Sex Pistols Etat Libre d`Orange for women and men

This is a quite strong perfume. At the beginnig sharp notes of lemon and pepper appear. And at the drydown the other notes appear, specially i can notice aldehydes, ambrette and a little bit of leather at the background. The lemon is really noticiable but i think that is what make it unisex. The fragance have a really masculine background but some notes make it quite feminine too. Defenitly, is quite an interesting and original fragance to use with moderation.

Now that I finally have a full bottle, I figured I'd write a proper review. I've always been a big fan of punk & I am a fan of the Sex Pistols, however, I am not biased based on the name of this perfume. This perfume could've been named after the 80s teen group Menudo and I still would've loved it (although the Menudo name would've definitely pained me greatly). As a matter of fact, I'm kind of on the fence that this is even called Sex Pistols...it seems a bit silly to me and I was hoping when I finally found such a great perfume that it would be..I dont know, not named after a band/celebrity? But perhaps there is a supreme irony to this that could be fully appreciated.....it's a perfectly blended gorgeous scent named after one of the filthiest punk bands that ever lived (one example: lead singer, Johnny Rotten refused to take showers)

This smells like it's supposed to be on my skin, like it's meant to be there. I dont know how else to explain that. I put it on, and it smells like the inside of me is on the outside. This is pepper, pruney plum, leather, patchouli, light aldehydes, and lemon (the lemon I do not smell at all..no big deal). I wore this all day today, my work day is approx. 10-11 hours..this perfume lasted about 6. And it was the best 6 I ever had..(ha). As soon as I came home, I sprayed more on, because I missed it that much during the second half of my work day. I think this perfume is discontinued, or returning with a brand new unfortunate dopey name (Malaise of the 1970s), hopefully with the same formula. But just in case, I am already preparing to buy at least 2 more bottles of Sex Pistols so I have plenty on hand before it becomes totally unavailable in its orginal version. I am beginning a long term relationship with this scent, and if I decide to marry it, I may finally have my signature. For someone as non-committal as I am, this is a big day indeed.
Also of note: this can defintely be worn by either sex, it's right down the line

Actually this is like anarchy, that is the true meaning, which is the opposite of chaos. Maks perfect sense... ugggh, how language has become so perverted! It also makes sense that this would be a clean and frresh scent :) perfect! love it!

off topic, but if one wants to learn what anarchy really is and not just a one sentence false definition in your dictionary... check an encylopedia.. or check with people such noam chomsky, peter kropotkin :)

I only tried a tiny sample of this, but this is a gorgeous plum leather scent. On my fb asap list. When you test a few drops of something, and know immediately you want a full bottle, that's the mark of a pretty damn good perfume. nevermind the bullocks!

I really don't know much about the Sex Pistols but I'm pretty sure this isn't the smell of anarchy!

ELdO Sex Pistols is easygoing - friendly, even. He is that tall, rugged and handsome guy in your family who is such a catch but doesn't realize he is.

This is an easy ELdO to get along with: that familiar, buzzing, slightly medicinal opening is still there but it soon develops into a twin of Hermes Eau des Merveilles - salty and leathery and just a tad sweet. The drydown also reminds me of Terre D'Hermes.

As Octavian Coifan points out in his 1000fragrances review, Sex Pistols never quite "lifts off" - it does stay fairly close to the skin and longevity lacks.

That said, this remains comfortable, wonderful and well put together. I'll be buying at least 2 more bottles (currently going for next-to-nothing online) just in case it's on its way out.

To be worn with a cashmere sweater... if perhaps not with a leather jacket and safety-pins.


UPDATE: I just read on the Etat Libre d'Orange website that Sex Pistols will be re-packaged and re-named as Malaise of the 1970s. Presumably the same formula, but we won't know just yet.

initially i bought this as a present for my boyfriend, but then kept it for myself instead. gorgeous when combined with elegant classy clothes you would rather assiciate with chanel no 5.
in my opinion quite special and unique :)

The fragrance is definitely unisex. It's top notes are citric lemon - although I smelled more of a St Clements (orange and lemon) it's at the drydown that is turns more masculine and bought to mind Terre d'Hermes for men! A bit rock n roll earthy-citrusy! On the feminine side I don't think it is too unlike Si by Lolita Lempika.

It's not a kind of in your face fragrance or anarchic which I would have expected with a name like Sex Pistols but it does have the complexity of the personas of the Sex Pistols. The citrus doesn't leave at all but is there and comes around again and again!

I think this would suit men but it would also suit a strong woman with a determined personality - it's not exactly unique but it isn't common either! Silage is very good I could smell it around myself quite a bit and it is long lasting as well. Overall a good 4/5 for this one!

It seems it had no success, but it is not a bad scent at all! Probably it's the plum-patchouli combo succeeded to catch my heart once again, but it seems interesting and very deep to me. Not really punk or chaotic, nothing scandalous about it imo, and I smelled it before for sure. I would call it oriental with interesting aldehyde twist. It also reminds me strongly of Si Lolita and Eau de Merveilles - which shows how marketing works :D
I'm quite happy people didn't like it, because it's immensely dicounted in my country, so finally I can have an Etat Libre for me!

The sent is interesting, nonstandard. Spiky, a little bloody or dirty, and it reminds me a little of some alcohol drinks at first. Then comes salty leather. If you want to feel yourself like a punk, you don't need to wear second hand torn clothes, make exotic hairstyles and piercing, just spray this scent on yourself 2-3 times.

hmm...hard to say. it doesnt smell like cat pee but it makes me feel dizzy. the scent reminds me to bright neon yellow in sunny day. i have to wash my wrist when i try this.

i got it as a gift, lucky me that i dont have to spend my money for this bottle.

I have to say, I would have expected something far more outrageous from a perfume called Sex Pistols. In their day, the Sex Pistols were shocking, wild and unpredictable. They lived outside the boundaries of the societal norms and their lifestyle challenged and shocked mainstream thinking and values.

....Far from this mainstream offering. Whilst I was expecting the citrus equivalent of Secretions Magnifique, what I got was something that would happily sit beside Eau de Merveilles. This is clean, conservative and quite commercial. Not that this is a bad thing, but the name and association are all wrong. Sid Vicious would roll in his grave.
God Save The Queen.

Having just entered Junior High when the Sex Pistols ended, I got to know them during the Post Punk explosion that led to Goth and New Wave...but loved them anyway! So in-your-face and angry, yet they caught the feeling of self-expression, independence and cool cynicism unlike any other. ELd'O caught their essence here, very well...

The cold fruity opening of lemon (almost frozen) and metallic aldeydes (safety pins and studs?) along with an almost powdery pepper note is just fantastic...really gets your attention! The development brings a dried plum (prune) note that is warm and tasty. The musky ambrette seeds and heliotrope are just great together: something dry and sweet, but woody and cool. The leather here is softer than the normal birch tar type, more like vinyl pleather or patent leather...shiny and smooth. The patchouli, I assumed would mirror the defiant earthiness of the band's music, is rather refined but sweetly raw. This is aromatic and spicy, but so much more. A must-have for anyone who likes something a little out of the ordinary that says: "Hey! Yeah I'm different, so what!?!"

Sillage: good
Longevity: quite decent
Overall: 4/5


This smells unlike anything I have ever smelled! It is nowhere near as loud and obnoxious (in a good way) as the music of the Sex Pistols...but definitely something different and very British, modern and wild! This is definitely a unisex fragrance. You may love it, you may hate it...but in true punk fashion-it could care less!

I got a sample of this and found it to be a nice aromatic with leather, patchouli and musk combined to make a scent more on the masculine side but a woman could also wear it easily enough. I did not find it to be as shocking and wild as the Sex Pistols band for which it was named. It lasts about 7 or 8 hours on me with some silage. I can see where many would love it and it is worth sampling.

I must confess I know very little about the Sex Pistols as a band, but what intrigued me about this fragrance is the compelling combination of notes. I had to test this composition and so I did today.

As a first impresion, it smelled more on the masculine side, but I suppose it could also easily suit a more offbeat, self-confident woman.

Nonetheless, this perfume develops into something unique and very British - it's sharp, cold, a bit dry, provocative and spicy. It has a cynical, defiant air that would fit someone who's cool, detached and a tad caustic, a nonconformist, an outsider. Well targeted and marketed.

This perfume has a cool personality.

I had a whiff of this when I was in France a couple of weeks ago. The fragrance really suits the name and the image of the Sex Pistols. I smelled a lot of patchouli and pepper. It made me smile, because this is the sort of scent I imagine the punks back in those days would have loved. Rebels doing their own thing, refusing to adapt to society. There's absolutely nothing sweet about this fragrance, exacly how it should be. I haven't tried it on my skin because it's not really my thing, but I definitely appreciated it as a fragrance.