Zouzou

Updating my review as my sample I received from the boutique did not do Zouzou justice. Upon getting a full spray from the atomizer my first thoughts were "damn this is pretty"... This is not the first time a sample has let me down, which is why I decided to give a full bottle a try - and I am high-fiving myself that I did. My initial thoughts on Zouzou remain the same - warm, slightly green, sweet vanilla. I am also getting a beautiful vanillic amber scent bubble with the promised caramel undertones (the caramel undertones were noticeably absent from the sample). I stand corrected and will say, Zouzou is actually stronger than its line sisters (Dans Paris & Black Tie) - do not sniff up close too much or you will quickly go nose blind (the same thing happens to me with Black Tie). I am really excited to see how Zouzou ages too as vanilla amber combos just get better with time. For reference I have batch no. 4B01VV - curious whether Zouzou is suffering through some batch issues with the inconsistent feedback on longevity, and my own personal experience with the sample from the boutique...

Easily my favorite of the bunch I tested—effervescent, musky, and a little mischievous, with a smirk that lingers. Zou Zou is a modern take on vintage glamour, but instead of pearls and gloves, it’s all about contrasts—sharp and soft, sweet and spicy, clean and animalic. Playful, but never frivolous. The aldehydes atr sparkly at the top like the pop of champagne bubbles, crisp and electric, setting the stage for something bolder. The real fun begins. As it melts on skin, a sultry, spiced sweetness emerges—ambery, musky, and warm but with an edge. It’s powdery, yes, but not the demure, whispery kind—this is a high-end powder puff with a wink, little wild at heart. Textured, but never heavy, with a sly hint of skin underneath. There’s something effortlessly sexy about it, like slipping into a perfectly tailored suit with nothing underneath. Self-aware, teasing, and undeniably stylish—Zou Zou is for anyone who wears perfume as an extension of their attitude rather than just an accessory.

Based on the reviews, I was ready to blind buy this but I decided to just go into the Celine boutique (dreadfully even though I live 5 min away) and test it out first. Blew me away, and purchased it on the spot! I get a blast of vanilla and something zingy, like I swear I smell some citrus even though it is not a listed note. Like reviewer below said, all the other notes seem so well blended that I can't really smell it, except for some suede nuances from the labdanum. This is a soft and classy vanilla scent, if you love vanilla you will most certainly love this! I also tried Dans Paris and side by side I see similarities, with Dans Paris smelling cleaner and dialed back. Both are very pretty scents, Dans Paris may be my next fb purchase. All Celine fragrances are very restrained and classy, typical of french perfumery. Update: Finally figured out what this reminds me of and it is Shalimar Milleseme Iris without the sickly caramel

On the tester strip I initially thought this was too sweet, but on skin Zouzou is a beautiful creation. She’s smooth and just the right level of buttery, candy sweetness. The dry-down happens after the first hour when it is similar to Dans Paris but here are the differences. Dans Paris is more heliotrope/almond dominant and cooler and not as golden-sweet. It’s like they’ve taken Dans Paris, reduced the almond but added a brittle honeycomb (sponge toffee/cinder toffee) as I can smell molten butter with brown sugar that’s been whisked in with bicarbonate of soda and left to set. Zouzou smells like hot almond milk with a drizzle of honey. But the main difference with Zouzou (and why I prefer Dans Paris) is there’s an odd note of a white eraser, that rubbery but milky-sweet scent. This rubbery note is my only dislike but it’s only subtle. I can’t really knock Zouzou. Celine have done really well with this premium line.

At first try, ZouZou didn’t leave much of an impression on me neither positive nor negative. And honestly, that might be the worst reaction to a fragrance that’s meant to make you feel something. Perfume should move you in some way when you smell it or wear it. But with ZouZou, I initially felt nothing at all. After a few more wears, though, it completely grew on me, and now I genuinely love it. To my nose, it has a simple, approachable scent, yet it remains elegant and effortlessly chic. That balance makes ZouZou perfect for almost any occasion. You can wear it to the gym, the supermarket, or even a formal fancy dinner. It’s a beautiful blend of tonka, vanilla, and musk. Yes, it’s a bit sweet, but never in a cheap, sugary, teenage way. And I wouldn’t classify it as a gourmand. It’s more refined than that soft, clean, and subtly addictive.

What a fragrance! It has a similar effect on me that catnip does on my cat. It is incredibly addicting, I can not stop smelling my wrists, and each time my eyes roll to the back of my head. And I can't stop spraying. Usually I test my decants/samples once or twice, and then either store them away for future use or throw them into "get rid of" box. This one... I kept spraying and spraying until it was gone in less than 2 days. I already miss it! The most gorgeous ultra realistic vanilla pods with a touch of coumarin (from tonka beans). And the patchouli in the drydown is a cherry on top. I LOVE it. Dignifyingly quiet fragrance, very intimate and even erotic in my opinion. People need to be very close to you to smell it. Potentially full bottle worthy, if only it came in 50 ml bottle :(

This Celine fragrance is the epitome of quiet luxury—understated yet effortlessly refined, like a perfectly tailored wool coat on a crisp autumn day. Designed for cooler weather, it wraps around you like a comforting embrace, subtly enhancing your presence without demanding attention. While it leans gourmand, it never ventures into overly sweet or cloying territory. Instead, it strikes a delicate balance—rich and inviting but never overwhelming. The composition unfolds smoothly, making it an ideal transition from day to night, seamlessly adapting to different settings. It’s not a perfume for grand occasions, but rather a sophisticated everyday indulgence, perfect for those who appreciate elegance in the details.

Ever a fan of Black Tie, I began to try the other offerings from the brand. I resisted ZouZou because it was marketed to gamine young waifs with boyish intrigue. I am none of that. But I sampled it, and fell head over heels. For me, it is the daytime counterpart of Black Tie - still with the delicious vanilla, musk, labdanum and tonka. The drydown is cozy and uplifting with, for me, with a lilting elegance. It's a love. As for the patchouli, I have a hundred plus perfumes and manage to stay far from that note, but however it is done here I don't notice it, so perhaps it is a minor enhancement for depth. Anyways, this is just lovely. The marketing doesn't matter - it's your day complement to your Black Tie.

This is the type of perfume that makes me consider heavily decluttering my collection and keeping just a capsule wardrobe of scents. It has a little bit of everything that makes life lovely: a little bit of pink sweetness, some patisserie suggestion, a little sunshine, a little flirt and love and hope, plus relaxation wrapped in the most beautiful aura of resinous elegance. It is signature level for me, as the perfect merge between modern and flirty and old school elegance. I would bathe in it if I could and I hope they will come up with some body care products as well. The whole range is amazing, with Nightclubbing being my other obsession.

I love Black Tie, it's one of my favorites from a large collection. This is pretty, but so mild, you can barely smell it even with 10 sprays, even on clothes. The labdanum is similar to the leather in Babycat, but very mild. If this were stronger, and had better silage it would be worth the price. It is great to wear to bed, or in a setting where perfumes are not welcome, like hospitals, or crowded places. Edit: The more I wear this, the more I love it. Today, I wore Love and Crime by Ex Idolo, and thought the dry down reminded me of ZouZou, so I sprayed ZouZou on my other are, and sure enough they are both similar.

Zouzou feels like wrapping yourself in a soft cashmere blanket on a crisp, sunny autumn day. It’s a chic, softly sweet vanilla smoothed by tonka, with a balsamic, resinous depth that’s gently spiced and powdery. My nose picks up a wheat accord that reminds me of a Parisian bakery - adding warmth and texture. Though it seemed fleeting at first, over time it’s revealed a soft yet lasting presence, even more so than other Celine offerings. Unisex Parisian chic in a bottle, Zouzou is cozy, smooth, and warmly elegant—like autumn colours in cashmere. I absolutely adore it and will happily repurchase.

Opens vanilla with a touch of green patchouli and warm spice. There’s something a little fizzy about the opening, joyous. Oh wow— you know what this is?! ZouZou is the happy hour version of YSL’s Babycat. Without the suede and peppery notes. Like Babycat, this is a complex vanilla with a little warm spice but here, rather than being sultry and mysterious, it’s vivacious and extroverted, sparkling and full of light. It’s a woman with a drink in her hand laughing through elegantly mussed hair. A woman with clever, intelligent eyes and a mischievous smile. Just a gorgeous, elegant fragrance.

Such an easygoing, cozy effervescent vanilla-tonka musk. It’s simple, mostly linear, but blended so beautifully that it envelops you like a warm cashmere shawl, possessing a quiet elegance and sense of familiar intimacy. Most of Celine’s fragrances come across that way to me. Although I’ve only had this for a month, I’ve received multiple compliments (if that’s an important factor to you 😊) and it’s become a daily reach for me, as it layers harmoniously with most of my collection. On my skin this gives moderate projection, 6-8 hours of wear, and can be worn year-round, day and night.

So beautiful! Love at first snif, which does NOT happen often, at least, not lately! Sweet but restrained, very subtle on the labdanum but it’s there to complement the vanilla. The vanilla itself has a dry cookie quality to it that just makes me roll my eyes back in my head...The patchouli is non-existent on my skin, I am thankful for that! Longevity is phenomenal and that’s the way it should be, for all high quality fragrances. I absolutely am going to get a full bottle of this one from Céline, it is perfection!! Zouzou, c’est chouette 🤍🖤🤍🖤✨✨

This is a DREAM ❤️ This smells so luxurious. I got a sample because I wasn't trying to spend $350 on a full bottle if I didn't like it, but this is full bottle worthy 10/10. This smells like sweet cashmere baby powder. I can't stop smelling my wrist. No patchouli here thank God. You can tell this is high end. It does smell Parisian. This is so feminine and what I would like everyone to think of when they think of me - that I smell like this. I keep going back to this one the most out of all the samples I've purchased recently.

Wow this is beautiful! I put off trying Zouzou as I’m not a fan of patchouli or labdanum. Therefore I assumed I wouldn’t like zouzou. But I was wrong it’s lovely. The noted are so well blended and the patchouli doesn’t stand out or smell the way it usually does. I find the performance perfect for this fragrance. I think if it was a strong performer it wouldn’t have the same elegant appeal that it does. Plus I like softer fragrances anyways.

A mix between Black Tie and Dans Paris and a hint of chocolate patchouli in the drydown to make the scent even deeper and darker. You will be surrounded by sweet and airy cocoa powder. Wonderful scent but not sure if its needed if you have one of the two scents. Need to test it more to decide if I will be buying it since i have and love my Dans Paris. Longevity and sillage are pretty good! It lasts over 8 hours with wonderful projection.

Lately, I’ve been reaching for skin scents more than ever — craving something soft, grounding, and intimate. Zouzou fulfills that need perfectly. It opens with the warmth of real vanilla pods and tonka, then melts into a delicate powdery veil. There seems to be a touch of patchouli in the base, just enough to keep it interesting, but never loud. A skin scent perfect for day and night. Quiet luxury at its best!

Zouzou is beautiful, and also nothing like Black Tie. In fact I would say it is the polar opposite. While vanilla is obviously present in both, the mood is vastly different. Where Black Tie is sober and somewhat cool thanks to the iris, Zouzou is warm in its sweetness with a spark to it. If Black Tie is the moon, Zouzou is the sun on the same celestial valve. I have fallen in love with both.

My my, price increase already. I purchased ZouZou last week and it was $280 and now it is $310. I really liked Dans Paris also, i should have purchased it then as well. Smh. Just FYI with LVMH, if you love a fragrance from one of their houses just buy it. Prices will never go down (only up) and they never go on sale and you will never find them at discounters.