Vivage

My first early Christmas present to myself...I've wanted this for so long. I found it online in excellent condition and oh my, another vintage cheapie to love! This is sunny and beautiful, a luscious creamy floral. I don't detect much as far as fruits, but I adore cherry blossom if that's what I'm smelling: cherry blossoms are to me usually cooler fragrances, but this one is lively and fun! This has the effect of a good strong coffee on me, mentally uplifting.

a soapy floral aldehyde that smells like hyacinth but is a mix of lilac and lily

This must be one of the last undiscovered gems out there. A classic floribunda with a rich chypre base, Vivage approximates an offering from an 80s top-tier design house. It was crafted by Jean-Pierre Bethouart, the perfumer of such iconic fragrances as the Boucheron signature scents for women and men, Ange e Demon (edp and, my favorite, extrait),and Caron's Parfum Sacre. Like its siblings, Vivage is a class act, as are Louis Feraud's other collaborations with Avon in the 80s: Fantasque, Cote d"Azur, & Jour. My vintage new bottle of Eau de Cologne starts off with a bright woody note- pretty daring.. The grapefruit adds an unusual and refreshing twist to the top. The Pink Pepper is nothing like the obnoxious and synthetic feeling PP that abounds in today's fruitchoulis. The heart surprises with a blast of powdery florals, dominated by cherry blossom & heliotrope contrasted with ripe tart fruit & beeswax. The woody notes persevere throughout, and this fragrance becomes linear after about 15 minutes. The sillage is big and the longevity absurd- all day, as an Avon fragrance should perform! Vivage touts the classic Avon musk base, but it is carried oh-so-beautifully by an unexpected host of quality ingredients. Well worth the $15 a bottle can be found for.

My vintage sample of Vivage is a classic, aged, woody green floral. For the record, I smell absolutely no sweetness, elemi, vanilla, or pink pepper. This is a 70's style chypre! Totally suitable for any chypre lover and nearly unisex. Mine seems to be darkened and aged. Possibly the aging has brought out the woody notes and softened the florals? I would think any lover of classic Avons would enjoy this. Vivage is a bit like many a classic Avon I have and love, though with more of a Diorella tinge, owing to the greens in it. Update: Aha! There is another page here for Jour (Vivage) by Louis Feraud. That has to be the one I have, because the few notes given seem more in keeping. The notes do not list the woody Avon base, but that is common enough. Happy Sniffing!