Narcisse Noir Caron for women

So I've tried it and read the reviews. I don't get evil from this (when did orange become evil??)

I found it quite refreshing and light scent. I do not get "Noir" from this at all. Being a Caron its got its signature "caron-ness" but I don't find this particularly heavy. Musk on me seems to be one of the notes that can disappear first, so that could be why. Its also one of the notes I smelled first from this. Even now, hours later (8 or so) I can smell it but its so far in thee back ground its not even funny.

I get some grass/newly chopped hay smells with the vetyver, and I love the mix of Jasmine and rose with the narcissis. It smells light and airy, almost dewy and moist. In keeping with the theme of freshness, there's also that lovely orange...yum....


I have to say that there are other Carons that are way darker feeling than this.

I am not sure what happens to some of these perfumes that contain jasmine. This has the same effect as Guerlain Jardins' d Bagatelle. It nauseates me. I whish I could like it but on my skin the jasmine drenches every thing.

This is a very nice scent, and I feel that Tania Sanchez' slating of the reformulation is somewhat of an over reaction. This easily compares to any of the other niche frags that I've tried lately ie; Goutal, et al. It is a golden/white floral with a sexy animalic base, which makes it a bit different from the average white floral. Ok, so it's not strange or disturbing but it is sexy and pretty. There's no point in comparing it to what it was. It's a different perfume but a really nice one in its own right.

Narcisse Noir is not for the faint of heart. It's an incredibly rich, deeply orange fragrance. I'll go so far as to say that it smells like freshly shaved orange rind that becomes musky after a couple of hours. The longevity is great. Crank the black velvet out and start casting spells - it certainly embodies black magic!

If someone were to ask me: what is the world most gothic perfume I would say: Caron Narcisse Noir!:)
When I took a sniff I just closed my eyes. I saw the dark church in a stormy night, a woman in heavy velvet dress praying at candlelight...white skin..red lips..humid air..gloomy mood..

Caron Narcisse Noir is an interesting experience for me, I wear this perfum very rarely. I don't have to say it's depents on my mood.I had to be very open minded when I tried it the first time, but I saw the deeply hidden beauty in this scent. The fragrance perfectly catch the mood of the dark,medieval, barbarian feeling.

I'm sorry. This is the scent of evil. It's something munch's vampyr women would wear. *shudder.

To my nose the new Narcisse Noir doesn't smells like the old. So I chased down a bottle of the vintage formulation EdP. Have to handle this with care, its really potent stuff. The moss in this is really moist and out of a dark emerald forest, a perfect partner to the sweet yellow flower. Warm jasmine, juicy orange and woody vetiver give nuances. Its one of a kind scent, a bottle full of poetry about the magic of nature. Nature as in enchanted forests where miracles happen, as opposed to well groomed gardens. EdP: very good lastingpower, medium sillage.

Narcisse Noir eau de toilette is a Powdery-orange scent. Very linear.
The eau de toilette is more fruity than the parfum, which has a richer sandalwood base.

I have the current version of Narcisse Noir as well as some that was made 40 years ago, and I can state with certainty that the rumors of the deaths of the classic Caron perfumes have been greatly exaggerated.

(Current Parfum review)

Earlier this year I sprung for the true vintage, pre-formulated parfum. Honestly, there isn't much out there that is more beautiful than the original Narcisse Noir.

But it can't be found, so I was curious how the modern parfum compared. Here's what happened (figuratively):

Caron went out and removed the statue of David from public viewing. They re-chiseled it and put it back but instead of hiring a master chiseler they chose someone less adept. At some point the tool slipped from his hands and lopped off that famous appendage.

The chiseler went on to give David a puny chest, undefined arms and a fleshy abdomen. He ran out of material in the head region and made up for it by giving a receding hairline.

Thanks Caron, the cost cutting and handling of this inimitable treasure must have made sense to someone.

I just opened a bottle of Narcisse Noir EDT, purchased online. I've bought it previously from other online sources, and before it was available that way I even sprang for some at Harrods, twice, All my former purchases smelled like the original that I've worn for years, but this latest one is a disappointment. Even after dry-down, something major is missing, and I agree with other commenters that it is probably the sandalwood. I've decided to move on and find a new signature fragrance. Who knows? Maybe it was time for a change. But for the moment, I'm sad.

This perfume starts off very sweet, and like it's name, narcissus. It remains sweet, smelling of eau de orange blossom and Indian spices. Too sweet for me and not quite complex enough for my fancy. I can see this fragrance working really well on a young woman in her twenties or thirties who enjoys the indie scene.

I have loved this fragrance (the Perfume) for over 40 years when my grandfather in Japan sent a bottle to my mother. She would hardly ever use it, saving it for special occasions. The first time I went to Paris in 1985, I located The House of Caron, a very enchanting shop. Well, I bought mom and I an ounce, still she saved hers for special occasions. I loved this fragrance and buy it whenever I can. It is truly vintage, it has a divine musk, earthy, a very light floral scent. A little goes a long way and last all day.

The sample that I have must be the newest reformulation of the EdT because I didn’t find anything in it that would justify the name. I tried it three times with the same results. At first it reminds me of cheap Indian incense sticks, and then it dries down into a nondescript floral that does not smell like narcissus, orange blossom, jasmine, or any of the other things that are supposed to be in there. It’s just flat. At the end it fades into a slightly woody floral note, completely unremarkable. Maybe I got a bad sample, or maybe the newest reformulation has completely ruined what used to be a good fragrance. I don’t know. All I know is that this one is going to perfume purgatory.

(Vintage Parfum review, previous review pulled)

Matt Kramer, in 'Making sense of wine', said "Great wines taste like they come from somewhere. Lesser wines taste interchangeable; they could come from anywhere."

This parfum comes from somewhere: Caron, and that will be obvious when you line it up to other orange fragrances and smell the difference. I've worn my sample about 8 times now, developed a taste for it and will be keeping it in my collection.

This is a darker floral, and in parfum form is deep, smooth, luscious and rich.
To date I'd say it is one of the best orange compositions I've tried. The orange is slighty oily with a touch of incense, and does not tip into the sharp, citrus territory. The narcissus is fresh and dewy.

A great fragrance for those who like their wines with a little dust on the bottle.

A member sampled me a reformulated EDT of this. And I like it!

Two thoughts on Narcisse Noir:

1. I am almost positive that my grandmother wore this. I don't remember smelling it on her, per se (although it is familiar to me once it's applied). What I DO remember is: she used to have several teensy weensy miniatures of brandy-coloured perfumes on her vanity. I'd sneak in there, lift the stoppers off the bottles, and sniff away. This scent brought me back to her bedroom instantly.

2. Ivory laundry detergent (which I LOVE!) comes to mind after it has dried down a bit.

This has always had a dry down of honey for me, in both an ancient original bottle and in a new decant. Absolutely top of the list as a favorite, although both Sacre and Poivre are close competitors and distinctly dfferent.

My bottle of Caron's NARCISSE NOIR is clearly the reformulation--I just bought it at parfum1.com (plus my cat, a fully certified civet detector, has not been following me around...). But I go against the grain in liking the reformulation, what to me is a deep, dark, somewhat intense perfume that I can really sink my nose into.

The opening feels like singed flowers--I am assuming that this is the effect of the neroli on the narcissus ('neroli' contains 'noir', after all...). From there, NARCISSE NOIR seems to me like a chypre, not a "sweet and fresh" floral fruity perfume!

In fact, there is no point in my experience of NARCISSE NOIR where I can agree with the aptness of either adjective. Neither fresh, nor sweet, NN is dark and deep. The orange comes in the form of dried, not candied, peel and imparts more of an oriental than a citrus quality.

The singed flowers mingle with vetiver, thick musk, and a touch of sandalwood in the drydown, with excellent longevity in the edt--a good thing, unless one happened to be hoping for something, sweet, fresh, and fruity, as opposed to musky singed velvety flowers.

I think the sample I have must be reformulated, because it's the most linear, insipid, pale little nothing of a scent. It smells like green tea and lemons, soap and orange blossom. Where's the d**n narcissus? I wanted narcissus, with all its hay-in-the-sunshine, dusty-sweet-cat-fur qualities. I am so disappointed.

I don't understand the concept of this reformulation. The only impression I have had is a woman emerging from the ancient times (let's say the 17th or 18th century) suffering incontinence and not liking to have shower on frequent basis. Sorry but this one I wouldn't wear even if I was paid for it. I have never had a chance to try the original version but the reformulation is awful and disastrous. God save us.

i tried the vintage narcisse noir without expectation since i had never seen the notes. even without expectation, i was a little shocked because it smelled like grape faygo on my wrist. it definitely doesnt feel classic or dated. victorias secret could sell it in all seriousness.

In hopes of this potion being as dark and magical as described, I recently (April 2009)bought a very affordably priced bottle.
Bad news: It has been reformulated.
The "New" Narcisse Noir is nothing like the wonderful descriptions given here and in other places that praise it to the heavens, its really REALLY vile Jasmine Soap. No dimension whatsoever, nothing else but essence of cheap, artificially perfumed soap.
I gave it away as quickly as I could to someone who lives in another part of the country.
But I would so love to find a bottle of the original, and am very grateful to Karena for the description of the original bottle.

I am wearing a vintage-so called "original" Narcisse Noir edt...Flat bottle black cap -abstract square figure on bottle, Box is black flat similar motif. I just got it.
I last smelled this scent nearly 30 years ago. TS description("Perfumes the guide") of the old fragrance is spot on.
It had an amazing sense of an age-1920's to 30's swank.
I don't know how old this bottle is -for sure,no 30 years ..at very first a nose clearing blast -let it settle-The scent fades quickly..maybe a ghost of the old NN is in there. God- I would give my eye teeth for a 30 year old sealed bottle!

What can be written about this classic scent?I heard so many opinions on it - some find it stinky, some find it beautiful, but there is one memory of it in common - it is difficult to forget. As many old perfumes, it starts sharp and strong, with overwhelming citrus note, and it takes quite a while before you can feel daffodil at all.When it finally comes to daffodil, it is worth waiting - the warm and feminine jasmine adds charm to this strict victorian old maid of a flower.I can feel rose, but in the very end, supported my vetiver, which adds a fresh spark to the composition.The base is not for cowards - civet scent makes it picante and - what some would call it - stinky.
My favorite of Narcisse Noir is the heart - though the fragrance gives me headache.It`s a very old fashioned daffodil between the pages of an old book of Yeats.