Feminité du Bois

Comparison of the original Shiseido Feminite du Bois, a vintage Serge Lutens release from the early 2000s Palais Royal era, and the new Serge Lutens formulation Am I setting myself up for failure? I asked myself this question when I conclusively decided that it was time I compared my vintage Shiseido Feminite du Bois, vintage Lutens release from the early 2000s, a new batch from Lutens I recently purchased about two years ago, and put my thoughts on the three to paper. I thought this was going to be a missive that blubbered on for pages and was going to be of no use to anyone, including myself. However, as I sit here and study these three snapshots in time of one of the most successful releases in the last fifty years, I believe I can keep this pretty succinct and clear... hopefully. The Palais Royal and the Shiseido versions open very nearly identically, except that the Shiseido does so with a bit more brute force and urgency. Bergamot, ginger, herbs and spices, and woods give such a stiff, spicy, tight, and impenetrable presentation that it nearly makes my eyes water. It’s one of those openings that makes me say “holy hell, this is a lot.” In the RP and Shiseido versions it’s off-putting, honestly, like some freshly cut wood and hot, chemically, off-gassing lacquer are smacking you in the face. In the new SL formulation, this opening is still there but it’s been neutered to a considerable degree. The volume of this opening dialed back from a shriek to conversational levels, and the dried green herbs and cinnamon and cardamom spices given more room to play. The very pleasant culinary qualities of the herbs and spices give the opening in the new SL a softer and more warming disposition compared to roaring flame of the RP and Shiseido. Then the Shiseido steps far out on its own, a good distance away from the RP and new Lutens, by giving us a huge dose of civet. The Shiseido is classically fecal, and doesn’t hold back - very nearly Jicky-esque in the intensity of the civet note. The RP has a good dose of it as well, but it’s less than half the size of the Shiseido. The new Lutens goes the full prim-and-proper-and-safe route by dialing back the civet to almost imperceptible levels, and, if speaking relative to the Shiseido, virtually non-existent. The new Lutens offers up more floral and fruity spiced amber instead. The new Lutens desperately wants to be pretty, and it is. By keeping the animalics and pushy amber notes in the background, the softer and prettier characters have more distinct voices. The Shiseido, on the other hand, gives all of its energy and time to the animalics and ambers to the point where the florals, fruits, and spices have been quietened, buried under a pile of sh*t. It’s only after a few hours when the civet finally calms down and falls away do those florals, spices, and woods come through a bit more clearly. The RP version lives halfway between the Shiseido and the new Lutens. As mentioned, the civet note has been dialed back significantly, but the warm and sticky amber notes are thicker and louder than the new formulation. The fruit and florals of the heart in RP are, therefore and again, halfway between the Shiseido and the new SL: quieter than they are in the new, but louder than in the Shiseido. The final dry down and skin scents continue to showcase the differences of the three. The Shiseido has considerable longevity, still going strong while the new SL fades to a whisper, and the RP again being halfway between the two. In the Shiseido and the RP this difference is due to the heavier emphasis on the more durable amber materials - the woods, the benzoin, the civet, etc. In the end, all three are a sandalwood amber. The new emphasizes more musks and vanilla as costars to the sandalwood, the RP is deeper and smoother with emphasis on the benzoin and a loamy patchouli, and the Shiseido gives us a baritone growl with deeply colored and coarse amber notes and rich leathery animalics. Feminite du Bois has definitely changed a lot over its 33 year life, and at the risk of causing a ruckus I do think that FdB has changed for the better from a commercial sense. The Shiseido release wouldn’t work today little alone be accepted; the RP nicely fit with its time, but probably would have been a little lackluster in 1992, aligning with the changing trends at the start of this century; the new SL satisfies today’s noses by being a lot less pushy, more demur, and nuanced. Do I have a favorite? I can’t say that I do, but the RP is usually the first to come to mind. This is probably because it was the first FdB I smelled, and so it has taken up more space and permanency in my scent memory. In all of its forms, Feminite du Bois is a fantastic piece of work. A modern legend.

Yet another masterfully crafted composition and a classic Serge Lutens style scent. As they say, with Christopher Sheldrake, complexity is the name of the game, but to be fair, Feminite du Bois started its life back in the day as a Pierre Bourdon fragrance he did for Shiseido while Serge Lutens i believe designed the bottle. Anyway, back to the modern scent you will get today from a Serge Lutens bottle composed by Sheldrake - warm spices (after many hours of experience, i think Nutmeg accord is very prominent here), fresh juicy fruits, sparkly sensation from the cedar in the opening - a truly magical opening that makes me re-spray again and again just to be able to feel it again. Words really cannot put the feeling into writing here. After the opening, the scent "loses" the sparkly parts that tickle the nostrils, but remains very much spicy, warm and fruity, with fresh wood setting in from below. The fruits also develop out of the fresh, juicy stage to more ripe, a bit sweeter form. At the mid stage of development, floral influence sneaks in, but it does not move the composition to sweet feminine direction, as the warm spices and woods are very much still there to balance it out perfectly. As it dries down, the scent goes into slightly more woody, creamy direction - almost as real fruits drying in the sun. Despite the naming - this is not a female centered fragrance - it is very much unisex, i can even call it slightly masculine leaning in the opening due to the warm spicy tones, but in the drydown it is very much universally appealing. Truly a magical composition. The only downside here is longevity and projection - not the greatest in both directions, so if you are one of those people for whom fishing for compliments from complete strangers while walking down the street is important, this will not be your pick. If you are however, a connoisseur of artisanal perfumery, this is a must pick for your collection. Also, anyone coming into your personal scent bubble will be in for a very pleasant sensation. This is such a complex, versatile composition that the only time i cannot see it working would be the cold winter days - it simply lacks the punch to cut through the cold air. Any other time - spray away.

The journey begins with an unexpected invitation: not the typical floral or citrus explosion, but a first contact with cedarwood. It's a dry, almost austere wood at first, immediately setting a tone of solidity and structure, challenging the expectation of a traditionally "feminine" perfume. It's the initial intellectual impact. Almost instantly, the fragrance unfolds in layers, revealing the complexity that lies beneath that first woody impression. The dryness of the cedar begins to be embraced and "dressed" by the ripe pulp of dried fruits (that juicy but dense plum or peach), the spicy warmth of spices (cinnamon, clove), and a whisper of flowers (violet, rose). This is where the concept of "candied wood" or "frosted wood" comes to life: the tension between dry and sweet, structured and fluid, warm and slightly melancholic fully manifests on the skin. It's a phase rich in texture, like touching polished wood next to soft velvet or caramelized fruit. As the perfume settles and blends with the skin (the drydown), the cedar becomes warmer and more personal. The fruits and spices integrate further, perhaps losing some of their initial prominence to become a sweet and aromatic veil that wraps around the woody backbone. The fragrance becomes more intimate, comfortable, and long-lasting. The sophistication persists, but now it's a more serene and deep warmth. The journey concludes with a feeling of a woody embrace, subtly spiced and fruity, remaining as a constant and elegant presence, reflecting the legacy and introspection that the perfume represents. In essence, the olfactory journey of "Féminité du Bois" is an evolution from surprise (the initial wood) to textured complexity (the candied wood) finally settling into an intimate and lasting woody warmth, a sensory reflection of its deep conceptualization.

This is a crazy story but this scent is growing on me. I initially purchased it because of Dolce Vita and, of course, got disappointed due to FmDB not being exactly the same. Amateur mistake. First I got taken aback by the sharpness of it and had to leave the tester bottle for a while. After trying and sampling a few more feminine woody and strong fragrances and falling in love with some I came back to the tiny 10ml I had in my drawer to see if I can give it another chance. And oh boy, how incredible human nose is - I started to vividly perceive way more notes that made this fragrance so beautiful. Astonishing. This is sophisticated, strong, a tiny bit vintage, but none the less sexy and exciting. It is very unique and, even though it draws similarities to DV, it is different in a good way. After drying down on your skin some softness emerges and envelops you like a veil which has to be due to similar notes with DV. I am strongly convinced that Christopher Sheldrake is a magician, as his scents are very, very evolving and ever so changing depending on your body chemistry. I truly believe that you shouldn't buy this thinking it will be a dupe of DV as you will be disappointed, but you should treat this as a separate, unique scent that might have quite a few similarities to DV. It needs to stand out on it's own to be fully appreciated for it's timeless beauty. Never thought that I will get here but I strongly consider buying a full size bottle.

Upon First spray, I got a waft of that choking feeling one gets when someone with too much perfume walks by - I mean, not really a smell so much as a plume of fragrance so strong that nothing at all can stick out to the nose from sudden sensory overload. I'm so glad I didn't judge it on that first whiff and run off to scrub this off because this is very interesting. I really don't know what to make of this or whether or not I even like it. I also get the "pencil shavings" that I believe is common with a lot of spices and ginger. This is a very warm spicy and it actually doesn't go overboard once it dries down (and it dries down quickly on me). I like that the projection isn't too "in-your-face". The silage on me is arm's length - possibly a little more - and longevity is not a problem at all. The imagery it evokes is a woman at a party ... she might not be the best looking, but she's causing most of the men to turn their heads her way. There's something mysterious and irresistible just about her presence, like they want to know more. She carries with her the promise of an experience they've never had before. It's very evocative. Some have been asking about whether or not a man can pull this off. Absolutely he could. This is a scent that doesn't smell too masculine on me, but it certainly doesn't smell feminine either. It's just itself. Either gender could wear this and smell amazing. I think I just decided I love it.

One of the greatest scents of all time, the next step in the evolution of the Chypre saw the abandonment of oakmoss for cedar, peach for plum, and cinnamon for cumin. Mitsouko is the reference chypre for many of us. A legendary perfumer called Edmond Roudnitska adulterated it with plum and hot spices to make Femme, and his student Pierre Bourdon, in conjuction with the cedar-obsessed Lutens and Sheldrake, created Feminite du Bois for Shiseido. Here the forest is dried out and frozen; the moss is all dead and only the stolid tree is left behind! I've tried the original and the Lutens version, and I actually prefer how it is now! (Less musk, harder edges in the Lutens bottle, more unisex). To me, this scent is plums, cedar and cumin forming a single scent, like a deserted tree alone at the top of an icy hill. In the background violets, musk and other fruit lend support. It's sweet but not sickly and is somewhere between edible and not. It's woody, like the scent rising off a stump, or a stump crying spiced plums. If you imagine candied violets but it's candied treestumps and plums, this is what you get. Despite how bizarre it is, it works so instinctively for me and is a very calming and contemplative scent. It's unisex, leaning feminine, and lasts about 6 hours on me. If you haven't tried it give it a go! It might be right up your street.

Feminité du Bois was a revolution, being one of the first women’s fragrances to rely heavily on the use of wood notes. Of course today it is marketed as unisex, but the legend and skill in its composition lives on. I was not expecting this fragrance to smell so incredibly delicious, it ventures almost into gourmand territory, with the woods grounding it appropriately. Cedarwood makes up the majority of the scent profile, although it does not scream, being such a soft and gentle note - in fact, 60% of the composition is made up of wood notes. To contrast, fat juicy plums make themselves known loud and clear. Whilst some plum notes can come across rather like dried, syrupy prunes, in this fragrance it smells intensely ripe and juicy. Pair that with a gorgeous blend of warming spices including cinnamon, clove and ginger with a touch of vanilla, and you’re left with one of the most comforting scent profiles around. This perfume is astoundingly addictive, as I said before it’s ridiculously delicious and inviting, it’s impossible to stop smelling yourself. To me, this instantly reminds me of Christmas. And whilst the scent isn’t particularly dark, loud or limited to the cold, harsh conditions of winter - the warm, cosy notes lend themselves to the inviting cosiness of the festive season.

what a peculiar little thing... love it. opens up with a fruity-sweet, dry wood with cinnamon. yes, i think dry is the right word. the florals are subtle and come a little later, but they are there. the fruit becomes very jammy too: i have actually made plum jam with cloves before and can confirm it smells pretty much like this. i read somewhere that lutens said feminite du bois is 60% wood, which checks out as the cedar is the most prominent note in terms of how fast my nose picks it up. now, to address the cumin and the mild saliva accord: yes, there is definitely something akin to cumin in this. it doesn't even border on sweat or BO like a lot of fragrances with cumin notes do, but it is kinda musky. smells like you licked someone's arm in the heat of the sun or something, especially in the opening, but strangely enough it doesn't bother me. my guess for the saliva thing is a combination of musk, beeswax/honey and benzoin. still, i love this take on femininity. it is a subdued, quiet type of feminine on the outside, but inside is something a bit more feral. the type that everyone- man, woman, other- has in them.

Beautiful spicy, woody, fruity chypre, quite different from most of the later Lutens scents, besides the Bois line (which are all iterations on this DNA). If you're smelling this in a vacuum, it does smell quite striking, even unique... but in reality it's part of a clear lineage, very clearly building off the foundations of the reworked '80s formulation of Rochas Femme, which has the same combination of plum, peach, and cumin in the opening. I've worn them side by side, and while I wouldn't confuse them, the overlap is unmistakable. Femme is ultimately louder, thicker, and more overtly floral; FdB feels like a wood-forward rendition of the same idea, rendered in watercolor. As with Femme, there are obvious flickers of older scents like Mitsouko EDT, and newer ones like Parfum d'Empire's Aziyade (which takes the same basic idea and turns it into an animalic, sticky-fruit, spice-market gourmand). For my money, this is as good as any of those and perhaps the most wearable, though it still has some cumin funk to keep you on your toes. As with everything in this vein, it's perfectly unisex despite the name.

PSA, the "cumin" people are smelling in here is actually just a dry cedar. If you test other cedar-heavy fragrances, particularly the dry ones, cedar can smell incredibly like BO. The first time I tested this scent I wanted to gag - it was literally the first time I had such a visceral reaction to a scent. The cedar in here smelled worse and more body odour-like than cumin to me. At first it smelled like the concentration of 1000 men's hairy dried armpits after a week of sweaty crossfit sessions without showering. I tested it a few times over the years, all to no avail (I hated it each time) until recently, when the scent finally clicked with me. I finally understood why this perfume was legendary. Feminite du Bois is so so so sexy yet mature and alluring with the plum and cedar. Definitely a fall/winter scent (more so winter for me). I'm testing this in the summer and it is on the verge of choking me out, though, so be careful. I love the beautiful dichotomy of plum and cedar - both equally strong and obviously distinct but beautifully complementary.

In fact, both genders possess qualities of both masculinity and femininity (no doubt, it is unisex); Feminité du Bois definitely leans feminine to me. What a unique character: soft but assertive, sensual and carnal. It had me hooked since the first sniff, so this has been on my top-6 shelf and will never leave. It is right up to my alley — smells taboo but is graceful and charming. An acquired taste that is beautiful but is abstract and you cannot get ahold of. There is something in it that activates my brain parts as it is very addictive. I have seen Thomas’ (Ouch110) review as well as some comments here and agree on the little skank accord which I feel is comparable to Agent Provocateur Maitresse and Vivienne Westwood Boudoir (hence the femininity). They do share that same accord and clandestine boudoir undertone, though I do not think it is the ‘cumin’ note that I get because it is not dirty/earthy but perhaps from soft suede or viburnum mixed with spices and ylang-ylang. Lastly, I, too, love everything about this fragrance.

This is the groundbreaking scent that started my perfume obsession three decades ago. I wore the original from Shiseido when I was in my late 20s. Back then I could not tolerate florals, and this scent leaned masculine. For the time period, with its spices and wood notes, it was a ground breaking perfume. That feeling I had when I found it....it was a revelation, giving the punk rock middle finger to all the other feminine scents of that era. I identified with it and still do. Today I found a sample vial of this Serge Lutens version (I’m not sure which label it came from so it might be the newer label version). In any case, it has the same structure but it’s softer, a little lighter from what I remember. But otherwise, this is the same scent, the difference is marginal. Of course I love it, but I still have .05 oz of the original Shiseido version which I covet. It’s a holy grail perfume, a top shelf masterpiece in my collection. If I didn’t have it, I would step up to this one without hesitation.

This fragrance is mesmerizing. It's going in my top 5. The perfect, I mean *perfect*, balance of fruit, spice, and musculinity -- without being a traditionally male scent -- makes even the name of this fragrance perfect. I can't help but wonder exactly what the original Shiseido creation smelled like I get spices (especially cinnamon) and dry, spicy cedar out of the gate. Then it opens up to just the right amount of fruity sweetness (I get plum, peach, and orange blossom, for sure. A heavenly aroma). In the dry down I get a subdued version of the topnotes with elegant floral touches (mostly violet to my nose), resins, ginger, and a sensual musk. The vanilla is barely there -- aromatic, spicy, and dry -- not gourmand. This is my first Lutens, and it makes me want to try the rest, in hopes they hold up to the beauty of this. I can't believe I slept on this house for so long! A heavenly, luxurious, classy, sophisticated fragrance for a confident woman. Masterpiece for sure. 🤍

Féminité du Bois: A fragrance that celebrates the beauty of wood and women. This Chypre-woody is an olfactory symphony that fuses the warmth of wood (60% cedar) with the delicacy of flowers and fruits. Its smell is an invitation to a sensory journey along the roads of Morocco among the stalls selling leather goods and spices. The opening is sweet and spicy, with a plum and cinnamon accord that is enhanced by a touch of clove. The cedar provides freshness and elegance from the beginning, while the resins give it a sweet and enveloping nuance. The heart is floral and creamy, there is a bouquet of ylang-ylang, violet, rose and African orange blossom that merges with sandalwood, giving way to a warm and sensual base, with a mixture of benzoin, vanilla and musky accords that It gives a balsamic and amber character to the composition. Féminité du Bois is a wonderful, high-quality fragrance that adapts to any occasion, from day to night, and leaves an unforgettable trail.

Not to be overdramatic but Féminité du Bois is the fragrance of my soul and I would die for her. She is moody. She’s whimsical and kinda bitchy but with so much allure and charisma that you just can’t be mad at her. Every season, she shows you a different side of her personality. In the spring, she’s violets and vanilla. In the summer, she’s roses and musk. In autumn, she’s plums and cedar. In winter, she’s cinnamon and spice. She’s got an insouciance that keeps her private, close to your body, not lingering too long which only leaves you wanting more. I have a bottle with a 2016 batch code, one with a 2020 batch code, and a vintage pure parfum from Shiseido. Yes, she’s changed a bit over the years. It’s sad but that’s just the nature of all things and particularly so with this mutable beauty. Her essence remains intact through all iterations, though. There’s still no one else quite like her so just accept her for who she is.

Simply the best milky, spice-laced cloud imaginable. You want this floating around you all day. Not for others, this is personal. Just so maternal/secure and comforting without being mature or vintage. The addition of the peach and orange flower seem antagonist but they work so well to provide this fresh sweetness that keeps things light. The notes imply this is a much stronger and heady scent then it actually is. Somehow Serge Lutens has managed to mute and dampen the effect of these spices such that they almost become sheer and ethereal- very present, but not pungent in any way. This works for me when nothing else will - spritz anytime and anywhere. Probably one of the only fragrances I stayed on the fence about for years before buying a full bottle, going through several decants and samples until finally caving in. There is just something about this one I can't put my finger on. Love to pieces.

The cedar is mentioned in the Old Testament seventy times and referred to as "the most beautiful fruit". But let's get to us: Feminite du Bois is one of those that I consider to be one of the sacred monsters of perfumery, one of those fragrances that you necessarily need to know. First unisex creation by Serge Lutens, aimed at those women who wanted a more decisive and less standardized look, with a nod to the male gender. A fragrance, which after decades is very elegant and suitable for every occasion, without taking on vintage tones: innovative at the time, exceptional today. It seems that this composition has 60% wood among its notes, in particular cedar, which is soft and has a great personality, initially accompanied by slightly fruity and then flowery nuances, which soften it. Beautiful, to always be worn with great pride.

Real, huge masterpiece, a statement, game changer, like aromatic Elixir, Shalimar,n°5 and others.it must stand as a perfumery legend; very bold, it's a world on its own. A very powerful cedar bangs his fist on the table, but all at once a delicious, fruity and tender prune wrapped in spices brings enough softness and elegance to balance the whole... it melts very well with the skin of the wearer and becomes soft and addictive - I know what I'm talking about it was the signature scent of my Girlfriend for many years. It's a timeless piece of art. A detail by the way: I regret the initial bottle when it was owned by Shiseido, it was so beautiful , and suited perfectly the scent, it's a shame to see it ending in a generic SL bottle ...

awful opening, incredible drydown. I've never experienced such a stark contrast with how much I hate a fragrance upon spraying it, and how much I love it once it settles. For reference the drydown comes rather quick - a few minutes. Upon initial spray you get the spices - ginger and cinnamon. Then, the top notes disappear and this becomes the most elegant, enigmatic, beautiful scent. It's powdery, a little dusty, a little cozy. I agree with the comparison to Kenzo Jungle - it has the same component of the "je ne sais quois". The spices maintain their identity in Jungle, whereas this sort of turns into a mysterious cloud. Jungle is more playful; this is more mature and elegant. FB worthy.

FdB goes in the same line with L'Agent AP at a first sniff to me. However, in a couple of minutes it takes a different direction: while L'Agent is about balsamic amber features, FdB plays all woodsy. Lots of soft blended wood comes in half an hour. Sandalwood here reminds me about Dyptique's Tam Dao. The perfume doesn't change much, quiet intimate but remains amazingly blended. It's my first acquitaince with Serge Lutens. I love the idea of emotionally driven stories behind each perfume craft! If you like woody-spicy but reserved and intellectual species, you have to give it a try. Day to night, everyday perfume, appropriate in the office but prefers more air.