Lavande Eau de Parfum

Wearing both Tom Ford Lavender Extreme & Molinard Lavande now to compare side by side, & here's my $.02: These really are remarkably similar fragrances - AFTER the opening... TF Lavender Extreme opens with a mega-dose of explosive, sweet, luscious Lavender, wonderfully blended with Lemon, Violet, Tonka Bean & Coumarin. On first impression, it's a stunner. It's sweet enough that I've had friends mistake it for coconut, & totally understood them getting that impression. While I'm no expert, they've clearly pulled off some nice use of aromachemicals to get such a "bursting" effect to the top notes. This is the one & only thing that makes LE noteworthy. Unfortunately, this lasts only 10-15 minutes. It's a blissful open that you want to last forever, but it's gone before you blink. The in-your-face Lavender quickly fades & LE settles into a slightly more vanilla-tinged version of Lavande. It's truly excellent at first, but the decision to add this to the $320/$815 product range is a joke (as is that price point in general). Had it been priced at the "normal" prices, & made available in the 100ml size as well, I might have bought a bottle. But sadly It reminds me of TF Azure Lime: Amazing! ...For 15 minutes. Molinard Lavande's opening is very similar, yet distinctly different. Rather than the almost gourmand Lavender of LE, this is a sharper Lavender spiced with Clary Sage & a bit of underlying Patchouli in its base. The presence of the Clary Sage is the big difference in the opening; It's a much more medicinal/herbal vibe. Lavande is far more linear, so you don't get the disappointment of LE's rich Lavender disappearing so quickly. 30 minutes in, they are nearly identical. The spice of Lavande & the sweetness of LE both tone down to a lighter vanilla-floral scent with their bases of Coumarin & Tonka Bean. If LE could keep its magic going for a few hours, we'd have no competition here. Given the (10x!) price difference, Lavande is quite solid, & I'd say it's actually the slightly more interesting of the 2 in the dry down. Yes, LE's opening is amazing & I definitely wanted a bottle on first sniff, but if you've got Lavande 20 minutes later either way, it doesn't make sense to pay the TF premium, even if it was at the normal prices. Will have to try the Caron Pour Un Homme soon to see if it can come closer to pulling off LE's opening vibe. (In fairness to Molinard, that's not what they set out to do, & Lavande is quite nice!) Edit: And now, I see there's "Tom Ford Tuscan Leather Intense" on the way, & you guessed it, it's another $320/50ml bottle. Give me a break. I love Tom Ford & own MANY of his scents... At ***$330/$840*** (NEW higher pricing! smh!), they're just adding another "hard pass" to the line in my book. The regular prices are bad enough; the higher tier is just plain stupid... Enough to skip over Tom Ford on principle alone.

I blind bought a bottle of Molinard Lavande after watching Sebastian Jara’s video in which he compared it favorably to the much pricier Tom Ford Lavender Extreme, which retails at $320 for 50ml vs. Lavande at $65 for 75ml, so it seemed like a worthy blind buy, and with a $10 off coupon at C.O. Bigelow, I went for it and have been pleased. It’s a creamy, sweet, semi-sharp lavender-dominant fragrance with a mix of labdanum, tonka, benzoin, vanilla, and musk. It’s a nod to lavender fans while not being only lavender, and as with most fragrances, I appreciate its fairly heavy-handed sweetness to make it more endearing. The resins and tonka blend effortlessly with the lavender in the dry down, where the fragrances becomes predictably more mellow than its semi-sharp opening. The obligatory comparison to Lavender Extreme is pretty flattering for Lavande. The two fragrances are very close in terms of smell, with Lavender Extreme being a bit creamier and featuring a pseudo “Play Doh” vibe that many have mentioned, whereas Lavande has more of the resin/sharp tonka blend in the dry down. Both perform comparably well—good, but not great. Certainly with its better pricing, Lavande comes out on top in terms of value, though it’s totally fair that some might prefer the smell of Lavander Extreme. Molinard’s current main collection of eau de parfum concentration purple bottles are all priced modestly, at $65 for 75ml, their collection seems interesting. I’ve my eye on several that I’d be inclined to blind buy at even the retail pricing, which again is unusually reasonable for what seems to be a well-liked non-designer brand. Overall, I’m quite impressed with Lavande and look forward to smelling more of the brand. This is, as the saying goes, quite the Lavender Extreme killer, even though I certainly still love Lavender Extreme, as well. 8 out of 10

This needs to be clarified: THIS IS NOT CLOSE, INDENTICAL, OR 'JUST LIKE' Tom Ford Lavender Extreme. I own both. Both are great. TFLE has more Sandalwood like Woodsy note in the drydown (it is possibly the Cinnamon). It is smoother, gradually evolves, has a softer approach, and is well blended. Molinard Lavande is a great fragrance. It does share a slightly similar Lavender note and sweetness in the base, but again, it does not smell the same. Lavande has a natural smell of Lavender, but the way the notes are 'blended', it all hits you at once and is linear till the end. This needed to be said because I find far too many reviews saying, "Oh hell no, Id never pay for Tom Ford Lavender Extreme! Just buy this instead! It's the exact same thing!" 1. You're wrong. 2. Just because you don't want to buy something doesn't mean we want to hear you cry about it on here., nor does it make your review more relevant to the fragrance. 3. Your loss. Tom Ford Lavender Extreme is a masterpiece. It is worth looking around for deal on it and getting a bottle to cherish. P. S. A side note. Lavande EDP by Molinard has been pretty hard to find lately. Lavande EDT is easier to find, but is not the same composition. The EDT version of Lavande is a lot lighter and more feminine. It's nice, but it isn't the EDP.

Lavender is one of my favorite scents. I would wear straight up lavender essential oil if it only lasted on my skin. When I smelled Tom Ford's Lavender Extreme I felt I'd finally found THE lavender fragrance I had been looking for, but because it's now discontinued and was already very expensive to begin with, my search continued. I discovered Molinard's Lavande through the Perfume Guy on Youtube, and I'm grateful for this recommendation. To my nose, Lavende is indeed reminiscent of Lavender Extreme. To me the difference is that Lavender Extreme is smoother, like there aren't any hard edges to the lavender note and the other notes are blended perfectly behind it, almost like the notes are hugging each other. Smelling the two side by side they aren't the exact same scent, but the type of lavender is very similar and Molinard's is absolutely a great alternative to Tom Ford's if you're looking for one. Just judging this scent without any comparisons, it is everything I want from a lavender fragrance. The lavender is prominent, aromatic, not powdery. Once this dries down, you get a beautiful vanilla that I found so comforting. I think it's perfectly unisex and highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great lavender scent.

The way I'd describe this perfume develop would be dominant lavender + sweet vanillic amber ->dominant vanilla and amber with whiffs of lavender -> vanilla with lavender undertones. It really starts off as a confident natural lavender that is sweet rather than herbaceous but it's not that simple. Underneath you get a sweet almost oriental smelling ambery vanilla pillow. In fact it reminds me of the old formulation of L'Occitane's Ambre at the base. I feel the benzoin and labdanum are fairly prominent in this perfume, sweetened by the tonka and vanilla combo. There's some musk too, but I'd put it last on the hierarchy list. It really feels like a natural, sophisticated lavender cloud lingering over a cozy and sweet vanillic amber with some musk giving it a bit of volume. I don't find it leans masculine at all, I would say it is a proper unisex perfume, both sophisticated and cozy. I also (thakfully) don't detect any "funk" whatsoever like the commenters below. Lovely perfume, very good projection, lasting power and overall quality.

I have had this one for a while and man... I was searching for a lavender fragrance because it's one of my favorite smells and this one is perfect for me. Who would've thought that lavender + vanilla would be a great pair. It's a unisex fragrance. I saw people saying that this one is an alternative to TomFord Lavander Extreme, but I can't tell that it is because, unfortunately, it got discontinued. However, if you like this note, you'll probably like the scent. I can describe this as if it were a luxurious lavender that dries down to a comfy vanilla. It's perfect for cold days (fall, winter, and most of springtime). A safe blind buy? Man, even the most hyped fragrance is not a safe blind buy, so I advise you to try it first. It's not expensive, but it's something. And I can confess I didn't try the fragrance and decided to buy just based on the reviews. The first time I got my nose on this, I didn't like it at all, but then... It turned out to be my favorite.

I got a free sample of this in mail after ordering some stuff from fragbuy and woooow I was blown away by this fine French niche house! I immediately bought a full bottle of this and patchouli intense which smells like a niche Cuba orange. (Terrys chocolate orange vibes). Don’t sleep on this house! They have been in perfumery for a very very long time and their work speaks for itself! This fragrance starts out with a masculine spicy herbaceous lavender and melts into a powdery vanillic tonka masterpiece. It truly smells divine.. I’d say it starts out more masculine and turns into more true unisex maybe leaning tiny bit feminine in drydown. But being a man I can wear this without issues. It’s not any worse than DHI. My gf loves the scent too on me and also will wear it too seldom. So couples can share this without issue. I will be trying many others from this house too. 9.5/10

This is delicious. I adore lavender. I’d been eyeing up lavender extreme by Tom Ford for ages but couldn’t justify its price tag considering the makeup. I literally googled similar scents and blind bought and I wasn’t disappointed. In the opening it’s definitely different. This is slightly more aromatic, earthier and I’d say more complex than TFLE. But the dry down is incredibly similar to me at least. Not easy to get hold of in the U.K. which is a shame. But can get this almost anywhere in Europe seemingly. This house seems amazing. High quality ingredients and such brilliant prices. I sampled their fig fragrance which is also brilliant! Blind buy safe if you like lavender extreme by Tom Ford.

When I first received this I (stupidly) sprayed on fabric and was hit with a blast of strong lavender. I wasn't feeling lavender that day, so I put to one side until the next. Sprayed on skin this time and was hit again with intense lavender...but it developed into vanilla and tonka rather quickly and its just divine! Once it's dried down, the lavender switches over to the back seat and the lovely resinous vanilla takes front stage. Wow. Gorgeous fragrance. Smells very expensive on the dry down. Would definitely repurchase. Love Molinard ❤

Great perfume! Best rendition of tonka. Tonka and coumarin kinda smell animalic, damp, straw smell, that tobacco tinge spice-like tinge. In order of prominence i smell lavander, benzoin, vanilla, tonka coumarin. The other notes come after or supporting. This soft spice floral, slight powdery, sweet deep sticky waxy balsam. The vanilla is more floral than gourmand. The projection is close to skin. Update 18APR2024: very aromatic and zesty without citrus. This is best expression of lavendar aromatics.

This MOLINARD lavande perfume is one of the best of classic lavande perfumes. Very intense natural long lasting lavande fragrance enriched with vanilla, jasmin, tonka beens, labdanum, benzoin, coumarin, patchouli notes.so its not only monoaromatic perfume, but excellent complex of notes with domination of lavande, which express very warm and distinctive atmosphere of France Provence region and the spirit of perfumes capital Grasse... Close to Pour Un Homme de Caron. 💘

Extra bright and realistic lavender mixed with clary sage with a refreshing and cooling effect! Really nice for hot days :) On the skin it becomes a bit warmer and more rounded: spicy balsamic vanilla gives it a yummy twist with a relaxing vibe of a luxurious spa experience. It also has a very classy sillage that reminds of stunning Jicky by Guerlain a bit. Lovely! Follow me on IG: scent.guide

This is an instant love for me as someone who enjoys herbal lavender perfumes. It reminds me of a more modern take on Pour Un Homme de Caron. It's a little more fresh and less stuffy feeling, though I do also enjoy that one as well. Lavande becomes sweet, soft, lightly creamy, and cleanish as it dries down, becoming predominantly vanilla and tonka. It's a very cozy and comfortable fragrance.

After a year my bottle is half empty. Straight lavender for the first minute or two, afterwards becomes rounder, a bit creamy/dreamy 😀, softer and sweeter, but just a bit. I LOVE it, it's by far my comfort scent. I use it when I have fly yoga lessons and for my kinetoteraphy, helps my mind to disconnect a bit.

Smells similar to TF Lavender Extreme but noticeably lesser quality. The Perfume Guy on YouTube says it smells the same, but it really doesn't. The Tom Ford is stronger, much better blended, and so much smoother. I honestly think it's worth the investment if you like this scent profile.

This smells similar to Marie Jeanne's Tonka Lavande (not in Fragrantica database). If you know that perfume, you'll get a sense for what this is. It's a nutty almost creamy chocolatey lavender. Pure heaven.

It is a great lavender based EDP, be patient with it on the mid note and you will appreciate it overtime. Very good value for money, got mine for about $44 USD from fragrance buy.

The roll-on and spray are day and night with the creamy-vanilla more pronounced in the former and the sharpness of the lavender in the latter.

Some lavender smells I cannot stand and some are beautiful. This is beautiful. The sage note really pairs well here.

I like and dislike this. The opening is... well, icky. Some lavender with lingering ‘wild’ notes. Like you’re sniffing lavender next to a zoo. Not the best first impression. The mid-phase doesn't help it either, the lavender stays but is overwhelmed by tonka and thrown out of whack by some dirty feel. I was hoping it would be a clean, straightforward lavender but dang. Like it's trying to be an old-school fougere when it's technically not. Then comes the part I like - the drydown. The spiky notes in the beginning fade away, and lavender stays but is supported with a more pleasant vanilla + resinous feel. Coumarin is highly apparent and gives it powdery-ness. Performance is decent too. I would compare it to something like Prada Black or Le Male; good professional, inoffensive, presentable smell. Unisex leaning masculine. If you were expecting a very nice, easy to like, approachable, distinguishable, bath and body works type lavender smell this is aaaaaabsolutely not for you. If you wanted a plain, herbaceous, true lavender. this might not be for you. Would easily be a 9/10 if the opening was bearable, but instead this gets a 6.5/10 from me.

Lavender and tonka, is what this perfume should be called. It's very nice, a good quality scent. Opens up with a strong and sweet lavender scent, that has a definite tonka accompaniment playing in the background. As it dries down, the lavender fades away and the tonka becomes more promiment, until what remains is a tonka scent with some faint lavender artifacts. At the end stage it smells like a modest version of Dior Fève Délicieuse. I like it, do not love it. A bit too sweet and clingy for my taste, or too indolent as one would say in perfumer lingo. I prefer my perfumes to be either dry and dusty, like old wood mixed with herbs and ground mummies, or fresh and zingy like being pelted by lemon and salt hail while sailing the open arctic atomic winter sea. I would rate this 4 out of 5. Good, unique quality, just not what I hoped for. (My absolute favourite lavender perfume is a cheap copy of TF Lavender Extreme, that although it is quite linear it's also right up my alley with it's pure lavender baby powder scent, I will order more, big pack style, of that clone once my current bottle has run out).

This is the lavender you find in shower gels, hand creams, etc I have smelled so many perfumes with a "lavender" note which was everything but lavender, so I feel like this- is one of the few that is quite realistic. It`s sort of a powdery lavender, again, if you ever smelled ANY lavender body lotion or soap you most likely already know this smell. Not sure where to place clary sage which originally is a strong bergamot note, it`s not exactly presented well. I like its entrance but once it settles it starts smelling like some unpleasant...amber? baby powder? I like tonka, but it`s not great here. Honestly, I have a lavender body lotion with a nicer dry down than this. Good start, not sure about the finish.

A somewhat medicinal aromatic experience with a surprising dose of chocolate cakey patchouli. A sweet ambery base underpins the opening herbs. The benzoin takes a handoff of camphor from the lavandin and carries it through the increasingly vanillic drydown. Moderately strong projection fades to skin over 3-4hr, longevity 6-8hr. Despite the name, patchouli dominates this scent profile. Smells like chowing down on a rich devil's food cake with a big smear of Vicks Vaporub on your chest. With vanilla frosting.

strong and naturally sharp pure lavender flower opening. Many would find this repulsive I think. After the first 30 mins, the scent settles and a vanilla tonka creeps in, smoothing out the lavender. Its the same vanilla tonka I get in Prada Luna Rosa Black. I think this is not a good bedtime scent, but a realistic, fresh and relaxing scent to smell clean. closer to 3-4 hrs longevity. strong projection for first few minutes but settles to a skin scent within an hour.

I bought this looking for a longer lasting Caron Pour Homme so that’s how I’m reviewing it. I sometimes wear it at night to relax. Yes, this is that, almost exactly in the opening. The base here is much heavier though, I get a strong cinnamon that no one invited but it doesn’t ruin the party. Great sleep scent for insomniacs, but I still prefer the Caron - turns out its delicacy is integral to its charm.

From official website: Top: Lavandin, Clary Sage Middle: Labdanum, Patchouli, Lavander Base: Benzoin, Tonka Beans, Musk There are a lot of similarities with Caron Pour un Homme, but Lavande is much better. The lavender note itself is fantastic (as one would expect from a house based in Grasse) and persists (albeit discreetly) even at drydown. Really like this.

Richly vanillic lavender, gets warmer with tonka as it dries down on my skin, noticeably more powdery too. This is Pour Un Homme de Caron's older brother, has lived a little more with more decadent tendencies, very personable too. This is wonderful for spring, I'd wear this in autumn and winter too. Very strong out of the bottle and on my skin.

This opens with a sharp lavender note and then dries down to the most creamy & dreamy tonka with hints of lavender. This is a beast so 1 spray is enough. I use this at bedtime and spray it 20mins before bed and use it as a room spray too. The dry down is beautiful velvety creamy tonka and subtle lavender. IG/Tiktok: @wilddew_vibes

It is a lovely sweet lavender scent. Totally unisex. Tonka+vanilla+patchouli mix give this a kind of chocolate element. Unfortunately, I can spray 20 times and the sillage is still very intimate. It's too weak for me.

I don’t care for the opening but once you get past that this is a nice lavender fragrance. Factor in the price. What’s not to like?

Ok. Well, I tried this fragrance and I'm not impressed. Not at all. I think I built my expectations up too much. This almost hit me in my face with the lavender essential oil that I have at home. I could make my own then. A pinch of this and that mixed with almond oil. Walla. It's ok, but not great. Smooth, after the lavender tames down a bit. Upon initial spray, it's lavender full throttle. But after that joy ride is over, I get the nuanced amber and clary sage. Caron Pour un Homme is so much better than this IMHO. So, I give it a 5/10.

Love the opening blast of lavendin and don’t really know what happened after the first 10min I really shouldn’t blind buy these perfumes anymore This is a very very musky powdery sweet scent when their isn’t any musk or Iris in it Smells a little better on clothes than skin I would say Ok for colder months Overall it’s not my lavender I was hoping for Very similar to pour un homme de Caron which is a little more masculine I have both so yay

Lavender, clary sage and vanilla are most prominent for the first 10mins. Then, you’re hit with a sharp hedione note. Performance is better than expected. Lavande gives off a cozy grandmom/pop type of smell. If you’re into that, check this one out.

Lavender bomb. Overall it smells nice if you love lavender you will love this but for me it's doesn't last a long time and it has this assy undertone that I don't like. I really wanted a clean lavender and this smells slightly dirty.

Caron EDT dries down to a faint vanilla while Lavande dries down to a warm, creamy tonka. I personally prefer Caron over this.

Update: about 2-3 weeks after the initial buy, I am not feeling that excited about this frag... mostly because it smells kind of rough and manly to me. Also agree with the reviewer below... there is something a bit bothersome when you first apply it. The dry down was okay to me. I was hoping more for a comforting, crisp presentation of lavender. Instead, this one seems heavy, spiced and lacks the natural/relaxing quality which I generally associate with lavender. The organic lavender fragrance from La Vie En C is better for that purppose. Will probably give this to a male friend. I see this on a nicely groomed, dark, maybe Mideastern or Mediterranean gent :) A decent day-time frag for a handsome man (not handsome okay too ;)), but not for me, a girly girl....

I was so excited to try this fragrance! I heard that it was gorgeous lavender and vanilla perfume. For me, that was not the case. It smelled off. After spraying, the nozzle smelled lovely. The smell on my skin was completely different. It smelled like an old household cleaner almost. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it ran my partner out of the room. Safe to say I moved this out of my collection after 2 wears. I normally try something over at least a few months but not this one. Projection: 7/10 Longevity: 6/10 Overall Experience: 1/10

The lavender up top is beautiful: literal and natural-smelling, accented lightly by clary sage. Things go downhill toward the mid phase, where the lavender starts competing with a balmy vanilla + tonka combo offset by some very screechy vintage musks. Things settle back in the end, with the patchouli, resins, and tonka uniting with a bit of spiced lavender. I quite enjoy the dry down, i'm just disappointed that its not doing it for me over all--Its a victim to my skin chemistry, as it smells better on others than me.

On my skin it becomes unpleasantly sweet, almost in an indolic way. While wearing it I got whiffs of lovely lavender and sage but the bothersome, sweet, oily and slightly artificial note dominated and ruined the experience for me. I'm guessing it's the hedione and coumarin combo? Maybe patchouli? I've never had issues with the remaining notes. Sadly, not for me 😔

Other than the brief blast of lavender you get at the opening, this stuff is patchouli heavy. Tonka? I'm not getting any. It's like being in a room with freshly sanded wood floors and then some fat ass walks in eating Nutella straight out of the jar and dripping it all over. Not a fan!

This has so many notes I should like, yet it totally disappointed me. There's a lavender essential oil note that I love, but it's overcome by a haze of baby wipe/unused diaper, powdery vanilla, and something kind of sharp and sweaty. I wish I could detect any labdanum in this. 💀

Unfortunately, the chemistry between this fragrance and my skin isn't very good. While it smells like creamy, warm lavender on my girlfriend, I smell like sweaty armpits. The herbal undertones come to the forefront on me and are incredibly aggressive, pungent, and unpleasant.

I am , by no means an expert and, even though I have what could be considered as a large collection for a private individual I cannot help but laugh when reading some of the truly self indulgent “reviews”. I know it’s not easy to be subjective with fragrances abd due to each having different preferences and the make up of our skin. Anyway, onto my review. Lavender heavy and I mean very much so. Reminds me of being a young man with my mother and 2 aunts in the car. Lavender used to be very popular in women’s perfumes, in the 70’s and 80’s and also lilies too. Oddly enough I do get a whiff of Lilly in the back note of the lavender. What others fail to mention is the presence of good old Tonka. It seems very difficult to escape tonka, once your nose gets a preference for it plus you only have to see how many fragrances , high end and niche houses too, seem to have it as a staple. Luckily I really like it but it means I have a collection that is, more than likely, Tonka leaning. Personally , I really like this. I actually wear this when feeling stress and for myself. It’s one of the few that I’d place in an essential oil list. In summary, lots of realistic lavender, a nice amount of vanilla which really compliments the former plus Tonka. I think this could, easily , be worn by either sex and there would be no controversy. My better half uses this and it’s fair to say, more than I do but only because I have so many to chose from. If you like all 3 mentioned ingredients then you are safe and will be happy with this. Avoid if you do not like a strong lavender note. I live in Bristol U.K. and this is not easy to find. I bought it from a house clearance auction, unopened and obviously well kept. I have tried to buy others by this house but it’s become a weekly search of all of my contacts. This actually not just aids me in sleep but I also get vivid dreams. Just thought I’d add that in. The rest is up to you. I think it’s very well put together and the perfumier cared enough to make sure all ingredients did not clash. Old school ? Hell yes but in a nice and nostalgia giving way. If anyone has Caron I’d be happy to buy or trade. Please message me if even a small amount left. Thank you

This is a gorgeous, rich lavender. Its ingenuity lies in the fact that it comes across as realistic lavender while not being it. It simply succeeds in triggering the idealized memory of its scent. If you take the time to examine the composition and take it to parts you can make out most of the notes listed. Except for patchouli which is kind of there, but more as a compound that helps with performance, rather than an independent note. But when I smell this, at first I just smell lavender and not a composition emulating natural lavender. Lavande manages to make the most of and emphasize the different qualities of the plant to create a beautiful fragrance that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with others. After all it belongs to a line of fragrances all expressing an impression of a single note or aspect of a note. It's not trying to emulate anything else (it was released a year before Lavender Extreme by Tom Ford) or pretend to be something it's not. It's a straight up lavender fragrance, and that is what it excells at. The vanilla in it gives it a bit of sweetness to soften the aromatic and green quality of lavender, but Lavande is still mostly aromatic. The vanilla and benzoin make it deeper and richer giving it a density that lavender couldn't achieve on its own without becoming sharply bitter and green to the nose. And this manages to avoid that, while also not becoming too rounded. It's nice on its own, but I can also see it going really well with a lot of other fragrances because of its ability to come across as "just lavender".

Once upon a time, I happened upon the Tom Ford counter at Neiman Marcus to be a bit nosey, if you will, and what struck my eye was a shiny new silver addition: Lavender Extreme. Well, then, when has lavender ever been really 'extreme'? I must find out... I sample it and its quite nice, a balance of lavender, florals, and tonka, sort of reminiscent of my beloved Caron Pour Un Homme without the musky dry down and a much higher ratio of lavender to the vanillic elements. I asked for a sample and was on my way, because I would never, EVER, EVER pay the exorbitant prices of Tom Ford Private Blend line. Hell no. Not for a nice lavender fragrance. Surely I will find something similar. During a visit to C.O. Bigelow in NYC I happened upon the attractive violet-colored Molinard bottles and saw Lavande. There it is, almost exactly the same, perhaps just a bit more resinous, the presence of benzoin, but besides that, nearly a spitting image, at a fraction of the price. Dare I say its even better, because Extreme is a bit too extreme in its sweetness. I am happy. And I lived happily ever after...

The opening on this fragrance is a bit off putting. I get a burst of authentic non-astringent lavender and what I guess is the clary sage. To me it doesn't smell like sage which I find to be a quite pleasant note and I was looking forward to experiencing here--its sorta a musty, dusty dry scent. After about 10 minutes this note dissipates and then this fragrance really shines as the base notes sweeten the lavender. It becomes a lovely warm lavender fragrance fleshed out by a hint of hedione (clean sweet jasmine) and subtle tonka and amber base notes. Its not a syrupy sweet fragrance, there is just a touch of sweetness when the vanillic base notes open. Longevity is decent and it is unisex with a slight lean towards the feminine side. Its on the skin scent side of things in terms of projection and sillage. I overspray (7-8) and find it to be noticeable but not strong from first application until its gone in about 3 hours. Very nice affordable fragrance if you are looking for a lavender fix. Perfect for bedtime and quiet days at home.

This is very similar to caron pour un homme. It maintains the lavender (which is the best lavender i have ever smelled: crisp and clean, very natural and not too spicy/herbal) a bit better into the drydown. It’s also a little less powdery and a bit more complex overall. Performance is also a lot better. Could be unisex, but it leans masculine. I think it progresses more into the unisex category as it dries down when the vanilla and benzoin are coming to the front. Very individual, refined perfume and i couldn’t imagine anyone being offended by the smell except he/she hates lavender, in which case there must be something wrong with that person. ;) You wont get noticed for smelling super sexy or very bold and masculine, but certainly for smelling different and interesting. Solid choice as a signature scent for the man (or woman) who doesn’t have to impress anyone! 9,5/10, would be a 10 if it would keep up the lavender even a bit longer & stronger, but it clearly outperforms caron in that category.

As much as I love Caron's Pour un Homme, I can't help but love Molinard's Lavande even more. These are two very similar fragrances, with the Molinard being more complex, but by no means less focused. The lavender here is to die for. It's natural, with no sharp edges, reaching the perfect balance between the herbal-aromatic aspect of the ingredient and it's classy, understated sweetness. The star of the show can shine fully thanks to the supporting cast of gentle vanilla, tonka and benzoin. Lavande lasts and projects very well and never feels overstuffed. People compare it to Tom Ford's Lavender Extreme. I can most definitely see where their opinion comes from. Quality- and scent-wise they're indeed very similar, but I prefer Molinard's offering, as TF gets a tad too sweet and nondescript towards the end.

This seems to be a nicely blended lavender, herbs and vanilla perfume (with a large dollop of musk). Unfortunately for me however, it's not to my taste. Rather than having any resinous elements or with the unique freshness that lavender brings, I find this Molinard creation to be overly powdery and musky, and to my nose, rather dated, but hey that's subjective of course. As a huge fan of lavender plants, essential oil and fragrances I wanted to love this but just can't. It walks the line between masculine, retro accented scents like the famous Caron mentioned by others on this page and floral musky fragrances often worn by mature women. I don't mean that in a derogatory sense, it's simply how I find it to smell. Subjective rating: 6/10 Fairer rating on the quality of the perfume: 8.5/10

Just obtained this after wanting it for years! Guess I didn’t want it enough, That is untill the end of last year I finally purchased Tom Ford’s Lavender Extreme. You’ve surely read the comparisons by now! I never thought I’d want to have lavender in any of my fragrances But see now so many houses are doing it right! This is good & I really do like it and from a distance is where you get the reward from this one not necessarily from close up. I have 50ml bottles of Lavender Extreme & Purple Hat and as much as I want to wear them all the time I got this for a fraction of the price for just a spray & go anytime I’m in the price & can just reach for this when I’m in the mood for that lavender patchouli vanilla scent type of profile!! Definitely worth the 60 something dollars in my book!