Cristobal Cristobal Balenciaga for women

What can i write about it? I knew this fragrance by description and reviews. A friend of mine gave a decant of it because it's discontinued. Finally by chance i found the last bottle in a shop and i bought it immediately! I ask you why now it's so difficult to find a commercial fragrance so elegant, so sensual, so intoxicating and so special? I love vintages at all!

I love Cristobal so much that I have trouble writing about it. It's sweet, one of the sweetest in my collection, but what a class! I was introduced to it by a Brazilian lady who has it as her signature scent. She is smart and beautiful, and strong-willed. That's Cristobal.

To sarazonoz
I found "Cinnamon Spice Perfume Oil" from The Body Shop to be similar to Cristobal. But it might be only to my nose.

I agree with Anna_gr

I have a mini of the Cristobal. Sahlini La Femme, which I have, is indeed very similar to Cristobal.

It is not spicy on my skin at all. Very mild vanilla, fig and silent patchouli accord. Sillage and longevity is medium.

Oh Gillie, thank you! You gave me Cristobal with your review!

I always liked the smell, but than I never could figure out, when to wear it. It was bold, elegant, feminine, rich and mature. I thought the opera might be the right occasion? But than I see myself always wearing something different. It was strange.

When I read Gilies review, I thought: Bollocks, comfort scent, pah, that is a big expensive night out frag. Cashmere, no, never, pure silk night gown. But for sure, Gillie was right! I sniffed it with her review in mind and it all felt in the right place.

Cristobal is a perfect comfort scent! Since I know that and got it's purpose, I love it dearly. Now I need to stock up, I fear.

The perfume itself is mostly fig and lots of patchouli to me. Creamy vanilla. Smells very expensive. Doesn't develop much.

I had several bottles of this exquisite perfume,my most favourite perfume ever,i would love to be able to buy this again.i still have an empty bottle that i open and smell every now and again.<3

What a pleasure my sister give to me.
She use Cristobal every morning to go to work... and woow, is a unique experience feel my house full of "Cristobal air" everyday.
Great.

I wasn't struck on this when I was handed the sprayed card at first, I put it into my bag and forgot about it. Later when I opened my bag, this magical perfume woke me up and made me very happy. I went straight back to the shop and bought myself a bottle and since then (1999) it's become my signature scent. It's such a smooth fragrance that it's difficult to know where one component begins and another one ends. An almost creamy vanilla is present throughout. It's so different to every other perfume I've ever encountered and for me, it's perfect. I'm going very slowly on my bottle now, it's been discontinued and I never want to run out.

I am utterly addicted to this juice but cannot find it anywhere in my country. Always look for it when I travel, never succeed in finding this masterpiece. It is such a gem of a perfume! Please, does anyone know of a perfume that smells quite similar to Cristobal? I tried YSL's Cinema but it was just way too sweet with vanilla, although I can detect something in there that reminds me of the heavenly Balenciaga. So, if anyone comes across a similar scent, please please please let me know! Thank you fellow fragrance junkies XX

Thank you Gillie for including this in our fabulous swap!

On my skin the EDT opens with not just the scent of fig leaves but also with something akin to sweet fig jam. The heart is dominated by peony and a clearly discernible note of freesia supported by vanilla which grows stronger as it dries. The dry down is very reminiscent of Donna Karen's Cashmere Mist with a touch of camphorized patchouli.

Sillage: average
Lasts: approximately 4 hours
Overall rating and feel: 6/10, casual and comfy
Recommended for: everyday use by anyone who likes DK's Cashmere Mist but doesn't want to stray too far away from that vibe.

EDT:

This warm, soft fragrance opens with the rich coconut scent of fig leaves and something that is redolent of dried fruit. For me, there is nothing crisp here: I don't pick up any citrus bergamot or spicy carnation at all.
The rosy peony emerges in the middle, but this is not a predominantly fresh or floral scent, as the warm vanilla and sandalwood basenotes take the stage, with just a little patchouli. Although musk is not listed, it seems to be there.
When my husband sniffed my wrist he guessed that it was a Guerlain, I think because of the powdery vanilla drydown.
I would call this a comfort scent, not edgy, not green. Although it has a promising richness in the beginning, the ending is not terribly elegant, more soft and hazy. If you are looking for one of those fragrances that make you feel wrapped in a cashmere blanket--this would be for you.

Sillage: gentle, but present
Lasting: on me: about 5 hours

I love this I need to get a large bottle of this.

I have one word for it- Gorgeous! I am sooo in love with it. Very long lasting too....I put it on 6 hours ago and it is still just as intense.

It's got figleaf, jasmine and patchouli in it. . . how could I not want to try it. I read some reviews, tried a sample then made a mad dash to try and find a reasonable buy online. Fortunately found a bottle on Ebay and a few minis. This is a little slice of heaven. The sweetness of the figleaf and jasmine keep the bergamont from making this too much like an herbal
garden, reminding me of a peppery sweet aftershave. The sandalwood and vanilla make for a wellrounded drydown that seems to start around the middle note. This could be worn comfortably, I believe, by both sexes without compromise. What a creamy vanilla note at the end. This has made my top 5 list.

If you like this one, try "La Femme" by Sahlini, I find it to be very similar but even better...

I really liked a lot Cristobal : it's a bit spicy, a bit warm, a bit seductive and the floral scents are present. But it's too elegant for me : it's better for mature women, who are wearing ladies tailors every day, who have class from morning to evening. I'm too "caual" and "modern" for this perfume, which is a good one.

I received a sample of this and was eager to try it. On my skin the florals come through much more strongly than the oriental aspects. I also get a whiff of aldehydes. Maybe it's just my skin! But, this was not oriental or spicy enough for me. Still, it's a nice scent; just not what I was expecting.

The opening of Cristobal is one of the most beautiful I have ever come across-bergamot and carnation and fig? I'm not real familiar with fig but if this is it, I am hooked!

Cristobal has a spiciness to it that must come from that spicy little flower, carnation. It is deliciously smooth with a really classy vanilla base-in other words, it's vanilla but it doesn't scream VANILLA. The patchouli is almost non-existent on my skin, showing up only faintly in the tail end, which is fine by me since we don't always get along. Here it adds an earthy dimension to the sweetness in the drydown.

All in all, this is a very sophisticated and classy autumn scent. A real wrist-sniffer.

The sillage is moderate and longevity is good, lasting about 4-5 hours. Although I wish that beautiful opening could last forever!

Jennifer Lopez once said: "i judge people not by how they dress but how they smell."

I wonder what Ms. Lopez would think of Cristobal. I've worn this a few times before reviewing, because this is one that took awhile for me to 'feel'.

On my chemistry, from start to finish, this is a 'crackling vanilla'. I don't know where the edgy kick is coming from, carnation? I would expect to see some spice notes listed. The dry down is THE reason to wear this fragrance.

While I can't speak for J-Lo, if I came across someone wearing this here is what I would think: Refinement. Sophistication. Sensual. Someone who can sift through a storm to find the eye; order the chaos to create the beauty; smell the rose when there is no stopping.

A powerful, focusing perfume.

I have been in love with Cristobal for a long time now. I am pulling my hair out as I cannot find the EDP version anymore :-(
It is one of the most wonderfully created perfume I have ever smelled!
The notes tickle my nose and wake my imagination up from the very first spritz! It is one of the fragrances that are not easy to describe...
I think that the photograph of the model (the one on the top of the page) wrapped in silky, cool, royal fabric is just what Cristobal makes you feel when you wear it...
Greeny-oriental-floral-smooth, the fragrance leads you through all olfactory experiences as it beautifully dries down...
There are not many fragrances that make me go mmmmmmmmmmm while I close my eyes...
Cristobal is one of them :-)
Highly recommended whatever your olfactory preference is!

Love this! So warm & sweet. But not too sweet, it's not cloying like similar fragrances tend to be. For me, this is a more floral & refreshing version of "Cinema" by Yves Saint Laurent, with the sambac jasmine note and nice ambery base. I don't feel it's as formal as the YSL's fragrance, though; I would save Cinema for more special occasions during the evening hours, whereas Cristobal has a more casual air, an all-year-round signature type of an aroma & to me is actually a prettier scent. I love the fact that it contains a beautiful blend of white floral notes (my favorite)& fig leaf which keep it smelling light & fresh enough for me to wear for me during the daytime or at the office. It is one of the fresher orientals I have ever had the pleasure of sniffing, besides Lacoste Femme, which is a sporty, clean floriental, but with a short longevity on my skin. This scent reminds me of Gabriela Sabatini (original), which I adore, except Cristobal has a lot more sillage & WAY more lasting power! It's luxurious & perfect for those who like lighter orientals that are gently sweet and lovely fresh, floral notes. This has a real sparkling, effervescent quality to it, much like drinking nice champagne. It is a real pity they discontinued this. It is very classy & pretty. Highly recommend, if you can get your hands on a bottle w/out paying through your nose.

*By the way, also smells rather "french" to my olfactory sensibilities. So if your nose is a francophile like mine & you like some of the notes in this, get a sample or mini at least, you will not regret it.

This was a testing of another of my old minis, back from the time when it first came out. I think I acquired it by chance, as part of a coffret assortment. I don’t recall ever wearing it very much. Cristobal is one of those perfumes where the notes blend together so smoothly and completely that it’s hard to identify individual ones. It starts out sparkly, a little green, a little aldehydic, and a little floral, but quickly settles into a soft, sweet, powdery vanilla and pretty much stays that way until the end. It’s not a foody vanilla, but instead has the feel of a generic upscale designer perfume, the vanilla boosted by unidentifiable synthetics, the sort of thing that would be worn by women who have time to go out for coffee in the afternoon and shop at expensive boutiques. It has mega-sillage and lasts the better part of a day. This probably sounds awful, but I like the perfume. It just needs to be applied with great restraint.

It'a dream,it's heaven,it's love!
BUT I cannot find it anymore!

I had a devil of a time finding Cristobal. The harder it got the more determined I was to find it, like a hidden treasure. Zilch success on the internet, but a small perfume vendor in the middle of the mall had one bottle. He swears it is very popular in Europe, but if Macy's doesn't sell a frag. it doesn't move. See SANDRAS's review, says it all. It is autumny as I hoped, perfect for what it is, an oriental with some mellowing vanilla underneath.

Definitely the best fragrance i have ever used. Love to use it in any occasion. So feminine and elegant it has a presence. I just love it.

Warm, creamy, sweetness. Carnation? Can't smell it whatsoever. I do smell patchouli, sandalwood and vanilla. Cristobal becomes quite sweet on me after the dry-down, and I find it yummy and lovely in the cooler weather. I think that I would not tolerate it well in warmer temps though.

This is not an easy one for me. It resemles a little bit to YSL Cinema, but Cinema is softer, and seems to be a younger, more playful version of Cristobal. cristobal is bold, flovery at first, and then it turns into a heavy vanilla-base. It is expensive-smellng, and beautiful, long-lasting, but on my skin it doesn't show all it's beauty, but after the first 10 minutes only the strong vanilla left.

I am fully and completely IN LOVE with this perfume!I love the bottle,it's so elegant and the scent it's just perfect! I received it as a gift years ago and since then it's my favourite perfume of all times.
I want to have it again,but unfortunetly I can't find it anywhere.
Actually I can't seem to find any Balenciaga product in my country. :(

OK.I have had this perfume 12 years ago...but it was pure perfume, not eau....and im not able to find him anywhere since 1998...i live in croatia...if anyone knows where can i buy CRISTOBAL pure perfume, please let me know...

Hmmm, I don't get the hype about this one.

It's a strong, sweet non-descript scent. Plus, there is a note or combination of notes that smells really artificial on my skin. Reminds me of the bombastic category of scents that were released in the 1980's, but not as good.

This starts off bright, slightly green (I'm assuming from the fig), and sparkly. The bergamot definitely shows off at the beginning, but is quickly tamed by the powdery carnation. The floral notes don't stand out individually on me, but they add a lovely, feminine blend that definitely appeals to me and others around me. The sandalwood-patchouli combo arrives rather quickly. I'd say they decided to show up when the flowers did, but took their time to open up completely. By then, the vanilla appears---keeping the woodsy notes from strangling the others & the wearer---adding a tender touch of sweetness---never turning this into an Oriental-Vanilla. The drydown consists mostly of a woodsy-musky aroma on my skin, with just a hint of sweetness. On some days, I might prefer a bit more vanilla, but most days I think the dry down is rather sexy & elegant. From a passionately flirty beginning, to a tamed vixen of a dry-down....I like it a lot. 3 sprays (on skin & clothes) lasted most of the day on me. The wafts of Cristobal were wonderful!

This is so pleasant, sensual and nice that I can´t imaging anyone not liking it. It´s sweet, creamy, and so full-bodied it´s hard to figure out how so much rich, luxurious and enjoyable scent can get room in just one perfume? Well, it can and without being to much that is.

I think it´s really suitable to wear during autumn and winter, but maybe a little to much during the warmer months.

Almost covered by warm, oriental and golden aromas there is something cool and sparkling hiding. This make the perfume a little more interesting, even tough Cristobal is all about being non-edgy. It´s pretty much the opposite, and that is of course nice. Maybe just a little to nice... I really enjoy it, but maybe it lack some personality. Not really reminding of some other perfume, but still not really standing out in a crowd.

A perfume to wear when you´re looking for sensual, embracing comfort. Not much could beat it in that genre.

Longlasting and huge sillage.

Pleasant, full of imaginary flavours like coffee, whisky, cream, pepper, chocolate.
The peony-freesia-jasmine theme, clears the air and keeps the scent elegant rather than childishly gourmand.
Vanilla and sandalwood seal the deal quickly.
A round scent in a bottle made for royalties. Not a signature scent though.

I found the opening of this fragrance to be absolutely gorgeous. The fig, bergamot and flowers blend together beautifully. However, the drydown is far too sweet and strongly vanillic for me. It's extremely long-lasting, but I would only recommend it for colder days.

At first this was like a sweet fizzy drink like creamy soda, with a hint of pepper, although i know thats not in the notes. Very soon the vanilla/patch/sandal base comes out and for me anyway, is the main course of this dish. I smell some figgy sweetness as well and that fizzy effect from the start is there faintly. I love vanillas so I enjoy this, however I was expecting something slightly more unique or amazing, probably because of the name, but this is quite generic. it reminds me of L'or de Torrente or Flowerbomb.

I got a bottle today...bought it without testing. It is GOOD.The sweetness, the bitterness....the breeze of fresh peonie - everything is very well balanced. There is a delicious cherry note, kind of like in Samsara - thick, gooey cherry jam! Vanilla is elegant and not synthetic - just like vanilla dried beans, no less.

This fragrance will be loved by the fans of sweet fragrances - Hanae Mori, Tempore Donna, Samsara, Paul Smith London.May be it is not a breathtaking fragrance and probably not a Balenciaga masterpiece, - but it`s very feminine and will make you feel the same.

Perfect

I love it,very good combination of vanilla and patchouli.Sexy and soficticated.I will buy it again..

I am not big on oriental scents but that one is very nice, fresh, classy..the vanilla is what remains on me, it isnt an unplesant scent..if you truly like vanilla..light and feminine..just not for me!

Rich Scent! Love it, would really enjoy a FB of this. It is something that could be worn everyday and though it's not complex it's truely a star in it's own way. I get vanilla and patchouli on my skin..

First of all the bottle is adorable. The fragrance itself is like a champagne, gold and fizzy, rich in aromas. I like SandraS' description about it. I know that there isn't besides the notes, but I taste quince in it.

I was a bit disappointed with this one. Yes, Cristobal has its good qualities, and it doesn't smell at all bad .... but I'm getting way too much Eau de Cream Soda upon application. On my skin, it really smells like I've spilled a fizzy drink all over me. I feel that this fragrance does not do the beautiful bottle justice and it just lacks that "Wow" factor that I'm looking for in a perfume.

to smell this perfume is like taking a walk in the park on cold fall days. The scent of crisp cold air mixed with dry leaves and dry fruits. Sharp at first, like a cold wind, it dries and softens to a warm spicy scent. When i wear it I always imagine coming home to a blazing fire, after a walk. As others said, its a classy perfume and stands on its own. It does make a statment.

I was given a very small sample bottle of this perfume years ago, from that day it became my favorite perfume of all time, it took me at least 8 years to find it on the high street, so if you find it buy it! this perfume is rare to buy in the UK... I love it and always will, it has a very sexy scent and you don't need much as it lasts and lasts, every man I have met always say that I smell lovely... enjoy

Definitely a classic worth knowing. I like the top notes which blend beautifully. After that it develops poorly getting dull and excruciatingly sweet (at least on my skin).

My first and most incredible scent. I love it till now, because of taste of dreamy Autumn flowers blooming - of which it gets me the reminescence still:) It has a very strong romantic blush of blooming flowers bouquet, mixed with sweet and weighed to the proportion vanilla spice. It reveals it's beauty in the moist and soft Autumn air most, when you get the first chilles and there the first traces of frost appear. It gives very feminine and a bit melancholic, yet sweet and pleasent taste. I loved it for my daily wear, and it gave me the most pleasure while wearing it on my skin and sensing it... Felt like extension of myself.

Sweet and elegant flowery fragrance, that's what Cristobal is for my nose. I use it when wearing business clothes, luv it!

The sandalwood, patchouli and vanilla base is too flat and gloomy.

class!

I'm in love with the bottle, one of the most elegant and beautiful ones I've ever seen. On the other hand, the fragrance seems to be very sharp: beautiful notes it has, but a somewhat agressive vanilla scent is all I can smell after a few minutes:(

This is my favourite perfume of all time.
It just makes me feel so at one with myself. I hope it is always available!