Casmir

I have found my new signature scent! After having covid in the beginning of this year, my sense of smell first went away, then came back but everything smelt weird or off. Now everything is back to normal... Well, almost. I don't like most of my perfumes anymore. There's a note in a few of them that I pick up on - that I didn't before - that I very much DISLIKE. So I'll have to throw most of them out, I'll keep a few in hopes of liking them again. I also recently turned 30 and may or may not be in the beginning stages of menopause, so that could be a cause too. But so began my quest to find new ones that I love! To the perfume store I went. Of course, I got doused in perfume and after a while I got so overwhelmed that I left the store, without a perfume. Now I have to admit that I often fall in love with perfumes on their dry down - so that means on the way home when I don't remember what's on my arm anymore. And so of course, indeed I fell in love with one of the dry downs not knowing which one of the 25 I tried, it was. I thought it must be Just Cavalli! I almost ordered it, but something told me it wasn't the one. I went back the week after and sprayed both Casmir (just in case) and Just Cavalli, two that I was sure of that I tried earlier. And I went home.... And there it was again. That wonderful, vanilla-y, peachy, comforting dry down. It's SO good, it brings up so many memories of my happy childhood, I feel butterflies and comfort when I smell it. But it was Casmir that I sprayed there! A vintage perfume! That so many people say smells like grandma! That can't be, can it? No it HAD to be! However the weirdest thing was that Casmir smelt the way I was expecting Just Cavalli to smell (luxurious vanilla-y sweet and warm), and Just Cavalli smelt the way I was expecting Casmir to smell (harsh dry down, very linear, way to woodsy, very vintage in all the wrong ways). I found myself wondering if I accidentally switched them in my mind. But I took the gamble, and ordered Casmir as I was fairly certain that was really the one - also by the reviews on here. So here it is on my lap, it just came in. I just fell in love all over again (on the third sniff). This, to me, is a hug in a bottle. Pure happiness, yummy desserts, butterflies in your stomach, mommy's old powder box that you secretly played with. All the good things really. What a find in my quest to new favourites. If your still wondering on whether to try it, don't hesitate, buy it. This is out of this world - especially for that price. Edit: Small addition (jan 2024) because I see lots of people after me say that it smells soapy. It might be body chemistry, because I despise soapy perfumes and this one does not smell soapy on me at all. This is one of the few perfumes where the dry-down smells so different than the initial spray on, that it could have been a different perfume. So don't judge it on first spray initially, and if you do like the first spray, wait a bit for the drydown (especially on fabric) to see if you like that too (although I can't imagine anyone not liking the drydown lol). But I actually came here to say that the dry-down gives me a white chocolate vibe as well, making my mouth water whenever I get a whiff of it. Just because I haven't seen anyone else say that yet :) It's quite comforting to know it's been around forever and it'll probably stay that way. I really hope it does, for now I'm not worried whenever mine runs out and I'll just buy a new one. So I can use it all the time. Quite a comforting thought for some reason.

Chopard Casmir This fragrance is all the magic and beauty of India in a bottle; the rich exotic food, the beaded handwoven detail on a silk sari, the saffron robes of the holy men, the chai wallas, the sweet houses, the crazy happy beat of banghra, the painted elephants, the festival of light with the floating twinkling candles on the Ganges, the temples, the garlands of marigolds, the henna on a new brides hands – all of it, even the beautiful architecture is captured on the bottle! I knew I was going to love this one even before I sniffed it just because of the bottle alone, but I had no idea that this fragrance would become a lifelong love affair and I never knew that a fragrance could change my life. Let me explain... When this fragrance first came out, they ran full page ads in Seventeen magazine showing a woman walking through the streets of Kashmir in a pink dress with huge rose flowers. She leaned against a burgundy Mercedes and wore a big turquoise squash blossom necklace. I had that exact dress, I had that exact car in that exact color, I had the squash blossom necklace too, but I had never been to India and I didn’t have the perfume. So, I went out and bought the perfume and a seed was planted in my mind. I wore it every day for years, before I even knew what a signature scent was, and I became increasingly curious about the world outside of my little beach town, but especially curious about Kashmir. Around the same time, I became obsessed with the Led Zeppelin song Kasmir. I played it so many times that my best friend Carlos, who usually went along with my reindeer games, begged me to stop. He even hid my CD from me, and gave me other CDs to listen to, but it was no use. After that, I knew I had to go there. What kind of magical place must it be to inspire such a gorgeous perfume and such a sexy song? I had to find out for myself! I finally did go to India and it was everything I imagined and more. It was the beginning of my love of travel, the beginning of my insatiable desire for new places, new things, new people, new ideas; a love that has spanned my entire life, as has my love for this fragrance. I cannot imagine Casmir NOT being in my fragrance wardrobe. There is no other perfume that is so warm and comforting and yet so exotic all at the same time. To me, it’s what well traveled women wear. It’s rich and full and heady. It’s not spicy but not plain by any means. It’s not flat but not sharp. There are no jagged edges. From the initial spritz to the final drydown, it’s magic in a bottle. I have the big bottle, but if they sold it in barrels, I would probably prefer something larger. This is a classic.

Ever on the hunt for REAL perfume, something other than the same ol' boring, watered down fruity, Hi-C, cotton candy confections of now which only call themselves perfumes *yawn* this is an exquisite jewel. Chopard Casmir is a luxe vanilla bomb laced with just enough boozy, fuzzy peach skin to smell somewhat fruity. I do not detect much fruit other than peach but the creamy, dreamy benzoin, sandalwood and opoponax make for an intoxicating elixir of pure old style glam without smelling "old". What a rich, gorgeous vanilla amber we have here! Casmir is a highly sophisticated, classically beautiful perfume that is not messing around. This fragrance is right up there with the best classics of all times. Think Shalimar, Chanel 5, etc., though exclusive in its own celestial way. Royal and warm like the finest fur with multi strands of genuine pearls around the neck; black, white or cream, take your pick as this scent is so fabulously neutral and naturally rich with nothing screechy or synthetic, Cashmir classes up your favorite pair of faded jeans and makes the most luxurious couture even hotter. I vehemently disagree with the comparison to Vanilla Fields. Also, Hanae Mori. I own both. Coty only wishes and I adore Hanae Mori (fruiter) which is in the same playing field but not in this high league. I'm smelling more of a vintage Arpege-y vibe sans so much peachy rose and "dust", though I am still an Arpege lover. It is a sultry night here and this scent is heating it up even more. I had to test run my new miniature before going big. I'm feeling dirty-rotten-filthy-stinkin'-rich... and slutty. The addictive benzoin is taking the lead now with a hint of cinnamon and FINE sandalwood. I feel dressed in liquid silk of deep purple, teal and gold; like a desert queen... and my husband (who hates most perfume) just came up behind me, kissed my neck, said I smelled "delicious" and *ahem* a few other things before going to bed. Um.. I'm buying the biggest bottle I can find. Outstandingly, gloriously divine! Just... wow! Perfection. Almost too beautiful to believe and I am ecstatic. *sly cheesy grin with mischievous twinkle in eye* I am far from sleepy but going to bed. *wink*

I see a lot of reviews bashing the modern formulation, so to clarify: my mini bottle was gifted and it's vintage. "Casmir" by Chopard is (technically?) one of the first gourmands, although to my nose it's too woody to remind me of food. Released right after Angel, it does not contain the sugary "bubble gum" ethyl maltol smell of Angel. It's a straightforward, but dynamic and well made vanilla perfume. To my nose the opening is very 90s. Warm, soft, baked fruit notes. Fuzzy osmanthus, with an abstract, smooth peach note, and a similar "coconut" note to Hypnotic Poison & Far Away; it has a subtle tropical fruit smell, but it's more muted and nutty than modern coconut notes. The heart of this perfume is deceptive, the notes are meant to meld with the vanilla. It retains a fruitiness, but I begin to smell sweet jasmine, warm spices, and woody musks at this phase. I'm surprised that geranium is listed, are we sure it isn't carnation? The base is dense and very woody; peppery cedar, sandalwood, the patchouli is soft and powdery. Benzoin, opoponax, vanilla, tonka. Warm but not overtly animalic musks. Like most vanillas, the texture is a bit plastic-y. I find the powdery and peppery aspects to sufficiently veil the plastic smell, but if it bothers you... go vintage, or allow the perfume some maturation time, vanilla notes deepen and the plastic scent is not as noticeable. The Fragrantica notes never relay the whole story, there is so much more going on in this perfume than what is listed. Something about it smells boozy and savory. It's cozy, relaxing, unique, and wonderful. I'm not usually one for vanilla, but I rate this vanilla as excellent. One of the best vanillas I've tried, and great value at its price. It has all sorts of subtle nuances to give it depth and intrigue, it's one of the rare vanillas that is not boring to wear. I'm sure Chopard gave him a decent budget to work with, but Michel Almairac is very talented. I think Casmir ('92) a bit better than Vanilla Fields ('93) and Vanilla Musk ('94), although I have not tested Hanae Mori ('96).

Olfactive Diary Entry #50 I was walking through a department store after a "sniff session" with my girlfriend. As we were exiting the store, I walked past a display featuring Cašmir gift sets, with perfume and shower gel for only €14,99. In an instant, a childhood olfactory memory washed over me, and I remembered how it smelled, even though my last encounter with it must have been 30 years ago. I sprayed the tester on a strip, and indeed, there it was. Comforting and warm. Brightly solar and uplifting. Full-bodied with ambery and oriental notes. Well-blended and distinct. I thought it might smell dated, but it quickly corrected my assumption. This is actually timeless and perhaps even quite "of the now", especially considering how it fits perfectly with the current trends of vanillary, gourmands, and tropicals. My friend and I had just been smelling through a vast array of Serge Lutens fragrances and all of Chloe's botanical line; wonderfully unique, high-quality fragrances - yet it's Cašmir that jumped out, making the strongest impression. My friend also reacted very positively to it, having never smelled it before. I see that there is a lot of fruity notes listed here, but I barely experience them at all (the peach, mango, and bergamot). I also cannot sense the lily-of-the-valley. Instead, I arrive straight at the basenotes: the warm vanilla, the sensual amber, grounded by a pleasant dryness of sandalwood and musk. The coconut also lingers quite well. Needless to say, I bought it as a birthday gift to myself. It's an easy, non-offensive reach and a perfect all-rounder. Tropical and beachy in the summer, comforting and embracing in the colder seasons. It doesn't project far, which is my personal preference, but it creates a cozy aura around you. A long-lived classic for good reasons.