Caron | The Scented Hound

February 23, 2014
by The Scented Hound 8 Comments

New Release: Nocturnes (2013) by Caron

This review is based on the 2013 Nocturnes release that is part of the Caron La Selection collection of fragrances.

WHAT I SMELL: Nocturnes opens bright and beautiful and very similar to one of my all time favorites, Givenchy Ysatis. It’s bold with florals highlighted by gorgeous ylang-ylang and warmed rose with hints of pepper; although this is perfectly blended so that notes are hard to distinguish on their own. Soon enough the Ysatis like boldness upon first application starts to retreat and you start noticing the tuberose a bit more. But it’s a soft tuberose and one that’s rather comforting and pretty. The fragrance doesn’t change much after this except that the vetiver woodiness becomes more prominent. Nocturnes is pretty, close to the skin and an overall lovely surprise.

Nocturnes Notes: Top notes are orange, rose and neroli; middle notes are jasmine, tuberose and ylang-ylang; base notes are sandalwood, vetiver and musk.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A lilting melody.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE NOCTURNES: uncomplicated, pretty, endearing

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT NOCTURNES: Perfume Shrine. I can only find additional reviews for the older version of the fragrance.

BOTTOM LINE: I can’t say how this compares to the older version of the fragrance, but this is really quite pretty, but nothing groundbreaking. Nocturnes is the perfect fragrance for when you just want to feel content and happy as there’s nothing dark about this at all. It would be perfect for the office, or running errands in your jeans. I have read some complaints about the new Caron bottles that are part of the La Selection collection where people thought that the bottles were too boring and masculine. I think they’re better in person than in pictures. They’re simply designed, heavy in weight and the cap is magnetized so that it won’t fall off of the bottle. For me, the new bottles definitely work!

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral Woody Musk
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $126 for 100ml EdP

February 11, 2014
by The Scented Hound 17 Comments

Vintage Review – Caron Infini

WHAT I SMELL: Infini goes on thick to the skin with a layered sheen, it opens quickly with aldehydes and then warms with a wonderful almost cinnamon like sandalwood. It’s rich and round with jasmine in the foreground, followed closely by a non-waxy tuberose (thankfully). This is big floral that’s slightly animalic, and the kind of perfume that makes me infinitely happy as it’s a woman’s perfume that’s unapologetic in its pomp. After around 10 minutes, the fragrance begins to lighten just slightly and it retreats to become a bit softer, a tad bit soapy with just an ever so slight hint of oakmoss. However, the gorgeous warm florals remain front and center. Infini doesn’t develop much which is fine because it doesn’t have to. It’s beautiful enough as it is.

From Fragrantica:

Infini by Caron was created in 1912 but In 1970, the perfume was reformulated. To echo and reflect the rhythm, futurism and speed of the early 70’s, Caron created a completely, original, revolutionary aroma with a base of tuberose, hyacinth and lily of the valley, all composed with notes of vetyver and sandalwood. Since it was the era of astronauts, the perfume was baptized “Infini” in honor of outer space. Its bottle, an asymmetrical sculpture designed by Serge Mansau, is hollowed out in the middle and is inspired by the mathematical sign for infinity.

A slight variation from Fragrantica, Yesterday’s Perfume posts the notes as:

Top notes: Aldehyde complex, bergamot, peach, neroli, coriander

Heart notes: Rose centifolia, jasmine, lily of the valley, orris, ylang-ylang, carnation

Base notes: Sandalwood, vetiver, ambrein, tonka, musk, civet

A napping cat in the sun…very warm and happy.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: I’m not getting the outer space connection besides the bottle design because this feels incredibly classic rather than futuristic….so I’ll bypass that analogy. Instead, Infini makes me feel “warm and happy.” And don’t get the wrong impression from the picture, this is about as sophisticated and beautiful floral feminine fragrance that is geared to the mature woman that you can get. But to me, it makes me “warm and happy!”

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE INFINI: warm, substantial, elegant

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT INFINI: The Black Narcissus, Yesterday’s Perfume, Australian Perfume Junkies

BOTTOM LINE: This is another Caron beauty that I have fallen in love with. Again though, like with the other Caron’s I have tried, the lasting power could be a bit longer. Oh well, that means I’ll just have to use more.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral Aldehyde
Nose: Gerard Lefortis
Classification: Feminine
Expense: Review based on Parfum Extrait. Various prices and vintage concentrations can be found on eBay and through other sources.

January 21, 2014
by The Scented Hound 14 Comments

French Cancan by Caron

It’s cold and wintry outside and I just am wishing that I was back in Mexico basking in the sun. Well that may not be possible, but at least I can be inside basking in the glow of a beautiful fragrance. So in my 2 Year Anniversary Post, I mentioned that it seems that 2014 is going to be the “Year of the Woman” and that I have been leaning towards some lovely traditional floral scents. For some reason, the perfume gods were calling me towards a blind buy purchase of Caron’s French Cancan. I’m glad they came calling…

WHAT I SMELL: French Cancan goes on big and rich with an almost honeyed jasmine. It’s deep and warm like a heavy veil that’s made of fine spun silk. After just a short time, the slight powderiness of the fragrance adds a sophisticated gauze to the heady concentration. French Cancan doesn’t morph much and beside the jasmine, the notes are indistinguishable, and some might even say that the jasmine isn’t all that pronounced over the rose and other florals. Finally, towards the end, the warmth settles into the base and there is a bit of spice and dryish oakmoss that peppers up the fragrance to give it a bit of an edge so that’s it not just left as plain and pretty. The only downside to this lovely fragrance is the short life span. My body doesn’t usually eat up fragrances but for some reason this does. I do believe that it may something with Caron fragrances as the same thing happens to me with my beloved Nuit de Noel.

From Luckyscent:

This floral fragrance’s name alone fashioned a traditional image of Paris: Lighthearted and joyful. Created in 1936, this scent is a seducing burst of white flowers.

Notes: Jasmine, lilac, violet, lily of the valley, rose, orange blossom, patchouli, iris, sandalwood, amber and oakmoss

Dottie and Jim are out on the town with Midge and Bob. Dottie is wearing her new perfume, French Cancan. How suburbansophisticated of her!

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: I know that French Cancan should induce images of what it’s named for. To me a fragrance that is titled French Cancan would be over the top and more out of control. This on the other hand reminds me of one of those fragrances that a woman in the 1950s or 1960s would buy because of what the name entails. French Cancan is something a bit bigger, bolder and naughtier for the general housewife, but is still safe enough to wear without causing too much of a ruckus.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE FRENCH CANCAN: pretty, happy, suburbansophisticated

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT FRENCH CANCAN: Bois de Jasmin, The Black Narcissus, Eiderdown Press

BOTTOM LINE: I love it. French Cancan is nothing remarkable or groundbreaking. What it is though is pretty, accessible and just plain fun to wear. Oh, and I love that little perfume bottle oh so much!!!

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Ernest Daltroff
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $100 for 7.5ml Parfum