Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume
When it becomes summer, I wear rather boring perfumes. I have a limited rotation of da da dum….CITRUS! I’m always saying that I dislike citrus, blah, blah but in reality when it gets hot here, I only wear boring ‘ole citrus. Those in my boring summer rotation include Jean Naté, Mugler Cologne, 4711 and Monsieur Balmain.
Monsieur Balmain opens as neon lemons. Big honking lemons. And then it’s this weird dusty caraway aromatic thing going on but it’s still HUGE LEMONS. There’s other bitter “electric” citrus in here but mostly I get the lemons. There’s some dried spices, a hint of dried ginger, lemongrass and turmeric. It dries down to one of those “sweaty” vetivers with herbs and musk.
When it’s 90ºF and I don’t have air conditioning, I want to wear rather simple and “fresh” scents. Stuff like Monsieur Balmain is simple and fresh but not as boring as the other “big ‘ole lemon” options. It does have aromatic dried herbs and an old-school masculine dry-down that I like. Yeah, these other components are subtle in comparison but they’re there.
Notes listed include mint, begamot, lemon, bitter orange, rosemary, ginger, pepper, caraway, rose, nutmeg, thyme, moss, sandalwood, musk, clary sage, amber and vetiver. Launched in 1990 (originally from 1964 but “reworked” later). PERFUMER – Germaine Cellier
Give Monsieur Balmain a try if you like lemons. Or if you like perfumes like Caron Eaux de Caron Fraiche, Aqua di Parma Colonia Assoluta, Annick Goutal Eau d’Hadrien, Detaille Aeroplane, Cartier Declaration and/or Guerlain Eau de Cologne du Coq. I consider Monsieur Balmain unisex but I guess it does lean more masculine because of the base.
Projection and longevity are average for an EDT. I’m surprised that on these 90° days that this lasts on my skin for 6 hours or more.
You can find the 3.3 oz bottle at discounters like Fragrancenet for under $55.
Note that I’m reviewing the bottle pictured above. It’s now available in a square bottle (mainly see this on in the UK). I do think they smell slightly different.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Aromatic lemon. It’s like a glass of cool lemonade being served to you by an attractive guy in an aromatic cologne. This is why it’s in my summer rotation.
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Basenotes – Member reviews
i actually used a whole bottle of this one very hot summer; it was given to me and i thought made a nice house spray… but those big honking synthetic lemons were a bit much for me to tolerate on my skin. (and the dry down is a bit unexpectedly funky for such a ‘my house is clean’ beginning.)
There’s something about this that I like.
I’m also so thankful I do not have bad lemon associations because of functional fragrances; however, lavender was ruined for me because of Fabuloso 🙁
I think this one is underrated! On me it wears as a lemon chypre and I actually think it’s similar to Azemour. I’m always trying to get my husband to wear it but he’s not big on citrus.
I think it’s great. Citruses don’t get a lot of love from the online perfume world.
David won’t wear it because of the chypre factor! He can’t stand “mossy” which he oddly refers to as “formaldehyde”.
Nice review Victoria! What rating would you give Monsieur Balmain?
It passes. Prof. Victoria gives it a B+ 😉
It’s one to try if you like lemon or moss.
[…] Lemon eau de cologne. This one is really short-lived so I see myself wearing something more like Balmain Monsieur Balmain if I want […]