Lilacpond

Have you ever experienced the feeling of almost being offended when smelling a perfume? I have not experienced it many times, but it has happend. It is known. The last time it happend was when I tried on a scent from a big fashion designer, that has previously launched a few really famous classical perfumes like Opium, Rive Gauche and Paris. When trying on a new launch from a fashion designer with that kind of prestigious perfumes on its CV, one tend to be a little bit optimistic. Sadly, more often than not it seems, the high(-ish) expectations fall flat. 

  

When first spritzing on Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris on my skin, a tiny tiny bit of tartness is entering my nose. To bad it doesn't stay that long, it is a top note after all, because what comes after that is just...a total bore. What bores me is the total lack of surprise and ability to present something new to my nose. It is generic, just like every other department store fragrances nowaday. Fruity, oversweet, a very clean patchouli that is too afraid to be noticed, and some berries on top. What my nose detect in Mon Paris is especially strawberries and raspberries. It is not the "natural raspberry bush" that you can smell while passing by in the middle of the summer, nor is it the freshly picked delicious strawberries, that you can eat as they are or with whipped cream. No, the berries in this fragrance are more like an artificlal flavoured slushie -you know that bright neon colored drink, made of syrups and ice. The scent of berries in Mon Paris also reminds me of dried candied strawberries, (the ones that are supposed to be the more "healthy alternative" to candy but contains the same amount of sugar as  any other candy) or perhaps berry marmalade. 

In the end, when the overly sweet berry notes are finally starting to fade, all I can smell on my skin is a slightly pleasant scent of sweetness and mild musk. Nothing more. 

I do understand that when a big fashion brand makes and sells perfume, as well as other products, you do want your products to actually be sold - thus, knowing what the customer likes and maybe even adjusting the products to them, might be a clever business idea. What was likeable in the 70's or 90's or even 00's, might not be what is likeable today, by most people. When it comes to perfume, bold, heavy, heady florals and aldehydes from the 80's is not what is selling well today at most perfume counters. Most people seem to be reaching for clean, fresh scents (CLEAN, I'm looking at you) or fruitchoulis or fruity florals. However, to expect something more, something that stands out a at least a little bit from such a previously bold brand like Yves Saint Laurent, is it too much to ask for? I think no. Still we're being served this generic fruit soda fragrance.

To its defense, I do have to say that the bottle of Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris is gorgeous. It is so little and cute and perfectly shaped with that little bow on it. It screams "hold me, spritz me, own me!". Can't complain there. 

 

I don't want to be snobbish and I believe I am not really. It is just, one tends to get disappointed when a scent is just flat boring, or so it is to me at least. I can imagine a 16 year old girl who previously used Victoria's Secrets body mists, that wants to step up her game with an eau de parfum, reaching for Mon Paris. It is nothing wrong at all with wanting to smell sweet or fruity or whatever, and neither is it wrong to like scents like Mon Paris. It is just not for me, but you do you. However, if I could recommend a few other scents that I believe are in the same genre as Mon Paris (but in my opinion, better), I would suggest Lancôme Tresor Midnight Rose, Lancôme La Vie Est Belle or Giorgio Armani Sì (as a matter of fact, the latter really smells a bit like how Mon Paris smells like on my paper stick). If you want it sweeter, then go for Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium - I guess any of the flankers would do.

 

Top Notes: Strawberry, Raspberry, Calone, Pear, Calabrian Bergamott, Tangerine, Orange
Middle Notes: Chinese Jasmine, Jasmine Sambac, Orange Blossom, Peony, Datura

Base Notes: Cedar, Vanilla, Moss, Patchouli, Ambroxan, Musk.