Le Numero Cinq

I need a better bottle. But gosh, look at the prices on eBay. My bottle is an eau de cologne from maybe the 1950's. The juice is dark green, maybe not its original color and probably a fraction of its original scent. What is there is a classic chypre, dark and brooding and rich. Not a classic "frothy French girl" scent, but a dark sophisticated fragrance sold to real women over 30. At least that was they hype I was given. I was drawn to it because I was told it was Edith Piaf's signature scent. Whether that's true I don't know, and probably not in Piaf's early days; read her full bio sometime. I think it was Simone Berteaut's bio of Piaf that I read, although the cover on Amazon isn't the same. The book I read was remaindered in the second hand book stores in the late 1970's. I'm not sure whether this bio is where I read that Le Numero Cinq was Piaf's signature scent though; I think I read that somewhere else. Le Numero Cinq is right out of Piaf's era though, and Molyneux scents were never widely distributed anywhere but France. I bought my bottle of Numero Cinq on eBay around 2005 when they were cheaper; I haven't checked the market since then. Edit: The next day: I snagged a relatively cheap bottle today of juice that looks splendid, golden, and not dark green. I'll add to this when it arrives.

My 15 ml bottle was sealed with baudruche before I opened it. This reminds me very strongly of Zibeline, the parfum moreso than the oil. Deep, resinous, stewed fruits with an almond note and some moss. Quite lovely, although I'm not sure I really needed it since I already have Zibeline and have not been as crazy about it lately.