Knowing Estée Lauder for women

This is a chyphre that I think Bernard Chant would have liked. It plays on the same wonderful woody base, moss, patchouli and flowers that are found in Aromatics Elixir. Needs careful application and lasts over 12 hours on me. When applied with reverance and a minimal dosage it is a lovely rounded fragrance. Unlike AE the rose peaks her head out shyly and if recognisable as a single note amongst the heady background. Wonderful.

It is said that this perfume was created by the incredible Mrs LAuder herself...she was inspired by the floral breeze she got on her balcony while on an exotic vacation and wanted to bottle the delicious scent....I can't tell you how impressive this perfume is! I tested this once before and I sprayed too much on and totally destroyed the effect! One spray, preferably fanned on is the ONLY way to go with this beautiful perfume.....with one spray you achieve the desired effect of the "whisper"of the flower that this was inspired by. It smells almost like a heady violet with rose.....like this amazing perfumy flower growing in a wet forest with sunshine and sea in the distance. It's very earthy yet you detect the lushness. I love this!,this is very elegant. It has a punch to it. I can't see anyone under 30 wearing this at all.....maybe even 35.its very confident and very mature. This scent weaves in and out of the air around you and has the best scillage I've ever seen. It is quite heady. It's defonately one for the evening. Though i will wear it to work as well in the late afternoons. This perfume is a work of art. It has such confidence and strength. It's very much in the space around you. It's not bashful. It has a purpose. I think men whoike perfume would really like this as its very feminine and its a sweet woody floral. Very perfumy. Again.one squirt. That's it. Another magnificent kaiser creation. This and sensuous are my faves.

I love it, will love it and will always love it! It's the best perfume that ever suited my skin in an unbelievable way!

Bought it blindly a while back because it had everything I like in it - mistake - doesn't do well on my skin, gave it to my dear friend and on her it's a sophisticated and loud and sexy and wise and calling for appreciation and respect

A new review on an old scent....well not that old. I have recently repurchased after 20 plus years. I caught a whiff on a lady recently and I thought I was so clever and said are you wearing Agent Provocoteur? To which she replied, no it's Knowing. The dry downs obviously share something in common. I remember how much I loved this scent. What a beautiful, rich powerhouse this is. It evokes the many memories of my twenties in the early 90's when I wanted to be so grown up. There is something slightly different, or lesser I detect in this bottle then the one I owned many years ago. I still get the spices, patchouli and the cat, but the meow is not the same. It still has the lasting power and a very warm amber dry down which I love. When I think of the fact I bought this way back then I must have been all knowing.... LOL

Tacky bottle, but great smell.
I think this will be my Kouros replacement once Kouros is empty.
I think they are siblings.

I like this one very much. Not in the least sorry to have bought this Christmas present for myself today!

Rich and plush, warm and intelligent, very sophisticated, drying down into a lovely, lasting powder. Not too sweet, but with enough rose to take the bitter edge off that lovely, luscious, dark chypre. Yes, I really, REALLY like this one.

Knowing is very strong with powerful sillage, well blended and lasting; just a touch, here and there, will do the job wonderfully. This is a very adult fragrance, for a woman who knows her mind and is in control of her destiny...womanly, but with a sense of her own worth.

This will become one of my favorites.

Maybe it's me, and just a few others, on noticing the change/reformulation of this perfume. I've just read so many rave reviews of the dark hypnotic-like intensity of this perfume, and I, as a long-time on and off wearer of Knowing, don't get it. I don't find it dark and mysterious at all. I find it more earthy and herbal, and the patchouli seems to have been toned down from years past years. It used to start with deep, crisp and delicious notes of orange, sandalwood and patchouli. Now I think it's too mossy, and tends to have a sour note in it. Maybe it's just my body chemistry change over the years, but I'm disappointed. The Estee Lauder reformulations are a disappointment to me.

I can't add much to the reviews already here. Knowing is SO MUCH perfume -- so much rose, so much moss, so much animal, so many notes undetectable in themselves but building a plush billowy cushion of scent. It's dry and dark and not sweet at all, but it doesn't smell dull or austere the way that, for instance, Midnight Poison (another "dark" unsweet rose) does to me. It's a velvet-lined perfume.

I own a tiny mini and the stopper can dispense tiny little beads of perfume -- and that is all you need. It is almost impossible to avoid over-applying Knowing. Even with the microscopic dabs I use, I'm afraid I can be smelt by satellites in low-earth orbit. I can't imagine spraying this stuff on!

Imagine walking into my drugstore that time forgot and finding a vintage bottle of Knowing EPD. This is the only Estee Lauder in my collection so far and one of the most powereful chypres of all time. Yes, it is big, bold and spraying more than a drop is overwhelming.

It reminds me of Patou's Joy only more darker and seductive. It is Jean Kerleo's Magnum Opus. There were no rules in place in 1988 and the aldehydes, oakmoss and civet are prominent. The dry and dramatic rose sits in the middle of this bottle of dark treasures.

Its as nocturnal as La Nuit.Its hypnotic "Bela Lugosi as Dracula" like seduction. Its is "come hither" potion that is rare enough to find. Its is perfect for the gothic red wine crowd who likes lots of black eyeliner. As a man I find Knowing comfortable enough to wear in public. Especially after the flowers quiet down. Its not that far from Actuer or Antaeus.

Another 'excessive 80's' fragrance and boy oh boy I was an absolute masochist for this one! One of the strongest fragrances I've ever smelled, I used to love wearing it, but grew out of it (and had a few headaches, but I still loved wearing it!). You only need the tiniest drop of this pungent potion to set your day alight! It is most definitely a deadly weapon in one's sexy arsenal one might say! A double dose of patchouli in it too! Wonderful, incredibly rich (like an evil desert), and oh so sinful!

This is one of the best perfumes out there, and if one takes into consideration the strength, projection and longevity, no doubts one of the best buys. Very unique amongst the chypres. The very strong coriander smell brings it somehow close to Gucci nº3, Arte di Gucci and Coriandre, although these ones are more floral and at least the first two no longer in production. Knowing is also much stronger, which makes it much cheaper, in fact, than most cheaper perfumes. It is really lovely and can perfectly be worn by a conservative man (because any perfume can be worn by an open minded one). The only thing which disappoints me about this perfume is that twice (and not only once), in public places, one of them a train, other people got complimented for the perfume I was wearing, and quite enthusiastically. Disgusted, althought not saying anything, I thought I would not wear it anymore, but later I thought that wearing a bit less, rather than dropping a lot on me would do, because only people close to me would smell it, and those would recognize without mistakes who is smelling so good. I do not resist though, I like sweeping perfume around. What I will do the next time, if people do that mistake again, I will clarify the situation straightaway. Fantastic perfume.

Classic and sophisticated fragrance

Current formulation.

Maybe it's my skin, maybe it's been reformulated, maybe my nose is anosmic to all that is good about this perfume, but all I smell is hairspray over a bouquet of artificial flowers.
So sad. I adore Azuree and Aliage (vintage), I was really hoping for something great.
Has Knowing been reformulated? Vintage Aliage is fabulous-the new one, awful. Should I seek out vintage Knowing, also?

An interesting note about 'Knowing' - A very dear and stylish friend of mine who lives in Paris has lamented that perfume never smells right on her. She has said that this is the case with every scent she's tried. No matter the cost, her chemistry doesn't like scent. There are only two exceptions: Climat, and Knowing. Knowing seems to bring out all the right elements of her particular chemistry, and I can tell you, she is a very modern, feminine and beautiful woman. Estee Lauder must know something good.

I have the pure parfum or "extrait". Very sophisticated, very grown-up, a very opulent-smelling scent. It carries a sense of majesty and grandeur, which lasts and lasts. It would've worked wonderfully well for those who were rich and privileged in the 18th and 19th centuries. But, it's just as relevant in the 21st century. Reminds me of the old version of Ysatis by Givenchy. But does not last as long as the old Ysatis used to. I have a bit of a niggle about the price. Given that this is American and synthetic, rather than French with flowers from the south of France, this should be a little cheaper than it is. At the very least, they should make it available in smaller bottles and also offer complementary products like talc, body lotion, deodorant and shower gel.

Knowing is a rose chypre. A large category, rose chypres can be dark, fruity, sweet, leathery, day-glo, animalic. It’s a fragrance family that has a large range of tones. Take all the forms a chypre might take and multiply that by all the facets of rose. What distinguishes Knowing is its lack of sweet elements. Ungaro’s Diva has its honey and Paloma Picasso’s Paloma has sweet balsams. Knowing has a dry woodiness that perfectly ties the moss to the spiced rose. The key here is the rose. Not a dewy rose, not a flaming rose. This rose is dry verging on bitter and is in perfect accord with the moss. This is the fragrance I'd recommend when people ask for a rose that a man could wear, which is funny because I'd wear anything I like whether targeted to boys or girls. Also funny because the EL fragrances always seem to have that suggestion of solid, practical American femininity (I guess I'm falling for marketing here.) But you know what? Knowing shares as much (categorically) with the rose chypres as it does (in tone) with men's power fragrances of the 80s. It is huge, woody, has preternatural sillage and a half-life of days. My god, this could be Antaeus.

Should come with a warning label: For Adults Only. The only way I can describe it is in a childlike way: it's so GROWN-UP! A fragrance for a fulfilled, high flying executive woman. Intimidating but gorgeous. Shame about the price!

I only sniffed it on the bottle and do not dare to spray it. I guess, it is a incredible stinky fragrance with centuries lasting power.

Gorgeous rose chypre in the same vein of Diva and Mon Parfum, but has its own special twist. The dark, green and lush moss notes are the perfect counter-foil to the sweet and liqueur-like top and heart notes. The bonus is the civet-rich traditional chypre base - sexy and with just enough fur & fangs.

Wore this a few weeks ago to a luxe event while wearing a vintage, deep vermillion, crushed velvet tuxedo and the scent fit the look like the tightest kid leather glove. So, it can be unisex if you know how to pull it off. Just make sure you have the attitude first ;)

A haiku for Knowing:

Plush, mossy roses
Heady and luxurious
Not for the timid!

This is a beautiful chypre that suits me perfectly. I'm really enyoing it after testing it a few times, and i finally bought it for myself. I always liked chypre's but somehow i can not were them as other lady's do. But finally i can wear this one wich is beautifully blendid for my skin. I can wear this to work and actually any occasion. I'm so enyoing it right now, im in heaven i can finally wear a chypre.

There is no mistaking this fragrance...there isn't anything else like it. I like it when other people wear it, but have never owned it.

I really like this fragrance. It reminds me of Avon's Imari a little. I can tell it will be a favorite.

I have previously smelled Knowing on people in the past, and always liked it. However, most recently I smelled it directly from the bottle, and it confirmed that I REALLY like it.

As someone mentioned below, it is floral, but not a sweet/soft floral-- it is bold, yet refined and not overpowering.

I will be getting this one soon (especially since I have returned to the cosmetic and fragrance industry, and I get my discount LOL)

I didn't find any interesting masculine fragrance in perfume shop today, so I tried this one on my skin and fell in love immediately. Shop assistant told me about all the flowers it containts, but in fact Knowing tells a different story. For me, it is a great aldehydic fragrance with mesmerizing heart, where the woody and green notes (softened by rose) are the centre point. I love it and don't want to suggest Knowing only for women, I am considering buying one bottle for myself. Or more?

Masterly crafted and bold.
This one is something classic fans must try for sure, a highly well blended odor.
The opening is so aldehyde and smells so boozy but not like a normal alcohol, it's just like Bourbon, no no, it's cognac. Scent is sharply warm and overpowering which I'm totally crazy for and smells exactly classical.
Among 90's perfume which mostly were puzzled for being modern or classic, this one seems appeared strongly in a fearless way; a classic strong perfume.

Like most women's fragrances out of the 80's, Knowing is very assertive and bold. Knowing is unique because it's a rose chypre - half rose, half chypre. Rose fragrances generally don't agree with my skin. They usually end up smelling too powdery and stuffy on my skin. Granted, there are a few good ones (vintage Ungaro III, Rossy de Palma), but for the most part rose doesn't agree with me. Knowing, unfortunately, is no exception to that. The rose is too powdery, but I think it goes well with the chypre base. It's strong as hell and may be a bit too much but at least I can tolerate it. It gets more feminine as it dries down, but less powdery and the rose gets sweeter. If you like rose no matter what, definitely try Knowing. Especially if you dig chypres, too.

I like the fragrance but it's a hint to woodsy for me. But it is a beautiful, strong and very confident fragrance.

Knowing has the most unbelievable projection and sillage, so use with a light hand. A beautifully strong woodsy perfume that doen't apologise for its exsistance. A very androgenous fragrance not sweet and young but confident and 'knowing'. Everyone will smell this.....even those in space. I love it.

Just for the record, I myself have not worn this, but a female coworker does. This scent had always struck me as confident, refined, poised, and elegant, for it was a floral, but not a fragile over-sweet floral. It radiates as a well-blended bouquet, constant and never obnoxious in its silage. Knowing is womanly, confident, refined, and almost challenging. I'd say that it inspires those around you to think of you as if you were royalty.

I love this one, but I cannot wear it, as I have no self control with perfumes, and always put on too much and smell very off-putting. I do not have the gentle touch required of this fragrance.

Knowing is an assertive dark chypre, it doesn't have a genial personality, and it's very female (not feminine): a glamorous female drill sargeant, barking at me to put on some decent clothes, fix my hair, and straighten my back. Does a lady wear Doc Martens? Does a lady bundle all her stuff into a rucksack? Maybe, but only if the lady can also

“...change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.” (pace Robert Heinlein)

In short, Knowing is liable to make non-superheroines feel inadequate. The only other scent I know that has such a strong martinet effect on me is Paloma Picasso, which at least gives fair warning in its adverts that it will nag you to put on red lipstick and stop being such a wet lettuce.

AMAZING SILLAGE! is right; Knowing is one of those scents that should really only come in dab-on form. Fortunately, terrifying potency can be tamed by spraying the scent into a roll-on bottle, the sort used for the cheap Arabic attars that are yet another vice of mine. Applied carefully, from the ankles up and with only the faintest dab above the sternum, Knowing is elegant, competent, and sophisticated – and strong, in the best way. The one thing it can never manage, is cute.

T really love this perfume!
It's quite heavy during the first 15 minutes, after then it becomes softer and dries down to a lovely finish. It's a beautiful combination of spices, flowers en animalistic ingredients and it smells very classy.
I think it's very similar to Soir de Lune, a fragrance I really love but is way to expensive. Maybe this is the reason I'm so happy I discovered this perfume, because though it screams classy, it's quite affordable.

I ALWAYS try to be kind. Always.

But Habanita, you truly have something bad to say about nearly every perfume. It makes me sad to read your reviews.

This likely won't get published, but I truly wish you would find a website about something you LIKE. Or try to find the good in some, or revisit them. I feel like you don't like perfume.

Hundreds of reviews, with nearly ALL of them saying the same thing: drugstore, cheap, uninteresting, gross, sharp, teenager....your reviews are a broken record. I learn NOTHING about the perfume at all.

Please be kind.

That being said, I am intrigued & am likely going to try one of your favorites, as they must clean your house for you too if YOU love them!

I never really understood what a powdery scent was, until I tried Knowing. After a very promising opening, when I thought OMG I've found my signature perfume, it sadly became one big powder bomb. It made me feel about 80 years old(admittedly like smart French 80 year old lady). And boy did it last and last! Even after I showered and scrubbed that old sweet powder was still faintly there. I don't understand all the talk about a classic and a dark mystery. For me beautiful dark mystery is Midnight Poison. Knowing is grandma's talc.

Just found a little over 1/2 oz. in a bottle that came in a box lot. Why didn't I try this one sooner? It is big, bold, and beautiful. Like Carol, I am sick of fragrances that poof away carrying my hard earned money with them. Knowing is fantastic! It has two of my faves in its makeup....Aldehydes and Civet (poor little thing). I love a strong, bold, well constructed perfume.

This is a sillage monster with at least 12 hour longevity on even the most stubborn skin. Long live Knowing!

This one reminds me of my grandma's perfume, Cachet. I find it similar to that one. In fact they have a lots of ingredients in common, no wonder why it's so similar.
Another chypre floral I don't like.

I concur with the reviews citing Knowing as a woman's fragrance, even though I was a girl of 14 when I got my first bottle. It smelled (s) sophisticated, worldly, in essence.... knowing. It definitely has a woodsy base, no mistaking that. As one poster mentioned it's not so common today, but I still get compliments when I wear it. It is probably more appropriate for me as a 35 year old than it was back in the day.... but "appropriate" has never dictated my taste. Knowing is a classic.

When I was younger, a very kind Lauder sales rep gave me a sample of this fragrance. I was thrilled out of my mind, as I came from a family where there wasn't a lot of money for things like perfume. Body sprays from the supermarket at Christmas were about as good as it got.

I must have made that sample last for a whole year. I would dab just a small amount on, even if I was just going to the mall, because it made me feel like a million dollars. For just an hour or so I really felt like Paulina Porizkova, the Lauder model at the time, living a sophisticated life in glamourous New York.

For that reason alone, I will always have room for this fragrance in my life.

Knowing feeds my Soul very deep. This became one of my top 10.
Staying power is Super Good. I spayed it at 10.15 am and now it seems to be 9.06 pm... and still its there. Whoaww!

Love. This is so classy and ladylike. I am not that great at discerning notes-- my first impression was that it smelled like straight up gardenia on me (?!), with some civet. (I happen to like civet.) This is one perfume you wear with well-tailored clothes and quality jewelry. Falling in love with EL perfumes, and I want this one-- but I can't adopt them all!!!

I wanted to try i because evryone here seems to love it . So when i saw it on the perfume store , i immedialtely wanted to try it , but no no no no , this s definitely not for me . A perfume for the nostalgic of the strong scents of the 80's , for those who want to be noticed , i definitely can't cope with those woodsy perfumes if you can't either , not for you sweety .

Knowing was Big and she came along when hair was Big and shoulder pads were Big and America was still Big, too, as it began its long good-bye to the Reagan years.

I'd been wearing Aliage and Aromatics Elixir for over a decade by the time Knowing was introduced so I was no stranger to STRONG fragrances... In that context, believe me when I say that Knowing seemed both subtle and daring, with a formula that brought feminine floral accords back into the already wonderful resinous, galbanum rich gender neutral formulas of the 1970's, Aliage and AE among them.

But Knowing didn't just smell wonderful, it smelled like WOMAN. Applied with a proud, heavy hand, Knowing preceeded Woman into the room, controlled the atmosphere while Woman was in the room, and remained to remind everyone she'd been there long after Woman had left the room.

Truly, I felt proudly, loudly Woman whenever I wore Knowing then. Still true now.

It's a sophisticated beautiful woody chypre, and it has the depth, complexity and beauty that fragrances had back in the 80's.
AMAZING SILLAGE! The EDP is as powerful and concentrated as most pure parfums, so this one is best dabbed, not sprayed

Knowing is unusual. Too strong at first, but dries down to a lovely powder scent.

Instead of an old lady smell, to me it is a mature woman :)

I tried it and i was surprised how much i liked it.

It has very sharp opening but the dry down is beautiful in a very sexy and vintage way...very interesting frag....the staying power is amazing !

This one brings just the right amount of skank to the party.
It is sexy,loud and pure perfection to my nose!

They dont make enough fragrances like this now and it's a damn shame. love it

My sister's signature. But please, use only 1/2 spray. This stuff is extremely strong!!

On a first test I got a nice, pleasant spiciness that dried down to a warm light scent. The second test gave me an over-the-top sweetness and, although there is no note of it, a strong coconut like fruitiness. Spices did come along, but the sweetness stayed too evident for my tastes. It is pleasant enough overall, but not a buy for me.

In the summer of 2010 I tried this and had mixed feelings -I sorta liked it especially after it had dried waaay down ,but found it to be veerry soapy and rather aftershavish .
Reviews were read thru fall and when Thanksgiving Day came and my family wanted Christmas wishlists this went on mine . Grams bought a half ounce edp for me and I find that in the winter it is a GORGEOUS rich rose! I LOVE Knowing!

my favorite estee' perfume. a heavier scent. great for the cooler months. a wonderful scent for a night out. use it sparingly and it will make others wonder what that gorgeous, subtle, scent is and who is wearing it.

Fed up with so many perfumes that just do not last I went back to this old favorite and it did not disappoint. Not for the very young though! this is a mature fragrance that is for the women who Knows what she wants. I wear this when I mean business and want to be treated with respect. Not all sweet and sugery but dark and mysterious.

OH MY GOD !! WOW
I went today on city and tested on my skin This Edp. First it was huge strong, after 5-10 mins wow what kind of scent there came. And Guess what.. Now I want to have this.. oh boy ! This seems to last on my skin huge long time also. Soft, very sexy if there would be tantric perfumes, this One is absolutely tantric perfume. MMmmmmm. *** <3<3<3 ***

Just couldnt cut it , smelled like mens cologne, way back in the day ! Dont care for woody florals though as a general rule.

I like it, even tho the top is very soapy from the aldehydes. This pretty much covers up any other notes for me for the 1st 5 minutes or so. Once they die down, I get a little dry fruit, woodsy notes and spice cake. This must be why it reminds people of Christmas.
The heavy bottom notes make it a very dense earthy scent. anchored by the oakmoss and orris.
I think this is what Apercu was shooting for but missed by a mile.

EL's gallery of scents continues to surprise me with it's diversity. and depth.

I'll wear this one alot!

Another earthy, exotic, alluring and stop traffic fume from Estee Lauder. I don't get it...how can one house make such amazing perfumes with so much depth and enticement, and also make such strong, one noters as Beyond Paradise??? Or straight soaps, like White Linen???
Sadly, my son in law's mother wears this, so I'm loathe to start wearing it, as it is ALL she wears. But, if you want a generous, warm, deep, feminine perfume that smacks of confident, generous, complex multi-faceted womanhood, get this!

I love this perfume. One of my co-workers uses this perfume constantly. During the last six years I have only smelt a different scent on her on two occasions. Needless to say I never wear mine to work, saving it for weekends and the odd social occasion.
I wander into the office of a morning, always after her and following her path through the heady perfume. I stand for a few seconds in the passageway as if in the middle of the fragrance and am transported to another place and time, always very sensual and romantic, thinking of a time in the past with much pleasure before coming down to earth and beginning normal workday chores. No one is aware of my trips down memory lane but they are enjoyed with extreme “smugness’
A perfume for every season.

I have tested Knowing over the years. It always reminds me of Christmas. I have never purchased this one although it warm beautifully on my skin. I'm not certain if it smell dated or too sweet, hum???? Maybe I will buy it this Christmas.

My late mother-in-law wore this when I first met her. It suited her well, as she was a classy, confident, and modern woman. Knowing is floral without being flowery, if that makes sense. It is very woodsy/mossy to me, and one squirt---just one!--is more than sufficient. It would make a good scent for the office, as it is appealing to both men and women without being intrusive (unless applied too heavily). Definitely a cool-weather fragrance. I can understand why people would suggest that more mature women would be more likely to wear this; however, a woman of any age who has quiet confidence can wear this scent well.

It is such a beautiful fragrance, so warm, friendly and feminine. One of the best chypres I tested.

When I first smelled knowing I Thought wow this really smells so good. it smells like a perfume someone with class and sophistication would wear of a more mature stature. I was in my twentys then. My mother like this perfume so I gave my bottle to her smells like something that 50+ would wear but then again Im putting a number on perfume as so many of us do. If one likes the scent of something regardless of age then they should wear it

My face is often the look of utter disgust when it comes to sampling Estee Lauder fragrances, with a few exceptions, one being Knowing.

I didn't think I would like this fragrances. Chypres are often too dry or too dusty for me, however Knowing is extremely pleasant. I get mostly powdered roses, earthy patchouli and spices. Together they make a rather sensual blend.

The scent in itself is quite potent, so it is best approached with a light hand. In small doses this fragrance is breath-taking in a womanly, confident and grandiose way.

Towards the drydown, this fragrance loses some of its powderiness, becoming woodsier and drier which gives it further definition. The lasting strength is very good, lasting in terms of days even after a few showers. Miss Dior is a little similar if I had to compare Knowing to anything.

There is something about the rose in this fragrance which becomes quite captivating. I'm not usually a rose person, even though I tend to own many rose-based samples these days. But if I were to suggest an interesting dry and powdery rose, somewhat like pot-pourri, I would definitely recommend Knowing.

Amo questo profumo, io non posso spiegare perché
è una fragranza piacevole che mi attira.

This is woody, dark, enveloping and feminine in a very sophisticated and natural way.
I woke to the unmistakable smell of the beginning of Autumn today - that peppery floral wood-mulch scent which this is in total synergy with. A real Autumn/Winter beauty and on my list!! Slightly similar to 'Rive Gauche' I think, but mossier, therefore in my book, nicer.

This is an insanely good perfume.
VERY strong.
Described as a "dirty rose" by many,
I would call it more of a warm winter rose.
You know the ones that inexplicably bloom in snow?
EPIC.
BRILLIANT.
DEEP.

Heavy... it's more proper for evening/night wear. Heavy rose chypre... makes me think of years 1900. The way women were, the way they had to act, to dress, the moral conduct and the way good manners were perceived than.

LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IT

I love this perfume! I've received many compliments while wearing it. For me, slightly floral with a subtle woody tone. Well worth a try! Ask the Estee Lauder counter for a tester vial & check it out! Most Estee Lauder fragrances works for me though. Juli ;)

Goes on feminine and loud. (A+)
But cheap. (F)
There is a note of men's soap which turns it into unisex. Totally unfeminine.
Similar to the Bjorn Borg fragrance my girlfriend had in highschool.
Fun for the young and tomboy type (with my exception:)

This is weird but EL scents seemed to smell better on me when I was still smoking. I know. I know. This was one that I liked OK, but I really wore it because I kept getting compliments on it. Now it is eh.

I despise Estee Lauder fragrances. There is never any chemistry.

But my encounter with Knowing completely changed my world. I'm in love...

My mother has this in a mini version as part of an Estee Lauder Collection travel set. After trying to likes of Pure Linen, Youth Dew, etc; Knowing happened to be the only one that captured my heart.

Hauntingly beautiful, but with subtlety. Knowing doesnt need to scream out for attention.
You only need a few drops to feel truly captivated.

real strong - super uber bold but all in all pretty good

Pure luxury,rich and sensual after two small applications the scent lingers and lingers on my skin, lightly mossy and very alluring another favourite of mine next to madame rochas.From this morning till now , night, the scent is still there.Pure lust of a perfume.

Estee Lauder KNOWING is one potent little potion--apply just two drops of the perfume, and you'll be enveloped in this rich elixir for many, many hours!

KNOWING begins dark and just a bit dirty--my resident certified civet detector has confirmed the clear presence of the civet note even in the earliest stages of this perfume. The patchouli still has a bit of soil clinging to it, and the aldehydes here are not strong enough to clear it away.

As KNOWING evolves, it becomes softer and a bit cleaner: the flowers begin to bloom, albeit still illuminated only by the light of dusk. The petals are dusted with powdered chypre and woody elements. The patchouli reasserts itself in the drydown in a slightly less brown form.

Although KNOWING is a bit intense upon initial application--even very sparingly applied--the longer it sits on the skin, the more inviting it becomes. KNOWING is a serious composition which will please dark chypre lovers. The heaviness of this composition makes it most appropriate for cold winter nights.

intense, powerful, heavy, everything i love in a fragrance, i like most estee lauder stuff, thumbs up for this one

given ur chemistry,this might just b the one. after a light spray,i feel its spring.a fresh rain has just dampened the earth as i am walking down a trail outside of town.i sniff sweet mimosa touched by one of my favs,tuberose.i begin to get hungry as i smell juicy ripe melons seasoned with spicy cloves,as i walk off the lane,i am followed by waifs up patchouli and sandlewood.smells like itself.doesnt remind me of any other.beautiful.

This perfume is very special to me. I wore it alot in my late 20's to early 30's. Now, in my mid-40's I am wearing it again and loving it perhaps even more than before. It is very special and different than any other perfume. It does not smell like air freshener, cleaning product, nail polish remover or hair spray. More like quality Italian perfume. If anyone has ever taken a walk in the woods after it rains; the smell of the wet trees, moss, little white flowers, rich soil and maybe even some fern, all damp and moist, and more alive than ever. This is what I smell in Knowing Perfume. Classic!

What makes Aldehydes Patcholi Jasmine
Sandalwood & Civet a good perfume
ingredients i just don't know. 90 %
of my perfumes That i love are these
ingredents it's Romance Wraped in a bottle An elegant perfume perfect for
going to a high class Resturant
Going to a Posh Fine Art Museim
having a candle light dinner with your
signifigant other. i'v notice some a leather note in this perfume i'm deffinily buy this again when it runs out.

The only Estee Lauder for me . i'd like to call Knowing Edp a dreamy creation , very romantic & feminine ,,, very big soft roses with a discreet pinch of spices & a strong woody-mossy finish , its very soft on the aldehydic side & very assertive on the chypre one as expected , very lovely & very special too , with great persistent sillage & amazing longevity .
unfortunately its utterly understated among the floods of sweet & pretty modern flankers of today . but it will remain a floral gem nonetheless.

This is classic scent, my mom used to wear it on special occasions when I was a little girl and I used to ask her to put some on me because I felt in love with Knowing ever since, and she would always tell me “I’m sorry baby you are too young for this perfume, this was made for big girls like mom”. Well now I am an adult and I have my own bottle, and when I wear it, I feel like I just had a luxurious body wrap treatment at an exclusive spa. Knowing is like sequins, glitter, velvet, silk and everything that is sumptuous.

well i love this perfume .i finished one bottle and now i have another one ,this perfume stays long on you and its very classy .i use it for special occasions .this perfume is great when u wear it in winters or a cool night out .

Mmmm, got this for Christmas - a set with body cream - gorgeous - old fashioned, quality and very wearable.

...Well that was my first assessment.
At first it seemed very me, but I'm shying away from Knowing at the moment as I'm actually finding it very overpowering in a 'chemically' way and perfume that smells obviously of manmade chemicals (and I could be wrong here that is just the way it is seeming to me) is a big turn off.
Maybe I will come back to it.

Isn't it funny, how fragrances can transport you back in time within seconds without even entering a time machine?!

"Knowing" brings to me instant memories of 1988 and I cannot smell it without hearing Prince's – "Alphabet Street" in my mind! (Funny, I know!)

Great fragrance, great Album, great time! :-) Love it!

rich, luxurious, very sexy, alluring. lasting power great. a little goes a long way.

I am not currently a fan of chypres myself, but I think this is a very sophisticated and rich fragrance. Well-blended and having great lasting power and sillage. It is definitely not sweet, and only moderately floral to my nose. My mother wore this when I was little, so I think of it as a fragrance you wear with pearls and cashmere sweaters, when you want to smell elegant and luxurious.

I found this fragrance strange years ago when I first sniffed it but it is a totally different story now.

Maybe my taste of fragrance has evolved but I find Knowing such a great creation and never knew what I was missing until very recently when I received a bottle for my birthday last month.

The lasting power is great, the fragrance smells great on me which is has so much character and have non of the pungent note where I remembered on my first sniff.

Now I know why it has so many fans and I am one of the latest addition.

A grand perfume with excellent lasting power and sillage.

With the right doses, the magic it weaved is fascinating.

very very very fine grand perfume, the highest refinement and subtlety

it`s most modern from Estee Lauder`s smells. It is where more consonant our time, what all unisex and fresh smells, together. Changeable, a bit contradictory. Womanlike without lusciousness. Would not name intelligent. But... Intellectual, very clever smell. A bit hypocritical. Bold undoubtedly.

I am not much of a chypre fan, although there are a few that I really love (Magie Noire). One of my favorite aunts wears this scent, and it's lovely on her. However, I could never wear this one: it's too sharp and sour, with too little floral, for my taste.

EDIT: I purchased a mini bottle of vintage parfum, on the theory that it might be softer than the edt I tried at the perfume counter. That much is true - the vintage (late-80's) parfum is rich and glowing, not "sharp and sour," as I called it above, with a luxurious mossy rose. It stays just beautiful for at least two hours before reverting to the sickly-sweet base that all the Lauders seem to have on my skin. I recommend it for those of you who have no problems with the Lauder base.

This perfume totally grossed me out.I sprayed it on my wrist without hesitation because I had read that it is a great perfume & even a classic but YUCK! I really regretted putting this on.It is not a pretty scent at all.It has a stinky sourish note.It is pretty or sexy or anything it is just yuck.

So Sorry ladies but this one is not for me =(

I still think you should give it a try because it seems to work for many people


Me & "krisiva"(reviewer below) must have the same body chemistry.....
such a bummer for us =(

GO easy on this one, becuase if it is too strong, the smell is sickening, like bug spray. HOWEVER, applied with a light hand, Knowingis an elegant, crisp and refreshing scent.

The first tiem I tried this perfume I was addicted. Love the mossy notes!

I really wanted to like this one, and I really did ….but only on a blotter. On my skin – no chance, it turns into aggressive, offensive scent, simply stinking. How strange, as the scent develops, at some point it slightly resembles Cabochard by Gres, which is one of my favorites, but I find more flowers and more warmth in Cabochard. Actually Knowing is the only scent I encountered recently that makes me want to rush and scrub it away from my skin as soon as possible. Probably it is a body chemistry problem, having the fact that generally I like chypres very much.

Fascinating perfume. I love the pittosporum smell and the heavy rose it is built upon. And I'm delighted by the name - KNOWING - this one is for a woman who is in the know of a quality perfume.

A very heavy fragrance.
Lovely for the holidays .
A bottle can last quite a while.

I have to use this perfume from year to another.The bottle stays long time with me, 30ml can stay one year.I think the magic worked through its ingredients(litrally),thats why alot of people fall in love with it,asked about it and used it.NOTE:use a little of this one.

This one is crispy dry, these's no sweetnes at all. Definetly alluring like Chaosinmotion write too, good chypre and intresting. Longlasting, more than ten hours and more. Parfum de Nicolai Odalisque is almost identical to my nose like Knowing, and I like them both.

I feel delicious with Knowing on. In my opinion this would only work on a woman who is 'knowing'. She knows herself, knows what she wants and definitely knows what she doesn't want!

This is a great for fall scent. Knowing is also in a pretty bottle. It's very long lasting as well.

Downright sexy if woodsy florals mesh with your chemistry.

I love this perfume, I can't explain why other than it is a nice alluring fragrance that attracts me.