Vivre

And here we go, once again, to open time capsule of the perfumery to talk about another female classic, far less famous than the others, but no less special. I'm talking about Molyneux's Vivre, which was released in 1937, but only gained greater notoriety in 1971, when it was relaunched by Max Gavarry. It is said that the intention was to honor Iran's last Empress, Farah Pahlavi, better known as Farah Dibah. The original fragrance bore much of the style of the time, namely, a floral and aldehydic bomb, with notes of coriander, orange, Bulgarian rose, ylang-ylang, leather, vetiver, myrrh and oak moss, among others. Can you imagine that in a fragrance made for women these days? Another issue worth mentioning is the amount of repackaging Vivre has suffered over the years, as well as occurred with a masculine fragrance of the same brand - Captain. If I'm not mistaken, this current bottle is the 5th model, which proves that a “makeover” is not just a thing of the last decade. That said, let's get down to business! The 2017 version has been completely reformulated for obvious reasons involving raw materials and the market. Now, the fragrance brings notes of peach, plum, and lemon, followed by a body of rose, jasmine, and lily of the valley, on a base of tonka bean, moss, and sandalwood. It is important to clarify that the notes are described on the box itself, although the composition available on some websites cites blackcurrant (instead of lemon) and vanilla (instead of moss). On the skin, Vivre (2017) tries to bring back the classic style, however, fitting in what currently sells. It has turned into an oriental-based fruity floral, which opens with the scent of peach shampoo, frothing over creamy jasmine petals and ending on a retro base, thanks to the moss. This fragrance of Vivre makes me think of the various Chanel No5 flankers that were launched to conquer future generations, in order to never being forgotten for their incredible leading role. The box bears the inscription Parfum, but don't be fooled because the concentration is Eau de Parfum. I remember smelling the old version in the 80s, and I can say that they are completely different fragrances. But what I like about this current version is that they managed to keep a touch of the glamor of the women of yesteryear, separating the jovial souls – who love the cotton candy scents that were launched in the same year (and still remain on the market until today) – from the classic-minded people who want to stand out at the right time, be it a business meeting, a special party or a romantic dinner. And believe me, this vintage segment is increasingly being neglected by the fragrance market, even for men. For someone who, like me, had the chance to try some perfumes of this time, there is a mixture of nostalgia and respect for everything they represent. And undoubtedly, those over 40 will always have room on a shelf for a bottle of Vivre, because its cost-benefit is excellent.

It smells like a sweet perfume for MEN. I blind bought it because of the notes. And it smells NOTHING like those notes. Except for the sandalwood. PLUS in here and many other sites they list as a note blackcurrant and is incorrect.. It's lemon instead. Also.. It doesn't have vanilla. Instead it has musk.(Notes are written on the side of the box) So is EXTREMELY MISLEADING.