Kouros and Mitsouko - am I nuts?

[narcus]

Friends and strangers give me dubious looks when I mention Kouros and Mitsouko in one breath, and yet I believe not to be a victim of mental disturbances (yet). I also believe that my capabilty of scent perception is near average. Habitually, we seek orientation at perfume counters and if it’s for myself, the sales assistant (always women where I live) guide me through their program of masculine colognes. Married guys have more of a chance to make side by side comparisons provided their dear wife has enough bottles of her own. That is probably why links between two or more feminine (or masculine) colognes are discussed, but hardly ever between a masculine and a feminine fragrance.

I have owned Kouros for decades and knew Mitsouko as one of my mother’s perfumes from early on. I always found them both very exceptional but I never even thought about them as standing near on any shelf. (My own bottle of Mitsouko is tiny and not in the bathroom but tucked away with my cottons).

A few months ago when I was wearing Kouros while sampling Mitsouko on my arm as a special treat. Their sudden harmony, or a near identity (after more than 30 minutes on my skin) was really stunning. I repeated the experiment on another day and it was like a new door was opened. To me these two now seem like the two sides of a coin.

So far I have not found much of an echo for this. In fact the few times I mentioned this to others I got amused reactions at best. Of course there is no exact identity, it’s more a general mood or purpose these perfumes give me during hours with Mitsouko more towards the mystery side of things and Kouros, so optimistic and self assuring but also wanting to lift forbidden secrets, as always. Both are of course similarly exuberant and wonderfully old fashioned, not suited to visit a Warhol exhibition, I think. And both are more sensual than sexy (as often heard about Kouros) but ok, sexy too.

Where is the similarity in notes? I have difficulties there and would be totally lost relying on the BN directory which shows a spartanic pyramid for Kouros. Whatever sources I consult, each one has a different answer. I recommend to look up notes in Osmoz (with beautiful comments on Mitouko), and if you have access, the H & R/Symrise notes listing. I will just enumerate common notes in both perfumes. I counted nearly ten so far:

top: Bergamot, (perhaps) Neroli
heart: Jasmin, Carnation, Cinnamon + Vetiver (part of base in M.)
base: Oakmoss, unidentified woody notes, Musk

[Johnny_Ludlow]

Good post narcus, although I'm not sure if the similarity is really there, or is it something your mind assembles to these two scents. You obviously have an important relationship with both of them; thus it's possible that they represent something emotional to you, like you said yourself, it's not that they are identical, it's the certain mood they give you. Similarity like this can obviously be inter-subjective to some extent, but is more ofter than not very personal, strongly attached to your own history.

It's also possible that I am the one that have put some attributes to these fragrances, that really aren't there, and thus neglecting the possible similarities. I sure have alot of presuppositions of these two, so my perception concerning Mitsouko, and especially Kouros, might not be as pure as I would like it to be.

[Waldemar]

Grüzi Narcus,

I own both Kouros and Mitsouko edp, but I never noticed the similarity, except perhaps a little for the drydown. I'll try again to compare. To me Mitsouko is a dramatic peachy-floral while Kouros isn't. Do you think could it an idea to layer them or to wear together sprayed on different places?

Bye. W