Ô de Lancôme

I received this as a gift a good couple years ago, but was unable to see past the mighty citrus opening - it seemed too bitter and too powerful. I recently revisited what was a nearly full bottle, after reading the reviews here (thanks!), and oh boy, was it a beautiful surprise! First of all, seeing the comparisons to Diorella was a bit startling (it is my mother's signature perfume, and I thought I would have noticed the similarities!) but they are absolutely spot on. There are important differences (Diorella starts off much less aggressively and is softened/sweetened by the floral elements) but all the marks of an elegant, classy chipre, ending in a woodsy, long lastin aura - are here. The opening is a bit of knock out, and don't be afraid if it puts you off at first. The herbs and the lemon pretty much punch you in the face. But (at least on my skin) very soon the citrus evaporates, and the herbs get more complex and - whether it's basil, or rosemary, there's hardly any sweetness. It's actually as if somebody took the leaves with the whole bush, twigs, roots and all, and blended indiscriminately. I mean this in the nicest possible way. It is green, but in a vermouthy, bitter yet drinkable sort of way. What happens during the next hour or two is fantastic. I'm not terribly good at discerning notes, but something in the final phase of "O" (is that the oakmoss or the sandalwood?) creates a delicate, round, very classic cloud of scent (this is where it is most reminiscent of older, classic perfume). I love it and I'm very happy to rediscover it. Turns out the bottle design and the initial strong splash of citrus really fooled me. (If you excuse a bit of clumsy synaesthesia here, I don't see it as cool and green, at all - it's very much a gold and white kind of scent for me)

Ô de Lancôme is such a great summer scent. Featuring a bright citrus opening with floral and herbal nuances, followed by a deliciously mossy chypre drydown, it has it all. Light and fresh, yet full of rich, damp greenness, it reminds me of the Mediterranean countryside in summertime. With more depth than many citrus colognes and warmer than the likes of Chanel Cristalle, this is like the sister of Eau Sauvage - another perfectly formed citrus chypre for warm weather. Ô opens with a bright, zesty lemon note, green like lemongrass. It is tempered nicely by darker begamot and a hint of orange, keeping it from lemon cleaner territory. An aromatic herbal accord joins the citruses early on, more fresh and damp than dried and dinner-y. It reminds me of a herb garden, perhaps near a lemon tree. Soft white florals add a little clean sweetness in the background, and there is a nice hint of peppery spice, which gives a kick. A classic chypre drydown features during the later stages of Ô, and it is beautiful, vintage-style, mossy goodness. I particularly enjoy chypres, and this is an excellent one. Mossy, earthy and woody, it is like a forest in late summer. The vetiver is dry and grassy, while the sandalwood note adds a smooth, rich warmth to the base. The oakmoss in particular shines here. It fades to a mossy skin scent, earthy and woody until final fade. Sillage and longevity are moderate - it has better performance than the average citrus summer scent. Feminine-leaning, but perhaps unisex, this is a lighter take on a classic chypre. For warm sunny days. Excellent. 4.5/5.

What is this strange magic? A freshie-citrus chypre? It's positively chartreuse! (I'm speaking metaphorically--the juice itself is just regular pale yellow). I should have ordered this travel sprayer ages ago. When I lift my self-imposed moratorium, I might buy a full bottle. I live in a hot, humid city, and we're having a heat wave, and Ô la la does Ô de Lancôme fulfill all my summertime scent desiderata! It's pure olfactory refreshment. Scentwise, its complex mix of green spices makes me think of my beloved Dior Eau Sauvage, vintage formulation, although it reads slightly more feminine than that while still occupying the unisex category to my nose. Obviously, anyone can wear whatever, regardless of gender, but these are my personal associations, and I can say with great confidence that I would rather smell Ô de Lancôme on my particular man than, say, Guerlain Insolence or another unrepentantly girly-girl concoction. Not that he would wear either. I might be able to persuade him to wear the Ô, but only from a travel sprayer. That pretty bottle would set off his macho censors probably. His loss! I doubt I will want to share this anyway. I think even people who don't like perfume would find this pleasant. It smells like you have just taken a shower and washed your hair.

In my journey through the re-discovery of the "eaux" after Eau de Rochas, Eau de Courrèges and Escale à Parati, I now am the happy owner of one of my timeless favourites: Ô de Lancôme (with the circumflex accents please). And I must say, what a beauty! Yes, it is a perfume marketed for ladies, but all the "eaux" found their original inspiration in the "eaux de Cologne" which were originally worn by men back in the 30s, and Ô is definitely a unisex perfume starting with a citrusy punch developing into a flowery subtle combination which is not overpowering at all, and very close to Eau Sauvage. So why not trying? Guys, you should definitely be brave and have this gem in your bathroom, in your bag and in your gym locker. You will not regret. And if you live in Europe, it is one of the cheapest luxury perfumes money can buy. I would be curious to have any man's views on this! Update: Ô is very similar to Eau de Courrèges but with a deeper sillage and lasting longevity. There is also something powdery and feminine in this perfume that gives me an immense sense of security and well-being like your mum's personal smell, without being too pronounced. Off to John Lewis next week to stock up! Now I have a dilemma: shall I cheat on Eau de Rochas or remain faithful...

This is the ultimate lemon/lemon splash fragrance IMO, totally unisex and timeless; I discovered it a few years ago when I was 20, and I receive many compliments on how lovely and fresh I smell whenever I wear it. Ô De Lancome smells super, very zesty, fresh, clean, just everything really that I love in a summer/casual cologne type fragrance. Ô opens up with a really hard smack of lemon, pure, fresh, mouthwatering, lemons and something which gives it a very fizzy feeling, almost sherbert like which is possibly the bergamot. Ô stays smelling of fresh lemons for most of its life on my skin, by the 4 hour mark, it dies down into a herbal oakmossy musk with some lingering citrusses in the background which keeps Ô feeling fresh and airy. Longevity is moderate for a citrus based EdT; roughly 5 hours and projection is rather soft to moderate depending on how many sprays you use (5-6 work best for me) I'm looking forward to trying its flankers, but nothing can be as good as the original Ô, I always return to this every summer without fail, its also relatively reasonable for quite a big bottle too. Tres chic, fraiche et propre!