L'Air du Temps Nina Ricci for women

This was my signature scent for as long as I can remember (am now on the hunt for a new one, but this is still one I revisit frequently). Initially, it's light and perfect for daytime, but evolves into something warmer and more elegant as the day goes on. In a word, it's beautiful.

I think that the reason I've drifted away from this is that they've discontinued the parfum classic (in the beautiful crystal flacon designed by Lalique). It just doesn't quite smell the same or have the same staying power. When a perfume company changes an old, original perfume, they break hearts. My heart is just not the same without the original that my mother used to dab on me as a little girl. I wore this through high school, beyond, and when I got married. I've stretched my old bottles as far as they can go and am reluctantly using the spray now.

Elegant, feminine floral with carnation and powdery spices as the dominiant notes on my skin. This perfume never fails to get a compliment if worn in the spring or summer.

I really have to spray it on if I don't want to refresh the perfume all day. The lasting power isn't the greatest. This lasts a long time on fabric though.

This is the only Nina Ricci perfume I like. This one really blooms on me. It is one of my husband's favorites on me.

It reminds me of everything feminine- fragrant flower gardens, walking in a beautiful and elegant garden, weddings, lace, pearls and powder.

A scent of a lady, and therefore my grandmother. I like it to, in light doses. floral, elegant - a little powdery.

This fragrance is just too...floral/flowery for me. My grandmother bought me a bottle when I was a teenager, many years ago. I recently tried it again but I still don't like it.

Un profumo classico, puro ed elegante. Non è una fragranza sexy ma ti fa sentire completamente a tuo agio quando lo indossi. Se una persona di giovane età è capace di capirlo, ha trovato un tesoro che si sta perdendo proprio nel tempo.

Este es un perfume maravilloso; enteramente clasico, y no es para menos pues se creo en 1948. El aroma es enteramente floral: rosas,claveles, flores blancas. Un bouquet que yo definiria como romantico. Esas notas van acompañadas de finas especias y otras notas que la hacen aun mas rico. Ya cuando el aroma llega a su fase final, pasa a ser atalcado. Es un perfume persistente y suave. El envase es una obra de arte con esas dos palomas.

Picante casi ardiente y luminoso... el frasco fabuloso artistico, lo use, a mi olfato entre masculino y unisex...

I'm revisiting this to see if I still get carnation overload but for some reason it isn't as bad as the first time I wore it(which was last July when I first reviewed it).I still don't think I will wear it much but I can see it's appeal:there is something in there that is keeping my nose plastered to my wrist even though I can't wear anything with carnation.I'm actually getting other notes besides just that clove smell.Interesting.....

My mother loved this distinctive perfume. Clean but has warmth. A little too heady for me but an undeniable classic.

This was my first frangrance ever as a young girl. I was always on the fence with this one. It felt a bit too indistinguishable. Not too floral, not to powdery, just sort of nowhere. Not very interesting to me, it just does not inspire.

I wore this for a few years as my signature scent in my early-mid 20s (early 80s). I loved this floral. I recall it was one floral that didn't blast me with aldehydes such as No5 did. It just blended well with my chemistry & I always got compliments on it.

Such a classic scent, L`air du temps is an essence of everything soft and feminine, to me this is not a sexy scent but it does make me feel beautiful.

Romantic, elegant, lady like....very soft; a classic. It was one of my first scents. As a child I smelled pretty and like my mom. She use to love this one. I keep a bottle around and use it for daytime as I like my evening frags on the bold side.

My mother always had a great nose for grand perfumes. This one was one of her favorites and smelled always great on her. Unfortunately it's also one of the few that I own but never wear. It simply doesn't suit me. I tried so hard to like it but the smell becomes watery yet obnoxious on me. It's a pity, but alas. If it works on your skin consider yourself lucky! For its florals that become a powdery bouquet of something musky, is recognizable and the bottle is very pretty on your beauty table.

I'm surprised people associate this with "old ladies" or feel it's dated it in some way (for better or for worse). I get the opposite impression and I was quite surprised when I found out it came out so long ago! To me it's whimsical, youthful, vibrant, lush. Someone said in one of the reviews that every newer generation has to assert it's independence by putting down the previous ones. I see more of the opposite. It seems to be the older generations need to assert their independence by putting down newer generations and talking about how their generation was superior and they certainly came from the golden age using rather dubious and comical criteria. I think this can be enjoyed (reformulated or not) by all generations and is not limited to a certain age group or era. As any REAL classic worth while should be.

I love it, it is filled with so many memories...and whenever i wear it i travel to past times...

I remember first coming accross this frag as a teenager. It hurt my nose and is still to this day reminiscent of 'old lady' to me. I find it unkind, overpowering and chaste.

I love love love this perfume, and have worn it for as long as I can remember! In fact, in the last 30 years, I have almost exclusively worn only two scents: this perfume, and a lovely cologne called "Heaven Sent."

feminine. a little sweetness, a little sharpness, a little green. powdery and dry at the finish. let's not forget the dominant carnation note which makes it stand out. a classic and very lady-like. i'm wearing it today for my birthday and it makes me feel and smell terrific.

Innocent yet seductive at the same time. A very wet soft floral with the sharp dryness of carnation. This reminds me alot of Guy Laroche Fidji but is much milder and softer. Unfortunately L'air du temps makes me sneeze constantly there is something in there which acts like white pepper and just sets me off everytime. Beautiful and elegant classic nevertheless.

As a teenager I adored this perfume. My older twin brothers bought me a small bottle of the perfume for Christmas in 1973 or 1974. I was thrilled! I saved it for special occasions and always felt so sophisticated when I wore it. It became very dear to me when one of my brothers that gave it to me died in 1975. I still have the beautiful bottle and yes, it still is half full. It still smells beautiful, sophisticated, and never fails to take me back to a time of innocence and happiness.

This one i initially bought blind and just liked in the beginning. Since then it has grown on me to the extent to be in my top 5 favorites. It doesnt really smell flowery to me and i dont mind it at all. I love florals, but its not often ive come across one like this. I only have the newer version; i presume it has been reformulated. However, i did have the chance to try a vintage bottle. It was a little sweeter, and in a way fruity. I almost dare not to say fruity because i feel even in my own mind it conjures to mind melons and papayas and all that jazz which is not what its all about. Altogether it is VERY VERY close to the brand spanking new one which i am very proud of. It smells like the air of distinction and sophistication. Not at all smug or self righteous, but just glowing with timeless self assurance. I smell it and immediately picture a well clad beauty of the 40s walking down the street with a clutch, a tilted hat and a tailored coat. Sort of like a Dita von Teese <3. Not many scents draw images like that to my mind and i think that is the sort of je ne sais quoi that makes me love this antique so freaking much :-)

The dry down is so beautiful on me and my sister and my aunt. Maybe we all share the same body chemistry. We all love it, and not so much when we first put it on, but after it's had a while to settle in. Wonderful sillage and lasting power -- all day. I catch hints of it if I, for instance, stand up after having been sitting for a while. It just makes me feel luscious and special. It's classic and feminine maybe a bit retro, and I love and will always love it. Especially now that I know the story behind the scent (a celebration of peace at last, after the end of World War II).

It's really interesting to read these reviews, to see how differently something is perceived by different people. Amazing.

I was introduced to LDT back in the early seventies, when I was a youngster who liked haunting perfume counters. I liked this scent, and remember it was very popular at the time. I think the scent of carnation was the draw for me, and in the body lotion I detect a little myrrh, which is another favorite smell. It reminds me a little bit of the fragrance of Roger & Gallet's carnation soap.

It's strange, to me, to read this described as a scent for elderly women, since even when I was a kid I thought of it as a scent for a little girl or ingenue. All depends on how you look at it. I was amused by Cubby's statement, to the effect, that someday fragrances like Angel will be described as "old": every new generation has to assert it's independence by putting down the likes and loves of the previous one, it seems. I believe it.

LDT is not one of my big loves, but occasionally I wear it, and usually have on a dusting of (don't laugh) good old Johnson's Baby Powder from after my shower. For some reason, this combination of baby powder and a tiny bit of LDT never fails to get compliments! It's a soft smell, not very sexy or dramatic but comforting in it's own way. Just clean and sweet.

Anyway, to each his or her own!

On me I think I particularly smell cardamom in this. It could be a different note I'm unfamiliar with though since I haven't been able to find anything that really says it contains cardamom. It's delicate and doesn't turn into a spice shop on my arm. Although it's light it's noticeable and long-wearing. In winter it can seem a little melancholy. It's a great scent for summer, but not what people expect. It's definitely a sophisticated scent. No sneezy notes it's also one I can wear around sensitive noses. It's fantastic.

This was my first signature back in the 80s-90s. As a teenager, I found this scent deeply fascinating, and so did my classmates, so I disagree with those of you who said this is only meant for grown-up ladies. Yes, it may have been the signature of many women from 1948 on, and now they are old ladies, but if this one has stood the test of time in such a way it is because it has appealed to women of all ages for so many years, which in itself should prove it’s a real classic, not a dated “oldie”. If not, why is it that a bottle of LADT is sold every five minutes around the world? I don’t think the buyers are only old ladies. And after all, mustn’t poetry be accessible to all ages?

Some of you said this is a sad scent, but it isn’t so for me, or if it is it’s the scent of joy after sadness. This is pure bliss, true perfume sorcery, a celebration of love and peace (of mind) regained after a crisis. Maybe, especially if we bear in mind the historical moment of its creation, this inspires nostalgia for the times in which we didn’t know that conflict existed. As a teenager I didn’t know much about its origin, but it really was comforting to find shelter in it when I felt disappointed or depressed. Yes, I was a perfume freak in the making, and I already took frags too seriously and expected too much from them. It seems a leopard never changes its spots :)

Even the (much soapier) edt has a kind of opulence that takes you back to a stage of longed-for past well-being. It is subtle and dreamy, sensual only in a discreet way, but also rich and deep like Opium (I agree with sweetnspicey; I never related LADT to Opium back in my youth, but I do now). I get the first hints of carnation in its beautiful opening, a somewhat fruity one. Then it develops into a delicate spicy combination of carnation, jasmine, ylang-ylang and orris. After some 5 hours on my skin it dries down into powdery sandalwood, musk and a slight hint of iris, making me wish for more.

I never strayed far from L’Air. Or if I did I always came back to it. It’s just me. Or rather just us, taking into account its countless lovers around the world. I myself I’m proud to attract more and more users into loving it. People often ask me what divine perfume I'm wearing. Sometimes LADT can be a real magnet!

What i remember most of this was the White floral noes. Gardenia, Jasmine, Neroli, Carnation, Rose.
The impression, Very.... Very... Delicate. If that makes sense. Extremely feminine. Girly, young, but not nymphy like the modern girly fragrances. It tells me "easy now.. be gentle" Just a very clean, gentle, refined and very complex white floral.
This falls into a category of mine that i call "Ultra-feminine"(Like Thierry Mugler Womanity), where a guy could never ever get away wearing. But it's a really comforting fragrance to just have around.

smells classic.. but as i was a child i used to wear it .. actually after 20 years it does not match with me .. :(

Just like many of the people here this was in my mothers drawer too, along with the scented soap in a beautiful gift box. She didn't use it much, in fact I don't think she used a lot of perfume. She just had this and a bottle of Youth dew in her drawer for "hard times" ? Lol. Anyhow, I remember every now and then sniffing the soap and feeling the weight of the bottle in my hand thinking one day I'll have such pretty things too. I'm 35 now, the smell takes me back, way back, to those days in the 80's which is ironic since the name L'air du Temps translates to the air of times, zeitgeist, if you will. It's soapy at first, delicate expensive soap, a little later it turns into a soft oriental while retaining the clean notes. It's a beautiful scent for day or night, rain or shine. Best part, boys will always remember you when they get a whiff of it, love it or not it is one to remember.

Edit: Unfortunately this review is for the vintage L'air du Temps that I have. I recently bought another bottle of the newer formulations, and I need to say it is very disapointing, very watered down, the carnation top note feels very artificial, almost bubblegum like. In my opinion, this classic has been ruined.

My grandmother used to wear this. When I was very young, I used to sneak into her bedroom and admire the bottle with the doves on the stopper. I recently bought it for myself, and after spraying my wrist I thought it smelled a little like something I already own. After some sniffing I realized it was Chloe (original formula). So I sprayed the other wrist with Chloe to compare. Right out of the bottle they do smell similar, but after a couple of hours, Chloe is warm and peachy, and L'air Du Temps is softer and more floral. Both are beautiful! If you like one, you may like the other.

This is no smell for winter, Habanita - try this in hot summer and only EdP, because the EdT is too sharp and with too much alcohol in it. Beautifull smell of carnation, good silage and longevity.

While I liked it on others, the skin test on me completely failed. For me it was too fresh and citrsuy. My BF even said it smelled like after shave. So not for me.

Elegant, elegant, delicate, feminine, clean, peaceful, elegant, heavenly, spiritual....infinity!

L'Air du temps is indeed an eternal fragrance.
It's a very soft, sensual and discrete scent. I believe this to be one of the top creation ever in perfume's history.

I don't normally like vintage/classic perfumes, as they are often associated with "old ladies' scent" or "grandma's scent" and also because those perfumes are definitely not targeted for young people (you will never see a No.5 or Opium ads with the model still looks like a teenager) and usually they smell pretty strong too.
I got a sample of this one, and I surprisingly liked it. It smells quite vintage, but in a peaceful, calming, and beautiful way. It really suits the fact that this perfume was first launched after the end of the catastrophic World War 2 and the doves on the top totally represent this historical event and of course, the smell.
Maybe I will not wear this perfume until i feel like I'm 'mature' enough for it, but this is already on my favorite perfume list :)

My aunt bought me a small bottle of this for Christmas when I was in Junior High and I remember really liking it. It smells powdery, soft, and innocent.

This is my mother's perfume and my aunt's. They have both worn it exclusively forever and it smells slighty different on each of them. I like to keep a bottle of it around and wear it on days when I feel like I need a hug. The EDP smells more woody and less powdery than the EDT. Also, if you don't like the powdery smell then try just wearing the body cream. I hope it is never reformulated like so many of the classics as those versions tend to smell like drug store knock offs.

aww, it is not lasting on me at all.
Also when i spray it, all i can feel is the smell of a beauty bar soap...nothing else....
still on the hunt to find myself "my" perfume
The only ones i have ever liked are J'adore & Eternity Moment... better luck to myself next time.

I am 43 and fell head first, no heels involved, in love with L'Air de Temps when I was 12 or 13--not an old lady. I NEEDED this scent, sought it out best I could at the Marshal Field's perfume counter --steal a quick smell, off my grandmother's dressing table, my great aunt's, at the Weibolt's if available, etc. Then one Christmas, it was ALWAYS on my list, my mother receives a huge! bottle from my grandmother, mom says "thank you." and rarely if ever uses it, nor can I--too special, it is hers--to NOT use. I was a teen and coveted the smell that my mother did not like and my grandmother thought, I suppose was too "expensive" for a young lady? I recently purchased my own bottle and swooned when I smelled it's delightful, heady, floral, powdery, spicy, carnation and whatever the hell else is in there that makes me weak in the knees!

purely joy, delicate, soft, powdery...I like it very much BUT it is not fulfilling. You know some fragrances have this baaam effect, this one is missing it. Yes it is attractive, you wanna hug that person, she smells abosultely delicious but still no distinctness. 6/10.

If you like to get and give HUGS this is the fragrance to where. The scent is so pleasant and subtle I've had people give me a hug just so see if it is me they are smelling and to get a closer whiff.

I don't understand why people complain that a perfume is too strong, lol, it just means you need less of it! It's a better value. If you want something week that you can spray all over yourself, buy this get a refilable purse spray bottle, fill it 25% with this, then 75 percent water/alchohol ..lol

My mother had this for a short while when I was young and I hated it. Very glad that she changed. I doubt I'll ever try it on myself.

This is the smell that always lingers in my mothers things.The scent is beautiful on her somehow it doesn't come out the same on me.Still that doesn't change the fact that its gorgeous

"L'Air du Temps" is up there on top (along with "Magie Noire", "Beautiful", "Coco", "Paris", No 5", "Samsara", "Tresor", "Anais Anais", "Amarige", "Miss Dior", "Dolce Vita" e.t.c) as one of the finest female perfumes!
I won't say much about it, it is a round smell but with an angle, comfort and inviting, very memorable!
It is amazing how marketing driven shoppers of today snob perfumes like this one. I gave my paper sample (sprayed with "L'Air du Temps") to a woman this evening who was confident that the latest Gucci (or was it Prada?) is the best perfume of this world, and she was astonished.
If only had I told her that this came out right after the Second World war II!!..

an advice: get the EDP version.

This scent is just my mother. When I smell that fragrance, it's her. My mother is a very stable and conservative woman. Long time as I can remember, she always had that smell and no other one. Rather it easy to choose a perfume for her as a gift, we can not be wrong. This is it. It smell very good, it smell soft, it smell my mother. Let me tell you a very important memory for me. My parents were divorced, I was very young little girl. My parents had my guard two weeks by month. When my father came to fetch me for the week, my mother was preparing my backpack and my teddy bear snowball. When I opened my bag went to my father home, there was always the fragrance of l'air du temps on my clothes and my teddy bear. My mother took care of her perfume spray in my bag that I think of her. It is a beautiful memory for me and a way, I can say that I often wear this perfume, without me ever being bought a bottle for myself. :)

A bit sharp for my tastes, but it mellows to a nice, lingering whisper with bright notes when it's on awhile.

This is my mother-in laws perfum. And on her it smells divine. She is 85 and has used it "forever" When you enter her house you feel,yes I said feel, this scent lingering around. Not it your face smell, but a nice,soft, cosy and clean smell. I've tried it several times but on me it gets bitter. So sad. It's a very elegant and ladylike scent. (I guess I'll never be ladylike, not with this scent anyway.)If you have it and it works well for you, use it. It's lovely.

hi soulflwr, l'air du temps means some thing timeless, go with the trend and tendecy, a classique you can wear even years after! we say in french someting à "l'air du temps" mean something contemporary fashionnable! and i find l'ADT very wearable actually, nice, fresh, but it doesn't have the same attraction with everybody!

soulflwr, L'air du temps means "the air of times" and for your description I think you are right!!

This was a blind buy, but had I known it had carnation in it I would have left it at the store. When I first sprayed it, I thought this smells like deodorant or those cheap knock off body sprays that you get from the drugstore. Kind of like a "non-smell" if that makes sense. I use deodorant every day so I don't consider deodorant a fragrance per se, so when I smelled this for the first time I immediately thought "How dare you make something that smells like this!"

Then I after I calmed down a bit, I acknowledged that maybe the scent of what we now call deodorant may have at some time been considered an acceptable, legitimate perfume to wear for a night out on the town, wearing your Sunday best, ballroom shoes, wedding dress, ect...

To the point >>> This stuff smells like Wind Song by Prince Machiabelli. Not only does it smell like it, the packaging, graphics, and even names are similar. L'Air du Temps....does anyone know what that translates to in English? I have a suspicion it has something to do with air and some other intangible thing, like spirits, or angels, or birds even ( as the packaging suggests). Anyway, if you're curious, just go to your local drugstore, pick up a $1.99 aerosol can of Wind Song >>> spray it, sniff it, and if you like it...save your money and buy that!

What a fragrance... I'm a teenager and i ADORE this. I mean, it's not that i wear it (a bit too young for that :)), but i definitely love smelling this! My grandmother used to wear this and smelling it makes the happiest memories... i probably smell carnation the most, it's not loud but soft and powdery IMHO. a great scent for mature women. brings a touch of feminity, but not the usual type - the "womenly" type (is there a word like that?) i mean i smell this and see a woman that is not perfect or really beautiful or rich, but still very feminine, and gorgeous. I think the 'main idea' of this frag is that being a woman is already beautiful, elegant and simply glorious. And you can definitely be proud of it.

I wore this as a young girl and it made me feel feminine and sophisticated. To me it is a classic floral. Unlike other reviewers, I still believe this is a perfume for a young girl. Like very structured, vintage-revival clothing, a girl can pull it off exactly because of the contrast of the "old fashioned" smell on a young animal. Definitely to be avoided by middle-aged women as I fear it will make us seem not only older, but set in our ways. So, I have moved on, but I still have a nostalgic liking for its romance. A perfume I would buy for my daughter...

After reading the Princess Diana wore this, I really wanted to like it. But to me it just smells like the 80s. Perhaps it was beautiful then, but it is just not me now. There are some scents that can stand the test of time. I don't believe this is one of them, unfortunately.

After spraying on my wrist it smells like mothballs or mosquito repellent. First half an hour it is very loud, then calms down and becomes more balanced, but still strong. For me it is rather powerful than romantic.
I have placed it into my "don't like" cathegory because of its intensity and too "vintage" feel. Not my cup of tea, however, the drydown is noble and I understand why many people love it. This perfume has zest and worth trying.

love it, same powder as chanel N19.i talk about the L'ADT EDT version, the EDP is so different and difficult to describe.

When I see this bottle on the counter at the department store I always think of "Silence of the Lambs"....Hannibal Lector tells Clarice Starling that he knows she "....wears L'Air du Temps, but not today"....he could smell it simply by her opening her handbag. She wasn't wearing it the day she went to visit him.

Gentle, feminine powder. Inoffensive, relaxing. A slightly dry note appears and then goes. I like to come back to it when I am not sure what to wear…

love the bottle not the scent i started coughing after spraying it from a tester at debenems
thank god it was on one spray

I'm 30, The day I wear this perfume, my neighbor (in 40) came to my house to say hello, he say this smell wonderful. He's a man that knows nothing about perfume. A friendly perfume that is widely accepted.

Very nice, very powdery. Took me some time to get used to but i love it!

Ah, shining through the postwar haze come L'Air Du Temps. I remember my mother enjoying this in summer days in the 1980s in its original formula. This is light cotton dresses and cold glasses of iced tea by the poolside. It never was offensive and always made a statement of grace.

It is more of a post chypre without fruit and add spice. It was romance in a bottle.

The current reformulation lacks any depth and indeed seems like an imposter.

I see a chic young lady from Film Noir movie in chiffon dress.
Also reminds me of the beautiful smell of bed clothes, that was drying outside my grandma's garden in summer sun. When it was dry and warm from the summer breeze, it went to a chest with a piece of soap in each drawer.
EDT - white floral, crisp fresh, clean and elegant. It is powdery and the carnation gives it old fashioned smell. It's like some jewel from old times, that you almost hasitate to wear these days as everything is so fast, flashing and noisy now.
Another great thing is the price.
EDP - it lacks the special crisp soapy smell that makes this fragrance, so i will pass on EDP version. Also the lasting pover on my skin is about the same as EDT. EDP is smoother and more woody. If you like the flowers in the EDT but it's too soapy for you, try the EDP.

L' Air du Temps (Eau de Toilette).
Simply fantastic! Very elegant and classical perfume, mostly suitable for 'ladies' than for girls (it could be worn by younger ages though, unlike other perfumes).
Not a sexy but a very elegant perfume, it reminds me of a 'proper' woman with a somewhat offical and sofisticated dressing style.
I have to admit that the Perfume version is very strong and overpowering and I don't like it that much. It smells quite old fashioned. This one, the Eau de Toilette, is much fresher, lighter, more playful.
I'm just very happy I have my 100ml bottle for an unbelievable price!
Recommended for everyone who likes classical perfumes and carnation scent.

Light floral, last a long time & this was one of my 1st bottles of parfume when I was about 12 & kept the bottle for 15 yrs it was the prettiest bottle.

This fragrance really puzzled me.

Today I walked in a perfumery just to check what’s on sale, I noticed L’Air du Temps and thought to give it a try. So I sprayed generously my wrist and inhaled with enthusiasm but oops…I got suddenly intoxicated by an overwhelming chemical mix that smelled anything but the regular high-quality mainstream perfume. The impact was so strong, that I started coughing.

First impressions of the moment:

1.Pictures of old ladies that just had their hair done at the hair dresser, permanent hair curls and lots, lots of hair spray…
2.Very old-fashioned scent
3.Didn’t say it was not feminine nor of quality, just so damn old-fashioned…
4.L’Air du Temps is such an appropriate name! (irony)

After many hours (the staying power is remarkable) the scent changed into a powdery, soapy, somewhat clean one, and definitely classy, a combo that I usually love. Moreover…I adore carnation scent.

Have to say that from the beginning till the end, this perfume has a strong identity and evokes the Woman.
Alright, in this case the old-school Woman. :)
So although I was ready to hit the ‘dislike’ button, now I am considering buying it just for my personal collection. I will not wear it daily, rarely even, but it is a classic and a good-to-have for perfume lovers in general, and for seekers of very feminine perfumes especially.

Note: Not recommended for use if you are under 25. Maybe even under 30 :P
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Later edit:

I purchased the EdT and love it. After all, I am crazy about carnations. The bottle is beautiful just like a china ornament.

My partner sniffed it though and commented in a disapprobation note: " What's this oily scent...I am convinced it is a ...classic". The benzoin must have hit him badly too. Oh well...!

This was the first real scent i bought, way back in history. It is still one of my absolute favourites, though I sense a change both in formula and lasting power. But the carnations are still there, lovely as ever.

I really wanted to love this as the bottle is stunning but unfortunately after the initial lovely powdery scent I get in the beginning it turns to straight carnation on me-which smells like cloves.I will keep it just for the bottle alone-and the hope that maybe my chemistry will change and I can wear it.

Temperate. Understated. Quietly beautiful. L'air du Temps is a whisper of a floral perfume, very light, like a welcomingly soft breeze coming through an open window on a hot day, or the airy feel of chiffon against bare skin. I can understand how some people think LdT has an "old lady" smell (if I can be forgiven for using the term). My mother hates this one, claiming it smells too musty, and even mouldy by the dry-down. Certainly, she has a point. LdT has a powdery quality, like the old-fashioned soap you might find in those quaint bathroom supply shops. You can envision elegant ladies wearing their Sunday best dresses, tidily arranged around in a circle sipping tea on a hot day, their skins dusted generously with talc. This is absolutely a classic lady's fragrance, and by that I suppose I mean to say that it smells like refinement, common sense and good manners. The florals lend it an element of whimsy and romance, but as with the other emotions LdT evokes, it is a romance of the old-fashioned kind. Where courtship was gentle and savoured, girls were actually wooed by their admirers and given handwritten letters, a time when women were almost placed upon pedestals of beauty and virtue by their menfolk. The splendour of love from a bygone era you can call to mind when you smell LdT.

I also think this one is soft enough to be able to be worn both casually and for special occasions. The sillage is subtle, and as the perfume develops over time it begins to smell like your natural skin odour, only a little nicer. :) It's worth trying at least once to experience what I've been talking about.

The bottle must be one of the most wonderful creations in the perfume world. It is distinctive, poetic, and really an ingenious choice of design for the end of WWII. Beautiful.

Also I wondered if anyone knows if this has been discontinued or reformulated?

This reminds me of Escape by Calvin Klein or Sunflowers or something. It is bright and sunny but there is definitely a strong note in it that makes it less sweet and more serious. For that reason I think it can be worn casually or to a special occasion. I do like it but it almost has a tobacco smell to me or something green and damp but I cannot help sniffing it? It is floral but it doesn't shriek like Stella or Pleasures or any of those screechy sharp florals. It wouldn't offend anyone and it is serious enough to be worn to a meeting at the office or something where you want to appear professional but not standoffish which Gucci Envy can cause. I find it lasts but you really need the skin chemistry for this or it can smell stale and musty.

Have they changed this? I remembered this scent as violety/powdery/soapy and very surprised to try again and find rosewood and very obvious cloves and spices. Perhaps I just remember the drydown from before? Right now all I smell is cloves. It seems a very dominant note.

It smells heavenly soapy (maybe like palmolive soap green) and clean (EDP), the only one scent, I want to sniff early morning after my shower. Gosh, I feel me so heavenly clean! It´s soap pure! I have body cream, soap, deodorant and the powder also. The EDP doesn´t bite you in your nose with sharpeness like the EDT and it hold on you from the morning until 1 PM. I wish to get the pure parfum, but I can´t find it. Perfect for warm and hot day.

My grandmother gave my mother a small bottle of L'Air du Temps pure parfum in a porcelain egg for Easter back in the '70's. I loved it. Mom never wore it, but I sneaked little dabs of it and adored it. I did end up with my own bottle eventually, but I will always remember that sweet little egg.

I love this - always have, but had to get around the fact that it was my aunt's signature fragrance and seemed to be so much "her's" that I could never quite do it.

I bought a gift set (eau de T, lotion, shower gel) last week and have been loving it!

I'm amazed at the staying power too. Eight hours! (the layering is undoubtingly helping!)

It's definitely a classic.

This is such a beautiful, soft and feminine fragrance. This scent invokes images of classy ladies having a luncheon out on the veranda on a beautiful spring day. Sipping tea with mini sandwiches and cakes, overlooking impeccably manicured lawns and gardens. I think of the women who wore this scent. Women who, while their men were off at war, went to work in industries where women were previously banned. Women who were pioneering woman's rights without realizing it, while still retaining their feminine elegance indicative of the time. This fragrance is pure class.

Okay so this perfume does smell old-fashioned, powdery, soapy ...it has that old-fashioned twange to it. I bought a 30ml and I returned it..because i thought that it was too old-smelling for me (im twenty fyi)..I even listed it under my fragrantica dislike shelf for awhile....but somehow I cant stop thinking about it! Goddamnit...i guess i'll give it another shot =) There's something about it's old fashion-ness that I like and maybe Im an old soul...also I'm a sucker for powdery perfumes and this one especially is a very distinct, classic french perfume. I agree with a fellow fragrantica reviewer that it feels like I'm travelling back in time whenever I spray this. Oh and I know that its quite strong but if you just spray a teeny bit of it, it's very nice =)

This is soapy,claasic,light,not old fashioned in a bad way. One old perfume that still can be liked nowadays. I wouldn't wear it myself, but I appreciate it and I think it is a masterpiece. The smell of carnations is quite obvious and romantic.

I used to love this scent and used to spary it on quite liberally about 10 years ago.I had to go on a trip and could'nt carry any glass/ bottles with liquid, so thought it would be a great idea to spary it onto my clothes before i pack them in.Bad bad idea! the result was quite nauseating and i felt suffocated with sweetness.Somehow i can nevr go near this perfume again.Loved the bottle..so pretty

Beautiful. So fresh, soapy, floral and light. Perfect for everyday use. This is my mother's signature scent - she first got it as a gift when I was born. I wore some from her bottle as my "something borrowed" on my wedding. It is not overpowering or heady at all, just smells like the emodiment of flowery freshness. When you get whiffs of it on someone, though, you can really tell that it's quality. Classic and flawless

This was my beautiful grandmother's signature scent. It is also the signature scent of a neighbor I loved. I think it is a timeless, classic, very elegant scent, and to me it smells expensive and refined. The actual scent to me is one of powder and soap, and it reminds me very much of Chanel No. 22, which was one of my first perfume gifts from a different grandmother.

I could swear we've had a tiny bottle of this in the wardrobe. I must have belonged to my great grandma. It's probably one of the reasons I associate ylang ylang with old ladies.

I like this on other people and in the bottle. It smells like a classic floral scent with a bit of spice. But on my skin, it develops a dusty note. The bottle is pretty though.

Absolutley beautiful. This was my very first perfume. I remember asking my mom for permission to start wearing perfume and her telling me that she knew exactly which one I should try first,L'AIR du TEMPS. I remember her telling me that she did not want me smelling too strongly or cheaply and told me that L'AIR de TEMPS would be neither of those. She was right. I have not used it in years but I distinclty remember smelling like roses and baby powder with just a hint of something earthy. Adored this scent and used for about 1 year before venturing out and trying other fragrances. I recommend this for women seeking a soft, feminine everday fragrance, for those with sensitive noses and, this seems odd, but for mothers with new babies in the home. We all know babies are super sensitive and think this would actually be a nice, calm smell to use around babies. Anyway, also would recommend this for mother's with little girls wanting to start wearing perfume (as my mom did for me). A classic and I love it.

Had some of this years and years ago, a hand-me-down from my mum. It smelled powdery and violety and I wasn't very keen. I was disappointed that proper grown-up perfume was so similar to avon talc :/
I have recently got this again in a box set. It smells greener at first, then just violety. Still not keen.

Great bottle,beautiful packaging,pity for the perfume itself!It evokes a sense of disintigration on my skin,or reminds me something very old and dusty.

And regarding calling a fragrance old-fashioned and for grannies ~ one day, Pink Sugar, Angel, and other popular ones of today (should they stand the test of time) will one day be called "granny" scents. For one to stand the test of time seems to me to speak to how popular it has been over the years and how well-made it is. In fact, to wear a fragrance that has been around for many decades gives me a wonderful feeling, because not many are wearing it!

I was introduced to LDT in the 1960s and have worn it since 1977. I have seen many reformulations since then. The EDT in the 70s would last a very long time, but now seems fleeting. The EDT in the 1980s to mid 90s garnered me compliments all the time. Now when I smell the EDT, it is very pretty but doesn't seem to last. I even took one bottle back to a nice dept. store because when I sprayed it, it was pure water. I then bought the EDP. It lasts longer but smells a little different. I also bought the talc and cream in the pretty jar. That cream has a hint of LDT, but my, it is so different that I would not recommend it. I used to have a bottled lotion that was beautiful. That was in the early 2000s How I long for the LDT of the 60s and 70s. Wish I knew which one to buy on today's market; I'm not one to search out vintage scents on ebay.

This is probably the worst perfume I have ever tried on to be honest. No offense to anyone who likes it but to me it smells like old sweaty socks no joke.

Tried it on my skin first and the smell was so strong and disgusting I just wanted to go wash it off with a ton of soap. After that I tried it on a piece of paper and the smell was not as terrible as on my skin so I'm guessing it has something to do with chemistry aswell.

Still not a very pleasant scent though.

yes,cisco,this is lovely!You can never say it outdated no matter how many years have passed when it was launched,never boring but as classic as No5 ,unique formula.Feminine and best sillage-longevity.

As Malegria said so well L'air du Temps is the essance of everything floral and feminine. I bought a one oz. of the EDP and loved it so much I just ordered the 3.4 oz bottle of EDP. There are not many fragrances I would call both sexy and romantic. This is one of those fragrances. I believe I smell the Carnation and Rosewood at the beginning. However, it is so well blended and so comlex, despite being simply lovely, I cannot separate all the components. What I can do is say I love it and the EDP has a an average life.

So far as the issue of being old fashioned. Let me put it this way, do hot Toll House Cookies smell any less delicious than they did forty years ago? I think not. This is a beautiful classic that will smell wonderful so long as it is manufactured. Long live L'air du Temps!!!!

Update: I cancelled my order for more because I found out it is EDT. I have enough problem holding the EDP. The EDT would have to be applied too often.

Ah, L'Air Du Temps...... a beautiful reminder of childhood. Got my first bottle at ten years old, along with some Chanel N 5 ....(I was an 80's child living in a 50's glamor world!) This is truly a classic, not as lauded as, say, the aforementioned Chanel N 5..... but should be. There is nothing more feminine than a whif of L'Air Du Temps on a temperate spring time day. As with most of the older fragrances the formula allows for small doses; it stays with you all through the day, into the night and then some! It just smells like..... a woman, the epitome of elegance and grace.

Spay some last night for a birthday party( I have a heavy Hand) That was at 6:30 p.m and woke up at 7:00a.m and now it is 9:40a.m and I still can smell it.Wow!! It is long lasting! I got compliments and my neighbors son kept smelling my arms & neck and kept saying "you smell nice" I love it It is sexy one it's own way. They say it is old fashion but we should remember that these old fashion perfumes were made for young people in there time. SO they are not for old ladies they are made to be enjoy by everyone!!!!

huele como a talco con flores, tipo chanel No. 5, a la gente que le gusta ese perfume de seguro le gustará el aire de los tiempos, pero a mi no me gustó, se me hace que es muy tenue, y solo huele a limpio, pero ya eso todo. por otro lado es uno de los perfumes preferidos de mi mamá y en ella huele muy elegante y la ocupa casi diario. Diria que es mejor para señoras depues de los 40 años

It might seem weird to most of you, I guess, but when I put this on first and smelled it on my skin after a couple of minutes, the first thing I thought was OH MY GOD THIS SMELLS SO SEXY!
I would also say this scent is ladylike, youthful, sophisticated, clean and lovely, of course, but for some reason I find it VERY seductive in the first place. It smells like the skin of a woman coming out of the shower before she gets to sleep, dressed in a romantic(but also a kind of slutty -you know what I mean:-) creamy white lace nightie. LOVE IT!!!

I don't know why this is classified as a floral and considered powdery. The combination of carnation and cedar makes it woodsy and spicy and cool enough to blunt the heat. It is meltingly feminine without being cloyingly sweet. It's not very sweet at all. Even if you don't like the scent buy it for the beautiful bottle, arguably the most beautiful perfume bottle of all. It is being replaced with something that looks like a squashed bug.

In 1975,at the tender age of 13,i discovered this perfume in a Glamour magazine. If i recall correctly, it was the model Barbara Johnson posing in a tropical setting and back then there was a kind of small, scented area you could rub your wrist on unlike the seperate full page advertisements today. Because of the layout, the spicy notes in the fragrance made me think exotic but after loving this scent for over 30 years, it has always made me feel romantic. I know it seems heavy and old fashioned to some, although most reviews are positive here, but i have kept every single flacon i have ever owned just for that smell. It is rare and beautiful and only two people have ever given it to me as a gift~my mother and my first love. It *speaks* of love to me and all the nay sayers and doubters who feel their purchasing it was a mistake can send them straight away to me~

has anybody seen how incredibly ugly the new bottle is?..it looks like a dead jelly fish...why did they have to ruin such a pretty bottle?..

(This review is for Eau de Perfume)

I came to L’AIR DE TEMPS with certain expectations. I thought that this will be light and happy perfume like floating with the gentle doves in the clouds. But this perfume surprised me with its depth and an ability to affect me on very emotional level. This perfume is happy but at the same time very sad. The main lead is carnations. The carnation note can be very happy when it is set with the sweet spicy gourmand oriental theme but in this perfume it is paired with the strong floral bouquet, which gives it quite a different vibe.

L’AIR DE TEMPS was created in 1948 right after the devastating Second World War and I think that it managed to capture those special post-war feelings when the happiness and joy of starting the new life and celebrating the long-awaited peace were still haunted by the loss and pain. The perfume was built around carnations. The strange coincidence is that the red carnation is one of the greatest symbols of Second World War in Russia where I grew up. It is the same symbol as Red Poppy flower here in Canada. Perhaps it is a coincidence that it was selected as the main theme in this perfume but this scent reminds me so much of the heartfelt and warm stories of love , friendship and selfless acts of kindness during the war time my grandma used to tell me.

If I could describe this perfume I would probably call it hauntingly beautiful. It is a joy mixed with tears, happiness and sadness, celebrating the life and remembering what we have lost. True masterpiece…

The first notes are strong, fresh and a bit bitter with the dominance of carnation, neroli, peach and aromatic notes of bergamot. I think I feel a bit of aldehydes but they are not very strong.
The heart notes are also strong carnations with a bit of spice. I can definitely detect cloves. The ylang-ylang is also quite present. The rest of the floral notes create very strong but also harmonious bouquet.
The dry down transforms into powdery musk with benzoin and a hint of spices. After hours and hours of wearing this scent, the woody notes start appearing as the powder notes go away.

I have to say that the sharpness of carnation and spices is quite strong in this perfume but at the same time the composition remains very smooth, pleasant and harmonious. It never went to the point when I felt that it was too much or overpowering. The sillage is strong and the longevity is remarkable.

This is a wonderful fragrance to wear. I would definitely suggest it if you like classy floral fragrances with full and spicy bouquet.

I have the parfum. Really short reviews here, and so many of them talk about breezy summer days and powder. I humbly beg to differ. This scent contains so much woods and spice that I can't understand why it would be classified as a floral. It does not remind me of anything remotely light and breezy. If someone told me it was a new variation of Opium, I would not argue. Rather than ladies at garden parties in the 40's, I imagine British ladies in the 40's who are out for dinner in India. I also don't think this fragrance is powdery at all. There is a sweet, ripe, floral undertone hidden amongst the woods that adds olfactory interest. Regardless, if I had to describe this perfume in one word, it would be "snickerdoodle".

perfumes with gardenia and jasmine notes are the BEST!

Didn't go much on it at first but now I use it all the time. It's a rather powdery/soapy sent which to me reeks freshness.

C'était le temps des fleurs
On ignorait la peur
Les lendemains avaient un goût de miel
Ton bras prenait mon bras
Ta voix suivait ma voix
On était jeunes et l'on croyait au ciel !

Classic,floral,fresh,is an all time fragrance.Not old fashion,elegant and feminine.

Nice flowery, light fragrance

This is such a gentle nice smelling perfume. It reminds me of a nice spring day. I am not sure why but when I wore this I always felt like I was in the clouds...lovely!

A classic , which wouldn't sale when it was launched , because in France after WWII , after many years of fear and sacrifice, poeple were prefering more opulent and rich perfumes.Thanks God it's not like nowadays that they discontinue scent so easily.
It's another scent that i enjoyed until the last drop !
a very classic floral, a must have for the romantic woman.

The most romantic perfume ever. I can imagine a group of ladies wearing long cream dresses and hats sitting under a tree having a picnic surrounded by the smell of flowers blooming around and the distant sound of the river(kind of Pride and Prejudice scene).
Also it suits all generations,my 12 year old daughter loves it too and we both wear it during spring time. Probably the gorgeous bottle helps to attract her attention.

I love carnation. I'm going to buy some of this when the weather turns warmer - they sell the e.d.p. version in John Lewis (Brent Cross, London).

I really love the bottle because it looks different, and I really think it matches the fragrance.

At first sniff my first reaction was "Take it away, is smells so heavy" but after I worn it, my perspective started to change.

It did not seem to be heavy no more and for older ladies, it was elegant, with a touch a refinement. It had something special, something I could not really grasp.

It felt a little spicy without being intoxicating and elegant with the scent of gardenia.

It's old school magic. :)

When i first smelt it i was blown away but in a negative kind of way it smelt wayyy to strong for my taste its more for elderly granmas sorry...

When I first sniffed this I hated it - it was unlike anything I've tried before. But the second time I tried it I started to really enjoy it. I find the carnation is what lingers for me most. I think this perfume is an acquired taste as far as florals go, but well worth it for those who 'get' it. For me this is one for autumn, winter and spring, but not for a hot summer. On me it lasts well, nearly all day.

I found a vintage of this in my grandmother-in-laws house (sadly deceased) and decided to try it on. It was a real surprise and I wasn't expecting anything quite so peach/ambery, I presumed it would be sharper, more aldehyde heavy. I like the powdery element of it and the whole structure, yet unfortunately I can't wear it as my husband sniffed it and said "That's WEIRD, you smell just like my nan!" - a no no if only for that reason. Lush, mature elegant scent but not for me, it would seem!

I used to live with my grandmother, and on special occasions when she went out with my grandad she would always wear this perfume. I loved the smell, and it stood out on her because she hardly wore perfume at all. My own mother gave me a sample and I loved it, without realising my nan wore it too, I realised when I found her bottle. The scent reminds me of lillies. I guess thats why I love the smell of lillies so much, it reminds me of gran.

Whenever i wear it i travel back in time :)

I have an EDT one...and I do love it more and more, all I get from this gem is ripe fruit(peach+sagarcane)tiny flower scene less powdery effect but cedar prominent in the end instead(may be on my skin only)..very surprised me.This's an inoffensive sent very lush fruity not old grandma-like not a loud fume but stay veryyyy long....very lovely;)

I love winter perfumes but this one brinks me some terrible headache.
All i get is the carnation (which i hate).
BUT on my friend it is really good. Not carnation at all. Just powder.
I think the are more beautiful perfumes if you like powder like "No5 eau premiere" or "Shalimar".

It's classic i'll say.. maiby thats why i tried to like it so much. but i have to say no to this one! it's too sharp for me ( very powdery ), smells old and gives me a headache. Elegant, but not for me.

Such a lovly perfum, in my heart is LOVE DREAM, make me want to love and be loved. it have so magical powdery innocent flower unique smell... really love it,

I feel this scent can cater to both the old and the new generations... its spicy powderiness would cater to the women who prefer classics for their rosy, powderiness, strength etc.

As for the new generation is concerned, its soft, floral fruitiness may appeal.. its all in one.. yet gentle, warm & romantic.

Not out-standing but has all the elements you would need in a fragrance and not many that you don't.

I love its (not-too-sweet peach & apple in this case) fruity romance characteristic of Nina Ricci perfumes.

L'air du Temps is my favorite classic floral-I love carnations, iris, rose, orchid, and of course, my beloved spicces and cloves.All without the hideous aldehydes and neroli which ruin many a perfectly good perfume.(I'd much rather smell LADT than Chanel No. 5!). It's feminine and romantic, old-style but NOT grandma-like in a bad way, somewhat in the manner of Bal A Versailles- another vintage inspired, albeit very different, scent that I also like. The bright yellow box is molto cheerful. And the dove? Fittingly romantic.

I loved it. I tested the EDT and the EDP and choice the EDT, the EDT have in the end a salty note and the EDP is to heavy. When i first sprayed it on, I smell a lot of Alcohol, but when that fly's away a beautyfull scent returns that last a few houers.

I saw here a lot of good reviews,what determine me to buy the EDT. All good,the bottle is nice, but when I spray it....it smells like hair spray! Maybe the EDP is different, because I remember my best friend mother had one some years ago, but the EDT is not for me(I am 22 years but I really like a lot of classic perfumes) and not even for my mother. The staying power is good, but we can not use it...

This EDP think is the definition of classic perfume. It is floral, powerful, heavy, durable, mature, young, sexy and sophisticated. A fragrance that already exceeded any test of time, any woman, twenty-one to a cute sexy grandmother can use this.

In addition, the bottle itself is a real gem.

I have grown to love this scent very much during this summer. This is a pure floral without too much of sweetness and for me it’s classic and modern at the same time. Older ladies in my family haven’t used this and therefore I don’t have any perception of LADT as old-fashioned fragrance.
I love it also because I can feel here some breath of classic Nina scent that was a big favorite and unfortunately is discontinued. One can detect a plentiful joint part that these 2 fragrances have. LADT is a beauty.

I understand why this perfume has been around forever. It is truly glorious. In my 1st years of perfumeloving this was a no no, but I have really developed my nose the last years. It is a BIG yes now! And I find it quite green for a true classic. Reminds me of Ralph Lauren 'Lauren' vintage. I LOVE that one too! Great perfume!

Is it me or the noses of Prince Matchabelli copied the notes from L'Air du Temps for their Windsong to me they smell simular to another with the same powdery notes. but L'air is a far superior creation then it's common sister Windsong, with it's gracefull
sinious lines an refind elegance a much softer and reserved aspect of Chanel no 5. I admire the notes very well they seem the carry without the headache inducing cloying effect in a lot of perfumes what's missing in my opinion is the note of aldehyde and it's predomint to my nose it's a gentile very suble aldehyde not sharp and dry like in allmost all perfumes then dries
to an spicy note of pink carnation.

The refreshing note of the bergamot and the brightness of the neorli plant makes it shine, the delecate rose just
blends in the backround dries to an powdery nuance of purple Violet grounded orris and exotic spices to lift
up the senses.

The drydown consists of iris and Warm Sandalwood with sweet amber and musk.

This is a symbol of PostWar Parisian
Coutore and the White Dove Resembles peace and the doves from the top of the flacon conjournes an image of a woman with red hair her hair piled in a coif
of the 1940's wearing an burgandy squaired sholdered dress with an carnation right at her blouse wearing a hat of a motif of pure white doves siting at an parisian caffee Ala Rita Hayworth.

A Beautiful Scent for an Beautiful Soul.

Not a fan of florals, but this timeless classic is definitely part of my collex! Its spicy, but ever so soft. Not what I would consider a sweet perfume, I do make the comparison (for me) to Lancome Tresor - L'air Du Temps is the much kinder, gentler, softer, little, but much older sister. I think maybe the spices, carnation and peach set the comparison for me. I can smell the similarity to each other in both fragrances though Tresor is much harsher on the spicy side, and LADT is far more welcome to my senses than the much louder Tresor, the softer florals making LADT more appealing.

This has to be one of the "gentlest" perfumes I own. I wear this on sunny balmy spring days to laze away my thoughts, or on cooler days when my soul needs a bit of a cuddle, this perfume has a soft powdery effect. I wear this when I am either at ease internally, or need to be at ease internally. My perfumes absolutely reflect my moods, and there is no way that this beauty could have been excluded. My only regret is that it took me so long to acquire it.

This scent start smooth sweet fruit for me I think it's warm peachy and and flowery note play a trick on my skin.all and all I get is a soapy flower bath cream not in a bad way nor old grand ma fragrance in my OP very clean feminine but not bold or noticeable enough for someone it's good for formal occasion and provide a feminity. this soapy scent tracing whispery all the time on my wearing,last whole day.

It is amazing how sometimes spraying on paper really puts you off trying a perfume and then you get the courage to actually try it...

The top & middle smells like genteel soap & hugs to me. Kind of like idealised motherhood. It was pure beauty.

And then it hit the drydown & my skin turned it into a bitter, cheap, soupy concoction.

Devasting.

I was given this in 1969 for my 16th birthday. This would be a top pick when introducing a quality eau de toilette set for a teenager. Juli ;)

I've been wanting to get some of this for awhile, so yesterday I picked up a small bottle (1/2 oz), just so I could give it a try and make sure it was as nice as it sounded. It definitely is a scent that I like - it is intense (but not overwhelming) so light spritzes on heat points (wrists, elbows, behind the ears, hollow of the throat, naval and behind the knees) leaves you floating in a gentle cloud of flowers, as though you were a walking garden. Fortunately the bottle I have is easily controllable and I can use the sprayer to provide very small spritzes - either that or get a non-spray bottle to help you control application, as this is a scent that could easily get out of hand! The initial scent I get is almost like gardenia - I suppose that is the mixture of carnation with rose and violet. The scent freshens over time, then starts to powder a bit. My only complaint is that it doesn't last as long as I would like - maybe only 5 or 6 hours, then I need to re-apply. However, overall this is a perfume I really like and I definitely will get a big bottle once I am able.

Strong/powdery. All these notes or a combination of them creates a bold carnation sensation that is a bit overpowering. Some people may call it 'old lady' impression.
I begin to like it only about 25 mins, as it becomes softer and rounder, yet it is not something i would buy, well not until fourties... The lasting power is great though.

Dear Fragrantica friends, I have this perfume and love it, to me it seems quite green! Am I the only one who thinks that, or is it just that?
Thank you! I am smelling the EDP if that helps..

As stated in my profile, I wore this scent for thirty years, but then I needed a change. I noticed it first when I was eighteen and a friend was wearing it.

At a time when I was a sales girl at Club Monaco, I would wear my layers of L'Air du Temps scent. At Club Monaco we sold a lotion, created by Alfred Sung, and there was a bottle by the sales register for people to sample. Sung designed the scent with the florals from only white flowers. Through the day I would rub my dried hands with that lotion.

That combination of LADT and Club Monaco by Alfred Sung got me more compliments and enquiries from other women than anything else I had ever worn.

I can understand why this was the height of glamour back in its day (many, many decades ago, that is...) But today, L'Aire du Temps seems completely out of place.

L'Air du Temps isn't what I'd call 'bad' in a sense. But the soapy floral components in this are so 'old school' that it isn't even funny.
Makes me wonder how this has managed to last in the 21st century.

The first splash of this perfume is violently aldeyhdic to my nose. But, I patiently waited for the sharper notes to fade. I was rewarded with a bright, springy floral that stayed close to the skin. This was my favorite phase of the perfume. Once it dried down, it became much more of an evening scent - to me it smells like spicy violet and incense (even though those aren't the actual notes involved). Having JUST tested CB I Hate Perfume: M4 A Room with a View - I think they must share the same if not really similar base notes.

I enjoyed the progression of the perfume from fresh and sunny to mysterious and sophisticated - but it didn't really feel like "me." Lasts a long time, and did make me feel very grown up - maybe too grown up for my taste!

I think tere is a big difference between the EDP and the EDT. I can't smell the salty notes in the EDP just a sweet scent.

I used to wear this everyday living in the tropics when I was in my mid-teens. I used to like it but I tried smelling it again recently in the fragrance store and wondered why I ever liked it. Smells old and soapy to me. Hubby didn't like it either.

i remember wearing this as a child, i rebought again recently, still has that soft soapy scent which brings me back. only best for daytime wear

Did I read it here that someone loves it because of its salty, not sweet at all drydown? Well me too.

I must admit that today I went a little crazy while perfume shopping. In addition to Idole d Armani, I also bought a big bottle of this. It is something I might not have chosen myself: my mom told me I should buy it. She used to wear it years ago and still loves it (that is a little strange since nowadys she is only wearing Chanel N 5). I only listened to her because I could detect jasmine and carnation (two of my favorite flowers) when I sprayed it on a paper strip. I loved it so much that I hope I does not change that much when I spray it on my skin!!

To me L'Air du Temps smells like a durty knickers nowadays. Probably back in a days this was a great combination probably in 40es or earlier. It is like to walk in a park with lace umbrella, lady in a long white dress. Begining of last century. Something romantic though.Something sad and pleasant dreams.It is undefined smell:flowers,powder,breese. Still o.k. to have it, if it is someone signature smell"

I have been wearing this scent for a few years, I would not do without it at all. I use the shower gel and the body lotion. I think it is one of the best that I use

I think that the advert for this fragrance is what sold it and for some people, the bottle. Another classic

I have an old Lalique flat bottle. Too strange, but when I wear it I feel a kind of green tea notes. Peachy-powdery notes are also present. I don't like the scent itself, I think it's for mature women. But this one is a musthave for a merfume collector such as I am )))

I wore this one yesterday.I could smell it all day too.My hubby didnt care for it but,Im gonna ware it anyway.Love the peachy and amber notes in it.

This is a wee to bit sweet for me. I put this in the catagory with Shalimar-both way too sweet and overpowering for me! No doubt nice on the right skin chemistry but not for me no way no how.

Funny then im had only this one and muskoil as child. Im had to wait in days before MYSKoil was gone so im culd put on this masterpice. The mix does not work out well.
Freedom and peace.

Got this for Christmas, and it is SO not me, it was given by an aunt who had great intentions, but no, just can't stomach it. Just smelling it in the bottle gives me a headache !

Got it for Christmas from old lady, it was strange, powdery. At first I thought I will like it, few minutes later I smelled like the old lady that gave it to me. Sad, I threw it away.

Of all the classics I think L'Air du Temps is the most gentle and soft perfume I tried, is like a delicate summer breeze. Everyone can use it, and we know this is a difficult thing when we talk about others classics. Although in my skin this doesn't last as long as others eau de toilettes of the 40's.

In the first half hour, is an intense and interesting fragrance but then becomes very soft,so fast....Anyway, you will notice that the fragrance still there on your skin playing with your senses and with those of who are near you..

The scent is charming,timeless, feminine and warm. The kind of warmth that inspires freedom..

This fragrance is what I'd call a peachy floral. It's quite airy and fresh, and in my opinion, something that not many people will expect from a 40's fragrance.

L'Air du Temps has a strange opening. I can only describe the top notes as having a very strong soapy smell, which isn't very clean, refreshing or appealing. For a moment I wondered why this was such a popular scent.

Then came the array of florals and spicy notes, supplanting the reason why L'Air du Temps is still on the shelves. Peach, rose and carnation are very dominant here. They give off a rich and distinctive smell which is only complimented by the subtle hints of clove and rosemary.

Heading towards the drydown, L'Air du Temps becomes increasingly powdery and warm. The spices become much stronger as the vetiver note commands attention. On my skin the drydown is quite sweet, however on paper the scent can be quite loud and harsh.

The lasting strength is brilliant. It lasted all day and even after a long shower. I don't think this scent will appeal to everyone, so it's best to try before buying. However, I have a lot of time for this scent. It is unfortunate that I cannot try L'Air du Temps prior to its reformulation.

Strange fragrance.

Upon the first spritz, it smelled like a perfume my nana used - floral and powdery - soft. The fragrance transformed quickly into a darker fragrance - like the faint smell of firewood. I'm thinking it is the vetiver, spices, oakmoss, and musk base notes emerging - yet so quickly! The bottle and the label of it being a floral fragrance seems so deceptive. I felt like I was offered a "Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty" perfume and ended up with the "Evil Queen or Witch" perfume instead, yet I'm not upset just amused at how the appearance and experiences of different people to this perfume have deceived me. I think a vulture,owl, or black bird would be a better perfume top on this perfume instead of the doves. Maybe it would sell more too.

This perfume's fragrance depends a lot on your body chemistry from my own experience and from the reviews I've read on this perfume. I can identify with the person, who said it smelled like leather.

I like this perfume because of the surprise element. Plus, I love the smell of firewood and a slow burning fire at night, so I'll probably wear this perfume more than I expected - especially on a cold wintry night.

****January 6 Update ******

The perfume stinks on clothes and objects like paper according to a friend of mine. On the skin, it smells different. I tested it out and noticed it immediately - the difference.

If you choose to wear this perfume, be warned. It might not smell good on paper, hair, or clothes, but it might smell beautiful on your skin.

I got 50 ml from a friend that didn't want it and she knew that I love perfumes so she gave it to me and I spritzed that on my hand and it was suck! The worst perfume ever!
After a few minutes it was on the garbage!

I have been tempted many times over the years to purchase a bottle of L'AIR du TEMPS, but always held back because of the ridiculous cast plastic cap. I love doves; I love peace. But the utter tackiness of this weird piece of plastic on top of a beautiful bottle just screamed "bad perfume"!

I finally decided to take the plunge, which was easier to do over the internet, since I did not have to actually touch the plastic top, but only look at it. Perhaps I managed just prior to hitting the "buy" button to convince myself that it was really made of crystal after all.

Well it's not. And what I learned during today's test fest is that I have known MANY women who wear this fragrance. It's clearly a safe choice: a light, agreeable mingling of small flowers among a modicum of mild fruits in an initially quite harmonious way.

Yes, my feelings were rather positive at the initial spritz, when I became immediately convinced that this was a floral aldehyde--albeit much more floral than aldehyde.

The second stage was less happy, I am sorry to report: I found myself thinking about the Elvis Costello line "cheap cut satin and bad perfume," while daydreaming about strolling down the fragrance aisle of Walgreen's. During that middle phase I realized that there was something awry--something tawdry, something cheap, going on. Synthetic flowers, perhaps? Perhaps it is something peculiar to the reformulation? I am aware that L'AIR DU TEMPS is renowned as a great classic. But somehow it missed the mark in the middle stage of my day.

The final phase has been quite pleasant. I do not feel the need to go scrub down, and I'm back to liking this eau de toilette once again. But the middle phase may keep my 3.4 oz bottle quite full for many years to come!

Not to mention, but I will: the plastic doves, which are further marred by an air bubble right in the middle of the cap!

Caveat internetemptor!

Soft and feminine. But on me it seems to disappear.

This one goes with my chemistry. It's a beautiful floral aldehyde. It doesn't smell rotten, too much soapy or powdery or anything like this on my skin.

But...I can't wear it, actually.

L'Air du Temps has something melancholic in its smell. Something blue, post-war (that left its trail of destruction and pain), I don't know what it is, maybe carnation.

I think that is a perfume to wear when you're so happy that it allows a bit of sadness. :(

You'll never find this on my 'favourites' list, but L'Air Du Temps is one of those old school fragrances which earns its reputation. Dominantly floral with a touch of wood.

Oh, how I wanted this great classic to work with my chemistry! No way. It clings with my skin and the result is rotten powdery hay. I would have said it contains aldehydes but they are not listed.
The bottle is classic and timeless. The name sounds nostalgic and elegant.
I also like the ads which is not common for me. Many women have worn it since its creation.
It smells beautiful on some people I know, but not on me.

There was no human being who didn't like it, when i was wearing this years ago. It has a very well elaborated carnation in it. It brings to mind a young woman apparently verginal, who isn't that innocent after all. An iconic perfume, few fragrances like this have create a stardom on their own.15-10-09

One of my greatest favourits! I like it in every season, for every ocassion. It's a powdery floral, elegants, mild, romantic and really peaceful. I'm 30 now, but I liked it ten years earlier and I like it on more mature women as well. It's really a masterpiece of Nina Ricci.

I know,I know that I am way to young to wear it but I just had to try it when I saw it in a shop. The bottle is a true work of art and very captivating. But what do I have to say about the scent?
Well it's light and yet sophisticated at the same time. I don't know how to explain it but it's very light and still very dark in a balanced way. It smells alot like peach in the begining but otherwhise I couldn't detect any indivdual notes. So beautiful!

for me its simply lily of the valley, not a favourite flower too heavy and somewhat overdone...but Farouche or Fleur de Fleur by the same nina ricci is delicious....oh why oh why do all the best perfumes cost so very much...I so want to try Balenciaga's Quadrille, my mother used to wear it and I have not smelt it for such a longtime, wish you wanted that tested so that I could write a survey on it.

My all time summer favorite. A floral rush and then soft spicy musky woods. I'm not sure about the powder everyone talks about and why it seems to be a bad thing...is soft the same as powder? I don't know...all I know is I love this one. When used with a light hand it is sublime.

I never thought the bottle matched the contents- the bottle is flight-of-fancy airy, but the scent seemed dusty and stale to me- sorry!

I still love this one. I first received it as a gift in the mid '70s. Oddly enough, from a boyfriend and from my mom, within about a week or two of each other. So I guess they each thought it was me, and they were right. I find it delicate and understated, but very feminine and classy. Carnation always gets me this way, I think.

Very powdery soft, romantic, charming,a classic.

My personal all time favorite. I began wearing it in my early teens, purchased an ounce of it as a college student while studying in France, and wear it for special occasions now. I still associate it with my first love...and romance.... It doesn't work on everyone-and it can be overpowering on the wrong woman.

If anything. I really hated this scent on my mother. I found it annoying how she would spray this the first thing in the morning and actually like it! At first I thought it smelled fresh then I found it just smelled like those inscense that a nana might use.

This fragrance was my first 'how perfume smells' discovery. As soon as I catched a whiff from my wrist today I recognized it immediately- my grandma sure has it and that was the second perfume that I co-decanted into doll's cup (imagine??)trying to create a perfume that will become worlds famous (N°5 and L'air du Temps, again imagine it.. ;D) with terryfiying results. I failed (lol), but memorized this floral spicy aroma for ever (and my concoction as well)
Today I saw the yellow bottle and without emotions put it on my wrist, sniffed... and remembered this.
About scent itself- it smells intense and a bit old fashioned. For some reason it reminds me sunflower seeds and later some roasted sunflower seeds (well, that's just me..).
Ok, let's see closer- something like citrus flower, spices, rose, rosewood.
Lasting power is great and bottle itself too if it has dove adorned (no hint of doves on testers, but I would love to examine it closer) and last thing- it smells good close to my leather jacket sleeve- more luxorious I guess.. (same story with N°5)

One of my favourites! It also brings back wonderful memories since my mother bought it when we went to France, I was 9 years old so she didn't want to buy be a whole bottle of perfume, but she gave me the miniature and I just loved to open it and smell it.
I then borrowed hers when I was older, and I love how it smells on me, it is romantic, soft and flowery, the bottle design is gorgeous and the doves on top give it an innocent charm.

I love this. My Aunt brought this from overseas for me when I was a young girl.
I know its been reformulated and is a shadow of its former self but it still brings back lovely memories for me.
Its airy, powdery and very comforting.
Its like laying on a soft feather pillow. The sillage is my favourite when it wafts around you, rather than sniffing from up close.
Very whimsical and romantic.

I like the crisp fresh opening and the powdery drydown of this scent. I applied it early in the day after using the shower gell and lotion. All were similarly very fragrant and long-lasting. In fact, I went out straight away in my car to run some errands. When I returned to my car, I could still smell this wonderful powdery scent in my car.

This scent somehow naturally matches with my grandma's image; it doesn't fit to the contemporary woman in my opinion. And don't get me wrong - I’m not saying that any fragrance launched quite some time ago is old-fashioned and can be worn only by older women - no, it's just about this particular scent, that when I smell it, I visualize an older lady. Well...she smells quite nice:)

this is a the perfume for me and my husband only.it means i wear it only at home,because i don't want to waste it in the air of the streets.hihi!not for the strangers noses!i like much on the clothes than on the skin.the fabric amplifies the scent and give it a multifaceted power.

I love this smell. Some says it's a bit old fashioned, but anyway it comforts me like a soft, pure scarf. Beautiful perfume that evolves happiness and piece.

this would be perfect for someone who likes delicate and pure fragrances which stay close to the skin, but for me it is too powdery and i can only wear it when im in the right mood

This opens with a strong synthetic note that is a little daunting, but settles down to a nice, airy floral, and finally ends in a powdery carnation-like spice that I really enjoy. This perfume smells like simpler times, and I enjoy the nostalgia of it. And of course, the dove stoppered bottle is lovely.

it opens with very mild flowers scent.you can just recognize jasmine,but it's not all.it's like a bouquet of flower in which you can't distinguish between scents.it doesn't change as the time passes very much.the idea of the bottle is wonderful and I really believe it was a unique fragrance when it was released 1948.so that means it's not unique anymore?I don't know but I can say the perfumes after l'air du temps sont fake,not this one.

Smells purely of carnations on me. I like this note, it is nostalgic and has an air of exclusivity for this reason.

It's perfect like Mona Lisa, a piece of art... and almost all people that likes perfumes knows it's a classic -i guess-... Maybe could be considerate like a Mona Lisa in a landscape with a lot of spring flowers, and doves jajaja... but... Is truly beautiful, sensual, colored the Mona Lisa??? Can she truly inspire peace??? Can she inspire happiness???
Not sufficient for me. In fact, L' air du temps inspire a sense of nostalgia...
Im agree with Liat, Nina Ricci has better samples of fragrances...

It is a fave, for sure.The floral composition is precisely made - nothing is too much or out of the way for me. It`s an autumn scent for me - a nice, sunny and dry October day, when the air is just started getting crispy, the trees` beautiful multicolor foliage is in heaps under them and everyone is buying chrysanthemums, and there is a slightly sweet smell of apples in the air.When I was younger, I found it overwhelming, though I always got compliments on it, and now, when I feel comfortable wearing it, it`s even better. L`air du temps is an essence of everything soft and feminine, and it feels perfect from the first spray to the end of the day.

One of most romantic smell. Warm, with seasoned note of carnation. It builds around wearing smelling mysteriousness, femininity aura. It's not old-fashioned. For me is very poetic and independent. It not interest fashion, trends. This old classic fragrance on background present idea is very original. I admire it.

Nicely done, but Nine Ricci has much better scents up her sleeve.

Too strong and powdery for me, smells heavenly on someone and hideous on the other (I'm one of that kind). Strong rosey notes caused a bad migraine every single time I tried to wear this perfume, so I finally gave up and gave the bottle away. Don't miss it...

A hidious smell. Even tough it is several years since I´ve got this one in present from my aunt I still remember how to "much of everything" it smelled. Like you have get soaked in a flowerbath. I guess it´s a nice fragrance if you like a really, really strong flower fragrance...

Elegant, feminine floral, my husband loves the scent. I've gotten numerous compliments everytime I wear this perfume. This is the only Nina Ricci perfume I like. This one blooms on me. My husband always wants me to wear this perfume it is his favorite on me. A 5 of 5 stars to me! Beautiful bottle too.

I agree.. I loved it on my friend but on me it was powdery.. I wanted so badly to wear it but just doesn't work well with my chemistry.

Although a classic, it never agreed with me, not even in the 80's. There is something powdery that I don't like about it.