Madame de Carven

There is a small old store in the city full of soaps, shaving creams, shower gels, bulk perfumes and original brand name fragrances. The only customers are men who buy shaving creams and razors and some old women who fill one or two bottles with jasmin or lemon cologne. I had never noticed the window because there was so much stuff there that I would need about half an hour to take notes of what I could see. And suddenly yesterday I did it! And it was worth every minute I spent there. Everything from '70's and '80's, rare, discontinued, limited editions,legendary perfumes that I can't find in big stores anymore, everything was there. Today I bought Gucci 3 and the last Madame Carven (100ml, Edt, boxed and sealed). Price? Oh, come on, it's only a small shop with soaps... There was no tester for them but I'm a huge fun of chypres so I knew that I would like both. Tonight I tried Madame Carven. God, what a smell! Everyone says it's a floral scent but if there was the term "tropical chypre" I would use it. First I smelled the galbanum and the jasmine, the coconut is distinctive and well blended while oakmoss is always there combined nicely with amber. My mind goes straight back to my childhood when I flipped the glossy pages of my mother's magazines and I stared in ecstatic wonder at all these glamorous models of the late '70's with the hope that when I would grow up I would be like these classy women. It's a pity that this fragrance is not in production anymore. It was a great work!

Wow, do I ever like this perfume! It is a crisp, elegant floral with some of the sophisticated "edge" of Ma Griffe, but softened with the subtle coconut and spice notes. The florals are fresh in the sense of being very realistic and even a touch romantic, not the so-called "fresh" scents of today that smell like fake marine or clean laundry. I only managed to get hold of some EDT, not sure what else is out there since it is discontinued now, but it's crying out for an Eau de Parfum at least. This one really deserved better than to disappear. (Those discount outlets that do carry it sometimes inflate the price when not out of stock, which they would not do with a lesser scent.) If you can locate it, it is a perfect scent for office professionals or any environment where a refined perfume is required. It is truly lovely and quite unusual.

A beautiful, sophisicated scent with all the crisp and juicy whiteness of fresh coconut and, thankfully, minus the pink candy & bubble gum flavour which usually accompanies such coconutty concoctions. Has the feel of a true classic which, of course, it is, complete with oakmoss! Am truly amazed at how the sweetness is totally kept at bay whilst the rest of the ingredients go on developing into an evermore grown-up and savvy kind of smell. It seems to be aimed at hot climates but I'm finding it deliciously warm and comforting for winter. I like all the perfumes from the House of Carven and am delighted they're still making most of them. So far so good...

Madame de Carven is a MAGNIFICENT perfume. A wonderful, truly great treasure, from the good old perfume days. Deep, rich and beautiful. Strong and ever-lasting. Glorious. And I must say, she is one of the most complimented perfumes I own, especially by men, but almost as much by women, and even children love it!! It is such a beloved perfume. The children of a friend of mine, a boy and a girl, who are 6 and 7, always throw their arms around me and breathe me in, because I always wear Madame de Carven whenever I visit them. They insist on it!!! Oh I love her!!! And also I adore the gorgeous bottle!!!

Madame de Carven is beautiful, nostalgic, original, with character... rich ... "Bold and the Beautiful";-) I bought some miniatures for allegro and immediately fell in love with this scent. 70/80 perfume of years is my favorite ... I'm dreaming of perfumes 100 ml. I love it! <3