CLEOPATRA'S BOUDOIR

Premier designer and personal couturier to Nancy Reagan, James G. Galanos’s signature perfume, aptly named Galanos was launched in 1979. It is classified as a Floral-Oriental fragrance for women. Galanos won a FiFi award in 1980 and I can see why.

The original vintage perfume is composed with top notes of lemon, orange, mandarin and chamomile, coriander, clove, bay leaf and cypress, heart notes of orange flower, jasmine, gardenia, ylang-ylang, muguet, rose, geranium and carnation on base notes of musk, amber, vanilla, Tonka bean, vetiver, cedar wood, oak moss, sandalwood and patchouli.

Just received a vintage sample from Bab, who sent me some lovely perfume samples to review this week. I am so grateful that this one was in the lot. Galanos is pure seduction. Its oriental character speaks soft, subtle tones of spices, namely clove, chamomile, bay leaf and coriander. To me it smells the way a bazaar in Morocco would smell, with baskets of mandarin oranges, lemons and navel oranges gleaming in the sun.

Gorgeous scent, with low tones of florals such as orange blossom (my favorite) gardenia, carnation, jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, ylang ylang and geranium, finally rounds out with basenotes of amber, Tonka bean, cypress, cedar, vanilla, patchouli, vetiver, oak moss, sandalwood and erogenous musk. I also detect a honeyed accord not found in the newer reissue. With all the scents melding together it would be a great scent for a harem’s incense burner, or hammam soap.

This is definitely a jewel in the rough. I thought that it would smell divine and I was not disappointed. If you find this vintage treasure for sale on eBay, snatch it up, you’d swear it was from a niche house.

The original Galanos was launched in a very dark navy blue box with white trim and lettering, it was still being sold til around 1985, then it was discontinued for quite some time. At the launch, you were able to purchase all of the Galanos ancillaries: parfum, eau de parfum, eau de toilette, moisture lotion, dusting powder, shower and bath gelee, and an extra rich moisture cream. A true American original, Galanos was being sold at better department stores like Neiman Marcus alongside French perfumes of the same calibre.

It was re-issued in 1995, probably without the oak moss for IFRA reasons. The newer Galanos perfume comes in a turquoise colored box. I prefer the older, vintage scent over the newly reformulated one.

Similar scents: Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, Youth Dew by Estee Lauder, Tabu by Dana and Cinnabar by Estee Lauder.

I was very happy to receive a small sample of this rare cult favorite perfume. At first sniff, it was sharp, almost medicinal and with an aromatic citrus scent, maybe bergamot, also detected what I think is either vetiver or clary sage, white musks, ambergris.  Then a hauntingly sweet, warm, and compelling familiar  scent. Smells a lot like Johnson’s Baby Shampoo to me in the dry down. Houbigant Musk Oil (under the division of Alyssa Ashley) is a wonderful floral musk that is the ultimate skin scent. Just a little dab will do.

I have since read 4 different perfume reviews that Houbigant Ambergris became Monsieur Musk, which was originally by Houbigant, but last produced by Dana. Though it is not being produced any longer, it is still very easy to find.

Alyssa Ashley was bought out by Houbigant once upon a time, in case you were not aware of it. Alyssa Ashley and/or Houbigant Musk, Ambergris, and Civet were the same products as I understand it. 

Both the Civet and Ambergris spray mists say "Houbigant" on the front of the bottles, but if you turn the bottles around they say "Alyssa Ashley Inc. Div. Houbigant Inc. New York, N.Y. 10019 written length wise on the back. These were the black aerosol bottles with silver caps with the eye logo for the Civet and the wave logo for the Ambergris (which also looks like it could be the fins of a whale breaking the ocean's surface).

The perfume ws launched in 1975 and was discontinued sometime in the early 1980s.

“If She's Female As Well As Feminine...Giver Her Noa-Noa

It's Helena Rubinstein's new Gauguin-inspired perfume.

Ever dream of holding a pretty temptress in your arms - languid, seductive, warm as a Gauguin painting? The give the Siren in your life Noa Noa... “

Helena Rubenstein's perfume, Noa-Noa (Tahitian superlative for fragrant) was launched in 1953, along with a Gaugin inspired cosmetics line.

NOA.-NOA.

a new adventure in perfume by Helena Rubinstein.

NOA-NOA, lush blossoming new fragrance the very heartbeat

o{ the tropics Fiery daring provocative is female as well as feminine! Helena Rubinstein found her inspiration in Gauguin’s intense paintings of Tahitian women with their flower framed faces, love shaped lips, dreaming eyes

Noa-Noa, pronounced “no uh no uh” is Tahitian for very fragrant -a fragrance

that says NO while it means YES

Noa Noa is truly a perfume for every woman’s personal paradise Wear Noa Noa! Be Noa Noa!

Wear it with the uninhibited lipstick Gauguin Pink, ;

Refills .Noa-Noa Skin Perfume, Noa-Noa "Concentrate.

Noa Noa continued to be sold into the 1970s then it was discontinued. Later in 1990, Otto Kern came out with his version of Noa Noa, which is not the same as the previous fragrance. In 1999, a Noa perfume by Cacharel was released, again not like the original scent.

"A not so ordinary weed threatens to engulf America with its unusual scent.But before you reach over and dial the Environmental Protection Agency, may be you ought to know the ancient legend of the Malagua tree, and the manner of its modern-times use to create a new trend to unisexual fragrances.

The blossom of Malagua treee, which is in fact a giant weed from the sunny Caribbean, is used in a new scent for men and women, predicted by noted experts as the fragrance of the future.

According to legend, in the early 17th century at a time when all things mystical and mysterious permeated the culture of the Caribbean, the early Conquistadors were invading the islands In their search for Caribe gold.

The islanders had developed the art of deriving a highly prized oil from the malagua blossoms. The oil was said to possess strange and the mysterious qualities which could act on the senses like an aphrodisiac.

The friendly islanders willingly surrendered their secret to the Conquistadors who shared in the ritual of stroking the oil onto their bodies to immerse themselves in the mysterious hold of the weed. They soon came to value the oil nearly as much as they valued gold.

So goes the legend, which remained lost in antiquity until its rediscovery by Bert Van Kooten, who is young , Dutch and very inquisitive and who stumbled across the ancient story. So fascinated was he, that he ventured to the Caribbean in pursuit of his hobby of tracking down those things that exude usual scents to help him in his art as a skilled professional perfumer. His curiosity about the blossom that had spurred the legend is being amply rewarded.

Van Kooten is the creator of “Havana Weed Oil” which was sweeping the country as Musk Oil did in the previous decade. His sensitive professional “nose” soon told him that alone and unassisted the fragrance of the weed was too simple and disappeared too quickly. He would have to combine it, and this would eventually take him two and a half to find exactly the formulation he sought to enhance the Havana Weed Oil fragrance.

Using the sensuous scent of the Malagua blossom as his violin, he carefully orchestrated a symphony of fragrant ingredients which would linger on as a background to its clear haunting melody and all would never vanish at the same time.

He fragrance was introduced in 1975 in Europe before its introduction in the USA.

Havana Weed Oil is quickly taking its place in the forefront as an answer to the new trend seen the developing in unisexual fragrance.

Although no user has been seen anointing his or her body a la 17th century, rumor has it that some may be testing to see if the Conquistadores were right. Test it for yourself at America’s foremost cosmetic departments as well as in fifteen foreign countries and who knows, it may immerse your in the spell."

Today I have a perfume nip of Mai Tai which was brought out by Browny in 1950.

This is a light floral fragrance for women,I can detect notes of aldehydes, oakmoss, vetiver, civet, amber, benzoin, vanilla, sandalwood and muguet. I dont detect any sort of "tropical" flowers like frangipani or ylang ylang but there is a floral note in there, smells a little like jasmine. layered over vanilla.

This was a pleasant surprise. Perhaps you can find this fragrance on ebay.

Sortilege was created in 1937 by Paul Vacher of Le Galion. It was composed of over 80 ingredients.

Sortilège is a floral aldehydic in the direction of vintage Chanel No.5, powdery and very rosy with a delicate woody and jasmine note.

Top: aldehydic - bergamot, aldehydes, hyacinth, neroli, fruity notes (peach/strawberry).

Middle: floral - rose-jasmine with ylang ylang, lily of the valley, orris, lilac, sweet violets 

Base: woody balsamic sweet - vetiver and sandalwood with cedar, vanilla, coumarine (tonka), civet, musk, a delicate chypre note and ambery-opoponax.

Le Trèfle Incarnat, created by perfumers Jacques Rouchè and Pierre Aremingeat, was made up of a newly synthesized aroma chemical called amyl salicylate. It had a soft, sweet-hay note. It was this use of accord chemicals that began to pull perfumery out of the 19th century floral phase and bring it into the golden age of perfumery — the first five decades of the 20th century.

Amyl salicylate was a creation of a chemist named Georges Darzens who worked with LT Piver in order to put his discoveries to use. Legend has it that, that Le Trèfle Incarnat was developed under professor Drazen's supervision at l'Ecole polytechnique.

Trèfle Incarnat ("trèfle" is French for clover; "trèfle incarnat" is French for a particular variety of clover, the trifolium incarnatum( red clover)) was blended from both the new iso amyl salicylate and iso eugenol with possibly a touch of natural clover tossed into the mixture. The exact date of creation is somewhat in doubt but the 1896 appears to be the date.

Trèfle Incarnat was distributed to LT Piver's international market which included, in addition to France and the rest of Europe, the United States and Japan. Advertising for Trèfle Incarnat can be found in La Illustratión Españole as early as 1899. An existing page from the Atlantic Constitution from February, 1909, shows that Trèfle Incarnat, along with other Piver products, was being sold in that city.

It is believed that LT Piver continued to sell the Trèfle Incarnat perfume into the 1920's.

Some bottles were distributed with a glass stopper in the shape of a four leaf clover, although the illustration on the bottle's label continued to show a three-leaf clover — the anatomically correct trèfle incarnat.

Of Le Trèfle Incarnat, perfumer Ernest Beaux comments, "We now saw a perfume emerge from banality, the Trèfle Incarnat of Piver, based on amyl salicylate."

Much of this article was used from Perfume Projects."

Maritza No 9 was launched in the early 1950s, not much information is to be found on this perfume. I am lucky to have a vintage 1950s perfume nip to use for this review. 

What does it smell like?  Well its a fougere and has notes of aldehydes, oakmoss,vanilla,vetiver, fern,spices like cloves and cardamon, lily of the valley, narcissus, patchouli and possibly sandalwood. It smells nicer on skin than paper.

Sweet and voluptuous, an intense fragrance of absolute femininity. Created by CHANEL Master Perfumer Ernest Beaux in 1925, GARDÉNIA is an olfactive ode to the camellia, Mademoiselle Chanel's favorite flower. A vanilla base rises to meet a heart of sweet fruit and creamy gardenia petals, accented with coconut. Sending the scent aloft: the crisp greens of the flower's morning leaves. - By Chanel

I definitely smell the gardenia accord in this fragrance, it sticks out like a sore thumb and mixes with violets and aldehydes to create an ethereal gardenia/tuberose note rival to Rober Piguet's Fracas. The vanilla drydown is a pleasant surprise as the gardenia and the vanilla go very well together. A very green mossy vetiver note mixed with narcissus is present as is a civet like note that I detect.  I am using a 1950s perfume nip for this review and I dont know how it compares to today's Gardenia by Chanel.

Gardenia is gorgeous floral bouquet and an admirable example of  the talent of the great perfume creator, Ernest Beaux. . Gardenia was relaunched in 1980-es together with other exclusive perfumes - Bois des Iles and Cuir de Russie. The reconstructed version is very similar to the original (vintage). At the time of Ernest Beaux synthetic materials technology was still undeveloped, and due to synthetic notes the new version of Gardenia is more modern and not at all that heavy and strong as expected from white flowers. The elegance of Gardenia is timeless.

Natural fragrance of gardenia can not be distillated, and in this composition it is substituted by fragrances of orange blossom, and jasmine, succored by sweet tuberose note. In the base of the composition, beside musk, there are woody notes of patchouli, vetiver and sandal. Today, Gardenia comes as eau de parfum and eau de toilette. The official notes of the modern perfume are:

jasmine, gardenia, orange blossom, tuberose, clove, sage, pimento, musk, patchouli, sandalwood and vetiver.

White Satin by Angelique came out in 1949. A 1950 ad reads: "Angelique White Satin demurely innocent as a bride, fragrantly floral, light and gay. "

A 1953 ad mentions that this is a "world famous cologne loved for is haunting allure."

What does it smell like? Avon's original scent of skin so soft. It has notes of citrus(lemon maybe), geranium, powdery amber, lilac, lily of the valley,lavender, light musk, woods such as sandalwood.

I used a vintage 1950s perfume nip to sample the fragrance, smells better on skin than on paper. On the skin it is lush and pretty, a delicate, fresh and light floral powder scent emanates.

Cabochard is the fragrant image of Madame Alix Gres (born Germaine Emilie Krebs). The name, chosen by Madame Gres herself (in French Cabochard means 'stubborn' or 'headstrong') and reflected her free spirit and will.

Cabochard was created after Madame Gres' trip to India. She described a beautiful perfume to the young perfume creator Guy Robert – very flowery, rich like tuberose yet softer, contrasted by fresh, slightly green note. It was a water hyacinth! After several trials, Madame Gres recognized her perfume. It was light and floral.

However, the trend at the time followed an intensive and strong chypre scent such as (Tabac Blond (1919), Cuir de Russie (1924), Scandal (1933), and Bandit (1944)), so with these perfumes as her inspiration, Madame Gres decided to launch two perfumes of her own at the same time: the floral, Chouda and the leather chypre, Cabochard, created by Bernard Chant with IFF.

Cabochard was launched in 1959 and instantly became very popular; Madame Gres said that it reminded her of her walks along the long and empty beaches of India: sharp freshness of the morning air, warmth of sandalwood, a touch of flower and comfort of the sea breeze.

A couple of months after it was created the production of Chouda was suspended. The delivered 5 liters of the perfume was most probably worn by Madame Gres herself.

The first bottle of Cabochard was very plain (Madame Gres wanted to minimize the costs), with a simple pharmaceutical looking top and a tied with a grey bow, the Chouda bottle had a green bow.

The stopper is frosted glass emblazoned with a large G for Gres, please note that this is not a Lalique bottle but was made Pochet et du Courval who has made all of Gres' perfume flacons since the 1950s.

Cabochard was later flanked by two special edition fragrances, Air de Cabochard, and Ambre de Cabochard.

Air de Cabochard by Gres is a chypre fragrance for women and was launched in 2000, it  was created by Max Gavarry and Domitille Michalon. The fragrance features floral notes, spices, leather and oakmoss.

Ambre de Cabochard by Gres is a Oriental fragrance for women, it was launched in 2006 and created by Jean-Claude Delville and Jean-Pierre Bethouart. Top notes are ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, mandarin orange, black currant and blueberry; middle notes are tuberose, lily-of-the-valley and cyclamen; base notes are musk, patchouli, amber, tonka bean, vanille and woodsy notes.

An $850 Perfume Container

LEON LEYNTZ, a sculptor whose works grace the Paris Opera House, created a statuette of Janus, the Roman god with two faces. The National Porcelain Manufacture of Sevres, founded by Louis XV, did 100 of them in the "Biscuit de Sevres" white matte finish, with 18 karat and sterling silver cover, in leather box. Ht. 7 1/2 in .Marked SEVRES. This rare bottle was created in 1969 and cost $850 at the time.

Bal a Versailles by Jean Desprez is a Oriental fragrance for women. Bal a Versailles was launched in 1962. The nose behind this fragrance is Jean Desprez. Top notes are rosemary, orange blossom, mandarin orange, cassia, jasmine, rose, neroli, bergamot, bulgarian rose, rose de Mai, and lemon; middle notes are sandalwood, patchouli, lilac, orris root, vetiver, ylang-ylang and lily-of-the-valley; base notes are tolu balsam, melilot (sweet clover), amber, musk, benzoin, civet, vanilla, cedarwood, ambergris and resins.

"Masumi touches you. Tranquil. Serene. As Masumi lingers your inner beauty emerges"

Masumi was launched in 1967, a floral-green chypre parfum, classified B4f.  The fragrance was discontinued and relaunched in new packaging in 1976.

A 1976 article describes the perfume as being made , "For example Coty's new Masumi seems directed at the Yoga generation "

"Masumi. It is calm. Serene. It fills you with tranquility. Beauty. As Masumi lingers, you become radiant. Masumi perfume, the essence of inner beauty."

Masumi was available as:

• .85 oz Eau de Toilette Spray
• 1.33 o Facial soap
• 2 oz Cologne Spray
• 3 oz Cologne Splash
• 3.5 oz Body Cream
• 4 oz Dusting Powder w/Puff

Bond Street was created in 1917 by Yardley. It was a popular scent even into the 1950s-1960s.

What's it smell like? An oriental-floral parfum with notes of bergamot, orange, incense, heliotrope, violet, ylang-ylang, jasmine, vetiver, labdanum, vanilla, sandalwood and musk.

Launched in 1930 by Yardley. Made up of a special variety of roses grown in the south of France, a true rose scent. With hints of geranium, cinnamon, powder and citronella.

All the seeming contradictions of her  personality,  the sweetside the funny side, that touch of fire side, The fragrance for her is Geminesse, Now you'I' know what to get her.

Geminesse was launched in 1974 by Max Factor. Few younger people know that Geminesse was actually the name of a cosmetics and skincare line put out by Max Factor in 1966.

A feathered fan that was sprayed with Geminesse in 1977. In 1975, an ingenious idea fragrance earrings, delightfully different, a full 1/4 oz Geminesse Perfume with applicator wand inside bottle scent earrings by touching drop of perfume on wick inside earrings.Please send me the Geminesse Fragrance Earrings for $6.50.

In 1974, the 2 Golden Discoveries presentation included bonus purse size flacon of Geminesse perfume and goldtone sea shell necklace on 18 Karat gold plated chain $3.50 with any Geminesse.

So what does it smell like? Jasmin, rose, ylang ylang, lily of the valley, tuberose, vetiver, oakmoss, amber, musk and leather.

Geminesse was available in

• 2 oz Cologne Spray
• 4 oz Cologne Spray
• 4 oz Perfume Spray
• 1/4 oz Parfum
• 1 oz Parfum
• 2 oz Parfum
• 6 oz bath powder
• 2 oz bath oil

Requete was first launched in France in 1944, then came to the uSA by 1945. The name literally means "request" in French. The perfume was housed inside a lovely crystal flacon outlined in blue by Lalique, there are three different sized flacons.  Requete came in Parfum, Toilet Water and Cologne. I believe the scent was sold up until the 1960s.

So what does it smell like? Requete combines jasmine, rose, hyacinth and violet to produce a delicate, feminine fragrance. 

Follow your instincts Indulge your de sires Abandon yourself to Amazone the fragrance that captures the spirit of the age the nature of women today. ..

Created in 1974, and first launched France before coming to America in 1975 or 1977. "Amazone" which in French, simply means a female equestrian.

Amazone: symbol of a free and modern femininity, Amazone is inspired by the mythical female equestrians who reigned, according to legend, on the shores of the Black Sea.

But I found a 1977 reference to the perfume and it's debut in USA stores, the article mentioned that "Amazone is named for the amazone saddle, the side saddle ridden by Elizabeth I of England, who felt that women should ride along with men. Therefore the name is appropriate for today’s liberated woman."

Maurice Maurin composed the fragrance in 1974, orchestrating it around the blackcurrant bud. The fragrance is a floral green harmony in which jonquil, narcissus, galbanum, red fruits and vetiver play off of one another. The original Amazone 's  floral top note blends to a flowery , woody chord of narcissus, jasmine and rose, with fruity and exotic notes.

The newer version features:

Top Notes

Bergamot, Geranium, Cassie, Hyacinth

Middle Notes

Muguet, Orris, Rose, Jasmine

Base Notes

Cedarwood, Oakmoss, Vetiver, Amber

Raffinee by Houbigant is a Oriental Floral fragrance for women. Raffinee was launched in 1982. The nose behind this fragrance is Houbigant. Raffinee is composed of over two hundred ingredients, combining floral and oriental notes, including jasmine, rose and hyacinth laced with spices, herbs and incense. The name is intended to evoke a certain refined elegance, as reflected in the packaging of lacquered red and gold.

Top notes:

carnation, orange blossom, plum, clary sage, jasmine, citruses, bergamot and rose

middle notes:

mimosa, tuberose, tonka bean, orchid, osmanthus, orris root, hyacinth and ylang-ylang

base notes:

spices, herbs, cypress, sandalwood, cinnamon, musk, vanilla, vetiver and incense.

Balahe by Leonard is a Oriental Floral fragrance for women. Balahe was launched in 1983. The nose behind this fragrance is Daniel Moliere. The bottle is black glass, and shaped like a pebble, it is sculpted with a mountain peak and tied with a red silk cord.

Top notes: aldehydes, pineapple, coriander, plum, mandarin orange, clary sage, anise and bergamot

middle notes: tuberose, orris, orchid, orris root, jasmine, ylang-ylang, rose and orange blossom

base notes: sandalwood, opoponax, musk, civet, vanilla and vetiver.