Profumo, the dual nature is well evident. It's both well-mannered -- classically "perfumey" -- and delightfully earthy. The citrus bright top flows seamlessly into the rich floral heart. Ylang ylang can overwhelm me sometimes but here it gives a welcome fullness and sweetness. Eventually the basenotes emerge for a vital, animalic counterpoint to the elegance that's come before. This is a beautiful, well made fragrance, classical perfumery at its best.

I decided to go for the less obvious (in my case) and spray a bit of my sample of 31 Rue Cambon (thank you Ubu).

The opening is so animalic that it almost makes me blush. Once the whiff of crotch calms down and the blend of the scent begins to unravel, my second thought is "the scent is wearing me", or "I've borrowed someone else's perfume". Someone who is in a tailored suit with a racy thong underneath. Still, it's beginning to smell interesting.

When the scent warms, it softens and becomes more rounded, though the aldehydic/animalic character is definitely still present. At this point I can almost imagine wearing this out somewhere, though I think I'm more of a Coco girl. There is a recognisable Chanel signature about this scent and it feels like Coco's sister - they'd look at each other and appraise "Hmm," thinks 31RC, "she's pretty, but she's wearing far too much lipstick and ostentatious jewellery". "Wow," thinks Coco, "she's pretty, but why does she have to be so snooty? I bet she has a racy thong underneath that perfectly fitting suit."

I've been wanting to test this one for a while now - your comments make me even curiouser. Enjoy!

Well I wasn't sure what a Chypre was, either, so I Wikied it and got this description:

"Chypre is a name used to describe a family (or concept) of perfumes, usually with a top note of citrus and woody base notes derived from oak moss and ambergris." (from Wikipedeia)

So does this mean my beloved Vol de Nuit is a chypre? Please tell me as that can be my SOTE!

I always thought a chypre HAD to have that lash of oakmoss in the tail that I struggle with, so I am wearing Miss Balmain on my left arm (and today for the first time I'm getting the leather, yahoo! at last!). I am learning to love those Balmain gals, but I do find them a tad feisty and difficult. I still have to brace myself before spritzing. Mind you, after several hours of wear, Miss Balmain is now wearing much closer to the skin and is rather a sexy girl underneath that brash exterior. I say!

On my right arm I have Libertine, which I was astonished to see described as a chypre. Really? Truly? I'd have said it was a really nice spring floral. I don't get the 'sweet n sour' thing from it that I thought was part of being a chypre.

But then, I'm learning a lot today - Cuir de Russie is a chypre according to Wiki, and now I read that my beloved Bulgari Black and Molinard de Molinard are chypres too! Well whoda guessed?

Like the 'gender bender/fougere' SnS back in November, I think this is an area that will get me researching and making little trips to smell things. Well, I'm Welsh, so I suppose I have to like Chypre... (wow a perfume joke, a nationalist joke and a really bad pun, all rolled into one!)

The definition I've parsed together from Turin and from BN is that chypre contains the 'bergamot/oakmoss' combo, but usually also contains labdanum and/or patchouli as supporting notes. The mixture of oakmoss and bergamot creates a 'ghost note' that we recognize as a chypre. Therefore while fragrances without oakmoss can approximate chypres, they aren't technically chypres.

BNer mrclmind was quite educated on chypres and described it better than I ever could.

"It's really the bergamot mixed with the oakmoss that creates the classic accord we have come to know as chypre. With respect to Mr. Luca, labdanum is secondary to the creation of this accord, although it is almost always present in order to help round out the accord. A musical analogy would be that you can play the tonic and the third of a triad without the 5th and you would get the whole chord. Playing the fifth anchors it more, but it's not absolutely necessary.

Pure Oak Moss absolute and steam distilled bergamot together create a type of "olifactory vibration" which results in type of "ghost note." Since Coty's Chypre is not available (you can still find decants, but this juice is very old), the one I would recommend as one of the reference chypres is Mitsouko. Mitsouko is basically a stripped down chypre with a peach note added. This peach note makes a huge difference in the whole effect and anchors the basic chypre structure in such a way as to make it much more wearable. Mitsouko in my opinion is one of the scents I could never tire of smelling, it's just that good. A couple of masculine chypres of note are Channel pour Monsieur (original formula, not concentree) and Monsieur Givenchy. If you smell these three you can get the idea of the basic chypre accord and will recognize it when you smell it. "

See this thread for more info: http://community.basenotes.net/showt...t=Chypre+genre

I believe I've changed my mind. No more Givenchy III EdP. I'm trying to decide between vintage Dior Diorling EdT (leather chypre) or Guerlain Parure EdT (rose chypre).

This is an easy category for me.
I didn't know it then, but Chypres were destined to be my favorite category ever since I fell in love with Jean Marc Sinan in the 1980s. After that, they just fell into place:
1000, No. 19, Knowing, Aromatics Elixir, Miss Dior, Paloma Picasso, Chamade, Vol de Nuit, and many, many others. For some reason, they did well on my skin, and they fascinated me with their dual nature, sweet florals and fruits tempered by dry, woody notes.
Today I wear one of the older ones, which is most captivating, Jean Patou 1000. This one I recommend in either the parfum or EDP--but not EDT, which has harsh topnotes to navigate before sinking into the beautiful osmanthus base. It is floral and woody, and a bit animalic. The notes waver; one can smell the ingredients separately, unlike cheaper perfumes that come at you like a wall of smell. What does it smell like? Perfume. It smells like the time when women did not feel like they had to apologize for wearing fragrance. It smells like a substance, created to enhance and thrill, not like a "real" fruit, floral, or natural essence. You would not want to eat it. You would not expect to find it growing in a meadow so you could stick your face in the petals. Rather, you would expect to find it in a hefty, faceted glass bottle tied with a gold thread, sealed with a heavy, rectangular stopper of ground glass. And when you drabbed the magical substance on your wrist, it would unfold into a myriad of aromas, reminding you again and again, throughout the day, that life is special, amazing, and enjoyable. It would call your attention to its presence, murmuring hints about your unique personality. This is exactly what a perfume is supposed to do, and why it will always be my favorite.

Baa baa, black chypre??!!

And Nukie...those Chanel mini-scenes are purrrr-fect. Maybe under that pinstriped Armani she's even GOING COMMANDO!!!

Having nothing else to add for now.....just had to say.....

Thanks Wordbird for the enlightening post. I'm in the ultimate 'Sheeper' for chur. Mitsouko extrait (thanks again, Mike P you doll-face). The reference Chypre according to the demigods that I worship at a small alter in my guest room; LUKA and TANIA. So I will re-read the documents and attempt to deconstruct what, for me, is a small miracle of scent. Miracle because most of my wardrobe is only fit for a 25 y/o bubblegum chewing riot grrrl, or an elderly woman who has lost her sense of smell and can only taste sweets! Yet I love this! One of my few concessions to maturity (and with any luck, not the last)

Youse guys are making me laugh !

I TOILD you I couldn't resist...
So, I switched to Antilope.
[It reminds me of my cousin in Colorado- who invaded my bedroom when I was a teen...she wore this, plus Bandit, and was a good 10 years older than I ]

There are varying impressions of the notes for this :
[Imagination Perfumery]
By PARFUMS WEIL

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YEAR INTRODUCED 1945

Antilope Pour Elle Perfume for Women by Parfums Weil was launched in 1945. Created over 60 years ago, Antilope by Parfums Weil is a classic floral bouquet with lots of charm and sophistication. Passionate, sensual and extremely feminine, it has been the signature fragrance of many celebrities around the world. Antilope Pour Elle is the original fragrance first introduced by Parfums Weil, with a new packaging and new bottle.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FRAGRANCE NOTES
Sage, neroli, bergamot, chamomile, lily of the valley and jasmine, patchouli, iris, ambergris and vetiver.

It is SO warmly green- as opposed to cool.
Thje heart notes- the lilial and jasmine- just SING.
I adore the base- so smooth.
In the edc or edt- it's too fleeting; I'm thrilled with how true to the original this IS.
[My olfactory memory is SO happy !]

Other beauties I neglected to mention:
Replique
Crepe de Chine
Chant D'Aromes

My brains are farting today.....

Baaa, right back at you, Tao. I am wearing the black sheep,

AL Chypre Noir

Yup, she could be

(BTW, after several hours of wear, I'm now left with a very sweet dry-down, almost the Coco drydown minus some booze and volume. I turn everything to its sweetest possible variant - which sometimes makes fruity scents over-ripe. In the case of 31RC it's pleasant. I'm thinking this might be one for the guys who were keen on Coco drydown, but worried it might be too feminine).

Chypre Saturday is turning out to be lighthearted and brimming with good humor! What a way to start the weekend...

31 Rue Cambon by Chanel is my 'chypre du jour'

The notes I've found include:

Bergamot * Black Pepper * Patchouli * Cistus Labdanum * Iris

...Which officially places this gorgeous concoction outside of the classical chypre category.
I think that's why it's so wearable for me. 31RC imparts a feeling of contemporary elegance - like still being a fashionista while wearing blue jeans and sweater! It's very comfortable that way.
Sometimes it even evokes a feeling of meloncholy...which Mitsouko can do as well. Also, like Mitsouko, 31RC is lactonic - which for my nose equals 'over ripe peach' note. The first time I noticed a lactonic element in a fragrance was when I tried Gucci Rush. After smelling Rush, I went back to Mitsouko and immediately picked up on the lactones. By the time 31RC hit my wrist, I knew what I was sniffing!

31RC while close wearing, lasts an eternity. When I wear it, it's very typical to detect remnants the next morning...or notice it lingering on my gloves or jacket cuffs.

Some people may not think it qualifies as a chypre...but I cannot think of any other suitable category - unless we consider it to be in a class unto itself!

As a sidenote - Nuks, your commentary cracks me up! I love it! And the rest of you too - thanks for the uplifting and jolly start!

:wave: Stepping back in to give a shout out to Quarry ~ thanks for introducing me to 31 Rue Cambon! I owe my love of this remarkable frag all to you!!!

Purplebird, what a perfect, elegant description of 1000. I haven't tried the EdP, but now clearly I must. Since I only have the EdT, I'm sampling that on one wrist, and Rosine's Une Folie de Rose on the other. Here's the description of the Rosine from their website:

Une Folie de Rose is made with cultivated roses.
It belongs to the olfactory family: Chypre.
The perfume was created in 2004 by François Robert.
Une Folie de Rose is a warm and vibrant perfume to be worn with fur and silk.

Olfactory family : Chypre.
Top note : Bergamot, Coriander.
Heart note : Ylang, Jasmine, Tea rose, Bulgarian and Turkish rose absolue, Iris.
Base note : Sandalwood, Oak moss, Patchouli, Vetyver, Benzoin.

I remember when mrclmind explained the chypre genre on the men's board, and have tried to wrap my head around the concept of the ghost note. I've come to discover that many fragrances I love are in this category, but I cannot easily distinguish a chypre by scent, so I end up looking up fragrances for their determined family. To identify a chypre, am I correct in thinking this ghost note is slightly sharp and biting?

I join this post with serious reservations... my previous attempts with the above classified chypres were uniformly scrubbers... but I was impatient, and probably a bit out of line disrespecting "grand old dames" like Mitsouko.

So I'm gonna brace myself and give another sniff, and force myself to wait through the dry down. It can't possibly be as bad as I remember and still maintain such loyal following!! After all, I've been wrong before...

but if Mitsouko still eludes me, I'll give 31 Rue Cambon another go...

and barring success with that, on to Bulgari Black...

and if I'm still struggling after all that.... I'll concede defeat and soothe my chypre-assaulted sniffer with a dose of Carnal Flower.

Starting my day with Guerlain Mitsouko EDP

I don't wear it often, and I forget how great it really is. When I first spray, I get a blast of bergamot and lemon, and this is soon followed by vetiver--not the usual smoky green, but the early development stage of vetiver which is nutty and warm. There is also a medicinal note I don't remember smelling before--it makes me wonder if there is an herbal ingredient other than oakmoss here (perhaps sage?). It is really sort of like synthetic castoreum in its "antiseptic" phase, but I do not see castoreum listed in any notes sources. Right now I am basking in the nutty vetiver which is the part of this fragrance that ultimately swayed me to buy a bottle.

My second chypre of the day is Mitsouko edp. Normally I have to be all dressed up to wear it but today it feels so familiar and comforting.

After much deliberation over various chypres, I went with my decant of vintage Dior Diorling EdT, which I believe is technically a leather chypre. For oakmoss fans this would be heaven - oakmoss is dominant from the first spray, and in fact the bergamot/citrus component is very subtle but definitely present to enhance and round out the entire composition. As Diorling dries it the oakmoss smooths, becoming distinctly leathery. The effect of wearing the fragrance - the aroma surrounding me - is much more enjoyable then just testing it. On the arm it seems a little harsh, but worn it feels luxurious classy in the same way that vintage Chanel Cuir de Russie is. Although not overwhelmingly strong (I applied quite a bit), the longevity is fantastic. I tested it last night and it was still very noticeable on my arm this morning. If you happen to be curious enough to look for a bottle (let me know btw, I'd love one), don't get confused between this and the vintage EdC, which isn't hard to find but also isn't very strong at all.

BTW, 31 Rue Cambon is a favorite of mine. I believe Chanel was marketing it as the 'chypre without oakmoss', and yes, it's pretty much as close to chypre-smelling as you can get without the oakmoss. In fact it's remarkably chypre-y, an effect created with iris instead of oakmoss. Very interesting and fun to wear fragrance.

I'm trying my Mitsouko again just for today. I honestly love how it smells when it first makes contact with my skin -- on me it has a vintage "powder and lipstick" beginning. Sort of medicinal. A bit oily. And somewhat potpourri-ish. Soon, however, the scent will become meaty,even fetid on me -- and that is when I am always poised to scrub. We'll see how today plays out.

This month I have to take a break from my re-exploration of the scents of my pre-Basenotes existence. That is because I didn't own any chypres until this past year. Mitsouko evokes a special scent memory for me and it is one of my favorite feminine scents. Chaya was kind enough to let me sniff and try the alpha to the class as she dabbed on some of her precious Coty Chypre when I was visiting a few weeks ago. To decide what to wear today was really quite easy. bbBD was kind enough to share the wealth when he found a buyer who had a few bottles of this available and I count myself extremely fortunate to have this bottle due to bbBD's generosity.

Chanel pour Monsieur (1955)

Chypres are one of the classic perfume families but it is a hard family to find masculine scents in. It's not that the class is inherently feminine, it isnt. Its more that the best examples of the class are all more commonly classified as feminine scents. That changed in 1955 when Henri Robert composed Chanel pour Monsieur and perhaps created the best masculine chypre. The scent starts out with the typical fresh top of bergamot and citrus. What I enjoy about the top of Chanel pour Monsieur is that I can pick out the individual citrus notes present. First it is lemon, then orange all with the bergamot entwined. The transition to the spicy heart of this is ushered in by cardamom. The lemon character of the spice forming the perfect intermezzo until coriander and delicate ginger join in. This spicy heart just sings on my skin and to my sensibilities. The base is a mix of cedar and oakmoss to usher this home in classic style. There are many scents that wish they could do what Chanel pour Monsieur pulls off almost effortlessly, which is to ooze class from every note. One caveat this scent is discontinued and extremely hard to find. The Chanel pour Monsieur Concentree that is widely available is a different beast entirely. To experience the best masculine chypre you will have to do a little hunting. I think it is well worth the effort.

I had put on the original, the one and only, the glorious...CHYPRE by Coty (vintage). It is funny how bare-bones this scent is compared to the rest of the family it gave birth to. But at the same time it is one of the most tenacious of them all. It started of unassumingly with a nice bright opening of bergamot, fresh almost sunny. Rather quickly it lost its brightness and became heavier, deeper with a scent reminiscent of the shady areas of the garden. it is not the heavyness of a forest, yet it has a touch of dankness. This heaviness is also mingled with an herbaceous quality, reminiscent of what I typically use in my sauce; sage especially, maybe thyme or savory also. This all gives way to an oakmossy heaven, but I detect the floral shining through (very briefly) then it fades. The oakmoss gives an earthiness, but not a strong earthy quality, almost a "powdery"-earthy quality (if that is possible). The most wonderful part of this occurs when the warmth really come out, I believe that would be the labdanum, which is so wonderfully delicious. The civet is also quite intoxicating and it really starts to show itself very delicately, but becomes slightly more pronounced the longer it wears.
As I have always said; "If I owned a Civet, I would play with her constantly, so as to have that wonderful skank on myself always."
The only way I can sum up Chypre is; A wonderful banquet commenced with a dish of citrus sorbet. The next course is a wonderful pasta with the most aromatic Pesto sauce in the world on it. Fresh flowers are then placed on the table, of which I catch a whiff. I then excuse myself to powder my nose, briefly thereafter stroll through the evening garden pausing at the shrubbery and inhaling deeply. Dessert is then served which consists of warm caramel puddings with a hint of spice. I then suddenly catch a whiff of something urineous wafting in from the open doors to the garden; damn that tomcat

Miss Dior today. Miss Dior is my Aunt's (Dad's Sister) favourite perfume. Today I was working when I wore it and sold 2 bottles because of women asking me what I smelled of! My review...

Opens with a simultaneously sharp and bitter floral note, as well as a boozy note reminiscent of bay rum to me. It's loud, but in no way harsh. But whats surprising about Miss Dior is that it comes across as more unisex to me, maybe not so much of the "Miss". The heart is powdery, warm, ambery Labdanum with the Oakmoss playing a huge role, with it's 'fairytale' smoky quality. The florals feel scorched and burned, but also dried out and similar to a pot pourri.
The drydown is dry smoky Oakmoss and green Patchouli, with a soft Leather and Vanilla in the background, as well as a downright dirty and almost fecal Jasmine. Difficult to imagine this on a "Miss", she'd probably be going for the flanker.

***Long Post***

Well I nearly missed this amazing SnS day too but it seems my scent angels are watching out for me. On another fragrance board someone asked for examples of my favourite classic chypres (vintage and or modern) and I managed, without breaking a sweat to list 45!! So as you can probably guess this is a very pleasant SnS day for me where I am completely spoiled for choice:

Gres Cabochard (vintage EDT & parfum)
Coty Chypre (the original and the best)
Guerlain Vol de Nuit (vintage EDT & parfum)
Guerlain Mitsouko (vintage EDT & parfum)
Balmain Jolie Madame (vintage EDT)
Jean Patou Colony (vintage)
Jean Patou 1000 (vintage EDT)
Guerlain Chant d'Aromes
Guerlain Parure
Aqua di Parma Profumo (vintage)
TBS Japanese Musk (vintage oil)
TBS Chypre (vintage oil)
Caron Tabac Blond
Paloma Picasso Mon Parfum (vintage EDT & EDP)
Halston Classic
Estee Lauder Knowing
Chanel No.19 (vintage EDT) *not strictly a chypre but very chypre like*
Estee Lauder Azuree
Caron Nuit de Noel (vintage PdT)
Carven Ma Griffe
Yves Rocher Comme un Evidence
Jean Couturier Coriandre
Van Cleef & Arpels First
Dior Miss Dior (vintage EDT)
Balmain Miss Balmain (vintage)
Ava Luxe Midnight Violet
Rochas Femme (vintage EDT & modern EDT)
Aramis Aramis pour Elle
Clinique Aromatics Elixir
Lancome Sikkim
Ungaro Diva
Agent Provocateur by Agent Provocateur
La Perla by La Perla
L'Arte di Gucci
Serge Lutens Rose de Nuit
Nikki de Saint Phalle by Nikki de Saint Phalle
Jacomo Couer de Parfum / Parfum Rare
Lancome O de Lancome
Parlux Animale for women
Prince Matchabelli Cachet
Lentheric Tweed
Avon Timeless (vintage EDT)
Revlon Charlie (vintage EDT)
Ava Luxe Film Noir parfum
Ava Luxe Moss parfum

Chanel Antaeus
Guerlain Coriolan
Halston Z-14

Spookily I have been having a torrid love affair this past week with a classic chypre that I never really appreciated before - Pierre Balmain Jolie Madame. I am truly blessed to have this in both vintage and modern (re)formulation and since I have been indulging in them both this past week have a clear appreciation of how they are similar but also differ.


Notes:
Top notes are artemisia, coriander, gardenia, neroli and bergamot
Heart notes are tuberose, narcissus, orris root, jasmine and rose
Base notes are leather, patchouli, musk, coconut, civet, oakmoss and vetiver

I cannot sing to you the many ways this beauty seduces me... This is seriously threatening to become a forever and ever HG alongside my beloved Gres Cabochard, Guerlain Vol de Nuit, Guerlain Winter Delice, TBS Mostly Musk, Ava Luxe Rasa Xtreme and Givenchy III (among others). I realise now that my love / indifferent attitude to it has been largely influenced by which formulation I have been wearing. Both are EDT I believe, the the vintage bottle does not list strength... merely stating that it is the 'atomiseur'. I would sell body parts to own a bottle of the parfum.

The differences between the two formulations are immediately obvious and neither is disagreeable. Both open green mentholated herbaceous...one gets greenery, sharp alive but not herbaceous in the sense of culinary herbs (thyme, basil, rosemary). These are large waxy green leaves like those used as the 'backdrop' to fantastic exotic bouquets. I love the scent of Artemisia / Wormwood so adore the opening but here it is not vibrant 'acid' green like in the sublime Ava Luxe Absinthe. Here the greenery is much sweeter and drier, open to the sun in the new formulation, compared to the moist, dense undergrowth opening of the vintage scent.

From the start the greener, denser base notes are making their presence known: - the vetiver clean and green, the leather pliant. They take a bow and then fall back until the play is more fully underway. This green opening, dappled with sunlight tarries into the heart notes which are soft, elegant, warm but not tropical in both. For me the narcissus and orris root (violets) reign equally for me and do wonderful things that cause me to stop mid task and wriggle with delight at how amazing I smell and am lucky to be experiencing such olfactory beauty. Again the modern version is much drier and reserved calling to mind pages in old well thumbed books wafer thin with time... an echo of former glory. The vintage is much more alive having a purple hued sepia tone to it... like an old photograph where the sitters are such characters, so vibrantly alive that you watch their lips expecting them to speak.

Even as I am enjoying this nostalgic reverie the base notes are emerging and creating that wonderful contrast the french describe as 'troublesant'. This is due to the ever amazing classic oakmoss + patchouli + bergamot chypre core that melds with the skin smelling like sun warmed skin but better. True oakmoss adds a smooth creamy, foamy dreamlike texture to a blend like the shimmer of heat in the air or on the skin on a summer's day. Not quite tangible enough to capture with words but a feeling never forgotten once felt. That is the 'ghost note' mentioned previously.

That feeling in a chypre scent cannot be synthesised no matter what the companies tell you, because the essential ingredient to bring out that note on a person's skin is the persons skin itself. The chypre oakmoss actually reacts to and NEEDs skin to truly come alive and emerge otherwise it never really blooms. Most synthetic oakmosses lack this synergistic nature and fail abysmally.

Here that dreamy, creamy oakmoss ghost note is made even more moist and irresistible due to the (true, unsweetened, natural) coconut and even more seductive / animalic due to the civet, musk and leather which come forth in the base and dominate until it fades away (many hours later). The final whisper is claimed by the vetiver still shrouded by the orris and narcissus.

For me the modern formulation is a fashionable 50's young lady at her boudoir getting ready for her P.A. (glorified secretary) job getting dressed in her new Dior (look) pencil skirt suit, made in a wonderfully demure small dogtooth check. Her violet scented talc still open upon the dressing table.

The vintage appears the same but she is not as uptight though still perfectly put together... the crisp white blouse has a few buttons open and we can catch a glimpse of a butter soft black leather basque as she powders her décolletage.

Personal notes on Modern formulation:
Jolie Madame tries hard to smell like a vintage blend but is a superficial shadow of the real thing. No sexy, elegant, creamy animalic base here... Instead we get dry woods with a touch of incense. The narcissus / orris heart here are reminiscent of Worth Je Reviens - sepia, parchment like, Echoe's breathy voice upon the wind, strangely nostalgic and sexless. Elegant and acceptable by modern standards / noses not a scratch on the real thing (original blend). Longevity leaves something to be desired also... but then again it is an EDT. Think I shall look for another bottle of vintage and use this as a complimentary deodorant.

Personal notes on vintage formulation:
OMG! I have died and gone to olfactory heaven! The vintage formulation of Jolie Madame has the most wonderful animalic nature / base and great longevity adding a sublime dry animalic leather and soft smoky woody incense to the sensual creamy oakmoss. A wonderful comfort scent for me (who usually likes in your face woods, and spice) but too sexy and sensual to be just worn to bed. This blend is a bombshell scent subtly seducing under the cover of elegant proficiency. Never have you met violets like this! I think it is the animalic leather incense base notes but this recalls to me my beloved Gres Cabochard vintage EDT / parfum and I can see this become my violet HG.

Yay chypres! I'm in one of my very favorites-- Ralph Lauren Safari. A very dry, grassy chypre that is quite casual for this family (I consider most chypres to be refined, elegant, mature). I haven't worn this since last summer (it's a warm weather scent for me), but today is gloriously sunny and warm, and I'm on my way to have lunch outdoors in the sunshine.

Tonight: Bandit!

Hi all. I spent part of my morning doing research, because I've been a little confused about this category. The series by Helg of The Perfume Shrine helped me a lot. Here's the link to the first installment, for others who are on the chypre learning curve:

http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.com/20...1-origins.html

Thanks to Analavande and Kumquat , I had some nice chypre sample choices for today. Frankly, I've been a little afraid of them (flashing "chyprish" grin). On my two hands and two wrists, I have

Vintage Gres Cabochard Parfum
Gres Cabochard EDT
Vintage Miss Dior Parfum
Vintage Ma Griffe Parfum

To put it briefly, I am SHOCKED that I am liking these! The Cabochard is the most challenging, but I find it compelling, especially the vintage parfum. The Miss Dior has a sweetness that seems perfectly balanced by the musty moss underpinnings. The Ma Griffe is an appealing, very wearable green concoction, to my nose.

I think I might have to look for a decant of Miss Dior. Heavens!

Ahhhhhhh, that was one of my favourites! (And resulted in one of my most memorable perfume shopping experiences. Me to SA: "I'd like a bottle of Safari, please." SA: "Daahlink, what are you doing wearing that? You're blonde, this too strong for you! It's for brunettes only." Yes, I had my natural hair colour, albeit bleach-assisted at the time. )

Have you ever tried Leiber? I felt that there was a strong link between the two, like Leiber is Safari's daughter who wears less velvet.

I am wearing Jean Patou Colony.
I am not sure if these are all the notes: fruits, pineapple, ylang ylang, iris, carnation, oakmoss, vetiver and spices.
Of course I would like to have more definition on the fruits and spices.
This is the first time I give this perfume a full wearing. I remember smelling it at a store in the late 80s, but I had just bought Ma Liberte, so I did not pay much attention.
It is beautiful, very nice pineapple that is not cloying or overly sweet.

So enlightening to read everyone's thoughts on 31 rue Cambon. That animalic opening is too much for me. I have that 5 ml decant going unused if someone is interested. No matter how many I try or how hard I try philosophize, I cannot tolerate skank! No civet, no castoreum, no indollic flowers, nothing.

Onto chypres, what a great idea by the way, I'm wearing the very beautiful Ormonde Woman....does that count? Here are the notes: cardamom, coriander, grass oil, black hemlock, violet, jasmine absolute, vetiver, cedar wood, amber, and sandalwood.

Have an excellent Saturday night

Thanks for the smiles, ladies! Ewe are all so adorable!


I love this analogy! I am amazed at the complexity of the chypres I'm testing today.

And Purplebird, you have me inspired with your prose about Jean Patou 1000. I believe I have a sample. Must dig it out.

Also, I didn't realize that Vol de Nuit is a chypre. I like that one a lot!

I'm usually the first one to run from any hint of skank & animalic. If I detected any of that in 31 Rue Cambon, I wouldn't be wearing it & lusting after a FB! It feels very quiet & tame to me.

I'm not sure what to try on for SotE. I have Badgley Mischka, 24,Faubourg, and NR for Her, but I want push the envelope a bit....

Thanks! I've been enjoying it very much. I'm well into the far basenotes now, although the middle florals especially the ylang ylang are still sticking around, lush and persistent. The lasting power is excellent. I applied early this morning and it's still going strong as I type this.

Do let us know your thoughts if and when you have a chance to test, please!

What wonderful comments and descriptions ladies & gent's. Keep it up!

My a.m. chypre was Numero Uno by Carthusia.

Imagine a mossy/bergamot chypre base, but loaded with bitter orange and citrus instead of peach. It's got a very Mediterranean vibe, almost as if Acqua di Parma Colonia Assoluta was turned into a chypre. Very crisp. Extremely mossy. Not too over bearing sillage. Quite a compliment getter too.

It also happens to be the one fragrance that my husband bought me that I actually like (some of his fragrance gifts have been real stinkers) so for that reason it's a special fragrance to me.

My afternoon chypre was: Une Histoire de Chypre by Molinard (first time from a sample - thanks sofresh)

I have had this sample for quite a while now...I was saving it for a special occasion and I decided today's SnS would be a good time. It supposedly, 'an olfactive ode to chypre in all of her fascinating glory' I remember when rtamara41 got all excited on this thread, about this scent, only to report later on that she was slightly underwhelmed by it after testing it.

I see what she means.

When one (like I) has access to chypres of such depth, complexity and emotion (like Mitsouko parfum) you approach a scent like UHdC with high expectations. While the opening was very unique - an almost oily, strange, medicinal, floral creaminess that later on segued into the bergamot / moss, it kind of fell apart in about 30 minutes. The diffusion of the scent also seemed very low for a chypre (a category of scents I love, in part, because they smell so good from afar rather than up close) which was also disappointing.

I'm going to give it another full wearing later on - but for now I'm not impressed.

I almost forgot about SnS! Luckily, I caught it in time to apply for this evening. Hmmm, I think I'll go for one green chypre, which is more challenging to me (probably JL Scherrer), and then Diorella.

BTW, here's the Great Chypre Debate of 2008 thread:

http://community.basenotes.net/showt...avorite+chypre

Holy Jeepers Creepers, Batman, I almost missed this Sniff n Speak. 'Chypre' is the holiest category of all in perfumery for yours truly. I have acquired quite a lot of them, and am always on the lookout for new or those I may have missed. I think one of the most beautiful new discoveries for me has been Amouage Jubilation 25 I am taken back to quality perfumes such as Caron, Patou, Guerlain- the old oakmoss gang.
Notes are listed as:
Top- Tarragon, Rose, Lemon, Ylang Ylang
Heart- Davana, Labdanum, Rose, Frankincense
Base- Amber, Musk, Vetiver, Myrrh, Patchouli
Although the overall effect is artfully blended, it reminds one of a toned down version of Femme by Rochas. There is no cumin in AJ 25, so it must be the tarragon I'm getting. It has a spicey rose-on-skin scent as it dries, but keeps its animal claws sharp as it perches on my shoulder.

Moondeva's list is extensive but there were a couple I like that I didn't see;
Molinard de Molinard
Givenchy III, reissue
Lubin, Nuit de Longchamps
Amouage, Jubilation 25
Carven, Vert et Blanc - vintage
Balmain, Ivoire

Thank you bbBD for pulling up that enlightening thread. I have a much clearer picture of what a chypre is, now, and I am going to explore other classics in the gnere if I can get my hands on some samples.

My Mitsouko is going strong after many hours. The initial blast of peachy freshness has intermittantly given way to powdery green and warmed bergamot. This stuff curls my toes it's so good. I think of Mitsouko as a classic, re-read and well-loved book. Wherever you open it up, be it on page 25 or 250, you are both comforted and delighted by the words written on the page. I don't think there's another fragrance that I've tried that has so many nuances for my nose to explore!

I am having quite a Day. Took a shower and scrubbed off the first four chypres. Now sampling these two:

Estee Lauder PRIVATE COLLECTION (again, thanks to Kumquat!)

Jean Patou 1000 (thanks to Taolady!)

These are interesting to try side by side. The top notes of 1000 are fantastic, as is the middle stage of the PC. These are going to take some study, but I already understand why both have quite a following here on BN!

I am feeling especially happy today that I discovered this place of fine and fragrant 'fumistas!