Oscar

Wow, Wow, Wow!!! A while ago I wrote a review for a recent formulation of this scent. I absolutely hated it! It was so soapy I could actually taste it. YUCK! Then a few weeks ago a seller included a 1/2 bottle of a vintage mini parfum with a purchase I made. Out of curiosity I tried it and couldn't believe how different and beautiful it was compared to the recent formulation I purchased. Two totally different fragrances. Curiosity getting the better of me, I sought out a vintage edp but couldn't find anything except a new sealed vintage edt. Since it was inexpensive I felt I had nothing to lose and pulled the trigger. Well folks, I just received it today, and it is a stunning floriental. This complex little number oozes class and sophistication. The floral composition is gorgeous. It's a very soft floral, but deep, a little spicy, a little resinous, a little powdery, a touch sweet, with no soap overload. In fact, unlike the modern version, I don't even smell soap at all. Also, unlike the reformulation this isn't perfumey either. It's definitely more wearable to me than the modern version, and despite being decades old I don't think it's dated either. The tuberose and gardenia are beautifully balanced here with the iris adding a powdery facet. I'm also picking up a spicy carnation not listed in the notes, that's reading a little like anise to me, momentarily bringing to mind L'Heure Bleue. The dry down is a beautiful creamy sandalwood and a very subtle incense note. I'm guessing that's the vetiver. There is really so much going on here but it's clear this is a fragrance where the blending was more important than showcasing individual notes. The one note I was concerned about when reading through the notes prior to purchase was the lavender since that so often reminds me of soap. I try to avoid that note whenever I can, and if a perfume has that note in it I more often than not avoid it altogether. But the use here is so well executed that I am not picking up that note outright, though there is a very clean aspect to this scent that might be attributable to that. It just occurred to me that maybe the reformulation had overloaded that note to replace what had been lost with reformulation due to restrictions. That might account for why it came off so soapy to me. It would also explain my aversion to the reformulation. The silage for this edt is fabulous. It performs like an edp. I used one spray on the wrist to test and tapped my wrists together and I am surrounded by a sweet floral cloud of fragrance. This smells beautiful right now on this frigid day and I think it will be great in spring, possibly a cool summer evening, but definitely fall wear. This will no doubt be in heavy rotation for me then. One of the biggest surprises I found came when checking out the perfumer for this scent. Jean-Louis Sieuzac collaborated on two other perfumes I already have, Coriandre (big love) and Dune (recent vintage blind buy that I've yet to give a full wearing). He also collaborated on the original Opium too. Though I have the modern edt of that scent I've never tried the original. Now, I am very curious. Searching further for more info on Jean-Louis, Parfumo also lists several other fragrances he created that Fragrantica has in their database but don't attribute to him, two of which I have or tried like Madam Rochas Intense, and Kenzo Jungle Elephant. I think Fragrantica should correct that. All that being said, I am so happy with this elegant perfume and grateful to the eBay seller who started me on the path of reevaluating this scent. I wouldn't have bothered otherwise and would have missed the opportunity to see what this fragrance was really like when first launched. Now it makes sense why it was so popular then. It really is a beautiful perfume.

"The original fragrance from de la Renta, entitled Oscar, was developed in a partnership with Milton Stern and launched in 1977. But over time, the fragrance license has been passed around between companies several times — having been acquired at points by Avon Products Inc., El-Sanofi SA, YSL Beaute, and then L’Oreal." (Style Caster). In 2009 Oscar de la Renta Limited got their license back in a settlement reached with L'Oreal after they sued Elizabeth Arden. Then in 2013 Inter Parfums signed a licensing agreement with Oscar de la Renta to produce their fragrances. So not only has IFRA introduced progressively more restrictive guidelines over the years, the EU have introduced directives that outright ban some chemicals from cosmetics. Then you also have a great number of companies who have manufactured this perfume since it's inception over 40 years ago. I have an Oscar boxed set from post-2003, but before the newest release. I've compared the ingredients list for the EDT to the ingredients listed on a much newer box. There are ingredients missing. The one I own says Oscar de la Renta as the brand, no other company name, made in France. The newer one has Inter Parfums, made in USA on it. So yes, things have changed. Restrictions, guidelines, labeling requirements don't go backwards, so if Benzyl Cinnamate and Benzyl Alcohol were on the label before and aren't now then it means they are gone from the formula. Both of these are allergens and concentrations have been restricted by IFRA. Benzyl Cinnamate is described by various chemical manufacturers as spicy, floral, balsamic, fruity, powdery, cherry, honey. It's in benzoin and various balsams, and is used in heavy orientals. It is also mild, persistent and is a fixative. Benzyl alcohol has a mild aroma, and I read where it is often considered dispensable in a formulation, due to it's low odor impact. But... there was a perfumer who was having problems because when he restricted it to the required concentration, or omitted it completely it made his formulation too disjointed. It was the time it occupies in the evaporation of the fragrance. One of the comments describes this sort of problem with the alleged reformulation, I'd say they're onto something. That's just an example of a change over the last 15 years, let alone what might have happened before that. I don't know why companies always deny reformulating products, but if I had to guess I'd say it's easier than saying something that's going to sound like "we had to change things because we sold you an unsafe product previously, but it's ok now". I noticed YSL customer support stopped denying reformulation of Opium until they were backed into a corner with angry reviews. I guess when it gets to the point that you look like you are trying to gaslight your customers you have to change your strategy. I also noticed that oakmoss and treemoss were listed as ingredients of the EDP, but not in the EDT. I wonder if they were in the original EDT? One day I might get around to comparing that EDP, pre-1989 EDT, and 2003+ EDT. If I do I'll tell you about it :)

I have the current reformulation. Bought it off Amazon.com, not the best place to buy perfume, I know, but one way to get your hands on mainstream popular fragrances without having it cost and arm and a leg. This was a blind buy. This was enchantingly simple and feminine, sweet, clean, strictly white floral perfume. The first thing to reach my nose was something like a mild lemon. It's tart and citrusy but it's dipped in aldehydes. The first phase of it is very typical aldehyde into citrus stuff like Chanel No. 5. The white florals that jump out at you are gardenia and jasmine. But they are not photorealistic nor green. They don't smell like realistic white florals but the powdery essence of white florals in the form of soap. This is almost exactly like well crafted lye soap. This is sudsy and so pristine and clean, that it's asking you to even skip putting that bar of soap on you after your shower or enhances the soap on your body with a perfume that smells soap like enough. The ylang note is also quite strong and to a lesser extent the iris. These are all flowers that I normally love. At times I was reminded so much of both Chanel No. 5 and Gloria Vanderbilt vintage original. As the florals began to recede, the base notes that emerge in the dry down - some not all - begin their dance. I'm picking up mostly musk and amber, with a few woody edges. There's hardly any incense or the myrrh and opoponax. Maybe the original was more complex and with incense and that odd coconut note. But I can't get any of these otherwise great base notes so rich and varied in the new formula. This is a simple soapy clean scent that unfortunately has associations with older ladies or grandmothers. It's also got a 'White Linen' thing going on but it is beautiful. It evokes a clean white suit or beautiful long white dress even a wedding gown. This is terribly old fashioned and outdated and only the right woman can pull it off. She doesn't necessarily have to be an older woman 50 and over, but a young woman in her 20s and 30s who has experience wearing vintage scents. This is not a statement maker. It's romantic clean and fresh and dries into white musk. A beautiful perfume. Good for any time of the year and for any purpose and event; even as daily day to day wear.

I had this gorgeous Oscar de la Renta’s Parfum when I was 13. I loved it a lot but I think I appreciate and love it even more now. This wasn’t a typical choice for a young girl. In the beginning of this year I was thinking to buy this after all these years but I smelled it in the store and it was like a shadow from what it used to be. It was edp. I started to haunt this (like many others which I had) but I definitely wanted Parfum, bigger bottle than 7,5ml and I wanted the original formula from 1977 since I was born in that year 1st of December. Luckily I found 30ml parfum which is from the beginning of 80s. That time enameled letters changed into the baked ones but the stopper, the “flower”, was still clear. It changed into the frosted one when the first Parfums Stern reformulation took place. Today was such a perfect day to get this in my hands. ✨ This is beautifully very vintage style, very powdery and complex floral scent. It feels so comforting like a caring hug and a scent is a little bit like baby powder yet elegant. The musky dry down is very intoxicating and deep, all the notes are incredible and natural. It has a very special place in my heart not only because of the memories during the time when I worn it but the scent wraps as well all the beautiful memories with my most precious thing during my lifetime since 1.12.1977 - my very dear son Oscar. This makes me remember those beautiful times when he was small. ❤️ If you have some memories with this scent I highly recommend to buy a vintage one. The most new formula is totally different and all that amazing complexity is missing. If you need help, feel free to ask. Top: bergamot, clove, coriander, cascarilla, basil, peach, orange blossom, gardenia Heart: iris, jasmine, tuberose, ylang ylang, may rose, lavender, orchid, broom, lily of the valley, galbanum, honey Base: clove, sandalwood, amber, myrrh, patchouli, opopanox, vetiver, castoreum, oakmoss, cedarwood, musk, ambergris Thank you for reading, I hope my review was helpful. I would appreciate a lot if you want to follow me on IG and/or YouTube (English subtitles): @ninamariahperfumes It gives me a lot of motivation to write more. 🤗

My bottles of Oscar are more or less ten years old, and I do not notice any major differences in relation to the original Oscar de la Renta, the way I remember it. It is still a gorgeous perfume, a favourite of mine, one of the nicest fragrances, to me, I ever smelled. The strongest note I notice is tuberose, by far the dominant note, and I love it. The fragrance is very powdery, and not only powdery but it has also a harsh texture from the myrh, which I also like, but there is also a creaminess, probably from the coconut, which I love, it kills me. Actually there is nothing about this fragrance I do not like to the extreme. I also love the citric lemony but sweet opening and the coconut the way it is used here, not sun lotion kind, but sweet and smooth. Beautiful. I adore this fragrance since the time when it was called only Oscar de la Renta to these days. As for the reformulation, as I said, I cannot think of many fragrances as old as it which are so faithful to the original. And as for staying power and sillage, it is outstanding. It stays on skin and clothes for days and keeps projecting for hours and hours. It radiates beautifully. Everyone around you will notice it for hours even with a single spray, unlike the vast majority of other fragrances I know these days. It is at the same time sophisticated and innocent and romantic. Unbeatable, from my viewpoint, but I love tuberose. If you do not like tuberose, obviously this fragrance is not for you. Tastes are personal. I give it 20 out of 10. Divine.The scent of heaven. I notice that no one refers its resemblance to JPG Classique edt. It’s the scent I find closest to Oscar, to me, actually, it is a copy, although it has differences, obviously, the texture is very different, no myrh, not powdery, and lots of vanilla. But the o overall scent is very very similar, to me at least. I also like it a lot, but because Oscar de la Renta came first, and I actually find it more complex, I respect it more.