I recently got my hands on some of the reformulated Route du Vetiver, and noticed that it has something in common with the new version of Jardin du Nil - whereas most of the reformulations I've tried are very close to the originals, the new versions of RdV and JdN are both much more female friendly than the originals.
For those who haven't tried the new Route du Vetiver, the main difference between it, and the original is that the sharp masculine accents on the clay, and earthy notes have been toned down, while the amount of jasmine has been ramped up enormously, bringing it to center stage with the earth and vetiver and everything else acting as decoration. It's soft and floral and nutty vs the sharp, earthy original.
I can't percieve as clearly what's going on with the new Jardin du Nil, but again, the sharpness and masculinity are toned down, and it's softer, balmier, soapier - tangy instead of sharp, and alot more unisex.
The changes in other MPG's seem to be more about diluting the same amount of fragrance that was in a 90ml bottle into a 100ml one, but the ones that are different, seem to be going in a unisex direction.
I know Santal Noble and Ambre Precieux are supposed to have changed significantly but haven't yet had the chance to try the new or old versions of either - do people who have tried them think the changes may also be an attempt to make them more "unisexy"?
I know that women buy alot more fragrance than men in general, and that MPG's been having serious financial problems, so maybe that was one strategy. Note that that Bois de Turquie, the MPG released in 2008 in the male bottles is specifically a unisex fragrance, MPG's first.
Have any of the female MPG's been reformulated? I've never heard any of them being dicussed in that light.
I think it was a dangerous move - I think the new Route du Vetiver and Jardin du Nil are quite excellent, but they are different from the originals, and were likely to have turned off loyal buyers of the originals. I think they should have just released them as RdV and JdN "pour elle" or something...
Anyhow, curious as to your thoughts...
For those who haven't tried the new Route du Vetiver, the main difference between it, and the original is that the sharp masculine accents on the clay, and earthy notes have been toned down, while the amount of jasmine has been ramped up enormously, bringing it to center stage with the earth and vetiver and everything else acting as decoration. It's soft and floral and nutty vs the sharp, earthy original.
I can't percieve as clearly what's going on with the new Jardin du Nil, but again, the sharpness and masculinity are toned down, and it's softer, balmier, soapier - tangy instead of sharp, and alot more unisex.
The changes in other MPG's seem to be more about diluting the same amount of fragrance that was in a 90ml bottle into a 100ml one, but the ones that are different, seem to be going in a unisex direction.
I know Santal Noble and Ambre Precieux are supposed to have changed significantly but haven't yet had the chance to try the new or old versions of either - do people who have tried them think the changes may also be an attempt to make them more "unisexy"?
I know that women buy alot more fragrance than men in general, and that MPG's been having serious financial problems, so maybe that was one strategy. Note that that Bois de Turquie, the MPG released in 2008 in the male bottles is specifically a unisex fragrance, MPG's first.
Have any of the female MPG's been reformulated? I've never heard any of them being dicussed in that light.
I think it was a dangerous move - I think the new Route du Vetiver and Jardin du Nil are quite excellent, but they are different from the originals, and were likely to have turned off loyal buyers of the originals. I think they should have just released them as RdV and JdN "pour elle" or something...
Anyhow, curious as to your thoughts...
... And I sure do miss that ol' "Route" ~ Damn ! 
