Cacharel • Lou Lou • Fragrances

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*TOP REVIEWER* violette on 4/20/2013 8:52:00 AM more reviews by violette

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Oily, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

LouLou is said to have been inspired by the famous silent movie star, Louise Brooks – which perplexes me because unlike Arpège (another ‘purple’ perfume), LouLou does not evoke that era at all. I don’t know about the original formulation/parfum, but the current EDP smells more like a cross between Vanderbilt (minus the aldehydes & pineapple) & Poison, with the addition of incense, bubblegum & plastic doll notes. And those two scents came out just a few years before LouLou did (Vanderbilt - 1982, Poison - 1985, LouLou - 1987), so go figure. I like this current version well enough, but since I am already too familiar with this smell, it doesn’t wow me. The bottle & box are hideously ‘80s. Cacharel REALLY should update that packaging (though I think the parfum bottle, which looks like a genie lamp or something, is kind of cute in a kitschy sort of way). On the plus side, the longevity is INSANE (lasting practically the whole day on me), so if you have warm skin like mine, you only need 1-2 sprays. Overall rating: 3 ½ lippies.


*From Michael Edwards:

Fragrance Family: Rich Soft Oriental

Notes:
Top: Blackcurrant buds (Cassis), Leaves (Green), Mandarin, Marigold (Tagete)
Heart: Heliotrope, Ylang-ylang, Tiare flower, Mimosa, Jasmine
Base: Incense, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Iris (Orris), Musk, Sandalwood

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truffle_me on 2/16/2013 12:28:00 AM more reviews by truffle_me

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I love this stuff. First, I love the bottle. It looks like a wacky turquoise plastic new age crystal or something. The stuff inside is similarly witty. To me, it is a dense, heavy, linear scent that has a lot going on but still manages to smell completely cohesive. It's like a plume of creamy-powdery-flowery smoke. I smell individual accords sometimes: the sweet, jammy plum-tiare-tuberose, the cheerful scratchiness of cheap head shop incense, the plush heliotrope-vanilla-sandalwood base... and yet, from beginning to end, this perfume is saying one thing: fun. It's not dumb fun, but LouLou is out to have a good time, and she is strong enough to pull you right along with her.

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lucinka01 on 6/4/2012 7:09:00 AM more reviews by lucinka01

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Absolutely gorgeous oriental, the best way to wear it in hot summer!

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ShellyMum on 5/25/2012 1:30:00 AM more reviews by ShellyMum

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Kinky, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I'm going through a phase of wanting to revisit old scents from my past. I recently purchased Lou Lou after about 20 years of not having smelt it. It is one heavy potent scent. I cannot believe I used to wear this with reckless abandon when I was 16 or 17 years old!! It is a very floral, powdery, vanilla, oriental scent on me. After placing some into a sample vial, I only put a small dab on my arm and boy does this baby have some huge sillage/projection. I honestly can't imagine how anyone could wear more than one spray. I am loving it however, but it's winter here and I am not sure I'd be enjoying it so much in the summer time. I think I will save it for evenings and winter time.

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coolfreshair on 5/24/2012 9:43:00 PM more reviews by coolfreshair

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

This scent is okay. It's complex and distinctive, yet somehow delicate and pretty. Not too sure about the packaging but it's definitely and interesting scent.

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Fleurine on 1/19/2012 9:47:00 PM more reviews by Fleurine

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Notes Top Note: Violet, Plum, Cassis, Anise Middle Note: Tuberose, Orange Blossom, Ylang-Ylang, Orris Base Note: Tonka, Vanilla, Benzoin, Musk


I purchased this cute little blue cone shaped bottle of Cacharel Lou Lou blind, after I saw it got a rave review in a popular perfume guide. I found a 50ml bottle in the perfume district in NYC for around $30-$40.
When I first tried LouLou it was a hot summer day, my first impression was like a harder-hitting, spicier version of her sister Anais Anais. Not too heavy, but a bit more *there*. Rather sweet, irisy, powdery, lily and incense floral, with a hay (?) note, and with the same soft focus feel of Anais Anais.
Goshdarnit, I like this weird little bluebottled new wave fragrance. Still, as I have *a few other* fragrances, I very seldom went back to rewear it. It felt a bit dated- but in a good, desperately-seeking-Susan kind of way.
Then this winter, I pulled the adorable little thing out and tried it again, and over time I am really gaining appreciation for Miss LouLou's complexities. Who are you, LouLou? To me she is Anais Anais in an 80's bright blue party dress, with a dark red belt, and an asymmetrical haircut.

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Leigh2670 on 1/12/2012 11:11:00 PM more reviews by Leigh2670

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

I absolutely LOVE, love, love this perfume! I discovered it around 1990 and was still wearing it when I started dating my husband. He still loves it! My kids love it, too. It reminds them of me getting dressed up to go out to dinner with daddy and the babysitter coming, etc.

Because this is so strong ... and warm, spicy, intoxicating, sexy, sophisticated, delicious ... you only need a little bit so it can be discovered on you. I don't like when people wear perfume that announces them. I prefer to keep it subtle. I put a quick spray (not a full spray)between my breasts, dab one of my wrists in it between my breasts, and then rub my wrists together. I love having the warmed scent waft up through my body for the next several hours--it lasts a long time. With the scent dabbed on my wrists, the fragrance surrounds me just the right amount when I raise my cocktail or wine glass.

Definitely for a woman, too sophisticated for a teenager.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Sambalina82 on 12/30/2011 3:49:00 AM more reviews by Sambalina82

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Wow. I wore a bottle of this in my early teens as it was cheap and readily available. I didn't fully appreciate it back then as it was so commonly used. Tried some on in the store for nostalgias sake, and wow, how gorgeous! Big blast of jasmine, hint of spice, full on floriental. The drydown is amazing vanilla and jasmine. It's quite cheap these days, and as soon as I scour out the cheapest im so getting myself a bottle! I love the box and bottle too!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Banjos on 11/16/2010 12:30:00 AM more reviews by Banjos

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I loved LouLou for a while in the 80s. Since it is a very bold fragrance, I eventually got tired of it. It is a fragrance that is easily over-used so exercise great restraint when applying. I would like to own it again but it has become rather pricey, especially for the perfume formula, which is by far the best. LouLou perfume really lasts and only takes drops.

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SniffingAround on 11/15/2010 9:28:00 PM more reviews by SniffingAround

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I know others love it and that Tania and Luca give it five stars. It. Made. Me. Want. To. Cut. My. Arm. Off. Scrub scrub scrub. Too sweet and cloying. Instant headache. The only other fragrance I dislike this much is Secretions Magnifique (another 5-star)--though my reason for that one are quite different.

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*TOP REVIEWER* natashik1 on 10/20/2010 7:08:00 PM more reviews by natashik1

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other, Straight   Eyes: Green    

One of my favorites. I am not sure why so many women wore at it such a young age as 17-18. To me, this is definitely a sexual and grown up woman smell, and would be way too heavy for a young girl.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Fyankevich on 10/15/2010 8:59:00 PM more reviews by Fyankevich

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I bought a tiny bottle of Lou Lou of of Ebay, and I must say I think the bottle is awesome. It epitomizes the 1980's with it's otherworldly powder blue hexagonal, prism bottle with a spire red top. The bottle alone is rad. Out of the bottle, this perfume smells putrid and reminds me of old perfume that's stewed in a bottle for years and years and just smells like a chemical stink, yet once this perfume settles on the skin, it smells like a beautiful mix of powder, sweetness, and flowers. It's really intoxicating, but I feel that this would be best for evening wear or a wild night out with the girls. With the mini bottle I purchased, one has the ability to dab on the perfume opposed to spraying it. I'd highly suggest just using a dab for the ultimate experience.Nostalgic and feminine, but very powerful. I don't have any memories of this perfume, but it still feels nostalgic to me. Perhaps, I smelled it on women around me at one point, but didn't know what it was. Too much of this perfume will make a person feel nauseous and dizzy, but a dab under the kneecaps before going out to dance to New Wave is retro perfection.

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

Dani1119 on 10/14/2010 2:05:00 PM more reviews by Dani1119

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

At 46 years of age I am going to revisit this perfume. I was a little older when I got this perfume (23 or 24) as the majority of other reviewers remember being in their teens. I LOOOOVED this scent, so did my bf at the time. He would maul me when he smelled this. Other friends loved this too. There isnt much that doesnt smell good on me though. Typically these days I go for fresh, slightly feminine scents (think Happy, TGirl, anything peony, and Donna Karan Be Delicious), but I am aching to go to something a little richer, heavier, and sweeter for the winter. I think this will be it!!

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Pinksatin on 9/14/2010 6:35:00 AM more reviews by Pinksatin

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy   Eyes: Brown    

Worst perfume ever tried. My aunt has it(it was a gift). And I wanted to give it a try, so heavy, so irritating. When I have asked my friends, they told me their stories, lots of boys hate this smell (Well, taste is a very relative subject).

Normally Cacharel makes really innocent smells, with a decent packaging. And generally the packaging is not very important for me. But lou lou is really horrible, like a plastic cheap deo... In fact in Paris its place is always the last shelves from above, very very hidden...

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lilith1979 on 7/13/2010 4:44:00 PM more reviews by lilith1979

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Wow!! This fragrance is gorgeous. A complex and smokily sexy scent with enough warmth to make it an enticing and memorable one. Now I am an angel by Thierry Mugler fan and although this scent smells nothing like Angel I believe both fragrances share simialr qualities most notably their warmth and smokiness. I can't believe I'd never smelt this perfume until just the other day when I sampled it in my local department store and was bowled over by it. Honestly I believe LouLou could give my beloved Angel some serious competition! The notes on this one are complex and lovely, beautifully seamlessly blended over a vanilla and incensey base. Floral Oriental is the perfect description for this one as others have pointed out and the sharp strong top note, which I take is the tiare flower I quite like as it provides contrast to both the big warm floral heart notes and the smooth creaminess of the base notes. An olfactive delight, the packaging is certainly unique which I like although admittedly there are prettier bottles I think this one suits the fragrance well somehow. Lou Lou manages to be both a "big" perfume and yet subtle both at once in the same way that my other firm favourite "Angel" by Thierry Mugler also does. HG status!!!!!!

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*TOP REVIEWER* sissyfris on 6/18/2010 11:07:00 AM more reviews by sissyfris

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

It's glorious. Smells the way I imagine the inside of a genie bottle to look- all rich and lush++

pink, mauve and purple velvet and silk with tassels. This scent is *not* minimalist. It's just fun and warm and enveloping, like shalimar if she'd let her hair down a little and quit seducing the men and hang out with the girls in the harem every now and again.

The packaging is hideous but decent quality and perhaps the opaquenes will help protect the scent?

7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* dolce8 on 4/26/2010 9:51:00 AM more reviews by dolce8

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

This is beautiful fragrance,smooth,with lasting staying power.I think this is very classic,it is sweet oriental and it makes me calm down when I am stressed.Seriosly.I would buy again,I keep 2 bottles now. I also think Lou Lou is much more beautiful then nowadays chemicaly,plasticaly smelling perfumes...

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*TOP REVIEWER* highrise on 4/16/2010 9:24:00 PM more reviews by highrise

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

I wore Lou Lou almost exclusively when I was 17/18, during a very happy and social time in my life. It was so hot and trendy at the time, and it certainly is 80s in its general flavour. I hadn't touched it for about 20 years, and when I was in London last month saw it very cheap in Boots and picked it up. I love it once more, and I find for all its 80s traits it has remained modern. A powdery yet almost masculine blast on opening (and I wear a good deal of men's colognes so this is fine with me), it settles down to a warm oriental which is very distinctive. It also has a shade of pleasant nostalgia for me personally, without feeling dated. Now I have the multiplied pleasure of distant and recent happy memories, and a rediscovered treasure.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

lalki1 on 4/4/2010 7:47:00 AM more reviews by lalki1

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I can't believe the high ratings .this bully of a fragrance is so 80's (and shold remain there), strong, bold, sweet oriental. back in the late 80's and early 90's i loved the heavy orientals (Poison for eg.) but LOULOU was always too much for me.

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perfumenut on 3/31/2010 12:09:00 PM more reviews by perfumenut

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This has been a favorite of mine since it's creation. It does not smell like Patou's Sublime, but yet in my own head, I place it in the same category...fabulous, 2 distinct themes going on simultaneously, but hard to wear. Whereas Sublime has hot oranges and cinnamon in the background with powdery florals on top, Lou Lou has warm juicy blackberry/plum in the background with powdery florals on top. Both of these fragrances are dear and wonderful to me, but I have to be in the right mood for their complexities.

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