Balenciaga Paris

Balenciaga Paris EDP notes listed by Fragrantica are incomplete. Missing notes are Labdanum and Vetiver. I get a bright citrus opening without Violet attributed to the Bergamot. Never do I sense Violet in the way of most perfumes. Rather the Violet imparts a very powdery note completely to the dry down. What I am more interested in with this fragrance is the use of Violet Leaf. Violet Leaf extract is one of the costliest perfume ingredients and is very concentrated and tenacious. Many comment on how Paris EDP is not strong or powerful enough for their tastes compared to other perfumes. Allow me to share some wisdom about Violet Leaf which might explain the logic behind its composition. As far as scent, Violet Leaf is soft earthy, woody and green and will fade in the dry down. What is most interesting is that Violet Leaf has been used dating back to 900 AD by Persians for overcoming fear, developing trust and for trauma to overcome the desire to retreat. My view: a perfect fragrance for these “post”COVID-19 times! Get your vaccine and some Balenciaga Paris as your perfect antidote. If you are afraid of getting your COVID-19 vaccine then I suggest you begin with Balenciaga Paris EDP to overcome your anxiety. So we know this fragrance is not designed to attract attention. It has a higher purpose and will give a confidence and calmness and sense of assurance. Plus it smells very expensive and classy. Finally the other note Fragrantica fails to list: Galbanum. Galbanum is the sweet balsamic extraction from the white Cistus flower/plant (commonly known as Rock Rose) used exclusively for perfumery and a staple of chypre fragrances, which Paris EDP is one of. (Cistus extract is the less potent steam distilled version suitable for aromatherapy.) Galbanum is responsible for the honeyed and persistent Amber note in this lovely fragrance. Galbanum is used as a substitute for Ambergris. Combined with the powdery Violet Flower scent that trails all the way thru, it adds a sweet and balsamic ending. So calming. Vetiver and Patchouli as base notes are definitely softened and sweetened by the Galbanum.

"Every kind of love, or at least my kind of love, must be an imaginary love to start with." This refrain from a beautiful Rufus Wainwright song describes something akin to what happened to me upon encountering Balenciaga Paris back in 2010. It was a blind buy a friend of mine brought me from Italy and, in a noisy café, when I first inhaled its radiant violet scent, rich with both flower and leaf, I knew I had found the perfume I'd always been waiting for...the one I'd yearned for but could only imagine in a nebulous, imprecise way. The search was guided by (inner) voices :) I intuited that this emotionally resonant perfume existed. Upon inaugural sniff the fragrance immediately connected with my subconscious memory: it was a totally new scent but - like an ancient philosophical theory which one discovers, amazed at its perennial pertinence - I feel countless others have lived through this perfume long before me (if that makes any sense). Years on, its vintage air provokes the same mix of nostalgia and happiness every single time i wear it: habit seems to have no effect on this creation from Olivier Polge! Balenciaga Paris speaks to our deepest self (and maybe a past life or two) through the most primitive - and thusly most evocative - sense: smell. This beautiful alchemy between eternal violet, carnation, cedar and patchouli fulfills a certain longing for old-school substance in these virtual times. You could call it time travel in a bottle, although its far-from-dense quality lends it a modern feel. I'm heartbroken that it's been discontinued but hope anyone lucky enough to come across this romantic - in the Novalis sense - fragrance will not pass up the chance to try a genuine olfactive poem :)

This scent is somehow sophisticated and laid-back, warm and cold, fleeting and long-lasting, urban and forest, dewy and dry, metallic and velvety, and feminine and masculine. This is a shapeshifting scent, much like the violet itself. In and out it goes from your senses, and when you think you grasp it, it's gone again (it's long-lasting though, it's just a scent that doesn't slap you in the face). The spicy vegetal carnation note keeps it from being powdery and in my brain, makes it smell like a "cold" spicy. I worked around floral refrigerators for a while, and carnations being the beautifully versatile flowers that they are, were abundant, and gave off that indescribable cold spicy smell (similar to the vibe in Florabotanica and can totally see how they're in the same house). This is, to my nose, an unmistakably violet-based perfume, though, and is balanced out by that carnation, keeping this scent from being powdery. I feel that it's suited for every type of person and for every type of season. Young, old, male, female, hot, humid, frigid...I can see this working well with all. It may be confusing, but this scent is also simultaneously uplifting and melancholy. It is very long-lasting and I can smell it on me and my clothes the following day when I wear it. Happy to have blind-bought a bottle a few months ago and I love it way more than I like Florabotanica or Rosabotanica, which are both "really" likes. From what people wrote on here, and due to my love of violet, violet leaf, carnation, and patchouli notes, I had to know what it smelt like. I wouldn't have been able to guess this, and I love that. Gorgeous.

Balenciaga Paris and Balenciaga L'Essence are similar scents and I love them both, but I must say that my taste has changed and when I initially smelled both upon their release several years ago, I dismissed them too quickly. I can confidently say that I now will be repurchasing Paris for life. I started off revisiting L'Essence because it was easier to wear and lighter to my nose than the original. I loved it in the Spring and Summer because in the warm humid air, the scent of green mossiness and violets in a woodland forest came alive on my skin. There is a trace of vetiver in both scents that I realize I love and is in a lot of the perfumes I love. The remarkable truth lies in the way Balenciaga Paris makes me feel, emotionally, which is so special- there is this odd familiarity bringing me back to memories spent at our lakehouse as a child, amid the moss, ferns and clover plants that would grow in the shade near the water. I spent so much time outside, drinking in the Spring and Summer air of our cozy lakehouse in Northern Massachusetts. The strong memory of violets/moss/greenness permeating the air of all those humid Summers of my youth, is a scent that I now find extremely comforting. I feel so "at home" and at peace while wearing Paris and L'essence because wearing this scent becomes an experience of living in the moment, not just a 'subconscious scent for the day'. Not to mention the imagery present in the advertisements is so fitting and Charlotte Gainsbourg is so beautiful.

Starts off very floral with a hint of wood-y bitterness. It smells almost like church flowers...almost. It never quite tips over into that territory like white flowers do. Very lithe. Almost easily overpowered by other scents. There's supposed to be powderiness here but I'm not getting it yet. I can smell pencil shavings in the background - similar to the pencil shaving scent that is supposed to stand in for "leather" in Bottega Veneta EDP, Eau de Velours and in Hermès' Kelly Caleche. An hour in, it seems to have actually gotten stronger/denser. I can smell the powderiness now. It is not an offensive level of powder like in Chanel's No. 5 or Guerlain's L'Homme Ideal. The powder level here reminds me of Hermès' Eau de Merveilles in that it is right behind the main note (violet here, orange in Eau de Merveilles) and is only there to give the star of the show some extra dimension. The powder doesn't overpower the rest of the composition like in the aforementioned Chanel and Guerlain where the powder is so strong it's almost like there's a screen of powder between you and everything else. This immediately makes Balenciaga Paris a younger person's scent - someone in their 40's. Someone with money. 2hr 30 mins in, the powder has subsided. The violet flower has become sweeter. Other flowers seem to be making their entrance as well. Not much change after 2hr 30 min mark. Sweet violets all the way through. Lasted about 7 hrs before I could no longer detect it.

“Effortless Charm” Balenciaga Paris is a hidden gem. I love violets, but only a few have ever made my heart sing. I have several which are for super specific moods and occasions. Guerlain Insolence EDP for spring time fun and casual weekends. Balmain Jolie Madame for when I want to remember how badass and butchy perfume used to be. Terry de Gunzberg Ombré Mercure for that boudoir but goth vibe. I probably have a few more but am forgetting. Anyway Balenciaga Paris is the perfect green peppery violet scent with a dash of powder that doesn’t smell of candies or plastic at all. It’s a natural smelling scent that evokes tender dewy violets on an early spring day, yet it’s still a sophisticated “cosmetic smell” with a peppery greenness. For me it’s the perfect scent for a brunch or a baby shower, a wedding or the office. It’s feminine and pretty with a strong presence. Moderate longevity and sillage. 10/10. Effortless charm. PS: I've read some reviews from a while back (back when the perfume world consisted of bloggers and writers). I have to strongly disagree that Balenciaga Paris is a wallflower. This stuff has tenacity and presence. It might be a green/ethereal/powdery/violet sort of presence but this fragrance has some serious backbone. She's that seemingly quiet and reserved woman who has the strength and perseverance of superhero. I'm off to get a back-up bottle now that I believe this has been discontinued.

Balenciaga is so masterful at scent-blending! This one is no different. It balances floral, chypre woody and almost powdery notes so subtlely that none rise too far above the other, yet all sing in perfect harmony to create one overwhelmingly unique "blended" scent. I should add that the bottle is a work of art too. I do pick out a green violet and the cedar. To me, the scent is whimsical - more about fairies and elves than picking violets out of grandma's cottage garden. As the scent develops, the woody, almost mossy tones become stronger, yet retains a frail sweetness. Thankfully, not a whiff of patchouli on my skin (not a fan of that note!) For comparison, I'm wearing "Balenciage Paris L'Essence" on my other wrist. The two are so very comparable in the opening, and while they retain similarities in the violet and woodiness throughout, Paris dries more woody, while L'Essssence dries down to a slightly more lemony scent with a hint of patchouli. Overall, L'Essence is slightly more powdery and subtle. I prefer the original. Longevity is better too, at around 8 hours, which is HUGE on me! In summary, another subtle masterpiece that invited me to journey along (i.e. sniff often and deeply!!) to the end. Edit... slightly warmer day today... can't believe the mandarin I'm smelling today??! I love it even more today. Need to find a way to get a bottle of this marvellous creation!

Balenciaga Paris is sharp initially. Not sharp enough to do harm, or to be off putting in any way, but sharp enough to get your attention, and (thankfully)keep it. It's the beautiful violet leaves, I think. Greens can be natural and earthy, even free-spirited. Not so in Balenciaga Paris. Here they come with just a wee pierce. It merely opens the way for the remaining notes to have an unobstructed opportunity to win you over. In my case, it worked beautifully. What I was free to learn about Balenciaga Paris was wrapped in elegance. She's a very serious fragrance. Tailored. Well bred. Intelligent. The violet is feminine; the cedar strong. This is quite obviously a strong female. If not the CEO, certainly the real power behind the CEO. There's just enough carnation to add a little spice...a little curiosity about her. The powder typically associated with violet is not nearly enough to lure you into comfort. It's not a soothing composition. Wearing lounge wear is out of the question. The appeal is in the poise, the bearing. You'll get hours of wear, make sure you are up to the challenge. Keep your head up and back straight. You are in the presence of a lady :)

I dont know why I waited so long to try this beautiful perfume, but as I was on a no-buy for a while, I kept reading great reviews and promised myself I WILL buy this, even if its a blind buy.... That day came last month, and oh my! it's beautiful. My favourite notes are Violet, Cedar and Patchouli... I have quite a few violet perfumes, and this one is BY FAR my favourite. I can smell the wonderful cedar, and there is the patchouli in small doses. Even someone who doesnt usually like Patchouli would surely love this perfume because the Patch is not strong. I wouldnt say this is particularly powdery, and its not the sweet violet candy smell that so many perfumes have, such as Insolence...( which by the way is a favourite of mine so it wasnt a negative to those perfumes that DO smell of violet candy) this feels like a reserved and beautiful and elegant violet woody combo. It lasts on my skin for approx 12 hours, and there are those changes throughout the day, each change more beautiful than the last. I have a 50ml bottle and will be buying a 75ml back up bottle soon, as I would never want to be without this beautiful fragrance in my collection.

Balenciaga Paris is one of my top 5 favourite perfumes 🥰 this year I bought my 5th bottle 😇 In short words: Very elegant, a bit powdery, a bit fresh. I get mix of slightly suffocating notes of violet flower and leafs and at the same time, there is something fresh, light, luminous in them. Quite contradictiory and fascinating blend. Patchouli in Paris is one of the best ever done! 👏 Not earthy and dirty note, just crisp and puffy. Woody, but not too cosy, having just a hint of sweetness at drydown. It is very durable and rather flat - that is, the fragrance notes do not change over time. After 5 hours it smells the same as after a quarter of an hour from application. Aslo the heat seems to make this scent even more pleasant and original. It never gets me so many compliments, like in the hot summer months. When I first smelled Paris, I thought „ fantastic, but not for me”. It created a picture of mature, cool and elegant woman with a Nordic type of beauty: fair skin, light blonde hair and blue eyes.... and then I fall in love with it. I wear my beloved Paris in spite of my dark hair and dark green eyes 😂 and can’t get enough of it!

How I love powdery and sweet with cedar! Balenciaga Paris EDP is just about perfect in my book. L’Heure Bleue and Kenzo Amour are the only others I know that match this level of powderiness on me. I reviewed BP earlier and did not like or appreciate it. I put it away and recently returned to it, to find that I now think it’s amazing! I feel that it stays really close, but I receive compliments with every wearing so its soft cloud must extend farther than I realize. It’s so beautiful, with just enough patchouli to give it presence. It takes about an hour to start getting powdery and sweet, and I am not a fan of the opening. The first time I tried it, the opening put me off so much that I almost washed it off. There is a weird oily note that I also find in Fancy Nights that makes it unwearable for me as well as in Fahrenheit (apart from its petroleum/motor oil notes) that could possibly be the patchouli in all three. Fortunately, the masterful blending and balance of BP develop it into the sweet, powdery beauty it is. I would love to heedlessly indulge my overspraying heart with it on every possible occasion - it’s gorgeous!!

Ive wanted this for a while and finally own it.. I wish there was a "Especially Love" key to hit for this one. Perfect exercise in tasteful restraint - violet done right. Violet is often cursed to be either too old fashioned/"mumsy", or too saccharine and girly. This is easy Parisian sophistication. I can picture myself in a silk blouse opened juuuuust high enough, with a nice pair of jeans, simple gold hoops and bracelet, sitting at an outdoor table at a coffeehouse in the Paris or NY springtime, alone and reading a novel or a newspaper.I'd be hard pressed to name a better springtime fragrance. Others may be as good, but I can't think of any in my collection that are better!! However... I could weep over the poor longevity, especially knowing it has been discontinued. I have so many perfumes that I can't say for sure I'll ever need a backup, yet I don't want to risk not having this anymore. I'll probably cave and purchase because I'm neurotic about that, but also because it gives me the freedom to spray more frequently knowing I have one in reserve.

This was a bonus sample from somewhere that I had set aside because it tested overly floral for my tastes on paper. I came back to it today after my experience with Hummingbird (zoologist) yesterday where I was surprised to find a modern floral balancing act that didn’t teeter into “old lady” powdery violet territory. Well, here I am two days in a row being proven wrong by a florals! This one is violet for sure, but stays quite green and so far (30mins in) has very little to no powder poking through. My nose understands this Balenciaga as chypre more so than Nomade, as the basenotes on the latter don’t really come through on my skin. It gives me the same clean, fresh, confident woman feel of YSL Libre, but maybe a little more unique? Anyway I really like it A reminder to us all that it’s always worth sampling first and that first impressions can be woefully misleading. Update/Came back a month later to say I purchased more from a Canadian discounter (and actually received a larger bottle than I ordered!). It’s still love, through and through.

This has been a signature scent of mine since my early/mid-20's (maybe 24 or 25). At the time, an older (platonic) girlfriend of mine, about 6 years my senior, wore this fragrance. She was and still is very classy and fabulous in a timeless way. After her sharing the name of this fragrance with me, my boyfriend of that time gifted me a bottle for either my birthday or Christmas. I have loved it ever since. It achieves common fragrance characteristics of warm, clean, and floral in the most unique ways--warmth without amber or vanilla, clean without citrus, floral without rose (which I find either dusty or cloying). Unique, complex, and but unpretentious. In my 20's I would spray this generously to enjoying its lingering and trailing effects, and the compliments would roll in nonstop. Now more mature in my late 30's I wear two sprays and it lasts all day in my personal space bubble of 2-3 feet or so. I have owned at least 5 bottles over the years and am heartbroken this has been discontinued.

It's a woody, non-sweet scent, I dare say it's perfectly unisex. Probably because of the strong violet which reminds me of Fahrenheit quite a lot. And violet leaf with cedar. It's fresh and woody at the same time, long-lasting, avant-guarde but not loud. As regards patchouli - yes, there is some really delicate patchouli note in it - if you have ever smelled the pure natural essential patchouli oil, you'll know what I mean - this exotic woody scent. Nothing like the "patch" we think of in mainstream perfumes. That is nowhere near the natural. Here, in Balenciaga - IT IS!!! But you have to breathe this perfume in really closely and deeply in order to be able to smell it at all. If you dislike the real patchouli, don't worry - here it shouldn't be a problem really. It's a very peaceful and mind-clearing scent. I recommend this scent to anyone who wants go get away from the mainstream or from their everyday perfumes, even if just for a while. It's a relaxing experience.

Oh my a beautiful Violet scented perfume that smells so appealing and lovely on my skin with a sweet powdery and spicy background. At times it a cold scent but without notice it goes very warm and enticing. The notes are bergamot, spices, pepper, violet, carnation, oakmoss, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, labdanum. I miss out on the pepper note but in the final dry down I notice the oakmoss and cedar with the patchouli, balancing them into a creamy, soft, feminine, intoxicating scent that is sexy and just down right pretty. The projection is very good, it is appealing to others around you leaving a lovely trail that others enjoy catching a scent of. Perfect date night perfume, trust me my husband loves this scent calls it yummy goodness and I agree. Working good in this cold weather and thinking it would actually be a good year round, day plus night scent. Oh yes it is long lasting over 8 hours before it becomes a total skin scent.

I wore this perfume when I was 30. I chose it because I wanted a more grown up fragrance and thought it fit the type of woman that I was hopefully becoming. The problem was it didn’t fit the woman I was then, so after using most of my bottle I gave the rest to my mom. Since then, my perfume addiction has reached a critical point, and my nose has matured along with the rest of my life. I haven’t been able to get this fragrance out of my mind for the past few weeks so when I spotted a good deal, I went ahead and grabbed it up, curious about how my tastes have changed over the decade. And oh my goodness- this fragrance now fits me like it was a bespoke creation, tailored to my style, life and personality. What a happy realization that I actually have become what I was hoping to be! And a great reminder to revisit some fragrances that maybe haven’t completely worked in the past.

I truly don’t understand the negative reviews for this lovely perfume. I’m no fragrance expert, but I would not consider myself a novice either. Balenciaga Paris is a powdery, ladylike fragrance with definite violet notes. Not many people wear it ( at least in south Louisiana) which is a plus in my book! I find it appropriate for day or evening wear, and somehow, it seems at home during any season of the year. I wear many scents depending on my mood, but when I really want to feel feminine and special I wear this! The longevity and spillage is really good in my opinion. I have to admit I use a lot when I wear it though. I love this scent so much I could literally bathe in it. I really don’t think you will be dissapointed with this one!

A non-offensive, very beautiful, soft and romantic fragrance, for spring, summer and early autumn. In Fragranticas description above, it says that it is NOT a romantic fragrance - but, oh yes, it certainly is!! I have not worn this in the whole summer before, but today, the 5:th of September, I do! It is raining outside, but it is still quite warm, and today this feels absolutely appropriate. My husband and I will go and look at a house today, and I want to smell nice and fresh, but not like a perfume freak...(😇) Though this is quite longlasting for me, it stays quite close, and will not enter the room before I do. And that is a good thing.

Wow, this is something if you like violets like I do. This was a blind buy because I'd been wanting to try it and I found a good deal. I have this and the EDT of Guerlain Insolence and they are different. This has the distinct smell of violets that Insolence has but is a less ethereal, creamy version, if that makes any sense. I think Insolence is very warm-weather geared and this can be more sexy and all-season. Insolence feels like floating, while the patchouli seems to ground Balenciaga. This performs well, and if this is discontinued (as I've heard) a backup bottle is imminent. This quickly became a top ten for me.