Xi'a Xi'ang Revlon 1986 Cologne

If we can look past its disconcerting Orientalist exoticism (this is forgivable, it was released nearly 40 years ago), Xia Xiang has what I regard as an irresistible charm in that thrifty, cheap-but-cheerful drugstore frag way. Sure, it may seem a bit too simpering for those who crave that opulent "depth" in perfume, but it has moments of intrigue that would almost make you forget that this was being sold for under ten US dollars at the local CVS when it was last in production.

Its florals are surprisingly warm and radiant—orange flower, rose, and ylang-ylang is most pronounced to my nose, wonderfully nebulous and swirling. I also detect a pleasant dollop of peachy lactones that emulsify the florals, so to speak. Yet it is the plastic-and-styrene amber and Easy Bake Oven hockey-puck cake vanilla that delivers the nostalgia for me. This re-animates in my mind the zeitgeist of 80s aunts, teachers, and secretaries somehow, eliciting flashbacks of grade school antics. It would make a great addition for the cheapie-vintage enthusiast.

I discovered a well preserved bottle of this beauty this week. It had not "gone off".

I have a little story to tell about Xia Xiang. In 1987, the Last Emperor debuted in theaters. There was much fanfare. I had a movie date and we dined at an upscale Chinese restaurant, enjoyed fine wine and my date wore Xia Xiang. It was the highlight of the evening. I remember its powdery character. I never encountered it again.

Now I have a bottle today and it is spectacular. The "mysterious Oriental smoke and mirrors" aside, it is more of a chypre to my nose with lots of rose, chamomile and oakmoss dominating the stage for the first few hours. It then settles into a delicate, fragile and perfect dry down. It is very "pink and pretty"-like the movie, but not. Yes, I am reminded of Vol de Nuit!

Revlon released about 2 perfumes a decade and this was its biggest 80s venture. Scoundrel was a little forward(Joan Collins)? and the Charlie flankers just didn't fit the times. It was lost in a densely competitive market that was flooded with titanic powerhouses from Paris and Beverly Hills. Electric Youth would soon roar into the teen age market.

This was romantic, retro and kind of out of context in the big hair and shoulder pad chic of the time. Xia Xiang seemed like a lost Guerlain from the 1930s. It is pure romance and one of Revlon's best.

This is a beautiful "floriental," and though I know it's discontinued, I'd really love to find this somewhere (at a less than exorbitant price) because when I fell in love with this in the early 90's, this was widely and cheaply available. It really was a designer quality perfume at a drugstore price.

I remember buying this because I liked the bottle, and being so surprised by the gorgeous smell. This smells slightly exotic, yet familiar at the same time. I love the floral mossy spiciness of it: it's one of my favourite perfumes ever, and I can't think of any negatives to this fragrance because the sillage and longevity are also great.

Xía Xíang (pronounced See-Ah See-Ahng) is, contrary to all my expectations, not an oriental fragrance. Chypre... yes, but...

The opening completely aligns with the pyramid; citrusy, fresh, slightly bitter and herbal. It takes a little while for the top note to transition and reveal the heart, so I had to muster some patience.

But it was truly worth it. The heart note is a muted green, floral note, where the flowers form a unity. Not a single one is distinctly perceivable here. The scent is very close to the skin and pleasantly soft, with patchouli and plum already adding a specific, slightly spicy, somewhat musky accord in the heart note.

The sillage is quite small, making Xía Xíang very skin-close and only perceptible in my immediate surroundings.

Later - after about 6 hours - the base comes into full effect, with patchouli and plum being noticeably more subdued than in the heart note, while vanilla, tonka, sandalwood, and chamomile become perceptible, with the vanilla being particularly restrained here.

Xía Xíang is an exceptionally beautiful chypre, and it is truly a shame that it is no longer produced. However, although I have known it by name for a long time, it has always passed me by, which was due to the brand. Revlon was never a fragrance choice for me.

Revlon itself says about the fragrance (quote): "The riddle is solved... To travel forward into the past, to allow everything that is forbidden, to reach the elusive. All of this is Xía Xíang... the riddle of ancient China, the scent of imagination."

For me, this fragrance is a real surprise and continues my chypre journey.