Feminite 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.

“I may be numberless, I may be innocent I may know many things, I may be ignorant Or I could ride with kings and conquer many lands Or win this world at cards and let it slip my hands I could be cannon food, destroyed a thousand times Reborn as fortune's child to judge another's crimes Or wear this pilgrim's cloak, or be a common thief I've kept this single faith, I have but one belief I still love you I still want you A thousand times the mysteries unfold themselves Like galaxies in my head On and on the mysteries unwind themselves Eternities still unsaid 'Til you love me” A Thousand Years by Sting One of the saddest and most poignant tales in Greek mythology, in my opinion, is that of Orion and Artemis. Artemis was proud goddess, a fierce huntress, and known to be cold...but she had feminine wiles that were just as memorable. She was beautiful, elegant, nurturing, and mysterious. Who wouldn’t want to touch her glowing face, embraced by that lovely head of shining, dark brown hair? This was a notion she perhaps never understood, and maybe the reason she may have killed the one man who loved her for all idiosyncrasies...her soulmate, Orion. Handsome, strong, tall and beastly Orion. Who wanted to hunt every animal on the Earth to satisfy his wild spirit, or perhaps to impress a certain wild woman. The lovable giant who had so much love to give and needed much in return, and never got. Through perseverance, he finally got his wish, and became Artemis’ favorite... So close they became that one day, Artemis’ brother Apollo (who was also unlucky in love) decided to give his sister a challenge. He knew very well of his sister’s prideful will, how she never backs down from a fight. He told her to shoot a black figure that stood in the ocean. Artemis did not know her beloved Orion could walk on water (a gift given by his father Poseidon), thus did not think twice to shoot her fatal arrows. That night, powerful waves rolled Orion’s lifeless body onto shore, and Artemis, realizing the error of her ways, placed his body among the heavens. For all the universe to see. He appears as a shining giant, with a Lion’s hide, his bow and arrows, and his faithful dog Sirius by his side. Chasing the Pleiades right above him, to keep him entertained. The moon that became his religion, lighting his way....is so far away, yet so close. A moon and a star never touch. This story has always inspired a pang in my heart, and unbelievably, so has this perfume. A beautiful masterpiece. The lady of the woods...mysterious, romantic, smoky. Who could resist her? Perhaps the most shallow of men...and even they fall for this. This makes me dream of what it would be like if Artemis and Orion ever made love. Strange but...wonderful. Violent, warm, and after, soothing, peaceful. They would spend their passion on grass kissed by violets, underneath a sapping plum tree. A campfire brings warmth. At the end, an air of recognition passing between them, as if they are wondering, how could so much love pass between two people, in such a fleeting amount of time. Something only they would know, hidden in that forest. Like the song (A Thousand Years) and the tale, not everything is supposed to be cheerful and light. Life would be too boring if it were. It's about love lost, the unanswered questions, the denial, still wanting and the uncertainty of life. It is the story of both genders, as I think this would fit both. The most beautiful love song I know, for one of the most beautiful fragrances ever made.

Some years ago I had the good fortune to acquire a boxed bottle of Shiseido « Fémininité du Bois » EDP and rediscovered it tonight. The presentation is stylish and classy, with its distinctive flacon designed by Serge Lutens. The sprayer is superb and responsive to even the slightest pressure, which is critically important with so potent an elixir as FdB. « Fémininité du Bois » (Femininity of Wood) alludes to its eponymous femininity with its rose pink packaging and iconic, curvy, striated brown-pink-brown bottle whose unusual form captures the imagination and prompts curiosity about what such a bottle contains. FdB creates an immediate impression of luxury - it smells like luxury - like a potion brewed from exotic and expensive flowers, spices and woods, which, as FdB evolves, present as dreamy idealised suggestions. The plum is lush, velvet, purple and has remarkable tenacity. With the spices and woods, on a resinous bed of styrax and vanilla, FdB is an ode to glamour, a sensory pleasure to wearer and entourage alike. In my mind’s eye I can see how popular this would’ve been and I imagine glamorous Tokyo ladies wearing this in Ginza or Akasaka, although I’m not sure how it would’ve performed in the heat of Tokyo’s stifling Summer. In any case FdB stands out as a rare and uncommon beauty. Performance is quite amazing (can’t think of any men’s fragrances that come close), longevity is easily twelve hours plus in winter, during which time it projects remarkably well, enveloping its wearer in an aura scented with a dry down that only begins to sit close to the skin after about the ninth hour. At one point I thought I detected an animalic note that reminded me of deer musk. A thought that just came to mind is that, given the date FdB was created, it might possibly contain some of the since-banned synthetic carcinogenic musks like musk xylene or nitro musk and that thought alarms me. Hopefully I’m wrong. The name « Fémininité du Bois » has always fascinated me: the legend goes that it was a challenge to traditional notions of masculine and feminine where women’s fragrance are stereotypically floral and men’s are stereotypically woods, and the name itself is at once an assertion, a statement, and a response to a tacit, unasked question - a challenge to the “pink for girls and blue for boys” mentality by staking a claim on woody fragrances in the name of womanhood. Elegant and enigmatic, sensual and luxurious, I can see why it’s a legend.

Explorations in the attic of my past, I trace my fingers across the buckled, bowed surface of a wooden artifact, with afternoon sunlight shining through a jungle of spider plants in the windows that face that backyard. Cedar, along with pine, are my earliest scent memories. There is a sober sweetness to a red cedar, a small face spelunking through the deepest hope chest in the world, pretending to be a vampire returning to his coffin. Feminite du Bois has a profound impact on my olfactory receptors. "Where have I smelled this before?" turns into a near dissertation each time I wear it. A transportive experience can only be applied with only a few dozen fragrances out of several that I've smelled, and this one is included. We know how highly regarded it is among perfumers and perfume critics for its innovation and avant-garde approach; it opened the world of woods to fragrance in an unprecedented manner, it was a benchmark for what would become niche perfumery (as we would see in further Serge Lutens releases throughout the 90s). It also blurred the lines between what constitutes gender in fragrance, particularly for the western world. "Femininity of the Wood," may scare some men, but this exploration has proven to be genderless, especially thirty years after its release, where perceptions of gender have been successfully challenged in modern, even mainstream fragrances. Those who love Hermes Bel Ami will find something kindred to it with Feminite du Bois as well. This also features one of my favorite plush, velvety plum accords in a fragrance, as it balances the sweet with the spicier qualities, underlined with a dusky cumin which mellows after its opening. The dry down has a stage that brings to mind violet scented beeswax candles, burning leaves, and smoke from a distant fire. When I wear this, I want to relish autumn days minute by minute, and retreat from the noise and into the forest. End scene with a slow fade.

Finally got a hold of some of this! And I'm relieved that it does smell very similar to my lovely Dolce Vita! I'm relieved because I was afraid I would fall in love with this and start selling off the furniture & the dogs to acquire bottles of it! I did spring for a big bottle of the Eau Timide, and I hope that it will suffice, scent wise. But yes, the reviews that compare this to Dolce Vita are spot on to my nose. D.V. being a bit more ginger (spicier/pepperier) up top, and yes, "sunnier"... brighter... (though the dry down of D.V., while not as richly prominent as FdB in the opening & heart, does result in a skin scented balmy/sweet/powder that, actually, has greater longevity than FdB. So, I'm happy to stay w/ D.V. just on sheer cost comparison & longevity of wear). These are not identical twins, but boy they sure seem like they came from the same womb. FdB has the feminine sensual sexual smell to it as well which I thought would be off putting, but I think if I was trying to ensnare a man, he'd be helpless around this stuff! VERY sexy! rarrr... Can't believe they'd stop making something this wonderful... this is a beautiful elixir. The cedar makes it magical, to me. I love a good woodsy cedar and plum and this is just divine love in a bottle. Sultry, balmy, plummy, mentholated at times, ginger as well (and reminds me of S.L. 5 O'Clock Ginger in surprising wafty moments)... shape-shifting, yet not, and I am now curious about the S.L. brand version of this. All in all, I'm glad I was able to experience this. I have two .25ml tiny little adorable bottles that I will keep for a long time I think and just use the Eau Timide. Those tiny miniatures will put my grand-kids through college at this rate! Even with my D.V. comparisons, I think I'll jump on the bandwagon here: >>>Feminite du Bois Shiseido perfume is liquid vintage gold!<<< (but thank GOD for Dior Dolce Vita... and yes, the NEW stuff!!!)

I have both FnB Shiseido and Serge Lutens, so I'll compare: Shiseido. More woods > more drought > more (uni)sex > more more more — From the bottle it has a vintage vibe, almost aldehydic. This is perfect for me as I love to smell aldehydes on a cap or paperstrip, but not on skin (For me aldedhydes could be even a room refreshener...). It's just a nice extra before applying. The opening is righ away plum, cinnamon, a pleasant sourness underlined by woods. A faint musk appears at the very end. This is a scent that I've been waiting for. Over are the times where I wanted to smell fresh out of the shower or creamed. I decided in my thirties that I smell clean enough. Sadly I have to deal with the new formula now, which, maybe is really 99% the same but now it's a fragrance for my younger self as it has that cleanness to it. I'll explain: Serge Lutens. More musk > more typical feminine department store appeal > more bore — Also the opening changed: very harsh, like cleaning products. Normally I like the smell of something like turpentine or fresh paint, but this is soso. Then comes the lovely plum-cinnamon-cedar DNA but the mushy musky dry down comes way too early. My general opinion on the topic musk in the fragrance industry: A lot of times more musk is added to a fragrance with every reformulation. Why is that? A fragrance loses its edges, it tends to smell more perfume-y, therefor more commercial. Therefore more money (making). Who did actually decide musk smells interesting, animalic, dirty? It is the complete opposite of that. E.g. Muscs Koublai Khan does not smell dirty because of the musk, but because of the prominent civit and caraway.

This is the perfume that I wore as a young woman in my late 20s, and the one that I fell in love with, long before I heard of Serge Lutens or before I understood the term "niche perfume". I remember lots of compliments. And compared to typical department store perfumes that were marketed to women, it was unique on me: spicy woods, lush fruits and delicate florals. More spicy than sweet, I wore this through three seasons - Fall, Winter and Spring. I had just come back from a trip to India and South East Asia when I found this exotic perfume, and it has always reminded me of those faraway places. FdB had became my signature scent. Then sadly a few years later, when I went to buy my 5th or 12th bottle, I found out Shiseido discontinued it. I begged the sales person to search other stores for any stray bottles, but alas it had disappeared. I really felt a sense of loss and I shed a few tears. This was long before the world wide web and I knew my days with the most delicious smell in the world were numbered. About 10 years ago, I found the original composition and bought it from an international retailer. My taste after the discovery of new perfumes has changed, so I only wear it when I want to go back to a specific time in my life. I still adore it though I rarely reach for it, but that doesn't mean I don't want it in my collection. I think I paid around $60 for 50ml. I wish I had picked up a couple more at this price because I looked this week and was shocked at the prices being asked on eBay. When this bottle is gone, I will be getting the Lutens.

Deep and truly oriental fragrance of dried fruits with spices! Most of all I feel the plum, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, honey, beeswax and cedar notes in this fragrance. The plum note smells like a dried plum more. I would say that I feel much more the clove note and the cardamom note than the cinnamon note in this fragrance. The cedar woody note is also very noticeable. And also I feel the honey and beeswax notes warmth and sweetness. It really has similarities with Dolce Vita by Dior. As I see, one of the noses behind these two fragrances is Pierre Bourdon. But as I see, Dolce Vita was created lately. As for me I feel the main difference in fruity and floral notes in these fragrances. Most of all the plum note in Feminite du Bois and the magnolia and apricot notes in Dolce Vita make these fragrances different enough. While the spicy (except the clove note) and woody notes are very similar, except also similarity in the peach fruity note. I would say that Feminite du Bois is more dark, deep and less sweet, while Dolce Vita is more sweet and radiant. But actually I feel more similarities with some of the fragrances by Serge Lutens, created by Christopher Sheldrake, who is the nose behind this fragrance, too, as I see. For example, I feel some similarities with the honey and the beeswax notes in Chypre Rouge, with the spiciness in Five O`Clock Au Gingembre and the smoke-dry nuances in Fumerie Turque. This fragrance smells dark and mysterious enough. Gourmand oriental fairy-tale! I really like it:)

Feminite du Bois is a gorgeously sweet spicy and uttly stunning and dark perfume to me. Thanks to a lovely member here for the sample :) It starts with a burst of deep, dark, spicy cinnamon and soon the sweetness in the background catches up and dances well with the cinnamon. It feels dry and silk smooth at the same time. Later on, it turns quite woody with a slight woody creamy touch (it’s not like gardenia creaminess or vanilla creaminess, the creamy smell here is more like a sweet creamy feel amplified from the wood). Somehow it makes me think about those plum jerky you can easily get from an Asian grocery shop, and the sweet-creamy smell reminiscent the pit of the plum jerky a lot. Somehow I can see why I love Bond No.9 Chinatown quite a lot, both Chinatown and Feminite du Bois have this intriguing and somehow addictive sweet creamy lovely woody scent there with a faint hint of cinnamon spicy in the background at this stage. The final dry down is quite gorgeous in a dark, smoky slightly leather-y hinted sense, along with the well-blended creamy woody and sweet cinnamon-y spicy smell; it makes me think about a female fatal. Well done Shiseido! Worth trying and if you were tossing in-between this one and Dolce Vita by Dior, I would highly recommend Feminite du Bois because it’s much well balanced and well made with a deep and more fascinating personality despite the superficial similarity.

When I sprayed it it opened up very balmy, resinious- I was like ..Balm? Balm! It was like herbal balm with minty or eucalipt flavour and also honey. Luckily it dried fast. I wasn't sure if I like this one, but when I walked out of the store I discovered carnation with honey (honey disappears quite fast). Carnation was the one of leading roles on my wrist. But it doesn't just smell of carnation + it's friend notes. After 20 or so minutes it's like church incense with carnations and flowers floating gently around- it reminds me of church, some time of funeral, but I love it- it's warming and truly feminine. If you sniff it from far you get inviting feminine carnations, walk closer and burn your nose with incense. Dry down is very dirty and sexy with cinnamon. Now I know what can I expect of Serge Lutens perfumes. It's definitely my next catch- I see that it's almost hard to find one. Also the price is more than worth for it. Feminite Du Bois is definitely my new love : it's all what I seek in perfume- * unusual* challenging* unique* sexy* * mysterious* dark at the same time! But be careful with this one- can turn into bad bo smell. Lol. I recommend it for colder days. ^^ --- Edit. My 50ml bottle was stolen y.y rip my love fdb I miss U (((( Can't find it anymore.. Probably will have to get SL's Fdb .-.

A rare case where the vintage (Shiseido) and the reformulation (Lutens) are different but both great. I've got the Shiseido on one wrist and the Lutens on the other and have been comparing and contrasting for quite some time. I prefer the Shiseido but the Lutens is so good that I'm not going to scour eBay paying increasingly extortionate prices. With that being said: the Shiseido is more subtle, with woods predominating and the fruit, especially the plum, is less sweet than liquer-ish: dry, cool with some bite. As much as I love the opening it's the cinnamon-sandalwood-cedar drydown that makes this marvelous. I had dinner last night with a group from the UAE and the gentleman sitting next to me initially insisted that my perfume was a particularly fine Middle Eastern oud and incense perfume and didn't believe me until he smelled the bottle. Like it or love it, this is definitely a treasure. A different and interesting take on the same set of notes is Ineke's Evenings Edged in Gold. If you love Femininite you should check it out. Sillage: 2-3 ft Persistence: 4-5 hours Fabulosity: the pearl without price Price to value ratio: very good 10/10

This amazing fragrance has been discontinued! It is a real tragedy! I know there is still a Serge Lutens version but i have heard from many FdB lovers (and this is also my opinion) this new version is not that concentrated and lacks of richness of an old one. Also it doesn ́t stays on for long and has lost it ́s variety, not everchanging anymore. First when i read reviews that it is similar to Dolce Vita i was surprised and even angry! It is not! I am a huge fan of dolce vita and wearing this one today and i can say that in some way they have something in common the warm pine (?) note. But DV is frizzy sweet, like a soda pop and FdB is more mature and classy chypre! And it reminds me of the thing they use in churches called olibanum. This thing gets people in trance and the same this perfume does to me!!! If you ́re ever been to orthodox church then you will understand what i am talking about. If anyone has a bottle of pure perfume or EDP of Shiseido ́s FdB and willing to sell it for the reasonable price, please contact me!

I first tried Feminite Du Bois back when it was first released by Shiseido in 1992. I was only 16, but I immmediately fell in love with the heady, exotic warmth of this fragrance, and have worn it ever since! ( apart from when I have run out) It is my absolute favourite. I reaally do love to try and wear other fragrances, but this is truly my one and only first "love" :) It is warm, heady and somewhat sweet, the top notes are quite overwhelming but it dries down to such a rich and sexy scent, I always feel beautiful wearing it. To me is a warm night walking through an enchanted forest, the smell of damp wood and over-ripe fruit...a hint of fragrant incense in the air. It is very complex, after so many hours it softens down but there's always a shimmer of something warm and animalic there. I was just so horrified when I heard it was discontinued, and from then on I try to buy bottles when I can. I have yet to try Serge Lutens' newer, more 'revealed' version, but I must say if it close enough to this I am sure i'll love it.

Feminite du Bois, Christopher Sheldrake’s masterpiece for Shiseido before becoming an icon of Serge Lutens. A revolutionary use of cedarwood, creating one of the most deliciously enveloping scent profiles on the market today. There’s not a huge amount of difference between this and the Serge Lutens version, to my nose at least, other than the fact that this is noticeably gentler, smoother and a touch soapier. The Serge is bold and brash in its overdose of cedarwood, juicy plums and warm spices - they slap you round the face and don’t let up (in a good way), whereas the Shiseido is toned down; spicier and warmer, more of a skin scent if anything. People often go manic trying to get their hands on the ‘original’ formulation/edition of a perfume, but this is one of those rare cases where I think the follow-up was an improvement. The current Féminité is stronger, longer lasting and more indulgent whilst still retaining all of that glorious character.

I discovered Feminite du Bois when I worked for Shiseido in the early 90s. If only I had known it would be discontinued so quickly. I’d have spent all of my gratis on it every year. I’ve never experienced any other perfume like it. Every time I wear it, someone comments that they love it. There’s a strong thread of cedar that weaves through every layer. Definitely not sweet. Definitely not floral. It’s spicy, woody, and sharp. Although there are notes of honey and plum and supposedly even a hint of musk, cedar is the star. I’ve read that this perfume or that other perfume smells like it. But I’ve never found anything even remotely similar except the reformulation by Serge Leutens, which is is close. But when I wear it I miss the powerful cedar in the original. Sadly, my last vintage bottle that I found a couple of years ago was stolen. All I’ve got left are a few cartridges for my stylo. Sighs.

I bought a sample of Shiseido FdB out of curiosity, not expecting to love it based on the notes listed here. However I was shocked by the fresh cedar when I put it on, and even more in awe as the fragrance developed into a fruity and warm spicy/woody plum/cinnamon/cumin cloud. How does it work?? The cumin is almost wrong or indecent, and so sexy it is manipulative. The cedar keeps it fresh, and the plum and several other notes I cannot identify somehow manages to keep it teetering on the edge of more conventional femininity, while some darker element with a similar effect to pheremone creeps in. Amazing fragrance, one of my favourites. However, take care when buying a vintage bottle. While I have had much success with vintage frags before, the top and middle notes of this one went overwhelmingly powdery, though the sexy base was intact.

Masterpiece! This 30 year old fragrance manages to smell more timeless than the Serge Lutens brand version from 2009. That fragrance feels like someone wanted to show how old the idea of Feminte Du Bois is, the Shiseido version however could be released today and no one would've said It's from the 90's. The plum is dark and dense, the cedar pierces through every layer of the composition and cloves with cinnamon give it pizazz, that I am yet to smell in any other cedar based fragrance! It's fizzy and ethereal without a hint of greenness. And the honey - beeswax combo in here accompanied by benzoin gives this fragrance so much depth and elegance. Not to say that the 2009 version is bad, it's also great, but if You still have a chance to get a bottle of this at a good price, then go for the Shiseido.

It doesn’t smell like its cohorts during the 90s. This one is exotic with a masterful restraint on execution. The plums don’t smell like the one you find in Poison or say in the Fordian Plum Japonais. Like most of the Lutens, there’s a liquorish quality to the composition. I don’t know how Serge does this but I’m thinking of using a high quality rose accord with it’s main note to give it a sparkling and fermented feel. And then I smell carnation and beeswax but please do take note that even if these are usually heavy-leaning, the ginger and cinnamon notes just make everything feel the opposite. The similarity to Dolce Vita only appears in its later developments but in its opening, it’s plummy, balmy, warm spicy and sweet. The modern version has become a more reserved and fleeting fragrance.

Fortunately, I can buy this expensive and rare perfume. Feminite du bois is very historically recommend by each famous Perfumer. Why? Because of its wooden proportion, it is unprecedented, raised to half of the whole. The other half, using traditional Oriental aroma combination, plum, cinnamon, beeswax, small cardamom ... Cedar (wow! So many cedar) lutens and sheldrake, Pierre Bourdon, three people bold ideas, promoting the birth of Feminite Du bois. In 2000, Lutens got the original formula of Feminite Du Bois and Modified and Re-Introducesd. Now, Shiseido No Longer Products Feminite Du Bois. What a pity! I Was Looking For An Autumn Perfume, Now I Found - like rose juice.Unique, Deep Purple, Cool, Sweet Feminite Du Bois. I Must Say That this is the best gift for the shiseido to all mankind!

Fortunately I own full bottles of this and the SL version. The original wears like a beautiful negligé. It's refined, and accentuates a woman's beauty by delicately draping itself over her own special essence. It becomes part of you. The SL version has a sharp edge to it that is better suited for a man. The cedar almost stings and curdles the fruit and ginger notes. Not once have I ever received a compliment or comment when wearing it. The original always brings attention from a close proximity. It causes the person to be drawn in, not inundated by a overly familiar scenario of a fragrance wearing a woman, but of a woman's allure being sought out. If you plan to make the investment don't waste it on the SL version as you will be doing yourself a great injustice.

I actually had to go out of my way to buy this for the sake of comparing it to the new Serge Lutens one which is slightly reformatted. The Shiseido version is of course discontinued but I wanted to see what the original intentions were with the SL one... Ultimately I think the biggest difference is in power -Shiseido is bigger and louder, the spices are more front and center elevating the cedar wood but without forfeiting their own stages. The plumb is deeper and more interesting... I do prefer it over the new SL, which is a real heartbreak for me. I think it's absolutely gorgeous and will treasure my small 5ml decant for as long as possible. 9/10

Aaahhhhh....its all been said before, and more eloquently than I could, Paolalou said it...masterpiece, my love since '92 etc.. Heartbroken since discontinued All I know regarding this is... If Catherine Earnshaw had a scent for her rendezvous with Heathcliffe...this was it!!! Dark, earthy, seductive, unlimited and unrestrained...that was her and that is this magical scent Maybe that's why he didn't open the window....he knew if he caught that scent he was lost forever (and he was!) Highly recommended for hilltop walks through moors and intimate (even clandestine...) occasions I now HAVE to try SL FdB to see if I can recapture the magic

I am not familiar with the reformulated version, but Sheldrakes FdB was a masterpiece. Not only for the composition itself, but for its sheer originality and audacity. Never before had a scent marketed towards women been so woody. I actually don’t know about any fragrance with such a modern, bold, woody signature before FdB came along, be it for men or women! And then to do it with such refinement....that ripe, fruity cedar wood, the still, meditative aura, the contrast of density and weightlesness, the dry, exotic sweetness..... A true, true classic and game changer. I’ve enjoyed wearing it a lot...

Where do I start with this one? It's just plain amazing to my nose: super woody, but at the same time spicy and sweet, due to the cloves, cinnamon, and honey. The notes merge beautifully, exuding warmth and mystery. Even though it has different phases, it's so complex that I can't pick a single note in any of them, just the kaleidoscopic scent that they project. Duration- and projection-wise, this is old school: it last forever and leaves a trail wherever you go, even if you just spray once. Lovely scent. I'm happy I got the chance to buy a mini to experience it. 10/10

Wow..I had read so much about this one..and just wanted to have it. Today was my first sniff and hallelujah!! It was worth every euro :) It's sweet, dark, spicy..everything I love in a fragrance. The crazy thing is that it reminds me of Aroma Exalting by Guerlain, which is now also one hard to find. I am lucky enough to own both. I'm curious to know if anyone has compared these two. Anyway..this was a blind buy and I will never regret it! Why are all the beautiful things discontinued or very hard to find? Well, it gives us something to crave for right?

Such a shame! I tested this scent lately and got disappointed. It's not new, I think I've tried many years ago and disliked it. Unfortunately Feminitè de Bois didn't agree with my chemistry or even my nose. On me it smells like hard dry old furniture with nauseous beewax for polishing. So bad. I wanted to like it. I'm sure it's very original and unsual and well-made but my skin says No or FdB says, I don't know... It would be fantastic if it smelled like the listed notes, but it doesn't on me. Only furniture and beewax. The bottle is so beautiful!

In the 90s Paris. I was wondering around the city then suddenly unfamiliar yet attractive smell came to my nose. It was Feminite du Bois. I didn’t planned but why yes I purchased a tiny perfume bottle. At that time, no any other perfume smelled like this. I was crazy about the perfect balance of soothing sharp cider and sweetness of ripen fruits with rich spices. But a friend told me that I smell like a fresh sharpen pencil with some holiday spices. He express it in his honest unique way and I still remember that whenever I wear it.

An absolutely gorgeous, restrained oriental. This oriental says class like no other I have experienced. On my skin it opens with a gorgeous cedar note, plum, honey, just a hint of spice. The middle notes are unfolding with violet and a bit of peach. I get the tiniest hint of incense too, but I don't it listed in the notes. I can't imagine why this was ever discontinued, this is so stunningly beautiful! This is one I MUST have a full bottle of! Many, many thanks to the lovely akats for the generous sample!

I feel confused. I didn't like Feminitè de Bois because it didn't agree with my chemistry. Now I read that many compare FdB to Dolce Vita... Uhm, yes, very similar, but wait a moment! Which Dolce Vita are we talking about? The old gorgeous luminous airy woody spicy cinnamon that warmed one of my winters 10 years (sic!) ago or the bland, flat, faint imitation they sell now? Is it the death of real sandalwood? Well, at the moment FdB is waaaay better than new Dolce Vita!

Plum liquore and buns on a sun heated pine stump. The prune note is really intense, it's not sweet like a jam, but also not fresh like a fruit. The nearest thing would be a prune liquore, thick and fermented. The forest in the base is a warm summer pine forest, the raisin is getting out of the body. The two are connected by the unobtrusive scent of baking, honey and cinnamon. A cozy comfort touch in a kind of a dramatic perfume.

It is not sold anymore, just when I wanted to buy it finally. Oh well, this scent is unique, great, incredibly good and many years I waited to get it and now it`s not available anymore. It reminds me of a place where I was once long ago, a very special place far away. The scent lasts long, why didn`t they also make a body lotion? I mean, in this scent there is everything, because of the amber, sandalwood, plum and honey.

The eau parfum is a more intense version of the fragrance, whereas the eau timide is lighter, pared down a little. I have tried both and suggest you try the parfum first, it does have better sillage, I find the eau timide doesn't last quite as long on me. The parfum is more expensive and harder to find but well worth it. Otherwise get a small sample first. I buy whatever i can get my paws on! Good luck!

This is so beautiful. It is fruity, deep, woody, floral and spicy and I love it so much. It has a wonderful radiance and it is perfect all year. I enjoyed a bottle of this Shiseido version recently. It is rich, shadowy and radiant but it smells like those scents in the 1990s, that is to say, not like the ones we have these days. Until recently, the Lutens was a good substitute - not any more, sadly.

Feminité du Bois by Shiseido has been my love from the first sniff in 1992 and it was my signature until it was discontinued. I was impressed by his description, which revealed the revolution in the world of fragrance, being the first to have the same note in the head, in the heart and in the base: a fantastic, fascinating and intoxicating absolute of Atlas cedar... Absolutely a masterpiece!!!

I received this wonderful scent for Christmas. I recall when Feminite de Bois was first released back in 1992. An intruiging fruity oriental which, to me has a strong plum,honeyed apricot scent mixed with a hint of zest and a teaspoon of spices, all warmed exotically by the cedar, vanilla and musk. Unique and sensual. A true masterpiece to be added to the hall of legendary perfumes.

I just tried the EDP for the first time, and OMG this is ripe fruits and cedar at its perfection! This puts Serge Lutens current formulation to shame. There was something in the Serge Lutens didn’t quite agree with me. I couldn’t pull the trigger despite a strong like. Now I am sad - Why discontinue such a master piece and will there be a decent replacement when I finish my bottle?

What is to me Feminite du Bois The queen of an enchanted forest .Season Autumn - Winter Location A State unknown somewhere in the center of Asia Cinnamon , Cedar , Plum , Honey , Sandalwood Carnation Oil e few drops Rose Oil , Vanilla And for the end Rainwater The Queen is ready to take a bath Maybe the best bottle he designed of Serge Lutens Simple Valuable Different Rare

sadly,i have been unable to get this perfume for ages here in aussieland. having said that,what i remember is the sexy purple bottle,and the very complex juice it contained. sweet ,intoxicating,mysterious and...on a dark cold grey rainy winter's day...it comforts and brightens my day. as many have commented here,a ragrance you fall in love with............or hate

@sycomore85 That is because Serge Lutens took over in 2009 and created and repackaged the modern version of Feminite Du Bois into his own brand, in the rectangular bottles. The first and original version was created by Christopher Sheldrake and Pierre Bourdon in 1992, (with the art direction of Serge Lutens) - the bottle of which is pictured above.

I bought this scent this year. I've been purchasing purfume for years and have heard so much about it and for some reason I never sniffed it. I bought it unsniffed!! I was terrified that I wouldn't like it. Some people weren't wild about it! I CANNOT imagine!! I ADORE it. I mean it!! It is one of my TOP 3!!! I was soooooo thrilled when I got it!!

This is perfection in a bottle. Ideal for fall and winter, a true classic. Warm with the plum, honey and cinnamon but not overly sweet thanks to cedar. some complain about longevity, but on me, as somebody wrote, the scent plays a bit hide-and-seek, disappears and then reappears. stays rather close to skin.

yum peache jasmine Cardamom and apricot cant go wrong luv it in evrey meaning serge lutens should be proud about this master piece the spices and woods blended very well with soft and sweet aprict then honey wich gives it a real warmth and the cedar wood gives it the eartnes complicatd but good one of kind

this fantastic scent of dried plum tones, sandalwood and cedar makes this spicy concoction someting very recognizable and special. a fun story is that my perfumista friand once made a dessert based on dried prunes, spices and cedar wood oil. in essence making EDIBLE FEMINITE DU BOIS. it was AMAZING.

I never owned it but I KNOW I LOVE IT. They told me its not produced anymore, = it doesnt exist anymore?!?!?! As I can see it is very appreciated so why not produce and sell anymore?? I cant wait to have it, the biggest bottle possible, for day and night use!!! BIG LOVE.

Anniebanannie - What a beautiful, thoughtful review! So full of emotion and vivid imagery. As a lover of Greek & Roman mythology, I really enjoyed reading it - thank you! I love FdB as well and your review has given me a whole new mystical appreciation for it.

This is a dark, sultry beauty. I would compare it to deep purple silk - plummy, sensuous and smooth.The woody/plummy notes are to die for. This is a really "womanly" scent that makes the wearer feel cosseted and special.

I adore this perfume, used to have it as a teenager. Quite expensive but worth every penny. The cedar wood makes is sexy yet comforting. Buying it again for sure.

OMG I used to love this scent, so different and unusual, warm sandal tree scent with some spicy touch. Very comfort and calm. Beautiful scent.

@Domenica23 they did make it in body lotion, and perfume stylus as well. I have them :)

Plum and cedar happiness. Love it!