Do you ever encounter a perfume that the moment you sniff it, in whatever form, on whatever medium, be it skin or paper, you know that it is not going to be for you?
Well, I experienced this with Annick Goutal's Mon Parfum Cheri. I'll be totally upfront and state that I have not given this perfume a fair chance. However, the reason for this is that I can't get past first base - one sniff and I'm gagging. I know this perfume has received some very good reviews, but I cannot tolerate it. Why, you ask? It's difficult to put into words, but I feel as if this perfume is literally choking me, with a powdery, sneeze-inducing haze.
To call Mon Parfum strong is an understatement. To give you some idea, I had a strip of paper sprayed with some and after throwing the paper away about 10 days ago, my suit pocket is still emitting this most awful, choking, cloying smell of Mon Parfum. It just doesn't fade.
The interesting thing for me is that Mon Parfum has notes of heliotrope, violet, plum, patchouli and iris but smells bone dry and very peppery, for want of a better word. Aesthetically I can visualise (or olfactorise?) what this perfume could be, but isn't, for me and I can also understand why others may find it compelling and lovely.
I will end by saying please don't take my word for it, but rather try it for yourself, if you haven't already. It may turn out to be wonderful for you. You may ask why I bothered to write about Mon Parfum at all. I really wanted to convey how strange it still is to me how some perfumes, no matter how good (or not) they are, can almost repulse me, or trigger a viscerally negative response. It is at times like this (and equally when a perfume blows me away) that I truly believe perfume has a magical element to it.
Oh, I so wanted to like this one! I even dreamed about it before it was released. Alas, it was not to be : ( You're right it is VERY strong. The shirt I was wearing when I tested Mon Parfum has been worn and washed several times and I can still smell it! I have a little bit left which I take out meaning to wear and then put it away again - maybe someday : /
ReplyDeleteCym, so you found it very strong too. I'm not usually worried by strong perfumes, but this one is scary!
ReplyDeleteMPCPC didn't struck me as particularly strong perfume but I agree with everything else. I wanted to like it and I can't: it develops very unpleasant on my skin.
ReplyDeleteI think this is possibly a love-it-or-hate-it sort of perfume, gauging from people I've spoken to.
ReplyDeleteI really want to try this one - and I've read some good things - some pretty strong praise - but several people whose judgment I trust had the same reaction you did. It's the only thing keeping me from a blind buy. Can't smell the stuff where I am and read those notes and like you think, I should really like this. But it would be an expensive mistake.
ReplyDeleteBrian, if I were you, I really would somehow try and get a sample from someone before buying. I'm sure there is somebody out there! It's a curious perfume and as you point out, the reviews tend to be either singing the praises, or, like mine, a bit negative.
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