“Sometimes they come back.” Doesn’t that sound like the name of a horror movie? If I googled, there probably IS one (something about zombies? Or vampires?) But that is NOT what I’m on about today. Let’s discuss fragrances that have come back from the perfume graveyard – they’ve been reissued — OR ones that are discontinued that we’ve finally gotten our mitts on, and how that worked out.
Browsing eBay for vintage Dior
This was prompted by two events (plus the fact that it’s Halloween in a few days). First, Dior’s Hypnotic Poison was re-released at some point. Before that, you could still find it on eBay etc., for a gazillion dollars, and I wasn’t willing to lay out that kind of cash. I was honestly surprised when they axed it because I’m under the impression it was one of their best sellers, but maybe they figured they’d saturated the market. Well, now it’s as easy as pie (or FragranceNet) to find. I went online to the subreddits etc. and the informed word is that the new smells just like the old; unfortunately for some folks, that smell is primarily play-doh, which you sometimes get from cherry-almond scents. That is not what I got from Hypnotic back in the day, when I sprayed with abandon at fragrance counters but never bought because hey, it’d be around forever, right? I’d be hella bummed if I spent $300 chasing a memory that ended up smelling like play-doh, I’m not that gal. Anyhoo, I’ve got the new HP coming at a much more reasonable price, and fingers crossed. In celebration/anticipation, I wore my vintage Poison for a couple days. Oh man, remember marinating in that ca. 1986 and then heading straight to the office? I do.
The second thing that happened was a (minor) miracle. I got ahold of some of the white-cube Narciso, which I’ve wanted forever and which was discontinued before I got around to buying a bottle. It’s hard to search for in the secondhand market because there are dozens of variations, all named Narciso Something (for Her, Poudree, Musc, Still for Her, maybe for Him, For the Dog, Pepperoni and Extra Cheese, etc.) But I am nothing if not stubborn AF persistent and I got some at a decent price, woohoo!!! It is also on its way. If it turns out to be the wrong one, you’ll be the first to know because I’m sure I’ll be on here whining about it.
While I wait in delirious anticipation to discover whether I just wasted more money: have you finally gotten ahold of something you’d been stalking for awhile, something that was re-released? How was it? We all know it’s a crap-shoot (emphasis on crap) since even things that stay in production for decades get watered down or dumbed down or otherwise tweaked in formulation. Or, if you scored a used/vintage bottle of X, something you’d longed for, was it everything you’d hoped and dreamed?
image via Pexels
Interesting exhibit in Germany exploring scents from centuries ago. Would be interesting to go! https://www.euronews.com/embed/2842938
I’m sitting here with a three day old miserable headache and laughing my rear end off – and also enjoying the discussion. You guys made my day!
Tell your headache it’s time to leave. I do hope you start feeling better very soon. I find laughter can often really be the best medicine!
Hey March,
Just before it was gone forever I scored two testers of Fendi Furiosa from the discounters. It’s a white floral with amber/incense dry down and comes in the most fabulous bottle.
Also a couple of bottles of Bottega Veneta EdP. It’s one of Jin’s signatures and once they showed up on the discounters I knew the writing was on the wall.
VERY happy to still have them at hand.
Portia x
I’m shocked that they discontinued the BV, it’s so nice! Fendi Furiosa sounds GLORIOUS; I never tried it. I don’t know if you’re back home but I hope you are having/had a fantastic trip!
It was a good trip. Jin got to see new places in India, arrived in Nepal the day the revolution finished and ended up meeting some of the parents of kids killed during a memorial service (very moving, they were devastated and so proud), ate all the food, visited my ex and his family and had a few days of luxurious relaxing at the end in a brand new 5 star.. Perfect really.
Portia xx
I would love it if Caron Nuit de Noel came back! Waiting hopefully!
That makes total sense AND it seems like a thing that might actually happen!
Sadly, the reissues of the Caron stable are nothing like their predecessors and all have added sugar and no spice ElizaC. It’s an unbelievably sad turn out.
Portia xx
Well that’s terrible news.
I was one of those who doused themselves in Poison. Those were the days! I’m still wearing Hypnotic Poison, Dune and Byzance. Today I’m going to test the rerelease of JM Blue Agava & Cacao. Reviews say it only lasts 30 mns so I’m not hopeful. May seek out a vintage bottle. The old version lasts hours on me.
Uh oh on the JM. I bought Jasmine Saffron this summer and it’s got great lasting power, but haven’t tried the re-release of BAC
Well I’m happy to report the BAC smells the same on me as my vintage bottle! Yay! I wanted another bottle and now I feel safe getting a new one.
Excellent news!
Blue Agave & Cacao was so, so delicious in its first incarnation. I’ve also been tempted by the rerelease but it’s 100mls. Though if it’s fleeting I’d need that amount
I have found that the come back versions of loved scents are disappointing. They can sometimes smell the basically the same but all the richness and amazing nuances are gone. Only the ghost is left.
I have always been a vintage fangirl though. It recently dawned on me that none of the current Dior’s are for me but that I do really like many of the vintage ones. You know where that’s going. I tried vintage Dune. Three wearings and I want a bottle! And it’s available at some decent prices on eBay.
Now – where to find the treasure filled dusty boxes in ye olde perfume shops.
Vintage Dune is pretty available on eBay for not stupid money, yes! I loved the bottle itself but the scent wasn’t for me, sadly, so I passed it on. I’m rather fond of J’Adore, which surprised me tbh.
Me, too! both on the fondness and the surprise!!
Ah, J’Adore. I was in a department store and a woman in the fragrance area sprayed Dior’s newest release on me. J’Adore. I immediately bought a bottle!……..I just looked up the release date, 1999. the last century. We were all practically kids then. 😉
And some actually were kids!
I know I’ve written this on here, but J’Adore is maybe the top answer when I ask strangers what delightful thing they are wearing (which makes sense, given its sillage!) I even like the flankers.
There have been a few that have been discontinued or just about that I was able to get my hands on. Theorema, Deneuve, De Profundis in the bell jar come to mind. I managed to snag a bottle of L’heure de Nuit before it got discontinued along with Noontide Petals and Une Rose Vermille. If the price is right and I have some spare change lying around, I probably will get it.
Oh, what gorgeous choices! And they should all be available, vs. what actually IS available. I have a couple bottles of Theorema, what a stunner. That time of year for wearing it, too.
I was lucky enough to nab 5 bottles of Theorema when Fragrancenet.com or Beauty Encounter was selling it. Deneuve prices were always stupid expensive on E-bay but managed to get 1 ounce bottle of parfum for $80.
Score! on the Theorema and the Deneuve. And I wish Deneuve were more widely available and waaaay less expensive.
March,
I missed out on the original hubbub about Hypnotic Poison. Where was I? Probably out pounding pavement looking for a job with no money. But I will claim to be the guilty party making you want the Narciso white cube! So happy my scent twin is finally getting hers! Yay! I hope I haven’t oversold it. For those who haven’t sniffed: it’s a powdery gardenia musk which reminded me of kindly grandmas and teachers who always smelled great when you were a kid. As for me, I bought a few vintage scent samples that a used to love as a young person but they don’t usually live up to my memory. What’s better is buying a vintage scent that I heard of but never got around to trying. Those tend to be great! No let down.
Yes! I’ve tried weird random vintages that were lovely. And fingers crossed SO hard that it’s the right Narciso, although — hey — if it’s the wrong one and I still love it, I’ll be happy. Why couldn’t I have fallen in love with Poudree? Those are easy to get ahold of. If you have not tried HP, you might want to give it a whirl.
If your white cube purchase doesn’t pan out, contact me. ?
Sure!
Ya know, the one thing I wish I’d hoarded a dozen bottles of back in the day is Opium. None of this add on stuff (Opium Feels Sexy, Opium Loves Your Mother, etc) — that stuff that really was noir. I’m not looking for it but if it popped up in a box at the back of some dusty pharmacy I’d buy the lot.
Hahahaha Opium! We’ve had this discussion, I’m less Opium and more … the other dupe-ish one? Drawing a blank. Yeah, where are those magical old perfume shops with dusty boxes? We need a time machine.
Cinnabar?
YES! Thank you. I have at least two bottles of Cinnabar, maybe I’ll wear some today.
omgosh YES! I love that fantasy!
Opium, not so much. Okay, Not At All!
As it the sugared cabbage one. Mugler please stop this now!
Hey I loathed Angel (still do) and it’s never gotten any better for me. Although … a couple of those A*Men ones were/are pretty good. The coffee one?
I adore the Gout A*Men. Chilli & coffee. DH wears it so well & it went to him from my hoard
Also just discovered Mugler Womanity is back. Gak….ewwww…..pukey mcpukeface
I used to say it was a mix of old fish and dirty sweat socks. Revolting!
Have I even tried this?!? Must investigate hahahaha next time I’m in a real city
Fig wood & caviar accord. A mass market version of ELDO Secretions Magnifique without the florals. It stinks.
Considering fish & dirty, sweaty socks, I’d say it’s more “morning after, unwashed fanny”.
Good luck trying!
Couldn’t agree more!
Womanity is the only one so far that if it is so awful I must try it does NOT apply.
HUH. Welp! Now I need to try it even more! One of these days I’ll be in a real city.
Don’t listen to the haters March. Womanity is fig and seaside. It’s fabulous and I’ve a little hoard here.
Portia xx
I’ll be in a real city in December for some retail therapy so I will keep an eye peeled!
I hadn’t realised HP had been d/ced & rereleased! I have the dregs of a bottle & a back up from years ago. Guess I hadn’t needed to look.
You sent me on a Google search & I found the OG Poison now comes in an Extrait! Be still my beating heart
YEAH baby! Also, weirdly … I can’t find anything that explicitly SAYS it was d/c’d. But I simply couldn’t find it through normal retail channels, and the resale market was priced accordingly. I have some of the Poison extrait! It’s lovely, but honestly I can’t say it’s any more (or less) of a nuclear blast than the EdP.
One thrillingly exciting one was my very recent acquisition of Gucci Envy for Him, long since discontinued. In the 90s before I knew to buy men’s fragrances for myself I loved it so much I bought it for my partner, whom it turned out I loved a lot less and who took it with him when he left. Been looking for years! Finally saw one at a good price offered on FB and pounced. Happy girl.
Two duds early on in my life as a fraghead were Lauren by RL and the original Chloe. They looked the same as they did way back when but they didn’t smell the same at all. Hollow shells of their former fabulousness. My introduction to reformulation.
Chloe. My MIL wore that as her main perfume, and when I wound up with some of her clothing and scarves, it wafted Chloe for years. Always made me smile. I lost my bottle of Lauren in the last move and I’m STILL upset about it! And CONGRATS on the Gucci Envy for Him!
Coty Chypre.
Yonks ago I was gifted a vial of that extraordinary perfume ( dunno what vintage) – every time I unstopped the vial I would actually WHIMPER with delight.
Numerous samples ( no way was I going to pay the equivalent of a semester at Yale for a FB, alas)… not one of those samples could touch the hem of the original!
I try not to think about it too often, lest I burst into tears…
Ahhhhhh, Coty Chypre! Now if we ever get a whirl in a time machine, I’m stocking up on that! I had about 5 drops of it at one point and oh boy what a beauty.
The later iterations were wan, pale shadows…
I met someone a few weeks back who smelled delicious – and familiar. It was that hippie oil Egyptian Musk which I’ve always loved but never owned. Thinking I’d get something cheap and cheerful, I ordered some from the site that pops up right away when you Google it. (It actually wasn’t THAT cheap – around $40.) When I first cracked the bottle (it’s an oil which I don’t usually use) it smelled divine and the dab I put on my wrist lasted all night long. In subsequent days, the smell in the bottle virtually disappeared! And all I got was a kind of stale dried flower, vaguely cooking oil scent. So, nostalgia disappointed. There must be a better quality version of Eygyptian Musk out there…
You know … I wonder if you have some odd (but not uncommon) anosmia? Where you gradually, or suddenly, stop being able to smell it. That’s happened to me. Have you asked anyone else to smell it?
I haven’t gotten something I’ve longed for (hope yours works out but if it doesn’t you’ll describe in entertainingly, soooo…..)
Oddly, yes. There is something called “Sometimes They Come Back,” a moderately entertaining TV movie based upon a moderately entertaining Stephen King short story. It did well enough in the ratings to warrant a sequel (Sometimes They Come Back.. Again) which I didn’t bother with.
But did they Come Back with pepperoni and extra cheese???
If so… Welcome Back!!!
You’re the only person laughing at my joke!
well… sisters from a different mister and all that… 😉
Sadly that wasn’t one of he sequels..
Well, there ya go — I thought “this’d be a great name for a horror movie” and I wasn’t the first person to think of it!