fragrance

Oscar de la Renta Esprit d’Oscar EDP Perfume Review

Esprit d'Oscar EDP

Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume

Created over 30 years after the original Oscar, Esprit d’Oscar is much better than the original. Original Oscar was undeniably popular. Fine and functional fragrances wanted to be like Oscar. Unfortunately this popularity destroyed Oscar. It is now viewed as “dated” instead of a classic. Esprit d’Oscar, launched in 2011, smells more “classic” than the original!

Esprit d’Oscar opens with an optimistic citrus blend of lemon and something that reminds me of freshly rubbed lemon balm. The citrus mingle over a fresh, heady orange blossom. There’s this interesting, faint anise-violet in this top that reminds me of Caron Aimez-Moi. Esprit d’Oscar becomes a soapy blend of white florals, not sharp or rigid, but soft and laundered white florals. And then the wonderful heliotrope appears. It’s powdery vanilla-almond floral and as a soft as a pillow. This is when Esprit d’Oscar reminds me of a cousin of Guerlain Apres L’Ondee. The dry-down is a hay-like tonka with vanilla and powdery dry vetiver. Overall, the fragrance is seamless and as usual I’ve over analyzed. It’s a fantasy powdery floral that smells “grown up”.

Esprit d’Oscar smells nothing like the original. It smells more like a Guerlain than an Oscar de la Renta. Keep that in mind if you are expecting something like the original.

Carole Lombard

Notes listed include Sicilian lemon, bergamot, citron, Egyptian jasmine, orange flower, tuberose, musk, heliotrope, tonka bean, and vetiver. Launch date 2011. PERFUMER – Frank Voelkl

Give Esprit d’Oscar a try if you like Chanel Eau Premiere, Guerlain L’Heure Bleue, Caron Aimez-Moi, Serge Lutens Datura Noir, Guerlain L’Apre L’Ondee, and/or Phaedon Rue des Lilas. I view Esprit d’Oscar as a very feminine fragrance with a retro feel.

Esprit d’Oscar has above average projection and longevity.

Esprit d’Oscar comes in 2 sizes with prices ranging from $78-$98 at Nordstrom and Harrods (UK). You can also find it for a stellar deal at Fragrancenet and Lily Direct (under $30!)

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Powdery, pretty floral. True love at first spray.

Want more reviews? Try…

Now Smell This

Perfume Shrine

Muse in Wooden Shoes (comparison of the original Oscar to the Esprit d’Oscar)

Perfume-Smellin’ Things

First Class Fashionista

I Smell Therefore I Am

Eyeliner On a Cat

*Product purchased by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Carole Lombard pic from www.fanpix.net Post contains affiliate links. Thanks!

10 thoughts on “Oscar de la Renta Esprit d’Oscar EDP Perfume Review

    1. It’s such a blonde Hollywood starlet perfume. A big ‘ole fantasy floral with powdery notes. So pretty.

  1. Oh Victoria!

    Once again you have The Dandy quivering like leaves in a storm on an autumn tree.

    I’m finding Aimez-Moi all over at the moment, most recently in Van Cleef & Arpels Feerie of all places and as for Apres L’Ondee, well, what more is there to say – a reserved beauty if ever there was one.

    So, shock horror, a re-realease improves on the original and actually harks back to the time of classic perfumery.

    Wonders will never cease!

    Oh happy day.

    Yours ever
    The Perfumed Dandy
    theperfumeddandy recently posted..Sickly tea and boozey sympathy… Green Tea by Elizabeth Arden The Perfumed Dandy’s Scented Letter

    1. I’ve never made a formal favorites list but if I did, it would have to include Aimez-Moi, Feerie and Apres L’Ondee. I love a good powdery purple floral.

      What is sad about this one is that it is only 2 years old and it’s not easy to find in department stores and seems to have hit the discount market. I guess this is good for us because we can get it cheap. However, the mainstream shopper doesn’t get access to this beauty and may leave the store with Nikki Minaj instead…

        1. Thanks for the suggestion! Ballenciaga L’Essence is my next to purchase 🙂 I adore it. I love the greenness in it too.

          With Feerie I ended up getting the EDP but I also like the EDT for its “fizziness”.

    1. I like the original too especially the bath products/deodorant.

      I can’t get over just how cheap one can get Esprit! There’s no excuse for people walking around smelling bad 😉

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