Unlisted Brand • Carven - Ma Griffe Parfum de Toilette • Fragrances

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*TOP REVIEWER* ellizam on 11/24/2011 11:00:00 AM more reviews by ellizam

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Good Heavens! Did I really not write a review for this stunner? Ma Griffe (an older formulation - parfum in ring-notched glass bottle that came in green and white striped bag) was the first "balancer" fragrance I ever smelled, or first I smelled and understood as such.


MG balances a spicy, moderately "wet" base with a dry, dry, dry green top. The two things are complete opposites on the spectrum and this should smell wretched. But, it doesn't, and thus it embodies one of the miracles of perfumery.


It opens with a dry green flash - bergamot/citric, galbanum, leaves, tiny bit of smoke, vetiver, clary sage, aldehyde rippling it. Neither bergamot or galbanum are listed in Fragrantica notes, and Rexroth's brilliant review of this gives some insight into the greenness and what I'm smelling, but... I'm going to speak to what I SMELL, as opposed to what's probably in there. So, green flash. Then, the vetiver/wood part deepens. The green stays, but a spice begins to percolate. Then the vetiver and wood gets even deeper, then somewhat resinous in a dry classic way, and the spices -- cinnamon? ylang-ylang? -- catch the benzoins, and this becomes simultaneously green and aromatic, with a slight white floral touch (jasmine, gardenia, LOTV), and smoky woody, and spicy.


Over time the greenness and astingency fade, but they're always a waft over the whole. On the wrong skin, in the wrong mood, this can be stabby, so I'd say this is absolutely a try-before-buying. But even if it doesn't work on your skin, it's at least worth having a mini or good sample of this to enjoy the beautiful composition.


The notes, per Fragrantica, are: "aldehydes, gardenia, green notes, asafoetida, clary sage and citruses; middle notes are orris, orange blossom, orris root, jasmine, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-valley and rose; base notes are labdanum, sandalwood, cinnamon, musk, benzoin, oakmoss, vetiver and styrax

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DonaL on 7/27/2011 11:57:00 AM more reviews by DonaL

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I used to buy this for my Mom for Mother's Day, and remember the green and white striped box very well. She wore it for everyday, Arpege for evening, and I never considered wearing it myself (though I did wear something similar, the sadly discontinued Crepe de Chine). Twenty-five years after her untimely passing, I find myself wearing & enjoying MaGriffe-it suits me now, as it did her then, and is very refreshing in summer. The new EdP is rather insipid compared to the older, sharper versions, which are still available on Ebay, but using the new is better than doing without. A true classic.

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*TOP REVIEWER* BigEars on 11/12/2010 12:51:00 AM more reviews by BigEars

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

This used to be my holy grail perfume. Honestly I used to get butterflies when I unwrapped a Christmas parcel and saw the stripped green and white box. It was a beautiful green, clean smelling chypre that I never tired of. Then over the years the formula was cheapened and it became a shadow of it former self so I stopped buying. Recently I am happy to say, I smelt it again and after many re-formulations, it is now not at all bad. Not what it once was, but then what is. It is back to being a lovely green chypre, not as harsh as the 80's version and now that Vent Vert has be re-formulated you could do worse than this one if you love greens. Ma Griffe is no longer 'my signature' but I have started buying it again.

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beth6644 on 10/31/2010 11:15:00 PM more reviews by beth6644

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I layer the eau de parfum over the body lotion, then add pure perfume at pulse points and the result is heaven. Fairly decent lasting power but of course have to reapply after a few hours. The scent is sophisticated, green and woody, the dry down softer and more spicy. If you like sweet, flowery or fruity scents, don't even bother with this one. Nothing for you here. I love it and the price can't be beat. I would add: if you want to try this one, please seek out the pure perfume. The eau can be a little overpowering and sharp when first applied and you really don't "get" the true scent unless you try the perfume, imo. Enjoy.

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kmelissa on 10/24/2010 8:33:00 PM more reviews by kmelissa

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

I recently got a bottle of this for cheap. I got this blind, I based it on reading many reviews.
The initial scent is very strong and over-powering and causes my sisters sneezes non-stop. :( I'm not a fan of the initial scent at all, however the dry down is very very nice. Really worth the wait. Its a nice soft powdery sweet scent.
This is how I put on this perfume, I put it on in the washroom with the vent on until the dry down.

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*TOP REVIEWER* hadas on 6/16/2010 2:27:00 AM more reviews by hadas

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

I recently found a bottle of vintage Ma Griffe parfum at an antique store and ooh la la, I like this! Oh who am I kidding, I'm in love with it! I mostly favor classic, vintage scents and my vintage Ma Griffe parfum is my favorite of them all. It begins with a perfectly blended lemony green-ness that combines seamlessly with the rose floral bouquet. After a while the lemon citrus aspect dies down and I'm left sniffing the softest loveliest mossy floral. It's really a beauty. I have not sniffed the modern version though.

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idressyou on 10/2/2009 5:54:00 PM more reviews by idressyou

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Olive, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

No offense to the MG lovers, but I found this to be incredibly boring and average. It's a slightly soapy green, woody chypre with a spicy (cinamony) & powdery drydown. Nothing interesting or outstanding. There are a lot of vintage chypres that smell pretty much the same. It's a safe, no brainer scent that is good for days you don't want to put any thought into choosing. Personally, I believe this to be very over hyped, and was expecting a whole lot more from a scent on such a high pedestal.

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*TOP REVIEWER* drvogue on 8/20/2009 7:03:00 PM more reviews by drvogue

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I like this. It's a very powdery greenish floral. I don't think it smells particularly elegant though. It's very pleasant and something Miss Marple (Agatha Christie's famous heroine) would wear. Normally, I abhor the unhelpful "old lady" remarks but in this case, it is one of the first things that come to my mind. Please read Jemimagold's review below. She managed to state it a lot more eloquently.

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*TOP REVIEWER* CecileCecile on 8/13/2009 9:22:00 PM more reviews by CecileCecile

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Recently sampled a vintage parfum mini of Ma Griffe. At first it is a blast of greenness and cinnamon, then it becomes more softened and refined, a tad soapy and dryly floral. I like how different this one is. It is a vintage scent but it has such a unique twist that I feel it could be seriously rocked today. I think my two parfum minis will be sufficient for a while, however I would consider repurchasing if necessary.

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NarnianLady on 6/30/2009 6:51:00 AM more reviews by NarnianLady

Age: Unknown   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

A True Classic

This is a great classic scent for the truly lady-like - fresh without being too sharp, floral without any sugary sweet overtones, it's like a signature statement for class and style. It's wearable to work as well as in the evening.
A delighful combination of green aldehydes and something that's almost musky, but the freshness stays until the end. Wonderful!

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*TOP REVIEWER* marshmello on 3/19/2009 11:24:00 AM more reviews by marshmello

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Dark   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Eewww! I hated this one. Of course, with all the hype surrounding it, I just had to get a bottle for my collection. As soon as I sprayed a bit on my wrist, I wanted to gag. It reminds me of a VERY old smelling scent that an 80 year old would wear. (No offense to the elderly). It's along the lines of Youth Dew and Tabu with a touch of Cinnabar. I tried to give it ample dry down time, but got increasingly nauseous. Like they say "Everything aint for everybody".

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Kit20 on 2/5/2009 8:01:00 PM more reviews by Kit20

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I have rediscovered this beautiful green chypre via the EDP which I am now stockpiling. It is the most well-bred fragrance on me, and despite it now being really inexpensive, it still smells expensive. It used to be up there with the biggies, during my youth and my Mum had a friend who wore the extrait, she was very chique! I absolutely love this one, it smells so clean and like nothing else on the market. With the demise of wonderful greens like Givenchy 111 there seem to be a dirth of good greens right now. I hope Ma Griffe never leaves us. The late great Diana Dors wore this one, and she was glamour and joie de vivre personified - just like this scent. One thing though, if you can get the EDP do so as the EDT really lacks staying power.

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

*TOP REVIEWER* stellina on 1/7/2009 9:04:00 PM more reviews by stellina

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

Delightful! I can't add much to the descriptions of this famous scent except to say that. It makes me sad that so many of the great fragrances of the past have been pushed off the shelves in favor of the endless stream of star/designer junk. This must have been quite a breath of fresh air when it was introduced right after WWII, fresh and youthful yet sophisticated and complex at the same time. I've never liked chypres and I despise the ubiquitous Chanel No. 5 - conversely, I love citrus but I don't get much in this despite what some have said. The topnotes are a bit sharp but so refreshing, and while it softens and mellows, it retains that freshness. It's disappeared from every store in my city so thank goodness for the internet - Drugstore.com has the best price.

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jemimagold on 4/25/2008 5:34:00 PM more reviews by jemimagold

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

Ma Griffe is an pleasant soapy chypre that seems like a younger, more innocent cousin to Ivoire. The most dominant notes are vetiver, galbanum, moss and gardenia (just a hint). Ma Griffe is a lady-like scent that I'm not sure that I would really want to wear as it has an inescapable old fashioned aspect to it. To my nose, there are a lot better smelling, more interesting perfumes out there than Ma Griffe.

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*TOP REVIEWER* JClarke on 12/18/2007 3:56:00 AM more reviews by JClarke

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

Ths deserves a 4 because it's so cheap! Unfortunately, in a way that detracts from its attractiveness because people like to think they're getting something luxurious.
It is a fresh green floral, with moss, jasmine and musk. Good to wear as an everyday fragrance. Quite long lasting, which is unusual for a light scent.
It was apparently launched in 1946 and it's certainly one of the classics. I can always remember it being around and I return to it from time to time (especially when I'm strapped for cash!) I am now finding it less easy to get hold of and when I do find it it's usually in a supermarket or downmarket store.
The packaging is an unusual green and white stripe which makes it stand out from other fragrances.
Another plus point is that there is a whole range of other products, e.g. body spray, body lotion - althoug, again, they are now becoming less easy to get hold of.

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*TOP REVIEWER* rnornan on 11/18/2007 8:55:00 PM more reviews by rnornan

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Oh my, I just busted out my parfum mini of this and man, is this bracing! So astringent that it makes me grit my teeth. It's the perfume equivalent of nails on a chalkboard but for some reason I can't stop smelling the dab. It's so good to have around but it's not totally my style. It's really too direct and linear to feel remotely like me. But I'll keep it and probably track down more because it's such a classic. Agree with littlegnome that it does seem citrusy. My favorite classic chypre is Vent Vert in the same category. Y by YSL is another favorite but even though it's a chypre too, it's much more mellow and smooth, a circle fragrance whereas this is a pointy sharp triangular one.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Wyrmiax on 9/3/2007 10:22:00 PM more reviews by Wyrmiax

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

It was 1969, and my best friend and I were prowling the department store cosmetic counters. I sniffed the newly-introduced Azuree and swooned. "I'm getting this!" But then I sniffed Ma Griffe, and swooned just as much. "No, this!" I could not decide. Luckily, I was 14 and couldn't afford department store perfume. (My friend, luckily, fell for Muguet des Bois, recently re-released as a drugstore scent.) Through the years, I'd see sad, tattered bottles of Ma Griffe on occasional shelves. These many years later, I finally got a chance to try my old favorite again, in vintage formulation.

The opening is sharper than I remember it, almost pine-y. Then comes a "green" gardenia--I'd never have thought gardenia could be fresh, but here it is. The heart is the great green chypre of my dreams, drying down into benzoin, which you would think wouldn't go with the green, but does so perfectly. Even the bit of cinnamon (not normally a favorite note) is the ideal seasoning.

But this was a lesson in not buying unsniffed (and I need that lesson--check some of my previous reviews). It's a very fine fragrance, but the magic is gone. I do love Ma Griffe--I've just found other fragrances I love more.

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*TOP REVIEWER* luckylouie on 9/2/2007 9:21:00 AM more reviews by luckylouie

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

Ma Griffe truly is one of the great green perfumes. It was perfect on me in my 20's when green, aldehyde and chypre perfumes blended wonderfully with my body chemistry. Times change and it no longer smells that good on me. I'm into lush spicy florals now. Nonetheless this is one of those perfumes that everyone should try at some stage.

Note for Australian girls - this in one of those perfumes that is regularly available at the "My Chemist" shops for between $20 and $30AU.

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*TOP REVIEWER* labegude on 6/24/2007 9:34:00 PM more reviews by labegude

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

This scent is stocked in my treasure trove of fragrance memories. I always have this fragrance with me; I do not wear it, but it is like comfort food to me. My Grandmother wore Ma Griffe and it smelled different on her than anyone else. So, I always have on hand: Ma Griffe; Toujours Moi (Mom); Shalimar (Tant Regine); Antelope (me in early years); Nantucket Briar (other Grandma), and Tarbarome (husband).

For me scents are like memories and my reverie is extended by fragrance.

Ma Griffe is the ultimate green scent. If you are a perfumie then you must have a little Ma Griffe in your "stash".

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dissed on 6/12/2007 8:17:00 PM more reviews by dissed

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

Ooookay . . . bear with me, here. This sounded incredible, and it is incredible. Maybe not quite the way I thought. Maybe it's just me. I'm sure it's just me. Because I read about this fabulous, wonderful, dry green leathery scent. And that's exactly what it is. Except that it reminds me of the young, dashing, and consistently sweaty (in this film) Michael Douglas of "Romancing the Stone." Oh yeah. Green: jungly stuff, lots of vines and plants and even a planeful of pot and that EMERALD. Dry? Okay, it must be the pot, because they used it to build a fire. Sweaty: that would be the Michael Douglas part. I guess it was hot . . . Leathery? You bet. Crocodile leather. And that's the whole problem. I took one whiff and thought, "Crocodile boots in the jungle and Michael Douglas' sweaty subtropical neck." Why? I don't know. It must be some personal flaw. At least it wasn't crocodile boots in the jungle on Michael Douglas' sweaty subtropical feet.

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