Givenchy III Givenchy for women

I know this is considered a masterpiece scent, but it smells just horrible on my skin. Something akin to an old, old, bottle of dark yellow perfume that has long gone bad.

This review is of the "Les Mythiques" reissue of Givenchy III.

After hearing all the praise about Givenchy III being an awesome green chypre, I had to try it. When I finally got to try it, I was a bit disappointed (no chypre smell), but at the same time, it's definitely a green fragrance. This is an earthy, natural-smelling, leaves-and-twigs fragrance, with the bitter powdery-green smell of galbanum right up front. It is flanked by a plush rose note and various green smells. I don't get any fruity notes or peach out of this. I also don't get much of a mossy smell, but I checked the ingredients on the box and there's no oakmoss (or treemoss) listed. Through all the dark green bitterness, I get a nice buttery-rich resin note, which is probably some kind of woody amber done correctly. Givenchy III lasts a VERY long time on my skin despite being an Eau de Toilette; I get over 10 hours out of it. The closest fragrances I'd compare Givenchy III to would be Sikkim by Lancome or Alliage by Estee Lauder (although Alliage smells a lot worse to me).

If you're a man or woman and you're into green fragrances, you should definitely check out Givenchy III. It's not exactly a chypre, but it's one of the greenest, most natural fragrances I've ever smelled, and I look forward to breaking it out in the spring. My mom loves it too!

Galbanum glorious galbanum! GIVENCHY III is one of a cluster of 1970s-era floral-chypre perfumes with a classic structure and line-up of notes. The scrumptious galbanum is green and waxy and chewy and just sharp enough. The oakmoss offers a gray and slightly dirty contrast. The iris, rose, and narcissus keep the whole composition from being too dark and depressing. This is an utterly beautiful creation. Perfumes such as GIVENCHY III are the ones which keep me a believer in perfumery as an art, not just another luxury business or crass mass-market cash cow.

What I'm not sure about is whether GIVENCHY III is better than the other floral chypres of this type launched about the same time. I love them all! I am testing the vintage GIVENCHY III and have no idea how the reformulation came out, though I'm not all that optimistic. Of course, Lancome did a great job with its collection of reissued classic chypres, so let us hope that Givenchy followed their example and not Guerlain's...

Given the sheer quality produced by Givenchy III, it would seem rather churlish to categorise it as being gender specific. Frankly, anything or anyone subjected to a misting of this will smell beautiful.

From the outset it is lightly aldehydic, blossom sweet and as crisply green as a freshly snapped flower stem. It does have an undercurrent of light soapiness, but it is in no way intrusive, more like the vestiges of a previous ablution. Performing consistently with balance and poise, the vintage version has the added bonus of being long-lived and projecting generously.

It’s a masterpiece, but behaves as though it were commonplace to be this good

Review for EDT version:
For some reason, this perfume reminds me of Chloe Chloe, which I dislike alot. The scent is so strong in an agressive way. Both of them have strong Aldehydes. Maybe it's just me, not the scent :(

I wore this all though the 70s and adored it.
It's a classy, very identifiable scent, and I was so disappointed when it was
withdrawn.
Although it's now available once more, I believe only in the EDT form.
Perhaps Givenchy will see sense, and re-issue the much loved EDP.

A surprisingly sensible decision by Givenchy to re-introduce this scent. It was a top favourite of many people, people who may have since found other top favourites as this one went missing for so long.

But the old die-hards are back on their much-cherished smell, I'm glad to say. (Shouldn't they be sulking and punishing Givenchy for pulling the rug on this at the height of its popularity?)
It's not so much a scent but a masterpiece in the art of perfumery and something of a giant in this group of fragrances: subtle yet all-pervasive, distinct from anything else I know but never over-powering.
I await the re-introduction of other Givenchy greats, like the original Ysatis.

The opening smells like "just another floral chypre", but I let G3 develop and honestly I am amazed at its transformation into something quite soft and lovely. The floral heart is worth waiting for. No wonder people wanted it back. I gave a bottle of this away many years ago as it was part of an Ysatis gift-set. I doubt that I allowed it to develop or I would surely have enjoyed it. At least it went to a good home. I'm keeping this little bottle for myself this time.

(Reviewing a vintage miniature).

Very beautiful. Reminds me a lot of Mitsouko, and they do share some notes, but Givenchy III is much, much softer. A classic fragrance, but maybe a little heavy on the aldehydes for me. I much prefer my Chanel No. 19 EDP, which is sweeter and more interesting to me. I'm a little relieved that I don't love it, (since on paper it looks right up my alley) because one thing I don't need is another expensive perfume that I can't do without. One is enough. :-)

This is my absolute favourite perfume and it has been my signature scent since I was 21. I discovered it by accident - a friend of mine was going on holiday and I asked her to bring me back a bottle of 'Eau de Givenchy'. When she returned 2 weeks later, she gave me a bottle of Givenchy III and apologised, explaining she'd forgotten what I'd asked for.

I had a quick spray, not expecting to like it and immediately fell in love, thanking her for her mistake. I was heartbroken when Givenchy stopped making this perfume about 10 years ago but they apparently listened to its many fans and reintroduced it about 3 years ago, but only available in Harrods (I believe it is now more widely available?). I now have a brand new bottle and use it for special occasions, or when I need cheering up - it never fails to lift my spirits and make me feel totally wrapped up in a luxurious veil of scent.

Thank you Givenchy!

This must be my lucky day!

I have the vintage EDT 100 ml and it's still perfect.
I already had a miniature (from when I was a teenager) but somehow it didn't smell right. The miniature is a splash, so maybe it's gone off.

But this ''new'' bottle brings back memories and memories alive.

It mixes in a way that I can't make up my mind whether I'm in the French country or in Italy walking along the beach.

That's a great holiday in a bottle!

I remember when it first came out. It was presented in a smokey, almost transparent perspex(?)container within the box which protected it from the light once it was sitting on your dressing table. It really is a very refined, sophisticated perfume, worth seeking out. Perfect for the business-woman or a night at the theatre.

What a beautiful fragrance III is. I am enraptured...so many vintage fragrances are heavenly, and the more I smell and wear the more I turn my nose up at mass market releases! Why could I have not been born in the 50s? Then I could have FBs of all these wonderous juices...

When I first smelled the partial mini my Mother gave me, since Action swappwed her two (Thanks Mari!), I thought maybe it had "turned"~it was so bitter and sharp. Once applied to skin, it changes to a bright citrus zestiness. The aldehydes here are deceptive, almost too much; after that though it is magical! Then, as if the dark clouds had passed from the face of the sun; I was greeted with the most spectacular floral aura of hyacinth (gorgeous), muguet(transparent green) and full roses and sultry jasmine...I began to salivate it smelled so very heavenly!! I felt as if I had rolled naked in fresh flowers. Made in 1970, it is still a stunner in 2010-that is quality, that is Givenchy! The drydown does another somersault from floral paradise to warm, mossy and woody. It is like wearing three different scents and only having to spray one on, miraculous! Perhaps this smelled a lot like everything else (back then), but now it is an icon...

Sillage: very good
Longevity: great
Overall: 4.25/5

I used to think I had many great scents, but you ladies and your vintages have opened my eyes (and nostrils!), thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the gifts, minis and samples! You have made me a rich man, in fragrances and friends...

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Extremely powerful and bitter at the opening with blast of soapy adelhydes followed by bouqet of "in your face" flowers. I love the fact that even after all the "BWAH, HERE I COME" opening I like it. I can feel how it slowly changes to a wonderful powdery, green fragrance.

This does smell very classy, but I can't say it's dated or "old". This is very elegant, powerful and feminine. I prefer different kind of chypres, but this is a MUST try for chypre lovers.

Why oh why are all these legendary classics going away?! Givenchy III was one of the best chypre florals in existence. Wish I could rewind the time back to the 70's so I could have my pick of all kinds of wonderful fragrances in their original composition.

III opens with a lot of mandarian orange and spicy bergamot, along with the aldehydes and galbanum. The base is the best part. The oakmoss, patchouli, amber and vetiver mix is hard to find in another chypre.

As Carole King sang off her '71 classic album, "Tapestry", "you're so far away"....and I miss this '70 classic chypre....if only it were not so far away and hard to find these days. It is to be missed.

As well as Harrods, you can also buy the modern EDT in Stansted Airport Duty Free shop.

This used to be my mum's signature scent but she uses different perfume now....

This perfume lifts me up and I feel I am floating in the air. Why ? Because it is light, it is truely for all ages, it has that je nes c'est pas quality.
Yes, the carnation is very slightly hinted BUT it is there along with the scent of light flowers.
Givenchy cannot offend those who love light scents. It can but only make those who never tried it say " Why, oh why, didn't anyone tell me about it ". Go on try it, you will never regret it.

perfumoplus

Quisiera que la trajeran nuevamente a la Argentina. Extraño esa fragancia. Es única y siempre fue mi preferida !!

I love this scent and always have done; it's elegant and dry yet rich and floral- a real classic and I am very disappointed that this and other such scents are difficult or impossible to find these days. They all seem too sweet or too fruity or too soapy.I don't know if perfume is like music - ie you tend to love those you encountered in your teens and resist later trends - but it's certainly so in my case. I don't want to hear about new scents, I want the old ones made available! Perfume makers and retailers who may read this please take note!

I love your descriptions Persephone and mimian. It is hard to find in Australia, though over the years I have bought it whenever I found it, and this year was excited to find the EDT in Harrods while visiting London, but I have never yet come across the EDP or parfum.

I've just got the vintage edp in the most adorable bottle. It´s cream coloured shiny plastic bottle with a golden midsection where Givenchy III is written in black capitals. It's a refillable 75 ml bottle.

Beeing an EdP I find it a slightly different to the EdT. First, It's so much stronger from the initial burst that I almost felt dizzy after I'd just sprayed it on. I find it a mote darker too, like there's a bit more patchouli that shines through in the topnotes. When it developes it calms down and a warm and slightly fruity delicate breeze unfolds flower by flower. The heartnotes seems to go on and on for hours and I find it much more longlasting than the edt. Still, there is a dewy fresh note in the initial spray from EdT that I'm missing here. I guess the larger amount of patcouli warms up the topnotes. Perhaps the edp is a little bit sweeter and slihtly dirtier than the EdT. Galbanum shines through from top to base though and adds a green deliciousness to the whole composition.

In all the edp is very lovley too and I highly recommend it.

Update: I've recently tried the pure perfume. OH MY GOD!!!! I'll be back with a review later on!

This is my absolute favourite. If I had to give away all my perfumes I would hide this one and keep it in clandestine. Givenchy III is a perfect chypre, well balanced from top to base with all stages revealed and enjoyable. It´s nothing like modern headache inducing monotone frags. This is just pure feminine beauty in a bottle. First the top hits you with a blast of bergamot, galbanium, peach and gardenia. The heart reaches yours by surrounding you with visible flower petals of rose, jasmine, hyacint and lily of the valley. The true slightly dry chypre base is bittersweet but comforting for your senses with oakmoss, patchouli, amber and sandalwood. This is just a perfect fragrance for any occasion at any time of the year.

Vintage EDP: An absolutely delicious green chypre. At first it smells medicinal, but then quickly warms up on my skin to a sweet leafy green accord. Imagine a dewy morning meadow, where green grass and delicate wildflowers grow, spring water, almost sweet, runs through the field, the humid soil is still warm and fragrant. It really lasts, but instead of hitting you, it wafts around creating an elusive aura of femininity. Will you excuse me as I can't stop sniffing my cleavage. My favorite chypre so far.
The modern version (Les Parfums Mythiques) is drier, lighter and too masculine to my taste.

It's the best perfume ever.I am using it since 1978 and I won't give up on it.Many thanks to Givenchy.
P.S. My daughters likes it as well.Is a matter of taste not of age.

My mom used for along time this perfume. This wonderful scent still remais in my memory, but unfortunately we dont find it in Brazil...

I think it is very nice pefume, but very classic..old but very orginal.
In my opinion it smells quit similar to Prada D'Iris.I know that you can buy them in Harrods.