Cornubia

My review is for the vintage formulation from the late 80s/early 90s. This formulation has ZERO synthetics. (Tested a small amount and it has a high content of absolutes and resins.) This version just sings you guys! If you're a fan of Caron Nuit de Noel, you will also enjoy this. It has a lot of the same notes, similar structure, but is more linear and less dry. This has quickly become one of my favorite perfumes and it's a shame that it has been discontinued. The comparisons with soap or generic white flowers makes sense, especially for the new formula. However, this is a lot more natural and classical smelling. Not necessarily classy or chic, but gives the impression of someone who is very confident and knows what they like. It has an effervescent quality and I swear there is frangipani absolute in here somewhere. In addition there is a note of sweet vernal grass in the base, but it's a mere whisper compared to the vanilla/musk/blonde woods. The orange blossom is the star here and remains LONG into the dry down. (The neroli keep the honeyed facet from moving into cloying territory). The heart note's longevity has surprised me greatly. I'm at hour 10ish and it is only now starting to fade into the vanilla/amber sweet skin scent. The musk is the generic white musk you used to get at Body Shop in the early 90s. It reminds me a lot of that and a mix of Vanilla Soft Musk by Avon (early 90s version). Except it smells much more high-quality and luxurious. It smells natural in that it has notes that smell true to nature, but you're aware it's perfume - if that makes sense - due to the other notes and structure. It's strong, has potent sillage, and seems to last an eternity so a small bottle would probably last you quite a long time. If you enjoy orange blossom and are looking for something slightly old-fashioned,but not outdated, this is worth trying. Ive now tried the updated version as well and it's extremely similar, but not as rich or long-lasting as the original. It's also slightly less soapy and heavy on the white flowers. The heliotrope is more noticeable and the musk is a little more subdued. But still sweet, still rich.

This fragrance packs alot of punch and I like that. ALOT. With its Initial Power walking in the same territory as other powerful scents like Angel and Black Orchid this scent is intense but also for my nose incredibly sweet at first which is what i need in order to draw in my interest for a fragrance. Like Dawnlady3 i too get a beautiful and very creamy vanilla base and it smells quite intoxicating, almost to the point where i wanted to lick my wrists and have the taste of the scent all over my tongue. It reminds me of growing up in the Country. Where my home was filled with wamrth and love and happiness. Although there is an incredible sexiness and suggestiveness about this fragrance the sentimentallity and the memories of home-cooked dinners and a house full of people and friends who would come and stay for the weekends and enjoy the estate are always fixated into my mind. THe lasting power is phenomenal although i find that when sprayed on fabric, it lasts months and i love the faint smell its left on my pillows. I think this is what love smells like. I cant wait to fall in love.

Cornubia is dry and effervescent like ginger ale, but replaces the ginger with heliotrope. This big, neon heliotrope, an oversized bouquet, flanked with talc-soft orange blossom and jasmine. It's showy, verging on strident, but what keeps it in check is a warm amber and lubricious musk. Somewhere in the heart I get something that reminds me of creamy, peachy plumeria blossoms, and there are definitely phrases in the development that echo L'Heure Bleue and Cacharel LouLou. However, Cornubia is more gregarious than the former and a bit more polished and perhaps more unisex than the latter, but like both, it has a strong personality, and would likely require a strong personality to wear it with panache. This can conjure up all sorts of old world tropes like boudoirs, ornate vanities, viewing the opera through lorgnettes, penny arcades and croquet. It is sepia toned photographs on purple velvet, gothic arches at sunset, and a potent potion of devotion, sitting on a shiny, cold pew and asking for forgiveness the following morning.

Cornubia is a beautiful retro Neroli Heliotrope blend with an alluring helping of skanky Musk. It's like if Espirit d Oscar contained civet instead of ambergris. It's brighter and more opulent than L'heure Bleue, and deeper and more arresting than Espirit d Oscar. I am in love with this and while I think it could stand to be less sweet, the sweet does offset the skank. Were the sweetness absent from the composition, men would probably be staggering after me like zombies. You must love a little raunchy with your retro powder and some floral sweetness to love this. Longevity is 12+ hours. I wish I could trade in my L'heure Bleue and Espirit d Oscar for Cornubia. I'm also really reminded of Habanita edp (the modern version) plus big orange blossom. I could see Ms. Fischer from Ms. Fischer's Murder Mysteries wearing this. Drop dead sexy flapper material. Alternatively, if you’ve ever seen David Lynch’s movie Eraserhead, I think the woman who sings the song “In heaven, everything is fine” would wear Cornubia. Haunted happiness.

I'm testing this from a little spray sample gifted to me from one of you lovely Fragranticans! This is very interesting. It's stunning. Powdery, rich, sweet, sophisticated, mature, but then there's a strange note to me. It might be the white florals messing with me, but I actually get a distinct note of smelly feet for the first several minutes. I've tried it a couple of times and still the same result. But strangely, the note isn't off-putting directly, it's just weird and not attractive either. Fortunately, that note is not present in the silage, just in the close sniff from the point of application. And after a few minutes it goes away, leaving just a lovely cloud. I would say those who say this is similar to Habanita EDP are correct, only I like this one better. BUT, since I have Habanita already and do love that one, I would not add this to my wardrobe because I just don't have that much need for such category of scents. If I was in a cooler climate, I'm fairly certain this would immediately go on my want list!

Cornubia is not an original fragrance, but it is a beautiful one. It is like the love child of Christian Lacroix C'est La Vie and Guerlain L'Heure Bleue. It combines the sweetness of C'est La Vie with the powdery richness of L'Heure Bleue. The overall effect is a plush, velvety floriental, rich on iris, heliotrope and amber, with a soft, smooth drydown. It's not terribly floral, so if you tend to avoid sharp or overpowering florals, this is a safe fragrance to wear. Wearing this fragrance is like draping yourself in a fur coat or a shawl of the deepest shade of indigo or violet -- it's the perfect fragrance for winter. It has a vintage feel, but does not smell old-fashioned, although it's not light or playful. The only negative thing I can say about Cornubia is the lasting power isn't great. I have to reapply it a few times throughout the day. Still, that's not enough of a negative to turn me off from purchasing a bottle, which I plan to do soon.

This was a blind buy since I love white florals and amber and it was a good buy. Not my favorite in the penhaligons line but it is beautiful soft and warm nonetheless. It's powdery in a way that I like with soft waves of neroli, orange blossom and hints of jasmin, sitting on a soft bed of albert and a hint of wood. I don't get anything that even resembles oranges unless I sniff really hard and long. Overall it is smooth and warm like a nice cashmere sweater. Not heavy enough for winter but not a spring summer scent either. I haven't gotten to the dry down yet but if I remember it correctly, almost becomes a powdery skin scent. Not exactly me but still a nice addition to my collection.

It starts with helitrope and ends with vanilla. And I must agree that it does remind me a bit of Guerlain's L'Heure Bleu. Actually, they are very simillar. Yesterday I was trying the sample of it and was thinking that it reminds me of something and then I got it. I think that it is lighter version of L'Heure Bleu, as I wear it to work and this is may be even easier to wear for me. Really beautiful fragrance, maybe another piece in my collection. I must agree with Elisabeth M. it really evokes romantic English ladies of old times, but on the other hand I think it can be perfectly worn by nowadays ladies as well. Some scents are simply timeless.

Rich opening, rich middle, rich drydown. I love every moment of Cornubia. Sweet, powdery, heavy and intoxicating. Much so that I'd describe this as a boozy scent, but surprisingly smooth. I could drink a case of this and still be on my feet. On a good day, I can smell pine and a tinge of spices. Very powdery. This is the most powerful EdT I have ever smelled. Lasts a good 10 hours. No other perfume makes me feel so enriched and nobody can pull this off like I can. Pardon my overconfidence but that's how good I feel when I wear this. This one just makes me dauntless. *Edit* I just realised the opening smells like Coca Cola. Still lovely tho.

Dark, gothic, 1910's Italian opera about Victorian England. Moth ball floral bouquet, similar to L'Heure but the weird aunt. Widow mourning? Occasional flashes of dangerous white floral (fleshy, sexy) in a dusty attic. Sometimes smells just like L'Heure Bleue, other times you get distinct queer additions. Be wary of prices. $300 and below alright in this perfume economy, anything above is too risky as Cornubia isn't THAT unique. However I appreciate Penhaligon's discontinued vintage florals and chypres, they are so odd.

Sometimes this happens, when first sniffing a scent You haven`t ever before sniffed, it brings You some distant memories. This happend today morning to me when I was sniffing Cornubia. What a emotional scent! Gives feels of safety and warmth, like laying in arms of Your Loved one feeling that deep safety. This scent represents that feel. What a beauty! Definitely will go to top of my purchase list. Without daniela3 ́s generous sample I would not have possible to experience this beauty. Thank You Dear ***<3<3<3***

I was gifted a big bottle of cornubia. I adore this perfume. It smells best worn in the fall And winter. The beautiful sweet , warm powder carries through the cold air wrapping around me like a cozy blanket. It smells alot like L'Heure Bleue. I can smell the difference. Cornubia is missing the carroty purple smelling iris. It has the same cherry almond Heliotrope. Its ambery and has a great soft woody dry down. It's very powdery and boozy. Cornubia is strong, thick, and long lasting. Absolutely stunning perfume!

Cornubia...It's my lovely and warm elixir for cold season. I detect a lot of amber, orange blossom and heliotrope with almond undertones - and don't hear other floral notes but it doesn't disturb me to have enjoy wearing Cornubia. Some strange to find this composition (so saturated) among Penhaligon's fragrances, most of them more 'crystal'. Retro style composition, obviously. It haven't nothing superficial, light-minded, a bit conservative scent, to my mind. This scent was moved to my wish-list.

This was recommended to me by an Associate at the Covent Garden store. When I 1st sampled this I did not like it and thought it was too feminine for a man to pull off. After trialing a number of times I thought it would be worth purchasing a bottle. I use this as a nighttime fragrance. I really like the richness to the scent. It has a very traditional old time feel to it. I have never worn this on a day to day basis. Beautiful fragrance.

I love it so much! Just received my tester bottle that has barely been used! Definitely vintage in feel which is great for me. I think it's the heliotrope that gives the powdery, antique note? To my untrained nose this is the love child of L'heule Bleue and Chanel No.5 EDP but better than both. Soft and elegant, powdery and floral with a light vanilla dry down. Incredible longevity for a Penhaligon's EDT. So beautiful!

This exudes an old-world charm, transporting one back to grand hotels and opera houses of a lost era. It is powdery as such an evocative scent should be. One feels like one is sniffling scented dust along the grand hallways of an antiquated building. It is a comforting scent. Considering how it is a Penhaligon’s EDT, it projects rather well, although I have yet to test its longevity.

This smells like a soft and gentle Ciara to me. Maybe Ciara was a dupe for it back in the day??? I forgot who on here said Lucy from A Room with View would have worn Cornubia, but that’s my favorite movie, so I just had to get this! I will always think of that connotation from now on whenever I wear it and want to feel timeless. Thank you for the recommendation.

Got this one for one of my birthdays and it smells so freshy and nature-like. This is a superb blend of the neroli heliotrope with musk. It includes brightness, depth and pure love in it. The floral sweetness in it is precious and the richness and power in this floral amber fragrance with the solid woody base are amazing and makes me addicted.

Another blind guess, i knew i was gonna like it, turns out Cornubia=perfect! LOVE at first sniff it's a good replacement for lou lou & more wearable , it's sexy and i love it *swoon* too bad i already have quite a few winterscents otherwise i'd buy this in a heartbeat! BUT nevermind about that, a bottle is on it's way

The heliotrope is very strong in the open and a little overwhelming, but once it calms down, I love this perfume. The neroli and orange blossom is lovely. The drydown after about 8 hours leaves a dustiness that is kind of odd. It layers really well with L'occitane Amicable and really highlights the orange blossom.