Mon Parfum

Paloma Picasso EDP (Current Formula) I don’t know where to begin. 🤭 Well, I’ll start by sharing my olfactory experience with this new Paloma, and I say “new” because it differs notably from the original vintage formula from 1984.Here, I perceive less richness both in materials and in olfactory structure, especially in the animalic base. Paloma opens slightly green, citrusy, and floral (hyacinth, bergamot, and lemon). As is common in current reformulations, castoreum, civet, and oakmoss are absent; in their place, I detect a synthetic “civet” that briefly amplifies the floral bouquet in the opening. However, its intensity quickly diminishes and fades, giving way to a markedly powdery phase with a slightly ’80s air. At this point, a soft suede accord emerges, accompanied by a very faint honeyed sweetness. The base, dominated by synthetic/analog oakmoss and white musks, returns to that powdery character, though now with a slightly soapy nuance. On my skin, the drydown reveals a cleaner, more musky veil. And that’s it. It’s not bad, it’s a pretty fragrance that maintains the retro-Chypre structure, though with a cleaner approach, less animalic, and an overall more polished and linear feel. The vintage version, on the other hand, offers more complexity, more intensity, more expressive architecture. Its olfactory signature is unmistakable, evoking the luxury and boldness of the 1980s. The modern version of Paloma is accessible, less challenging, and in that process, it loses part of the “sensory journey” the original formula offers me. Still, a valid reinterpretation for the current era, but without the edge that once defined it.

My bottle of Paloma Picasso looks like the picture shown for "Mon Parfum" but smells like the other Paloma Picasso scent listed here. In looking at several websites, it appers the two scents are actually the same, but the bottle changed in there somewhere. I love Paloma because my mother used to wear it, and because it still smells completely unique. It's very warm, very animalic and musky, but you can smell the beautiful flowers in there, too. This is a great scent for winter, but needs to be applied with a careful hand for office or warm weather wear. It has monstrous sillage and can be overpowering. It also lasts for hours. You'll likely have to scrub it off if you don't want it to last an entire day. They just don't make scents like this anymore, but thank goodness they still make this one. A classic chypre that any fan of the category must try! I just read in Harper's Bazaar that Ms. Picasso still wears this one herself. Bravo!

I was originally overwhelmed/scared by the sandalwood and moss opening, but, once it settled on my skin it turned into this deep bouquet of flowers. The hyacinth, rose and jasmine almost make a lilac scent but darker. It's like roses and hyacinths blooming in a cemetery deep in the forest, lost to time. This is definitely a black dress type of scent, and I mean a velvet black dress in the fall. I find it kind of gothic actually. I am someone who dresses gothic and constantly in black, I love finding a scent that works with my personal aesthetic. Oh this one also LASTS all night too. Only a few sprays will do.

i have many bottles of Paloma, and only one EDP seems to lack the civet/castoreum notes. It smells ALMOST the same as Agent Provocateur. I wonder if it's actually a fake, or if there is a true difference between Mon Parfum and the "other" Paloma Picasso EDP/EDT. Update: I think batches from Parfums Paloma Picasso brand are distinct from all subsequent versions. Personal opinion based on my (amateur) nose and small collection. I have about 10 bottles & there's an obvious difference.

Only once have I found this bottle with no hint of civet or castoreum. I’ve bought several other bottles and been disappointed each time. Can anyone recommend a fragrance very similar? I just tried Scentmatchers for Christmas and it was nothing like Mon Parfum. My bottle opened with a blast of powder, but after that it was just this gorgeous, animalic-free composition. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!