Favorite Vintage Perfumes

Miss sofia said:

I Adore Film Noir - thanks for that site, i'm going to do like Miss G and add it to my faves - thanks!

Miss G - I have been away for some time, thinks went a bit pear-shaped for a bit i'm afraid, but i was lurking and still admiring your lovely wardrobe!! x

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I'm sorry to hear that but it's lovely to have you back - I hope things are ok with you now. X

Miss sofia said:

I Adore Film Noir - thanks for that site, i'm going to do like Miss G and add it to my faves - thanks!

Miss G - I have been away for some time, thinks went a bit pear-shaped for a bit i'm afraid, but i was lurking and still admiring your lovely wardrobe!! x

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You're welcome, please be sure to post your wins.

I'm wondering if I should start a new thread for this question or not. It is related to vintage perfumes, but not my favorites. I was walking with my aunts the other day and noticed a beautiful magnolia in full bloom. I said that I had never noticed the scent of magnolias before, but happened to see a magnolia perfume in a shop just the other day.
Aunt: " Ah yes! Magnolia perfume was always a scent for brunettes."
I think I had heard something about perfumes being matched with hair color before, but nothing specific. Has anyone else heard of this and, better yet, which perfumes go with which hair colors?

Again, let me know if this should go elsewhere. Thanks!

I love perfumes! I like floral perfumes – the more feminine and girly the better!

Current favourites are:

Stella by Stella McCartney
Petite Cherie by Annick Goutal
Miss Dior Cherie by Dior
Lily of the Valley by Penhaligons
Quel Amour by Annick Goutal
Violetta by Penhaligons

I really want a vintage perfume though! Not sure which one though. Fracas sounds interesting and so does L’Heure Bleue and Arpege.

I am sure that you all know so much more about vintage perfumes than I do so is there anything you would recommend based on my favourites?

I love Dior perfumes. Cherie is one of my favs :love:

I went shopping yesterday and went into a sweet little perfume shop. The lady working there was wonderful and knew so much about perfume.

I told her that I wanted a perfume from the 1950's that was feminine, floral, girly and not too heavy. I tested a couple and bought Diorissimo. Love the lily of the valley scent.

Apparently Princess Diana wore this perfume!

I think I had heard something about perfumes being matched with hair color before, but nothing specific. Has anyone else heard of this and, better yet, which perfumes go with which hair colors?

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Interesting question, Sylvanrealm...never heard of it myself (well, that's a lie, it's ringing some faint bells in the brain cells), but now I'm all curious... lol

Here is a bit of information on the hair color-perfume connection!

I looked up what I could online and didn't come up with too much, except for an article on ourvanity.com (I'm not including the direct link simply because of the ridiculous pop-ups). I'm not sure about the sources for the information and nowhere is there any mention that this is a vintage concept, but it seems to ring true with what I've heard before. I'm posting the article below (my apologies for the author's grammatical errors - I was tempted to make alterations but decided not to):

We all are surrounded by millions of different aromas during the day starting from the morning when we prepare breakfast, walk along the streets and finishing with an evening shower. But there are the fragrances that we use constantly – our perfumes!

It’s interesting to know that perfumers suppose that there is some sort of the connection between aromas of perfumes and color of women’s hair and her temperament.

Take a look at the following recommendations:

Blonds go well with fresh fragrances, a bit bitterish or floral: lilac, mimosa, viola or cyclamen, fresh notes perfumes with composition of freesia, lavender, blue lilac, bergamot, mignonette, water lily and citrous (Laura, Miss Arpels and others).

Brunettes prefer heady sweetish aromas.

Women with jet-black hair (especially eastern type women) are perfect for heady perfumes or visa versa, as you wish. There are the following fragrances in them: jasmine, tuberose, orange blossom, lily, narcissus, white lilac; and as the background aromas: musk or ambergris and sandalwood (Shalimar, Samsara, Opium, Magie Noir, Poison, Temptations and so on).


Red-haired women have perfect magnetic attraction with the aromas of perceptional hyacinth. The inconstant nature woman is bright enough with shiprovye perfumes and all sorts of them – aldehydic (Mitsouko, Chanel, Miss Dior and others).


Light-golden-brown-haired women are preferable with floral aromas: gardenia, acacia, honeysuckle, sweet pea.

Dark-brown-haired ladies are unique with honey-heady fragrances of Moroccan and Bulgarian roses and heliotrope.

Hello ladies - I purchased a few samples of vintage perfumes from The Perfumed Court but none are for me - if any of you would like any of the samples please send me a PM and I'll post them out to you - I hate the idea of them just lying in a drawer - would prefer if someone was trying them out - and maybe finding a new favourite scent!

Lanvin - My Sin Parfum
Lanvin - Arpege EDP
Guerlain - Apres L'Ondee EDT (Vintage)
Guerlain - Nahema EDP
Caron - Nuit de Noel Pure Parfum
Caron - Poivre
Caron - Tabac Blond Parfum
Paul Poiret - Rosine Nuit de Chine EDC
Knize - Knize Ten (Men's fragrance from 1924)

Gracie Lee said:

Hi Miss G - Could you post a short description of each? I'm really new to perfume in general, and while I'd love to try some out, I also wouldn't want to just be shooting in the dark when it would be awful on me. Thanks!

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No worries Gracie Lee - I've put in some links to the excellent Basenotes which is a great site for perfume reviews (all except the Poiret one - the site didn't cover it):

Lanvin - My Sin Parfum - http://www.basenotes.net/ID10212190.html
Lanvin - Arpege EDP - http://www.basenotes.net/ID10212074.html
Guerlain - Apres L'Ondee EDT (Vintage) - http://www.basenotes.net/ID10211611.html
Guerlain - Nahema EDP - http://www.basenotes.net/ID10211639.html
Caron - Nuit de Noel Pure Parfum - http://www.basenotes.net/ID10210563.html
Caron - Poivre - http://www.basenotes.net/ID10210590.html
Caron - Tabac Blond Parfum - http://www.basenotes.net/ID10210590.html
Paul Poiret - Rosine Nuit de Chine EDC - http://1000fragrances.blogspot.com/2006/02/nuit-de-chine-rosine-1913.html
Knize - Knize Ten (Men's fragrance from 1924) - http://www.basenotes.net/ID26120914.html

I am so glad I bought Diorissimo as I have had lots of comments on it so far. It makes me feel a little bit pretty!

Miss Golightly, I finally got home to my waiting samples of Rosine Nuit de Chine, My Sin, Nuit de Noel, and Tabac Blond. Wow, they are all so interesting! I wanted to say than you for the samples and the lovely little bag they came in.
Here are my impressions of them after several tries (I thought others might be interested):
Rosine Nuit de Chine - It's very light in this EdC concentration, soft florals and lots of soft wood, a bit of incense.
My Sin - Wet wool or wet dog! warm, friendly, comforting,dust, dried flowers, aldehydes, maybe a little spice
Nuit de Noel pure parfum- Starts off smelling of mulled wine, spiced plum cake, then moves into a cold woody/mossy smell (snow-covered forest), then moves to a cool lemony scent with dry wood. (I have no idea where the spice, plumy chocolate, and wine come from as nothing of the sort is in the notes).
Tabac blond - leather and cloves! also baked goods, vanilla, and chocolate. It sounds like it would be a warm scent, but I find it on the cooler side ( or maybe it's because my skin is cold at the moment I'm trying this again).
I like them all, even wet wool My Sin, though I like Tabac Blond best followed by Nuit de Noel (which is by far the most complex of the four). I may have to buy a small decant of Tabac Blond!

Tishkaminx said:

I am hoping someone can recomend a fragrance for me to try- i'f like to find a signature scent. I use Cyrstal Noir at the moment- but Id like somethign a bit more sophisticated. I'd liek an oriental/ floral-oriental fragramce- I've tried Mitsouko (hated- think it's the tobacco), Shalimar, Poison and Palmoa Picaso (dislike intensely). Can't remember trying Opium though. I like Arpege but would like something muskier, deeper and warmer- but not too 'masculine'. I like 1920's Vamps if that helps. Here are some clues which might help:

I like:
Vanilla- but not too much
Sharp smells- aldehydes
Incense/ Frankincse
Musky smells
Woody smells
Floral smells but not overtly lavender or rose etc.


I dislike:
Fruit/ citrus e.g peach
Food smells e.g. orange
neroli
Lilly of the valley
Tobacco
Leather

Thanks in advance if anyone has any suggestions.

Trish

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Kind Greetings Trish, I have a few suggestions for you if I may. I believe you are a Chypre girl just as I am. Seems a contradiction as you dislike Mitsouko a chypre but it's a fruity chypre the first of it's kind actually. Try Rive Gauche by Yves St Laurent, Knowing by Estee Lauder, if your budget is a bit lower have you every considered oils? Not a chypre but may I suggest amber paste by Kuumbra made? Available at whole foods or online Kuumbramade dot come for a mere 8 bucks plus shipping along with many lovely oils. I was told this scent is "the true smell of a woman". If you desire authentic period scents I'd suggest Chanel No 19, Miss Dior or Ma Griffe.

Snowdrop said:

I absolutely love Mitsouko (my favorite), Je Reviens, L'Aimant, Poison and Shalimar. And I know it's a cliche as far as old perfumes go, but I kind of like Chanel No. 5 too.

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Oh, I still have some Poison in the bathroom cabinet. I love it so much (but it is very heavy and intense) that I can't bear to toss it out. I've been thinking about looking for a vintage scent too this thread is great!

Late to the Party said:

Oh, I still have some Poison in the bathroom cabinet. I love it so much (but it is very heavy and intense) that I can't bear to toss it out. I've been thinking about looking for a vintage scent too this thread is great!

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I have poison too but it gives my mum a headache I love intense perfumes it makes me feel somehow seductive.

dmoran227 said:

Kind Greetings Trish, I have a few suggestions for you if I may. I believe you are a Chypre girl just as I am. Seems a contradiction as you dislike Mitsouko a chypre but it's a fruity chypre the first of it's kind actually. Try Rive Gauche by Yves St Laurent, Knowing by Estee Lauder, if your budget is a bit lower have you every considered oils? Not a chypre but may I suggest amber paste by Kuumbra made? Available at whole foods or online Kuumbramade dot come for a mere 8 bucks plus shipping along with many lovely oils. I was told this scent is "the true smell of a woman". If you desire authentic period scents I'd suggest Chanel No 19, Miss Dior or Ma Griffe.

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Hey there,

Have you tried Serge Lutens.

I tried the 'Chirgui' the other day and i have to say i was blown away by it. I love chypre scents and when i first smelt it, i thought 'Morocco'. In fact when i got home and looked on his site, it is indeed a scent that was created with the idea of Morocco in mind. It also lasts for hours too. I have tried some more of his scents and i have to say they are far superior to anything i have come across for a long while. Today i am wearing Bois de Feminite, which is a cedarwood, camphor, amber-y kind of scent, lovely. He also does florals too and most of his scents are unisex.

Does anyone else like Serge Lutens?

Hello! I have clair de musc-love it. I have not yet tried Chirgui but will add to my wish list next family exchange.Bois de Feminite sounds right up my alley. How perceptive of you to pick up the Moroccoan inspiration. I agree among the best quality. I thank you for that as I rely on notes, recommendations, and online reviews for a lot of my list. I don't have nearly enough time to testing scents esp. considering I try only one at a time if the initial whiff is pleasing enough to apply to my skin. I need to pay attention to all phases. I've also found judging a scent after another skews my judgement quite a bit. So I really appreciate. I'd like to ask you if I may, do you know of any chypre scents that may not be known in the states?
Also I'd like to ask your opinion on how and why you love Chypre scents if I may. I think of course we all have different receptors like taste buds from birth so it's at least partly nature but I think it may be partly nurture too. My mothers perfume tray was wonderful to me. I enjoyed them all but Rive Gauche was the first scent I fell madly headswimmingly in love with. So much so that I requested it for my eighth birthday. So you see do you agree or perhaps it's more of that was the first of the scent family I was predisposed to loving, I was exposed to? I hope I make sense and would appreciate all opinions on this.

Dmoran- i agree with the nature/nuture thing. Like you perhaps, the scents my mother wore when i was a child i think somehow influenced my tastes as an adult. She was a long time Opium wearer, now a Joy devotee. So perhaps my love of exotic, musky scents stems from that. I'm not good on perfume terminology as you can tell!

I have an olive skin, so very light, floral scents, while lovely on others don't really suit me. I grew up in Italy as a child, so my sensory receptors seem to be tuned into those mediterranean scents which were all around me, Jasmine, pine, orange, lemon, tuberose, basil, thyme, the list is endless. We used to sit on the verandah at night and smell all those scents wafting in from the garden, so i guess it's a nostalgia thing on my part.

The bois de feminitie is a great perfume - my first thought was pencil sharpenings, then camphor, then cedarwood, (my mum actually had a camphor chest, when we were kids), so i nailed that one too. Although apparently it is the most linear of his perfumes so i have been told. Being that it is mainly cedarwood. But i love it.

Please do try the Chirgui, i spritzed some on today and i got a real whiff of honey, which i didn't smell before. I gave my colleague at work a spritz too and while she thought it was too heavy for her, we agreed it was like a walk round a morrocan souk, a real gourmands treat, lots of amber and cinammon, then it tails off to lying outside a bedouin tent in some oasis at night, in the grass, anyone reading this will probably think i am off my rocker, but i have to say they are a sensory experience to say the least. Although he has created his perfumes with the express desire of taking the wearer on a journey, and i have to say the Chirgui certainly did that for me.

Fleur D'orangeur is a nice one of his - i got a sample of that one and for anyone who likes Jasmine, it is a lovely scent. My mum would adore this as the orange wore off quickly to a nice strong Jasmine scent.