Parfum Sacre

I have the EDP from "the white box"? Don't know that formulation. I also have the EDT splash with the cream-colored cap. When I tested PS EDT via Surrender To Chance, as part of five Caron fragrances I wanted to try, I just wanted to eat it, sleep in it, make love to it. That's how much I instantly desired it. I wished I didn't have to go to work so I could spend the day with Parfum Sacre. It feels warm physically--must be the pepper--warm on my skin. Funny I don't smell a bit of rose, and I love rose: whether it be bright pink and plastickly or morbidly scarlet, like petals on a casket. So poor me. I hardly smell flowers at all, but maybe their notes are overtaken by the stronger resins and spices. What I do smell right away is that pungent balminess, an almost antiseptic note...must be the myrrh. It makes me think of the exorbitantly costly perfumed nard in the alabaster jar that Mary broke so she could annoint the feet of Jesus with it, knowing he was to die. "The poor you will always have with you, you will not always have me," he reminded Judas (who acted like it was a waste because it could have been sold for money to give to the poor, but he just wanted to steal some of the proceeds for himself). The poor perfumes we will always have with us: We will not always have Caron, or Rochas, or Guerlain, whether by reformulation or just attrition of discontinued stock. I'm sorry to compare Parfum Sacre to the unguents and ointments used in ancient burial. I guess that's not very perfumey of me. But Parfum Sacre is in its own league--keeping in mind I only have 50 perfumes, and haven't explored niche yet, so I hardly know everything that's out there. On me it gracefully transitions from that opening ointmenty smell (which don't get me wrong, I actually crave it) to a deep, soft vanilla, spice and musk, the scent equivalent of a lover's husky whisper. I'm dry-skinned, but it lasts and lasts (EDP) as a skin scent. Four hours later in the car, and I realized it was myself that smelled so warm and inviting. What more could I want from a perfume? It makes me think of the sacredness of God incarnate, and the preciousness of human love. Maybe all you'll get out of it is, "Oh, nice vanilla drydown, not too sweet." And that's OK, too.

Thanks for your review Gigi The Fashionista - you moved ME to tears! Since I'm already here... I own a miniature bottle of vintage (early 90s) Parfum Sacre, that I purchased blind. It was my introduction to the house of Caron, and they quickly became one of my "most tested" houses. Now they are one of the houses I can't live without. This should indicate the level of greatness I believe Sacre achieves. Sacre is a grounded perfume, gentle for how deep it is. Like many Caron scents, it's unassuming - its power surprises me. The power of Sacre is not in its longevity or sillage, but in its ability to create a feeling of positivity and peace within. It's extremely evocative and can affect my mood for the better. I had the interesting experience of wearing it to a birthday party in early winter, where it seemed like the bday girl was off her meds and the atmosphere became more strained the more alcohol was consumed. There were plenty of times I wanted to either a) tell her off, or b) leave early. And yet these moments of strain and aggravation felt so fleeting, I couldn't commit to their negativity, when I felt so comforted by a warm cloud of all that has been so right in the world since time immemorial. When I wear Sacre, I feel beyond time. Whether or not the perfume itself is a "timeless classic" is up to you, but I know that I *feel* timeless when I wear it, like I'm in touch with a part of collective consciousness that is so strong it will carry us through anything like the tides, the seasons, and dreams. Here's what is not in this perfume: No powder, no sugar, no big flowers, no leather, no oakmoss. Like Gigi The Fashionista says in her great review, Sacre is different (even different from perfumes that claim to be "different") and more people should want to wear perfumes that are different. She says it's "meaningful", and I agree. I suspect it was composed very carefully but also in a breath of inspiration. I like to think that the nose, Jean-Pierre Bethouart, decided before mixing exactly what notes were going to be in this perfume. He maybe wrote in his notebook, "I'm going to create a scent with these notes: Cloves, frankincense, rose, etc...... This. And nothing more." All the power to him.

My encounter with Sacre, and with Caron, dates back quite a long time. In my early twenties—or perhaps I was still in my teens—I became obsessed with the idea of experiencing this sacred fragrance. I saved up my money and bought a 30ml curved bottle along with Narcisse Noir. But at the time, it felt too classical, too strong—something far beyond my reach. Still, I wanted to use it somehow, so I would spray it into the bathtub and soak in a perfume bath. Looking back, it was a rather luxurious indulgence, but in the rising steam filled with spices, I was able to dream myself into an ancient Middle Eastern spa. Sadly, the bottle I left in the bathroom was mistaken for trash by my father and thrown away. Since then, I had been yearning for that scent ever since. By some stroke of luck, I recently acquired a near-mint Eau de Parfum bottle from 1991 on a flea market site—something from a much older era than the one I owned in the past. With memories from those days in my heart, I sprayed it on—and honestly, I was a little let down. The scent I once found overpowering now felt soft, mellow. Perhaps it was because I only ever inhaled the top notes from the warmth of the bathwater. The scent of my memory was merely the top— pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and myrrh— a symphony of spices and incense. My scent of memory. But then came the middle, unfamiliar to me—vanilla and florals, perhaps mimosa, emerged strongly. Maybe it’s aging, but the vanilla-like sweetness and powderiness stood out more than I remembered. The dry-down was a soft blend of vanilla, powder, and incense— a scent that carried both transparency and richness, like layers of golden gauze. Now that I’ve actually experienced real Middle Eastern fragrances, I feel that this might not be Middle Eastern at all, but rather how non-Middle Eastern people imagine the Middle East— or perhaps, it’s the scent of a Christian church, not a hammam at all. As a perfume, it differs from the spicy Sacre in my memory, but it is nonetheless a warm, soft, sacred, and beautiful fragrance.

Soft. Sensual. Enveloping. Warm. Comfortable. Spicy. These are just a few adjectives that come to mind when trying to describe Parfume Sacre...and they barely do it justice. Caron is one of my favorite perfume houses, and they rarely disappoint. PS has quickly moved to the top of my Caron "favorites" list. There is just something about the way Caron does spices that is incomparable in my mind. Caron spice notes always manage to give you a bit of a jolt, waking your senses...and then, right as your nose begins to tingle, the fragrance softens and lulls you... PS features notes of cinnamon, cardamom, mace, black pepper, and clove. The spices here are so subtle and so beautifully blended that they never become heavy or overwhelming. The floral heart is soft, feminine, lush. And the base notes...well, they're perfect: smoky, sacred myrrh, a few drops of warm vanilla, and soft, sensual musk. I could swear there is sandalwood in there, as well (though it is not listed as a note). There is a powdered creaminess that calls to mind a more subtle version of Guerlain Samsara. The overall composition is equal parts spicy, floral, musky, sweet, and smokey. Caron is the absolute master of making complex scents seem easy and uncomplicated. This fragrance feels timeless, historical...even transcendent. I can imagine Cleopatra wearing and loving PS (she had quite good taste in perfume, after all) as easily as I can imagine today's modern woman enjoying it. Parfum Sacre is perfect for cozy evenings and romantic dates. It feels too special to be a daytime scent. It's best to save it for something...sacred.

The reviews here inspired me to blind buy this (the new version, EDP with the violet colored label). I am so glad that I did! This is a fascinating, beautiful perfume. I have to say that if at first you aren't sure about this one, please give it a chance. I recently wore it for the fourth time, and that is when the magic hit me. I am so glad that I didn't give up on this. Everyone has done an excellent job in describing it, and I can't really add more except that if it doesn't really "click" for you at first wear it a few more times, and it will grab you. I also applied it less heavily than I had previously (2 sprays, one on the throat/chest area and then a misting walk-through) and it wasn't so over powering and in-the-face, that way. Much more pleasant. I finally got the rose/myrrh/amber/incense/pepper and I am thrilled. It lasts all day and is softly present (if you stand near me you'll smell it, but you don't have to get right next to me) but doesn't overpower. I have received compliments on it. So far I've worn it in cool and cold weather, and now I'm looking forward to trying it in the warmer seasons.

I've been trying this out from a sample vial recently and I'm completely smitten! At the moment I think it's the most beautiful scent ever - and that's a very unusual reaction for me to have to a perfume! This is a very distinctive fragrance, which stands out strongly from the crowd of popular identikit scents. To me, after the first flush of heady florals and spice it's soft, warm and sexy in an understated way. I can really smell the incense base notes, and they smoulder quietly and insistently on my skin without begging for attention in the way that so many modern incense smells do. There's a woody note in there too, but it's not overpowering. Everything seems perfectly balanced in this fragrance - in fact, if I'd asked Caron to design a perfume to my requirements I think it would have been something like this!! As you can see, I'm quite delirious about my new love...in fact, I've just been scouring the internet to find a stockist offering it at a reasonable price (my love is deep but my pockets aren't!) I've finally found one, so a bottle is winging its way to me right now!

I, at the very first place didn't expect it to be interestingly beautiful. Caron, apart from its famous name and great creations, unfortunately has limited number of perfumes that really suit my chemistry. Therefore, when I tried Parfum Sacre, I prepared myself in low tune of expectation. And .....it had me at hello! This perfume started very soft and powdery, which reminds me of the powdery effect of carnation in Belodgia, also from the same house. They share that thin yet lingering spiciness. Maybe there is a carnation in it or it's just simply the blend of cardamon, cinnamon and pepper that evoke "carnation". The mid is getting more and more floral and slightly sweet as I got the rose and jasmine with a lil bit of orange freshness. Towards the end, the musk and vanilla are ascending into the stage, still with that powdery background. The myrrh is probably there but I would easily mistaken that for sweet-green galbanum on Brooklyn Nuance or amber as it really is sweet and warm. Reviewed from my well-kept miniature of the vintage formulation.

Bitterly disappointed. I thought I had purchased the EDP, but it was the EDT. I have no idea what vintage it is and will have to do research. Either my bottle has been worn down or I am temporarily anosmic for some reason, as I have found difficulty smelling a few other new acquisitions as well. I hope it's the latter, as this sounds amazing, and I love resinous, smoky perfumes. It's also a daub on which I didn't expect. I will have to let this sit for a while, but I am so jealous of those of you who can smell all this clearly has to offer! UPDATE - Batch code indicates this is from 1992. It doesn't smell off, just very weak, perhaps watered down. I decanted some in a spray bottle and plan on dousing myself in it. EDIT 3/7/2020 - Sense of smell is a very strange thing. I sprayed some on about an hour ago, and not only can I smell it all around me, I can finally fully appreciate it! There is just the faintest staleness at first spray, but it quickly turns into a beautiful incense on my skin. This could be a love under the right circumstances!

Very nice. This perfume reminds me of vintage Nuit de Noel extrait, except that one has more of a jubilant, boozy stewed fruit accord and is obviously richer, while Sacre is more medicinal and liturgical. They share an incredible dark mossy rose. This might be the best kind of rose in perfumery to me personally. Rose can just be too sharp or cloying to me sometimes and it tends to utterly dominate other notes, but this one is so dark, velvety and languid. I was taken aback by the first notes--a blast of pepper and resin. The notes list myrrh, but to my nose there is also some frankincense. The topnotes settle down quickly and the spicy, mossy, rose blooms. So sumptuous. I want to spray it again and again because the opening, true to the name, feels like some sort of purifying ritual, and then the perfume comes back down to earth. I agree with another reviewer who called it Byzantine. I see haloed figures beneath arches, scintillating mosaics. My bottle is the original early 90s EdP shown in the thumbnail here.

I sampled this perfume in a store. Though not the vintage formula, it was packaged in a purple box. I fell in love with the beautiful scent, soft, sweet spicy, warm, intruiguing, and it wore close to skin, lasting well into the next day. BUT when I ordered it online, it arrived in a white box. Unfortunately, this was undoubtably yet another reformulation. Unlike the perfume in the store, this one in the white box is watery, a very weak version of the original. Still a nice scent, but much too weak, and it doesn't last more than 20 minutes on me. I will go back to the store and purchase the one in the purple box. UPDATE : Just bought another bottle, and again it came in a white box. This one is fabulous, lasts a long long time, and is NOT watery or weak. I guess the previous bottle was bad ? Anyway, I am thrilled with Parfum Sacre ! It's a beautiful skin scent, very feminie, spicy, creamy, warm, deep and soft. It will remain one of my very favorites !

There aren't enough adjectives to describe my love, my obsession with this scent. This is a case of Caronade, I have tried time and again scents with similar/ identical notes, but, alas, NOTHING is anywhere remotely like my precious, beloved Sacre!!! Spicy and yet smooth, creamy, deliciously resinous with immense depth and character, with the most beautiful and balanced rose that together with a whisper of vanilla and musk becomes soft and velvety and the orange ever so faintly adding a touch of zest!!!! Classy, sultry, comforting and utterly unique!!! The only one that is remotely alike is its spicier sister Sacre Intense with a heavier musk and spices. However this perfume with all its comforting undertones still demands presence and personality by the wearer. Not for the usual "sugary fruity/ floral brigade", but for the ones that can appreciate the finer things.

What I find out about Caron house more and more, a lot of their perfumes (at least the ones i own) share the same distinct Caron base, just like Patou fragrances. And while they differ I would never be able to tell one from another on someone else blindly. When I first sprayed Sacre, I was like, Oh Man, it smells like Montaigne, but after 10-15 minutes you can tell it's different. I don't find Sacre spicy, but it's a very beautiful warm oriental, so perfectly blended like other scents from the house, that I can't guess any separate notes other than rose without looking at the note list. i love the aura of sophistication and luxury that the Caron perfumes give you. I have a new EDP version, and I noticed that the spray nozzle gives rather stingy squirts, the same with Montaigne and Pour Uno Femme. So I would suggest for the dramatic effect count 2 sprays as one.

I get powdery myrrh with this and not much else, even after several hours. Maybe a little bit of musk. Even though I generally dislike powdery scents this is a little more complex. I don't find this to be a sexy scent at all. It's rather chaste. Probably depends on your mood. Since I've been alone most of the day that might be what I'm feeling, a sense of solitude and distance. I think that's the "sacre" aspect of this fragrance coming out. Or maybe I'm just gullible. I don't get spicy notes. Just the incense. So it's the next morning and I can still smell this. I can see I'm going to have a complicated relationship with this scent. We're not going to resolve it in a day or two. It's very soft and sweet but not at all cloying. I usually like fresh scents but this is the opposite. I need to ask a man to sniff this on me. A man I like :)

I agree with Bond_girl 1979 as regards staying power. I bought the original Parfum Sacré immediately after its launch in 1991: the bottle was gorgeous, the scent was immesurably fantastic, the lasting power was forever. For me it would be a bit too much now, but not then. Then I was in my late 20es and welcomed this Caron masterpiece with great enthusiasm, it made me feel special, it was all I wanted to be. 20 years later I love this new lighter Parfum Sacré while back in those years I would not have given it a chance. I find the new version is very close to the original as far as perfumed outcome with much reduced staying power, that's more than true. It lasts nothing compared to the eons it used to stay on your skin. But the scent remains special, very very special.

I was intrigued by this fragrance being classified as an 'oriental spicy' many of my favourites come from (Roma, Gloria, Venise) and bought a bottle of it on ebay.com. It came in the polka dot packaging and bottle so this added to my excitement. It promised to be very feminine. And it was. In a classic, woody, insensy, powdery and slightly soapy kind of way. Parfum Sacre is an exceptional blend which strongly reminds me of Coco (another one from the same family I like). I actually like Coco more, it's fruitier and woodier without the soapiness. Luckily the soapiness disappears after the middle notes (I'm suspecting the mimosa?) and it becomes woody and dark with a hint of powder. I use it for special occasions only and mostly in winter.

Well, this is a spicy incense delight! Parfum Sacre's opening is a blast of cinnamon, cloves, pepper, cardamom, and myrrh. As the scent unfolds, the vanilla and florals come out to play -- I really smell the mimosa and orange blossom especially. (Unlike some commenters I do not get a strong shot of rose.) The myrrh, however, is ever present. The whole drydown effect is like a bake sale in church - yummy, but with an edge of the devout. I really like this. It smells both familiar and unique. I bought a little 30ml bottle wrapped in textured purple leather at Les Scenteurs years ago and am just beginning to appreciate the beauty of this vintage treasure. May buy a big bottle, if I can find this formulation again.

This reminds me of "Cabaret" by Gres. It's wonderful, a kind of spicy-resinous rose. Gorgeous! "Cabaret" is more of a woody rose but perhaps it's the texture that feels similar....shimmering like dust motes in soft afternoon sunlight. Also reminds me of a 'pink fluorescent' version (which sounds like something I would like but maybe the pink is not the shade that turns me on -- but actually all pinks do, so it's just two moods, the pink is more funky and bright) of "Poivre" also by Caron, although I find Poivre somehow more mysterious in an appealing way. Precursors to some of Michel Roudnitska's work? Noir Epices, Shiloh, for instance. Or maybe just a "handling of spices" aspect of his work...

It is truly fantastic what perfume can do to open up our hearts and share our very personal life stories. A big Thank you to "lada 1947" for your wonderful story. Parfum Sacre has become one of my absolute favorites - I think I now prefer it over Christobal that have been my signature fragrance for a long time. On me the most dominante note is vanilla - that blends so perfectly with the spices. Myrr gives it that extra edge that sticks out and makes it very special. I love it and now in the coldest of winter in Sweden, it is snowing heavily and I am cuddling up in front of the fireplace with a cup of warm chocolate and the fragrance of Sacre lingering around the room.

Does this have aldehydes and they're just not listed? The top of this fragrance is very soapy, similar to Ysatis and Chanel 22 which always shouts aldehydes to me. It is definately a scent in the classic mold of french perfumery. A little peppery, and lots of rose. Lalique Amethyst is very similar but with blackcurrent/pine tone which this doesn't have. Alot of the other notes are identical so that would explain it but of course this one came first. I love the drydown and think I shall go on a search for other myrhh offerings. I would gladly wear this one if gifted but is a little on the straight-laced and formal side so not for everyday.

Winter has finally come and I just broke out my cold weather perfumes. Parfum Sacre EDP was one of my first to wear, and because I only wear this one during the winter I often forget how magnificent it is. It’s one of my loves; unique, passionate, warm incense and spice. It’s heavily loaded with myrrh, peppers, cinnamon, cardamom and rose with a hint of orange and vanilla. I sprayed it on a little lighter than I normally would so that I wouldn’t offend the office peeps, but it's already been 6 hours and I am still surrounded with a cloud of this heavenly aroma.