Monsieur Balmain

I read a review from a blog saying this was a great citrus lemon with longevity, so I went blind. Glad I did. The only fragrance in my wardrobe that is close to this is Dior Homme Cologne. I prefer this. There's something a bit more wearable in this, perhaps its the sandalwood, but I hate even mentioning that because I simply smell high quality lemon for the duration of the scent 5 + hours. Seriously. Perhaps, it's the sandalwood that embellishes the lemon so slight as to hardly be perceptible, but carries it over the duration of the scent. I can't imagine a lemon fragrance more wearable than this. Dior Homme Cologne is just a summery beach party, day at the pool, with an almost chlorine-ness to it. This is the more wearable casual version, no chlorine, just well rounded lemon for hours and hours.

I am impressed with the sheer beauty of this citrus scent, one of the best to greet the nostrils, for sure. Upon application, I am greeted by the most glorious larger-than-life sweet meyer lemon and verbena, with a radiance that puts so many other citrus frags to shame. The dry down is what sets it apart from others as well, as more of the zest and the rind of the citruses come into play, and a dry smoky vetiver enters the stage, with caraway and thyme shading and darkening into a truly masculine character. This segues into a more pronounced crisp vetiver, with lilting sandalwood and simmering musks. I am wearing this in August and it is the perfect time of the year for Monsieur Balmain. Bear in mind, I have the formulation in the lemon-yellow cylindrical bottle in the yellow box.

The cubic bottle represents the latest version of this classic fragrance, but is difficult to obtain now, though I managed to find one on ebay. The fragrance is as I remember it from the 1970's the dominant effect being lemon. The lemon has a sherbet aspect as someone below notes. I find this fragrance the olfactive equivalent of the colour yellow. Of course there are many nice lemon or verbena scents around but too many of them stray into the heavier territory of Eau Sauvage. Balmain is a good fragrance for monsieur, a refreshing change from the sweet oriental types which have invaded the masculine market.

Top notes are that of a lemon of the candy type - vervain. This rapidly turns into animalic notes, after which there are not many changes: it feels the composition lingers between these notes. I consider it a really interesting version of citric blends that could be ideal for warm days. I truly enjoy it. Edit: I am reading complains on poor performance. Hesperidic scents are not orientals, asking the first ones to behave as the last ones is somehow like asking a circle to be a square. Still, you can solve this out overapplying - I did so today at 10:00. It is almost 09:00 pm - I can still get whiffs of it.

The info here says Monsieur Balmain launched in 1990. The original version dates to1964 - think Mad Men on the French Riviera!I have worn MB since being introduced to it on holiday near St Tropez in 1971, but I only wear it in high summer. It is rare to find now. Strangers often ask "what are you wearing? It smells gorgeous" Optimistic, sunny, fresh, summery, Mediterranean...an absolute classic that will soon be lost as it is no longer produced, I believe. However the original version in the yellow opaline fatter bottle with the black stopper - pre-reformulation - was much more sophisticated and subtle.

un dia caliente el de hoy 33c° especial para usar MPB, me hace sentir tan fresco, su aroma esta por todos lados, increible como te hace olvidar del calor, sencillamnete espectacular con ese olor a limon tan refrescante, si vive en un país caluroso le recomiendo MPB Today has been a very warm day 33c° a special day to wear MPB, makes me feel so fresh and clean, its smell is all around me, dispate of the high tempereture is just spectacular how the lemon refreshes me, if you live in a very warm country, like me, I can recomend you to wear MPB, it works perfect

Short review: mostly cítrics, I could not detect the basenotes mentioned in the pyramid. Not subtle, leaning to verbena rather than lemons, thinking it over, it feels like a blend with different citric notes playing around. It is the right one for the Summer, it will fade in an hour or so, but it comes back when sweating. Even though I loved it, there are many of the kind around, and better choices IMHO - for example, TdH Eau Givree, more contemporary and complex than this one, or a classic, like Dior's Eau Sauvage.

I have the polished glass lemon-yellow bottle in the shape of a cylinder. I bought it from the States years ago for less than $60 and although it was originally meant as a gift, I kept it for myself after receiving a sample of it. It is so interesting, a huge burst of lemon and then it slowly unfolds into something peppery-herbal-spicy. On me, it does have sillage and it lasts about 6-7 hours, even longer on colder days. Nowadays it sells for $298 USD on the Fragrance Vault site. Can you imagine??

I was wearing this early in 1997 and since then, i never smelled it again or found it in the Cyprus market. now i ordered it from internet and from what i remember, it was a fresh lemon perfume without being bitter or acidic....it was just fresh rainy lemon....i can't wait to get it and recall that decade. i do not recall D&G masculine but YSL pour homme is in my collection. i prefer by far Monsieur being fresher and cooler. YSL turns to be mossy in the old fashion way but Monsieur is not.

شاهکار ناشناخته در فرمولاسیون جدید به لطف پیشرفت های علمی در عصاره گیری، باکیفیت ترین بوی لیمویی ممکن در این عطر قابل ستایش است. اگه همیشه دنبال یه عطر لیمویی رویایی میگشتین و هیچوخ پیداش نکردین و بوهای لیمویی رو سنتتیک یا بی جان میدیدید، این ادکلن پاسخ تمام جستجوهای شماست بسیار نزدیک به ویپ از لو گالیون ----------- Scent & Quality: 10/10 Longevity: 6/10 Sillage: 6/10 Creativity & Uniqueness: 9/10 Affordability: 8/10 ----------- Overall: 7.8 + 0.5= 8.3/10

Do you remember making a pomander with cloves? Take a lemon and pierce it with a bodkin and stick a clove into each hole. When you have filled the surface in a decorative manor, suffuse in a mixture of orris root, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and oils of bergamot, lemon grass, lemon verbena, and musk. Tie a ribbon around to hang, but let your scent ball cure for a fortnight. Sir Pierre's closet opened. 1642 (may be of use in the Ague)

This is one of the best citrus fragrances out there - the citrus stays and turns into a musky, woody lemony vetiver - very fresh - very good! as someone commented, it's much better than D&G Masculine - If you like fresh, citrus woody fragances - this is the one - it lingers for quite a while too! A sparkling summer fragrance. This is class. If you want a citrus scent - look no further!

What a magnificent perfume and what memories to smell this after 15 years....It is so fresh in the begining and cool, invigorating and motivating and then, the deep masculinity enters the compo with herbs and caraway. After the first 30 minues, the perfume is deeply masculine but modern.

PB Monsieur is one of the best fragrance i had have, I got it today an inmediately sprayed on me, and WOW, when I got to my office, compliments started right away, So happy to have the opportunity to buy PB Monsieur

To add......I used to have this beauty. Now I've discovered Weil Silver EDP which isn't in the database. The Weil is very similar to this and I'm so glad I blind bought it.

Lemon, lemon and more lemon, lemon, lemon and more lemon, lemon, lemon and more lemon :) The saving grace is that the lemon here is gorgeous! Enjoy the summer season.

RobbieX - thanks for the Weil Silver tip. My wife loves it, it's got a strong Balmain Monsieur/Eau Sauvage vibe and is an absolute steal.

my favorite summer cologne! perfect for cool summertime beach party! tough to get now! balmaine must launch this once again!

This one lasts 16 hours on my skin. Believe it or not. Great lemony fragrance. Better than D&G Masculine.

a true summer scent and now it's not available!!!!! go and ask why??? bring back this scent again!