Vermeil

I adore all of the exquisite fragrances from Bienaimé! This French perfume house dates back to 1935 and was resurrected in 2021 along with four of their original fragrances. I ordered a sample kit from their website (shipped to me in the U.S.) I will be reviewing each of the four fragrances... VERMEIL: Vermeil reminds me of a mix between Chanel's Misia and Guerlain's dreamy Apres l'Ondee. It opens with the same sparkling aldehydes as Misia that give it an initial burst of champagne. However, Vermeil is less sweet than Misia and more "earthy" perhaps from the carrot seed... I perceive a bit of a root-like quality that grounds it with an understated elegance. Softly feminine and romantic with a nod towards cosmeticy rice powder and expensive lipstick, evoking aristocracy from another era... I envision Joan Fontaine after she becomes the second Mrs. de Winter in Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel, Rebecca. While Vermeil is the romantic, demure beauty, Frederic Malle's Lipstick Rose is the glamorous bombshell. Lipstick Rose shouts "look at how beautiful I am" with her coiffed hair, false eyelashes, and plunging necklines, while Vermeil enchants with her natural beauty and well-mannered charm. While they have similar notes, Lipstick Rose is a much heavier, potent fragrance with a fluffier, sweeter powder and stronger hints of candied fruit, while Vermeil is softer, more grounded and au naturale. I adore them both, but they are very different scents. Lipstick Rose is actually one of my top favorites. THE PACKAGING:The beautiful bottles reflect Bienaimé's original Art Deco spirit and are reusable and recyclable. Refills are available for purchase, making these treasures a very reasonably priced luxury. FROM THEIR WEBSITE: Through the rebirth of the brand Bienaimé, the idea is to perpetuate the wonder of these timelessly charming beauty treasures and create a sensory experience that evokes emotion, that of a sweet nostalgia. Dreamlike and poetic universe Bienaimé is an ode to the memories of the past and an immersion into the heart of eternal beauty. I couldn't agree more! IN SUMMARY: This perfume house is a treasure!! I highly recommend ordering a sample kit, and the price is deducted upon the purchase of a perfume! Even the packaging of the kit is exceptional, and it comes with a darling pink and white striped cloth pouch that is perfect for travel. I want one of each of these exquisite fragrances in my collection! But if I must choose one, La Vie en Fleurs is my favorite.

This is what i imagine, a rich person from Normandy in the 1940s at a event smells like. This is by far one of the most, elegant and vintage smelling sents, i have put my nose on. This is very waxy, same feel as when you smell bees wax. The iris is buttery and violet to back it up. The carrot seeds makes this along with the Aldehydes, Iris, Violet Heliotrope makes this feel so vintage and classy. The Raspberry gives it some sweetness and acidety. It lasts about 8 hours on me, and has mid to low sillage. I have a 2ml sample of this, and i'm getting a full bottle soon. 9,6/10 for me.

Very similar to Incaranta and other skanky vintage profiles, but this might actually be my favorite of the bunch. It is easily the smoothest execution in this genre I’ve encountered. It still carries that rebellious, unfiltered edge, but it's blended so masterfully that it remains entirely wearable and enjoyable. While I’ve had to layer Incaranta with extra vanilla just to temper the heavy animalic punch, the balance here is absolute perfection. Truly the Goldilocks / little bear porridge of skanky perfumes, it's just right! Full bottle worthy!

I’ve been wearing this for a few months now and each time I wear it, it scratches an itch I didn’t know it had. Powdery, cool toned, fluffy iris and violet create a cloud of comfort. It reminds me of Violet Ida around the edges—the tone and character of the violet/iris interplay seems familiar. The raspberry, while tempered, keeps the composition from going too far vintage by adding some lift and “spike”. Classic, old-school composition that remains wearable even by today’s standards.

This is far less lipstick than a clean, clear bright iris on a solid bed of aldehydes and some almondy type notes, presumably the heliotrope. One of the most iris forward scents Ive nosed as well, and for me at least its fabulous. Rose makes its presence known through the heart, but here its quite clean, and dries down to reveal some rich sandal in the base. A beautiful addition.

This is a beautiful vintage violet. It's got that lipstick leatherbag feel to it, although I was surprised to not find leather within the list of ingredients. Maybe that kind of smooth leathery texture comes from the carrot seeds. It is a powder bomb, but I wold say it is not as heavy as Chanel's Misia and has an earthy facet to it which I find quite attractive.

I've been obsessed with lipstick-y scents ever since I startes collecting fragrances. This is by far the most lipstick smelling. It literally smells like a tube of pure waxy lipstick and I LOVE IT.

I really like this. It’s Dry, rooty, a bit sweet and perfectly vintage in the best way.

Very vintage and absolutely stunning lipstick scent. Big time nostalgia inducer.

Made in France, it is a lipstick fragrance. I can smell iris, musk and violet. For powdery lovers! Very feminine, you are in a boudoir where the powdery and creamy scent of rouge sticks and blushes intermingle... Very elegant and chic, it is a timeless scent. More for fall, winter and spring. Modern and vintage in the same time! Office compatible, not offensive. Can be a signature scent. 8/10 Same vibe of lipstick fever of Juliette has a gun without ambroxan. In this brand: Vermeil = lipstick (iris and musk), Jours Heureux = Skincare scent (carnation & musk) and La vie en Fleurs = iris bouquet (iris, violet, musk with a touch of raspberry).

Beautiful powdery vintage scent. Initially it's a very heavy almost dusty cosmetic scent, think makeup powder and waxy lipstick. I picture the dusty makeup drawer of a retro vanity table. Then it turns into a milder but still dry, chalky, powdery makeup scent and I don't find it heavy anymore. I think this would be amazing in colder weather or whenever you want to daydream because there is a very vintage romantic feel to it. I envision anything from ladies of the Belle Époque period, black and white noir films, to a retro vanity table. I'm still debating if I want a full bottle because honestly the sillage isn't great for me.

As reviewers below mention, it's definitely a lipstick and powder-inspired scent, with a nice fluffy cloud of heliotrope complemented by classic iris. The powder is more icing sugar than max factor, which makes it feel more comtemporary. It's very easy on the nose and will definitely appeal to those who enjoy a perfume inspired by the scent of lipstick and light powder. I personally like it much more than Lipstick Rose, for example as it has a bit more complexity and depth.

Vintage-leaning, but not dated in any way. The overall impression of this perfume is delicate, fluffy, and powdery. I usually don't like roses, but it's done in such a subtle way that it doesn't bother me at all. There's also a hint of musk that reads sexy rather than dirty. If you like that Guerlain DNA and you want a more modern interpretation, you should absolutely try this one. Available at Liberty London(4th floor)

makeupy iris, powdery rice, slightest acidic berry, aldehydic musk, this encompasses a vintage take on face powder for me and i say vintage because when i was a child, not too long ago, people smelled like this rather than shalimar or N°5. the closest comparison i can draw w this is chloe love and love eau intense. i feel it's the same kind of nutty powdery ricy makeupy irisy scent.

Diehard fans of Misia, Lipstick Rose, and their ilk might want to investigate. For me, the rooty, greenish carrot seed definitely stands out here. This is a respectable entry to a crowded genre. It still is not quite as interesting and "worldly" as ELdO's Putains des Palaces, not as well-balanced and elegant as NEZ's more ambery Ambre a Levres, and not as universally pleasing as Celine's La Peau Nue. Totally competent iris/rose powder that is, unfortunately, outclassed in its genre.

This is one of the most iris-forward scents I've come across, however, the problem with that is that it's almost ENTIRELY iris -- the plasticky-synthetic element isn't blunted enough, it's too rough EVERYWHERE -- not just the edges, the middles and elsewhere, too. Just not balanced enough, unfortunately.

The scent is beautiful but very weak on my skin unfortunately. Doesn’t last at all on me. I purchased it for $240 at The Paris Market in Savannah. So pretty disappointed, especially since I seem to be in the minority based on reviews. Glad it lasts for most though.

this smells exactly like the shoe section in a tk maxx

Bienaimé is a beautiful perfume house and speaks to all of the vintage lovers out there. Vermeil is the ultimate old makeup scent: extremely powdery violets and iris yet a bit waxy. It's a nice blend between rice powder and lipstick. Elegant yet very sweet and quite young. It makes you feel like you're in the 1930s getting ready for a gala, putting on Coty's Airspun whilst wearing on a gorgeous light pink organza gown. I almost used up all of my sample, and I'm saving the last drop religiously as I can't justify spending that money on a new fragrance at the moment. I love to wear this one when I'm wearing my 1930s and 1940s clothes. It fits right in and makes me feel like I'm surrounded by a sweet smelling cloud all day! If you love vintage makeup and clothing, heliotrope and rice powder, you'll adore Vermeil. Longevity is great, it lasts all day on my skin. Sillage is moderate to strong. I highly recommend Bienaimé!

THIS is THE lipstick / cosmetic vintage scent. Misia is too tart, lipstick rose is too powdery, this actually has that creamy, chalky, earthy Iris scent of cosmetics, I have a full bottle of lipstick rose but I want to never use it again after this one, it is so much more plush and nostalgic than lipstick rose that is too airy, this is truly waxy creamy and addictive, I feel the most feminine I’ve ever felt. Unfortunately while I simply adore it, it’s just too expensive for what it is. Lipstick rose is also, but I got it as a gift from my husband so.... Next time I am super desperate for glamorous nostalgia I will get this one but not now. I sniffed it in Paris and it feels like the essence of a 1960s woman getting ready in her vanity which overlooks the cloudy seine.