Parfum d`Elle Montana for women

I first read about this perfume on a blog and was intrigued by the glowing review of the drydown. Bought blind on eBay as no samples were available.

What can I say? I'm on the fence about this one. It's so unusual...Very green at first and I don't like the scent until the top notes disappear. Not a huge fan of the heart notes either; on my skin I get more of the rosewood smell which is odd. Later on the drydown smells quite nice - nice powdery and floral which is quite elegant. I don't know if I like it enough to wait for the drydown all the time but it's a good scent to pull out for a change of pace from the usual.

This perfume is a real late bloomer! Here I am standing at the post office 3 hours after I put it on and thinking oh, wow, somebody smells so nice. I look around and there is no one around, then I sniff my wrist...and it's me! It even lasted through an hour of severe boot camp!The drydown is the best part of d'Elle.
I am glad I decided to keep it!

To be honest I expected something entirely different from Montana. Maybe because my first Montana experience was Just Me, which is in a totally different realm. It took me a while to figure out what it really smells like because on me it is citrus on top of citrus and some soapy notes. Plus I tested it first simultaneously with other fragrances and my nose was too overwhelmed. After looking at the top notes, I can see that it is indeed citrus overload. After about 15 minites I get a hint of sweetnes which is probably vanilla, but this is it.
It is not unpleasant, but it is just bizzare. When i think how I feel about it, I just go blank: not elegant, not happy, not loud, even the sitrus notes get so quiet, that you can't even categorize it as citrusy. Here is the closest comparison: if you know how the smell of grass after your law has been cut- that's d'Elle.
I will try to wear it outside of the house...maybe something will change.

Edit: It does warm up with amber and vanilla after about 30 minutes and becomes quite interesting and.....yes, elegant. Looks like this perfume has a very delayed developing. One thing you can't take away from it: its great sillage and complexity. I can return this bottle, but I am going to keep it, after 1 hour its quality won me over. Also keep in mind that I am a fan of heavier perfumes, so for someone who prefers lighter scents but the ones with good projection, this perfume maybe the most heavenly scent in the world.

Wow, the two formulations are SO different, but both are very strong!

The 1990 version is much more of a classic style perfume, the top notes are briefly soapy, the citrus and ginger is minimal, and the heart is dominated by the floral notes, although the ylang note itself is submissive. The base is full of oakmoss and does have a muskier feel to it as nyoka and Malegria each mentioned below.

The new/current reformulated version is loaded with zesty citrus and ginger. It is much fresher, and much less floral. The heart is mostly ylang-ylang with citrus and ginger. The dominant base note is tobacco, but vanilla and cedar do begin to emerge.

The current version has a similar feel to it as Salvatore Ferragamo pour Femme. If you like the style of that chypre-fruity, you will probably like this one too. Although, the spiciness in this fragrance originates with the ginger, so it has a cleaner, less complex feel, and a slightly powdery base from the vanilla.

This is a truly floral fruity leather fume.Some i have smelled it on was delicious!On me it is pleasant but not long lasting nor strong.I would say its LOvely,just not on my skin chemistry.But, I tried it again and it was totally different.Rich,heady and unique.Now one of my favs.Give it time and test more than once.

A lovely surprise this one! I bought a mini of this. I guess it was never opened, as I had to prise off the cap to get to the juice. It opens with a powerful blast that immediately reminded me of or for better words was almost identical to the start of Montana Just Me: syrupy tropical fruit (mostly pineapple as in Just Me although not listed), heady hyacinth mixed with leather and a touch of oakmoss. Oakmoss is an ingredient tend to avoid, here it's subtle and smooth and only slightly bitter. I would say the opening is more leathery than mossy.

The heart of the fragrance is a completely different affair as if Parfum d'Elle had changed her mind and become somebody else. The main theme is clean, a bit soapy but altogheter fresh and spicy floral affair, that you'd find in bittersweet nineties florals like Claire Nilang. It's slightly sweeter too, floral sweet due to the lily of the valley. It also develops an underlying woodiness.

It finishes off very subtle, the florals left are slightly herby and woody with a tiny hint of spicy vanilla undertone. The drydown reminds me of Envy for Men (my brother in laws signature scent) as they do share a few notes (tobacco - vanilla - amber - leather). Actually, if you take away the mossiness and keep the leathery tones that are still present, the two are almost identical. Parfum d'Elle isn't masculine though, it simply gives it a soft, oriental feel.

A real 90s masterpiece, typical of it's era, shame it's so hard to find. It's almost a chameleon, with three distinct facets, that either play solo or decide to morph into each other and play together. To sum up, a fresher, lighter or daylight version of Just Me, a true fruity chypre with a wee bit of masculin, leathery edge.

I had to scrub this off, I hate it!! I can still smell it too after applying something else! If anyone wants this perfume I have a full bottle available for swap or sale!

This is a weird scent to me. At first spray, I was like, great, a dated fragrance. After a bit though it just smells citrusy, mildly flowery, and clean. I will have to wear a few more times to give a more accurate review. This is the old 1990 version.

guest_aqua:

J'ai reçu ce message de quelqu'un:

Voici on peut trouver cette fragrance sur ebay: 220316540208

Parfum d`Elle is a multifaceted creation, playful as a Persian cat.First spray was very blatant - melon and rose ( I know there is no rose but it sure smelled like it!) I noticed that it posessed a certain fruity skankiness, the same is in Montana`s Just me.Soapy, cloying....but I judged too fast. It develops into a light musky veil with a tint of ylang and oakmoss, clean and elegant. I am very grateful for this metamorphose!

Translation of guest_aqua's review:

Parfum d'Elle 1990 (yellow box)is the most extraordinary perfume that I know, and I am not resigning myself to its disappearance (I don't like the new version).
How can I find it? My supply is almost exhausted.

Parfum d'Elle 1990 boite jaune est le plus extraordinaire parfum que je connaisse, et je ne me suis pas remise de sa disparition (je n'aime pas la nouvelle version).
Comment peut-on en trouver? mon stock est presque épuisé

Unreal that my review would be the first, but I am pleased and proud to sing the praises of this scent as it has been a favorite of mine for years and I own it in both the original and in the reformulated version.

The current version catches you with a whiff of the freshest ginger root mingled with zesty citrus. The tuberose is dscreet and bows to the Ylang in the hearts and the basenotes are dominated by the tobacco note which is a less sweet tobacco than I have found in many other scents. The vanilla does not temper this one which is balanced by the oakmoss.

The fragrance is definitely not a sweet girly scent but a sultry one. Spicy from the ginger, but not in a candy coated or clovy way. There is something unique about this one as it stays so far from a sugary fruity feel. It is a sophisticated citrus and not entirely feminine. Men would find the tobacco in this one easy to wear and the florals hushed and close to the skin.

I don't know of anything like Parfum d'Elle. I've stocked up!