6
Very helpful Review
Sueded Violets
My version of Balmain JOLIE MADAME is clearly the reformulation, but I like it anyway. To my nose, it's a blast of unsweetened violet petals (not a contradiction in terms) and powdery suede. In some ways the combination strikes me as rather odd, but that is probably also why I like it!
Whenever I wear this perfume, I think of Hermès KELLY CALECHE, which seems to use a similar suede note. Somehow JOLIE MADAME is more appealing to me, although here, too, if I overspray, then regrets ensue, especially since the sillage is already quite big. It's the suede note, in particular, which is easy for me to overdose on, as I find myself literally aspirating suede. "Too many violets," on the other hand, is in fact a contradiction in terms! The violet here smells greenish without smelling like violet leaf, as strange as that may sound.
The case of JOLIE MADAME is probably another one where if I knew the original perfume--which boasts tons of notes in no way detectable by me here--I might be disappointed by this version. But I don't, so I'm not. The greenish violets and the suede play off one another in an appealing way, and I enjoy wearing this eccentric creation now and then.
The longevity is also great, and I love the scent the morning after applying this perfume, so that's more evidence of the high quality of this creation.
Whenever I wear this perfume, I think of Hermès KELLY CALECHE, which seems to use a similar suede note. Somehow JOLIE MADAME is more appealing to me, although here, too, if I overspray, then regrets ensue, especially since the sillage is already quite big. It's the suede note, in particular, which is easy for me to overdose on, as I find myself literally aspirating suede. "Too many violets," on the other hand, is in fact a contradiction in terms! The violet here smells greenish without smelling like violet leaf, as strange as that may sound.
The case of JOLIE MADAME is probably another one where if I knew the original perfume--which boasts tons of notes in no way detectable by me here--I might be disappointed by this version. But I don't, so I'm not. The greenish violets and the suede play off one another in an appealing way, and I enjoy wearing this eccentric creation now and then.
The longevity is also great, and I love the scent the morning after applying this perfume, so that's more evidence of the high quality of this creation.
2 Comments
Sherapop 12 years ago
I agree, Gold. I woke up this morning still wafting of Jolie Madame loveliness! ;-)
Gold 12 years ago
The reformulation isn't bad at all - I've got both versions. The old one has much more civet (which I sometimes dislike, depending on my mood). I'm a genuine fan of Jolie Madame, to me the best fragrance Balmain ever produced.