Creative director of Editions de Parfums, Frédéric Malle offers some tips for selecting the perfect spring scent in the recent leaflet sent out by the house.
- Fragrances are like clothes: some are warmer than others. It is uncomfortable to wear a heavy dose of warm oriental on a hot day, but a hint might work
- Consider changing your perfume every season if you are wearing a very fresh or heavy Chypre fragrance
- You should always try a new fragrance before purchasing. The top notes function for about 15 minutes, then leave way to the heart of the perfume, which is it’s real personality
Out of his collection, Malle recommends floral fragrances like Carnal Flower, En Passant and Lys Mediterranée to evoke the sunshine. For my perfect spring etude, I select L’Eau d’Hiver, which despite its wintery name, smells of early spring with its melted snow, violets peaking under the wet soil and sweetness of first buds. But if I want the Mediterranean sunshine, I will turn to Le Parfum de Thérèse, which smells of ripe Cavaillon melons and jasmine.
Painting: Spring in Italy, Isaac Levitan, 1890. Via wiki-paintings, some rights reserved.
107 Comments
Jamie K: He’s right about the top notes thing. So often have I nearly put my money down on a fragrance based on the first 10-15 minutes, only to loathe the rest of it. The recently release Dior Homme Eau is a perfect example of something that offers so much in the top notes, only to turn into something rather ugly not long after. April 2, 2014 at 7:07am
Victoria: I also don’t like perfumes that load everything in the top notes and leave you with something bland for the rest of their longevity. After all, top notes last only briefly, and what comes next should be the best part. April 2, 2014 at 7:58am
monsieur: Amazing review Victoria. I love the Lys Mediterranée in the line because it’s not indolic and harsh. İt’s pure, limpid and smooth. Edouard Flechie tamed the flowers for this perfume. I love it… April 2, 2014 at 7:24am
Cornelia Blimber: Monsieur, your blog is beautiful and I think it is interesting…too bad I can’t read the language! (is it Turkish?) April 2, 2014 at 7:46am
rainboweyes: Seems to be Turkish, yes. Very beautiful blog, indeed. April 2, 2014 at 7:55am
rainboweyes: I just had a glance too. What a pity I can’t read your thoughts on my beloved Moulin Rouge…
And Iris Nazarena… April 2, 2014 at 7:53am
Victoria: Thank you! I love that perfume, and I can’t think of another cool, dewy lily that’s better. I also enjoy its salty twist, which is such a great contrast to the sweet, creamy flowers.
P.S. As Cornelia and others said, your blog is beautiful! Turkey has its own distinctive perfume traditions, so it’s great to see more on that. April 2, 2014 at 7:59am
Cornelia Blimber: Poetic review…melting snow..I wish it were true! We did not have a proper winter in the Netherlands. Nevertheless Eau d’Hiver is on my list now. I neglected the niche brands, there are too much of them for me. I went back to Guerlain, Chanel, Hermès, Van Cleef. April 2, 2014 at 7:51am
Victoria: I saw snow only once this year–a small pile on the side of the road when we drove through Germany. Makes me worried that we might have a long, hot summer, and that’s something I dislike far more than a cold, snowy winter. April 2, 2014 at 8:03am
maja: I saw snow only once, too – while cleaning my freezer. It was in late December. Maybe I did it unconsciously trying to get myself into the Christmas spirit. 🙂
Le parfum de Therese is truly sunshine in a bottle, I don’t even notice that melon note that I usually dislike. April 2, 2014 at 11:31am
Victoria: LOL! We bought a stand alone freezer in December, because the tiny one that comes with our already tiny fridge is useless. So, I should amend my statement about snow. We now have a bit more right in the apartment. 🙂 April 2, 2014 at 3:20pm
Alessandra: same here April 2, 2014 at 12:05pm
Jillie: Victoria I am so glad that I am not alone in disliking the really hot weather – give me snow and frost any time! I suppose my attitude is that if you are cold you can wear another layer and sit by the fire, but if there is a heatwave you can’t really get cool (unless you have air-con). April 3, 2014 at 2:12am
Victoria: My thoughts exactly! And since we have no A/C in our apartment, hot summers are really awful. You pretty much never get any rest, because the building stays hot in the evening too. April 3, 2014 at 10:47am
Hannah: I’ve only tried a few Frederic Malle perfumes, so I can only comment on the concept of spring perfumes.
Muscs Koublaï Khan and M7 have become overwhelming, so I have brought out Ouarzazate. My samples of Iris Prima, Philosykos, and Eau des Merveilles have also been getting a lot of wear since March. April 2, 2014 at 7:55am
Victoria: Sounds like a great rotation, some floral, some green, some ambery. Ouarzazate is on my list to revisit, because while I’ve been wearing other perfumes from Comme des Garcons’s incense series, Ouarzazate is not the one I know well. April 2, 2014 at 8:06am
Alessandra: Couldn’t agree more with Victoria’s selection. I also love lys méditerranée, tho. April 2, 2014 at 7:57am
Victoria: Of course, En Passant can’t be bettered if one wants a wet bouquet of lilacs. Too bad that there are so few interesting lilac perfumes. April 2, 2014 at 8:07am
Alessandra: I still don’t have a passion for that one, i am afraid, but need to give it another try! April 2, 2014 at 9:49am
Victoria: It’s a little off kilter, but very evocative. April 2, 2014 at 3:12pm
Ari: Recently tried En Passant for the first time. Absolutely enchanting. April 2, 2014 at 12:03pm
Victoria: One of the best ways to evoke spring! April 2, 2014 at 3:26pm
Sandra: Great review!
I tried some fragrances from the Frederic Malle line, and I really wanted to love En Passant, but after 30 min or so I can hardly smell it in my skin. The price tag is too heavy for something that doesn’t last. Lys is beautiful but can give me a headache!
I do love Carnal flower, and will try some other ones.
My spring favorites are Apres L’ondee, Just un Reve, la chasse aux papillon. Today I am wearing sublime balkiss April 2, 2014 at 8:05am
Victoria: En Passant is a strange one, because some people report that it doesn’t last and others that it has a good tenacity. I find that it’s light but I can smell it until my evening shower. The problem might be the musks, to which many people have anosmias. And yeah, I agree, if it doesn’t last on you, it’s not worth the money.
Your spring favorites could be my own, so I need to revisit Sublime Balkiss. April 2, 2014 at 2:57pm
Anne of Green Gables: The spring here feels very much like the painting except for the lack of snow because there was no real winter here. But it’s so nice to see all flowers blooming and I can smell the hint of floral sweetness and sun-dried grass in the air. En Passant is a nice spring perfume but for me it doesn’t evoke the sunshine. It smells like spring rain and wet lilac petals, a little similar to Apre l’Ondee and melancholic. I’ve been enjoying Osmanthe Yunnan a lot this spring. I love it so much! April 2, 2014 at 8:07am
Victoria: It’s been a very mild winter, and now everything is in bloom. I love the start of spring, and especially all of the blooming flowers and trees. I just discovered that apricot blossoms have the most wonderful aroma that’s hard to miss. April 2, 2014 at 2:59pm
solanace: The smell of apricot flowers must be incredible. Now I want to try it! April 3, 2014 at 5:15am
Victoria: It’s a sheer rose-like scent, but with fruitier, sweeter nuance. April 3, 2014 at 10:44am
Brainfodder: There’s nothing quite like the arrival of Spring, I love this time of year. The painting you chose is so full of celebration – what a lovely choice 🙂
L’Eau d’Hiver – I took a small decant with me on a recent Winter holiday. Despite having others samples all ready to explore, I adored it, wore it exclusively… and decided it was really going to be perfect for Spring. This was great news since I’ve been attempting to hunt down a spring fragrance. I’ve liked so many but loved none, except Chamade parfum (£££!!).
I find L’Eau d’Hiver compelling, such a clever fragrance. It is so seemingly quiet and intimate, but its presence is strong and reliable for hours. Sophisticated, enveloping, slightly edible (sugared almonds). It’s not so cool as white or winter to me – more a plush dove grey infused with the merest hints of purples and blues.
Lys Mediterranee – dewy lily with salt – argh, your description is too tempting!
Le Parfum de Therese – my skin just seems to grab hold of anything fruity and make it screech! Calyx, LPdT, AA Pamplelune – delicious on blotters, but brain piercing on my skin unfortunately. April 2, 2014 at 8:48am
Victoria: Thank you for these descriptions! So much fun to read them, especially about the monster fruit in Le Parfum de Therese. I can see how that melon note that turn into something outrageous. 🙂 April 2, 2014 at 3:05pm
monsieur: Thank you for your interest and beautiful word. “parfüm hikayeleri”(stories of perfume) is a Turkish perfume blog. I’m writing for La Déesse ( niche perfume butiue in İstnabul )
I did interview with Andy Tauer (Turkish and English)
http://parfumhikayeleri.com/post/77898288348/roportaj-andy-tauer
Enjoy.. April 2, 2014 at 8:55am
Anka: Merhaba Monsieur!
It’s so sad, 16 years ago I spent 4 weeks in Istanbul learning turkish (at Tömer) but afterwards I didn’t really practice…so thanks for the link, I had to smile about Andy Tauer’s statement that many perfume lovers take perfume much too serious! And now I definitely have to try Vero Kern soon!!! April 2, 2014 at 10:00am
Cornelia Blimber: Interesting interview, thank you monsieur! I googled Andy Tauer perfumes and found out that there is an iris perfume, ”Pentachords White”. Question: how is this compared to Iris Silver Mist? Maybe our Iris specialist Rainboweyes knows. April 2, 2014 at 11:27am
rainboweyes: I just digged the sample out of my sample chest to revisit… Pentachord White is a very delicate and bright scent, almost like a veil… Although a bit earthy as well, it doesn’t compare to ISM at all. It hasn’t got its depth and complexity. The iris note is lovely – rather creamy than rooty – and it’s accompanied by rosewood and violet. Ulrike from First in Fragrance compared it to Humiecki&Graef’s Geste (which has, in fact, a similar feel, it must be the violet note, I guess) to me it also resembles IUNX Eau Blanche. I find it rather high-priced for what it is. My favourite iris perfume from Andy Tauer’s line is Miriam. April 2, 2014 at 4:07pm
Cornelia Blimber: Thank you, Rainboweye!
I am saving money for Iris Silver Mist, I guess that one remains my first choice. April 2, 2014 at 5:10pm
monsieur: Merhaba Anka,
I think that Andy Tauer is modest and genius perfumer. I love the Vero Kern’s collection and I find artistic and impressive. Definitely try to collection of Vero Kern. By the way, Rubj my favorite in the line.. April 2, 2014 at 1:08pm
Victoria: Thank you very much! Off to read it. April 2, 2014 at 3:05pm
noseknows: Thank, you, monsieur, for this very interesting interview.
I wish I could read your blog. I would be very interested to know what some of your favorite perfumes are. April 2, 2014 at 10:26pm
Monsieur: Thank you noseknows,
“Parfüm hikayaleri” is a corporate blog. I usually interpret from within the store’s fragrance. I writing the about stories of perfumes and perfumers.
By the way, I love the Frederic Malle’s work. My favorite perfume “Noir Epices” from the line. It was my signature… April 3, 2014 at 8:43am
noseknows: It’s a great idea for a perfume boutique to have a blog like yours! I also love several of the FM perfumes. Mr. Malle deserves much appreciation for giving perfumers the spot light and an opportunity to create olfactory works of art. April 3, 2014 at 4:09pm
Ashley Anstaett: Oh, I think En Passant is a lovely spring perfume, but as Sandra said, it doesn’t last long enough for me to justify the price tag. But it is beautiful.
I recently tried La Tulipe by Byredo, thinking it might be a good spring scent, albeit one with a price tag out of my reach. If I had based it on the top notes, it would have been delightful! I swear it started off as something like a really tart rhubarb, and I hoped it would dry down into something sharp and green, with earthiness and a hint of floral. That is NOT what happened. After five minutes, seriously FIVE, the rhubarb or whatever I smelled was gone, and it smelled exactly like dryer sheets. I was so disappointed. And it wouldn’t come off of my skin! It lasted ALL day, which normally is not a complaint but man, this one was no fun. I like the smell of fabric softeners, but it’s not what I’m looking for in a perfume, and if it was, I would not spend $200 on it. Perfume rant of the day.
Today it is very stormy in Missouri. What do you all wear for a rainy day perfume? I’m going to use some of my Lipstick Rose sample today. April 2, 2014 at 9:28am
Zazie: Your description of La Tulipe is so spot on! Alas, I think most people don’t smell those nasty and cheap laundromat musks in this very expensive fragrance…it really borders on toxic, doesn’t it?
These musks are lurking behind many niche perfumes, I fear. I have become a chicken when I sample perfume because of too many “laundromat” surprises… April 2, 2014 at 10:22am
Ashley Anstaett: Oh Zazie, it was TERRIBLE. It was clinging to me all day, and while it could be described as a “soft” scent, it is so incredibly toxic. It smells like laundry chemicals. I was afraid I would smell that way forever…After the first few minutes, I thought to myself, “At least it probably won’t last that long.” Famous last words! April 2, 2014 at 11:22am
Sandra: I have a sample of Gypsy Water, which smells sweet on me. I am enjoying the sample, but doubt I would ever buy a full bottle.
I think the price is too high for something that is just “meh”
Though I am not writing off Byredo line all together, I just haven’t found anything that gave me a wow factor. April 2, 2014 at 11:48am
Ashley Anstaett: Sandra, I’ve tried three of their scents now. I liked Gypsy Water, but felt sort of “meh” about it too. La Tulipe though, it really just about killed me. It was driving me bananas all day.
The one that I actually really loved though was 1996. It’s not what I expected at all from the photo that accompanies it, but it’s fantastic. LOTS of pepper at first, which I’m a sucker for, and then a really nice ambery, incense-y finish. April 2, 2014 at 2:23pm
Sandra: Nice! I will have to try that, I like incense in fragrances! April 2, 2014 at 6:12pm
rainboweyes: I love 1996 too! I actually prefer the scent to the photo which has a slightly morbid feel to it. Like you, I like the cool opening most, the drydown is a bit too warm and ambery.
I didn’t like La Tulipe either, but Blanche is even worse – it’s nothing but white laundry musks 🙁
The two scents I enjoyed a lot were Bal d’Afrique – a very nice warm vetiver scent – and the fruity and uplifting Pulp. April 3, 2014 at 3:55pm
rainboweyes: Ha! We have plenty of rainy days in Western Europe – all year round! I bet you know what I’m going to recommend? I love the damp, earthy feel of a rainy day to be amplified in the scent I wear and iris perfumes do an excellent job here – Iris Silver Mist, Iris Nazarena and Heeley Iris de Nuit in colder weather and Hiris or Paprika Brasil on warm days. April 2, 2014 at 11:49am
Ashley Anstaett: Rainboweyes, I’m getting my SL order today, and my sample of Iris Silver Mist will be in there. I can’t wait to try it! Good thing it is raining here, a great day to try it out. 🙂 April 2, 2014 at 2:19pm
Victoria: I also don’t like La Tulipe, which smells like Febreeze on me. Not that Febreeze smells bad, I actually like it, but I don’t want to pay $$$ for something like that.
Brussels gets its fair share of rain, so on days when it seems like it will never stop raining I go for something warm, like Frederic Malle Noir Epices or Kenzo Jungle. Woods also work really well. And big, dramatic perfumes that make you feel like a diva. Lipstick Rose falls into that category for me. April 2, 2014 at 3:08pm
Ashley Anstaett: It does smell like Febreeze! I didn’t hate it, but I don’t really want to wear it. I did think that I might use it to spritz my sheets with after they are out of the dryer though. Talk about an expensive linen spray!
I’ve kind of fallen in love with Lipstick Rose. You’re right, it is a big dramatic perfume, and it felt just right for today. I really want to smell Noir Epices, which I’ve heard is fantastic, and sounds like a great rainy day perfume. April 2, 2014 at 5:36pm
Victoria: Noir Epices is one of the rare non-sweet spices. Usually, spicy oriental perfumes are sweet, especially if they’re based around the sugary spices like cinnamon. But Noir Epices avoids all of the cloying sweetness and smells like a pomander and dark woods. April 3, 2014 at 10:51am
Lauren B: I just tried En Passant on recommendation from BDJ-ers (I was asking for a perfume that smelled like a garden after rain). It is very evocative of spring, especially if you live in the American South, like I do. Early spring here is chilly in the mornings and blistering in the afternoons. It also rains every other day. Plus, I was suprised and pleased that such a gentle fragrance lasted all day. April 2, 2014 at 9:36am
Victoria: That contrast between morning and day in the spring is something I found very surprising when I first moved to the South. It also made for some confusing wardrobe choices at first, before I adjusted. 🙂
I also don’t have troubles with En Passant lasting, despite the fact that it’s really mild. Since I get compliments on it throughout the day, I’m guessing others smell it on me too. April 2, 2014 at 3:10pm
Ines: I’m wearing Le Parfum de Therese this spring. It’s perfect.
I’m also thinking of Angeliques sous la Pluie as working good these days as well. April 2, 2014 at 9:46am
Victoria: Angeliques sous la Pluie is great too, bracing and bright, and I love its peppery notes. April 2, 2014 at 3:11pm
Zazie: The “editions de parfums Frederic Malle” is one of the few perfume houses I really follow and respect… that said, I really fail with most of their fragrances: l’eau d’hiver, en passant, lys mediterrané, le parfum de thèrese are all epic scrubbers on me. I even dislike them on others!!! On the other hand, I love the dashing une fleur de cassie and Carnal flower, both remind me of a wet spring day – albeit in different settings… I also love iris poudre from the line, but I am not sure about its season… It has a spring-like quality to it, although again it conjures clouds and rain… For some reason my idea of spring in FM’s perfumes seems to involve rainshowers!!! April 2, 2014 at 10:13am
Victoria: Une Fleur de Cassie would be my other spring choice, because its notes of mimosa and violets evoke this time of year for me. I understand that it’s one of the most difficult perfumes in the collection, but it’s also one of the most interesting. April 2, 2014 at 3:14pm
Snowyowl: I have samples of but no full bottles of Frederic Malle- dans tes bras fits me well, it is soothing (I think it means to hug you, wrap your arms around you). The violet piece is somewhat spring like.
My latest obsession is for vero profumo- I am wearing mito viole d’extrait right now. Hello spring! Has anyone compared or contrasted the mito voile with the mito extrait? I’m curious, I think Victoria you wrote about EDP vs voile but what about the extrait? April 2, 2014 at 10:30am
Victoria: The parfum is heavier on peach notes and on moss, and if you’ve tried the EDP, you can imagine the parfum as a richer, more saturated version of that. It’s very good, but I might prefer the EDP for its shimmering character. Voile is very different, though, because the tuberose received a big push in it, and it’s not something you’ll find in either the parfum or the EDP. All three versions are very good, and your choice might depend on what you like about Mito. April 2, 2014 at 3:16pm
Snowyowl: Thanks for your comments, I always appreciate your feedback and interpretation on these. 5 hours in, the mito voile is quite soft, lovely peach and moss, airy now, more relaxed. I’m still not sure which version I like best, still experimenting but loving the process! April 2, 2014 at 3:40pm
Victoria: Happy to help! I know what you mean, they’re different enough that it’s hard to choose. In case of Mito, it’s even harder for me. For instance, Rubj parfum was a clear winner for me over all other versions. April 2, 2014 at 3:44pm
Snowyowl: Me too! I have just purchase a full bottle of rubj extrait as a special gift to myself:) April 2, 2014 at 8:24pm
Victoria: Enjoy it! I daydream of India’s flower markets–a hint of rotten mangoes included!–as I wear it. 🙂 April 3, 2014 at 10:48am
Nikki: I love Une Fleur de Cassie, it is a perfectly yellow and flowery fragrance for the yellow palo verde trees in bloom here in Arizona, everything is bright yellow, daffodil yellow, sunny yellow and smells like acacia and palo verde and all kinds of yellow flowers. Une fleur de cassie is yellow to me in the beginning, then it becomes green and damp, earthy, and woodsy… such a great fragrance. I have been using lots of orange flower hydrosols, and rosewater to spray around the house. Our pink roses are blooming as well…. I have also started using Sisley’s Eau de Campagne again, and Hermes Un Jardin series…but today I am wearing Spellbound because it was cold in the morning. That is why I like Fancis Kurkdijan’s concept of perfumes according to daytime that you can layer accordingly. April 2, 2014 at 10:41am
Alessandra: i love eau de campagne in the summer! April 2, 2014 at 12:06pm
Zazie: I love your description of une fleur de Cassie! It conjures similar images and colors to me too! The yellow, the damp soil and woods… An arresting perfume!!! April 2, 2014 at 2:34pm
Victoria: Your aromas and perfumes paint such an interesting image of your town and also the fragrances you carry around. I loved reading it, and you’ve made me want to wear Eau de Campagne. April 2, 2014 at 3:17pm
rainboweyes: Wasn’t it Frederic Malle who said everybody should choose just one, timeless scent for their entire life? I remember reading this in his interview for “Die Welt” that he gave as his book “On Perfume Making” was published in 2012. Not that I was intending to follow his advice, but I was a bit puzzled reading about his new spring scent recommendations.
To me, the favourite spring scent has always been Hiris and as much as I love Giacobettis creations – I don’t get En Passant at all. Eau d’Hiver is somewhat too cloying too. But I’ve finally fallen for Iris Poudre which I’d found too classical and ladylike for a long time.
Unfortunately I’ve never tried Lys M. and Parfum de Therese… April 2, 2014 at 11:38am
Victoria: I don’t really understand all of these rules on how to wear perfume. One should simply go with one’s instincts. For a while I wore almost nothing but a couple of perfumes, and that made me very happy. But at some point, I started missing the variety, and I’ve expanded my wardrobe. We don’t make a commitment to listen to the same piece of music over and over again or wear the same type of outfits to create “a signature look,” so the hunt for the one and only perfume seems like a tough and uninteresting goal. Like you, I’m puzzled by that statement.
Have you tried Une Fleur de Cassie? April 2, 2014 at 3:25pm
rainboweyes: No I haven’t! Do you think I might like it? I love Mimosa Pour Moi but it’s very fleeting on me.
Coming back to Mr Malle’s statement – I think one needs at least one or two scents per season. Although I think that all scents I wear match my personality and are similar in style, my daily scent choices depend very much on the weather. I love to be armed for all possible weather conditions 😉 April 2, 2014 at 4:22pm
Victoria: It would be very interesting for you to try, because you’re such a love of iris and violet-like perfumes, and mimosa/cassie falls into the violet family. But above all, Une Fleur de Cassie is a fascinating perfume, one of the few that don’t shy away from using a generous dose of natural mimosa, a notoriously hard ingredient to work with. I won’t guarantee that UFdC will be instant love or love at all (maybe, even totally the opposite!), but it won’t leave you indifferent. April 3, 2014 at 10:55am
rainboweyes: Oh, that sounds good! I’m going to Paris for Easter holiday and I’ve just added the Frèderic Malle boutique to my shopping tour list! FM samples are hard to get here in Germany and I promised a friend of mine to bring a sample of Parfum de Thérèse for her. She’s a vintage Diorella lover and desperately looking for a similar scent. Have you got a recommendation for her? April 3, 2014 at 11:53am
Victoria: Another idea would be to try Amouage Jubilation 25 for Her. It also has a ripe peach note against florals and woods. Parfums DelRae Eau Emotionnelle is like the ripe peach accord of Diorella amplified and twisted around melon. A bit much, maybe, but a lot of fun! April 3, 2014 at 12:22pm
limegreen: Hi rainboweyes: Really late comment and you may not see this at all but I was reading up on the Frederic Malle article and caught your comment about difficulty in getting FM samples in Germany. Perhaps someone already mentioned this to you but Essenza Nobile in Mannheim carries niche fragrances and has a great sample service and ships quickly , especially since you are in Germany! I have found their customer service wonderful, too. September 8, 2014 at 10:00pm
Austenfan: Your post has reminded me of the fact that I’ve yet to sample Lys Méditerranée.
I love the line, it is so consistently good and interesting. I’ve never made up my mind which one is my favourite. Out of the ones I own Thérèse probably gets the most wear.
I can see why L’eau d’Hiver would work in spring. I’ve worn it only once but thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m actually wearing another Ellena creation today: His Thé Vert.
I like a lot of Goutals for spring; Folavril, Eau du Ciel, Mandragore, Chèvrefeuille. April 2, 2014 at 12:51pm
Victoria: I also have a hard time picking a favorite, and although I love Carnal Flower, I don’t wear it as much these days. For one thing, I have a couple of friends who wear it, and when they’re around me, I get to enjoy it vicariously and satisfy my cravings that way. 🙂
Have you tried Eau de Narcisse Bleu already? If you liked The Vert by Bulgari, I think that you’ll enjoy Eau de Narcisse Bleu a lot. April 2, 2014 at 3:28pm
Austenfan: I have. Once. It wasn’t instant love but I need to try it again as I did find it interesting. Most of the time if I find something interesting it will turn into love at some point.
The one Hermès cologne I don’t like is the Mandarine Ambrée.
I still have quite a few Malles to sample. Dans tes Bras, Bigarade, Dries, Musc Ravageur, Lipstick Rose and Geranium pour Monsieur. If, and when I buy a new Malle it’ll be a toss between Noir Epices and Hiver. Very different but I adore them both. April 2, 2014 at 4:10pm
Cornelia Blimber: Austenfan, I read that Folavril and Eau du Ciel will be discontinued in 2014. April 2, 2014 at 5:15pm
Austenfan: Thanks for letting me know! Fortunately I have large bottles of both, so I should be okay. I’m not surprised. I really like both of them, but they are not outstanding and they can’t keep all of the Goutals while adding new ones.
Were they to discontinue Sables or Heure Exquise I would be upset. April 3, 2014 at 4:09am
Victoria: Mandarine Ambrée was my least favorite out of the cologne collection, despite being so appealing on paper. Eau de Narcisse Bleu, on the other hand, was love at first sniff. April 3, 2014 at 10:56am
Figuier: Lovely mini-reviews, very inspiring! Malle has so many lovely clear-toned & spring-friendly perfumes that I’ve never been able to commit to choosing a FB from the line (whereas the richer orientals leave me cold).
UFdC, Angeliques sous la Pluie and En Passant are lovely for early spring, Bigarade Concentree, Lys Med and Therese for warmer days. I keep going through samples of these six, but since there’s no question of actually purchasing all of them (imagine!) I’ll just have to keep circling 😉 April 2, 2014 at 3:10pm
Victoria: It’s definitely tough, and since I have the sample set, I sometimes contemplate for a while which one of the light and delicate perfumes to pick. Angeliques sous la Pluie is my most frequent choice on days when I don’t know what to wear but want something uplifting. April 2, 2014 at 3:31pm
Lilly: It’s enjoyable reading everyone’s comments, but whenever I see Une Fleur de Cassie mentionned I feel a touch of sadness. I loved this perfume so much, but hesitated about buying a full bottle. Then just when I finally did decide, a couple of months ago, that I really needed to have this perfume, I realized it had been reformulated. The wonderful retro opening is gone, it seems less floral, and instead the rather ugly wet cardboard note is accentuated. It takes about half an hour before it settles into what I was used to. The salesperson admitted that it had been reformulated. Very sad… I should have bought it as soon as I realized I loved it. April 2, 2014 at 5:48pm
Nikki: Are you sure? That is astonishing and unexpected in his line? I would love to know more about this reformulation of Une Fleur de Cassie, please? April 2, 2014 at 9:45pm
Maggie: Well, it was widely discussed, (in perfume loving circles) in about 2010 that Une Fleure de Cassie had been reformulated but I don’t know if this was ever definitively established. April 3, 2014 at 12:06am
Lilly: This is a very recent reformulation. The salesperson told me it was because of a new way of extracting cassie, or something to that effect. Whatever it is, if you have a chance to sniff it in a boutique, I would really like to know what other lovers of UFdC think. April 3, 2014 at 2:52am
Nikki: Thank you Maggie and Lilly! I read that from time to time perfumes will be “tweaked” by the original perfumers in Editions de Parfums, so that seems like a natural progression to me and not so much a re-formulation. I had a feeling about this though and bought as many as I could afford in the last years…and I was lucky to get the body butter which is now discontinued. That body butter is amazing, highly perfumed, not like a body cream but more like solid perfume. Really worth the money! April 3, 2014 at 6:25am
Victoria: I will definitely have to test it now, Lilly. It’s a given that all perfumes have been changed in one way or another, but it’s too bad that this change was for the worse. On the other hand, if you’re not happy, you should definitely let the company know. Reformulations are not a one way street, and it’s always possible to reformulate or re-reformulate better. April 3, 2014 at 10:50am
Michael: Apparently the “tweaking” of Une Fleur de Cassie has something to do with the mimosa absolute. Unfortunately I can’t remember the exact explanation. I only found out about it as I noticed Les Senteurs didn’t have any stock of it in their fridge and the sales assistant said it was because they were waiting for the new bottles to be delivered – this was a few weeks ago. April 3, 2014 at 10:45pm
Gentiana: Well, I smelled Une Fleur de Cassie for the first time in 2013 and that wet cardboard note puts me real off.
Ithought it is only my nose and/or my chemistry… April 8, 2014 at 7:24am
noseknows: Recently, I’ve been wearing L’AP Seville a l’Aube, Jean Patou Chaldee, Calandre, Jacomo Silences, and SNM Melograno. I’m glad this discussion has reminded me that it’s time for FM Une Fleur de Cassie. April 2, 2014 at 10:37pm
Victoria: A fun, diverse rotation! Is your Chaldee a new version or vintage? April 3, 2014 at 10:47am
Jillie: Sadly I discovered AG’s Eau de Camille too late – it had already been discontinued. It’s a vivid, lush, emerald scent smelling of ivy and privett but softened with rose and honeysuckle. Although it’s not at all like Diorissimo it reminds me of that lady’s green vibe, but has a more innocent soapiness, and is perfect for spring. April 3, 2014 at 2:31am
Victoria: Same here! I really fell in love with Eau de Camille a couple of months before I read that it was to be discontinued. I don’t stock up on any perfumes, and Annick Goutal’s are known to be delicate and not hold up to storage too well, so I just to let it go. April 3, 2014 at 10:45am
solanace: We had an unusually hot and dry summer this year, so I tried so many great colognes, because there was nothing else to wear under a blazing sun and 39 degrees. Now that temps are starting to drop a little, I can start wearing the fragrances I really enjoy, like Shalimar, l’Heure Bleue, Chergui or the black Armani. Yay! April 3, 2014 at 5:20am
Nikki: Sounds like the desert here….there is nothing but 4711 directly from the fridge sprayed all over or eau du the vert extreme by Bulgari and lots of evian brumisateur to survive that heat… April 3, 2014 at 6:27am
Victoria: All of the big and dramatic perfumes are coming out of hiding! I’m with you, I can’t wear anything overly strong when it’s hot, and 39C is unbearable. April 3, 2014 at 10:43am
Patricia: After reading this article, I pulled out all of my Malle fragrances to enjoy this spring. I own travel sizes of Lipstick Rose and L’Eau d’Hiver, and smaller decants and samples of most of the rest of the line.
I’m wearing L’Eau d’Hiver today, and it’s an absolutely perfect winter/spring transition scent. It reminds me of melting snow, bubbling streams, and birdsong. April 3, 2014 at 8:41am
Victoria: I decided to wear En Passant, since we talked about it so much. It seems like a perfect fit today. April 3, 2014 at 10:39am
Villette: For those who want to read the beautiful Turkish blog, it is possible to copy and paste Monseiur’s comments in http://www.translate.google.com The translation will be rough, but good enough to understand what Monsieur is saying. April 3, 2014 at 8:58am
Victoria: A good reminder, Villette. Thank you. April 3, 2014 at 10:38am
Bastet: I have yet to try any of the Malle line, but they sound so interesting. I am considering the coffret, because it is so hard to decide which fragrances to test and this way I would have a small amount of each (5 ml I believe). Has anyone tried the coffret, and was it worth the cost? April 3, 2014 at 9:14am
Victoria: I had one of the first coffrets they made, and I loved it. It was definitely worth the cost, especially if you already like several fragrances from the collection. The samples are generous enough to last for a while, except for Cologne Bigarade and L’Eau d’Hiver. Those disappeared in no time. April 3, 2014 at 10:35am
Bastet: Thanks, Victoria. And I do have a birthday coming up in a few weeks! April 3, 2014 at 1:27pm
Victoria: Perfect timing, then! 🙂 The new coffrets that include more perfumes are great. April 3, 2014 at 5:02pm
Gentiana: I took the year before the coffret with 18 perfumes.
This means 18×5=90 ml of perfume for the price of 225 Euro. Not cheap at all.
But, from my point of view, it is worth the money, because the 5 ml are enough to try each fragrance several times. And I like quite all of them (my tastes in perfumes are very wide)
Maybe Une Fleur de Cassie, Dans Tes Bras and Geranium Pour monsieur I don’t like, well… this means 75 ml of very good perfume for 225 Euro. Expensive, but you have a big fun for it. April 7, 2014 at 8:55am