Niki de Saint Phalle Niki de Saint Phalle for women

Ooh, now this is a strange one for me..I've been dying to try this one for so long (thanks muchly to icekat for the decant).
I've just applied some on my hand and at first sniff, I am very much reminded of Silences by Jacomo - very green.
Very quickly though, it morphs into something which brings memories of Giorgio Beverly Hills Yellow to my mind.. not necessarily a bad thing.
I 'should' absolutely adore this - the perfume type, the era, the bottle (and as with Casmir, thankfully no hint of the abhored carnations!) - but I'm circling it warily, doesn't feel quite 'me'.
I'll revisit this one.

EDT vintage, splash bottle Jacqueline Cochrane edition

Next time I get some absinthe, I'm going to make a Niki de St Phalle Cocktail. 1 shot of absinthe, 1/2 shot of home made peach cordial poured over a burnt sugar cube into a tumbler of spring water chilled by iced. To be savored while watching the moon set.

I've been wearing Niki de Saint Phalle since the 80's. It's my signature perfume. I'm told all the time how good I smell. Strangers will stop me and ask what I'm wearing and where they can buy it. I was wearing this when I met my significant other and it's all he he wants me to wear. I *LOVE* Niki D and will wear it forever!

Smooth, warm woods. I love this and get compliments from it often. Would smell great on a man.
I smell the cedar and musk the most. Has good sillage, and lasts all day on me.

On my skin, this has a quality like the dry-down on vintage Molinard de Molinard; about which I am elated because I have been looking for something exactly like this.

I love green scents but my skin tends to eat those notes making it a difficult thing to find. In this case, the green start is quickly subsumed by the softer edges of the peach, jasmine, and woods/resins. The balance is wonderful; as this stays nicely soft like the scent of woods after the rain. Dare I say, it has a very similar quality to Apres l'Ondee on me with greater presence and complexity.

Progression moves from sharp green to a soft floral- and resin- tinged green. It is really compatible with a wood fragrance that's more linear (I just happened to be testing Ava Luxe No 23 at the same time). Will test this a few more times but for the price, it seems very FB-worthy.

Many thanks to MsMaryO for the sample!

Niki is a typical buttery green perfume like Halston & Norell! I think it is a nice perfume, but to be honest, I Love Halston more!

Very off-putting at first..reminded my of my grandmothers house, made me think of cleaning supplies- as it dries and mellows it remains sharp. this scent ha dto grow in me...I like florals more than trees, but my youngest son loved this scent and used to steal it from my room and spray his stuffed animals with it. It sure made the house smell good! I used an entire bottle with his help, but I'm not sure I'll buy it again...

Review of Vintage EDT:

This fragrance was not what I expected from the reviews below. Perhaps there is a distinct difference between the vintage formulation and the current formulation?

Upon first application, vintage NdSP, is dominated by clean orris root, powdery oakmoss and a hint of citrus. After an hour heart notes briefly appear in whispers of scent: rose and carnation are the only two I can decipher. Finally at about 1 1/2 hours after application this scent dries down to an fantastic warm cedar, gentle leather, powdery oakmoss and musky scent.

My personal impressions of are of clean, chic refinement and elegance, not the haunted/enchanted forest vibe that many note below. I feel the richness of the patchouli underneath the more prominent notes, but I don't actually smell it.

Sillage: about 15 feet
Longevity: 10 hours on my skin
Overall Rating and Feel: 9/10. I wouldn't call this fragrance "green". Rather its character is clean, powdery, and woody refinement. Unbelievably well blended, it ALMOST wears the same from start to finish. Wearable by both sexes IMO. There is something very swoon worthy about the way this smells. This is the perfect scent to wear to an event where you want to stand out in a crowd in a good way.

i think this would be great for spring. this is sweet, yet clean. a bit old fashioned, but nice. i like it especially after it dries down. its a powdery musk and mossy floral. the lasting time is very good about 6+ hrs. on me.

I've found a new love for chypres, particularly ones of this kind. I love the green crispness that these fragrances tend to convey.

Some people may be quick to brand this an 'old lady' perfume, but I think not. Niki de Saint Phalle is a classic but not in an old-fashioned sense. Green chypres, are in my opinion, timeless.

This fragrance is something that can be worn all year 'round. It's mostly green, mossy powder with hints of tropical fruits and dark, mysterious leather. It's a complex scent, one that keeps me guessing. In some ways it requires a certain air of sophistication to pull it off, but at the same time, it is a relatively easy fragrance to wear.

The scent itself is unusual, perhaps even a touch exotic. It reminds me slightly of Dior's Diorella, though perhaps not as Summery and bright. There is a darkness to Niki de Saint Phalle which is quite addictive and alluring.

The sillage is moderate, and although the longevity could be more lasting, it sill lasts relatively well on my skin. I'm surprised to see that this fragrance sells quite cheaply, especially online, which draws me to conclude that this fragrance is an unexpectedly good bargain.

It smells cheap, old fashioned and I do not like it at all. I t was a blind buy, lucky that I did not pay a lot for it. I have the same experience with New West perfume, same style. My doughter criticise me for wearing old lady perfumes.I try to like it but I cannot.

I thought I’d love this fragrance. Dark green chypre . I’d read a lot of comments from fans. Risky. Strange. Exciting. Maybe the parfum is different, but I only know the edt. NdSP hits the notes I should love (green, mossy, bitter) but doesn’t really do anything with them. The top notes are strong, but indistinct. As it evolves, NdSP starts to seem more unsteady. It’s got some of the right stuff, but what seems like haphazard composition and uneven editing make it seem both out of proportion and simple at the same time. The seams are showing. Not long into its evolution, it gets patchier and then falls apart, and oddly, the only interesting parts ---the bitterness, really (moss, tagetes)---fade and a vague resinous sweetness remains.

Proof that we’re not blind fans of any particular genre and that artistry in composition matters.

I really wanted to like this perfume. I think I just cant do chypre floral or it may be the oakmosss. It just never made it past the tree-rot stage for me. I waited and waited and hoped it would change into one of the wonderful smells that i kept reading about. On the plus i got a sample and didnt buy a full bottle.

A lovely new acquaintance. More green than mysterious to me, a very well blended and easy to wear chypre.

JUST got this today (tester that was being sold at a discount at a fragrance outlet, 2 oz almost 95% full), and it's gorgeous. At first spray it seemed very soapy and powdery to me, but now that I've given it some time to develop I'm getting the patchouli, sandalwood, and oakmoss. I'm a huge fan of chypres as it is, (I'm going to have to get Mitsuko someday soon) and the somewhat soapy/powdery top notes at first put me off a bit. Now I'm glad I took a chance on it.

As a guy..., I love to smell this scent on a woman.
It's so refined and sophisticated and not too sweet nor too spicy.
Actually, this is one of the first scents that I really couldn't pick out the notes. It's just blended so well.
Just something I know I love on almost every woman.

To my nose there is nothing a forest-like in the Niki... I perceive it rather as a kind of "dry herbs"-chypre. A spicy, very dry and "too direct" chypre. I enjoyed testing it, but can't wearing - carnation is my problem here. Also, it is way too dry.

Niki is one of the most mysterious perfumes I ever experienced. Reminds me of a tropical forest right after the rain. I think it's mint that gives it a cooling effect and makes it perferct for the hottest weather. I don't get any leather, but I do detect carnation and oakmoss. Overall the notes are blended so perfectly that none of them jumps out at you.
Considering it's EDT the sillage is great but not overwhelming. A very unique creation that is worth being added to anyone's collection.
A great value for the price too!

I'D LIKE TO ADD TO MY ORIGINAL REVIEW
the following details on the supplementary products.

NIKI DE SAINT PHALLE:

BODY LOTION
BODY CREAM
POWDER
SHOWER GEL
SOAP

The BODY LOTION is more like a body milk.
It is housed in a beautiful blue glass bottle and comes with an optional pump hidden in the bottom of the box. Because it is more of a body milk you only need to press the pump gently.
The peach sharpness stands out more with the lotion than with the fragrance. I use it on my legs and feet but find the smell too sharp for my arms and upper body. The glass bottle is worth holding onto once finished because it is so beautiful and sure to be a collectors item.

The BODY CREAM is creamy fluffy luxury (great moisture).
Like the body lotion it is sharper in scent than the fragrance. I use very little of this on my wrists and sometimes on my heels and elbows. It feels lovely on.
I am not crazy about the jar design but it does go well with the collection.

The POWDER smells the most like the fragrance. It is amazing. The powder is gold in color sort of flesh tone with a tiny shimmer. Great to layer with the fragrance for an enchanting effect. It is housed in a oval blue cardboard powder box with gold detailing. The white oval puff feels nice.
I enjoy wearing the powder on my arms and the back of my hands because of the shimmer.
This would make a treasured gift. I suggest not completely removing the paper seal but rather in the very center punch tiny holes with a pin to resemble a talc lid. It makes the powder last longer and keeps the scent fresh.

The SHOWER GEL smells like the fragrance.
This is another GREAT GIFT!
It comes in a blue tube.
The gel itself is a pretty cyan blue.
I do not use it as a shower gel.
I prefer to use only a little in a bath to make a luxurious bubble bath.
When used in the bath it scents the entire room for an enchanting effect that makes you want to stay in there forever.

The SOAP also smells like the fragrance.
It is shaped like an egg (very Goddess).


To locate these items please use price comparison websites like dealtime.com or bizrate.com. to find a fair price from a good web retailer. Don't give in to the horrible pricing garbage going on at Ebay.

Niki de Saint Phalle reminds me of Camus' "Noces à Tipasa". He describes the generous aroma of wormwood on the Mediterranean coast of Algeria and the joy of life that eating a peach can give you.

A beautiful literature page in a bottle.

"Au bout de quelques pas, les absinthes nous prennent à la gorge. Leur laine grise couvre les ruines à perte de vue. Leur essence fermente sous la chaleur, et la terre au soleil monte sur toute l'étendue du monde un alcool généreux qui fait vaciller le ciel. Nous marchons à la rencontre de l'amour et du désir." (...)
"...il y a beaucoup de fruits - surtout des pêches qu'on mange en y mordant, de sorte que le jus en coule sur le menton. Les dents refermées sur la pêche, j'écoute les grands coups de mon sang monter jusqu'aux oreilles, je regarde de tous mes yeux."

hmm... all i get is first some greenness and then a powderpuff. a very dense mossy powder. I like thick powder smell, so now thinking about using it for layering ....

To fully experience the beauty of the fragrance Niki de Saint Phalle you need to learn about Niki. I suggest reading the book “Tarot Garden: Niki de Saint Phalle”. Niki grew-up in New York City (upper East Side) in a patriarchal dominated Christian home during the depression. The male dominance had a negative effect on her and caused her to later in life reject the standard domestic lifestyle and embark on her own spiritual quest of the occult. Niki had an African American Nanny that she adored (evident throughout her art). Niki created this fragrance for herself (Artist, Sculptress, Feminist, Occulist, Free Spirit).

It is foresty fragrance at first that drys down to a unique enchanting blend of musk and oakmoss with a hint of rose.
MAGICAL
SEDUCTIVE
SOPHISTICATED
OTHER WORLDLY
GODDESS
*****COMPLIMENTS*****
Recommend (Day & Night)
I was introduced to this fragrance when I was about 19-20 and considered it a rite of passage into womanhood. Oddly enough I was introduced to it with Lancome Magie Noire which I also consider an “Other Worldly” fragrance. I continue to wear Niki now almost 20 years later. Many put it in a simlar foresty category as Molinard de Molinard and Amarige Givenchy which I also agree and wear. Niki de Saint Phalle fragrance bottles and supplementary products are beautiful and make lovely gifts.

A symbol of Personal Freedom and Feminine Power.

This perfume is a masterpiece. I spray it, and wow...love, lust at first sniff. Starts off really tantalisingly citrussy, warmly, smoothly sweet ( I know it sounds like a contradiction, but that is what I get!!!!!!!!!!). Not a fruity cocktail sweet, warm, hypnotically sweet. I think what captivates me is the bergamot mix with apple/citrus. Then, it dries down to a gloriously composed middle waft of gentle, powdery warmth...must be the carnations...and of course, the 'I love', patchouli, which here just seems to anchor and stabilise the sometimes oversweet notes such as jasmine. And then,, add even more depth. And I'm walking on sunshine, and sweetness, and a fabulous cloud of divine scent.
Just ordered 2 more bottles..no way am I ever going to skimp with this one.
NB, I wore it yesterday, for my birthday. My darling daughter (aged 21) said to me...'WOW! What is that amazing perfume. It's divine!" Now, she generally likes sweeter chypre and floral fumes. (Currently she wears Lolita Lempicka and Parisienne) So, the allure must be ageless....
Thank you to Niki and the gods of all perfume beauty. Another great love!!!

Picture it: 1982. A twelve year old girl is walking through the old I. Magnin store at Union Square in San Francisco: an elegant, gracious space done up in grey marble and accented with gilded brass. The girl, in love with the glamour of her surroundings, the first giddy flush of love in fact, passes a cosmetic counter; a flask atop it gets her full attention. A rectangular pillar of blue cobalt glass supports two metallic snakes, one gold, one enameled in piebald primary colors. They are entwined in what parents or teachers would euphemistically call "an act of love." A sales lady (That's a sales assistant, for you younger readers) notices her gawking at this revelation, smiles, and hands the girl a sample of what lies within that cobalt pillar. (Yes, there was a time when sales assistants were called sales ladies and they did things like that. Sigh.)

At home the girl sits down cross-legged on her bedroom floor and opens the little vial. Even before the fragrance touches skin she knows---something about her is changing, is being changed by whatever is in this tiny plastic vial. She doesn't have the words to adequately describe or analyze what she is experiencing, though words like topnotes, oakmoss and drydown really can't be used to describe an awakening, a coming of age, an epiphany.

What is really in that little vial is not so much a perfume but a secret handshake admitting her for the first time into a world of mature sensuality. Sweet flowers with a serrated edge of bitterness, spicy and forbidding with woods thick enough to become lost in: though it will be years before her first real kiss, her first real love affair, her first heartbreaks--this is the moment, the passkey from childhood to what lays beyond.

Though I kept the sample for years, I did not buy NdSP; by the time I was in my late teens/early 20s it had disappeared from suburban mall shelves and I thought it was discontinued and gone forever. About a year ago, discovering fragrance again, I wondered, "what about Niki?" and set out to find it. While the EDT is excellent-- lighter than the vintage as I remember it, more green and less complex--the old NdSP lives on in the bath oil--the bitter pollen of marigold that makes this fragrance what it is really stands out. This is a must try for every serious perfumista because there is nothing like it on the market today -- so says my inner 12 year old.

This has quite a citrus smell on me. It is a strong scent but fresh and clean. In general I go for woody, spicy, oriental fragrances but there is something about this that I really like and I find myself wearing it fairly often. I know I will buy another bottle when I finish it.

My dad bought Niki De Saint Phalle as a gift for my mom when it launched back in spring of 1982 while he was on a business trip. He purchased it from a little shop out in San Francisco called, "Jacqueline Perfumery". That was one of the few places you could find that fragrance back then, and now it seems as far gone from the shelves as cassettes and walkmans do.

Niki is a very, very green, forest inspired fragrance.....a chypre done correctly. Its distinct marigold and oakmoss notes are what make this work of art so memorable. Along with those notes come the vetiver, dry peach and leather. The leather is not played up too much here, though. It's a soft leather, unlike the leather in say, Gres' Cabochard or Lauder's Azuree where the leather seems more dominant in the base. Niki also reminds me of pine trees....there is something in it, especially in the top notes that have a dark pine note. Niki is truly one of the best fragrances I have ever encountered, and I will always have it in my collection.

Niki, herself, was an exceptional artist, one of the most original and talented. May she rest in peace. The bottle artwork for her signature fragrance has to be one of the most creative and beautiful I have ever seen. The intertwined, colorful serpants are as endeavoring as the fragrance itself. They do not make them like Niki anymore.

This is not a fragrance for everyone. It's extremely dark, gothic, even. Nothing frilly and white here. Niki goes perfect with the night blue storm brewing skies. Tears For Fears' "Pale Shelter" plays in the background to the haunted aroma of Niki De Saint Phalle. An 80's classic that is in my top five forever.

Niki de Saint Phalle and Chanel no 19 don't seem
too different from each other they both have the
simular sharp green opening although no 19 stays
cool and crisp, Niki dries warm and reisenious
with Leather and patches of Civet Niki is a warmer
and extroverted cousin to No 19 with it's cold cypre
like wet grass and dry oakmoss comes to show you that
every Oriental and greens are a Indivual.

“I don't love you as if you were a rose of salt, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as one loves certain dark things,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.”

Thank you Pablo Neruda (A Chilean poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971), for this beautiful passage.

I had a different experience with Phalle Parfum today, and so I must write about it. I never realized how strongly the carnation stands out; and carnation, as you see above, is fiery.

I also got strong images of a fragile, pink light fighting against the shadows, and voila, along came this poem.

NIki de St. Phalle is an unusual scent. I’ve been coming back to it for over a year now, in various strengths and years of production. This will never rise to the top shelf with me, but what is so arresting is the oily leather played off on the deep, earthy florals. The seduction is so subtle I think it demands a biblical warning. Song of Solomon author take note.

As a black, dusty leather with an elusive swath of green this is truly remarkable. Folks who like Jean Scherrer (original), Eau de Soir and Miss Dior should give this a nod.

I’ll probably always keep a small decant on hand, just for the soul of it.

Don't buy this untested unless you are VERY sure you like chypre notes. It is very exotic, cool smelling, and even I with my untrained nose can pick out the strong cedar. The initial notes dry down very quickly to a long-lasting, unchanging powdery green and woody aura.

Did not know who Niki dSP was until talking to an arty friend. If you have seen her art, she was very avant-garde, ahead of her time, and a bit eccentric...just like this perfume.

If you are game enough to wear this it won't go unnoticed, promise!

Edit a few months later: I've gone off this one big time..travelling onwards in my perfume exploration.

This is SO wonderful. It opened with such a lovely green burst of mint followed by peach sweetness and jasmin. It's sweet, but spicy from the patchouli. The carnation gives a wonderful "green" feeling and I must ask - what's there not to love?
It reminds me of forest, of woods, of rain, of nature, it's a real masterpiece and the price?
It's extremely well maid and a must for every chypre of floral green lover. Gorgeous. I'm very impressed.

To me Niki is all about the cedar and cedar to me is all about freshly sharpened pencils. This EdT instantly takes me back more years than I intend to divulge here, to a time in September when the anxiety of beginning a new school year was soothed by the satisfaction in owning pristine new school supplies.

It's not common to experience a sense memory that vivid. It happens in dreams but rarely in waking life. Yet somehow the cedar note in Niki de Saint Phalle reawakens for a moment all that ambivalent childhood intensity felt at the approach of the first day of school.

Of course there's more to Niki than cedar wood, plenty to appreciate in it beyond the brief excursion back to childhood that always takes me by surprise. But somehow the cedar is so redolent that for me the other notes become its background, indistinguishable from one another though together forming their own very lovely composition. To me there are two notes in Niki; cedar and the rest. Both are beautiful.

This is one of those fragrances that smells more expensive than it is. Sometimes ebay sellers, unable to decipher the actual spelling from the signature on the bottle, list it as "Niki de Saint Ralle" and it goes for even less since buyers aren't looking for a fragrance that doesn't exist.

As if to bellow out from behind a gigantic megaphone, "Yes, you can have it all!" NIKI DE SAINT PHALLE manages to roll the best of chypre florals and leather perfumes all into one powerful potion. To wear this creation is to go on a raucous ride on a bucking bronco out in the wild, wild west. No one can claim that NIKI is boring or tame.

The opening is rather green, with a galbanumesque-edge that introduces a complex chypre which continues to evolve with notes coming and going in wafts of wonderfulness. Meanwhile, the leather begins faint, as almost a soil-like complement, suggesting early on that NIKI will be but another well-behaved chypre. But, no, hold on to your hat, the leather gets darker and heavier as the green dissipates, to be replaced by other tell-tale chypre elements, including oakmoss.

The florals are less assertive players in this composition, but essential as well: this is not fruity or sweet at all and at times the carnation and ylang contribute a dash of spiciness. By the drydown, the leather and the woods have more or less taken over, but the oakmoss persists all the way through to the end, many hours later, thanks to the amber and musk.

NIKI DE SAINT PHALLE is definitely a composition worth trying--provided that you love both leather and classic chypre!

Geez, Louise... ! I did NOT like this fragrance at all...It didn't fare well with my body chemistry...It smells cheap, old fashioned, and mostly like not showering and then trying to cover up the dirty smell with a powdery scent...I'm glad others like it because I DON'T!

I had been looking at this one for quite sometime But I did not have the courage to buy it. but it was calling my name then I read what Nyoka ( which is my top favorite reviewer) wrote . And I decide to buy it with out trying it. And it was love at first sniff . It is like no other perfume I have tried, It is so natural ,nothing artificial. It does not clash with my animals senses ( horses, goats, dogs , cats chicken) dosnt make them moody or hiper I can use it to go out just to be in the house. It is refine & elegant Ahd I feel good, sexy mysterious elegant in it. It is just wonderful
LOVE IT !! LOVE IT!!!!

One of the loveliest perfumes I have tried in the past year or so - I even bought a bottle (and when you already have a large collection, that is saying a lot).
On me the opening is a bit fruity-floral, but then this fades to a wonderful green oriental, with a dry-down that is light and sexy. Not as overwhelming as some of the 80's orientals and could easily be worn during the day, even at the office. Lovely overall.

This is one of my favs.THe green notes make my heart sing!The peach and patcholi mingle and make a slight floral scent.I love most the dry down,ummmmmm,irris root,oakmoss and cedar make this a really green wet woody scent.When I wear it,I feel like im in a forest with cool gentle rain falling on nme.My senses feel alive.Always perks me up.

This is Sublime's little GREEN sister. The blast of green at the begining is nothing short of extraordinary. It's very deep, layered, and crisp. A clean note of mint cuts through the opening and gives it serious dimension. Within an hour, woody heart notes peek through the composition. Patchouli and cedar, with the requisite rose and jasmine. The overall feel isn't powdery or dry; rather, the sharpness of the dominant notes are balanced by some juiciness (I'm not sure where it comes from). The drydown is lush, green, and does not skimp on oakmoss.

Niki de Saint Phalle is very very green and lush, never acridly dry. It reminds me of Chanel No.19 in some regards, but it smells more modern and versatile. I imagine Niki de Saint Phalle would layer nicely over other perfumes too.

Highly recommended, unless you can't tolerate green!

Dark green at the start, but quickly became very dry and resinous on me. I do not get any florals. My chemistry must be amplifying the leather note, because the overall effect is not far from how Miss Balmain performed on my skin. I feel a little overwhelmed by this fragrance.

Had this one in my early 20's and from what I remember, I loved it and it was one of my "date night" favorites - very sexy and mysterious.

It's been a long while since I last wore it, and now I may have to buy another bottle to resurrect my experience.

I have always been attracted to fragrances that are sweet and smoky, sexy, surprising, noticeable but not overpowering, and again, from what I remember this was a top fave for many years.

Another chypre floral that I have loved - LOL, *surprise!!!* at least I'm consistent!

So complicated this scent is, but I am not complaining, no, I am basking! The herbal opening is gorgeous. Adding mint and bergamot to those little fresh cut leaves brightens the scene, and makes it perfect. The peach is hidden, it doesn't shout out with sweetnees-the peach uses itś fuzzy skin, and stays softly in the background, taming the opening notes, keeping them from turning "too masculine".

My nose is elated, ecstatic, and stunned, and the middle notes are difficult for me to discern. I can say that the carnation keeps the composition dry. The jasmine and ylang-ylang are slightly overshadowed, but not completely lost, while they mix and meld so perfectly with the other earthen notes of cedar, orris root, and patchouli. The rose reaveals itself only by playing rival to the patchouli, and lending hidden power and velvety caress to all the other notes in play.

The drydown comes along and I am
baffled by how intensely I can enjoy all the whole three stages of this scent, so thoroughly. The base is like a cedar chest, an antique house with wooden floors. The base itself reminds me of a gentle Azuree by EL. At first the leather note in the base misguided me, I thought of wax or powder, but now I am finding the leather to be a lovely and essential touch.

The scent is strong, but itś not forceful, not tacky. This perfume is on edge the whole time, but simultaneously balanced, sublime. This scent has presence, texture. It develops, changes, revealing so many facets-doing so-smoothly at every level.

An excellent Chypre, it is never sugary, not for one moment. Wonderfully natural, always keeping you grounded. Oriental in the way the spices and deep eastern notes conjure dreams of 1,000 Nights under an indigo dark sky. Truly beautifully Floral, as it never fails to be profoundly feminine.

Like the fragrance, although very strong, the other day I felt a perfume, only then was the most beautiful.Must be great with body cream,I mostly like chypre perfumes, rarely buy. Base notes are fantastic with favorite oakmoss,amber,leather. After a few hours smelled powdery and soft. Incredibly powerful drydown, left a deep impression on me.

Yep, it's still gorgeous in the body cream, but it is a remarkable scent overall a lovely deep floral chypre for someone who doesn't like sharp mossy scents. The moss is there, but it's in the background. The florals are deep and dark and the mint and patchouli overshadow the cedar and oakmoss in this one. The carnation and Ylang makes it deep and dusky and a great scent for the evening....and yes, layer it with the body cream. Lush.

I just received my bottle of Niki and I am very impressed. It smells so lovely, floral, but not too flowery, musky, but not too dry. The heart is amazing with carnation and jasmine. I love the dry down, soft and powdery, while it still has presence. Perfect for cool,crisp fall days.

This perfume has a strong marigold smell and dries down rather woodsy and powdery on me. It is a bit heavy for my taste.

Adding another review, now that I have tried both the Eau de Toilette and the pure Parfum.

If you're new to this scent, try the EdT first. It is inexpensive and easily found online. If you like the citrus and pine top notes in the Edt, you'll want to purchase the Parfum at some point. Those notes last much longer in the Parfum conentration and give the fragrance a different effect. The parfum is much greener and a little sweeter.

If your favorite part of this fragrance is the leather and musk of the drydown, the EdT gets there faster and those are the notes that will linger. This scent is very long-lasting even in the EdT strength.

(And if you're a bottle collector, you'll want both versions! They're just so darn pretty!)

I first encountered this scent at age 19, and I can see now why it wouldn't have appealed to me at that age, but is very appealing now that I am in my late 30's. Niki de Saint Phalle is a mature woman's scent, with maturity meaning age and experience rather than a number. I was not ready to be that person at age 19 or 20, but I welcome this scent now.

Other Fragrantica members suggested I would like this one as it smells similar to Molinard de Molinard, which is one of my favorites. It does smell like that one, with a little more green "Christmas tree" note in the opening. It then dries down to a beautiful, sexy musk, similar to Halston Classic. I can't wear the Halston at all, but Niki also has enough leather in the base to keep it pleasant-smelling on me.

It's a bit out of fashion at this time, or perhaps its a scent completely out of time altogether, unless it's the right time for YOU to wear it.

Full disclosure: the beautiful packaging is a HUGE part of the appeal for me, too. I never buy scents based on packaging alone, but thankfully, the scent is as exotic, attractive and mysterious as the opulent blue bottle that contains it.

I have the EDT and it has decent staying power in this concentration, but I am hoping I can find an EDP or Parfum of this scent to purchase in the future.

it is very sweet and flowery I think it is a summer perfume. The bottle is very unusual. I am not sure if I would get it again as I prefer spicy and oriental perfumes

It''s not love at first sniff, but as it dries down, a nice balance of musk/floral/sweetness develops. It is not for the young or free spirited woman. It suits a sophisticated, but unconventional woman best. Great fall/winter choice.

This is also very delicious in the body cream.

Very mature and Outdoorsy. This is a winter must. I get a lot of pine out of this, it's different than anything I have ever smelled. I like it, a lot...