Bijan

This caramelizes with my chemistry over several hours -- turning into a delicious broth of pleasure - excitement - and optimism! It is playfully sexy, sweet. It has a Musk LIFT to it, that really melds with my chemistry over a period of several hours. This is one of those 1980's fragrances that I was first exposed to while in a sorority. This girl walked close to me - and the smell was so mesmerizing that it was as if you had just caught a whiff of something magical in the air. There is a blend of fragrance notes that are sheer optimism! Got to LOVE THAT! This is one of those fragrances that I thought I had cycled through, I put it in the back of the drawer - and for years have reached for other fragrances. I thought I was pretty well DONE with this. However, watching all of the Facebook political posts whizzing through my news feed -- I'm keenly aware that I need a serious dose of OPTIMISM in my life. Something HAPPY -- and I reach for THIS FRAGRANCE! Immediately after spraying this, my boyfriend takes notice. He's caught on to the fact that I pay attention to everything that he says in regards to fragrance. As I was spaying this one day, he casually asked me the name of it. (Hmmmmm... this always means something, doesn't it? Yes - he likes the fragrance - and is making a mental note of this for a future gift -- or possibly a gift for his mom, or something -- who knows). He has since revealed that this is his FAVORITE fragrance on me... he even said, "this is the fragrance that I look for - when I am looking for you while out shopping... or before we are scheduled to meet, it leaves a trail - of YOU". And all this time I've been looking for the NEW perfect scent... when it was here all the time! The compliments - the chance encounters where I find someone edging more closely to get a whiff of this, the sparkle in people's eyes as they talk with me! That's OPTIMISM all right! Yeah -- -------- (Personally, I'm tired of the watered-down, wimpy, cotton candy-like fragrances that ALL basically smell the same. I won't purchase anything like that, sorry!

♫ Oh, you beautiful doll, you great big beautiful doll ♪ Literally, this smells on opening like a big new rubber doll to me ... and it’s not a bad thing either! This is so weird, but great at the same time. If you remember how new dolls used to smell, when they used rubber to make them, you might know what I’m talking about. Rubbery, but also mimosa sweet. (Smell a vintage cupie doll and you'll know what I mean.) Mimosa isn’t listed as one of the notes, but that is what I am getting here on opening. I’m having a hard time even explaining it. It must be the ylang-ylang, tonka, and combination of spices that is giving it that sweet rubbery floral mimosa scent on opening. From that strange, but wonderful opening, it morphs into a creamy, spicy, custardy, vanilla tinged amber floral that’s honey sweet, but also a little earthy from the oakmoss. The fragrance has a lot of body and Oomph! Many here have mentioned the powdery dry down, which is beautiful, but for me the most delightful aspect of this fragrance on dry down is the soapiness which is evocative of the finest French milled soaps. In a way it reminds me of Obsession; but Obsession’s soapiness is masculine compared to this. I love Obsession for the same clean feeling reason and its non-cloying soapiness, but this scent is edible compared to that. Oh, that creamy, custardy, vanilla, honey and spice! I know my review isn’t doing justice to this fabulous fragrance, but suffice to say that I love it, and I am so grateful to have learned about it thanks to all the wonderful Fragrantica members here. PS – I want a stockpile of this AND I need the edp of this NOW!

Vintage EdT/EdP: Wonderful, big fresh but heady green chypre white-floriental that references the classics without old-fashioned touches like aldehydes or a sweet powdery base. The opening is my favorite part, a lovely natural citrus-basil accord. The heart's tuberose, ylang, orange blossom, heliotrope (judiciously dosed) and honey create a lovely doughy, round pretzel accord. Bijan's light touches of oakmoss, patchouli, and soapy orris root provide a counterweight to the floral and amber sweetness. The heart accord is powerful with an overdose of a "tuberose" white floral molecule extending well into the base (methyl benzoate?) – by which Carnal Flower was perhaps directly inspired – which may turn off some. I do get all the many accords listed here in the pyramid. Performs like a classic too, with all-day projection. EdT slightly brighter/lighter than the EdP but not a big difference other than the concentration. Would love to try the vintage parfum one day. Reformulation (Five Star Perfumes, EdT): Horrific synthetic white-floral chemical swill, but still maintains some of the structure and balance, which is why I sought out the vintage. There's an echo of something great here (the original heart accord) and somehow the whiny, screechy loud mess has something charming about it, but it's not worth your time per se. What I imagine old ladies from the former Eastern Bloc with ten layers of makeup on wear to intimidate in-laws.

I LOVE Bijan! I’m typically picky about my floral fragrances. I usually reach for fruity and sweet. But as I’m becoming an adult, I love florals. I love feeling feminine and luxurious. This opening is luxurious at first, for sure. It’s a little sharp for maybe the first two hours. But it dries down into this sweet, floral, honey smell. But it’s not sickeningly sweet. It’s just right. It’s perfect for summer. I know it’s listed as a fall fragrance, but I definitely think florals are for the summer. The warmth projects the fragrance just right. Usually I do not get compliments on my fragrance. Especially since it wears off in the school air. Fragrances do not last on me and I usually have to touch up. But no, this is perfect. I’m on hour five of wearing this fragrance. One of my girlfriends hugged me and gasped and said I smelled SO good, and mind you, this is a younger girl. It’s still youthful! When I move my arms, I can smell the fragrance on me and it makes me relaxed. I love everything retro, I love feeling feminine, and I love this fragrance. I highly recommend for any 80s fans or any woman looking for something divine. If this fragrance could be a song, it would be “I’m Every Woman” for sure. Perfect fragrance for every day wear. You can dress this up or down. Beautiful.

I've only tried the vintage version, in both the EDT and EDP. I'm really surprised not to see more comparisons to Lou Lou by Cacharel, one of my all-time favorites. Bijan has a similar oriental powderiness but is, as an earlier review mentioned, "sunnier." I almost think of it as a more wearable, daytime version of Lou Lou. Yesterday I compared the EDT to the EDP and found the EDP to be richer, a bit sweeter, and predictably longer-lasting, although they aren't worlds apart in terms of composition. The floral note in the EDT smells slightly drier and more herbaceous, which makes me prefer the EDP, but that was pretty much the only difference I noticed other than longevity. As to be expected from an 80's fragrance they both project very well, and just one spray of the EDP across my chest garners compliments when people hug me, even several hours after applying. I also think this is safe for people who might be leery of a vintage scent - it has all the great qualities of "real perfume" without smelling dated. It can also still be found for a reasonable price on eBay, so this will be a permanent fixture in my perfume wardrobe. It seems most of these lackluster reviews are for the current version, to which I cannot speak.