Peau Intense

After living with Peau Intense for the past month or so, and comparing it with my mid 80’s vintage Montana, before the Parfum de Peau moniker was imprinted on the box and bottle, I find I’m enjoying it, but I also feel it’s redundant. The original is, or was, a leather clad, dominatrix version of the popular 80’s dark rose chypre. Think Diva, L’Arte di Gucci, even Explosive by Aigner or La Perla. Dark rose, animal breath, oakmoss and leather galore, held together by incense and resins. Nothing of that can be found in today’s Parfum de Peau, an almost transparent and anemic version of the great Claude Montana. That’s the reason Peau Intense was launched right? Years of reformulations had taken their toll and Parfum de Peau was just not Parfum de Peau anymore. Peau Intense is, firstly, intense. It’s got a very hefty sillage and all day longevity. The rose is dark and moody, the incense shines in all its cold and churchy glory, and the patchouli takes a wonderful camphor turn as soon as it starts to come to life. It doesn’t turn gourmand nor does it take a turn for the modern “woods” and “amber” that permeate every release for the past 5 years. So, only for that fact, Bravo! But it also has some differences; while the original is civet and castoreum heavy, this version is far less animalic. The leather still shines and the castoreum seems to be solo this time around. The darkness of the rose is still here, but instead of the blackberry touch and highlight, the fruitiness now comes from the orange blossom. Oakmoss ruled before, now it appears as a mere introduction for the hardcore patch. Old formulas had resins among the incense, giving a warmer and more opulent feel, more decadent. Now, the incense is far more pronounced, appearing colder, aloof, more solemn. But still, I’m enjoying it a lot. So why do I feel it’s redundant? Because it exists. IFRA, prohibitions, consumer taste and changes, regulations...everything that made Parfum de Peau a shadow of itself are now reversed for this. So, if this formula can be created in 2019, and is IFRA safe, why not simply do a reformulation (again) and revamp the original? Is it such a big seller? Then this change will surely be embraced by fans. Is it a slow seller? Then is a flanker really going to boost sales or bring it back to the spotlight? Why do a new version that smells more like the original than the current Parfum de Peau, put the Intense moniker, charge double and present it like an improved version of the original, when you could have simply improved the original? Fans know what type of perfume Parfum de Peau is, how it smelled, and this won’t attract those who dislike it already. If it’s for the fans, be less greedy. You’re simply saying “we can make the original better, but we prefer to launch a new one, more expensive, more intense, and call it a day”. Had you given Parfum de Peau this formula, even with the updated box, and not called it a new scent, it would be lauded like Mitsouko in 2015 and Wasser’s award winning reformulation. That said, I still enjoy it. I bought it because the price was less than half of the original retail and even with the smoke curtain, I hope it lasts on the market. And if it somehow attracts new customers, then all the better. Fans of the original will rejoice, especially if they’re not the type to search Ebay for vintage bottles, which still exist and some, reasonably priced. Original vintage, still easily found on eBay: 10/10 Parfum de Peau sold today: don’t bother Peau Intense: 8/10

Those us who were very much already adult enough to know ( what became ) Parfum de Peau in the 80's ( *possibly in the biblical sense 😉🔥 ) do bemoan what became of it. Personally I don't find the current iteration unwearable by any means but it isn't THE Montana. This was anticipated as a revision to the original, it isn't that either. Miguel Matos wrote a very good piece about it when it came out and he's spot on. Or just read Alex1984 here for someone who REALLY knows their stuff. It's it's own animal. It's both old and new at the same time. The og (vintage) had a strong marigold as the opening ( like another classic of the era: Halston ) and then rich honeyed fruit before the animalic notes came storming through. Intense takes away the marigold ( which is a shame as I love that note ) and also virtually all the fruit. It's opens with generic aldehydes and incense ( great ! ) and adds in some dark florals and laudanum but sadly no sandalwood and thankfully no tonka ( and they resisted the call of the vanilla - thank the goddess !) What it does is give is in it's place is even more, full-on LEATHER ( which is why I say "new" as leather notes are back in vogue ). This does little to soften it which is great but doesn't go down the full "barnyard ' route that can also make it unwearable for me. It's a a sexy, androgenous woman wearing a leather jacket on a motorcycle jacket not a cowboy on a horse. I will say this: the connection is more apparent if you compare it to the og pure parfum ( in the blue bottles or the little refillable atomiser in the pouch, with is what I have ). This always had more of the mid and base notes. If you love vintage leather frags give this a go, it's a fantastic perfume in its own right, and if you want to try to recreate the vintage og then maybe try layering it ? The ( modern ) og with bring the warmer, fruity notes and this will dirty it and give it back it's bite 🐯 [ Weren't adult enough in the 80's and maybe not even grown up now ? Don't know or enjoy 80's frags, well that's fine, but why bother to comment if you can offer anything useful ? No notes, no comparisons ? I'm all for a pithy, barbed review when it IS a review, I've left a few myself, but with reason and explanation. Saying it's a "chemical mess" is meaningless and a moot point ( virtually all fragrances are "chemicals", even the "natural" ones ). One thing I'm glad it doesn't contain is any civet from the source. It might be wonderful in vintage but we do move on and don't need to torture anything small and furry anymore. The synthetic versions are good enough. ]

While I am admittedly inexperienced with Parfum de Peau (in any iteration, vintage or reformulated), I feel this aids me in lacking expectations for this scent. I had read about Parfum de Peau on here, as well as the extensive reviews, but had no fragrant memory linked. Peau Intense was found through searching by note, hoping to find a fragrance with incense, leather, and jasmine, but upon reading the notes, I was interested, and Peau Intense sat on my Perfumes I Want shelf for eons. This month, I purchased Peau Intense on impulse, and immediately found a new favorite. Cold orthodox church incense and a surprising sweetness in the opening, and a constant blasphemous BDSM warmth throughout a very-long life. Leather, labdanum, incense, whose only reprieve from the sultry animalic growl is an aldehydic rose; almost-oud effect. The florals do not dominate, but add gentle sweetness to give a smirk to the sensual beast this is. Orange blossom gives contrast to the smoke in the opening, jasmine is indolic but hardly a main player, and the rose is macabre and seductive. Besides the incense (cannot be understated; perhaps my favorite note in many fragrances, but it really emphasizes itself on me in this one), main players are the base notes, deep, heavy, rich and heated. Smelled throughout a room after two sprays, but I tend to overapply anyway. I adore it. Also surprised to see Evernia prunastri (oakmoss) extract on the list of ingredients, with no mention of oakmoss in the notes! Commentary: "Furs from a trunk" / "Hookah harlot" / "Whiplash"

This one is easy for me to love. Leather and incense, lots of spices, patchouli galore, with orange blossom and aldehydes hovering above and lasting a LONG time, for at least the first half of wear (which is 8 hours +), maybe longer. I think the blackberry/black currant from the original is also in this EDP, although not listed in the pyramid. My reasoning being, the first sniff of this reminded me of a less-sweet Coty Monsoon, which is kinda heavy on that note. My only complaint is the sprayer on the bottle. It blasts a heavy dose like a body spray, so it's difficult for me to not overspray (I like to put smaller amounts over more of my square footage, usually.) It certainly makes a difference considering the projection and tenacity of this fragrance.

Oh I'm so looking forward to trying this revamp of my signature scent Montana Parfum de Peau! I see this one has Incense orange blossom spices and I read it's keeping up with Original Montana's DNA so I'm hoping for that leather and Incense as I don't see any Marigold which was part of Parfum de Peau Dna either way this sexy bottle designed by Sergio Mansau has my vote and I'm sure this is gonna be a sensation. I hope it's as unique and cacophonous as Montana Parfum de Peau, She's absolutely legendary in my book of perfumes and believe me I've had many lots of different fragrances from niche to designer and Montana was so unique in 86' and will always be one not forgotten. Montana Peau de Parfum deserves the crown all by herself!