Caron Nocturnes does not smell the way I remember it smelling. It has been reformulated; that’s for sure. She’s still beautiful but I’d like to see a few extra pounds on her.
Nocturnes opens with aldehydes and a powdery, spicy lilac and greens. It’s as if spring florals have been mixed with tonic water and made into a refreshing cocktail. I also get something that reminds me of clean, warm laundry but in a good way. As the scent progresses, it becomes softer with more powder. It’s a warm orris floral with sandalwood that smells slightly cosmetic. And then there’s vanilla. The vanilla really holds it all together here. I feel like Nocturnes, launched in 1981, was a transition perfume. It had the aldehydes and cleanliness of popular American feminine launches of the 1970’s. But, the rest of the perfume was opulent French stuff…a precursor to those 1980’s power scents.
Nocturnes smells more sheer and more “watered down” than I remember. Nocturnes was never a very heavy fragrance (especially in comparison to other feminines from around the time), but it does come across like it has lost about 5 pounds too many. It would look “better” and maybe even younger with a fuller face. Yeah, she looks good and I’m not one to tell anyone what to do with their weight, that’s rude and none of my business. But, I do want to say, “Nocturnes, girl, eat this chocolate croissant. You won’t regret it“.
Notes listed include aldehydes, orange, green notes, mandarin, bergamot, cyclamen, tuberose, orris root, jasmine, ylang ylang, lily of the valley, rose, sandalwood, amber, musk, benzoin, vanilla and vetiver. Launch date 1981. PERFUMER – Gerard Lefort
*Apparently Caron has launched a new version of this in 2013. I am not reviewing this new one in the square bottle. I’m reviewing something about 3 years old.
Give Nocturnes a try if you like powdery florals. Or if you like perfumes like Estee Lauder White Linen, Ulrich Lang Lightscape, Caron Royal Bain, Chanel No. 5 EDT and/or Chloe, Love Chloe.
I find that projection is average and longevity is below average for an EDT. I get about 3 hours of wear out of the EDT.
The 3.3 oz bottle of Nocturnes retails for $155 at Amazon.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Aldehydic, powdery floral. I may think she seems different than before and that she could use some more “fullness”, but I still really like it. It’s better than a lot of other stuff you can go out and buy at the perfume counter these days.
Want more reviews? Try…
Yesterday’s Perfume – Review of the vintage formula. It sounds better than what I have on.
Bois de Jasmin – A comparison of the modern reformulated Carons to their vintage aunties
The Muse in Wooden Shoes – vintage EDT review
I’m not really here for Nocturnes, I’m here for your hair! 😀 And I love it! So very Louise Brooks – but with your cyan streaks and slightly asymmetric bang, very mod, too.
OK, I really did click on your post right away to see your hair, but I also listened to your Nocturnes description. (Of course I did – you had me at Caron!) Aldehydic and powdery is my kind of thing. The reapplying after a couple hours … not so much, but it being a Caron, I think I’d probably be forgiving. 🙂
That’s what I was going for! A mix of flapper and Vidal Sassoon!
It used to not be that way. You used to be able to spray it on and it would hang around. It’s “watery” now, nice but needs some umph. Good for summer, I guess.
LOVE the hair and your video reviews.
Thank you!