No.13 Nouvelle Vague

It’s so interesting seeing all of the polarizing reviews and everybody’s personal experiences with this fragrance, and their takeaway. It’s amazing just how much body chemistry plays an extraordinary role in one’s olfactory experience, and people’s sense of a fragrance on their skin vs. on paper, or worn by another person etc. I’m a dude, and I really enjoy the smell of coconut. It has been much harder than I thought it would be for me to come by a fragrance that is coconut dominant, or at least one with a nice, well rounded coconut note that compliments the fragrance as a whole, and doesn’t feel out of place, overly synthetic, or cloying. Pretty much every fragrance I’ve come across looking for “the one” is more often than not heavily reminiscent of sunscreen, or is a gourmand, heavy and rich to the point of being cloying, and feminine. So I’ve been looking for a nice coconut fragrance for a while! I absolutely love Creed Virgin Island Water, it’s one of my favourite fragrances, though is quite a bit more citrus forward, with a hint of the most delicious coconut note. I’ve been mainly unsuccessful in my journey of finding a fresh realistic coconut note akin to the quality of the latter. I really like this fragrance, both the oil and EDP. On my skin it’s a very simple, linear, refreshing coconut scent. I don’t get sunscreen, or rubber, and I find it perfectly unisex. I’m of the mindset that not every fragrance has to have beast mode silage and longevity, and be overly complex. This is a nice and simple, refreshing coconut forward fragrance. It’s projection is intimate but I still get compliments when I wear it. It’s a great on its own, and when layered with other fragrances (especially freshies on a hot summer day - but I can see this layered with warmer frags during the colder months). Don’t let the comments dissuade you from trying this, I’ve been wearing it a lot and quite enjoy it in this hot weather. But it seems like this wouldn’t be a safe blind buy, considering people’s experiences seem to heavily differ due to everyone’s unique skin chemistry, which is super interesting! It’s something to keep in mind if testing a fragrance on paper, it might smell completely different on your skin.

I agree with reviews that Maison Louis Marie no. 13 Nouvelle Vague eau de parfum opens with the scent of lemons, progresses to a powdery floral perhaps such as lily of the valley, and stays on the wrist like oceanic sandalwood and something vegetal. I don't see no. 13 as coconut dominant, and I am not familiar enough with fig to comment. Yes there is something to round out the fragrance that could be described as amber, or musk. Personally I like how natural this fragrance smells, conveying elegantly dressed people at a marketplace by the seaside with some blooming flowers around and humid air. I can easily see it being worn in spring or winter as it has a scent a bit like old books. Despite having citrus I think Nouvelle Vague is less of a "clean" scent and more of a lived in, musky botanical scent that you can equally wear to go hiking in with boots and to a coastal restaurant with a straw bag. Despite this description as well it's not very heavy due to its moderate projection and the way the lemongrass and lily of the valley lingers. I think Nouvelle Vague can be unisex, perhaps for a man that does not mind smelling like florals, and has a romantic disposition. No I don't get anything like rubber or plastic or fake coconut or sunscreen. I think No.13 Nouvelle Vague is a pleasant, very natural scent, exactly like some of my scent memories of flowers on the breeze. But I think this isn't a scent for everyone, even if I do find it well rounded.

Green, bright, fresh, joyful. While others cite coconut as the first & most predominant note they encounter in this fragrance, I smell a green & creamy fig haloed in the diaphanous, watery sweetness of lily of the valley (a note not listed on Fragrantica, but noted on the Maison Louis Marie website). I smell the sunshine in this fragrance; luminous, simple, & truly fresh, not in the way that term is so often used—as in “clean laundry”, “shampoo”, “soap”, etc—No, I can imagine smelling this while strolling through an open air market on the Mediterranean: verdant zip of leaves & tree bark, fresh figs split & rosy, distant tang of lemon rind, white flowers nodding on a sea-softened breeze. As with Diptyque’s Philosykos, there is something in this that feels nostalgic to me; something in its joyous greenness that reminds me of being a child beneath the trees, playing in the latticed shadows of leaves—it makes me smile. &, at the same time, I can imagine this scent lingering on the nape of a woman’s neck as she walks barefoot on a summer day. & I want to be her as much as the child among the leaves.

Really pleasantly surprised by this one. A new favourite summertime scent. Smooth and creamy, soft and beachy. Very round, well blended, and balanced. Beachy but not screechy sharp sunscren. The coconut is milky, not toasted flesh and not salty coconut water. Compared to other beachy coconut type scents: No "sunscreen" vibe like Tom Ford Soliel Blanc, MM Replica Beach Walk, or Bobbi Brown Beach. Has a sunny feel, but no bright sparkling citrus like D&G Dolce Shine. Not floral like Juliet Has A Gun Lust For Sun or Phlur Solar Power. Coconutty but more fresh than Comptoir Sud Pacifique Coco Extreme. Similar to but more smooth than 7 Virtues Coconut Sun and Nest Balinise Coconut. This is suitable for day or night, smooth and creamy, sweet but not cloying. Easy beachy vibes. Remains consistent throughout wear - the milky coconut and fig does not burn off and dry down to dry dusty woods or musk. Scent bubble is moderate - not overpowering, but people around you will notice. Longevity is incredible - lasts days on clothes and hair.

I've been wearing the oil for about a week and I really like it. I agree with the review below it is very similar to BBW Brown Sugar and Fig. My daughter actually thought that what was what I was wearing! There are some floral hints in this, though. Also within the first hour or two the fig reminds me vaguely of the fig in Womanity, but without any of the salty and briny qualities of Womanity. Womanity is one of my favorites. I feel like Nouvelle Vague does not have enough sillage for me, but I do really like it and may get the full size oil. The sillage is fine for the first hour or so, the longevity is amazing though. Applied at 4pm yesterday, it's now 9am and I can still smell it. I have the mini oil and am burning through it due to the sillage issue. I may see if the spray perfume has more throw. I have both the oil and parfum in NO 4 Bois de Balincourt, layering works well.

I am mad with giggles reading these comments! I didn't think this pretty scent could be so polarizing! I bought a sample of this and pulled it out randomly today. It's honestly so pleasant. It's a creamy, powdery scent that isn't strong. Fig and coconut always compliment each other nicely as they do here. I don't really get lily of the valley. It calms into a warm, sweet skin scent quite quickly. I put on 6 sprays an hour and a half ago and have to put my nose right up to my arm to smell it. Maybe I need to add some to my clothes next time. I do agree with some commenters on how they could get "new car" from this. And I do see a resemblance to Brown Sugar and Fig by B&BW, but that is much harsher to my nose. THIS has a soft, fluffy feel to it. If any haters want a home to send their bottle, I'll kindly take it off your hands for you. ;)

Like stepping into a sunlit garden, where the air is thick with warmth and the promise of something luxurious. The fragrance opens with the creamy sweetness of coconut, a soft, tropical embrace that feels both lush and soothing. Then, the sweet, almost milky essence of ripe fig intertwines, adding a hint of earthiness that grounds the scent in something natural, like the first bite of summer fruit under a shaded tree. Finally, the amber emerges, its golden warmth wrapping everything in a soft, radiant glow, like the lingering heat of the sun as it dips below the horizon. It’s a scent that’s sensual but not overpowering—effortlessly sophisticated and rich in its simplicity. Nouvelle Vague feels like a quiet, sun-soaked afternoon, where time stretches out and everything feels just a little more beautiful.

My updated review of this fragrance is that I still like it! I am wearing it during winter. I get migraines from a lot of perfumes however this does not. I am attributing it to the fact this is a clean brand using high quality ingredients. It does have a coconut/sunscreeny vibe with a bit of fig. I can smell these notes! This perfume has decent sillage and is long lasting. I only have the travel spray but 2 sprays is all you need because it truly does last a long time. I have 9 hour hour work day and can still smell it on my clothes at end of day. The packaging is very good with no leaking. The design is also very clean and minimal. I want to get a 2nd fragrance from this brand but not sure which one.

A soft coconut fragrance that has a slight resemblance to Dent la lait by serge lutens, its a subtle fragrance that is signature scent worthy as with most of the offerings from this house, projection sits close to skin and last about 5 - 6 hours. Not a power house by any means but if you're looking for a scent for the gym or for cozy night time wear, look no further. I have a few offerings from this house for sale along with alot of discontinued/rare/vintage/designer fragrances that i am decluttering some of which im able to be competitive to discounters. My IG:ArmedFragTO Located in Toronto, ontario Canada i do ship within country and to the U.S

This smells heavenly, if you love coconut like me. A rich, creamy coconut is like all I can smell throughout, and despite what others have said, I don't detect a "sunblock" note at all. Lemon and agave stand out to me, as well. It smells downright tropical. Dries down rather quickly, though, and once faded the coconut is ameliorated some by a sandalwood smell. At this point sillage & projection go down quite a bit, and it becomes something that someone would have to be right in your face to smell. I wish it lasted longer, I love it so much. For the money, you're better off trying to find a secondhand deal on it rather than buying it full price.

Fragrantica is listing just 3 notes on here. I smell more than just 3 notes. What I really love about this is it's not necessarily perfumey. It reminds me of Clean Reserve Clean Skin. I smelled them both side by side and whilst they have different DNA there are many resemblances. 1. Your skin but better vibe. 2. Not perfumey. 3. Will blend with your chemistry to create a uniqueness. 3. Clean based formula 4. Non floral 5. Unisex 6. Skinscent after a few hours. I really love this and I recommend both in the oil and in the spray. I currently have the 10ml bottle but will be getting the full bottle soon.

I love this fragrance. I love how lactonic and creamy it is. I'm not even a huge fan of coconut in fragrance, and I've smelled quite a few of them. Yes, I adore Un Bois Vanille, but that one is more beeswax than coconut to me. I've smelled the coconut frags from Diptyque, Mugler (Alien Goddess), Kayali, 7 Virtues, Maison Margiela, and Montale/Mancera. Nouvelle Vague is somehow a standout for me. Maybe my skin chemistry just works well with it? Yes, it's probably intended to be a summer frag, but I can see myself wearing this on a cold winter night at home.

I made a Fragrantica account just for this perfume. I believe I have the "baseline" skin chemistry for most perfumes, most of them smell exactly as advertised on me. I received a sampler fragrance oil of this, and immediately upon putting it on my wrists, knocked out cold. This scent smells like a midday nap in early summer, as a gentle breeze slowly wafts through fig trees. I didn't grow up in Italy so I can't even use that as an excuse, but the fig note is so dreamy that I woke up a whole new person. 10000/10, better than melatonin.

To me this smells like a sunny spring day. It's a good combination of sweet and clean and woody (?) and totally works with my skin. I wear this pretty much every day in the springtime because of how simple and light it is. I don't get coconut or sunscreen. My biggest qualms are it loses its sweet fruitiness when it dries down and leaves only the powder/musk/clean scent that feels a little boring on its own. I wore this on my first date with my boyfriend and now I associate it with him, so maybe that's why I like it so much.

I received a sample of the oil version of this perfume. I am in love, it is so amazing and nostalgic: it smells like clean laundry, with a little bit of coconut and sunscreen. It feels like clean linens in the summertime, taking a nap after a day in the pool. Since it was the oil version the sillage was intimate, and it is not the most long-lasting scent in the world, but it smells so clean and nice. I will buy it when I go back to London or the States. Lovely!

Y’all have strange noses. This doesn’t deserve to be rated as low as it is. It is such a unique coconut fig classy scent, I instant feel like an old money chick on her summer European trip with a hot sugar daddy. It’s an absolutely love and it’s top 5 in my perfume collection. It doesn’t smell anything like anything else out there. And no philosphykos is straight up tree, it’s not this.

This scent is incredibly beautiful, I don't know why it isn't talked about more. It is a slightly sweet coconut and fig scent that is warm and so so comforting. The first time I tried it I was actually speechless. I have an extensive perfume collection, but I knew right away this was going to be a new signature scent of mine. I absolutely recommend.

This is a delicious warm-weather fragrance, smells like a mai tai and expensive suntan lotion on a secluded wooded beach. Creamy coconut, under-ripe fig, wet florals with a light woody base. This is very sexy to me as the airy creamy sweetness feels so nicely intertwined with the earthy gourmand fullness. I would love to have this in a full size.

smells identical to bath and body works “brown sugar and fig”. shocked reading through reviews and not seeing that mentioned, but the body spray is a favorite and i have it currently to compare. if anything, the no13 sweet notes linger longer and stay on the creamy element longer bc the perfume itself lasts far longer.

Of the 4 Maison Marie fragrances I tried at Sephora including No 4, this one was my favourite. It smelled very well blended and natural. I only smelled the oil. A sort of musky, peachy, coconut w/ a prominent fig note. No headache. I can 100% see the merits of the oil vs the spray.