Jean Couturier • Coriandre • Fragrances

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*TOP REVIEWER* highrise on 11/1/2012 7:58:00 PM more reviews by highrise

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other, Fair, Cool   Hair: Other   Eyes: Brown    

This review is for the reformulated Parfum de Toilette, in the green tin canister. I can't imagine what the vintage/original formulation was like, because I really think this is a wonderful, easily available and cheap dark rose/chypre. Even making room for missing depth and complexity, this is still a gorgeous, deeply dramatic yet soft fragrance that I'll sit next to Agent Provocateur, Knowing, and Diva, but Coriandre is a little friendlier for daytime.
Note: Pretty sure that mariella below was referring to the new Chloe L'eau, which shares some of the notes of fresh green rose with a touch of darkness.

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*TOP REVIEWER* mariella99 on 3/3/2012 8:15:00 PM more reviews by mariella99

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

Just today, I got a sample of a new fragrance from Chloe (I have to check the name) and it was driving me crazy because my "scent memory" knew this smell. At least on me, this new Chloe fragrance smells exactly like Coriandre, which I had back in the late 70's or perhaps early 80's. I still remember the leaf-green label on the bottle and the green box. I don't know if this fragrance is still being made or if it's possible to find it still in wearable condition but I'm going to start looking and if I can't find it, I'll be purchasing this new product from Chloe. For all of you who love Coriandre (and it is such a distinctive scent, which is why I was able to place it so quickly...I'm not generally very good at this sort of thing), if you can no longer purchase it, check out the newest Chloe fragrance (I'll check out the name when I'm next at my dressing table).

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Tucansam on 7/13/2011 7:45:00 PM more reviews by Tucansam

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I sampled this recently and I stopped in my tracks. Must. Have. Full. Bottle. ASAP! Wonderfully different and right up my alley. Thank goodness it is not a fruity floral. Reminds me of someone from long ago. Which is not to say it is an old lady fragrance. It could easily be a unisex fragrance.

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Profunda on 6/24/2011 8:21:00 AM more reviews by Profunda

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Very Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I managed to get some vintage Coriandre from Italy,to my great excitement.To quote Luca Turin "Unfortunately,the current version trades the rich forest-green resinous air of the original for a cheap-smelling,soapy-woody formula that smells like a spray deodorant for guys who don't care." He gives it one star,so obviously I wasn't interested in experiencing something that used to be my darling in 1977 (yes, I'm a crone.) This is one of the most beautiful leather chypres ever formulated,on a par with Aramis,Azuree,Bandit,Cabochard and Montana Parfum de Peau in my opinion,and for me far better and more original than Agent Provocateur to which Tania Sanchez compares it. To me,it is unique and instantly recognisable. If you're a chypre gal/guy and you come across some vintage,snap it up- I'm alredy after a back-up bottle.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

cherrybounce on 9/10/2010 7:20:00 PM more reviews by cherrybounce

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I just want to say that if you like this product you would give your firstborn for the lotion version, which I cannot find anywhere.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Quilley on 7/26/2010 3:23:00 PM more reviews by Quilley

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I picked this up over a year ago after writing a journal entry about fragrances from childhood. This debuted in 1973 and I remember my mother wearing it. This is probably why I like forest notes. This is special and heady. I use it with a very light hand, meaning I spray it into the air and walk through the mist. That's all I need. It's very easy to overdo and then it's done.

This description will help identify the notes...

Coriandre was once described by a perfume writer as "the scent for a red-headed Raymond Chandler heroine. This is a cool and ferny feminine chypre, sophisticated beyond any doubt. The opening, rich in angelica and aldehydes melds into essences of rose, powdery orris, and coriander, then marries the mossy base of patchouli, oakmoss and vetiver to produce an emerald jewel.

Edited from www.perfumes.com

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truffle_me on 1/23/2009 10:28:00 PM more reviews by truffle_me

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This is the perfect cheapie chypre to start out with if you're approaching the genre with a bit of trepidation or uncertainty. Classic in structure, sharp and rounded at the same time with its spiky herbal notes and blown-out roses, Coriandre is a great rainy-day fragrance for when you want to test drive some low grade sophistication.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

millascent on 7/26/2008 12:01:00 PM more reviews by millascent

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

Coriandre is the perfect chypre. I love this type of scent, Halston and Halston Couture, EL Private Collection, Niki de St. Phalle First Edition and M de Molinard are other similar favorites. But really, I think Coriandre is the lightest. It's floral touches are restrained but they add a delicacy to the scent, I imagine flowering vines covered with glossy thick green leaves, studded with tiny pink and white flowers, the aromatic wood of the vine and musk round out the base. I feel this is a perfectly balanced choice for a summer day, I'd say it is ageless due ot the floral touches and it's transparence but probably I'm biased (closer to 40 than 25!), and I smelled this and did not love it as a younger girl. I have parfum, I'd like to try a spray.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* youdroppedabalmonme on 6/4/2008 5:11:00 PM more reviews by youdroppedabalmonme

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

An oldie-but-goodie from the '70s, a decade that launched many bold and unique fragrances (for better or worse). Coriandre is a very, very dry green chypre that would work on both genders. The thing I love about it, though, is that it also has a noticeable rose note that gives the fragrance a two-level sensation: tea roses atop lush green spicy leaves. It actually does smell a bit like coriander. Has a fresh and pronounced sillage that actually makes the scent fairly dressy-- I picture it being worn by a sophisticated and assertive woman in a beautifully tailored suit. The scent is sexy in an intellectual way: it intrigues you by its very dry woodsiness before you realize, "hey, this woman doesn't smell like fruit, vanilla, oceans, or honeysuckle! I must find out more about her..."

I took off 1 lippie because I don't consider this an everyday scent. It is not what one would call "generic and inoffensive." You have to be in the mood to smell a bit daring and unusual.

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PerfumeMom on 6/15/2007 10:43:00 AM more reviews by PerfumeMom

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I love this perfume! Imo it's in the same family as Paloma Picasso and Agent Provocateur. The difference, as I see it, is that PP is more animalic and AP is more rosy. Coriandre isn't strictly a rose fragrance, although it has a beautiful rose note. I find it green and dry. If you like non-sweet fragrances and can wear chypres, this is a really good one. The only thing I don't like is that the lasting power, on me, is nil. There is a parfum de toilette version and a parfum, which I haven't tried but want to order as soon as I can. Available online for very cheap!

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Dimalynn on 3/9/2007 11:00:00 PM more reviews by Dimalynn

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Years, ago, I wandered all over a grocery store trying to figure out which lady had this on so that I could find out what it was. It was worth the effort, I've used it ever since. Perfect summery, casual scent.

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meccatx on 2/20/2007 7:11:00 PM more reviews by meccatx

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I wish I had a nose for and a knowledge of the varying elements of perfume as many of the reviewers on this page do, however, since I don't I will simply describe what came to mind when I discovered Coriandre recently. As a small child, I loved to stand by my mother's dresser as she opened her lingerie drawer to dress for church or for a special occasion. Because she was always one to place powder boxes, scented soaps or liner paper in her drawer, there always wafted a lovely scent from the silky garments as she pulled them one by one from the drawer. It came to be a comforting scent I associated with her and yet, now that I am a mother, I've noticed that my lingerie drawer has developed this scent. I had always hoped there was a perfume like this. I have to agree with the other reviewers that this is a scent for an older woman (I'm 40), it is deep and complex, it is a cold weather perfume for me because of its weight, and it is indeed very, very strong. The ultimate reward for me? As my husband and I passed each other in a room last night, I heard him suddenly draw a deep breath and walk away with a "Mmmmmm" of approval. Isn't that the purpose of a lovely scent dabbed on the décolletage?

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Elizabeth28 on 12/28/2006 7:53:00 PM more reviews by Elizabeth28

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I generally like fragrances that evoke some type of feeling, perhaps it’s a place, a memory, a time of year…Coriandre does this and much more. A few days ago I was at my aunt’s house as she received this as a Christmas gift. My sister and I, die hard chypre lovers flipped when we smelled it. I especially liked the lotion, the quality was lovely and the smell was strong and it lasted, but it was not cloying. What I loved so much about this scent is the feeling of being on a ship in the Mediterranean, or what it might smell like in a forest and shade covered lagoon on a very mossy and warm island. It’s a fresh, crisp smell that is very complex, yet very clean. It’s a great summer smell, and it is also great in the winter when you are wishing really deeply that it was summer. I understand it’s most easy to find at TJ Maxx or Marshall’s, but I have also found the spray online. The body powder and lotion are impossible to find. If anyone knows where these body products can be purchased, please advise. The complex happiness that is Coriandre must live on.

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marnie123 on 12/19/2006 3:31:00 PM more reviews by marnie123

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

I love chypres. I love Coriandre! I got a sample of this fragrance in a swap, and thought: this is it, the chypre I've been looking for. It's soft, fresh, herbal like a really nice smelling skin cream. And it's very reasonably priced too.

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venezia on 6/24/2006 1:53:00 PM more reviews by venezia

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I find this green,fresh scent is a nice daytime product if not over-applied. I've recently seen it in Marshalls and TJ Maxx at a substantial discount. This was my signature scent in college; I've since moved on to other scents, but this remains a favorite. I don't smell it on other people very often, but when I do, I still enjoy it. As far as I'm concerned, Coriandre is a classic.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Clearing on 4/8/2006 6:33:00 PM more reviews by Clearing

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

This has been a favorite of mine for years. It's so affordable now, that I'm angry. Too many people may be wearing it too often now (tooooo)! B U T you must love peppery green aldehyde rose scents to love this one. You must enjoy the scent of green bell peppers and the little spice named coriander. Jasmine is there... also a citrus type note in the top notes and there's a very dry green ending that makes me sigh....but many women find it too "powdery " in the base, and somewhat *elderly* which is fine with me!~~more for me!

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magnificent on 2/11/2006 8:20:00 AM more reviews by magnificent

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Queen mother of all Chypres!! Breathtaking aromatic-green. Not for everybody.
Coriandre by Jean Couturier for Women.
Year Introduced: 1973.
Scent Type: Chypre - Woody - Floral.
Top Notes: Coriander, aldehydes, orange blossom, angelica
Heart Notes: Rose, geranium, lily, jasmine, orris
Base Notes: Sandalwood, vetiver, musk, oakmoss, patchouli.

"A classic French fragrance from Jean Couturier, Coriandre is an enchanting chypre blend of rich rosy florals, warm woods, and sultry spices. A feminine scent of understated chic. Literally translated, Coriandre refers to a highly fragrant, sweet, and slightly peppery herb of the parsley family, in Latin, coriandrum sativum. Presented in malachite green cartons with gold-colored accents."
Similar fragrances are: Aromatics Elixir, Halston, Paloma Picasso, Gucci No.3, Animale, Genny, La Perla, Rose Cardin, L'Arte di Gucci.

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Chamuda on 1/30/2006 2:46:00 PM more reviews by Chamuda

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I am always on the fence about whether to swap this.
You can find it really cheap at Filene's Basement or similar stores - like from $10 to $20 dollars for a big bottle.
To me it smells very green, herbal, and dry, and even a bit bitter. I don't smell any flowers at all. Supposedly it also has patchouli in it, but I can't place it.
It doesn't smell feminine to me, more like a masculine scent.
It's not bad at all, if that's what you are looking for.
To me it smells very similar to the original Jean Louis Scherrer scent, which I happen to like just a tiny bit more. The Coriandre isn't as soft and subtle as the Jean Louis Scherrer.

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*TOP REVIEWER* GlamDiva on 6/14/2005 9:39:00 AM more reviews by GlamDiva

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Other, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Coriandre is a greenish rose with lots of aldehydes. The sillage is massive, fills an entire parking lot or large public area, so go easy.

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Dimalynn on 6/13/2005 10:55:00 PM more reviews by Dimalynn

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Puzzled why this is reviewed under Jean Patou instead of it's maker Jean Couturier? Anyhooooo....this has been my standard daytime off to work scent all my adult life. It is fresh, yet spicy and lasts and lasts. I don't know how many bottles of this stuff I have sold for Jean Couturier just in response to compliments and the "What is that WONDERFUL smell??" I do not care for flowery, super feminine scents, this fits the bill and is still perfect for work wear. Super cheap at TJ's...BUY IT!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No