Mitsouko (for women)

joliefille

yummy!! i so love this. although i have to admit that initially i didn't find it particularly wonderful but after sometime, i fell in love with it. i just love the whiffs i get all day when i wear this. very sweet, all season perfume!

Mellyhelly

Owww... what a stunning great scent is Mitsouko! I first encounter this beauty whebn I was very young, around 15, that's more than 20 years ago (sic!) and I was one of the few teenagers interested in these kind of scent.
I always had EdT samples and a bottle, so that's my main experience with Mitsouko. I've heard that the parfum version is much better. Well, the EdT is very nice too! Better... "nice" is a very generic word for this scent.
This is not an easy smell. It needs time and contemplative attention to truly enjoy every step. The start is very green, but not the kind of fresh green you find everywhere. It's almost a sharp sultry green that reminds me of dark pond plants. Then comes the softiest of fruit note, a very deep and creamy peach. I would say a "grown-up" peach, if it makes sense, haha! Then flowers. Never smelled flowers like this in any other scent. They smell like an ancient melancholic mysterious garden in the shadow. I love their older ads for Mitsouko, too. No vulgarity, only poetry to express the soul of the scent. It matches my skin chemistry quite finely, yet people around me keep on saying "mmm... old lady fragrance!"
It's not old at all! It's just different and very long-living! Created almost one century ago and still kicking! There mus be a reason for that!
I would say that Mitsouko is a dark kind of fragrance, but what that really means? I don't mean dark as "black and naughty". The darkness in Mitsouko is an echo of mistery of the woman, the depth of hidden things and at the same time it is the scent of freedom.
I see the wearer of Mitsouko as an independent free spirit that crosses the world and makes an impression on its face without being corrupted by the wordly things. I see some loneliness, knowing and spiritual strenght.
The oakmoss base is simply touching and express all the beauty in Mitsouko.
All the notes are perfectly entwined together, a true masterpiece of blending. I will always have at least a few samples of Mitsouko with me to smell Beauty itself.

trueperfumelover

i don t like it,the opening is so and so but the dry down smells like rotten sunflower oil to me.too bad coz it has a very nice bottle and a lovely story behind it.not my type at all.

Miss Bloom

This fragrance is stunning! It is the best of all worlds. It whispers, it sings, but it never shouts. Very Japanese in its composition.
Much like L'Heure Bleue (though not in fragrance), I find this scent to be very quiet and meditative.
The peach note is lovely as I dont like overly fruity scents, but this is understated and elegant.
The drydown is my favourite. Heavenly!
One spray beneath my shirt and I get wafts of this gorgeous mossy, shadowy, haunting chypre scent for literally hours.
It has in its depths the faint scent of powder and woods, reminiscent of the sun dappled fragrant ground of a forest glade, faintly sweet with dusky moss and fragrant woods, and a slightly hay-like grassy undergrowth.
Inspired by the heroine in a novel based on an impossible love between a British officer and the wife of a Japanese admiral, this scent is apparently a best seller in Japan, owing to the fact it is very light and not highly "perfumy". The Japanese seem to favour fragrances which are not cloying or strong, and this is no exception.
Even though this is not an overpowing or strong scent, the longevity is really good on me.
Soft yet longwearing, elegant, melancholy and very nostalgic.
Highly recommended!

hathor

i love mitsouko!! it is an "old" smell, have heard it described as containing a hint of burnt peaches, which i agree with. i have the edt and edp, find the edp is warmer and with more depth. it has something a little poignant and melancholy, i found a lot of comfort in it when a close friendship i had came to an end. it does have something a little sour and sharp to begin with but soon settles into something warmer on me. it will remain a firm favourite of mine.

litldove7

I finally smelled this fragrance yesterday, and it was love at first sight. Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about the smell. After all of the suggestions to try it, I was a bit disappointed that I didn't like it as much as I would have liked to. My husband told me that it smelled like the same perfume that his boss's wife wears (which apparently, is not a good thing). It was very strong, and I only sprayed it once. My husband was not pleased so I wiped it off at once. I understand that Guerlain's fragrances might take some time to get used to, so I intend to give it another shot the next time I'm back in that town. I tried Shalimar and I kind of liked it better than Mitsouko. I must admit that the story and the bottle intrigued me, but that was it. I will update later.

rheea oana

Some old spirit fragrances are just not apreciated by the new generation!
It's not our fault-what scents appered in my time are all the same-fruity, and when I smell something of the grandeur of Mitsouko my first impresion is of rejection!

But I fought the initial urge of dislikment-I sniffed it again and again-the firts whizz hit me strong- a melange of citruses and roses. Expecting a peach anytime.The peach lets hereself awaited-to long my opinion-and then again a rose apears instead...but now acompanied with some strong friends: a rich ylang ylang and jasmin!
To the whole party arriving is a dust of spice attendants: that remain here long after the other guests have left...enjoying themselves to much..getting drunk in their exuberance they let all their power mingle with what remained from the departed guests...the cinammon, musk and oakmoss being the most outspoken, but the vetiver doesn't let them have the spotlight and jumps right in...the others greeting with arms wide open the new member...and they do their own thing waaaaay into the hours of morning...

In the end the party never really goes away...they still harase the hoast...

Like I said: we youngsters can't trully get to aknoledge a great perfume...for me it's just to loud to heavy...but if something can change the mind of a girl that likes soft and fresh perfumes then Mitsouko and Shalimar can!

iMaverick

When I first smelled Mitsouko, the first thing that came to my head was who in their right mind would wear this??? The opening notes from the get go was sharp and dizzyingly piquant.

Peach is supposedly incorporated in this, but I can barely detect it embedded within all that spicy carnation and powdery rose. Woody-musky nuances of oakmoss with the ever present accord of spices and vetiver. And finally, you catch the wonderful accord of Guerlinade.

Very complex, bold, sensual, spicy with powdery nuances. You can't help but smell the melancholy tone of this scent. This is a masterpiece. Its creation blindingly beautiful. You will not smell such artistry as this in modern perfumes of today...NEVER. It makes newer perfumes look unfinished, naked, and threadbare. The serious perfumista yearns and sadly mourns for this era of perfumery to emerge once again.

hollivomitsyou

i'm having a hard time deciding how i feel about this one. at first it felt a little aquanet to me. when i shoved it near my husbands nose he cringed a little. now that it is settling in, i can tell that it is well made. there is a nice earthiness to it and definitely a warm sun feeling that is not overdone. it makes me think of a natural beauty sort of woman.

Trinity

"Mitsouko" does not love me!

This is the sad truth I have to live with…(for now at least).
I have bought a bottle (EdP) of this truly beautiful and classic fragrance almost a year ago and since then, we both try to get acquainted together. Although, for me it was love at first sniff….there is no love coming back to me from "Mitsouko"!

I am painfully aware that "Mitsouko" is hard to get – the fragrance is choosing its mistress and does not make friends easily and lightly.

On my skin "Mitsouko" is very harsh, green and extremely masculine….and it stays this way, without even thinking to change a bit, the whole day!

I am deeply envy does who can wear "Mitsouko" and are able to enjoy this enchanting, classic fragrance.

But I am not giving up…I will be waiting for "Mitsouko" to change her mind…maybe one day "Mitsouko" will bloom on my skin too!

Until then……I will be heartbroken, but still waiting with open arms for "Mitsouko" to finally grant me my wish!

essija

I'm so glad I tried this before buying. This went on very Floral and strong, Jasmine maybe. The drydown is really impressive though, I can see why this is a mystery. Not sure If I will purchase this one. I'm not used to a perfume that has so much depth and personality, sneeking up on me, right when I think I hate it, I love it... The end result is so much different than the beginning. Mitsouko could possibly be Bi-Polar...

Bunit

I love this purfume, I cant quite describe the smell of it, but I feel all warm and fuzzy when I wear it. Maybe it is the combination of peach and rose, Tresor which I also love contains this note. It also smells romantic, but different from all the floral and oriental purfumes that I seem to smell on other women. As you can see I like being different.

Cyberlady

This is a classic - I always own a bottle and return to it again and again. Its so well balanced in every respect and so timeless. I dont really go for many Guerlain fragrances except this one.

glitteralex

I agree with Mr. White on the wine and cheese analogy. Mitsouko is hard for many, as it was for me. Half of the problem was my young age when I first smelled it, and the other half was the formulation-the EdT really doesn't flatter the notes or illustrate the harmony in this perfume. I have a decade old pure parfum that I am mad for. The bergamot really comes through and the peach is ripe, subdued, and balanced with the spices. I highly suggest getting one of the little 2ml pure parfums on eBay before making any assumptions about this complex and somewhat archaic scent.

Robert White

I wish that I could smell the original formulation...but I love it all the same. I can get ambergris absolute, and am thinking of adding some to a sample of Mitsouko as an experiment. (If anybody else wants to try this go to The Perfumer's Apprentice website; they sell pure perfumery notes and kits) This is definitely a grown up scent, and I can understand why younger gals would be grossed out by this, because the strong traditional Chypres are not exactly "Nice" smelling. They are complex and take some study and analysis to appreciate...it's like learning to like stinky cheese or a great Sauternes...when most people first try a Sauternes, they have trouble getting past the heavy, sweet, nature of the wine and find it sickly. But believe me, acquired tastes, the ones that take some time to develop, are the ones that last a lifetime. You won't be using that nice smelling new fragrance ten years from now, I bet, but you will be using Mitsouko. My late lamented sweetheart thought this smelled great on me, by the way.

tessture

The original oriental. From 1919, this is a much-contested perfume, either love it or hate it. As much as I wanted to love this historical scent, I just can't wear it. It is overly-woody and dusty on me, like I've been laying in the bottom of an old trunk faintly perfumed by clothes from another century. Now if only there weren't cobwebs in my hair, too.

dona

I don't like Mitsouko and Mitsouko doesn't like me. I've tried several times. But when I am wearing Mitsouko, I feel as I am cooking in the kitchen. I feel spices, but not my favourite spices.

hibernia

I was told by a spokeswoman for Amouage that the ambergris (vomited up by whales) was removed from the formula.I sprayed a little on my wrist and I thought it lacked something. To be fair I had strips with sprays of other Guerlain perfumes around me.

scarlett5stam

OMG !!! I felt this when I almost smell horribly sick! really not that pleasant scent! I did not buy but tested at Sephora and I am not ready to forget the stench!
at the time I thought a bad joke lol

cognac

I fell in love with mitsouko, when i got older .My mom wore mitsouko .I love the amber on the basenote and a faint smell of lime in the opening notes .
I wear it for a night out and it smells delectable on my skin .

Vickalena

I LOVED "Mitsouko" from the very first second...
- maybe because my first perfumes were Chypres, some quite "strong" (Miss Dior, Femme Rochas, Paloma Picasso)?

I don't feel any peach or flowers - no concrete notes, just a feeling of complete harmony. Yes, it changes during hours, but I like it's every movement. I have to admit, that on me the drydown is quite bitter, creamy-bitter, like "Diam Blond" Serge Lutens, but DB is much more sweet, compare to "Mitsouko". And I like it's bitterness - it is not heavy, but deep and warm.
On my skin it is very feminine aroma. Many people say that this scent suits me, but nobody recognises the perfume - yes, it is a Mystery! :)

Bravo Guerlain!

PerfumeEmpress

Chypresse, I agree. I wrote to Guerlain, protesting about the change, and they gave me some silly, pc excuse like the one you cite. Honestly, this is nothing short of a crime, IMHO. If you want the old formulation, you can get it on EBay ... if you are willing to pay up to $200 for a small bottle, that is. Sorry, old boy. Welcome to the new world of micromanaging busybodies.

woogyjones50

I so often agree with takemyhusband's reviews and this is yet another example! I, too, had to 'work' to get to know this fragrance. It is not one of my favorites necesarily. However, I have come to respect (for lack of a better word) the complexity of it.

It's not sweet by any means. In some ways it is a very earnest, almost somber perfume..not uplifting or happy to my nose. For example, the way it smells on my skin, I cannot imagine even thinking about putting this perfume on in summer. The way it smells on me just doesn't fit with sunshine and heat. To me it fits more with winter which is a darker and more contemplative season. Not exactly a feel good perfume but one that is sophisticated, deep, and not at all citrusy or light on my skin. Another one to try if for no other reason than to sample a complex perfume that really is a classic--even if it isn't a go-to scent from day to day.

Malegria

One of my favorites. Mossy, woodsy, and yet very feminine.I feel dried peaches, eastern wooden jewelry boxes, roses starting to fade.It is also one of the smells mostly loved by my husband! The dry down has some strange notes in it since the formula was changed - almost like a home made soap, it feels so weird that you want to smell it again and again...I was lucky to have the old version too.Old one was definitely more interesting, but I still love it, even now.

chypresse

The changes in these classic fragrances have come about because, in a misguided effort at regulation/protection, the European Union has outlawed certain ingredients that cause an allergic reaction in some users. Many classic chypre scents have had to be re-formulated because of this, b/c oakmoss is one of the newly regulated ingredients.

F_A

Mitsouko? When i smell it i see a hot summer day, long dusty road surrounded by steppes, travelling far by the old convertible American car...can even feel the taste of road dust in my mouth and feel the wind playing in my hair...Amazing fragrance!

Nuppu

Mitsouko is beautiful, but way too strong even on eau de toilette version. It's so heavy and smoky, that it sadly make's me cough and feel dizzy. I so hoped to be able to handle this, but no.

Guerlain Vol de Nuit Evasion has quite same feeling and type, but it's more subtle and warmer, without the suffocating effect Mitsouko gives me. So Vol de Nuit Evasion is winner of these two on me.

Mitsouko

And probably, I should evaluate these perfume:). Mitsouko is magic, heavy, herbal. I feel spicy distinctly cinnamon with delicate fruits - peach and beragamote. Mitsuko is strong but very feminine. Parfum Mitsouko is as woman without mask and dress.

benzippo

Can someone advice me whether bottle thast I have is of the original or the re-formulated version.

I got my hands on the re-fillable version that is housed in their meteorite like gold colored canister with mesh like holes around it.

PerfumeEmpress

With all due respect to Mr. Turin, I'm afraid he's talking off the top of his head. This is strictly a woman's perfume. If men want to wear this, by all means, please yourselves. But don't call it unisex (rolleyes).

Unfortunately, this has been reformulated. And it broke my heart. Why would a company want to reformulate a scent that has been consistently successful since 1918? It makes NO sense. I still have about an inch of the old formula and I treasure it like gold. On one of my trips back from Europe, I smelled the new formula at a duty free shop and I wanted to weep. Gone are all the elements (whatever they were) that made this perfume unique. What was left was a generic, run-of-the-mill, department-store concoction with a weak suggestion of what it used to be. I'm sorry if I sound too harsh, but I wore the original Mitsouko for many years. It used to be my signature fragrance. And the new one is NOTHING like the original. Guerlain should be sued. :(

Aiona

Only one other person smells "peanuts" in this perfume. I don't know whether it's just my skin chemistry, or not, but that's the overwhelming first note that I get when I spray this on myself -- PEANUTS. After that, it just smells musty and old, like bookshelves of Peanuts cartoon-books that no one publishes anymore. . . . I don't smell the peach at all.

takemyhusbandplz

I've had this twice and each time, I've actually tried to force myself to like it. Wearing a perfume should'nt be a chore! So, I swapped away my last bottle. It is a nice Chypre, but it never really blossoms on my skin. Not for my chemistry.

elgab89

A superb chypre that can be so misunderstood by the young generation (in love with the sweet scents fashionable nowadays). A great classic scent that starts a little harsh (I have the EDT), however dries down in a mysterious and superb powdery smell.

caribou55313

Mitsouko's whisper of peach over oakmoss and woods: such a strange and beautiful harmony.