Nocturnes de Caron

This is such a good example of the ways in which our response to, and opinion of, any perfume changes over time. I had this one down as a like, and I have returned to change my rating to a solid love, and revise my review. I had underestimated this besuty. Yes, it is soapy, and I usually don't go for soapy. But, this one, this one has won my heart. This one has made me reconsider soapy. Opens with a strong soapy Lily of the Valley. As often happens on Fragrantica, although LOTV is listed in the textual description, it is not included as a pictogram, so folks can't vote on LOTV. I swear, if LOTV was shown, folks would suddenly start smelling it, and it would place high on the notes list. I like LOTV. I like Caron's own Muguet du Bonheur. But, in the past, I felt that this one was just a bit too soapy for my taste. The LOTV is strong for about the first two hours before it begins to soften, and the orange blossom, jasmine and tuberose take the stage. This is my favorite part of this fragrance, when the opening LOTV floral notes are soft, but still discernible, the rose comes into it's own, and the florals from the heart begin to unfold. In the EDT, the orange is never that strong, nor is the tuberose. This is no tuberose monster. The ylang ylang is typical Caron, sweet and a little spicy. When the sandalwood, vetiver and musk enter, the whole composition takes on a more balanced and elegant structure. In the parfum de toilette version, with the black top, the LOTV is but a bit player, while the orange blossom, tuberose, and rose shine. I have it in two editions, a PDT and an EDT. I returned today to revise my formerly lukewarm review. I like the EDT. But, I love the PdT. It is a little muskier, more of a creamy, vanillac tuberose, less soapy, sexier, but still perfect for daytime, office and professional settings. I would class this as a floral woody musk.

I smelled a sample of this years and years ago (well in the 80s as a teenager), in a sadly long-gone tiny posh cosmetic and perfume boutique. I was entranced by what I remember to be the scent's 'grassiness'. I've remembered it for years and bought a bottle of Nocturnes last year from a net seller. The first sniff was exactly as I remembered it, I was delighted. Now, I would say that the top notes of Nocturnes are verrry similar to those of my long-lost Armani Armani, their first female fragrance. On wearing it however, Nocturnes took on a very much unwanted spicy note for me. I'm a bit baffled by what the culprit could be, looking at the notes portrayed above. I would have said maybe carnation (yick). Maybe it's the ylang ylang actually. Something with horrid eugenol in it I'll bet. Anyway, Nocturnes is one of those that I gave to my Mum because she doesn't mind spice and she wears it occasionally.

ok, nocturnes was a love in the eighties, now it costs too much for the original and don't know how it might smell to do a blind buy for that amount of money, I really like 80s and 90s frag, big white florals and floral aldehydes,I know how good it was then but now I received a 1oz black topped bottle with the cutout glass and it smelled a little old, I really couldn't get the true fragrance out of it that I could remember and it was about 40 dollars, so I just pass on trying this again costs too much now and would be too hard too find a fresh one :(, oh yeah I did try the one in the cream color box with the dots but it was not the original it was long ago and I don't even remember what the smell was but it was not favorable or I would have remembered. So, so much for that, I'll enjoy continue my conquests Happy hunting for that right one!

The opening of Nocturnes EDT is like an assault! Sharp, prickly, green neroli is incredibly bracing taking its first breath. It does quickly round out into a sweeter more rosey hue and a deep, mysterious orange. As the perfume progresses I lose a lot of differentiation of notes and it quietens into an incredibly soft floral, like a whisper. I don't particularly care for citrus is my perfumes but Nocturnes does this very nicely. The tuberose, also a problem area for me, is very subdued here. Whatever aldehydes are here, are not of the musty, attic-dwelling kind, they are very gentle. Nocturnes has defied everyone of my dubious expectations and I am seriously impressed. I feel sweet and feminine and pretty wearing this. No mean feat I may tell you!

This is such an under appreciated fragrance in my collection. I've had this bottle for maybe 15 years and I don't reach for it very often. Sometimes you just aren't in the right place in your fragrance evolution to embrace a fragrance. Nocturnes is a lusciously soapy aldehyde perfume, and it represents a grace and elegance that deserves some credit. It doesn't shout it's presence. I put it in the same category as Chanel No. 5, L'Aimant, Topaze and those types. Nocturnes reminds me of wearing a pretty floral print dress after a morning shower on a beautiful spring day surrounded by a garden of lilacs, orange blossoms and roses. Simple, beautiful elegance. Glad I still have this perfume.

Belive it or not this is a perfume in a class of its own. Caron proves itself to be a quality house with quality goods. Anyhow The Caron girl is this time quite the lady, not too heavy on the opening of neroli. A pleasant afternoon tea in the garden with a gin and tonic, a pretty dress and a handsome man. The sun is setting the tuberose comes out to play. Too many gin and tonics and that handsome man in the garden. Sultry summer gardens and musky forbidden pleasures. A fantastic fume for the adventerous perfumelover, you can really notice the development of the notes. I have alot of trouble with synthetic neroli and jasmine and florals in general....but this is a delight.........

Orange, neroli, tuberose, and vanilla! I get that vintage creamy essence but disturbed by a far away oranges! It's creamy with a mouthwatering vanilla that is mingled with ylang and a hardly noticed aldehyde! but that oranges just disturbs the smell and honestly, this oranges tingle gives this blend a very beautiful twist that plays with your senses somehow! The cool down turns it to powdery vanilla light rose with ylang, and musky aldehyde. The name, the bottle, and the smell shouts beauty and i believe it's a one stand out charisma that hugs you unconditionally. A very beautiful indeed.

First of all, I'm stunned by the difference between the 2013-14 "La Selection" version of this, and the floral-etched version from the early 2000's era. The 2000 version is indeed soapy with a bitter note, to a startling degree, on the opening. But I usually find aldehydes and soap a bit aggressive and unpleasant, whereas here it just wakes me up. The rich sandalwood and creamy ylang ylang counterbalance that bitter note. Within 15 minutes, it softens. Orange is palpable, and I agree with the reviewer who detected almost a mimosa overlap. Complex and lovely vintage scent.

I'm relatively new in "Perfume world" but as I smell and as I'm starting to understand the Caron scents are really something special. One by one, very good, a must have. Nocturnes de Caron especially. I have had Caron En Avion and Narcise Noir for a long time, but till now I didn't use them a lot, seemed to me somehow too serious. This summer I found out super poudery Royal Bain de Caron and I've added it to my collection. Than followed Nocturnes, Parfum Sacre and Fleurs de Rocaille. They are all beautifull, clasy and timeless.

Delicious perfume. At first, it feels a bit soapy, probably due to the aldehydes, but after a while, the rose and wood blend exquisitely. It's definitely a work of art. Perhaps it has a shade a bit similar to Chanel #5 and Coco Chanel (depending on how it develops on my skin). It projects class and distinction. Lucky me, I found a sealed bottle in a perfumery that looks exactly like the photo above. Now I'm its happy owner :-) I'll cherish it like gold dust. Moderate to strong sillage. Longevity of about 8 hours on my skin.

A really nice aldehyde scent! elegant and delightful. Classic!!! Nocturne is very light and soft, smells like white flower under the sunshine, and it's feminine and decent at same time. I recommend this one to all those who fear/hate aldehyde fragrance. You must try Nocturne out before making your mind, otherwise you'll miss a truely beautiful experience! I say so because I used to fear aldehyde myself, they're loud, thick and sometimes makes me sick. But when the first time I meet Nocturne, I change my mind totally.

I ordered this perfume based on a memory of trying it out back in the '80s when I was a teenager. I did this from a memory of 25+ years ago. I received it yesterday and immediately put some on, and I was dissappointed, thinking I remembered it wrong. It wasn't terrible, just a little disappointing. Flash forward, after an hour of wearing it--NOW it was the wonderful smell I remembered. Beautiful memories started coming back of orange, sandalwood and vetyver blended so nicely. I will be wearing it again today!

Really similar to Via Condotti. The similarity is probably in the notes, (can’t say I’m an expert in that area, I just know, and really powerfully, what I like...and dislike), more so in their eternal ethereal elegance. Both manage to raise me up when feeling sorry for myself and propel me to reconsider my own worth. Like when you pamper yourself and the rest of the world follows. So lucky to have found Nocturne at a basement price - 2 bottles.

I scored a vintage mini on ebay, and I must say, I really love this. It opens fairly fruity, but the drydown is quite lovely, tuberose for awhile, then the vetiver and woodiness show themselves. Sillage and longetivity could be better, however, but I only have a dab-on so it may improve with an atomizer. All in all, a really nice frag from a classic house.

I've been wearing this fragrance for 25 years and consider myself fortunate to still be able to get it via internet. I can only say that it is perfect. Floral, but not sweet or heady; sensual without being overly musky. I love how its character changes through its drydown, from floral at the beginning to incense-like when the base notes reveal themselves.

Such a special and unique scent. I found a vintage bottle in a flea market and it was love at first sniff. 😊 It has become one of my favourite fragrances! It has this very characteristic and peculiar dry smell which I find so alluring and mysterious. I absolutely love this perfume. I have a few backup bottles so I never run out of it.

This perfume means for me the fatal attraction of the Past. It is so intriguing and a little bit scary. Make my imagination working, but I can’t identify the images. Not a perfume to express myself, I have a feeling I do not understand it, but I love it. And I can’t recognize even one note separately.

I love it and have been wearing it for years. It has always been my "never fail" scent of choice. For the past few years, however, I have only been able to buy it on-line. I totally agree with Marielon's comments about this fragrance. Thank you Marielon for your gift of expression.

Very nice every day scent, nothig special but wearable and pleasant. Fresh aldehidic orange with some roses, well balanced with vanilla-amber. Very good composition - if I compare with some modern every day fresh scents I can say that Caron Nocturnes is an elegant chic perfume.

Unusual and pretty. Hard-to-define, soft and spicy (hello, ylang), with gentle citrus up top. Vetiver and sandalwood are present but don't ever shout. Not everyone will appreciate its subtle beauty, but you'll smell wonderful wearing it.