Royal Secret

The version of Royal Secret seems to be directly from the time of handover from Germaine Monteil as it folded, over to Five Star. The formula seems exactly that from versions that preceded it (I've sampled versions back to the 80s). It is the Eau de Royal Secret that began to be produced some years later, around 2014, that others refer to when lamenting its demise, as that one is quite diminished and wafer-thin in comparison. This is an opaque O-word worthy of ovation, big-O opulence, stuffed to the gills with herbs, greens, rose and geranium, and yes—resins. The color of the juice speaks for itself. The top notes are thrilling, smelling like fusty-floral bergamot and unlit menthol cigarettes. I get flashbacks of More cigs, the brown ones, but in the green soft pack (remember, menthol), those silly cigarette holder purses that clasp at the top that my aunts would carry their smokes, those lovably garish standing ashtrays, with the brown glass. It's hard to decide if Royal Secret is rococo or raunchy, because the warm, spicy, pungent powder may at first seem conservative, but a costus and civet eventually rears their respective heads (!!) and the dry down would make Youth Dew clutch its pearls and Tabu faint on a Victorian chaise. Over time there is a "dirty incense" effect, myrrh-ish and olibanum-ish, and a dusty sandalwood, but at this point, Royal Secret begins to discreetly hug the skin. It's a fun one that would horrify the modern masses.

review for 5 star version EDT elongated bottle gold cap with tortoise shell print inlay on top. I have the bathoil which is identical but works better as an oil, melts into your skin type of sweetness, more forgiving than as a perfume/edt in my opinion. Its right off the bat sweet floral and suggestive to yesterdays fragrance, melancholic or dame like florals but becomes denser and sweeter as time goes by... gourmand ... a dense spun sugar? it doesnt smell cheap however, maybe just on the cusp...i cant say it smells tacky either, just very very loudly sweet, to me it between designer and a celebrity fragrance . i think a very young teen or young clubbing crowd would love this, think the sweetness of Wish by chopard, ysl paris or ysl babydoll (but without the grapefruit) angel mugler ( theres a pathouli that pops thru that resembles it) prada candy , black opium and cheaper britney spears, ariana grande,riri, those very sweet fragrances you cant call bad but also not challenging . to my nose and how it reacts to me this could easily be an opium black flanker, yea if you want to smell like expensive cotton candy try this. floral/gourmand . nothing oriental in sight. could be amazing mixed with some more challenging perfume notes, its dense enough to take on some beasts.

I have owned the Royal Secret Eau de Cologne version by Five Star for some time. Although I don't doubt that the Monteil release was something superior; there is just nothing weird, bitter, sour or otherwise foul about the Five Star product. To my nose it's squarely in the same vein as Toujours Moi or Shalimar. A resinous vanillic oriental.The worst I can say is it lasts like a dud. It putters out to skin scent within 1/2 hour on me. However, I am so loving the two one oz bottles of bath oil that I bought at Perfumania a month ago. Much better than the Cologne concentrate with more focus and clear cut definition of the individual notes. It can follow the opening beginning with crisp lavendar, citrus and LOTV , moving straight to the resinous and woody accords. Then it's on to the sweet and vanillic powdery drydown. Just beautiful!!! A much richer vanilla, spice and amber body. And by far longer lasting!! Very elegant and woody!! I highly recommend Royal Secret bath oil, but only if you are into vintage, full bodied Orientals. This is the opposite of the watered down simple concoctions passing for perfume nowadays. Perfumania sells Royal Secret in its present incarnation.

I bought this at a bargain price in a gift set on a whim. I adore the elegant bottle, simple & classy with clean lines. It is a very strong & heavy at first but within 15 minutes it has settled into something that smells like musk, yet it appears to have no musk notes. I cant smell vanilla but certainly can detect the patchouli & vetiver. It is spicy & creamy & im enjoying smelling it on me. Makes a pleasant change from my favourite vanilla orientals but its one i wont use on special occasions but will use just as an every day fragrance when the weather is cold. I have a feeling i will end up loving this though, it appears to be one of those perfumes that really grows on you as the day progresses. Day 2 of wearing. Yes i was correct about this, it is gorgeous once settled for a few hours. It leaves a warm sensual aroma to your skin & on your clothes. My fella loved it last night on me!! If you can take your time allowing this one to flow through its well worth it in my opinion. Its one that im going to buy again as the gift set was only £19 at direct cosmetics (UK).

I had the good fortune of obtaining a 1 fl.oz bottle of the perfume on eBay many moons ago, it came sealed in a plain snow white box with 'Royal Secret' by Germaine Monteil PARIS signed in gold, it is full with the contents being a dark, thick & resinous juice. Would love to open this rare gem but just can't bring myself to break the gold ribbon although I can imagine in my minds eye how glorious this early oriental would smell on skin, perhaps similar to a combination of Youth Dew, Shalimar and the more modern Opium, maybe one day soon I'll summon up the courage to unleash the beauty within, it's kept this long so a few more years will only add to the vintage vibe, I've searched high & low for a small sample bottle but these too are quite rare and very costly now, I adore the original Youth Dew, just one of my many favorite orientals... edit: I have since found a 1/2 fl.oz bath oil of this rare oriental, it is just as I imagined it to be & more!!! Gorgeous stuff indeed...

As a young woman, I used to hate these kinds of perfumes. They seemed too old fashioned for me. I loved fruity florals until my late 20's on up. Now I'm 41. I still like some fruity florals but I never really wear them. I like these kinds of scents now. Orientals, spicy, vanilla, woody ( anything but fruity florals). Living in Alaska all my life has made me like cold weather fragrances the most now. There are a few exceptions. I've never tried this version but I have 2 bottles of the Five Star brand version I've managed to hunt down. It's a beautiful, spicy and old fashioned scent. I can smell some clove even though it's not listed. This is similar to Youth Dew with clove and other spices added. If you like Youth Dew, Must De Cartier, even Obsession or Opium you must give this a try! They aren't exactly the same but are in the same family. This is strong and lasts a while without getting powdery. 9/10 A must have for fall and winter!

I have the bottle of Five Star Royal Secret and am so glad that I do! I have had the Germaine Monteil version in the past and it was my favorite but this version is lovely. It reminds me of perfumes like Emeraude, Interlude, Shalimar and the like but it has a unique fragrance. This is a wonderful warmer on a chilly day and always gets an "mmm you smell good" from DH. I'm kind of wearing mine discretionally because although it's almost 2/3 full I really never want to run out! These days you gravitate to what makes you feel warm and comforted and Royal Secret is that sort of perfume to me! It does smell rich and dries down to an expensive & luxurious body powder type scent. Wear what you love Fraganticans! Be well!

Royal Secret fan for over 45 years. The GM version ONLY. The "5 Star" version is, well, "crap" compared to the original. That said, the 5-star version might be o.k. for the hottest summer days. I wish some perfumer would redo the original formula. I feel this is a wonderful fragrance for any age. A great perfume, as this is, is timeless. I am so desperate to own/use the GM version, or something close to this, without taking out a mortgage to obtain the GM version, I am trying to create my own version with quality absolutes, oils and concretes. Please, someone help. If you find me laying on the floor with fragrance overload/exhaustion, apply original "Royal Secret by Germaine Monteil. "

I love this perfume and have worn it since my early 20's ... no, it's not for everyone, but it is a classic and I always get compliments when I wear it. I can't compare it to anything, not even Youth Dew; it's in a class all its own. Every time I put it on, I think "I must wear this more often" but I have so many other fragrances. For cold winter nights in front of the fire :) The dry-down is so delicious. Right now I have a few precious drops of some concentrated cologne, original formula, in a Baccarat crystal Guerlain bottle. I use it very sparingly. Latest prices for the vintage stuff are wild!

My darling, precious Nana wore this, so it's hard for me to analyze it for what it is. I can't remember a time she didn't smell like it, and everything she owned absorbed this fragrance. The truth is, it's a very sexy perfume. My Nana was a sexy, classy lady, but there's no way I'd be able to feel seductive wearing Nana's scent. After all, this is the woman who made pastries, and crocheted pillows, while listening to operas, as African Violets bloomed on the window sill. Memories aside, this is a daring, slightly animalic amber vanilla that's really beautiful.

This brings back memories - the boyfriend gave me this for Christmas in 1966 and I loved it - for winter only tho. Too heady for spring and summer, but evoked for me fireplace scenes and deep green velvet. I am glad to know it is still available. Another year he gave Youth Dew - agh. Not nearly as nice. Even that name "Youth Dew" implies to me a body lotion like the old Avon Skin Dew or whatever it was.

Old womanly? Maybe. Bit of a church smell? Kindda. But something else also. Something different. I think I'm in love.. Like, REAL love <3 ..Soft, luxurious, long lasting and richy sweet! Very comforting. I feel as though I am regarded as having the confidence of a giant when I wear this. I have to say it makes mama proud! :)

Lovers of Shalimar, Tabu, Chantilly, Toujours Moi, Youth Dew, Ultima, and Nipon ought to try this, if you can find it! I'm not familiar with the Five Star version, but my old bottle of bath perfume has the heavenly appeal of the orientals from yesteryear. Resinous and sweet, with a green opening and powdery drydown. Mmmm.

Yes I smell the amber, just picked up a bottle of this, and I'm in Amber luxury. I love Royal Secret, but only get one and a half hours of bliss. I would love this even more, if, this lasted at least a few more hours. That change of cap to clear talks to me that its changed. Is it still worth it? Of course

Royal Secret was my first love. A gift from my Grandmother at 16 years old (ha! Imagine!) I am sure I wore it with a heavy hand but I love the warm, spicy comfort this perfume brings to me. I would love to find it again, not sure if it's even available in my neck of the woods!

I put it on today and after 5 minutes I knew it had à twin perfume! But i didn't guess it right away, but after half an hour it came to me! Biagiotti Roma! Who would have thought, those 2 being so different in their branding!

this perfume is so good that i said "that's pretty" aloud and that's something i don't do, talking to myself. it is extremely beautiful and cheap enough to just give it a try. it does NOT last long enough.

I had this perfume in the late 1970s, I was pregnant and most scents turned very sour on me within a few minutes. Royal Secret was a gift, a I loved it because I could always depend on it to be pleasing.

This reminds me so much of Tabu, I didn’t like Tabu, Yet I love RS. I’m gonna have to retry Tabu now!! Beautiful creation. I have the original version Germaine Monteil.

I was ready for avgreat sensory exper9ence.One sniff and hubby said I smelled like his grandmother but,I loved it.Rich,dark and sexy.All the notes I love.

Thia fragrance has been discontinued by five star. I wonder if another company bought up rights?

but i smell amber in it?! do you agree with me?

I was gifted a vial of the Vintage EDC Concentree with a purchase of a masculine fragrance. Another, cheaper (but fresh and light sampler vial was included as well). I have heard of this and know the scent. While it is clearly a classic women's Oriental Chypre (which is the correct classification - regardless of what you smell, from the composition), I believe this juice is very unisex on the right man in the right attire. An absolutely gorgeous and intoxicating scent of yesteryear - when a sophisticated woman could seduce a man with a look and her scent. Earlier today, ironically, I sampled two men's classic chypres from the 1970's that are very different on the back of each of my hands - Gucci Pour Homme Original (1976) and Capucci Pour Homme (1967). Gucci is a masterpiece, rich chypre with notes that are more similar to Monteil's Royal Secret than Capucci (which is more citrusy, with florals and a nice damp moss base). To make things more fair - I applied one full spray of Gucci Pour Homme Original After Shave - 70% volume (that I have decanted) against Capucci! The After Shave is still there and a great, full skin scent after 4+ hours, while the Capucci has faded out. Wow! I wanted to see if the masculine compositions met at the drydown (or late in the heart) - they simply don't. Gucci is also much stronger, even in After Shave strength, but I still have tremendous affinity and love for Capucci Pour Homme. It simply needs heavier application to pulse points (not back of hand) and to clothes...and it does show better in warm weather with all the gorgeous citrus, although great year-round - just shorter longevity in the cold. Back to Royal Secret by Monteil - one sniff of the vial and you are immediately impressed of the power and richness! The galbanum, dark floral notes and dense patchouli all sit on a warm base of spicy vanilla. This smells so rich. Just two small fingertip dabs on my skin and the aroma fills the air (EDC Concentree???) - impressive. An old-lady scent only if you feel like you are an old-lady wearing it and I mean that with total respect. It's a mindset - a paradigm, as a lot of Vintage fragrances are. If one did not know this was a woman's scent and a man wore it confidently, then it truly is a classic masculine chypre. I got the rich sandalwood radiating with the vanilla right now along with the beautiful, deep florals (including rose). So, I have worn Iquitos, Vintage Acteur by Azzaro and Le3me Homme in the last week or so. All are even more floral than this, with the exception of Acteur. If this was poured into a bold-looking atomizer and remarketed a touch, it would be a masculine floral. And, not for the faint of heart or casual wear. It will always be a sexy, feminine scent as well - but not even all women could pull this off. This scent is more about "how" you carry yourself, formal evening attire and sensual expression - not one's gender. I will never try the new reformulated junk, but this is one that I would (as a man) wear. My wife could wear this as well (I think), as she can dress up and be sexy. There is one vial - hmmmm...my boys thought it was a man's scent (and they have both good sense of smell and are totally honest). My wife, not telling her anything - thought, full-on masculine. She said it was very nice and would smell great on me! I told her it was woman's scent and she said that it is not her style as she was not a fan of Opium and other vanilla-laden scents. Amber mixes far better with her body chemistry. We have found one bottle of vanilla scent that works very well, but she sprays it on her clothes and only a touch on her skin. Interesting. I am deep into the dry down now and enjoyed a meal during the course of writing this - all of us smelling it again before I finalize this. Not my wife's taste for her, but I think it would definitely smell amazing on a classy, sophisiticated woman who carries herself with confidence and enjoys passionate sex - and enjoys being the seducer. Flip it around...it would smell well on a classy, sophisticated man who himself with confidence and wants to offer sensual pleasure to a woman...and not just have sex. That is what this scent evokes. Excellent vintage juice - I will defer a rating as this is a particular scent, not a "fragrance" and unisex aromas like this are totally subjective. I can feel this and may even seek out a small bottle or buy a few vials just to have...it is that good. Cheers.

Winter, I'm thinking 1930s depression era. Cold and lonely, everyone in despair, yet you seem a lot better off. In a vintage shop, you found a vintage tin lamp, at least you thought it was tin. Must have been brought up by the many Arabs coming to America recently. Upon rubbing a patch of dark dust, a hologram comes up. A beautiful, kind looking man with a physique made for sin. Everyone in the store seems preoccupied in their own little world. A child asks for a coin, you give it. There goes dinner. The specter greets you. You think you are insane. You leave with a golden tin lamp, unsure of what the future holds. I know my story happens swiftly. No time to think. You first whiff is just like this. Don't think.After a while, you make your final wish to be with the genie. The world is too cold. You figure it might be nice to live forever in a nice warm lamp. You think to yourself, all the food and money you can acquire will not bring the warmth this person has brought. The safety, the boldness. Your wish is granted, and you enter a palace of exotic silks and sheets. You cough at the smoke, so much smoke...All the jewels, the chains, the opium, candied fruit on golden plates. Dried herbs, ambrosia. Sweat, sex, lust, wonder. Dark, candle lit lighting. A plush bed, tall thin candles dripping wax...my genie beside vase of flowers. I am overwhelmed...I will never leave. This fragrance makes so kinky its sad. I'm not ashamed to admit that. I'm a lady 95% of the time and this just made really want a man when I first sniffed it. Badly. To me it is an overwhelming smoky, juicy bomb, that settles down to rich amber scent. Perfect for cold nights. I know this is aimed at women but this wouldn't make a bad men's perfume. It would smell old fashioned and overwhelming on your average woman, but on a man...if it was possible to literally crawl under one's skin I would. I keep a small sample of it to sprinkle on my sheets to guarantee sweet dreams. Don't think me a freak.

I managed to find a 15 ml spray vial of the original vintage for a reasonable price. Considering its age the fragrance has probably changed a bit, as most vintages do. Many reviewers compare RS to Youth Dew, Obsession and other heavy hitters. I respectfully disagree. RS is in a category of its own, only the very poorly known and rare Volage by Neiman Marcus comes close. I wouldn't be surprised if Volage wasn't supposed to be a dupe of RS, they are that similar. Volage has a touch of smooth sweetness, something that's lacking in RS. The fragrance has modest sillage and lasting power. RS sinks into the skin and remains there, waiting to be discovered. Very unisex, this scent could be incredible on a man. Even a generous application won't overwhelm the wearer or anyone in the vicinity. RS is a lovely perfume and a wonderful addition to a vintage lovers collection. Alas, even tiny micro minis go for ridiculous amounts. I'm not familiar with the modern reissue. I like vintage RS. It's not the best fragrance I've ever had, nor does it perform as expected. Still, I'm glad to have it.

Thank you Bigsley, for solving the riddle for me! I just received a vintage EdC, and have been thinking all day about why it is so familiar. Now I realize: it's a spicier Vol de Nuit! The opening is a blast of rough leather and spicy resins, it really exploded on my skin and I nearly gagged from the power of it, I almost thought I had to wash it off... But after about 15 minutes, it mellowed dramatically and settled into the most luxurious, floating, nuzzling, mysterious gasoline-vanilla accord with just a hint of the spice remaining, and this is where the similarity to Vol de Nuit comes forth. The remaining spices have a "fizziness" about them that makes them very bright and delicate. I have never felt this in a spice before. The darkness of the animalic quality in Royal Secret against the sparkling glitter-red of the spices is so addictive and intriguing... How amazing it is!! I can easily see myself in a film noir detective story on a stormy night in the 1940’s... Soft dark eyes, and with a silver pistol in my pocket... I want more and will be stocking up!

This is not a chypre to my nose, but an oriental. Though scents of either category may contain patchouli or vetiver (which this one does), the chypre and the oriental are two, distinct base styles... the former being rather "dry" with oakmoss + labdanum, and the latter somewhat "sweet" with vanilla + labdanum- a bit like the two main categories of wine. Therefore, there is an important note missing in the above pyramid: labdanum or, simply, "amber". The base of 'Royal Secret' is very much like Shalimar- a little drier and less smoky than its predecessor, but still highly-influenced by it- with amber, vanilla, civet, musk, patchouli, as well as faint vetiver, benzoin, and coumarin. I do not sense galbanum in the least...

What a lovely surprise! My grandmother had a bottle of this when I was a very little girl, and I had completely forgotten about it until I saw it mentioned on this website. I am into vintage fragrances, so I ordered it on ebay. Since this gets such mixed reviews, I had no idea what to expect. I LOVE IT! This stuff is beauty in a bottle. There is a very sharp, harsh note right out of the bottle, but it doesn't take long at all to disappear and reveal the most unusual scent. Soft and feminine, but not too sweet; powdery, but balance by a perfect amount of spice; luxurious, yet very wearable. I don't know what to compare it to, but I absolutely would NOT compare it to Timeless; there is no resemblance at all.

My mom brought this home in the late 60s and generously shared it with me, the erstwhile teenage daughter. She had a spray of cologne and some lotion, from the local department store. I thought it was heavenly and one of my older brother's friends told me, hey you smell good! I did. I wore it into my twenties and then I seemed to forget about fragrances. But I have many fond memories of this one and my sweet and generous mother. But that was years ago! I recently bought a vintage bottle of the cologne and, well, it's a little too sweet for me. It's still nice, but not heaven. But I'll always have those memories.

Glad I went for the trial size of this fragrance before opting for the set I was eye balling. Upon first dabbing this one on my wrist, I found it very lovely, but the fragrance quickly went completely away! Perhaps this little vial is too old and I will be taking it back to complain. I think I would like it if it lasted long enough to get a good idea what it is really like. I will update this review if I find a good test vial. It reminds me a lot of Youth Dew but not as heavy of a scent.

I need to get my hands on a reformulated version. I was too young to wear this in the late 70's early 80's as this is not for the faint hearted. I did however use the vintage version a few times and it's good on my skin. Incredible longevity and sillage. I do associate R.S. warm winter comforts and childhood memories with this special fragrance and don't mind the spice. I've spotted the bath oil and it's on my shopping list. Imagine bathing in this wonderful juice from a bygone era?!?!

Eau Royal Secret by 5star. Paid $7 at perfumania clearance. It's a ghost of it's Iconic formulation but a beautiful warm spicy Chypre takes over for comforting on a cold night. Herbal notes, coumarin, spicy sandalwood and florals combine into a unique scent. Out of step with modern tastes however vintage lovers will get something nice out of it. A nice buy for the price. I think il pair it with Design and see how it works with florals for winter.

I have a sample probably from the old formula, from Monteil. This perfume is rich and of good quality and though it is an Eau de Cologne it is extremely strong. It reminds my of a stronger Shalimar version. It is equally powdery and 'depressive', retro and dark as she is. I like it a lot but I couldn't wear it, IMHO it is suitable only for mature ladies over 50, even over 60. But it's a really nice perfume!

sweet spicy old school scent that is the kind of chypre I like

02 march 2013 A scent of a cold autumn for a hot woman. My very first reaction was to write something not pleasing about this fragrance since i have had it for years in my collection, got it as a bonus with some of the purchase and never used it. Mine is "Spary concentree" and not vintage, since there are allergens listed on the box. So i guess the one i am reviewing is a modern version. I have finally tested it. Just one spray on my wrist. Oh my! This one is very strong! A lot of galdbanum in the opening, very sharp and bitter. Just like a very dry leather that was ruined by letting dry in the hottest sun. I can ́t smell nothng oriental, maybe i just have a differnet meaning for oriental. Well, then this is a very dry oriental. Oh! I get the correct comparision. a burned rubber tire, yes, thatś exactly what i get in hte opening, i can ́t imagine how anyone could tolerate this smell, this should be dabed on, not sprayed! A good thing is that i smell a very concentrated carnaton as well, but that über-strong galdbanum ruins it. It stays like that for a very long time and then just turns into a smell of powder. Almost identical to the powdery drydown of wintage perfumes from Weil i have (chunga, zibeline). But this is not the powder you get in the drydown of "Bal a Versailles" for example, no. This is a bitter powder, but still very strong powdery scent. I see it was launched in the 1930 ́s, so i cleral see it is as a vintage scent. I guess the composition is typical for that era, but i am not sure how good it fits into modern era. Now i don ́t see it as a bad scent, no. It is just sooooo different from what we are used to, very different from my favorite 80 ́s and 90 ́s scents. Foe me it is just untolerable, i can ́t see myself wearing it, but somehow i can clearly see a hot brunette wearing it. In my imagination there is a strong connection between this scent and brunette women somehow. I also guess modern ingredients smell not the same as they would smell in vintage version. Inexpensive, but impressive. Great lasting power by the way and also a great sillage for "spray concentree" whatever it is. And on the clothes i can strongly smell it after a week, so that is something!

HezFairy is right. Back in the day, 'ladies' wore the fresh florals, usually as one-note toilet waters, soaps, scented talc. Those scents now branded 'old lady' were the new, young, risqué scents that scandalized the elders! Only Scarlet Women wore such things, and one famous scent was created to be 'the smell of a prostitute.' One friend of mine put the labeling down as rebellion. Her husband said " some perfumes smell *terrible* on some people." I said, "But, they wear it anyway." He said, "It's the old '*my* s(tuff) does'nt stink' syndrome. In general, just calling something, an 'old lady' smell is a lazy way of saying they 'don't like it'. That said, I find that I don't care for the new reformulation on my skin. It smells yummy from the bottle, though, and apparently works well on others on this and other fragrance boards, so I shan't degrade the scent or 'old ladies' by making that perforative comparison.

Wow, I feel like I am not even sampling the same perfume as the previous reviewer. I ordered a sample of this perfume since it has a beautiful combination of notes, unfortunately on me it is heavy, stuffy and overbearing. If this fragrance is the "royal secret" it would make sense considering the Queen is 83 years old and I couldn't imagine anyone one younger than that wearing this scent.

I never smelled the original of this, but I sprung for 1 oz of the current one. I like it. and the bottle will last awhile. One spray of the scents in this group will last me all day, making it the best value for my money!

I bought Royal Secret but it was by 5 star. I went by the reviews and regretted it! To me, it smelled like perfume gone bad. I am pretty easy to please with scents but this one was really BAD!

In the late 80's I was still an Amateur Ballroom dancer (I turned Professional in '95) competing at Championship level ( the top level for Amateurs in those days) and my partner wore this delicious fragrance as her "everyday" signature. She also wore Opium, but that's another story! I remember vividly holding her in my arms and being awash with this amazing fragrance! We must have smelled quite the pair, because I was very fond of Lagerfeld back then :o). Her wonderful grandma used to keep us stocked up ... she loved us smelling good. This fragrance is a Tango before it becomes a Waltz and then gently subsides into a Matt Monroe Slow Foxtrot. Update: In a moment of weakness and for old time's sake I just looked this up online. WHO THE HELL IS THE FIVE STAR FRAGRANCE COMPANY???? Some Chinese knock off outfit no doubt!!! I guess Germaine Monteil has been sold ... this reformulation crap makes me SOOOO mad!!! The juice isn't even the same color! It's like these people are stealing an identity. Another update: Here I go, having to eat my words again LOL. I tracked some of this down today (by accident really browsing a drugstore fragrance aisle) but anyhow, there it was! I was quite surprised that the same RS logo still appears all over it so I turned the bottle over and lo and behold ... this stuff is made and bottled here in South Africa under licence from Five Star. Intrigued I took off the tester's cap and gave it a good old spray. It's actually as good as it ever was *munching loudly on humble pie*. This could definitely work on the right guy too! Awesome fragrance if you are into heavy orientals ... I have never, remotely seen this as a chypre floral. No need for a vintage ... this is still great!!!

This review is for Eau de Royal Secret, which is an entirely different fragrance (not in the database). IMO, it should have been marketed by a nouveau niche company as a unisex, gourmand, tobbaco scent, though it's natural smelling, which seems to be something much of today's niche is moving away from (unlike niche of perhaps a decade ago). The original Royal Secret (I have only tried vintage EdC of that one) is an "old school" oriental that some describe as having things like a cat urine note, which I can understand but chalk it up to an "undeveloped nose" not understanding what he/she is smelling (see my review of that one below). On the plus side, I was able to get a new, 100 ml bottle of EdRS for about $4, and this sort of thing has happened before. I guess most people aren't going to do as much research as I am and they tend to get caught up with "hype fragrances." But if you see this one around to be tested and you like gourmand/tobacco scents, I think you will want to sample it! According to the Parfume site, the notes for EdRS are: Pink pepper, Italian bergamot, Mandarin, Blackcurrant, Night-blooming jasmine, Orange blossom, Lily-of-the-valley, Vanilla absolute, Indonesian patchouli, Tonka bean absolute, Frankincense, Golden amber, Tobacco, Cocoa, Musk. And I think that is more or less accurate (though it's rather blended and some seem to be very transient top notes). Note that the jasmine is sort of intererwoven into everything so if you hate jasmine, then yes, I would avoid blind buying a bottle. Another way to think of EdRS is along the lines of a unisex and more complex version of Avant Garde by Lanvin (proably more gourmand as well).

A lovely, thoroughly retro, silken whisper of powdery spice. These dark brown, syrupy Oriental fragrances are due for a comeback and RS is among the best. One of my mom’s and grandmother’s favorites through the early 1990s, when Germaine Monteil stopped making it & Five Star Fragrances had a go selling a thinner, cheapened version. It absolutely cracks me up that not only is the Germaine Monteil version HUNDREDS of dollars on eBay, but so is the Five Star version that is SO not worth it!! I did buy the Five Star version when it was being sold cheaply at Perfumania years ago, but found it disappointingly flat and gave it away to a thrift store. I keep a tiny bottle of the Monteil original in my collection and dab it occasionally at bedtime (I’d wear it more often but I know replacing it is financially impossible!) Although Royal Secret juice is a scary dark color, this isn’t at all in the same league as Youth Dew or Tabu. I mean, it’s deep and resinous, but it’s not loud, funky, or dirty smelling. It actually dries down to a rather clean, soapy, powdery sort of affair— but a grown-up powder not Johnson’s! If you’re feeling sad that you can’t get your hands on this stuff, I recommend Albert Nipon perfume (from the ‘80s) as an affordable substitute on eBay. It is wonderful and very very similar to vintage RS, just a touch more spicy at the outset but otherwise a real spirit animal for RS.

This is for the Five Star manufactured spray concentree. 3.3oz vertical bottle; very dark. I purchased it about 18 years ago, I see sale listings for this size starting at around $400 plus. According to my research, Five Star had a license from GM to produce Royal Secret, so this is no knock off. Naturally I do not dispute others experiences with this and the GM produced version. In general, fragrance assessments and reviews are very subjective I will merely note that typically a licensee is authorized to produce the SAME product as the original. This is different from buying the name of a Fragrance. Michael Edwards categorizes this as a classical oriental. Fragrantica classifies this as a Chypre floral. My experience suggests the former classification. Very spicy, resinous, excellent projection, longevity and unforgettable. If you like Youth Dew, you will like this. This can be described as a “bludgeoner” so be judicious in the application. Not office appropriate. This is a special occasion fragrance. Nevertheless I am wearing it around the house this weekend! Good luck to all of you on the hunt for a GM manufactured version!!!

I have the bath oil and EDT of Eau de Royal Secret by 5 Star. The bottles are really sleek and wonderful but I'm not sure what to make of this scent. I do not have any knowledge of the vintage. So I don't know what to compare this to. This smells kinda cheap? And immediately I get FRUIT. A FRUITY FLORAL powerful "meh" scent. I'm not even sure what I'm smelling. Looking at the original notes I can maybe say I get huge bergamot and lemon. No lavender or galbanum. Galbanum is my FAVORITE green note, and I've tried to find it. It's not here. :( This is so fruity floral. Then I think I get mish-mashed floral (generic?) and maybe sandalwood/vanilla. I will keep trying, this was a summer test. Maybe I need winter? I have about 6 months full of winter/snow in Upper Michigan- so it's coming. ;) All I know is-- there is nothing chypre about Eau de Royal Secret. And 5-star is not a good company. Their version of Lutece Houbigant (Dana?) is CRAP. A sweet candy fruity floral bore-fest. There are some favorable reviews about the 5-Star Eau de Royal Secret, so maybe it's just me.

EAU DE ROYAL SECRET, which is a very pale yellow liquid with a contoured gold cap (so, NOT the dark brown liquid with rectangular brown cap as shown at the top of this page), and an outside box that looks very similar to the one shown at the top of this page . . . HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ORIGINAL ROYAL SECRET. NOTHING. It's available online for a song (less than US$20.00 for 100ml); it's not the worst fragrance in the world, but it's a very, very common scent: synthetic wood and bubblegum sweetness. Edit 11/20/19: After living with this scent in my car for a week or so (sprayed on a scarf and tossed in the back seat), I realize the scent is more of a Juicy Fruit gum, rather than bubblegum. An important distinction. :-) BUT, most of all, I should mention, there is a very strong and long-lasting PATCHOULI in the drydown that only became truly apparent after the top notes had substantially faded . . . a week later and it still greets me when I get in the car. Sort of camphorous, in fact, like old-school patchouli. This part I enjoy.

My Mom started wearing this when she was pregnant with me in 1971 and it has been her signature scent ever since. She had worn it so long that it actually emanates from her pores. While some reviewers have referred to this as an old lady scent, I think it has exotic qualities. Maybe I think too much of my Mom,but I always think of musky, sensual, but with a touch of powder. I don't have the body chemistry for this, but anybody who can successfully wear this has classic characteristics with a "secret" worth discovering. I was able to buy several bottles prior to it being repackaged and there is quite a difference. The new version is artificial and lacks the depth, quality, and drama of the original. Mom was way ahead of her time and the manufacturers have yet to catch up. If you are able to find a vintage bottle and have that personality and saltiness to balance the musk, welcome to your new signature scent. Otherwise, you may have the misfortune of being compared to a shallow substitute who wreaks of cat urine.

The original was indeed a Royal Secret... and way too seductive, deep, dark and mysterious to have anything to do with the majority of 'old ladies'. I can't imagine where the 'old dady' image came from. It would take a very brave - or delusional - old lady to wear this one! (Don't they tend to stick to fresh florals like lavender and lily of the valley?)It is certainly not a young girl's scent; it is very adult and sophisticated. This is such an intensely sensual, expensive-smelling scent, evocative of the favourite in the harem - Scheherazade herself could have worn this to enslave her king! I can imagine everyone trying to find out the Royal Secret for themselves, and be as alluring as the exotic queen. Not for the faint-hearted, this is a strong, heady perfume, which lasts and lasts with just a dab. Very exotic, very Oriental, full of promise. Wear it if you dare! Not one to wear on a casual date, it will give the wrong message, saying, "Come hither - if you're man enough...)

Royal Secret: a vintage bottle of a rather obscure perfume by the now equally obscure Germaine Monteil. She was a fashion designer from times long ago, the mid-20th Century even! So what does this Royal Secret smell like? ...I'm not sure about that name. Overall, it leads as a green-woody scent, starting out with a verdant jolt of galbanum. That opening barrage soon bridges a connection with other sophisticated embitterments in the brew: patchouli, a little vetiver,etc. I'll add oak-moss, and won't rule out a dash of civet, though neither is listed here as an 'official' note. Hmm? maybe the oak-moss is that royal secret. Yes, there is also sweet vanilla and a bouquet of light florals. The drydown can be fairly described as a powdery amber. This Royal Secret doesn't travel to any place too extreme, ...though it's opening does lean masculine compared to many such vintage scents.

As so many people mentioned it is SMOKEY. Actually, it is to the point that freshly sprayed it does smell like something is burning and smoking like hell...a kind of smoke that comes from burning rubber(galbanum?). I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about this fragrance, because it is kind of pushing my limits of open-mindness about fragrances. For now, the only thing I can say for sure is its low lasting power is actually its advantage. Edit: I think the lack of lasting power that so many reviewers are talking about has more to do with substantial dying of its sillage. Because it doesn't disappear completely and about half an hour later it finally transforms ito this sexy,dark and mysterious fragrance that is praised so highly. A little bit too long wait for the end result though. On me it actually lasts for at least 4 hours.

I have some of the vintage EdC formulation but haven't tried the recent one. It's light but rich and it lasts quite a while. There is excellent balance, and it's natural smelling. The sandalwood is here but light, and there's a slight vanillic/ambery quality. The florals largely supply a powdery quality and it's not too "feminine" as far as I'm concerned. There is just the slightest hint of a bitter or animalic element. I'd much rather wear this than many, many others that are marketed to men, actually. So, don't buy this thinking you are getting an amber scent or a sandalwood one, etc., but rather a nicely balanced "old school" one. UPDATE: Clearly the notes aren't exactly the same but the effect is similar to Vol de Nuit (vintage EdC) in the drydown. The rose in RC in particular creates more note contrast.