Guerlain • Mitsouko • Fragrances

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*TOP REVIEWER* sissyfris on 4/25/2011 3:04:00 PM more reviews by sissyfris

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

Mitsouko New vs. Mitsouko Old. EDP concentrations.

Much like a wand to a witch, your Guerlain chooses you. Especially Mitsouko. For those who think they can't wear it, try the new version. If you can't wear new, try the old, if you can find it. Here's how they differ...

Upon first spraying, Old takes over, New languishes on the skin. Old then blossoms into a lovely red mark that lets me know where I sprayed, New does not. (I could care less. I'm after the smell, not the skin tone.) Old launches into a boozy, syrupy, spicy peach, New reminds me of a peached version of vintage Belladogia- lovely spice, carnation, maybe some clove, a polite peach.

30 minutes in, Old still is so much better. I put on a long sleeved shirt and forget about them. 90 minutes in, I smell a glorious, beautiful, singing peach. I sniff- it's the New! Old is darker, richer, spicier peach, New is fresh sun warmed peach with spice, some of the undertones of the Old, singing off the skin. Old is more... peach cobbler? With brandy? New is more poached peaches in white wine, maybe served on a little tart crust. 2 hours in, Old is settling into the mid-base notes, New is still hanging in there with top to mid range. I know from experince that Old will stay longer on your sweater, and you will get whiffs when you next hop in the shower. New doesn't. Not even when copiously sprayed- at least not to the same extent. This may be good (you can wear sweater again without trying to rematch it with a Mitsouko friendly scent) or bad, if clothing whiffs are your thing.

They are both good. New has been competently modernized, and maybe will sell to women under 80, unlike Old which is coveted by the Frag Board, and ladies of a certain age or level of sophistication. New is smiling, friendly peach. Old is rich, warm, peach with heavy base notes.. Pick your poison. Or get both, and use New as a summer/spring Mitsouko!

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*TOP REVIEWER* combatmedicwife on 4/10/2011 6:53:00 PM more reviews by combatmedicwife

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I wanted to like this. Beautiful story, beautiful design house, beautiful bottle, glowing review after glowing review.
Sadly, I got the post 2k version in EDT. What a mistake. I suppose the EDP would be better, as is in most cases.
Bottom line- I didn't like it. Not on me, not in the air. It kind of broke my heart.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Shazzer1976 on 4/10/2011 3:28:00 AM more reviews by Shazzer1976

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

This is a thing of beauty and I haven't sniffed the pre 2K version so I can't make any comparisons. It is a fruity chypre. As the perfume settles more 'herby' notes come to the fore. It might be worth considering if you like Clinique Aromatics. I don't find this overpowering, just very subtle and feminine. (The bottle is lovely too!)

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*TOP REVIEWER* kerriki on 2/14/2011 1:39:00 AM more reviews by kerriki

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

First a warning - do not go light-hearted into a sampling of this supreme deity of perfume; even more, do not even consider seeking her out in pre-Yr 2K form. If you are even vaguely interested in perfume, you will wish to slit your wrists after comparing the old and the new. Mitsouko is the beginning, middle, and end of perfume. Whatever the notes - the chypre, the peach, the rosy amber, the slight leatheryiness, etc, this is everything that to which the human psyche aspires. It is simply immortal. It is the sunrise, the noon, the evening, the darkest hour before the dawn, the battlestar on fire in the sword of Orion. It smacks you with perfection. Even the new stuff is lovely.
There should be a law against meddling with the glorious, brain-bending beauty of Mitsouko.
This beautiful, sensual, totally complete thing; my life is bound up with it. Every emotion, love, hate, happiness, sadness, sights, sounds, good memories, bad memories, solitude, passion, peace. Somehow it both transcends and yet binds all experience together.
Oh what...is it just some ambery musky yet sensually sweet sometimes rosey thing that stopped my heart...I have come to love many perfumes, but always must acknowledge that Mitsouko posesses me.

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ellacinders on 2/4/2011 3:57:00 PM more reviews by ellacinders

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This begins as a cold, polluted fog on me but after 20 minutes or so, sunlight blasts through in the form of peach and sweet woods. I'm sure there's more going on backstage but I can't articulate what exactly and that's fine. All I know is that it feels revelatory each time I wear it.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ella343 on 1/26/2011 3:18:00 PM more reviews by ella343

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Widely regarded as the greatest perfume, ever, by the pundits, and worn by such notorieties as Charlie Chaplin and Ingrid Bergman, Mitsouko was born when Jacques Guerlain brightened the twilit depths of Coty Chypre with the creamy-yet-unripe peachy sillage of aldehyde C-14, transporting us, as if by magic, backwards an hour to the moment of sunset. Nevertheless, in spite of all its historical grandeur, the first sniff may surprise you with a musty succession of deflated expectations. Bitter, bright bergamot and bitter, dark oakmoss clearly bracket each end of Mitsouko like a set of quotation marks, but the text within is obscure, full of twists, and fraught with contradictions. In Mitsouko we find only bruised orange-blossom petals and the stunted rose, sick with the invisible worm. The famous peaches-'n'-cream centerpiece (C14 and vanilla) is far from the sun-ripened succulence of a perfect peach; instead, we find only winter fruit, hard and unappetizing under the supermarket's fluorescence (bergamot and mandarin), before skipping ahead to the leatheriness (vetiver, oakmoss, and sandalwood, and just a hint of patchouli) of dried fruit in the drydown. Its savors are accented with the spice of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg, but more pale than punchy. Holistically, in atmosphere and aroma, Mitsouko most closely resembles an old library—all dust and aged leather and the quietness of paper.



And yet, it is absolutely sublime.



Mitsouko is an introvert, it personifies the eccentricity and reserve of a profound intelligence, completely caught up in an inner life. It comes off as an enigma, a harmony of near contrasts: luminous yet mysterious, austere yet sensuous, opulent yet subtle, witty yet tranquil, elegant yet weird. In a queer way, Mitsouko becomes a skin scent—though rarefied, ambrosial flesh to be sure.

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*TOP REVIEWER* hadas on 1/5/2011 3:42:00 AM more reviews by hadas

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

When I first began frequenting the MUA Fragrance Board in 2006, this perfume was talked about in such reverential tones, as if the perfume itself was a koan...or possibly even a litmus test of people's sophistication. Posters would talk about "getting Mitsouko" or "not getting Mitsouko." I was terribly intrigued, and so as I boarded the bus into downtown Minneapolis that would take me to Nieman Marcus and Macy's, I began my fragrance journey with a goal of tracking down a tester bottle of the famously elusive Mitsy . I had in my pocket a list of various fragrances that I wanted to test that day...but Mitsouko had a large star next to it.



To my great joy, at Nieman Marcus the SA was able to procure a test bottle of Mitsouko, and as she grabbed a cardboard blotter to spray it on, I stopped her short. "No. Right here, please," I said procuring my wrist. This was a special deal. I needed to experience this one bodily. I don't know what formulation it was, probably EDP (from the time just before the oakmoss was banned from the formulation), but after she sprayed me, I waited 20 seconds or so to let the alcohol dry down. Then I smelled my wrist: The fragrance was a blazing autumnal fire of wood, rose, a soft hint of clove - the whole thing was high-pitched and complex in a fierce way, and quite honestly it left me reeling. As it dried down further it conjured to mind mahogany shelves holding decaying leather-bound books with long-dead roses pressed between the pages: a strong sense of history. And warmth...deep, mysterious, dry warmth. And dead leaves in Fall, trod upon, raked up, and set ablaze. And then I felt with certainty that I "got Mitsouko." I am not all that interested in what the official notes are, I am more interested in my own perceptions of this strange beauty. I don't wear it often because I don't want to ever get used to it, but when I do it is usually in the cooler months and it is always a profound pleasure.

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ClockworkCat on 12/26/2010 3:41:00 PM more reviews by ClockworkCat

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

I never used to get the idea of a 'signature scent' until I wore Mitsouko. I loved Poison, Opium, sometimes Tabu, Ca Scent Beau or L'eau par Kenzo. I still love these scents and each has its place, but Mitsouko is the one that I can wear anytime, anyplace.

Everyone has their own 'vision' that is evoked by a perfume. For me, Mitsouko calls up rain, a forest in Japan filled with supernatural creatures, moonlight and moss. I am irrevocably in love with this scent and I cannot imagine ever again to be stuck when asked what my favorite perfume is.

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saadet on 12/3/2010 2:58:00 PM more reviews by saadet

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I just received my order from a fragrance website, it's Guerlain's Mitsouko.. People, never by a fragrance unsniffed..I made this mistake with this perfume and definitely regret it. It smells musty, old and irritates my nose, at first I thought I could get used to it but no, it gets even worse in the drydown, has lots of sillage (in a bad way) and lasts way too long, you just want to scrub it off. I would never buy this fragrance again..

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reykjavikharbor on 11/16/2010 5:12:00 AM more reviews by reykjavikharbor

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive   Hair: Other   Eyes: Blue    

this is the only perfume I've ever re-bought when my first bottle ran out. It's the most incredibly long lasting scent I've ever worn, and the base notes that stick around are delicious and spicy and warm. It lasts all day on me too- I put it on in the morning before work and in the evening when I'm at yoga class I can still detect a tiny bit on me when I do my forward bends!

It's my go-to daily perfume in the colder months, and one of the only ones that garners compliments from strangers (my colleague just commented that something smelled really good at my desk when he was leaning over to read my computer screen).

The bottle is classic and simple, and the only reason the packaging quality gets lower rating for me is because the sticker in the center with the perfume name has fallen off both bottles I've owned (eau de parfum). Doesn't really matter though, because the greatest feature of this product is inside the bottle anyway.

I'm about halfway through this second bottle and will definitely buy it again when this runs out.

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marchesa on 11/8/2010 8:33:00 PM more reviews by marchesa

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

Count me in as one of those who doesn't get Mitsouko.


I know it's supposed to be a classic, but on me it smells like bread. That's all. Bread. I don't get any other notes at all. Plus it fades very, very quickly.


I love the vintage bottle though, so a point for that.

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kelliae on 11/4/2010 3:14:00 AM more reviews by kelliae

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

so sweeeet, makes me feel nauseous

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*TOP REVIEWER* AntFarm on 9/30/2010 9:52:00 PM more reviews by AntFarm

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I was absolutely intrigued by the reviews, and by the fact that this is a historical Guerlain, so naturally I had to try this. I really wish this worked for me, but after multiple wears from a sample, it just never did. I think the sample was EDP. On my skin it smelled the exact same way as it did in liquid form, with no development whatsoever. It actually made my nose hurt a little because it smelled like toxic cedar chips sprayed with pesticides. There was no peach, or any other notes to be found. I felt like I was trying to hotwire a broken down vehicle because I knew it had the potential to work at some point for someone, but just not for me.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tabloid on 8/24/2010 8:49:00 AM more reviews by tabloid

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

For years I've been reading that Mitsouko is one of the world's greatest fragrances - and I would spritz on some EDT at a fragrance counter and tell myself, 'I just don't get it'.
Today, I sampled a vial of eau de parfum - and OMG what a difference! I'm in love - it's warm and spicy and totally gorgeous and unique. Truly a masterpiece, and there's a lesson to be learned - when trying out new fragrances, especially the vintage scents, there is a huge difference in the formulation between perfume and eau de toilette.

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

hippiepippie on 7/30/2010 4:38:00 PM more reviews by hippiepippie

Age: 25-29   Skin: Very Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Oh, God. No. No, no, no! Tabu - yes. Shalimar - yes. Coco Chanel - yes. Giorgio Beverly Hills - yes. Mitsouko - NOOOO. The absolute REAK of this perfume surprised me. It smells of something I can't put a name on. Maybe a dead animal? A sad, sad surprise.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Meg2005 on 7/13/2010 3:29:00 AM more reviews by Meg2005

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

This warm, rich, star-studded velvet cloak of a scent, which always seemed so majestically steeped in mystery and tradition, has rightfully established the reputation of Mitsouko as the legend it was, worn with distinction and pride by elegant ladies all over the world, ever since its introduction in 1919; their daughters and granddaughters loyally following in their footsteps. Here, alas, is where we must stop. The recent ban on the use of mousse de chêne (oakmoss), without which no chypre is complete, has knocked the guts out of this famous beauty. Rather than a gentle plummy voice, full of love, hope, promise, and hints of tragedy, inspired by a story of forbidden love in Japan, what we now get is the shrill loud voice of a would-be Katisha, emphatically informing us that she is a stunning vision of perfection to behold (vaguely suspicious that the vast majority of the audience would not be enlightened enough to see that for themselves).
"I have a left shoulder blade that is a miracle of loveliness. People come miles to see it. My right elbow has a fascination that few can resist!"

Fascination? Where?!!! Resist? Absolutely.

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wishiwasflawless on 7/10/2010 7:26:00 AM more reviews by wishiwasflawless

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

The only notes I can identify in this perfume are peach wine, damp moss, and gentle spice. All the others seem vague. But they blend so beautifully.
This stops traffic.
I first became interested in it when I discovered that Jean Harlow used to wear it. So I had to try it. I tried the extrait. And my god. It just oozed sophisticated. It feels like it glides through your nose. I got so many compliments on how I smelled. However I do feel foolish wearing such a mature perfume at such a young age. So maybe I'll try again when I'm older..

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Tishkaminx on 6/7/2010 11:24:00 AM more reviews by Tishkaminx

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I wanted to love this I really did but it's got some base note that reminds me of Joop for men - that smells of sweet sickly tobacco- it made me physically nauscous and gave me a sickly headache. It's just horrible, really really nasty to me.

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CharleyCrescent on 5/31/2010 3:39:00 AM more reviews by CharleyCrescent

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

A dry, regal aroma, Mitsouko could easily be thought of as a throwback to the days of gold cigarette cases, now only worn by "old ladies" as an homage to their youths spent descending long marble staircases alongside a wall covered in oil paintings. Not so. Mitsouko is like pearls: a bit quaint but classy and timeless, too mannerly for anything vulgar to approach it. It's a solid chypre with notes of cedar and citrus, and a fruity accompaniment to keep it from being too inaccessible. Again, it's very dry: the perfume equivalent of sherry. Pretentious of course, but some of us would like to smell like we have money. Mitsouko is classic, elegant, and more wearable than you might think.

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

puddinhed on 5/17/2010 7:17:00 PM more reviews by puddinhed

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

Every now and then, I spray this on to give it another chance. Then, once again, nothing has changed. I remember that I loathe this fragrance.

I have been trying to understand the love for Mitsouko, but, I just don't get it. Perhaps my nose is not spohisticated enough to understand it, like trying to understand an art style one doesn't particualrly favor.

Like others have said, it smells medicinal and astringent. That's EXACTLY what I get. I wish I didn't have the unpopular opinion here. I really wanted to love this classic.

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