Fragrance Reviews by vintage*red

Guys...women like this! There is nothing wrong with "hitting to center field" and this scent hits dead center. It is not too strong. It is not offensive. It does not smell "cheap". Driven is a slightly sweet and very pleasant herbal fragrance that can be worn anywhere, anytime. Even though I rarely like Avon fragrances (the last one I purchased was Tamarind for men), I like this one and I DID buy it for my husband. Don't tell him that I spritz it on myself occasionally!

This is a nice, light inoffensive floral...not as terrible as "The Guide" states but not very inspiring, either. The new formula lacks some of the more subtle fragrance notes that I could never quite define but were obviously important. Those notes made a "little" fragrance much more interesting. Another problem...this fragrance does not last! It seems to evaporate before any kind of drydown. If you are looking for a nice, light floral, save your money and buy Tommy Girl instead.

What happened to the wonderful, wistful white floral that had great sillage and staying power while remaining transparent and soft? Diane Von Furstenberg thought enough of this one to name it after her daughter! I can only guess that it suffered when it was sold for mass marketing. I do know that she tried to buy back the fragrance line because of what had been done to it! For those who never had an opportunity to try this back in the 70's, I am truly sorry. It was a triumph. I give the old one five stars. I would not give two cents for the new one.

Tresor is one of the only rose based fragrances that I like, although I have not tried Nahema yet. It is a little "victorian" in nature (what else could a true rose fragrance be?), but it is not old fashioned in any way. I compliment people when they wear this and people compliment me when I wear this. So why don't I buy another bottle to keep around? I guess the reason is that I just don't LOVE it. It doesn't inspire me in any way. It lacks the brightness of No 5, the almost Gothic moodiness of L'Heure Bleue or the sheer joy of Insolence. But it really is a very nice rose scent...if you like that sort of thing.

A warm, pretty, uncomplicated scent. I used to wear this one exclusively in the winter, until I read a comment that wearing this in summer was a refreshing change. On a summer night, there is something sexy yet comforting about it. While not inspiring, this is a safe choice for a gift and a safe choice for any situation. Just like my old cotton nightgown, Sensi is a fragrance that I like to keep around.

The reviews of this are interesting. Some think that this a warm fragrance. I got just the opposite impression. I could really pick out the basil, coriander and petitgrain and there is something very fresh about that combination. Also, I felt that, although this perfume was long lasting, it wasn't too strong. A very versatile and unusual scent. Even though it is not a scent that I can't do without, I like it & will probably buy it again.

A good perfume that gets a bad rap, possibly because of the price (inexpensive) or possibly from the overexposure. I bought this when it first came out just because of the name. I loved it then & I like it now, especially the price. I use the bath gel, lotion & perfume for staying power. It is a warm, spicy scent that is perfect for cold New England winters. If this one is too much for you, try Sensi. It has staying power but it is much more subtle.

I bought this with my sister in mind. She is younger, bolder and maybe braver than I am. For me, Bandit is too strong (did I say that?), too green at the start and way too "perfumey" at the finish. I can't believe young people like this stuff. I hate it and it gives me a headache... and I know that my sister will LOVE it!

I first smelled this on a co-worker and I loved it! I ran to the store, bought the EDT and was so dissappointed. This is a BIG fragrance that deserves to be worn at least in the EDP if not in the pure parfum. If you love Giorgio's Red, you will love this. It is so spicy and so warm. It is more complex than Red. But it also is more expensive. There are two things that I have learned over the years: one is that you usually get what you pay for; two is that perfume doesn't always need to be expensive to be good.

Not the best effort that I have come to expect from the House of Guerlain! I find this a little pedestrian and a little too sweet. I should state the disclaimer that I am not a fan of sweet florals, even though I like Insolence. My sister, on the other hand, IS a fan of flowery scents and she loves this. My advise...get a sample before making a purchase. I have never smelled the original formulation, so maybe I am judging unfairly.

A truly elegant floral/oriental in traditional Guerlain fashion! It is far richer than Heure Exquisite but it is similar in that smoky, dusky twilight way. I never appreciated the sensous beauty of this scent when I was young. To me now, it symbolizes the scents of spring...thawing earth and sulking, hardy blossoms. This is not a fragrance for everyone, but I love to wear it on cool damp days. It keeps my thoughts warm and my attitude hopeful. If you love Mitsouko, you will probably like this "sister scent".

I could never understand the popularity of this fragrance. My introverted (at the time) daughter wore it; my extroverted (and slightly older than me) boss wore it. I thought that it was gawd awful and yet it was everywhere! How could the folks who brought us Diorella do such a thing? In my humble opinion, Poison really IS poison...to be avoided at all costs. Dior did redeem itself when it introduced Dune, a unique beauty.

I had to try this because of the obnoxious pink box. It is a cheerful, fruity floral if you like that sort of thing. It doesn't offend and does not reflect in any way that box! I thought that my daughter would love it, but she only gave it an "eh". My nose must be failing me, because I thought this one would have a mass audience. To me it is one of the better new fragrances for young women. Although it lacks the pizzazz of Insolence and the beauty of Tommy Girl, I still think that it is a very, very nice perfume.

I tried this in 1969 when it was introduced and was wildly popular with young women. So many years later, I tried it again because I had no memory of it. Now I understand the reason. To me it is a nice but unremarkable floral. I know "The Guide" says that it is a masterpiece, but to me it is a fragrance that doesn't take any chances. It just doesn't stand out in any way, good or bad. It's pretty but I'll pass.

Apres l'Ondee is anything but "the sunshine after the rain". It is painfully beautiful and whispers ominous news to anyone who will listen. This is the only Guerlain fragrance that should be sold in the EDT only (a disturbing trend in fragrances such as Vol de Nuit). I am not a huge fan of florals, but this one should not be missed. It is such a mystery...it relays the impression of Spring that will never become Summer. It's cool aloofness makes it unusual for a Guerlain. A truly unique experience!

This is such a beautiful fragrance...much like Shalimar, but with an earthy edge. It's such a shame that Guerlain makes this in EDT only, because this scent would be far better served in an EDP or pure parfum. It lacks staying power, so the wearer never has an opportunity to experience what could be a wonderful drydown. I'll save my money to buy Sacrebleu from Parfums de Nicolai instead.

Once again in my search for the perfect summer fragrance, I purchased this, untried, from the Chanel website. My first reaction was TOO strong, a sentiment that I rarely express. Immediately I put this in the "give away" box. Curiosity got the better of me, so I tried it again. Nope! Back to the box. (Will I ever grow into anything but No 5 from Chanel?) On the third try, I began to understand. This is like some people...hard to love. Yet there is something that keeps me coming back. Cristalle is definately a chypre but it lacks the beauty of Mitsouko and the complexity of Diorella. However, anyone who is serious about perfume should try this once...maybe three times.

In a search for the perfect summer fragrance, I bought Diorella without even trying it. Upon my first whiff, I thought...nice, but I probably won't buy this one again. As the day progressed, I was amazed at the beautiful drydown. Every note of the EDP is given an opportunity to take center stage until the earthy, patchouli finish. (I never guessed that I would like patchouli in the oppresive summer heat!) And Diorella has good staying power without giving me or anyone else a headache. When I don't know which perfume to wear, I reach for this. Just the fact that there is not one negative review should make anyone thinking about trying this one to run to the department store.

What a pity that such a lovely fragrance has such a terrible name! My daughter brought this home from a show in NYC where Tommy Hilfiger was a guest. I never would have tried this & probably will never buy this; yet it is a light, not too sweet floral with some staying power. In spite of the fact that I am not a huge fan of most florals, this one is just different enough & complex enough to recommend. I put this and Juicy Couture in the same category...pretty, unoffensive and perfect for young (and maybe not so young) women.

I have a love/hate relationship with this one. When the drydown gets no farther than watery cucumbers ( a scent better for the kitchen than actually ON someone), I hate it. When the drydown gets through the cucumber to amber lily, I LOVE it in spite of the fact that I am not passionate about many florals. Long lasting and especially good for summer, Gold doesn't seem common to me. It's really kinda nice!

Givenchy loved Audrey Hepburn and that fact is evident in his perfumes of that era. Le De and L'Interdit are a little thin, but very beautiful! Soft, feminine floral scents that speak simply in spite of being very complex...Givenchy III has a slight edge to it, but never looses that soft, almost transparent feeling. This fragrance is great to try if you are a little unsure about wearing a chypre. This trio is a great for the perfume novice. In fact, these are great fragrances to try again.

I am a Guerlain girl and Shalimar is the reason. This is really a simple perfume, especially by today's standards. Citrus, spice, vanilla...and the Guerlain magic! I have searched for another like this, because Shalimar was a part of a sad time in my life. Samsara is nice but loud.(If I want a nice loud Shalimar, I reach for Giorgio's Red. It's nice and loud and inexpensive). I haven't tried Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan yet, but I bet that it is no Shalimar. So after many years of searching, it is back to Shalimar. The new reformulation is different than the original, not quite as rich yet somehow deeper.

Insolence is a cheerful L'Heure Bleue with rasberry over, under & sideways notes. It is sweet yet bold...and I like it! My husband gave this to me as a gift and I was a little unsure at first until I wore it for the first time and received lots of compliments. Yes, people can smell you coming, but they seem to like what they smell! The iris and violets tone down the rasberry to a wearable fragrance. This is for those happy, carefree days (or days that you would like to feel carefree).

Another beautiful perfume from PdN! It is a kind of oriental floral gourmand with a spicy vanilla incense drydown that rivals Shalimar. In spite of that description, the scent is not too heavy-handed. I always receive compliments when I wear this and I always am eager to recommend Parfums de Nicolai. I like it best in the intense concentration. It isn't stronger; it simply lasts longer.

This is one of the most beautiful floral/chypre perfumes I can think of. Parfums de Nicolai references muguet...and I do detect that...but this is not an "old lady" floral. It is moody but not sad like Apres L'Ondee. It is mysterious but not outragiously so like Bandit. It stays with you for a reasonable amount of time, but it is not loud in any way. The drydown smells of woods and incense. The opening notes remind me of Spring and the closing notes remind me of Autumn. How perfect is that!

Where have I been all my life? I have been a Guerlain girl since the sixties when a little Guerlain cologne went a long way. But, until recently, I had never experienced Mitsouko. Did I try it and not like it? Did I try it and then forgot about it? Not likely! This is serious perfume. This is something like no other. Every time I wear this, I detect something new. One day I smell ripe peaches; another day I love the bergamot or the spices or the woodsy oakmoss. I embrace the jasmine, even though I am not a fan of flowery perfume. This is my "go to" girl. I wear this anywhere and everywhere. I have searched for another chypre that rivals this one. I have been to Dior and I love Diorella. I am learning to love Cristalle. (My goal is to grow up and appreciate Chanel, but I'd better hurry.) But Mitsouko remains my favorite. If you think that you don't like Mitsouko, try the EDP. It is so much richer and fuller than the EDT.

Where do I begin when the different concentrations of Jicky don't seem related? The EDT is the brightest citrus; the EDP is the best lavender; and the pure parfum is pure Guerlainade! I love them all in spite of the fact that the EDT last about 20 minutes; the EDP lasts about 30 minutes; and the pure parfum last about 45 minutes. Normally, I would give up and try something else, but this stuff is wonderful! I spray the EDT on my pillow and I spray the EDP on myself. I'm in love with this Jicky guy, but I only wish that he would stick around longer.

I wore Rive Gauche when it first was introduced, and believe me, the new version is not "it", not even close! This is the only fragrance on any of the Turin & Sanchez best lists with which I find fault. The new reformulation is horrible. Period.

I had not smelled No 5 since my grandmother's death in 1970. This was her favorite, but I had not given it much thought until I was thumbing through "Perfumes: The Guide". I rushed online and ordered the EDT, EDP and parfum from the Chanel website. When my package arrived, I quickly sprayed the EDP and suddenly was taken back in time. In spite of the reformulations, I immediately recognized that beautiful scent! No "old lady" smell, no pretense of the eighties, just a wonderful, bright floral that could go to a grand wedding or to a baseball game. If you have never tried it (which I would find hard to believe if you are on this site), please do. It's perfect! It has just enough sillage to be pleasant but not overpowering. And it stays with me for a few hours which is unusual except for some very loud fragrances. Thumbs way up for this one!

Another one of those "Big Eighties" (REALLY BIG) scents! It is powerful, long lasting and complex. From the notes in this, I should really like it, but it is ALL perfume and no heart.

Thanks to all who reviewed this perfume! This is one of the "Big Eighties" perfumes that I just don't understand. It's nice (my sister...younger...loved it), but it is not at all memorable.

This is a very rich, sophisticated combination of citrus & woods which would work for anyone, anywhere. Yet, in spite of it's reputation for lasting a long time, this is "Gone in Sixty Seconds" with me. I wish that was not the case with this line, because I like most of the fragrances (they are complex) and would purchase them frequently if they had more staying power.

Of all the Annick Goutal scents that were available when I visited one of the shops in Paris, this was the one that I chose for myself. It is truly beautiful, a bit nostalgic but not sad. Unfortunately, as with all the fragrances from this line, it does not last with me.