Femme Rochas Rochas for women

This is beautiful and delicious. I bought this unsniffed online and couldn't be happier with it - it is definitely like a sweeter, creamier Mitsouko. The cumin note is nothing like Indian food at all, merely another hint of depth. It takes a minute for the best of the notes to emerge, but is well worth it. And it dries down to an almost candied powderiness if such a thing can be imagined. A wonderful update to Roudnitska's classic.

Awhile ago Angela from NowSmellThis wrote: "Chances are that four out of five of you who try Femme will reject it as old-fashioned, or even repulsive. But for that fifth person, Femme might lead to a whole different understanding of what perfume can be."

Who in the world are these four out of five??

Femme Rochas is beautiful, feminine with a warmest dry-down and so sensual, but dangerous, seductive!
It's a bit heavy, just like SpellBound, probably common notes of vanilla, apricot, benzoin, amber and carnation give that impression. And is so longlasting, a perfume of lust and eternal passion. If you love SpellBound you must love it, especially if you adore sillage of Amarige, it's a must have!

This, plus my dislike of Mitsouko, has made it clear to me now that I dislike chypres. From the moment I put this on, I am thinking it was the oakmoss that would not leave my nostrils. My skin smelled sour and pungent every time I would take a whiff, an hour in, a few hours in, and even the next day - all that was left was a soft patch of bitterness.

Nothing about this says "woman" to me, but maybe it's just my skin that's doing the talking...

I tend to prefer close-to-the-skin scents, so when I purchased Femme as a blind buy and spritzed it on, all I could think was, "oh no! what have I done???" It was just so darned BIG! However, I discovered her beauty when I misted the air in front of where I wanted to apply and either walked through the mist or waved my arms through it. The perfect demure application of what turned out to be an amazing scent. If you have some unloved Femme on your shelves, try it.

It is true that the cumin topnote verges just this side of skanky, but with a lightly misted application, it becomes less intrusive, as does the boozy fruit that Femme starts off with. It doesn't take too long for that to open the door to some gorgeous spicy florals warmed by amber, just a hint of patchouli, and a dash of vanil

Since I've altered my application method, I find this scent stunning and addictive.

I cannot wear this fragrance any more, I wore it years ago and loved it but I just bring the cumin out screaming and shouting! Awful! I am so sad because I love going down perfume memory lane! My skin must have changed over the years!

Let's say that a new guy enters your circle of friends. You have heard good things about him but something on his appearance makes you keep a distance from him. And then he starts a conversation with you and within five minutes you realize that not only he's a good guy (and cute as well) but the chemistry between you two is magical and that you're going to have a great time together.
That was the feeling when I tried Femme half an hour ago. The first sniff was like my mom was cooking "soutzoukakia" (greek food - meetballs with a generous dose of cumin) but there was something in the whole composition that made me waiting for something better. Six or seven minutes later the most elegant, mysterious, sexy and dangerous cloud was wrapping me and then my mind stopped working. Did I say dangerous?
I have the recent formula and I think it's more than beautiful. I can't even imagine how greater would be the vintage one. For the moment I'm going to enjoy my new fruity-chypre gem but I'll keep an eye out for a vintage on ebay.

I love this perfume. I come back to it time and time again. It is warm and sensuous, and so feminine. Ladylike yet sexy as hell!
It starts of flowery and fruity and dries down to warm and powdery. One of my favourite chypres. Timeless and elegant.

I've heard so much about the cumin note in this one, and everything with cumin turns into falafel on me. This one was not falafel, thank god! This smells like a woman's body when she is warm, naked and powdering her face (or wherever you like to powder yourself, I don't know). Of course there is leather, oak moss, plum, this and that.. But to me this doesn't smell like a perfume with "notes" in it. It's the most natural kind of scent I've ever come across. It doesn't smell like a perfume. It smells like a woman. This is what I imagine the perfume in the move "Perfume: The story of a murderer" would smell like.. Sounds creepy, but I really mean it in a good way.

A wonderfully refined fragrance. I love the woody moss notes along with all the plum and peach. This was ablind buy and I am so thrilled!

...pour toutes les FEMMES qui aiment les hommes, qui aiment ...les FEMMES!

An other favorite of Carol Lombard.

Leathery and (at first) liquerish, fleshy plum.
Velvety, lush peach.
A soft but persistent cinnamon undertone. Oakmoss base.
Sensual and warm.
Quiet, close to skin yet very explicit.
Carnal, but far from vulgar.

The most authentic and mature declaration of love to a woman.

(vintage Parfum de Toillette)

Read TillyWave's review about Femme being Mitsouko's cousin, and I had to buy (blind). No regrets whatsoever. It does dry down on my skin like Mitsouko and I am ecstatic! I can wear these two when I want and spray however much I want.
I wasn't too keen on peach notes in the past, but just like Mitsouko grew on me very quickly, Femme is like welcoming an old friend. Not surprising, since chypres and I get along fairly well.
Next time I treat myself to Lady Godiva chocolates (Valentine's Day), I will spritz Femme to accompany the moment.

Hubba HUBBA!

I blind purchased this and was really worried about the cumin in it.It only exists in the opening and leaves in 20-30 minutes. I jokingly texted to my friend that I smelled like a Naughty Grandma at an Indian restaurant. The cumin is a great thing though... unless you are very sensitive to spice, do NOT fear the cumin.

Now, this smells of spicy sweet sandalwood with a peachy afternote. Scrumptious! I don't get the overripe peaches and plums that were described below, but every time I sniff this scent I get a unique intoxicating mixture of peach/plum and fragrant sandlewood.

I'm in my mid-twenties and I can totally pull this off. Don't discount this perfume in the first 3 minutes because it smells old -- give it a chance to develop and you will see that this is easy to love. This scent is very long lasting on me (12+ hours) however the sillage is *tiny*. I can't even get whiffs of myself unless I am searching for it. ...New HG perfume during my winter nights!

Definitely a juice to pair with a low cut shirt. ;)

I really don't know what to think of this perfume..I bought a vintage miniature eau de toilette and tried it now for two times. But the first 10 minuits all I get is cumin, cumin and cumin. Later the cumin gets a little lighter but still it's not really my piece of cake...Maybe I give it a try again later...

This review is for the vintage Pdt version:
Wow, this is an amazing scent. The opening manages to be classy and restrained while still being slightly sweet and fruity. As it dries some delicate oak moss emerges and it becomes really rich and spicy. What is really interesting is that from far away femme smells mossy/powdery/soapy/smoky, but close up it smells spicy and sweet (sort of like a richer gucci accenti with oakmoss). Femme is a bold beautiful extremely feminine scent that is light years beyond the standard modern fruity florals. It lasts forever and had good sillage.

Lovely stuff, for me it's like a softer, sweeter Youth Dew. Worth the purchase

EDT Review, 'new' formulation:

This is quite breathtaking. When I first applied to my skin, I felt like I'd walked into a red and gold wallpapered room, with wooden blinds letting in slanted eastern morning light, in this room is a partially clothed voluptuous woman with a head of long curly hair and a sly but indolent smile...what went on in this room the night before I can only guess...

So yeah, a woman's flushed, heated skin...got that right, this is pretty much the most over the top sexy perfumes I've ever smelled.

Practically speaking, it does have that strange cumin-peach-spice thing, I really like it, and as it dries down it indeed does smell like Mitsouko's cousin...2 sprays will do ya for a long, long time, and it's pretty cheap, considering. This is definetely worth a smell if you're even interested in a perfume like this, especially since perfumes like this are becoming an endangered species.

New to the world of perfumes, and this has become my signature scent out of bottles I currently own. Why?

1. My age: 49. I didn't even feel like a "woman" until I was in my late 30's, and this is a womanly fragrance, my dears.

2. My ideal: Scent (for now, an inclusive term for edp, edt, edc, etc.) should smell like something I couldn't have thought up myself ("I like plums and musk--[mash, mash, mash]--there!"), masterfully composed, supernaturally fragrant--not like an linear extract or juice: I'm beyond dabbing cooking vanilla behind my ears.

3. My taste: warmth, depth, spiciness, softness, and strength, even in summer. I NEED these qualities in scent; it's an emotional-fulfillment, childhood-issue thing. There can be additional notes--such as the melon of Volupte or the salty tang of Eau de Rochas--but the heart must have depth and loyalty: No flighty friends, no flighty fumes. Is that my new motto?

Note to my Fragrantica friends: I am describing the reformulation.

I have known of Femme forever but never experienced it. Rochas intimidates me. Their perfumes are far too sophisticated for someone like me, a little Southern girl whose daddy was a moonshiner. Plus, it's always refered to as a "fruity" -- one of my least favorite perfume families. But I was given a sample of this recently and it was love at first smell. Femme is soft and dry, almost dusty. A little bit sweet, just a little bit. A bit floral and a bit woodsy. And, yes, it is fruity. Not like those stinkbombs of today that smell like a bowl of overripe fruit. Femme is subtle. It is often likened to Mitsouko and it is a good comparison. But Femme is the youthfulness of Mitsouko mellowed into full blown womanity. Femme understands that seductivness is not a shout but a sly wink across a crowded room. It is classic and thoroughly contemporary. Femme is a perfume for the ages.

This bottle arrived in a swap today, and I've been questioning my nose ever since. WHY would anyone find this offensive?! Of course, there is the very important matter of chemistry. :)

For me, many "safe" scents are atrocious - turning sour, cloying, or vile. This "difficult" fragrance smells attractive, feminine, and warm on me. The dreaded cumin is present in the opening, but I have never minded cumin. Also, it settles within about 30 minutes to a slightly spiced floral with touches of suede!

Normally, I'd be wary of a scent with rosemary, but this is so well balanced on me ~ the overall impression is that of a little cedar undergirding the flowers and lightly spiced powder. As for sweet notes and fruit, these are mild and nuanced, adding only a richness and warmth. I don't sense any particular fruit, and certainly no honey!

The only thing that saddens me is that this gem has been discontined by Proctor and Gamble. But rather than moan about their stupidity, I prefer to enjoy my lovely new scent ~ in it's GORGEOUS bottle!

I've only tried the new version (EdT). It reminds me of a combination of cough medicine and some floral notes. There isn't much note separation and it's more than a bit sweet/ambery (dominating the scent upon drydown). I suggest getting a vintage scent with a similar idea if you can't find RF in the vintage formulation. I should be getting Le Dix soon so that might fill the "feminine chypre" role (I don't like peach so Mitsouko is out).

Hi!
Does anyone want it for a swap?
100 ml-99%full.

I started wearing Femme Rochas when I was in college, back in the 60s. I liked the fact that it departed from the girly, sweet scents that young women at that time favored. I continued wearing it for many years, then tired of it and had other preferences. But I recently had a longing for Femme and bought the reformulation. Hmmm...not the same, but nevertheless very nice indeed. But I missed the old formulation and found some fresh old stock on the bay. YES! This was the Femme that I had remembered!!! Intensely warm, womanly and wonderful, particularly in cold and dreary weather. But I seem to have to be in the right mood for Femme, and if I'm not, she doesn't smell appealing on me. But when the stars align, there is no better scennt.

I now have the vintage formula in pdt, bath oil, and perfume. This perfume makes me happy and content. This is my favorite. A guy at work loved it so much that he wrote down the name femme on a big piece of cardboard and carried it around in his pocket all night. I get more compliments from others from Shalimar, but I love this one more.

Got this through EBAY and when I sprayed it on I was repulsed by the smell. I have never smelled anything so horrible on me in my life! I think after about an hour it was tolerable. What a shame, it's a 3.3 bottle. Lot's of good reviews, that is why I purchased it in hopes of a nice scent. Of course my fav is discontinued which is Givenchy Organza Indecence. If anyone out there knows of a fragrance even close to Indecence, let me know! Thanks!

As Meg Ryan would say, slapping her hand on the table:

"YES!! YES!! YES!!"

I'll have what she's having...

I bought it based on the reviews here but I am very disappointed! There is something very irritating in it! I can't stand it! I was hoping for something like Mitsouko but... no! Mitsouko is a masterpiece! I should have bought Mitsouko instead! I shouldn't be looking for substitutes!

CIVET.
CUMIN.
very very prominent. can't believe they aren't in the pyramid here...i was trying to place the thing besides the super obvious civet, and after some quick internet searches, found it to be cumin.

i can't stand cumin, but i love this perfume. it's longevity is lauded by many. on me it lasts like five minutes even when i bathe in it.

I have a wonderful 15 ml (I think) bottle of the vintage version of the parfum (extrait / pure perfume). I'd say it is from the 1960s and came to me still fully sealed in its cellophaned box. The stopper says Marcel Rochas (not just Rochas) and a gold silhouette of a woman's head. I read somewhere else on these pages that this does mean it's vintage.

It was a blind buy for me, purchased on the strength of my total adoration of the Dior parfums developed by Edmond Roudnitska.

Now I can't stop using it!

Nothing at all like my other vintage Roudnitskas - Diorella, Diorissimo, Dior-Dior, Eau Fraiche, Eau Sauvage - which to my mind just goes to show the genius of the man.

This is a truly complex beauty: fruity, spicy and floral all at once. And 110% *feminine*!

Perhaps it's my uneducated nose but I don't detect unfurling notes in this parfum.

Like many lovers of life's other great pleasures - wine, art, music - I know little of the technicalities, but I do know what I like.

And I *love* this!

Was helping mum go through a box of old stuff. Despite having moved house several times in 20 years, it was never unlocked. Full of old memories, and a cache of unopened old perfumes, many two or three times older than that 20 years.

There was collection of medium sized splashes of Rochas, Guerlain, Dior, Chanel fragrances. Amongst them all, the five Rochas ones we opened first. I can't remember the names of the older Rochases that came after, but I am aware they've been discontinued for decades. And what a pity, there were *gorgeous*. Mousseline was one of them, I think that's how its spelled. :-/

Old Rochas Femme: stunning. Absolutely stunning. Opens up nothing like 1989 (and no doubt several times since!) reformulated Femme: no cumin, no heavy musk blast to open on.

Instead, it opens with a lemony-peachy-floral aldehyde note. Not powdery so much as floral, its hard for me to articulate the particular note. It something they don't do in perfumes these days. Shame.

Dry down: similar to the post-1989 Femme, but much more refined. A voluptuous peachy chypre, superior to the peach-chypre of Mitsouko IMHO. Similar and at the same time, nothing like modern Femme.

My mother no longer wanted them as they reminded her of someone she once loved deeply, who showered her with French perfume gifts, but ultimately hurt her even more deeply than her love ran. So they were passed on to my girlfriend.

And wow! Old Femme on a woman in her early 20s is even more stunning than I imagined.

Never relegate a fragrance made long ago to women born long ago. That sort of attitude frustrates me. You can't relegate a true piece of art like that to an 'age group'!

femme de rochas est un de mes 3 parfums préférés le début est très chargé en mousse,chêne, je dirais même pas très agréable,il faut compter 30 minutes pour que le parfum s'installe,et là c'est un véritable délice il sent si bon, si chic, si oriental il est tellement addictif tellement chaud ce parfum fort ,puissant, envoûtant je l'aimerais toujours c'est certain.

Smells good in the bottle, not so much on me! I got LOTS of wood and oakmoss from this, to a degree of overwhelming the other notes, and a very strange sourness. I don't know where the sour comes from but its really not something I want to smell!

It just doesn't work out for me. An unfortunate scrubber. And being it was a scrubber it lasted an extra long time.

For those it works on however, its pretty glorious. Like for instance, on my partner it smells great (drat him!)

Many thanks to conifer lover for the opportunity to try this classic.

I wore this for the first time last night. It took about 45 min for it to settle on my skin. Once it settled I liked it but I didn't love it. I could admire it, but as a college student i could not love it. I tried it because of its history and just to experience it. If i smelt this on a mature woman I would appreciate it, but it smelt.. off.. on a young woman. Then I met up with my boyfriend and he told me he didn't like it, so that sealed the deal for me! It was fun for one night but I cant say I will ever put this one one again for another 20 years. Just a heads up to the younger crowd!

I love this scent. I have the edp and powder. It is my very favorite. I have never smelled anything so exciting. I just wish it wasn't so expensive.I wish I could find something similar that is a better buy.

I just received my order of "Femme" today with great anticipation. Was I fooled! 2 spritzes into it, I was quite surprised. It smelled like bug spray. Period.
I don't know if it was subject to bad storage or whatever, but it isn't what is has been.
It's a return.

I always liked very much all the older Rochas perfumes for women: Femme, Mystere, Madame Rochas, the original Lumiére and Byzance. This one is the one I appreciate least, but I do respect it a lot. The 1989 reformulation smells a lot of coumin, together with plum and peach in the opening. The next notes I can detect most intensely are patchouly and cinnamon. I do not detect nearly as clearly the scent of oakmoss despite its being classified as a chypre. I offered it to my mother and she likes it a lot. I find it a bit addictive, which is a good thing. Staying power is very good. I find the name of the perfume simple but really nice. The box is very beautiful and the bottle is really realy gorgeous. I think it was designed by Lalique. It is one of the most beautiful perfume bottles I ever saw. Altogether, I love it.

Rochas Femme you and I reunite after I tossed you into the charity bag in 2005 because i got tired of you. I was a teen. What did I know. After 7 years of which i had an affair with shalimar, coco, l'instant, and samsara I have grown to appreciate you more. From start to finish. You are the epitome of elegance and class. I need you in my collection.

This stuff is about as perfect a cold weather scent as you will ever find.
Lovely cinnamon with a hint of peach, plum and clove which lasts for a good hour or so before settling down to an oakmoss predominant drydown. For me, Kingdom is a cumin perfume....this smells nothing like that at all.

Knowing is very similar but this doesn't have as much rose, which suits me just fine.

I can't wait for winter.

Vintage femme rochas envolopes me in pure bliss of warmth and happiness. My favorite right now.

Well, I am so happy to have this beautiful perfume but sad that this completes my collection of beautiful French heavy hitters. My collection includes: Cabochard by Gres, Molinard by Molinard, Habanita by Molinard, Ivoire de Balmain and if I can sneak in Spanish made La Nuit by Paco Rabanne.

In my opinion, Rochas Femme is the most well-balanced of all of them. Of course, I think they are all flawless but Rochas fits the bill for year around wear. Whereas for me, I put away my Cabochard and La Nuit for winter.

Really there is nothing I can say that hasn't been said so I will just say "I LOVE IT AND I WILL HAVE IT IN MY COLLECTION FROM NOW ON!"

Happy Perfuming! ♥

A complicated beauty. I recently purchased (I guess) a vintage Femme. It comes in a rectangular bottle with a gold cap. The box is a beige color with a black lace design.

I love the plum/peach/apricot thing going on with this; particularly the plum which is most dominant to me. The fruit notes are so rich like in a spice cake. Not sweet at all. Oh did I mention the plum? This frag changes wonderfully over time. Sometimes it's rosy, sometimes it's woody. The spice and fruit stay throughout. It varies by temperature and if it's on skin or clothing.

I've read many people talking about a cumin/coriander note but I don't see it listed. Is what people are talking about the clove? I'm not sure.

One lady said she smelled some ammonia. I sometimes will get a "cat pee" smell in the opening but luckily that fades into all the other notes and then smells more floral. I wonder if that is the jasmine and its legendary "indole"? I guess it is. Nevertheless that should not dissuade anyone from giving this beautiful classic a try.

This is a sophisticated yet warm scent. Nothing about it is loud or potentially headache inducing but it does have strength. It makes the skin smell beautiful and seems to blend nicely with one's own chemistry. Very sexy!

Thanks to your reviews, I bought Femme Rochas. I have the EDT. The juice is a medium amber color. Oh, Femme is so sexy ! I'm hooked on it ! I feel like I want to drown in it !!! It's rich, full bodied, deeply moist all the way through the drydown. Soft fruits, not sharp. Moderate but rich spices, well blended. Beautiful florals, sweet but not too sweet.

Silage is strong at first, but Femme instantly begins to embrace you, absorbing and settling into your skin. After about an hour or so, it calms and wears close to skin. The woods, resin, amber, patchouli, musk and leather notes are just enough to give Femme longevity without any of these notes being overpowering. Longeity is about 6 to 8 hours.

All the notes in Femme are EXPERTLY BLENDED together for a moist, tasty, full bodied, teasing, overtly sexy, richly feminine, definitely delicious carnal experience.

OH ! OHHH... MMMMMMM....AHHHH....OOOOHHH, AHHHHH,....... Sighs.....Ok, now I need a cigarette.......:)

I love this(the EDT). I blind bought because of my love for Mitsouko. This is like a forest floor, very earthy and very spicy. I have tried a lot of scents and I can't believe I have not come across this one. Absolutely a must in a perfume collection.

When I worked in Paris as a student, the daughter of the family I lived with had this and she let me try. I used to spray this on every day when she wasn´t around. (oops!). I´m sure she noticed it was quickly disappearing. Anyway. I find this fragrance to be absolutely beautiful and feminine and very warm and sexy. It seems to be more of a perfume for a mature woman imo, but the French family´s daughter was only 17 and wore it proudly. I was also in my 20s at the time, so it does appeal to younger people to I guess. I have never actually owned this because I could never afford to buy it. I have it on my wish list and I´m definitely going to try to get it now before it disappears. Although it´s warm and spicy and perhaps better suited to Winter, I wore this in late summer and didn´t really care if it was perhaps too strong. I just loved it.

igot femme recently and i did nt test it there was no tester when iopen it and put my first spry it remind me
when iwas young and the shop of spices where the smell of
spices plend with soap and topaco that smell of femme its strange smell but attractive

Join a beautiful fragrance

Strange smell like soap

I hope to have a stronger smell

Received my mini EDP today and it is the same as the EDT except smoother, not as cheeky and provactive. This is romance on a stick for special occasions.

Hmmn, got my EDT today and after wearing it for an hour I can discern the Mitsouko similarity. Mitsouko is more etheral, intriging, it never defines the wearer. Mitsouko is an unattainable state of existance, reminds me of a woodnymph from days long gone - not from our dimension.

Femme is her mortal sister, earthbound and loving it. Femme is bursting with a sensual appetite for all good things in life and not ashamed to admit it. Sensual and robust but with a soft heart revealed only to those who know her well. A very sexy fragrance that well suits a romantic setting but not suitable for a first date, a bit intense.

My first impression was a sharp opening, a bit of a nose burner, but that dissipated to a well rounded earthy, musky, floral base within the hour. A very heavy perfume that requires a light spray or it becomes overwhelming. Lasted a good 5 hours on me.

It's not something I would wear often but it's got a quality I expect will keep calling me back. I'll probably keep it just for the nostalgic value, they don't make perfumes like this anymore.

edit: I just took Femme around to my Mum, she loved it and OMGosh it smelt good on her. Her skin just drank it up like it was made for her. Mum is one of those lucky people who can wear just about any fragrance and smell good. I left the wicked Femme fatal with a kindred spirit and she is still in reach if I hear her calling.

Never tried it before but was dismayed to read Rochas has been discontinued as I have an appreciation for some other Edmond Roudnitska frags. I purchased a mini EDP and 100ml EDT before they disappear and become extinct, like the dodo.

News today that Rochas Fragrances are no more. Proctor and Gamble have already dumped all Rochas fragrances.

What a horror story !

A sign of our SINFUL synthetic Times.

Murder in the first degree!

I love this beautiful perfume. Deep lasting fragrance, mossy, woody and just that little something else --
I always have lots of compliments when wearing Femme.
Just one spray will last all day.
An all embracing warmth which has kept me company for about 30 years. I think it gets better as I age.

Mossy, spicy, "peachy" at the opening with a showing accord of leather and wood in the middle. Very elegant, classy and French. Versatile sillage with a good lasting power (about 12 hours at least on my skin).

I also think this could be compared to Une fleur de Cassie by Frederic Malle. Its the cumin that stands out to me in both fragrances, Frederic Malles fragrance is a modern interpretation of perfumes from the 1930s and 40s and this was a fragrance made originally in that period. :)

In my opinion smells most like Alexander McQueen Kingdom, more so than Mitsuko. I can't smell much of the fruits listed. Very spicy and slightly soapy.

I recently bought the vintage formula of the EDT and it's much more complex than the new version I reviewed earlier. Even more sensuous. It's really wonderful. It's so sensuous that I'm unsure about wearing it in daytime, it seems too much for everyday life.
The fruity opening is enriched by the rosewood, cinnamon, and lemon, an inspired combination. I can't wait for this beauty to unfold!

The middle notes were beautiful soft florals, and now I'm getting a taste of the drydown, which contains my favorite chypre notes. Leather--finally I've found a perfume with a leather note that works on me. The drydown is dark, lovely, mysterious. This is an extraordinary fragrance. I am so happy I bought it.

I received it yesterday. Edt reformulated version. It's lovely. A tender peachy spiced fragrance with the femmine warmth and sensuality I had expected. I understand the comparison with Mitsouko, but I disagree with the similarity. Surely, if you can wear the one, you can wear the other. Yet, are quite different.
Femme is more femminine and sweet without the feel of oak moss (what I personally think)It is more fuity light chypre. I was scared that it would be strong, old fashioned, thick smell, but instead the edt I have is light, easy to wear even in the morning during cold months ofcourse... Nice, unnoffensive sillage, and moderate staying power. Yes, it gived me the sense of a woman's sweat, but I didn't get cumin. Spices are modest here, -according to my nose- and not aggressive. The fruits plum, apricot and peach are the more prominent, accompanied by the wood, soft leather and a bit of carnation and vanillia. Patcouli and cloves seem at the far background. Overall, a sexy, sensual fragrance, worth having it.

I have ordered the new version edt without having smell it ever before. I'm a bit afraid whether the surprise will be pleasant or not. But as I'm collector of famous chypres, I could not resist a blid buy. I will tell you soon....

I purchased the EDP (not vintage).This is probably one of the most sensual perfumes I've ever tried. Don't know why so many reviewers talk about the cumin notes, there are none, it's probably the oak moss coming through or the rosewood and cinnamon combination. It's such a complex fragrance that I need to wear a few more times to get all the nuances. So far, 40 minutes in, I have to say I love it--it's a real shape-shifter! I pick up new notes every time I sniff my wrist. This is a keeper!

Fantastic, but it should not be related to Mitsouko only because they are both chypre fragrances. Their personalities, and this is the focus of a perfume, are different and they behave in distinct ways. Femme is carnal whereas Mitsouko is intellectual, told with few words...

Alas, oakmoss...I try and try these lovely perfumes containing it, and my skin chemistry just turns it into an all-pervasive "play-doh" note. So, I spray this classic on scarves and it's much more playful!

Masterful. I get woody amber, cinnamon, vanilla,faint leather and lemon. This feels warm and complex. It's very nicely done. and feels inviting and comforting to me.

Female version of YSL Kouros. Started warm and spicy, developed into Kouros fast. I'm not fan of cumin, which is quite overpowering here. Even though all other notes are amazing and the combination is beautiful and complex, the cumin ruins it for me.

I'm just convinced that weather is very important when you want to form your opinion on a scent , VERY !

I have tried this scent last autumn ( we had quite a hot autumn here ) and i really hated it and found it old-fashioned (and NOT in a good way) , disgusting , blablabla .

BUT i tried it last week when it was freezing , and guess what ? I'm starting liking, and why not loving it!
Very womanly , elegant and sexy , and yet without giving the feeling your a maneater , a lady scent !

Please , when you think you hate a scent try it again with a different weather . Because it would be such a pity to let aperfume love story pass you by just because of a wrong temperature !

A tease- Something wonderful seems secretly waiting, just underneath the tonnage of intolerable cumin. I wanted to, but literally couldn't, wait to see how it developed, as I was so offput by the overpowering top-cumin-note (EdT sampled). Had to scrub it off (Wet-Ones work wonders). But I *really* think there is something wonderful here...

I sampled this last night. It was hideous at first sniff. After it softened I couldn't put my finger on what I was smelling. My husband immediately pegged it, though.

In the spirit of full disclosure, we both grew up going to Catholic schools...

This perfume smells like Mass before school. It's votive candles surrounding the Virgin Mary statue, with just a hint of incense and Women's Auxillary. It is the olfactory equivalent of a sturdy nun with a ruler, sternly advising to leave room for the Holy Ghost.

It's not an unpleasant scent, but it will never get me any booty.

Very nice fragrance. I don't smell civet, which is a good thing for me, because I hate it.

This is really creamy and spicy at the same time. I smell the cinnamon and the beautiful flowers. I also smell A LOT of peach. This reminds me of tresor but better.

Great scent.

A masterpiece.
Loving it.

Whew, yikes. I so wish I could smell a vintage Femme. Something in this newest reformulation is just - nearly sickening to me :/ I love everything else I have ever sniffed by Rochas, and Mr. Roudnitska as well, but I just cannot even give this a chance, the first sniffs on my wrist are that off-putting. I do not want to disturb anyone, but to me this version smells like rotten, rancid, body odor - like the cumin has burned a hole through the rest of the scent:( For my Rochas funk, I would choose "Moustache" (if you wear masculine scents) over this.

I like it very much, but my skin is amplifying an animalic/indolic note to a near-embarrassing level. I think this may be an at-home sort of scent. It smells classic, thick, voluptuous and fuller than Miss Dior, which is my only reference point at present.
I'm getting mostly MOSS, some plum, cloves, woods, leather and cinnamon. I get the faintest bit of cumin, which was the primary note my boyfriend smelled. I wonder where the animalic note is coming from, since it does not smell AT ALL like musk to me.
Anyway, I like!

If you like Mitsouko (or pure-blooded chypres, for that matter), but you're strapped for cash, it's hard to beat Rochas Femme. Despite whatever reformulations it has gone through, the stuff holds up well and smells like a chypre should. I love chypres and I know the "chypre smell" like the back of my hand, and Rochas Femme is definitely a good example. I would say Rochas Femme is a little darker and plummier than other chypres, and it has a really nice cinnamon note throughout the top and middle. The cinnamon complements it perfectly; it never gets overbearing, and contributes to the warm aura of Rochas Femme. There's also a *slight* animalic smell, but it's not unpleasant at all. It adds a fleshy warmth to the fragrance, like most animalic notes should. The longevity is excellent.

If you're looking for a good classic chypre that works for both men and women, try Rochas Femme. You'll be glad you did.

I have tried hard to like this perfume after carefully reading all the reviews here.
Even as I write this, it is on my wrist in the EDP strength, and I keep waiting and
hoping for it to 'soften' and become gentler...
20 minutes on, and the original paint-stripper / varnish / cumin top notes are
slowly beginning to die down. However it is still too spicy, still too harsh.
There is an ingredient in Femme that is making my eyes water just a little!

It might have been a great scent once, but it's day has passed.
Sadly, it's not for me

That's incredible: I've had a vintage perfume of Femme (with that to-die-for sexy box of lingerie) and didn't like it a bit; I sold it for a very reasonable price on (you know where). I always had that nagging voice in my mind telling me, that maybe the bottle had gone off.

So I've sampled the recent formulation and... I don't like it either! Strange, as I love vintage, chypre and leather, but I cannot warm with that green, soapy smell. Smells like vintage Miss Dior without the animal and raunchy part.

To me, the vintage and the recent are very close together. I like the recent more, as it smells somehow a little sharper, more nuanced, but still, there is no need to hunt down the vintage for exorbitant prices.

Oddly mentholated cold mix of leather, cinnamon, cloves, oakmoss, patchouli, dryed plums and apricots.
Can't decide if I like it or not, I maybe do for it's strangeness, but definitely not as a perfume. It smells like old varnished wooden spice box. Isn't it a male fragrance? :) Too bad it's not warm! Not on my skin.
Much nicer on fabric, the pretty warmer cloves.

The re-formulation did NOT ruin this masterpiece! Still love it!

Please experts do correct me if I am very wrong: the reformulation did not ruin this masterpiece. Is it heresy what I am saying? I hope not. Either Femme is such a great masterpiece that no reformulation can ruin, or the work has been done so cleverly that the creature did not suffer. I remember very well the "old" Femme and it was sweet, fruity, oily in a good sense but not as chic as it is today. While I do not like other reformulations (Opium, Magie Noire, Mitsouko, Chanel N°5, to name a few great classics) I do love the new Femme. It's so perfect.

This is positively glorious!!! Received my first bottle from Ebay today and I love it. Warm and delicious...going to be my "co-signature scent" along with my Cinnabar...

Ordered my first bottle off of Ebay today. I'm doing it blindly because I have read soooooooo many positive reviews of Femme... Love the whole concept of plum-peach-vanilla....hope that it is everything I am looking for in a new scent to add to my collection!

This make me remind a Mother.
It has chic, elegance, narcotic, sweet, tender touch.
This is the one of my favorite women's fragrance.
I love this!

Femme was my mother's signature scent when I was a child and like her during her reign this utterly exquisite aroma oozes feminine prowess.

I don't wear Femme often; I rather enjoy reaching for it to inhale its nostalgia from the bottle from time to time.

Today this unaltered (my bottle smells identical and was proudly made in France) magnificent chypre emanates in spectacular fashion from the centre of my being. The lightest spritz to my cleavage and I feel like Wonder Woman.

Perhaps beyond description other than the lemony rosemary swirling about with sun ripened stone-fruit is captivating and delicious. The base is where the sex is... well, like I said, Indescribable!

Champs Elysees is my mummy's signature now that she has matured and mellowed with age (like fine wine!). But for me, Femme will always be synonymous with the Mighty Power-House I remember my mum being.

I really like the wood in Femme but the notes refer to Sandal whilst only Brazilian Rosewood is actually pictured as a note. My mini is a vintage so likely pre-reformulation. Rich woodsy scent with a little fruit for sweetness. The current version also sounds good.

090911 The more I try this the more I appreciate it. Another chypre that I'm coming to adore. Think I got the leather. The fragrance wafting around me is gentle and heavenly. The flowers and fruits are a gorgeous blend. Those woodsy notes make it for me. Please try it. What a remarkable fragrance.

(Reviewing a vintage miniature).

A masterpiece! So addictive with these overripe, almost smoked plums, I could take a bath in it...
I feel a shade of incense, not mentioned in notes.

Femme Rochas (edp) is, in one word, intriguing. It is complex and contemplative, mysterious and sultry, sweet yet dry, spicy and soft. Amidst its dualities is an undeniable grace. There is a definite air of nostalgia here, and a ladylike, "come-hither" sexiness that beckons the memories of Gene Tierney, Ava Gardner, or Rita Hayworth from Hollywood's Golden Age; a time when movies were in black and white, ladies wore pearls, and nothing was overstated. This work of art blends its deep and multifaceted notes into a balanced and exotic masterpiece. Unlike contemporary "flavors" being offered as fragrances, these classic, time-honored notes exude the elegance and refinement of a by-gone era. Picture Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney seated on a beautiful chaise in front of a blazing fireplace in a regal living room; he in his tuxedo, she in a beautifully fitted, flowing satin gown. They look deeply and silently into each other's eyes as they sip a sweet yet dry evening sherry. The camera slowly pans to the fire blazing in the fireplace. That kind of romance, that kind of elegance, that kind of lady is Femme.

Rochas pour Femme is a beautiful, soft, fruity chypre sat between Mitsouko and Badgley Mischka in time and odour. The rose in here is very subtle but conjures fleeting images of my mum's lipstick from when I was a child. Others on here have commented on the deep animalic naughty note, so finely tuned to feel intimate without being too dirty. The perfume is so well balanced that I do not want to analyse it any more, it is definitely a work of art and never fails to warm my heart.

too much leathery peachy for me, quite animalic for me, and the leather is a bit syntethic for my taste. respect for ER though...

This is another of my favourites. Ever since I was a kid I have been a fan of classic perfumes. When my teenager mates wore Eau Jeune or Charlie I wore Miss Dior, Parure, Mitsouko and the like. Now that I am in my late '40es I am happier than ever to wear these marvellous scents without hearing people say "this is not for you". Femme is for every woman, it is so beautiful you can wear it every day without feeling out of place. It's discreet and not banal, it's spicy and not aggressive, it's maternal but not boring, it's classic yet not granted, elegant and new every day. It's pure perfection.

This is my perfume. Couldn't stress more how much I like it. it simply fits me like no other I've tried before. Bought it without trying while getting the Madame for my mother, perfume which I also like. But Femme has more character and works better with my skin. Strong, for sure, but the fruity notes balance it out, keeping it cozy and warm. I like chypre, but some can be pretty aggressive. Not Femme. Past the first hour or so, it won't irritate your co-workers' nose. And by the end of the day, I get this well balanced floral scent on my skin and clothes. I wear it day and night. I've even attempted to wear it during summer. But indeed it works better when it's a bit cooler outside.- if you like watermelon with vanilla, dont even bother trying this one.

Femme is such a beautiful fragrance, and eventhough it's classified as a fruity chypre it has so many oriental notes that many other scents also remind me of Femme; Jil Sander No 4, Mackie, Gilda, Tuscany per donna and many more. However, I prefer the original.

This doesn't work on my skin:( The first sharpness of cumin, cinnamon and clove stays all time, I don't smell any woods, nothing warm or soft. Sad.

First of all, I am terribly fed up with the fact that all the most beautiful perfumes on this earth are either discontinued or worse reformulated. Whenever I want to write some review for a perfect fragrance, I learn that there are at least two reformulations of it, and I can't even be sure as to which version I am writing a review about..

So, Rochas Femme, I've found a bottle of it in my mother's drawer, spritzed some, and instantly fell in love with it. I think it as a classical (in a good, distinctive way of course), nostalgic fragrance which has real depth and character. Just like the smell of a lady..

I should say, to my nose, Rochas Femme's similarity to Guerlain Mitsouko is striking. However, it is still unique with distinctive notes and a character of its own.

Recommended.

Sexy, deep, feminine. I still have a bottle, but don't wear it anymore.

For those who have tried it and didn't like it, check and see where it was bottled. The Rochas bottled in France are lightened with grapeseed alcohol. In the US, they use grain alcohol. Big difference!

Saucy, spicy, seductive, strong. LOVE it. Femme is a warm and inviting mix of ripe fruits, spices-notably cumin-with an even warmer dry down of leather with a bit of mossiness. It's got almost a raw sexuality about it but is also polished at the same time. Polished but a bit naughty. I think it's the sweaty cumin note that is talking here. Sweaty in a healthy way, not in a filthy sense. Unbelievably sexy.

I have to thank Simona IL for including this in our swap, what a surprise, this knocked my socks off!~Really have to get a bottle when my little one runs out.

This is my all time favouritein its original form. I just wish it had been kept in its original formulation and not been subject to reformulation as it has been.

Sadly Rochas is now owned by Proctor and Gamble whose Customer Service lacks care and reverence and respect to a once brand of stature and refinement as Rochas.

I have the new formulation in EDT and also one or two from 1970's/80's that I am hanging on to. I want to try the new formulation EDP as the EDT does not last very long on me.

I am also a fan of Madame Rochas too.

I shall mourn the House of Rochas forevermore !

Dark and Indolic Femme reflects the austere and well
tailored elegance of wartime fashion of the early
1940's of boxed shoulders and wasp waists mannish
and yet feminine rochas must have been a milestone
during it's release in 1943 a scent that is'nt frivilous nor girlish it was simple and yet sophistocated a perfume that conjours the rationed
mentality of wartime,

Femme demands but doe'snt
scream like Cinnabar,Spellbound,Opium,Ciara,or Obsession it slowly draws you in like a spider waits for it's pray or a cat that slowly stalks to get
his prize, The opening starts off sweet with the note of Peach then dries of a deep and juicy scent of plum. Cinnamon brings the heat and the fire of Femme with delectable nuances Bright slices of Bergamot
and lemon turns this fragrance to a zesty drydown,
As this scent dries to the heart of Rochas it turns
woodsy and grounded begining with Rosemary and powdery Red cartnation Iris seems to have a subtle
effect usually giving a cool crisp scent but there is no edvidence of that, The note of Jasmine with it's nocturnal Elegance to the senses Greenish and semi-sweet cloves finishes the middle.

The Base note drydown is my favorite a sexy mix of
Leather Civet and a tinge of Tobacco, Picturing
Marlene Dietrich in a skin tight black leather
low cut gown in a moving train in the first class
compartment seducing all the powerful men with
smoke blowing from her glossy red lips from a cigarette from her black Leather Gloves.

Femme is Fire beneth an icy exterior.

You *must* be comfortable with your body and sexuality to wear this one (I tested current edp). It doesn't scream "hey, I'm a sexy sexy thing!", it's more quiet than that. But the tone of sweaty bodies is here regardless. The first thing I got right out of the bottle was the famous cumin note, which to me, smells straight up like body odor. But after the first 20 minutes or so, the cumin died down and the peach and spices started to come to the fore. I can definitely see the comparisons to Mitsouko, but so far I like Femme better. Which makes sense because I prefer leather over vanilla.

Femme is a woman who feels things deeply and isn't afraid of her vulnerability. This perfume is warm, sensual and vulnerable- and not afraid of any of it. Wear it if you dare!

Birdofparadise,i like your description,i put Femme in my wanting list.Thank you.

Elegant and classic, Femme is woman in love who holds secrets that could break a lover's heart. I can see it being worn with red lipstick and black satin. Dancing to a Big Band with handsome men in uniform. The leather note here is just a tap of the whip that suggests intrigue. Smouldering and seductive - a beautiful fragrance..

I confess, vintage (even reformulated vintage) is not really my thing. I do not mind overpowering composition, but there is something that a lot of vintage share, I dont know if it is a specific note or some sort of combination that really does not work for me.

Femme initially is a burst of ylang-ylang, cinnamon, carnation and patchouli (in that particular order), but while it gets gentler as time goes by. It has a tendency to border on the line between fruity/floral and soapy. It is nevertheless very elegant, and I think out of all the vintage fragrances I have tested so far, this would be the one Id most likely to wear.

The more it lasts, the more I like it, and the more notes I can discover in this fascinating olfactory maze. It is still not something that goes well with my style, but a great composition like this can not go unappreciated.

I have a 30ml edt (with a gold cap - not black as displayed - the cap is a great fit, very snug). It might well be a shadow if it's former self, but then again, I've not smelled the vinatge version... I love it, after the rather harsh initial blast of plum dries off a bit. it's just lovely on me, a big floral with a fantastic long-term dry down. If you like Ysatis, you might like Femme! (I don't mean that they smell the same, but theyv'e got that big floral feel).

This is for the vintage Femme, not the post-1989 reincarnation that, while a worthy fragrance in its own right, has little to do with the original.

Femme was my very first Discontinuation Heartbreak. I must've been six or seven years old at the time. My Mother cherished the last drops of her parfum (very special occasions only) and would sometimes let me play with the gorgeous suede pouch which held the bottle. My, what tricks our memory is capable of! I now remember this soft beige pouch as if I'd just held it in my hands. It seemed to me the most glamorous thing on Earth, tied with a maroon silk cord, gilded tassels on both ends (at least before I tore them off)... and the way it smelled, it was, in one word, divine. I couldn't get enough of it, and since I most certainly wasn't allowed to use Mum's Femme, I only hoped that I could have my own when I'd grown up.
Alas, the bottle finally ran dry and when I asked Mum why doesn't Dad buy her more of this golden potion (it was always Dad who bought perfumes for both Mum and me, and he still does for her), well, that was when she broke the news. "They no longer make it, honey."
What?! I was furious, heartbroken, dumbfounded... How could they? Why would anyone stop making something so obviously perfect, ever? I urged her to write a letter to Rochas and demand that they start it over. Nothing of the sort happened, of course.

Twenty-odd years have gone by, and I encountered a tiny 5ml flacon of Femme Parfum de Toilette circa 1970 at a flea market. It's not easy, finally meeting someone you've been carrying a torch for after so many years. I was afraid to unscrew the stopper. And when I did, Femme greeted me with a wave of vinegar-like acidity. I let her sit open for a while, take in some air, then, wary of how she might react on my skin, I dabbed some onto my wrist and the crease of my elbow. The top notes are slightly distorted, of course. But I don't mind. In her heart she's still the very same golden beauty I used to adore. She still has that suede-like touch, she's kept her mysterious bitternes and her intimate caress. She's still la Femme Parfaite - unrivaled, unsurpassed, unimitable.

emmm...bought this one in a moment of madness, never buy before you try. My Mum wore this and I loved it then, it smelled posh and was expensive then. I bought it after reading some of the reviews and promptly packed it up to send back, it did not smell good on me at all. Musty rather than musky.

I think I have been a bit harsh here. Slap my wrist.
If he does not like it, which he didn't, then I am not really happy to wear it. But....I think I may like it on another lady, it is a classic after all for mature elegant women, not girls.

i really love this perfume, but only can i use it in winter.

All the great and classic perfumes have something in common: a creator's vision so strong that the end result is controversial. A perfume doesn't last for 70+ years without that greatness and disagreement about its qualities. I unabashedly love this scent although it's a special occasion juice for me. On me it opens with an eye-watering blast of jasmine that immediately morphs into the wonderful plum (if you love plum try Ineke's Evenings Edged in Gold also) and opens into carnation and vanilla. As the scent warms it settles into a rich floral bouquet wrapped in amber. Not a perfume for a princess--a perfume for a queen.

Buy the EDT, that one is Masterpiece too!

Based on these wonderful comments and its notes, I bought a small EDP of this. Ir arrived yesterday, so today I tried it. This perfume is undeniably brilliant, with a warm, but citrusy opening, drying down to a multi layed magnificent heart of quite exotic, soft sweerness. Not cloying, but pure. But....it stays too close to my skin, and shortly afterwards, it had all but disappeared, apart from an occasioal waft. I even asked my husband what he thought of it, and he couldn't smell it. A HUGE disappointment, because the perfume I got was..... heaven sent!
Not sure if it's me, or the EDP, or the supplier, or what. This would be a definite keeper and permanent buy, if only I could smell it after about 10 mins. Any ideas?

Opening as a dark, gothic fruit bomb followed by some strange smokyness and wood polish quality, I suspect from - rosewood + lemon. I must say that I'm impressed that I thought I would be, so that's a good start with our relationship.
It's strong. The fruits are heavy, rich, sweet and tick, like syrup. When cinnamon + clove starts to appear this becomes almost too sweet to handle.
I must say - there's everything. At the heart I'm struck with rich, buttery ylang-ylang, I think I could even say that this perfume is "fat". It's like a huge cake from which every diet loving girl run away screaming. The same is with Femme Rochas - it's so rich that every ligh fragrance lover would run away to scrub this off and sneeze everytime they smell this on someone else.
I enjoy this, actually, but not enough. There's something too much even for me.

Femme Rochas is the most interesting perfume that I've ever smelled, the most complex and fascinating.
The first blast of this fragrance on my skin is a gorgeaus mix of bergamot, fruty and woody notes. It gives to me the idea of burning wood, or incence smoke. I would describe this top notes as strong, masculine, sensual, mysterious and extremelly mature.
After an hour, the plum and the flowers start to be revealed on my skin and this scent becomes deliciously sweet, feminine and cozy. The heart notes on my skin have nothing about the top notes, the perfume changes drastically but still amazing. Femme Rochas I would say embends the personality of a women really well, because all the levels of smell of this perfume in a certain way describe all the aspect of a beautifull woman.
The base notes are extremely delicate and warm, this strong scent becomes a soft, skin scent, that blends gloriously with my skin and that I also love. As many have said, the base notes evoke an erotic theme. Sultry, sophisticated and amazingly sweet.
Femme Rochas is in my opinion a masterpiece, one of those perfumes that every woman should have. Umbelievably feminine, sensual, chic and glamourous.
I definatly cant wear this as a casual perfume, I believe is one of those you wear when you want to catch everybodys attention in a party. I love all the aspects of these perfume and I certainly will buy this over and over.
My new secret weapon. 10/10

Hi.

Have you Ever walked into a Room and had people Turn their heads Your way?
Everyone stops what there doing and a dead silence Comes upon the room? Ok, now You can Experience it! With FEMME ROCHAS You can feel You are always the Center of Attention. Provocative, Mysterious,Alluring,Hot,Classic, Seductive,Complex,Rich and Super Feminine.

The Composition is Revolutionary.
It is Attractive for Men indeed.
Peach,Cinnamon,Jasmine and Rose make way for a Deep,Rich and Full of Passion Base with Precious patchouli,Tempting Musk,Snugly Vanilla and Beautiful Leather.This Sumptuous Formula makes a Classic Chypre on your skin and Inspire a HOT LOVE-AFFAIR too.The base notes is best part it for me.

In my opinion It was better to name it FEMME FATALE. It is not for Everyone. Excellent for A Mysterious Seductress. You can not wear this fragrance without Feeling very Feminine and at least a Little Hot. I recommend this scent to a Bold Lady(30/50 years old)for Mythical Nights.Definitely in AUTUMN,WINTER. Ladies this is the scent UNFORGETTABLE.

Sillage?Great.

Longevity?Very Good on my skin.

7.5/10

I found Femme on sale in a drugstore today and bought without hesitating. I love it. Since the days are becoming colder and shorter, Femme can fully develop its beauty. Such a warm, mature, sensual fragrance. I'm so glad I've got it!

Dark, dusty, enigmatic, antique, quaint. Beautiful. The general feel introduces it in the same gallery as Chanel no. 5 and Shalimar.

The image that it evokes is that of a young, late 20’s to 30’s, tall and slender woman passing elegantly on a boulevard in Iasi, late at night, with only the golden street lights embracing her lithe silhouette from time to time. It is the mid-1920’s. There are neoclassical and Art Nouveau buildings, with gardens and black, wrought iron fences, trees and paved sidewalks. It’s late autumn, leaves have fallen and sharp rain drops can be heard hitting the windows and the pavements like small, sharp shards. But it is not the only noise you can hear… like the ticking of a clock, echoing far into the deserted, bleak street is the sound of her high heels against the pavement. Her delicate, adolescent, oval face, with pale complexion and big, melancholic eyes, is partly hidden by the shadow of the cloche hat she is wearing and the soft scarf in which she tries to hide from the cold her fine, sculptural nose. A pale of wind uncovers a thread of raven black hair from underneath the hat. Her pace is brisk. Someone is waiting for her in a large, warm room filled with cozy antique furniture, slipping quick, nervous glances outside the window, from behind the floral print curtains… Someone as lithe and enigmatic as herself…

When I first tried this, I was tempted to discard the little paper strip I had sprayed it on in minutes: too sweet, too floral, too much like perfumed soap. Luckily, because there was no bin, I put the paper strip into my coat pocket, and when I lifted my hand to my face half an hour later to tuck away a strand of hair, I noticed a heavenly smell - Femme Rochas after the dry-down. Once it has settled down, Femme becomes a multi-faceted, extremely sensual scent that develops slowly and stays forever on my skin. On me, the top notes only kick in after like five minutes of in-your-face sweetness; the middle notes stay comparatively subdued and smell like natural sweetness rather than any one flower, and the base notes round it out just wonderfully. It's a sexy, lascivious, extremely feminine perfume. It's very personal and not a "statement fragrance" per se - I would feel sensual and sexy wearing this around my boyfriend (although even there ,I'd only use very little of it), but painfully uncomfortable if wearing it while stuck in an elevator with a stranger.

YES! I've finally found a fragrance I can wear that has leather in it! On me, Femme's leather is more of a skin scent, but neither subtle nor clean. This is the smell of skin the morning after a night of mad passionate sex.

I think the amber and vanilla in the base soften it just enough to make it work on me. This is definitely going on my Want list!

It´s incredible beautifull and sensual

I was 18 when I smelled it the first time at my teacher and I liked it immediately.
It was not that easy to find it, so I let it and found other perfumes I liked.
Before two months I had almost the urge to smell again Femme and bought it.
Now with 38 I feel it fits me even more.
When I wear it I feel lascivious and very feminine. Even the new formula is more fruity than the original one, more plum I love it.
It makes me wanting to writhe with and under the silk sheets knowing I'm a feral woman! :)

Cumin heavy oriental with plums, amber and floral notes. But overall it's blastingly cumin on me, like Indian food. Had to scrub it off.

I ordered a baby bottle of the new formula to try. I am soooooo glad I did. Not only is it unbearbly cute but it smells amazing as well.

On first application it smelt dusty & feral. This sounds awful but trust me, it was scintillating.

It seems the dust I was smelling is in fact a very fine, silky powder that rides underneath the entire arc of the journey. The feral I was smelling is very real. I think of a tigress when I smell it. A beast of enormous beauty & power & savagery. But she is currently resting in the shade of a tree, powerful muscles at ease, looking out over the savannah, ready for action.

I cannot think of a single occasion to wear this unless you are in a mood to aggravate people. Or perhaps if you are going into modern urban battle at a motor registery or some such ilk?

I think the best time to wear it is when you just want to enjoy the smell of it on yourself. No interruptions, just at ease under a tree.

It is a magnificant creation which thankfully loves me back.

Woah! I am glad I didn't buy this unsniffed, because this is not *me*...

It is unbelievably mature and feminine, and it does ressemble Mitsouko by Guerlain, but while Mitsouko is powdery, Femme is -dry- in a choking way.

Don't get me wrong- this scent is an undeniable classic with all the praise it deserves, but it's NOT a scent for everyone.

I think it's a beautiful fragrance, and I wanted it to work for me, but there are a few notes in the composition that are giving my skin chemistry some trouble. As a result, the beauty of the fragrance is thwarted on me.

The style of it feels similar to Mitsouko, which I *can* wear, so I don't feel like I'm missing out too much, but I'm still sad I can't wear Femme Rochas.

I got to sample this and a few more from Bronx Beauty>It really is strange.Its like one of those relationships that go.,,,I love u,I hate you,Come here,,,go a way,OOPS I love u again.It keeps fooling me with its notes.Allover a pretty ,classy scent.Its just my skin that keeps changing.Give it a try.Not boring to say the least.

This is a perfume that I have to be in a certain mood to wear. Maybe it's the cumin that reminds me faintly of watered down beef broth, but it smells to me like baby shampoo with fruits and beef broth and picks up a hint of sweaty sheets when it starts to dry down. I find it a little too suggestive to wear to work, but I enjoy it sometimes on my days off! I think everyone should try this out at least once. I think I'll always keep some on hand.

Love this one! It lasts all day, is subtle & full of class! It was created in the 40's I think. Femme by Rochas includes notes of bergamot, peach, prune, rose, immortelle, jasmine, ylang-ylang, ambergris, musk, oakmoss, sandalwood. Juli ;)

Gorgeous! Rich and sensual fragrance that is perfect for seduction! The bottle is said to be based on the curves of Mae West, possibly the ultimate 'female impersonator'.It does belong on a mature femme fatale type - it's hard to see how a younger woman could carry this off nowadays. Wait til you are over 30 and you will know when you are ready for it and then you will be able to revel in the power.When the mood is right this is irresistible.

Sensual, flattering notes of plum, peach, ylang-ylang - complemented by the integrity of rosemary, leather, oakmoss. Cloves and spices are rounding and warming up this body.
Not an easy dame of low ambitions.
But even today, as several of the classics in this cathegory by some are belived too hard to handle - the pleasure of experiencing them is prevailing.
This body of balanced complexity is working like a perfectly crafted vintage-dress. To stylish to ever bother if its in or out of fashion. Not for everyday wear, but a treasure of every wardrobe that holds it. This fruity chypre is seriously sensual, or should I just say sexy.
Tried the EdP, good sillage, good lastingpower (ca 10 hrs on me).

Thanks Doc Elly for a sample of the vintage Femme Rochas! You are wonderful!

Femme first sweeps into the room with trumpet fanfares, all brash bravado, light, and sound. It's a veritable explosion of old-school pitted fruits and spice that carrries a slightly sour undertone. It isn't very femme at all - more like a high school band's brass section, slightly drunk off their own music.

But within minutes, Femme morphs into something else entirely. The closest comparison I can make is to Mitsouko. But whereas Mitsouko is all melancholy, lipid, and plaintive, Femme is quite smug in her feminimity. Femme is so rounded and smooth that Mitsouko seems cold and metallic in comparison. It's an incredibly warm and lush embrace, kind of like a fur stole around your throat and a sip of smooth wine. Creamy vanilliac florals, turned animalistic by a leather base. A celebration of animalistic yet sophisticated feminimity.

Much better than the joyless Mitsouko. Not recommended unless you've been around the block a few times.

This perfume is a MUST have for all members that take themselves very serious in the department of collecting fragrances. And just recently a hard core group of collectors agreed upon saying that the NEW Femme is even better than the vintage!! Unbelievable right?
Good luck!!
Action

I love the idea, I love the bottle, and try to love the perfume itself, too. It's something very-very beautiful, but unfortunately very strange on my skin. I smell the plums and flowers all right, but also the cinnamon and santalwood, leather and maybe a touch of insence that is not listed above among the notes so it may be only a trick of my mind..... but these notes make a somewhat sweating smell, a dirty, sweating female skin....It takes about 20 minutes this smell to fade then the fragrance turns into one of the nicest and classiest perfumes ever. Perfect signature scent since it's unique and smart but very soft. I really wonder whether there is insence in it or not.... that is a note that goes very badly with my skin chemistry:(

this perfume just seemed to choose me! I used to like 'Kingdom' and at first whiff, this is slightly similar initially in the spices. However, this is so much more complex and beautiful. I find it an erotic smell and I wear it all the time- I can't believe I've only discovered it at 37!
As a note, this is similar in many ways to Bal A Versailles but with more fruit and less powder - I love both but this one is a real sexy beast!

To me, this is the 'fresh out of bed' woman smell! At the same time so warm and so foreign, so familiar yet so far away.

... She has just opened her eyes to a new day, laid comfortably in your bed. Her eyes find you through the remains of the dream, as you prepare her Masala tea. She smiles. Slightly sad, but so warm... The sun rays are playing in the thick snow on the window sill, peeking through the carnations in a wooden vase...

This fragrance is so strange!!

Femme (Edt) makes me feel the same thing i felt with Dior Poison. The first 5 minutes, you're going to hate this fragrance very deeply, cuz is like smelling a strong eucalyptus, simply unbearable.

But Femme is a complex fragrance, and has the ability to grow on your skin and turning into something softer. Then you'll think it's not so bad after all..and maybe you'll probably very pleased with the scent..

For me Femme is only Leather+Cinnamon+Vanilla and a lot's of strong woods..these notes completely outshines the rest.. i detect some citrus to..

I like the soft, warm, and pleasent woody smell of Femme. Just like Poison, Femme is love and hate in one bottle, and it's not a fragrance for everyone but worth to try it.

FEMME ROCHAS is a compelling and contemplative perfume, from beginning to end. It is rich and complex, sultry and mysterious and does indeed compare favorably to MITSOUKO, the drydown of which however I somewhat prefer.

Nonetheless, FEMME is gorgeous. I love the logical structure of the notes, with all of the florals bundled together, introduced by fruits and wood and buttressed by chypre elements.

FEMME has great sillage and is extremely longlasting, but it softens over the course of the day, leaving a light chypre layer behind, which is a nice way to recover from the big opening during which I find myself constantly remarking to myself how beautiful this fragrance is. It's really not possible to wear FEMME without being aware that it's there. Not an everyday perfume, FEMME is well-suited for occasional cold wintry nights...

The bottle is beautiful, too.

A beautiful fragrance that I used to wear in my teens (Edt in the laced box) and now had to get again. I know that it has been reformulated since then and this review is based on the EdP version. In conclusion, Femme still smells wonderful, eventhough I today only would classify it for evenings, nights out and special occasions. It is sweet but not sugary, spicy and soft. It smells from lovley notes as fresh bergamot, plum, peach, feminine flowers, sandalwood, musk and benzoine. A must have in your fragrance wardrobe!

I have always found Femme, whether the old formulation or the new (which has a longer lasting set of fruit notes), to be stunningly beautiful and maybe a little incongruently so. Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to be sexier and riper for the plucking...that plum note...than I really am! I have also wondered if people asked themselves "what is she up to?" when I have worn this one. It's just that sultry.

Eventually the fruitiness dries down a bit and I get something I can wear more easily which is the floral chypre part of the scent!

The florals are lovely in this and rather well blended, the carnation and jasmine stand out a bit on me, but the other florals are hearder to tease out individually.

My favorite part of Femme is the very end, which lasts quite a while on me. The patchouli and amber are truly secondary players in this composition. Benzoin resin is the delicious star! In fact I'm not aware of a scent that does benzoin better than Femme or more than Femme. The oakmoss brightens it ever so slightly, but the basenotes remain warm and sultry.

For me, Femme is exquisitely and almost embarrasingly beautiful in its opening, and yes the opening is a big one. I would not wear this one anywhere that I would wish to be unnoticed. It is an attention getter.

I am looking for perfume to express some lost wild child in me -- as a talisman against menopause, if you will.

The Femme Rochas I bought for my birthday is just the thing on that score. It's like the original purple scent, eau de femme fatale -- rich, piercing, vulvic.

I received a generous sample of this scent which I understand is reformulated.

It opens dark, rich, and ambery, with dark plum notes. It gives way to a spicy heart, where I smell roses and cumin, which gives it a spicy, but dry and woody tone. Coriander appears, and I detect oakmoss in the composition as well. The drydown comprises of woody and musky notes.

This is a sensual scent. I think those who want to project a dark mystery about them, I think they would find Femme Rochas the perfect scent to convey that image.

Favorite for all time! This is a perfume lucky, for a young girls. I love this!

this one reacted badly with my chemistry i think which doesnt often happen. i got a distinct ammonia note after spilling too much of this on myself. luckily, it stayed close to me instead of bothering everyone else as well.

I've loved this scent for many years and never worn it. I got a mini when I was a young girl and fell in love, but it wasn't me at that age. Everytime I passed by a counter I sprayed this in EdT or EdP (better). I love the plum note that smells so refined in the whole composition. For sure it's a gorgeous extremely feminine, elegant and sensual scent. Not overly sexual, nor demure. Unfortunately it's still a little bit old-fashioned and it requires great charme to wear it easily. A gran dame in black lace and big hat can be scented with Femme.

this is one of my mum's favorite.although to my nose it's a classic,I see some differences between this one and the other classics.
first of all I really get plum note,which is a bit sour and gourmand at the same time and that's why I enjoy the first notes(though still it's not my cup of tea)
after then minutes,the fruity notes disappear and it becomes bitter sweet and warmer.to me it smells like coconut mixed with ylang-ylang.I think it gets some hints of bitterness from oakmoss.
the best part about it is the plum notes.that's all.

This one seems somehow dangerously sensual and sexy...it screams sensuality and seduction and femininity ... or at least that impression I can remember...I have to try it again!

I've tried it one more time and unfortunately, it has this particular old-fashioned note, that I was afraid to smell. The fragrance is still very appealing to me being extremely sensual.

Though I don't see myself wearing this fragrance (at least in the near future), I would be very pleased to smell this aroma on others.

I only like the modern version of Femme in EdP concentration. The EdT gives me a headache and feels much too floral and condensed to me. The EdP rather features the fruit notes. Also the chypre base seems to be stronger. The EdP is harder to come by as a full size but ironically the minis always seem to be the EdP.
I find the modern version to be quite true to the vintage formula, which seemed a bit mustier and of course didn´t have the famous cumin note.
If you like rich, sensual, full bodied perfumes then Femme will be worth a try.

Quickly became rancid when applied to my skin. Smelled like something on the clearance table at the local five and dime store. If you simply must try it, I strongly recommend a sample first.

Recently I compared Guerlain Mitsouko & Insolence EDT with Femme EDT. I thought that Insolence EDT has smth in common with Femme while in a mean time I was suggested that Mitsouko should have even more similarities. So I sprayed 3 of them on my hands and started this little experiment. I noticed that Mitsouko and Femme is about the peach scent. But Mitsouko was very strong in benzoin which I believe took all of the peach sweetness while Femme peach was very soft and warmed by leather presence. Mitsouko & Femme didnt look alike to me on the top & heart notes but it came together on the base notes as Mitsouko benzoin notes quiet down and Femme base notes were more about leathery peach to me. What about Insolence EDT? The fruit ripeness and softeness(though there is no peach in the scent) did have a similarity with Femme on heart notes. But that was it. I felt that Femme peach was ripe and just perfectly sweet and not overly sweet while Insolence fruits yet soft but overripen and even more sweeten by vanilla.
Anyhow, it may sound weird but the best balance between those 3 fragrances was Femme. I felt an intense peach and leather accord and the perfume is just right in every step while Guerlain Mitsouko on top & heart notes was very strong in benzoin note which is nice masculine note to me but yet a bit overtaking of a full fragrance. Insolence is seriously rippen and sweet fruits with vanilla and I am missing a bit of a balance with it. (I think they did right with Insolence EDP though!).

Delicious and warm. Loving it!

I have it in EDT version, but as soirdelune said it didn't smell right. :o( First 10 minutes I just can't stand.

It has beautiful smell, of sweet chocolate and a marvellous drydown. It's also classic and smells elegant.

Uno dei migliori profumi del secolo. Lo consiglio a donne generose e corpose...
Adoro la nota di cumino che emana... un favoloso chypre...

This is a perfume I have tried desperately to love, but have never really got along with. I remember loving it as a child, perhaps because an older female relative wore it, then it was reformulated some time in the late 80s/early 90s. After this time, it just didn't smell right on me. Perhaps it is my skin tone, but a strong cumin note was prominent. What I can say is that the non-spray EDT was much prettier than the spray version. Don't know why!

sexy,sexy,sexy