Nonchalance (Eau de Toilette) by Mäurer & Wirtz

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Nonchalance Mäurer & Wirtz 1960 Eau de Toilette

6.6 / 10 171 Ratings

A perfume by Mäurer & Wirtz for women, released in 1960. The scent is floral-spicy. It is still in production.
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Main accords

Floral

Spicy

Powdery

Woody

Chypre

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Rose

Coriander

Neroli

Bergamot

Lemon

Heart Notes

Jasmine

Orange blossom Iris

Iris

Violet

Base Notes

Sandalwood Vanilla

Vanilla

Ambergris

Labdanum

Ratings

Scent

6.6171 Ratings

Longevity

6.4130 Ratings

Sillage

5.9119 Ratings

Bottle

6.2133 Ratings

Value for money

8.930 Ratings

Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 08/02/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Nonchalance Eau de Parfum

Nonchalance Eau de Cologne

Nonchalance Parfum

Nonchalance (Crème de Parfum)

Gold Woman Eau de Parfum

N°5 Eau de Parfum

Reviews

19 in-depth fragrance descriptions

05/11/2015

7Scent 2.5Longevity

Tinctureall
94 Reviews

Tinctureall

1

A soft and classic blend. Pretty and powdery.

This review is for all four formulations, the original Vintage, and then the Perfume, Eau de Toilette and the Cologne.

Vintage - smooth and classic soft and powdery rose/sandal/ iris or violets sort of perfumey perfume. No surprises here in a good way. It is like every perfume there ever was. It opens a little on the catty side which makes me think it is either too old or there is civet in here. Not much citrus left here either, so probably the former.

P - Softer florals than the vintage version, with possiby a rose/iris combo and creamy woods. Well blended, powdery, soapy and soft.

EDT - Similar to P but more citrussy at the beginning. Unchallenging but pleasant.

C - I think I can smell extra oakmoss as it appears to have a more green and soft aspect than the previous two. Marginal though.

All rather lovely compared to many modern horrors, but probably unadventurous for those seeking anything other than just a nice safe smell. A very good all rounder with a very well constructed classic chassis but no hidden surprises either. Nice but the longevity is poor. Quite surprising for a perfume of this era, and considering the ingredients it is purported to have as its basenotes. Worth a sniff because it isn't expensive and it's a pleasant enough floral woody powdery thing for a spring day.

09/09/2015

9Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Minigolf
2447 Reviews

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Minigolf

Top Review 39

Best quality at a very affordable price......

And the scent of the past. At the beginning of my passion for perfume, I occasionally bought inexpensive fragrances like Nonchalance, Tosca, Vanderbilt....etc., which were all once essential scents that shaped the spirit of the time. And unfortunately, (perhaps fortunately) they are offered cheaply, but they do not smell "cheap" at all. The fragrance and cosmetics house Mäurer & Wirtz was and is one of the most significant German perfume manufacturers and delivers the best quality, which is unfortunately often overlooked due to the price. "Nonchalance" is an Eau de Parfum that has elegant class. Like Chanel N°5, it belongs to the aldehydic-floral-powdery scents and bears a resemblance to it. It has a nostalgic aura. The fresh-aldehydic opening slowly transitions into a relatively unsweet floral note that is very pleasant and has never annoyed me or anyone else. Simply fine with subtle radiance, which carries a knowing smile within. Already during the heart note, some cheeky base notes sneak around the corner, particularly I perceive labdanum and sandalwood, and a hint of dark moss, even though it is not listed in the ingredients. Nevertheless, the scent character is friendly and light, although it is clearly perceptible for over 5 to 6 hours and then becomes slightly powdery. It is not an OLD LADY perfume, even though Nonchalance first appeared in 1960, and my grandmother wore it. And my mother still wears it today. And I, when I feel like it. A perfume smells a little different on each person and is also perceived somewhat differently by the "sniffers." For me, Nonchalance is a noble-looking everyday scent that can be worn on many occasions without regret (also for the wallet), without appearing over-perfumed.

10/26/2015

5Scent 5Longevity 5Sillage

loewenherz
800 Reviews

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loewenherz

Very helpful Review 47

'Hedwig, you are the sharpest thing I've ever encountered between Heringsdorf and Borkum!'

so says the impulsively delivered compliment from Mayor Lütje in 'Pappa ante Portas', Loriot's second and last feature film, to his dowdy gray sister-in-law after one or two schnapps - to that Hedwig, for whom her husband 'is always happy when she knows something better' and who 'would never mock the misfortune of a person', but of course also 'likes to chuckle, provided there is a reason for joking' - which Hedwig also enjoys doing.

Hedwig is thus the sharpest thing for miles around between Borkum and Heringsdorf - and as she sits on the train next to her Hellmuth (dressed in an easy-care, tripe-colored travel ensemble - and later at the birthday party in a monkishly modest black and white), one imagines how she has just refreshed herself in the bathroom or on the train toilet with a splash (or at most two, certainly no more) of nonchalance.

Nonchalance is one of the old-timers of the German drugstore scents and as conservative and dowdy as the rural women's association of Böblingen (pardon!). Touchingly old-fashioned, it is one of those fragrances that can presumably be found on the bathroom shelf or in the handbag of those ladies who fundamentally find perfume indecent, as it is extravagant, and deep down still believe that 'only whores wear rouge, while ladies merely pinch their cheeks'. Bony and didactically simple and unpretentious, it is the olfactory memory of a time when 'real' perfume, just like lipstick and silk stockings, was still something decadent and corrupt, which only a Rosemarie Nitribitt would dare to think of without blushing. What its French name intends to convey - lightness and charm and something cheeky - must be sought very hard amidst its steam-ironed, morally strict soapy quality, which seems to repeat like a metronome: 'Simple, but sufficient. I don't need more.'

Conclusion, in Hedwig's stern words:
'True joy comes from the heart! We are cheerful people and enjoy ourselves together.'

11/30/2013

8Scent 5Longevity 2.5Sillage

Pluto
345 Reviews

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Pluto

Top Review 41

The Sunday and Holiday Fragrance

My grandmother was a dutiful, modest, hardworking, and God-fearing woman. Attending mass every Sunday was a must, not least because her sister was a nun. My father sometimes joked that his mother lived more piously and strictly than her sister in the convent. Since she visited us every other Sunday, this also meant attending mass for me. She would arrive by train just before 11 o'clock, and I would pick her up at the church and go with her to the last mass. I didn't mind; I simply sat next to her and let my fantasies wander. Occasionally, I would get a gentle nudge from her, signaling it was time to kneel or stand up. My older sister was different; she didn't make it to mass on time "because of the duties at home" and supposedly stayed in the last pew out of consideration for the other churchgoers. That was, of course, a lie; she slept in and only came shortly before the end of the mass so she would know who had officiated. Our grandmother wasn't foolish; she occasionally asked about the sermon topic. Then my sister was in trouble, and I had to help out.

Our grandmother loved us and treated all her grandchildren equally, but she found it hard to show her feelings. She was a rather prudish person who struggled to express joy. Sometimes it felt as if she had forbidden herself to be happy. She lived through two world wars, the first as a young woman, the second as a wife and mother of three sons. From the first world war, her brother and many friends did not return, and the second world war took her middle son, who remained missing. I can only guess how deeply this affected her; she never spoke about it. But she made sure that my father did not have to join the Hitler Youth and also that he was not conscripted at the age of 15 in the last year of the war.

Buying a perfume would have seemed like a waste to her; she lived on a modest pension and did not indulge in luxury. Therefore, we bought her unnecessary things for Christmas, like expensive chocolates, a nice soap, or a fragrance. The fragrance she mostly wore, but only on Sundays and holidays, was Nonchalance.

When I see a tester of Nonchalance in the city today, I often spray a bit on my wrist. This fragrance starts off strong, intensely floral, although I can't name individual flowers. Nonchalance is rather dry, not sweet. After a short time, the scent becomes a bit more pleasant, spicy, and slightly powdery. A light freshness remains, which becomes a bit warmer with musk and amber. Nonchalance is old-fashioned, but also charming. I find this fragrance has something clean and clear about it, no frills, which is probably why my grandmother liked it. The sillage and longevity are weak to moderate; the scent is rather close to the skin. In my opinion, Nonchalance is a year-round fragrance, but it feels a bit weak in frosty temperatures.

I feel a bit sad about the poor reviews here; a fragrance that has been produced for over 50 years can't be that bad. I don't wear it myself, but I enjoy its scent and think it has something special.

10/25/2011

8Scent 7.5Longevity

Blauemaus
215 Reviews

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Blauemaus

Top Review 38

The more beautiful Chanel No.5

"Nuschelansch" was what my grandma always called it, Tosca my old aunt, who felt like my grandma. Today I tested "Nuschelansch" while shopping at Müller, purely out of nostalgia. And I was somehow positively surprised. The EdT starts off quite intense. The aldehydes flew around my ears together with the flowers (a warm greeting to Medusa at this point ;-) !). It then develops beautifully soft and powdery, the cedar does its job here quite excellently. Tonka, amber, and sandalwood also seem to contribute their part. Everything is nicely balanced here.

The EdC is lighter and not quite as rich. And yet: For an EdC, it smells like a whole lot. So it’s not just a refreshing splash. To my nose, it could easily pass as an EdT. I actually find it almost more pleasant than the EdT, as you can still smell the aldehydes well here, but not quite as intensely. The longevity is really good for an EdC: 4 hours is about the maximum. When you look at the ingredients, it’s not really surprising: There is pleasantly little chemistry in it. And EdCs don’t last that long anyway.

Actually, it unjustly lives in the shadow of the grandma corner. It reminds me a bit of "Clea". You can’t deny certain similarities to "Chanel No.5" either. After all, they all strongly resemble each other in the fragrance pyramid. So why is it "just Nonchalance"? Well, I think the price played a big role back then. Not everyone could afford a Chanel 50 years ago, but "Nonchalance" for Christmas was more feasible. "No.5" has remained the classic par excellence, "Nonchalance" actually smells quite similar, but is very affordable and was worn by our grandmas in the 60s. They would still wear it today, and that’s probably why "Nonchalance" is simply uninteresting for most women under 60. And aldehydes smell unusual to young noses and are often rejected. They are, after all, the exact opposite of fruity-sweet vanilla. *gg* It is often claimed that "No.5" is a typical grandma scent. But it’s from Chanel, which for many is the epitome of luxury. That’s something different ;-) . By the way, my husband likes it very much on me, just like "Clea". And I’m only 41 ;-) . In general, I have received many compliments with this fragrance. How nice.

It’s no coincidence that "Nonchalance" has been around for 51 years. It really doesn’t need to hide, not even behind any trendy waters that all smell alike.

Edit: I took the advice of Duftsticks to heart and just treated myself to a 15-ml spray bottle of EdC for €3.99 at Schlecker ;-) . I couldn’t find it anywhere. When I asked the Schlecker lady, I got the answer: "No, we actually don’t have that in the perfumes...". Two small cartons thus lived their sad existence in a dark corner. Yeah, right ;-) . The mentioned perfumes in this branch are limited to Varens, La Rive, and a few Ardens that are being sold off. Hey, "Nonchalance" can easily compete with that....

Edit in January 2013: Last weekend I actually won a 100ml bottle of "Nonchalance" EdC in a tombola - of all people, me. :-))) I was as happy as a clam, transferred some into a travel spray, as it was the bottle, not the sprayer. And now I keep realizing how beautiful it is. And I don’t care about the grandma image. Because what’s in this bottle is definitely better than many modern mainstream waters... And what is very positive for me: In the EdC version, there is hardly any chemistry in it. I tolerate this EdC without any problems, it smells relatively long and is a nice alternative to my natural fragrances.

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