Must de Cartier

My mother wore this and so did my aunt, whom in my childhood imagination, embodied what a movie star must have been like in real life. (Imagine a loving and kind version of Joan Crawford... that was my aunt). I remember wishing to grow up in order to wear Must de Cartier. The first time I owned this magical elixir, it was a gift by a friend who gave me the 4ml parfum version. She knew I loved the scent, and God bless her heart, thought of me as sophisticated enough, as to be able to pull it off when I was 18 years old. Every time I wore it I felt a mixture between empowered and as though I were 4 years old wearing my mother's heels. Since then, either the EDT or the EDP (different formulations created by different perfumers) have been part of my wardrobe. There is as much of a difference between the vintage parfum and the vintage EDT, as there is between the vintage EDT and the reformulated version of the EDT. (All formulations, I currently own, and unabashedly hoard). The different formulations range from more ambery, spicier, more vanillic and smoother potions, to cooler/green, and then to less complex fragrances, with less longevity and a more pronounced indolic heart, as you go down the ladder from vintage parfum to vintage EDT to current EDT. I'm not thrilled with the indolic nature of the current formulation, but the dry-down is still beautiful and long lasting. However, I think it must be said: to Cartier's credit, the fragrance remains true to it's DNA, which is remarkable, when compared to many other classics that have either no resemblance to their former selves, or have entirely lost their soul. To me, this is first and foremost an amber, a very complex amber, and it is precisely that well rounded complexity that makes this fragrance, in my view, the most elegant of all the fragrances I have ever encountered. It surpasses Bond No.9 Amber, Amouage's Ubar and even Serge Luten's Ambre Sultan (my second favorite amber). Factor in favorable online prices, and even if the quality of Ubar and Ambre Sultan is better than Cartier's current formulation, Must de Cartier is the no contest winner for both: value and scent. It would be pointless for me to describe the scent, as many have done so eloquently already. If you're looking for a description, I recommend you read Sissi's from 2010 and Weegee's right below it. (Hover over the bottom right corner, you'll see the dates). I however, can offer you this: Ever since my first bottle, just the act of purchasing Must de Cartier, has made me feel empowered. I have now grown into this perfume and I wear it every time I start a new job, or I need to go to an important meeting, or when I meet a man I value and admire. It is my suit of armor, the scent that clings to my cashmere sweaters, my "I think I can / pick-me-up" when I'm feeling low, my invisible strand of pearls.

This is the review for new EDT, batch code check says it was made 2/2016 (clear glass, golden cap). I can not object to any reviewer who states that this, many times reformulated EDT is a shadow of the vintage EDT and that The Giant is fallen, because I have vintage and, in my oppinion, the regrets about the scent begone are in place. BUT, for all those who did not try the vintage, I have to say that - in a reasonable price range and outside of niche - this most recent EDT iteration of Must is still worth a try. Current EDT is still nobile, warm but green, sharp and velvety, aromatic, ambery-woody, slightly leathery and vanillic oriental. In today's context, Must is absolutely unisex, and fitted for today's etiquette of moderate silage. The heaviness of the 80-ies classic is gone, and thickness is transformed into into light but still substantial aura. So, if you compare this 2016 iteration of EDT to vintage, adjective "pale" comes to mind, BUT - if you are comparing it to whatever in today's high-end designers section - this EDT is perfectly ok. Must is cosy, elegant, warm, serious, particular, familiar, distinct, and - as time goes by - more modern, not-mainstream and niche-like than it was in the beginning of this millenium. Paradox? Maybe. But even if looks like a paradox, if you are in search for non-sweet / unisex oriental combo of woods-amber-leather-aromatic-vanilla with the fresh, green element, you will probably have to leave today's designer's market, overfloded with sweeties, fruitchoulies and other play-for-sure scented mediocrities, and either reach for vintage or reformulated classic, or go to niche. And then, chances are that, after you look around the niche, you wil eventually find that the grass is not always greener on the other side, but is almost always more expensive. Test Must before that. Test it, just because it is smart thing to do. For current EDT (2016) * like (love remains attached to vintage version only) * silage: moderate (arms lenght at first three hours, after that just a bit more than a skin scent). Current EDT is very far from being silage-bomb. There, it is perfectly ok for office and works beautifully as day-time unisex. The scent descretely marks personal space, but does not intrude other's. (Still, I wish that performance is better.) * longevity: moderate (up to 6 hours, but it needs very generous applying.) * time: For me - the true "golden autumn" fragrance. As last autumn, I'll start wearing it again when leaves start falling and days become short and rainy, but not really cold. Day. Night. Casual to formal.

This magnificent fragrance can be described in one word: PERFECT! MUST de CARTIER is a luxurious scent and one of the sexiest, sophisticated and original scents ever, this sure makes people heads turn. Rich, deep, heavy, oriental, complex, intoxicating, strong, timeless and a wonderfully sexy scent. The first time I tried this fragrance was in a department store when I was around 16. I just went around spraying loads of different perfumes on my arm and then left the shop and went somewhere else. Suddenly I could smell what was quite possibly the best perfume I had ever smelt coming from my left arm. Other people in the shops remarked on it as well but because I had sprayed a lot of different perfumes on at once, i couldn't remember what it was called. I was positive it was a Cartier, but I didn't know which one. About 4 years later, i decided to try and find it again, so i went to the Cartier section of the perfume shop and after determining that it was definitely not Pasha, picked this one up. I remembered the feel of the fluted glass bottle, so I was pretty positive that I had the right one, as no other Cartier fragrances (at that time) had fluted bottles. I sprayed this on my arm again and was instantly disappointed. It smelt sharp and off-putting, and nothing like the warm rich smell I remembered. Then, after about 2 hours, that amazing scent was back! I had been right after all! The opening was a bit loud and screechy but the dry down was to die for. i could live with that for the sake of that dry down. I bought a big bottle right away and would never be without one now. Also, and this is a bit weird, but the review below me remarked that this perfume smells like money. I agree, but i mean, literally, money. It smells a little like bank notes, as in that papery lineny, slightly metallic smell that they have. Although it's actually really lovely and not a dig at all! This one is probably my favourite fragrance ever. It is not a scent for the shy wallflower types, but the best for a assured, grown-up woman sure of her sensuality. MUST de CARTIER is an irresistible secret weapon just a small spray of this can ignite quite an evening. Longevity: 7-12 hours Sillage- Moderate to Heavy

Must De Cartier is a beautiful green vanilla, its by no means outdated to my nose either as it is still feels as contemporary and luxe now as it would have done in the 80s when it was released, granted, I cannot speak for reformulations as my bottle was made in May 2021, but still. The opening is a blast of green citruses and fizzy aldehydes, usually on me aldehydes skew soapy but in Must, they have an effervescent brightness which feels airy and bracing before settling down into a warm, slightly fruity floral laying on top of a bed of vanilla, slowly over the course of 2 hours this begins to subside which reveals a bitter green nuance from the galbanum. This green nuance reminds me a little bit of Chanel No 19 EdT but without the butteriness from the iris and earthy tones from the oakmoss, vanilla and rosewood are still prominent players at this stage on my skin. Must is both cold but still warm and enveloping at the same time, another 3 hours in and the green snap fades and I'm left with a soft ambery vanilla laced with rosewood and sandalwood which wears close to the skin on me and has an effortless air of elegance and sexiness at the same time. I actually think Must would work year round, but is better suited for day and evening wear during fall, winter and spring but for night wear during the warmer months and maybe with a lighter application purely because of how balmy and warm it dries down, but unlike other ambree/orientals I have worn, Must De Cartier never develops a bitter chemical twang on me even after wearing it all day like I have had before in the past with Obsession (of which I can see the similarities, but Must is more full, well rounded and easier to wear). Longevity so far has been excellent, we're at the 5hr mark and still going strong with a wafty skin scent silage. I hope this never gets discontinued, I will always have a bottle of Must in my collection from now on, pure pleasure in a bottle. Fun useless fact; it is referenced in an episode of Charmed that Prue Halliwell wears Must De Cartier

I first encountered Must de Cartier some time ago whilst perusing the Neiman-Marcus perfume counters and mustering the courage to visit the ladies' fragrances counter. I was finally willing to take a dip in the "lady pond" and the rest was history. I was struck by the vivid orange color of the juice and the decidedly not-so-current design of the bottle (come to find out this was the 2000s formulation and the fragrance had already been around for over twenty years). I remember one of my first thoughts was, "gee, if I like this and purchase it, obviously NOT here at Neiman-Marcus, the bottle looks like that of a masculine." This was clearly a number of years ago. I sniffed it and was immediately floored. This sharp green like the crack of the whip, layered over a vanilla and some fruit, whoa, I immediately fell in love. Thus started my love affair with the galbanum/vanilla contrast, which we would find in the original Calvin Klein Obsession, the Original Moschino, Krazy Krizia, among others (I have the and love the latter two, Obsession seems redundant at this point). I love the sweet fruit syrup rendered somewhat bitter and astringent through the galbanum. It reminds me a bit of biting into a not so ripe peach and chewing on citrus rinds. This settles into musty, dusty, dry florals with the vanillic amber and leathery undertones fading into the mix. The dry down is billowy, sensual, nuzzle-musky, with traces of green evident. I will always remember this (along with Hermes Caleche and Van Cleef & Arpels First) on that fateful day, as my jettisoning any care as to how fragrance is gendered, and I now think of how much beauty I would have missed if I constrained myself to male-marketed scents.