Nuit de Longchamp

This is really lovely, it has a very vintagey-old school type of aroma, but without actually having "that vintage smell", if that makes any sense. Kind of, it smells like a modern remake of a classic vintage, which is exactly what it is. Very soapy-powdery on application, I really thought there were aldehydes and lily of the valley in this, though they aren't listed. To some extent this reminded me of a combination of traditional triple milled bar of soap, some imperial leather talc, thick face cream and the colour white, or rather ivory cream colour. This has a lovely stage in the heart that reminds me of my Grandma. No, I don't mean /that/ dreaded phrase, this is a compliment. When I was young my maternal Grandma always washed with imperial leather soap bar (she has switched to Dove now!) she even used it for her hair instead of shampoo, used the imperial leather talcum powder, the one in the red bottle, applied astral or nivea cream to her face, and on laundry day washed everything in her top loader twin tub with traditional soap flakes. If she wore daytime perfume it would be L'Aimant. This is what NdL reminds me of, that particular mix of ingredients that became part of her general scent, so for that reason alone I love it. I also love it because it smells good. This is, as you'd expect from the memories it evokes, a very comforting scent for me. Certainly not something I would personally wear for seduction or painting the town red because that would clash with how I perceive it. This to me is perfect for cozy snuggles, winter days when the weather outside is wild and stormy but I am safely inside comfy and warm. The opening is quite full on, heavy soapy powdery aldehydic white florals that cocoon like a big fluffy cream blanket. In the heart it develops the scent I described above, clean but lived in, it does smell clean to me but not sanitised, not fresh. In the drydown the vetiver, oakmoss and sandalwwod become more prominent and the soapiness recedes considerably to reveal more of the powdery iris and soft jasmine. In the beginning this is pretty much room-filling and may be overpowering to those who dislike more old fashioned scents or who are averse to aldehydes, soapiness and powder. it gradually wears closer and closer as it moves through heart and drydown. Longevity is not the best but it isn't terrible, probably 4-6 hours. **EDITED TO ADD: I was wrong, this lasts far longer than I had previously thought, when I got undressed to change for bed the scent wafted from my skin again clear and true a good 11 hours after applying, maybe I become unable to smell it on myself after a while or something. But the longevity (full wear in cold winter weather) is 2-3 times longer than I originally stated at 10-12 hours. END OF EDIT** Very feminine. It does remind me somewhat of Carven Ma Griffe (modern version, I don't know the vintage) and Arpege though it is less indolic. Best for autumn, winter and early spring IMO. I love it on a cold winters day, with a big thick snuggly jumper or a chunky knit scarf!

An uptight, formal floral with a mellow heart just dying to get out, and it does. At drydown. The bottle I got as a steal ($24 USD, I know, right! ;) looks just as the one pictured here, so I guess I have the most recent version and I'm OK with that. I'm not sure which fragrance I may have or have smelled in the past that reminds me of this one, but it is right on the tip of my memory. I am certain I have smelled a similar scent. This is one of my 'mature scents' as I couldn't see myself wearing this at <24 years old. There is an air of refinement that goes along with this EDP, one that makes one sit up and take notice, or at least give the appearance of self assurance like some perfumes can. I first put on today before 0730 hrs. It is now 1350 hrs and my wrists are still faintly scented. Powdery even with just a hint of the florals which were so brash and demanding this morning. I think this would work in an office environment, provided a judicious hand were used. Upon drydown it becomes less obtrusive, like a rowdy child who has now tired of being rowdy and is sitting, hands folded in lap, behaving beautifully.

Classy, uptown, powdery floral of yesteryear. Aldehydes combine w/ florals, sandalwood, nutmeg, oakmoss. It also reminds me of Vintage Samsara not a dupe but in the same class. Very heavy yellow floral w/ lots of iris and sandalwood. If you miss vintage Samsara and are scared to buy one on Ebay (I just did and was lucky it is a good bottle) buy Nuit de Longchamps instead. I think you will be pleased. If I had known this was so like vintage Samsara I would have opted for a fresh bottle of this instead. If you like 20th century big woody and warm spicy florals this is a good one to sample. Really, really beautiful. Soapy, musky, floral, woody, warm, slightly earthy. For Lovers of classic fragrances that are complex and hard to define and even harder to forget. Edit 12/26/23 wearing this now it is like samsara and Chanel #5 had a baby. Really beautiful.

Yes this is an old fashioned powdery-perfume but it is also a grower. Initially I noticed it smells very similar to Chanel No 5 which to be honest I am not a huge fan of, and looking on this site they share a lot of the same notes. But there is more to like in this perfume, it is a more wearable and friendly smell, and of course less instantly recognizable. Once it warms up on your skin it comes alive, it is one of those wonderfully spicy sweet cozy womanly smells that makes you want to cuddle the wearer. I am impressed by this perfume, it is great to find this style of oriental floral without the overdone vanilla-amber-musk base that every other perfume you can buy at Myer seems to have. Good job Lubin!

A lovely, overlooked vintage. This smells very expensive to me, like gold jewelry in a bottle. It did take me time to get past the oakmoss and slightly breath-esque note, however it transports me to 1950s or 60s Monaco, wearing an off the shoulder lame gown. Think Sophia Loren in her statuesque glory. Wear to a black tie event and you'll feel like the most elegant person there.