Variations

I have the original, 1971 EDT. Its green note is less sharp than other 70s greens I have (looking at you, Cachet), and reminds me more of Carven's earlier green notes, like the ones in Vert et Blanc. The green doesn't last very long, before it went to a lovely lilac, not just the flower, but like the giant lilac bush I used to explore as a kid; green, floral, with a bit of wood. It dries down to a very long-lasting, rather glorious, warm, ambery, sandalwood. It takes a fascinating journey from a gentle green floral to a woody warm spiciness.

I used to have this! and I have no idea where I came across it or how I eneded up with it, but all I know is it was gorgeous, it was very sensual, and made me feel like a woman, as I was quite a young lady when I first started wearing it. I have been trying to get my hands on it. I remeber the tea note well, I think it resembles flowerbomb a bit to be honest, but like a warmer and deeper version of flowerbomb, it is sweet and a bit tart. I long for this perfume and would like to get my hands on another bottle.

Nobody tried this yet here? It is a very modern Carven! Most of their perfumes are classics! I like it actually!

This one is quite modern for the Carven house! It is a sensual perfume.

03. august 2012 finally today i have recieved the original version of "Variations" in 30ml parfum bottle. I also have this recent version of "Variations". About this modern edition i totally agree with Olga, nice, but nothing special. Great for summer, middle notes remind me of one of the summer Escada editions. The tea note saves it here from turning into ultra sweet fragrance. Low sillage and sadly not of the greatest lasting power. Opens as a sweet raspberry with hyacint, smells a bit like bubble gum, or candy. Then a tea note helps to develope this fragrance to another level. But still after couple of hours you have to smell it close on your skin and it smells then mostly of raspberry dilluted juice (typical Escada indeed, in a way of "sexy graffiti") BUT the ORIGINAL VINTAGE version is something very different indeed!!! Don ́t know if it is because i have a pure parfum version, but it indeed smells different. Yes, it is also sweet, BUT a grown up sweety. There is a rose definitly in vintage one and i suspect that not raspberry but strawberry. Upon opening it is really sharply sweet, but after a while developes into cross of sweet and airy fragrance with lilac note i guess. It does smell a bit like lilac perfume in the middle notes. And here is that magical thing that i love about perfumes: when sniffed on a distance it smells more of strawberries (sweet) but cloder to the skin it is fresh. I slightest hint of powder is present in the drydown, but it doesn ́t ruin anything at all! Just wonderful! I actually like both versions very much.

It took me about three wears to ultimately figure out how I feel about this perfume. The first time, I tested it I could not smell anything at all, so I left it alone for a few days. I guess, the reformulation is not the same as original, because while nice, I would not put it in the "stunner" category. Variations is a very soft,sensual fragrance. Of all the notes I only detect raspberry and green tea....well, and maybe a hint of amber. For being such a tender perfume and giving the first impression of being very watered down, it actually has pretty decent sillage and better than average longevity. I think it's a pleasant casual perfume for hot summers, but definitely not a masterpiece. Something you may enjoy while having but would not purchase again.

Nice surprise. I blind ordered this on Amazon for a song and wasn't sure what to expect. It's not earth shattering as far as fragrance innovation goes, but it's lovely and fresh and there's something very familiar to it. I'm wondering if I'm somehow remembering the original? Nice for summer with a predominant tea note softened by tart raspberry. Not much projection, so also office friendly.

It is not really an oriental for me, but a light fruity floral in a nice not very sweet way. Fruity floral for the over 30 generation. worth a try The labdanum is not detectable unfortunatelly. Lasting power everage, sillage everage, overall everage for a day to day use. You are not going to find a thing to anchor this frangrance in the note?! Better than Fleurs d`Orlane, but very similar.

SMELLS pink, cider & black,I love cider & black!!

I'd been wanting to try some of Carven's offerings and this seemed like an interesting blend, so I gave it a go. Unfortunately, this is a hate for me. While I'm a fan of most of these notes separately or in other compositions, they really don't work well together. The tea plus raspberry makes for a sour, almost acrid plume of artificial berry beverage. The amber is harsh, heavy, and synthetic, and does nothing to soften the top notes; it is pulled down further by the labdanum and musk, while the powdery hyacinth lends a nauseating sharpness to this unsavory aggregate. The notes clash and rebound upon one another, the end result being something you'd buy in a sparkly bottle at Claire's in the early 2000s—think raspberry lemonade meets Coco meets bug spray. And since the sillage and longevity are actually quite strong, the torture is interminable. If anybody wants the remainder of my almost-full bottle, please get in touch.

Not sure if my bottle has gone off but is it sour and nasty.

I have the original mid 1970s perfume version of VARIATIONS and hauled it out to wear today. The bottle is square crystal, wrapped around the center is a gold belt bearing perfume name, a gold banded neck and plain crystal top. If you know Ma Griff of the same era, this is the same bottle and if you would smelled, you would recognize this variation of MG quite easily. Primarily GREEN, the first impression is juicy crunchy sap green with hints of sharpish floral like marigold. Any fruits I smell are also sharpish and green: unripe pineapple and perhaps green banana. Later the perfume sweetens a little & picks up some spicy notes: according to my nose, maybe ylang ylang. Galbandum forms the backbone of the scent and somewhere maybe a rosy/leathery labandum. Highly recommended for those who like classic/vintage, are seeking a strikingly different green scent.

I got a random sample of this...tried it on before bed. I'm laying here, sniff sniff sniff on my arm. I can't sleep because I have to know...where have I smelled this before? It is so unique. Sweet, but also deep and rich. I'm racking my brain trying to remember if I've ever known someone who had a bottle of Variations. Then it hit me...I'm pretty darn sure this is the same scent as my Electric Youth perfume from back in the 80s!!! I haven't smelled EY in years so I don't know for sure. But scents can open up memories you didn't even know you had.

I have the vintage and am I the only one who gets aldehydes? They don't last terribly long fortunately because they a bit at odds with the sweet prettiness of the composition which comes through afterwards, reminds me of Chamade in the drydown, although without that sense of desolation. It is discordant, but surprising.

Remember this one from when I was a young adult....I wonder if it's the same one from the 1970's or has it been (sigh) re-formulated......it came in a green box with (from memory) silver lines across it......it was really, really lovely and sharp with a twist. Very good. Hope the original is still around!

If it's the same formulation as the one released in 1971, then it's a stunner. Otherwise ?????

Forgot to add, yes there is also spicy heady lilac and or carnation over-tones. Very lovely!