1889 Moulin Rouge

My God, this is a time capsule. It's astonishing. It's like stepping into the 1800's, yet there is nothing outdated about it in the way that the old Guerlains seem outdated to me. In the beginning, the spice smelled a bit like the ash from an ash tray. No smoke, just bitter ash. It was not very nice, so I was "certain" this would not grow on me. Soon it began to vaguely remind me of Aqaba, for it had a waxy feel to it, like a red votive that is "spice" scented. I could imagine the large circular chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, illuminated by hundreds of these candles. Twenty minutes later when I sniffed again, I was both surprised and impressed to smell a hefty dose of soft, very old-fashioned powder, similar to old makeup. The wax and ash had substantially diminished. Having been to the Moulin Rouge, I think this perfume captures it perfectly. There is something naughty about this perfume, but at the exact same time there is a vulnerability to it. I can picture the young ladies, with their glowing skin dusted with powder. Some wanting to be performers, and others dreaming of a life in which they can make money pursuing their true passions. I envision the empty stage in the wee hours of the morning and the ash trays sitting atop the little round tables, cigarette smoke having dissipated hours earlier. It's as though this perfume conveys the message that when the lights are out and the makeup and wigs are off, there are real human beings with hopes, dreams, fears...just like anyone else. This constant polarity of sentiments--light/dark, spice/powder, hopefulness/longing, sex/innocence--it made me incredibly melancholy. I actually shed a tear. Before Histoires Moulin Rouge, the only perfume that ever stirred up such emotion and made me cry was CHANEL No. 5. I never thought another perfume would be able to do that to me. I'm so impressed with Histoires de Parfums for their ability to create such a deeply thought-provoking scent. To me this is art; I must own it. I will also have to give consideration to ordering more samples from this House.

I have visited the Moulin Rouge in Paris before, although I was not fortunate enough to enter or attend a show (I was too young at the time). Whilst I find that this scent does not conjure up images of the Moulin Rouge exactly, I could definitely imagine a burlesque dancer or the atmosphere in a theatre to smell like this. Moulin Rouge has an effervescent opening, followed by an old-fashioned lipstick smell, one that's a bit dry and crumbly and powdery and similar to a lipstick that your great grandmother would keep in her purse. An unusual aromatic note then peeks out above everything else (hello, wormwood), followed by something sweet that has a waxy quality to it, which I think is the iris. There are hints of something "fizzy" every now and again (this could be the combination of some of the notes on my skin), and as the scent turns into a powdery floral dry-down, some roses appear, as well. I love how this scent gives the impression of another era, but does not smell dated. I find it suggestive and seductive. There is a depth, and a "lived-in", intimate feel to it, and I really imagine this to be what a burlesque dancer's skin would smell like. Moderate sillage; lasting power is for about 8-9 hours. Moulin Rouge has exquisite blending, composition and receives top marks from me, as this scent contains one of my most loathed notes - patchouli - and so far I haven't even noticed it! However, I will see what happens over the passing of time as I get to know the scent. I will add some further notes if there is any change. By the way, this is not the same as Lipstick Rose by Frederick Malle, which reminds me of something more "1950's pin-up", whereas this is "1920's burlesque dancer". The aforementioned is sweeter, creamier and based on violets; this one has more powder, is softer and based on iris. I do love both and consider them beautiful interpretations of the “lipstick” genre for their own unique reasons :)

Mmmm, I think this Moulin Rouge is really great. It has three very distinct but somehow coherent phases - it really does succeed in making its ambitious name sound just about right, and I don't know which part I like best. First there's a shock of what I immediately thought of as "pencil shavings, but lovely", but that another reviewer has described much more accurately as "greasepaint and dust, the smell of backstage". This lasts for only a little while, and then in the heart there's that wonderfully waxy oldfashioned lipstick scent, very powdery with prominent places for the floral notes and especially the plum. But it all hangs together so well that no one particular note steals the show, and then after a while it starts to warm up and get more spicy, finally leaving the lovely cinnamon note to linger at center stage for quite a while. Like others have said, it's true there's not much subtlety here. But that doesn't matter at all, because there's a lot of interesting things going on here, a lot of edgy depth, without it being any less wearable for all that. In fact, with its long lifespan and good but not exaggerated sillage I think this could be pretty versatile, wearable on most occasions and in every season as long as it isn't suffocatingly hot. Obviously it'd do great on a night out, but it felt perfect at work today as well. As for the comparisons with Lipstick Rose, I think they're probably in the same family, evoking oldfashioned glamour through the scent of makeup as they both do, but they're not very closely related. Lipstick Rose is at the same time a lot brighter and a lot muskier, more straithforward and less dusty. They're both wonderful in their own right, and I for one wouldn't mind having both of them in my collection.

I think I fell in love with this. I've always wanted to own a perfume that would remind me of a (possibly beautiful red, as I love red) lipstick. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to find a rare gem like that (such scent is not exactly popular, or mainstream), so imagine how excited I was when I realized 1889 Moulin Rouge is finally available in the country where I live. I ordered it almost immediately and got it a day after that. It was, obviously, a blind buy, even though a sample was available for this. However, the notes and the reviews here on Fragrantica seemed really promising, so I bought a brand new bottle instead. And I have no regrets. :) I took a deep breath and sniffed the fragrance on my wrists for the first time. This is something I have never smelled before, at least not in perfumes and to my pleasant surprise, it's also very lipsticky. It's a very warm, waxy, slightly powdery scent (I love the iris note) with the hint of absinthe there. Cinnamon (my other favorite note) and plum are also quite noticeable here. Maybe it's too soon yet to comment on longevity and projection of the perfume, as I haven't worn it properly yet, but one little spritz lasted quite long on my wrists actually. Also, the scent is kind of sweet and juicy, but not in a basic, fruity way. It has its own, unique and more sophisticated sweetness to it. So, overall, I can conclude I love the scent and the person (the nose) who created this, whoever it is (I'm quite new to this house so I'm not properly informed yet). This is going to be my fall fragrance. :) Very artistic and delightful, quite noticeable, I think. Also,I forgot to add - if the color red had its scent, then this would be it. :) :)

Mon Dieu! This is such a gem! I'm in love deeply right from the first sniff. This is such a slutty, voluptuous perfume, but with all his attitude he is not vulgar at all. This is my blind buy and as this is HdP I expected something really stunning cause I'm forever fan of this brand but 1889 surprised me so much. It's so much about femininity and fragility but at the same time it's such a seductive boozy slut. I see couloirs of Paris with vicious girls putting lipstick on before going to the stage. 1889 tells you such an intriguing story, it's just like a book brings you fantasies, memories. I smell laced pantaloons, such a sweaty and boozy air in the night restaurant. I really can feel that Moulin Rouge in the past. Fragrance of sin, fragrance of freedom. There many comments below about it's lipsticky nature or old ladies or something like that. To me it's not about objects or notes, it's well balanced whole story in a bottle, pure emotion. it's bitter, it smells like the skin of a beautiful Parisienne and a sweet kiss. it's nostalgic and charming. it's so beautiful - I can't get enough of it. It's such pleasure to have you in my collection, 1899. Borscht rating for people: 5.6 out of 10 Borscht rating for herself: 11 out of 10

1889 Moulin Rouge was not what I expected at all. I tested it because of my love of iris fragrances and expected from the reviews below to find an extremely intense iris note. On the contrary, most of what I am smelling is a GORGEOUS and unexpectedly restrained plum-musk-patchouli combo with spicy clove like facets. The iris is there lending a soft powdery note but it is certainly overtaken by the plum-musk-patchouli. I find it interesting that this conjures such vivid imagery of the Moulin Rouge for people, and I think more than anything it is a trick of marketing. For me, when I smell this, I remember a trip to India and a small bottle of perfume oil I bought there labeled simply "Love" which smelled almost identical to this soft plum-musk-patchouli combo. To my nose, this is the softer, quieter sister of Indult's Isvaraya (exchange Isvaraya's smoke note for powder and dial down the volume by 2/3's and voila!) and for that reason ONLY, I won't be adding it to my wardrobe. For anyone worried about the iris note, give it a try, this iris lover didn't find that much of it present.

This fragrance is beautiful, nostalgic, romantic and feminine - but for me, not a "wearable" option (Edit many moons later: LIES! I do wear this, now). If I purchased, this scent would be the 8" Christian Louboutin heels that I purchased because they were *SO BEAUTIFUL*, but how often would I really get a chance to wear them? Just something to admire from afar. This perfume is like art. The opening is pure waxy lipstick, a hint of spice, and a glass of absinthe. Once that powdery, freshly opened makeup opening drifts away, you're left with rose, cinnamon, and patchouli - a nice, round, soft (unlikely) composition, that makes the perfume feel "lived in", warm and cozy. The patchouli gives it a little bit of a slightly more dirty vibe, but paired with the rose it's still quite feminine, and brings the Moulin Rouge concept full circle. This perfume is my dream in terms of a concept, I do love it to peices. If you've always wanted to smell like an inebriated can-can dancer, draped in feather boas - this scent is for you!

the rose comes out strong on my skin on first spray. It’s a beautiful rose iris mixture that is absolutely excellent on my skin. it almost gives off leathery scent on me. Once it settles it becomes sweeter but every note comes through making the cinnamon mix in with the rest of the notes. I do get a powdery influence once in dry down. It can start of loud but settles nicely within 2 mins sillage may be arms length at this point. Yes I can picture the Moulin Rouge here and the dancing girls in their can can dresses kicking up their legs! It kind of comes out in this fragrance which is so appropriately named. The color red comes to mind immediately! Red roses for sure but soon dries down to a makeupy feel in mid dry down becoming powdery at this pint. I love this scent and will always have a bottle in my collection! This brand is so underrated but hey let’s keep it a secret.....🤫 or it will always be sold out! Highly recommended 10/10 This is a great time of year to wear this through a transition into early spring.

Powdery, sweet and decadent - but not trashy, this is beautifully made. Initially I get a hit of powder and flowers, followed by a sweaty note (very clever!) and then - the only bit I don’t like - a note of wormwood which only lasts a few minutes. That goes, leaving an exquisite rose/powder/musk. Further on (4 hours) a soft fruit is gently noticeable. This does remind me of Boudoir but it’s SO much better. I wouldn’t wear it to the office - this is a scent for night-time, fun and frolics, parties and seductions - without being vulgar. Well done for evoking the powdery, sweaty, one-note floral scents of dancing-girls in times gone by! If I was a bit younger and still painting the town, I'd buy this without hesitation. I’ll settle for admiring it and enjoying my sample and the stunning soft dry-down, which is worth every penny. Well alright, maybe another sample then.... It’s lovely.

Someone said to ignore the notes pyramid - a very good advice. I read it has cinnamon, plum and tangerine ... Maybe. This perfume is the sum of all its ingredients, difficult to split into components. It is a composition like a silent picture in the roaring 20s, all black and white but so lively. It is about dance and music, but not one you can actually hear. You only watch in slow motion the girls preparing to go on stage, puffs of powder on their happy faces, lipstick and dimples, curls, sequins, feather boas, silk and leather, a mix of everyone's perfumes and the dust of the backstage. It's all in there, together with a sip of booze to give them courage to show their beautiful legs. I've sprayed only one puff this morning, and 10 hours later it is still there. It is a fine perfume, but one that makes a statement - you have to be bold enough to let your perfume speak for you.

Moulin Rouge 1889 is like finding a vintage trunk filled with bustiers, petticoats, thigh-highs, feathers, pearls, and lipstick. A beautiful scent of glamour and lust filled with memories from long ago. The colorful can-can dancers and the allure of a woman in a red dress. The temptress of the night will seduce you senses with a powdery iris and deep plum that makes you think of high heels slowly clicking across an unfinished hardwood floor. The smoke still lingers in the air as you smell fresh rose of damas and an earthy yet sweet cinnamon. As the night turns into morning your left with the warm feeling of absinthe on your lips and a whisper of patchouli. If you are as in love with Paris and the Moulin Rouge as I am then this is a must have fragrance for your collection. It's absolutely incredible!

This is fast becoming a new favourite. That opening of iris & waxy lipstick is beautiful - such a nostalgia hit. After a few hours it then gives way to an even more beautiful powdery iris & rose scent, slightly sweet to start then ending on a soft musky note. I don't get the Patch or cinnamon? I agree with others that the drydown is similar to Vivienne Westwood's Boudoir . Moulin Rouge however is less cloying & more beautifully constructed. Its as far removed from your usual modern off the shelf too sweet & fruity generic offerings as you can get & for that I applaud it. A modern masterpiece that manages to conjur up scents of decades gone by. Sillage is great as is the longevity - this one just gets better & better with the drydown. A full bottle is on the Christmas wish list....

This isn’t a perfume for everyone, and it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s bold, unusual, heavy in the most theatrical way. On my skin, it pulls me straight into a cabaret scene: red velvet, warm lights, music, cigarette smoke, heated skin, laughter and movement. A dense, charged space where only a truly intense fragrance can hold its ground. I love it for its exaggerated personality, but I have to admit I can’t wear it often. It’s a night scent, a cold‐weather scent; anything warmer and it becomes suffocating, almost overwhelming. It’s the kind of fragrance I reach for only when I’m in the right mood and have the nerve for it, not just when the temperature allows it. Every now and then I crave its drama, but you really need to be in the right spirit to wear it.

I don't know If I like wearing it so much but I do think it's a masterpiece. Makes me feel like an old fashion tart. I immediately crave wearing a red feather boa and calling people "dearie" or "mush". It takes you directly to the moulin rouge in 1889- not the Hollywood version but the reality with artists, bohemians and the opium den inside a 30 foot elephant. It smells like the preparations for a big and very debauched night out - the perfume, old fashioned make up, drink and in a funny sort of way adrenaline from the excitement of it all. Something about it, however, leaves me with regrets-like the feeling of wanting something cleaner and more wholesome the next day. It is a masterpiece though- time travel in a bottle.

1889 is a perfume with a medium high intensity and a duration of 9 to 10 hours. This is a different and special perfume, who looks for a niche perfume looks for something special that breaks with the tastes of the vast majority and this perfume is one of those perfumes that have a special magic to try them and feel something different. It is true that its aroma is of intense makeup, but when I put it on I close my eyes and see the protagonist of the film memories of a Geisha all made up of white, or Satin of the movie Moilin Rouge prepared before going out to her performance. It is not a perfume for everyone, that is clear, but this aaroma has magic and people who appreciate this type of aroma will enjoy it very much.

#heavybeatsUK This is probably the perfume i love the most and I have never had any longevity issue. I saw they changed the packaging from red to white. I have an old red box that i’m using and a white box back up I don’t dare to open because i’m very afraid to find out they killed my beloved perfume. I wrote to the house and they told me they didn’t reformulate it, but I don’t 100% trust them. Can i ask you if your box is white or red? Do you fragrantic guys have any information? Would be great!! EDIT: i wrote again, many times, to every HDP’s mail address i have found to ask about reformulation: no one ever answered me. So i tend to think they did reformulate it. Double shame on them and on their costumer care.

Moulin Rouge @histoiresdeparfums عطر فيه لمسة الماضي و عصرية الحاضر .. فيه عبق نساء الزمن الجميل بروح شابة .. لمسة سويت سكرية مثيرة .. تصهر توابل القرفة وفاكهة المندرين في عبير سبايسي فروت بنكهة حارة .. تهدأ لوهلة فتتسلل رائحة زهر السوسن باودرية ممتعة بعبق زهري فاكهي ناعم سلس فيه انوثة رقيقة تحيطك باحساس دافئ من الالفة و السكون ...لكنها تهز اعماقك باثارة عفوية .. تكتمل بشرارة حميمية من الورود والمسك والتي بلغت بالعطر مستوى ارقى من النضج والتألق فاعطته نبضا حسياً عميقاً .. وروحاً متوهجة لا تنطفئ .. عطري من اجمل ما انتجت Histoires de Parfums للنساء،اصدار عام 2010 كتكريم لتلك الحقبة الذهبية من الزمن والتي جسدها المولان روج كاحد ابرز معالم باريس الليلية و الذي افتتح عام 1889 ولازال من ابرز معالمها حتى يومنا هذا..

To me this is such a good perfume. It was very strange at first, amongst many other perfumes this was a very intriguing and different one that caught my attention, so I took a sample and wore it the next days and now it's definitely become one of my most favourite ever: very complex and evocative, reminds me of (as many already said before) lipstick, face powder, old leather bags, vintage notes inspired by the Moulin Rouge. Wow.. amazing and sensual. It doesn't even cost that much, sadly I've spent much more on nieche perfumes that didn't even last that much, while this one has a very prolonged scent that with the passing of time becomes more and more lovely.

Ohlala! What a great and beautiful fragrance this is. It's very sexy and intriguing. If you are in to lipstick and make-up arty fragrances, this can be the one you would love. The plum topnote is intens sweet, but exact in a nice way, not to much.. You want to smell more, again and again. The scent has a great projection and lasts almost a day when you spray 3 to 4 times. Great for almost any occasion for an business appointment, a date or just on a beautiful day walking trough your city. I really understand the feeling of the Moulin Rouge with the red and velvet ambiance.. soft and powdery en with a little sweet sparkle that put a naughty spell on you.

Ah yes, Moulin Rouge, one spray is all you need to transport yourself to 1889, and all the way through the 20's, a line of chorus girls doing the can can, fancy petticoats and high feathers in their hats, and don't forget Mistinguett and Maurice Chevalier! Paris in it's heyday. Gaiety, champagne, and celebration. Vive La France! Moulin Rouge starts out with a very waxy lipstick accord, then settles very beautifully into a face powder, makeup vintage powder puff vibe. Very very nicely done! I can very much imagine this is what the ladies dressing room would smell like...gorgeous! I must have this soon...