Violetas Francesas Cologne

I love the scent of Violets. I have very high end Violet frags from Ireland, middle of the road frags such as Molinard Violette (which, btw, has been my all time fave) and the cheapie such as Yardley's which is lovely, but not very long lasting. Last week I ran into Vallarta Super Market. For those of you who don't have one or have never been to one, this place is a most enjoyable place to do your marketing. Clean, tidy aisles, friendly staff, gorgeous produce, beautiful bakery, fresh fish counterwith the best Ceviche, Cremaria with freshly made cheeses, guacamole and pico de gallon and my all time favorite drink, Avena con leche (oatmeal made with milk)...a creamy hug in a cup. As I was checking out with the cashier, I spied their glass case which acts as their Farmacia (pharmacy). I have found all kinds of goodies in that case. And this day I hit the motherlode! Boxes and boxes of Violetas Francesas for $3.99 each (containing 5 Fl. Oz. of Splash Cologne). I stopped the cashier, asked her permission to open a bottle to take a whiff and...pure Heaven!!! Could this be? My beloved Molinard Violette for $4 a bottle? I didn't even care that it is cologne strength, or that it is marketed for both children and adults, or that it comes in a splash bottle (that's what pretty atomizers were invented for, right?). All I know is that I can have my Violet fix for pennies. I bought every bottle they had and made sure the manager knew it so that she could reorder. I can scent my bathwater, my laundry, my pillowcases, my dogs, scent my son's pillowcase when he's having trouble falling asleep and even scent my lightbulbs. This gem is a true bargain and the beginning of a wonderful relationship...a true romance...

This is the best violet soliflore I've ever smelled. I own the bottle pictured in the photo above with the flowers on the label. It's like Chowards violet candies but never too saccharine, and smooth, natural, powdery as it wears. It's like LT Piver's Heliotrope but for violets, right down to the price and the splash bottle format. I can't recommend this one enough and thank you so much to all the reviewers below me who gave this such glowing accolades. Even the bottle is quite pretty in person. It looks like it belongs on a vintage vanity next to real pearls, lace doilies and a cake mascara compact. Love it!

I remember how I was introduced to this perfume like it was yesterday. I was helping my aunt babysit my little cousin and she used this baby cologne on her after her bath and I was like oh my goshh that smells so good where did you get it!! Every time since then when my aunt and uncle visit Ecuador, they get me a bottle of this. I've ordered it online as well but it smells much better when they get it for me. It's such a pretty and fresh scent, though do be careful when wearing white because this purple is opaque. Honestly timeless, I'll probably use it on my children in the future too.

This is the traditional Cuban baby perfume used on the hair. I used it well into adulthood and love it to this day. Best not to leave it by the window as the sun can turn it a sort of winded blue and slightly alter the smell as well. Meant to be splashed on. Use liberally.

Lovely, linear, powdery violet petals. C Howard’s chalky candy. I love this! It’s perfect. I put it in a travel size spritz bottle and use liberally on myself in hot weather, on pillows, clean laundry. It’s an easy grab.

Powdery floral violet with some vanilla. It’s C Howard’s violet candies but a little more crisp. It’s beautiful. The smell of vintage lipstick and plush powder puffs of dusting powder on a vintage vanity.

Fresh violets. So mild. Perfect after a night time shower whilst heading to bed.

So simple, so lovely, so inexpensive. Yet for what it is, it's amazing. Intense-- not subtle--- fruity violet aroma... drying to a powdery quality. It doesn't necessarily smell cheap, I wouldn't say. It's reminding me less of CHOWARD'S lozenges, and more like the hair of my sister's LIDDLE KIDDLE dollies in 1969. It's not dessert-sweet like Guerlain INSOLENCE, and it's unisex... not nearly as girly/pretty as Borsari VIOLETTA DI PARMA. Not listed above, but I almost get supporting phantom nuances of sweet orange and banana around the edges of this number, and as Coriemulvey writes, below, a hint of tropical mimosa. A superb way to get your "violets" fix at a low, low price. The bottle's label says it's from Miami, Florida, and I understand this winsome scent has been a favorite of Cuban men and women for many years. Super for babies. A wonderful way to scent your sheets on a hot summer's night. The purple jus is very potent indeed... I may even consider diluting it with water a bit. Available from a number of outlets online.

This absolutely smells just like the Chowards candies as everyone is saying. Like if you crushed one up and dissolved it in water and sprayed yourself. But I LOVE it. It also does give off a vintage lipstick vibe and I adore that as well. I’m in search of the perfect vintage lipstick scent, and while there are a few I want to try, I really can’t afford any of them. Well... this was $13 on Amazon. And I layer it with H&M’s Lipstick which was $6 so for under $20 my lipstick scent cravings are satisfied. I use this as a layering fragrance quite a bit. Sillage is actually strong for me, but longevity is poor. Just such a pretty scent. If you love violet, this is necessary for you to have in your wardrobe, and very affordable.

I ordered this based on the reviews on Amazon, Ebay and of course...Fragrantica. I plan to use it for layering with other colognes to impart the VIOLET scent that I love that is absent from many of the softer colognes that I like to use. 24AUG21 Results: This isn't going to work...after 45-60 minutes the violet note disappears completely and leaves just a baby powder scent behind. I will have to find some Violet extract/oil if I'm going to have a layerable base for experimenting... Rats... 07SEP21 This doesn't last at all... Put some in a spray bottle, sprayed it on...within 2 hours nothing but powdery scent. I now use it as a car fragrance until I find something stronger...

A great way to get your violet fix for very little. Hardly any longevity, and very little sillage, but for less than $8 for a large bottle I was not expecting much. Initial violet opening dissipates quickly leaving a baby powder smell rather than a chypre, but this splash was designed for babies. A great way to freshen up a musty closet, a linen cupboard or to fill a pretty atomizer that has been languishing empty for some time. Decant The purple liquid looks like a magical potion!

this is a nostalgic scent for me as its the perfume my grandmother and aunt used to douse me with as a child. when i got to my 20's i returned to the scent. it can be overwhelmingly floral, but i love the memories it evokes.

Violets are a Cuban and East-Coast Latin American thing. I own both Agustín Reyes's Royal Violets and now also Violetas Francesas's cologne by the Affa Corporation, located in Miami, and both are manna for violet lovers. Judging from the way the boxes are printed, only the former sells internationally, while the latter appears limited to the Americas (much shorter, non-IFRA compliant ingredients list). "AFFA" stands for the Alfonso Family, which immigrated from Cuba in 1974 so Fermín Alfonso could create his violet cologne for babies. This story closely matches Agustín Reyes's. Of the two fragrances, I prefer Violetas Francesas. Royal Violets is very good, and I've used a fair bit of it, but it takes the gasoline approach to the little purple flowers, and a little goes a long way. Affa Corp.'s formula is sweeter and a bit candied, only a little gassy, and ends on a more pleasant powdery accord, reminiscent of baby powder. The company asserts that its own "Baby Formula" cologne (which bears the disturbing image of an infant girl wearing a brassiere) is even simpler and shorter-lived, while the "Adult Formula" above is the longest-lasting, and I get maybe thirty minutes of soft powder from it with generous application, so I can't argue. That's all I expect from a cheap cologne. What does Violetas Francesas remind me most of? This is going to bug you, but it's the truth, and heck, I own and wear a bottle, so I should know -- Creed's Love in Black. It's like they took the opening accord of LiB, watered it down tenfold, called it a cologne. Virtually identical violet materials, and it makes me question my life choices.

I was seeking an example of old-fashioned violet water, and came upon this oddity. It possesses the traditional scent with a fairly faithful, though clearly exaggerated, violet note. Of course, this is a very cheap product, but it's sweetly nostalgic scent is a joy to smell, being so evocative of times past, ...and now it's an unusual curiosity that one would do well to educate his or her nose with. It comes in a simple glass bottle with a press-top cap (!) which I've hardly ever seen used for a cologne. I recommend ingnoring the 'press' and still unscrewing the cap instead. It is also dyed a lurid hue of bright purple. In the past, I recall violet water more often being dyed green. Just to pragmatically avoid staining, I'd rather have perfumes made with no unnecessary dyes. (...and then again, Serge Lutens also chooses to dye scents luridly, so there is that) Also, the label and box are both decorated with violet-colored flowers that are not even close to true violets... It looks like Anemone or Hepatica in the Buttercup Family on the label, and perhaps a Bellflower (Campanula sp.) on the box. Interestingly, the most common ersatz violet, the African Violet (Streptocarpus spp., formerly Saintpaulia) is not shown.

This is my favorite violet perfume, my go to scent for relaxation. The baby version has a more prominent powdery note on dry down. This is meant to be a splash cologne, to soothe a baby's discomfort, or an adult's frayed nerves. People often wear it in their hair. It lasts much longer on fabric than skin. One way i use it is to splash my scrunchie and put some behind my ears. I throw a little on the bedroom carpets and blankets before sleeping. I find myself craving the comforting scent of violets more these days, i feel protected with this scent. I used to buy a huge pot of violets for my living room every summer. At night, the smell would bloom and put me to sleep quickly. Although the scent of violet is fleeting, it fills up its moment like a meditation

If you like violettes you need to give this cheapy an opportunity. The violette note here is very similar to Molinard's and Insolence. It has a low price but smells amazing! It lasted a long time on my skin, at least 6-7 hours. Soft violet cloud of beauty. Don't put too much, I noted that I almost triggered a headache using too much of it. Love this stuff!

Beautiful scent. Pure and light, exactly what I need after a stressful day. This is mostly used as baby cologne, but anybody who likes violets scent can enjoy it.

This is the perfect dupe to le’artisans mimosa pour moi! I love this and I’m so glad it’s inexpensive!

love it! reminds me of the smell of lipstick.