tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post7770411029906875410..comments2024-03-28T05:28:29.786-04:00Comments on The Non-Blonde: 17 Perfumes To Seek In Vintage FormulationGaiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11561470171631737626noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-6909909004223286342017-03-06T10:43:00.491-05:002017-03-06T10:43:00.491-05:00I loved poison. recently I bought some and had to ...I loved poison. recently I bought some and had to return it because it was horrible. How can they still use the same name!!!neysa harroldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-51898395427611717212017-01-03T19:54:13.688-05:002017-01-03T19:54:13.688-05:00You can add almost every perfume made before 2000 ...You can add almost every perfume made before 2000 to the list. The sad reality is that a lot of the ingredients that used to make perfumes so elegant and beautiful just aren't available anymore. Or if they are, the cost to buy a fragrance would be hundreds, if not thousands. The most obvious example of this is true mysore sandalwood. If you've ever smelled the real thing, any other sandalwood will smell wrong and off. I think the first ingredient that perfume makers stopped using was real amber gris -- yes, the stuff whales 'expel' that washes up on beaches. It's thick, sticky, stinky, fish-smelling stuff that is full of squid beaks. It's also gives vintage perfumes their staying power. I can't think of a single reformulated perfume that is anything like the old stuff. Personally, I think I'd almost prefer it if they'd discontinue them instead of making imitations of the real thing. Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17342376039638974929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-33851800491108661742015-12-02T17:07:09.697-05:002015-12-02T17:07:09.697-05:00Will add Beautiful, since it no longer is. Person...Will add Beautiful, since it no longer is. Personally, I think reformulating fragrances should not be legal -- those that don't know better are throwing their money away on something that "was", I'd call it a sham. I'm annoyed by the masquerade, give the fragrance a new name and a discount.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-21206784861373893512015-08-02T18:10:35.875-04:002015-08-02T18:10:35.875-04:00My favourite perfume of all time is Tabu I have go...My favourite perfume of all time is Tabu I have got two bottles of vintage which was before they started putting scan codes on things and I have got the modern version which is ok until you put the vintage on no comparison the modern one is just a shadow compared to the vintage what a shame ?/Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15876998260377290067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-82145316665857457112015-07-09T03:55:54.491-04:002015-07-09T03:55:54.491-04:00I would like to add Chanel Coco. I love this and o...I would like to add Chanel Coco. I love this and own a small stash of vintage bottles of the late 80s and early 90s. The reformulated version is sad shadow of the original, very weak and only faintly recognizable in its base. <br />I tested it against a current version with the vintage on my left wrist for comparison. The shop assistant tried to deny outright that anything had changed at all. When I let her smell the vintage version, she didm't recognize it at first. She was too young to have experienced the original. Why oh why did Chanel destroy one of the greatest perfumes of all time?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-18635850043483102592015-04-23T11:01:08.874-04:002015-04-23T11:01:08.874-04:00The vintage Magie Noire was a scent that had becom...The vintage Magie Noire was a scent that had become my signature perfume; I wore it and nothing else. At least until they changed the formula and it was no longer the perfume I identified with. So I went on a quest to find a replacement scent but nothing satisfied my nose until I found the vintage Lancôme for sale on various internet sites. Magie Noire is a scent that stays with you all day and into the night; everything you wear becomes infused with the sexy scent and I feel like myself again.. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-16497031904397257532014-04-27T10:51:17.526-04:002014-04-27T10:51:17.526-04:00It is sooo disheartening when you discover what yo...It is sooo disheartening when you discover what you thought was a no-longer-in - production perfume, only to find it online, reformulated and an embarrassment to it's original creation. I found that with Coriandre, by Jean Couturier.<br />The original was an exhilarating blast of woody green that dried down to this clean, warm subtle floral..sigh...Now it has no staying power, no balls, if you will, and not worth the money. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-60663157410529379782014-01-20T11:11:03.669-05:002014-01-20T11:11:03.669-05:00Jude the obscure
Bought a really cheap bottle of T...Jude the obscure<br />Bought a really cheap bottle of Taboo last week and was transported back to my early forays into fragrance discovery<br />. It smelt just as sexy and lasted for ages. Love it love it. Also scored a lovely bottle of Cabochard. still wonderful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-10159919516357427332013-08-30T14:11:46.557-04:002013-08-30T14:11:46.557-04:00Just for information, Opium formula has been chang...Just for information, Opium formula has been changed in 2009 and the brand new Opium is so deceptive to my nose. Now Opium smells between Cinnamon and Youth Dew by Estée Lauder but the price is not the same !!!<br />All the french scents masterpieces are ruined !!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-41892836873565859982013-08-26T16:47:13.521-04:002013-08-26T16:47:13.521-04:00Chanel is no where as near as guilty as some of th...Chanel is no where as near as guilty as some of the other houses. Coco still smells like Coco to me. Givenchy has definitely cheapened their offerings more than Chanel has. I don't want to smell reformulated Ysatis because I think it will be a travesty. Same for the Diors, they smell cheaper. Poison is missing is sparkle but I have to say it still smells pretty good. Miss Dior...sigh...I have heard there is a trend going on with large houses reformulating their frags back to a more original state with the advent of a new, accepted oakmoss aroma chemical. Guerlain has done this with Mitsouko and they are working on Vol de Nuit now. I hope this is true. As for the worst most criminal reformulation I have ever experienced...hands down, what Tom Ford did to Opium. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-21097334247066237952013-08-26T16:33:20.043-04:002013-08-26T16:33:20.043-04:00To me, no reformulation was more criminal then wha...To me, no reformulation was more criminal then what P&G did to Patou 1000. But in all honesty I also think it would be impossible to reformulate back to its original splendor. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-23973945993798189532013-08-19T02:45:43.072-04:002013-08-19T02:45:43.072-04:00BTW any advice on how to store vintage perfume?? I...BTW any advice on how to store vintage perfume?? I should also say how much I enjoy reading your blog (even though I am a blonde :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-43391075288479180802013-08-19T02:25:02.225-04:002013-08-19T02:25:02.225-04:00I just bought a bottle of Magie Noir from 1986 - i...I just bought a bottle of Magie Noir from 1986 - it smells great - but it is almost 30 years old. Do you think there are any safety issues with perfume that old? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-9822813745418090752013-05-30T10:42:44.831-04:002013-05-30T10:42:44.831-04:00Just saw Kijiji Ottawa (Canada) lists an *unopened...Just saw Kijiji Ottawa (Canada) lists an *unopened* Lalique bottle of L'Air du Temps from 1970's. Wonder how it's lasted and what it's worth. Is there any way to 'extend' a vintage bottle's contents?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-90980387158782397982013-05-19T15:25:41.367-04:002013-05-19T15:25:41.367-04:00I am new to this totally amazing web site, i thoug...I am new to this totally amazing web site, i thought i was alone in mourning the passing of some of my olfactory signatures from the past.If it aint broke , dont fix it is what i say. Why mess around with what i regard as great works of art?Just tell where i can get my hands on a bottle of Guerlains "ODE"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-44953997854124337682013-03-12T21:52:40.442-04:002013-03-12T21:52:40.442-04:00I have just bought some Chanel 19 eau de parfum on...I have just bought some Chanel 19 eau de parfum on e bay. I first used this in 1980 in Paris, and become very nostalgic whenever I smell this lovely perfume. It was a bargain on e bay, so I hope it smells ok. Wish that I had seen your site earlier. I will let you know if this compares well with the 1980 version.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02827611915122174247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-70617647168113302662013-03-09T01:28:24.192-05:002013-03-09T01:28:24.192-05:00Late to the party, but thank you, thank you, Sam-I...Late to the party, but thank you, thank you, Sam-I-Am. Thank you for confirming that my Mom and I have NOT gone crazy, and that unethical people who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing have gotten their hooks into our dearly loved Ysatis (Mom) and Obsession (me). She says she almost can't recognize Ysatis (weak and somehow missing some things) and while the new Obsession's not bad, it lasts about 10 minutes on me before my body is finished with it after stomping up and down on it, chewing it up and spitting it out. No staying power, even if I marinated in perfume--which I don't. I understand my (paternal) grandmother loved Mitsuoko but now I'm hearing this has also been gutted. How sad to think that what you hoped would be an almost 100-year old tradition has been thrown out in favor of making money off the name.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05074785326792344349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-33591009910102007292012-09-02T19:38:18.830-04:002012-09-02T19:38:18.830-04:00Thank you for writing this column, it is helping t...Thank you for writing this column, it is helping to preserve - and to allow others to discover - our olfactory heritage. And I love the term 'frag-rage' which I suffer from regularly, though often it's just 'frag-melancholia' to know that such exquisite treasures and works of art have passed out of this world and will expire completely when the last bottle is used up and human memory of it is gone.<br /><br />Then people will sniff the late 21st century formulations of L'Heure Bleue, which will probably be called Loorblu by then, and say, this is nothing special, what on earth did they go on about?<br /><br />Thank goodness we have the indies to keep the ethos of classic perfumery alive. Denise Hamiltonhttp://www.denisehamilton.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-40311754316406796932012-08-29T01:19:08.991-04:002012-08-29T01:19:08.991-04:00Guerlain-Jicky is at the top of my list for Guerla...Guerlain-Jicky is at the top of my list for Guerlain, the original formula was much richer, velvety-smooth.<br /><br />Hermes- Bel Ami and Amazone. In Amazone’s original formula, the oakmoss gives depth, and the greenness of vetiver gives it a wonderful freshness, giving balance to the fruit notes. The current formula is flat. And don’t get me started about Bel Ami, the leather notes are no longer recognizable.<br /><br />Chanel No.19. I agree with the frag-rage. The new No. 19 is much less green, with almost no leathery edge. My other huge disappointment is Cristalle edt, the reform is especially evident in the drydown. It doesn’t resemble the sporty chypre I fell in love with at 16.<br /><br />Givenchy- Ysatis used to be wonderful, it was a beautiful animalic floriental. I really (really) miss Ysatis’ body products, the body cream especially. It came in this magical cream/gel formula that had a featherweight whipped consistency.<br /><br />Lancome- Magie Noire. In a way, I’m glad Lancome stopped production of their modern debacle; it’s a perfume better off discontinued. The 1978 perfume was, indeed, a thing of elegance and beauty..<br /><br />Estee Lauder- Estee, the original had a beautiful lilac/rose note with sparkling aldehydes. The current version is just fuzzy and muddled.… My other love was Aliage, the current version is decent, but the older formulation had more galbanum/oakmoss and is less awkward.<br />Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04799815810869706346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-44203531160222713032012-08-28T09:39:46.565-04:002012-08-28T09:39:46.565-04:00I'm a little afraid that PdN's Odalisque h...I'm a little afraid that PdN's Odalisque has suffered from reformulation. It's still terrific, but the old sample I had was nearly mindblowing, like your first whiff of Secretions...wonderful. Now it is an almost perfectly clean floral, and that minus the ethylmaltol and vanilla is something for which to be grateful. Still, the older stuff was outstanding.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-19881206688038045112012-08-25T11:43:27.049-04:002012-08-25T11:43:27.049-04:00Vintage Jolie Madame and L'Interdit--gorgeous!...Vintage Jolie Madame and L'Interdit--gorgeous! And dare I add vintage Taboo? Back in the day, we weren't afraid of raunchy scents. So much of a scent's perception is just a matter of the environment and the times in which it was worn. So, yeah, I'll add Taboo :-)Eileennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-70369747538123028922012-08-25T11:16:35.360-04:002012-08-25T11:16:35.360-04:00I notice that Guerlain's Mitsuoko also has a l...I notice that Guerlain's Mitsuoko also has a lipstick named after it - do you think that there is ever any special relationship between a fragrance and its namesake (like a shared image or idea?), or do they just sort of reuse names for continuity within a brand? Alisonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-65510592788484850472012-08-25T07:30:16.377-04:002012-08-25T07:30:16.377-04:00I grew up on my mother's Dior poison, YSL Opiu...I grew up on my mother's Dior poison, YSL Opium and Chanel no.5 and 19, which became reassuring scents to me. I kept the bottles and the scents still lingers. it is sad that current ones are ghosts of the old versions. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02624256132970390913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-52671928238110259452012-08-25T04:45:48.047-04:002012-08-25T04:45:48.047-04:00This is a subject to get perfume enthusiasts every...This is a subject to get perfume enthusiasts everywhere hopping mad. I don't take such a bleak view as you do regarding many of the Chanels and Diors, but I agree that the current Dioressence is not worth bothering with if you can get your hands on some pre-reformulation Dioressence (at least one of the major decant services is selling pre-reformulated Dioressence at a very reasonable price). I'm also disappointed in Vent Vert and Magie Noire. <br /><br />I must say though that I have no problem with the current Femme. In fact I adore it, but then I like cumin. I picked up some vintage Femme EDC on ebay but was disappointed, not so much because the top notes had turned (that happens) but because its staying power was very poor. Once the perfume emerges out of the damaged top notes, I really only get about an hour's good wear out of it before it fades. Apart from a nice dirty patchouli base that I don't notice so much in the modern Femme, I could not see what the fuss is about. I wonder if it dates from the final years of Femme before the 1989 reformulation, when Rochas was not bothering to support it with hight quality materials. <br /><br />The take-home thought for me is that I would rather a good reformulation than a run-down and cheapened vintage version. annemariecnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-27021514775076190642012-08-25T04:05:23.580-04:002012-08-25T04:05:23.580-04:00ohhhh i would LOVE to find a bottle of vintage no1...ohhhh i would LOVE to find a bottle of vintage no19 and ysatis...by any chance have you done a post on how to find/recognize a bottle of vintage fragrances without getting ripped off? i saw a bunch of "vintage" ysatis bottles on ebay, but they look exactly like the ones that are being sold at Ulta...any help is greatly appreciated! thank you, ocelot1Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com