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!

Zara limited smells EXACTLY the same, a little stronger even, and costs less than half of this

A lovely, natural Lemon and Vetiver fragrances. One of the nicest pure citruses.

why it doesnt allow me to add Zara limited for men as similar smelling perfums?

Fabulous lemon scent, and so fresh. It always makes me smile when I wear it!

Always cheers me up - just looking at it!

Sunshine for men in a fragrance bottle.

Review for 1990 formulation in the frosted cylindrical flacon, as shown: A wonderful scent more than a "fragrance", but don't underestimate this composition by Germaine Cellier. Shamus1 wrote an excellent review along with RobbieX and minimalist. When I first wore this, it was a single spray application on my shirt sleeve. It impressed me, but I wanted warm sunshine and a beautiful spring day for a full-wearing before writing a full review and exalting this great bottle of juice! Mid-80's today in Northern Calfornia - blue skies, not a single cloud! Perfect. The opening is a beautiful, bright-as-the-bottle citrus blend of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and a dash of bergamot and mint (I just caught it - wow!) As invigorating an opening you can imagine. Pure - not synthetic at all or even a hint of sweetness (which would have ruined this great bottle). I may just squeeze fresh lemon and rub a little mint on my other hand next time to compare. A note that may be in there and not listed in the pyramid is lemon verbena. As I smelled this more - I realized that the mint is a light touch, but there is an herbal note in the top that blends this perfectly into the heart. I use a lot of herbs to cook and used to grow lemon verbena. If it is not there, then it is a figment of my imagination - but I believe it is. By the way, this notes segues wonderfully into the rosemary in the heart and finally warming to clary sage in the base. It is not a truly "linear" composition. But, let me first address connotation here. The beautiful lemon note in this IS linear, but the surrounding composition is not. As shamus1 and RobbieX clearly write, this blends and evolves with other notes wonderfully. I love the clean vetiver in the base - great "green note" transition from the mint on top to the rosemary in the middle. The addition of ginger is key as well...which I think is an essential part of this fragrance. It keeps a fresh, zingy and sharpness to the scent. Fresh ginger is so fragrant and one of my favorite notes in fragrance, plus I find it blends very well into compositions that need "lift" and sparkle. That is in here, most definitely - along with a nice pinch of fresh pepper. The base is a white musk - not dirty at all mixed with the aforementioned clean & crisp vetiver and nice sandalwood blend. This never get cloying or even close to sweet (as mentioned) and the dry down's greenness is further accentuated by another wonderful note - clary sage. This plays beautifully with the rosemary in the heart and vetiver/sandalwood in the base. Overall - I would call it a wonderful scent that goes way beyond expectations on depth of the composition and longevity is fair (although it is a skin scent after about 2 hours). Highly recommended to apply to both moisturized skin and clothing. This really breathes - liberally apply and layer a few extra sprays before leaving the house. This would transition absolutely beautifully with a hot, balmy day's wear and followed in the evening with a nice vetiver that is not too deep or rooty (Guerlain EDC/EDT, Givenchy, Vintage Carven EDC/EDT, Vetiver Hombre - just to name a few). But, that is also assuming you don't just reapply while getting changed & refreshed for an evening out. This is, for me, a truly great scent and an expression of olfactory pleasure. I cannot imagine this not being enjoyed by both the wearer and those around him. It warms so well on the body. I will refrain from comparing it to others. Why? Because it is excellent on it own merit. I will wear this casually, formally - both indoors and outdoors in the Spring and Summer warmth. I will also keep a travel spray with me when wearing this as it needs to be re-applied to keep the top citrus notes projecting for more than the initial 2 hours, but the base itself is wonderful. It lasts about 4-5 hours on me indoors with a nice, faint skin scent remaining, which is perfect for transitioning to another scent (so you can let it just drydown) The question is - do you want more top notes and, therefore, refresh during the course of the wear - because you don't have to. This is personal choice. It exudes taste, class, freshness and confidence...8/10. A side-note to finish - the first purchase I ever made from Pierre Balmain was a beautiful silk necktie that I still have in my collection (it is timeless). It has garnished more compliments than I can count. This is in the same vein - noticeable, distinguished and chic. **Update** - After a nice 4-5 hour wearing of Monsieur Balmain in which I was outdoors in warm weather for part of it (and not refreshing), I was still left (especially on my shirt with a nice, light accord of clean vetiver and musk with a slight herbal tinge). Very nice. It made me think of what's next, since the weather is definitely warm today! Spring has arrived with vigor - it almost feels like a summer day. I decided (not for comparison purposes), but for a natural transition - to clean my face and neck thoroughly (since I applied Monsieur Balmain with neutral after shave balm on my light beard for more projection and to refresh my skin) and apply a nice light layer of current formulation Dior Eau Sauvage After Shave splash lotion (brilliant top notes) and a nice decant of older Vintage Eau Sauvage Cologne - perfectly preserved juice that I recently acquired from a seller who has become a good friend! The moss is present in the Vintage formula and the citrus and herbal top notes are in their full glory. The transition from a morning application of Monsieur Balmain to Eau Sauvage - sublime, perfection, seamless. I applied to my shirt as well and found they blend harmoniously - this is not revelatory, but one can only understand if they experience for themselves. Not a comparison of scents - but a two-part symphony that is so well composed and orchestrated. Notes, overtones and undertones go so well together...harmony. The brightness of the morning sun (Monsieur Balmain) in the lemon-drenched herb garden that fades out to the late afternoon glow...sunsetting into dusk (Eau Sauvage) on the moss-covered side of the tree. Wow - this is truly special - a warm Spring day of pure olfactory pleasure.

I decided to grab a little of this before the remaining discontinued stock simply vanishes or goes into the stratosphere, pricewise. So I grabbed myself one of the old lemon yellow bottles that look like a cross between a cylinder and a torpedo. What happens on applying it is a lemon whoosh! The lemon torpedo hits its target! It takes a few minutes for the lemon cloud to disperse and for the notes to emerge. And what a selection! 10 minutes after spraying there's lemon, bergamot, mint, a hint of orange, a hint of ginger, a hint of spice, a hint of something floral in the background. The sillage is on the intimate side. I get the references to Eau d'Hadrien by Annick Goutal, the opening of Eau de Rochas (but not the floral development that one takes), and even Carthusia's Mediterraneo. But for me, the one this reminds me of most is Dolce & Gabbana's Masculine except without the petitgrain which turned that into a claggy mess on my skin. Monsieur Balmain is more complex than Atelier's Bergamot Soleil. 45 minutes in and the vetiver emerges. But only one hour in the perfume is fading and becoming less bright and more musky. Two and a half hours in it's a weak lemon, vetiver, musk, sandalwood, sage, rosemary and thyme with a little moss. Some four hours in and it's just a general clean musk. Five hours in and it has gone. It's nice to try some of these old discontinued perfumes but I'd still take Guerlain's Eau du Fleur de Cedrat or Eau de Guerlain for a lemon cologne, or possibly the Carthusia.

Balmain perfumes seem to be discontinued at the moment. I really hope they come back and that this one will be part of the range, AND of course, the very lovely Carbone. I used to have the yellow bottle during the summer of 1992 but I never cared about or heard of it anymore after that until the square bottle was available in Belgium for a short while. I tested it out of curiosity but left the shop with Carbone instead. All I remember from testing the last version is a poor performance. However, as I got into the hobby of perfumes again about three years ago I came across it for a very low price but had to make choices, until it was too late. Lately I met through a second hand site a perfume and miniatures collector who sold a few minis of the version I owned in the 90’s. I bought some to test them. To my surprise I clearly recognise the perfume I had 27 years ago so it did age well which should not be the case for a perfume that has so much lemon in its composition. It’s not a beast but it performs quite well considering it’s maybe more than 20 years old. What can I say that hasn’t been said? It’s lemon all the way. I’d say lemon candy. It’s still classy though. It doesn’t get soapy so it’s not something only for the older generation. The only restriction I could say is to wear it in the summer. It’s a sunny perfume. If Balmain re-released it, made it more long lasting and put some effort in re-launching it I’m sure it would have a bright future.

I bought this blind, based on a few different things I'd read. I wore it for a two week Mediterranean holiday and it fitted the bill very nicely. Great opening of lemon sherbet with just the right amount of sweetness, whilst an undertow of sandlewood provides balance. It's an elegant opening. For me, the mid stage is very interesting. The spices start to come through and the result is a strange sweet/sour accord that almost smells animalic, albeit in a very light, relaxed way. The lemon is still there, so it feels really quite unusual - and good! However, the sillage at this point is virtually nil. Dry down is back to sandlewood. MB is a great fragrance, great for holidaying somewhere hot, although reapplying through the day was required. (I imagine in less warm climes this wouldn't be the case.) Overall it's a strong like, not love but the uniqueness and personality will probably see it become a perennial in my small collection.

Eau de cologne au prix de l'eau de toilette ! Senteur 7/10 Attention, le citron est magnifique au début, flamboyant, presque trop : on se dit qu'on va sentir le citron en se promenant et qu'on va attirer les huîtres ! Au bout de 10 minutes, on a là un beau parfum, riche, complexe, un citron sublimé qui vaut 10 sur 10. Et puis... au bout d'une heure, ça ne sent plus rien ! Longévité 0/2 Tient moins que certaines eaux de cologne, on frise l'escroquerie ! Sillage 0/2 Il doit falloir en mettre une tonne pour que les notes de fond devienne perceptibles : ça n'est pas du tout économique ! Masculinité 0,5/2 Un demi-point pour la fraîcheur du début ? Suggestion : pour moins cher, acheter un citron bio et frotter sa peau contre la sienne ! Evolution 0/4 Cf supra. Total 7,5/20

Bright, zesty, realistic lemons transition into a smooth and sturdy sandalwood base. Monsieur Balmain's sophisticated simplicity is a classy, comfortable, and easy wear. An absolute must try if you're looking for a fragrance that is centered around lemon. Projection is moderate, which seems appropriately calibrated for this scent. At a price of around $40 for 100 mls, this is a great value. Thumbs up. *Note: This review is based on the frosted, cylindrical bottle pictured above.

I had heard a lot about this fragrance once I started exploring the world of citrus perfumes, but I was worried that it would either smell cheap, meaning synthetically plastic, like most modern citrus fragrances in this price range or come across as an “old-fashioned” throwback to the 1980s. Neither turned out to be true at all. It has an exceptionally clean, fairly natural citrus-green character. This review refers to the older version in the opaque cylindrical bottle.

it is a great office scent after it calms down for about 10 minutes or so...always a compliment....just so clean and it is masculine to me with the dry down. you cannot go wrong , it is a bit of a lemon blast at first but it will settle down, it will cheer you up, it does me, smells like summer outdoors..i think exceptional in warm weather, bright and clear skies... the bottle is classic..and it is very reasonable right now on ebay...don't let it get away...

I have a bottle of this from god-knows-when. The bottle is cylindrical yellow sandblasted glass and it still smells exactly the same as god-knows-when. The burst of lemon and ginger is intense but this isn't a typical fresh citrusy scent. It nosedives into woody / aromatic not too long after. I noticed when I spray this on fabric, it comes off as much more woody, while on my skin the citrus & ginger is very evident.

Nice, fresh, simple & not noisy, and... nothing else. Maybe at the time when Germaine Cellier was working to create this fragrance (the first version of which was issued way way before 1990!), Monsieur Balmain could be considered as an absolutely wonderful and highly original perfume. However, I personally think that today we have much more interesting versions of citrus fragrances. It's still good though.

Monsieur Balmain is simple and speaks right through its bottle: Sunny, happy lemons. Thankfully, the lemon note isn't too bitter or acidic. Still, if you hate lemons, stay away from Monsieur Balmain. Anyway, this is by far the best lemon-centric cologne on the market along with YSL Pour Homme, Eau de Rochas Homme, and Eau de Guerlain. Smells just right and lasts for hours - how a citrus scent SHOULD be.

I was wearing it in one of my teen summers spent at the seaside and I would agree that it is at least unisex. The short definition for it 'a citrus aromatic one' is very true, but the citrus layer is not light here, it is very thick, bright, intensive like citrus honey with spicies. Luca Turin has called this scent "one of the best citrus scents of all the times" and does recommend it.

A sparkling citrus cocktail with a hint of ginger, MB is a delight to wear. Modest sillage with decent lasting power, this scent begs to be reapplied, which isn't a hardship. While this fragrance is obviously labeled for men I will still wear it. Citrus scents can be harsh and sharp, MB is neither. Definitely worth a try despite the high price tag.

Sleazy lemons with a touch of fresh manly sweat (not the nasty two-day smell without a shower sweat note but the fresh, recent one ). It's daring, bold and warm. Muscled citrus happily splashing in patchouly. Never before such a twist on citrus had been done and I'm afraid never again will be ...Superb!

This falls between the light sparkly lemon of most Eau de Colognes, and the musty lemon of something that takes itself too seriously (Boucheron). I really like the top but it just gets too stuffy in the base, and the herbs they've added to it are too pungent.

What a fresh kinda feeling of spring, of summer, of feeling fresh & free (sorry...sounds like a commercial) The drydown goes a lot towards YSL pour Homme imo... It's lemon & soft mint making love while in a very tender loving embrace...

Citrus and lemmon; oil, peel and juice. It is not unisex: i can ́t imagine a woman wearing this fragrance without losing some feminility. Very, very dry, ideal for a hot day indoors, with strong refrigerated air.

It is appropriate for women too! Fresh and clean with a bit spicyness. My only complain is that it vanishes quickly.

I like a lot but the most I like is a certain smoky vetiver at the dry-down. Must have!

This is not purely lemon. I was looking for a predominately lemon fragrance and was suggested this fragrance from many people. However when I finally purchased it I was extremely disappointed. It smells really weird, sort of like kitchen spices soaked in lemon juice. Its about 50% lemon and 50% kitchen spices which makes it unwearable in my opinion. Edition Blanche has more lemon than this. Im probably going to sell my bottle.

Unfortunately I did not like this one. I like Lemon fragrances, however this one is very synthetic. If you want a natural lemon fragrance, go for Rochas pour homme.

I have that but in an old bottled. I don't found some special ingredients in this fragrance. too much lemon, mint and bergamot. 2,5/5

[A comment, not really a review.] There are 3 main versions of this fragrance, each corresponding to the 3 versions of Vent Vert. That is the reason the comments & reviews here make it so very difficult for anyone naive to the name/versions to decide whether (or not) to track down a bottle/decant. The 1st version was formulated by Germaine Cellier in the late 1940's around the same time she made the 1st version of Vent Vert. It was originally sold under the name Le Verveine Citronnelle and was only renamed Monsieur Balmain in 1964, probably to capitalize on the whole "monsieur" craze at that time. It was discontinued in the late 1980's. I won't go into the smell other than to say most of the notes listed are evident, especially the gorgeous real lemons and moss. The 2nd version (tall, cylindrical, golden yellow etched glass bottle) was a remake of the original formulation using ingredients available to Calice Becker in 1990, when she also remade Cellier's Vent Vert. This reformulation is the one known for a wonderful lemon open and the ashen drydown. This version was discontinued in the late 1990's. The last version is the one shown above (square bottle, regardless of box or label color). It was another reformulation, this time released in the 2000's. Nathalie Feisthauer was commissioned to remake Vent Vert (again) in 1999, before this last Monsieur Balmain appeared, so I don't know if she was involved or not. This reformulation is also discontinued and is the one reviewers here refer to as being (mostly) a lemon scent all the way through. I concur. This fragrance really needs a separate page for each formulation as Fragrantica has recently done for Vent Vert. Monsieur Balmain was every bit the house's flagship male fragrance just as Vent Vert was for women, and at least the first 2 versions of both were accomplished at approximately the same time and by the same famous perfumers.

My distinct impression is that reviewers are all talking about different versions of Balmain Monsieur Balmain. Mine lists evernia furfuracea among the ingredients, so I gather that pre-reformulation there was some oak moss (evernia prunastri) in this creation? I have the cylindrical bottle, which imparts a decidedly low-budget impression. Of course, this juice does not cost very much, so I suppose that I've no right to complain! No matter, this smells good, for what it is: lemon. Lemon, lemon, lemon, and more lemon! Talk about zesty, this is it: a perfect hot weather cologne, and a completely unisex one, I hasten to add, in spite of the name. The bright yellow box is a perfect reflection of the contents! I was feeling groggy in my air conditioning-free abode this afternoon, what with all of the humidity and temperatures I imagine in the 80s. So I spritzed Monsieur Balmain all over and then headed out to the library, where I am feeling a lot better. Perhaps you're wondering whether it's just the air conditioning? No, I do believe that the lovely scent of lemon wafting off my body has reinvigorated my spirit as well! That said, I do believe that this reformulation of Monsieur Balmain is a very simple cologne, simpler than, say, Annick Goutal Eau d'Hadrien. To be honest, I do not smell much beyond the fresh lemon here, and when I first tried it last winter I thought that I did not like it at all. To me, this has turned out to be strictly a summertime scent, but it really does hit the spot when it is humid and hot!