The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

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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…

frenchcancanWHAT 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!

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


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Chypre Mousse by Maison Oriza L. Legrand

chypre-mousse0WHAT I SMELL:  Chypre Mousse opens with a moistened mushroomed note mixed with dirt and earth.  There’s an undercurrent of mint, but overall the earthiness reigns as it smells like you just unearthed the fresh moss from the forest.  After around five minutes the greener aspects of Chypre Mousse move aside for a dryer sage and oak moss, yet there still remains an undercurrent of mint and it’s moving more towards spearmint.  The fragrance starts to dull (when I mean dull, I don’t mean that it’s boring, I mean that it begins to flatten) and moves toward a layer of minty earth that is being dried by peaks of the sun.  After around 20 minute or so, a slight tobacco note comes into play adding to the drying effect.  Moving along, the tobacco note seems to become a bit sweeter and a bit more balmy and at this point the fragrance begins to hug your skin.  In the end Chypre Mousse becomes a faintly mintish and rather herbaceous earthy fragrance that has some surprising longevity and projection.

From the Maison Oriza L. Legrand website:

After the first rainfall in September nature exude scents of humus, peat and wetland.
This is the time for a promenade in the woods to enjoy the freshness after the heat of summer.
Autumn encourages us to contemplate, to observate nature that gently prepares us for the coming winter and its frostbite.
The mossy paths, precious jewels of the undergrowth, are brightened by the last rays of sun.
Cyprus-Moss evokes in us our surrounding nature which soon will be covered by the first fall of snow.
Smell of damp undergrowth of scorched leaves and the scent of moss before picking mushrooms and chestnuts.
Chypre-Mousse, a Fragrance of the House Oriza L. Legrand launched in 1914 for the dandies of this world!
Top Notes tonic & balsamic: Wild mint, clary sage, wild fennel & green shoots.
 
Heart notes aromatic & flowing properties: Oakmoss, Galbanum, Angelica, fern, wild clover, Mastic & Violet leaves.
 
Backgrounds Notes mossy  & leathery: Vetiver, Pine Needles, Oak Moss, Mushroom fresh Humus, Roasted Chestnut Leather, labdanum & Balms.

Medieval Apothecary

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: What I envision a medieval perfume would smell like from the local apothecary; herbaceous and earthy.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE CHYPRE MOUSSE:  ancient, earthy, medicinal

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CHYPRE MOUSSE: Kafkaseque, The Silver Fox, The Alembicated Genie

BOTTOM LINE:  I could not wait to get my hands on this when the wonderful Kafkaseque sent me a sample.  I am a sucker for a chypre and I knew that I would love this too.  How surprised I was when I found this to be interesting, but not something that I would ever wear.  In fact, after putting some on and starting my review, I went to the gym and found that the fragrance mixed my body heat magnified the medicinal qualities of the fragrance almost making me nauseous.  I was trying to figure out what was in the composition that was bothering me the most and I found that here is a tinge of a “Ben Gay” in Chypre Mousse that really is off-putting.  I will say thought that I LOVE that bottle!


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Grand Cuir by Parfums Retro

GrandCuirWHAT I SMELL:  Grand Cuir opens with a citrus like orange blossom twist.  It’s not what I was expecting as it’s not to heavy and there’s something rather salty, and tangy about the finish.  I’m not quite sure what it is, but there is something here that reminds me of 1968 and going to the barber shop where the combination of sweat, oil and Brylcreem and dirt seemed to permeate the shop.  Soon enough a slight soap makes an appearance along with this dryish birch and light petroleum note.  After around 20 minutes or so, the florals come to surface and help to warm the fragrance, helping to even out the sharper tones of the opening.  Then after a little more time, a bit of spice comes to play, but it peeks in an out rather than comes to the forefront.  What I like about this fragrance is that Grand Cuir’s note are completely harmonic and therefore, none of the notes tends to dominate although you are always acutely aware that this is a leather fragrance.  In the end, you’re left with a long-lasting fragrance that rides evenly and comfortably on your skin.  There is something very nostalgic about Grand Cuir that I find appealing where it feels a bit forbidden, but at the same time by today’s standards comes off as rather innocent.

From Parfums Retro:

A fragrant composition in four parts:

  • A leather soul from start to finish
  • Spicy and herbaceous accents
  • A multi-dimentional floral heart
  • A comfortabel, relaxed base.

Grand Cuir Notes:

Cistus-labdanum, birch tar, clary sage, orange flower, lavender, carnation, rose, violet leaf, geranium, cinnamon leaf oil, tarragon, pine moss, sandalwood, rosewood, patchouli, musk, rosewood

vintagemanwithcarWHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  I keep going back to the 1960s.  It’s manly without being brutish and it’s comfortable without being sloppy.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE GRAND CUIR:  nostalgic, easy, vintage

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GRAND CUIR:  Kafkaesque, Scents Memory, Perfume Project NW

BOTTOM LINE:  As many of you know, leather is not one of my favorite notes. Grand Cuir is about as close to changing my mind that I have found.  The leather isn’t hard, but instead is just slightly naughty…in a nostalgic way.  I have noted that a couple of bloggers have named Grand Cuir on their “best of 2013” lists, including Kafkaesque and Eyeliner on a Cat, so I recommend that if you like leather fragrances (and even if you don’t), that you check Grand Cuir out!

  • Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
  • Scent: Leather
  • Nose:  Hugh Spencer
  • Classification:  Leans masculine
  • Expense:  $155 for 100ml EdP

Disclosure:  Product for review provided courtesy of Parfums Retro.