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Sophie Chabauds range of perfumes.

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Sophie Chabauds range of perfumes. 10 years ago
Thank you to Mia for the chance to try all these Chabaud perfumes. Sophie Cabaud has a wonderfully light touch with her perfumers palette. I would say she paints extremely good and accurate photorealistic scenes but always in watercolours. Accurate yet pale.

Her perfumes titles often say it all and you will never be disappointed. They do what it says on the box. They were mostly not actually to my own perfume taste but her skills could not be denied. My only criticism was the low volume. They are very lovely and very polite. All extremely wearable and all suitable for the office and daywear. Nothing wrong in that at all.

However......

Sophie if you are reading this. I would love to see you put a very naughty hat on for a little while and just for a bit of fun, explore your really wicked sense of humour using your obviously very special perfumers talents. I would like to see you metaphorically paint your colours in oils for a while not watercolours. Paint such a scene as a wicked prostitute who goes out for a wild night and is bad, bad and triple bad. Paint a wild and raging sea. Paint a forest full of wild and bad creatures who really bite and hurt.

I think you have the potential to be the perfumer who has the skill to make the next Chanel 5 but only if you take your good girls hat off and stamp on it. I dare you.

If there is anyone in the UK who want to be in the sample queue for these, then please let me know. UK best for postage reasons. England is a beast for sending perfumes outside these days. Only some get through.
10 years ago
A very apt characterisation of the Mme. Chabaud's style, Tinctureall. Her fragrances are refined and smart. Tough with one creation, I'd argue, she does venture into a more daring territory. And I agree, it would be interesting to see her explore the edgy approach she's apparently capable of. I also second your impression of a rather moderate volume.

Cryptic wrote a wonderful overview of the range, if anyone would like to refer to a summary.
Fancy Francy: Exploring the House of Chabaud

I offer an additional set (à 1.8 ml samples) to any Parfumo interested, regardless of location.
Just to make sure, this would be a sample pass around, i.e., a set of samples to explore and then forward to the next in line. It would be nice if you'd also enjoy to write a review. So, if you are interested, just let me know. Smile
Last edited by MiaTrost on 01.07.2014, 14:49; edited 2 times in total
10 years ago
Hi Mia. I have let tincturereall know that I would very much like to join in. I'm in the UK.
10 years ago
Lovely to have you join in, Foustie. Enjoy! Let us know what you think of the range.

Chabaud send their regards to the community, explicitly stating that they appreciate the feedback very much. They told me they intentionally 'painted in watercolour' in order to play safe with their initial releases and aimed at moderate volume so as to have a more intimate vibe to their fragrances. However, they seem to love the idea to explore a more edgy take with future creations.
I love that kind of interaction with a house!
10 years ago
Thanks to Mia, I have the opportunity to sample most if not all the offerings from the Chaboud line. I will post quick initial thoughts in this thread as I sample one a day. Longer reviews will be posted in the reviews section.

The first sample I have tried on skin is Eau Ambree. This one is a rather polished mildly spiced light slightly sweet and powdery amber and bergamot citrus combo composition. The composition is pretty linear with little projection and only decent longevity. I find it interesting that it is described as an Eau de Parfum, as I find it pretty weak, just above Eau de Cologne strength on my fragrance-friendly skin. All-in-all a nice lighter take on amber, but far from groundbreaking...
10 years ago
MiaTrost:
Chabaud send their regards to the community, explicitly stating that they appreciate the feedback very much. They told me they intentionally 'painted in watercolour' in order to play safe with their initial releases and aimed at moderate volume so as to have a more intimate vibe to their fragrances. However, they seem to love the idea to explore a more edgy take with future creations.
I love that kind of interaction with a house!

This is a marvelous house for those of us who work in perfume-hostile environments. I'm always on the lookout for fragrances that have the gossamer beauty of some of the Annick Goutals and a few of the better Jo Malones. How amazing that they're open to our feedback, too. I'd love to have a beautiful chypre with dainty sillage for the office, if Chabaud is listening. Thanks for the current line, as well. I'm still figuring out which ones work best for me, but will definitely be purchasing once I do. Smile
10 years ago
Up today is Chic et Bohème. This one early on is coming off as a super-sweet syrupy vanilla infused Ylang-ylang driven floral with mandarin orange support. The sweetness is *way* overdone and does not work well with the florals. I guess one can only hope the late dry-down improves because so far this one is a big miss.

Update: Things improve considerably after the horrific open. The sweetness comes back down to earth, leaving an excellent Ylang-ylang heart accord. It is a real shame most (rightly) won't make it past the sugary floral open. Taunt pi!
10 years ago
Next up is Mysterious Oud... My initial impressions are that this one smells pleasant, but similar to compositions like Royal Oud by Creed real Oud seems to be missing, instead swapping in likely synthetic Oud, supported by peppery angelica and waxy iris with a bit of a jasmine-like floral undertone. Certainly easy to wear, but again not wowing me.

Edit: There is a nice sandalwood in the dry-down that was a nice addition to the earlier development...

I am beginning to think this house just is not to my taste... That said, I will soldier on through the rest of the samples with the hope I am wrong. I really *want* to find one I love, but alas, nothing so far.
Last edited by Drseid on 05.07.2014, 10:33; edited 1 time in total
10 years ago
Today is Lait de Vanille. Nothing much to say on this one... It is the sweetest vanilla I have ever encountered... And I don't mean "sweet" as in "amazing" either -- instead, I mean super-sugary sweet. This is definitely just about as far from how I like my vanilla compositions as possible.
10 years ago
OK, I am cheating today by wearing another Chaboud composition on my other arm. This one is Lait Concentré. The descriptor on the sample packet immediately scared me, as it indicated I was in for more of the same caramel focused sweetness I just encountered/suffered through with the last one... Thankfully, I actually find this more of a straight forward melted sweet creamery butter gourmand. It smells very realistic, but I don't know if melted butter is something I would want to smell like. That said, if you love the smell of gently melted creamery butter and always wanted to smell like it, this is the definitive composition for you!
10 years ago
Up today is Innocent Fragilité. This one is a very light white floral concoction. Early on I detect a prominent jasmine and orange blossom tandem... And there may be a synthetic white musk base that works pretty well with the florals so far. I like this one, though it has a bit of a laundry detergent fragrance aspect to it, as many compositions using white musk do. Still, I can see this one as a good option for when one wants to wear white florals that tend to be heavy, but needs something more subdued for the office, etc. One issue of note is longevity for this composition is relatively short-lived... Probably the most brief of all the offerings from the house I have tried so far...
10 years ago
After a couple days respite wearing my usual favorites I am back for the next Chaboud offering... Today it is Vert d'Eau. On first application this one is a pleasant watery citrus and grassy greens concoction that fits right with the name. Too bad it quickly turns into a suffocating almost fir-like fig leaf bonanza with a huge amber undertone. The relatively dry amber undertone just completely ruins the composition for me... Not a good one, IMO.

Edit: One additional item of note now after a full days wearing... This one had absolutely outstanding tenacity on my fragrance-friendly skin. I got in excess of 14 hours! Too bad the composition disappoints.
10 years ago
Thanks for the impressions and your excellent reviews, Drseid. I hope Fleur de Figuier will be some fun to sample at last.
10 years ago
MiaTrost:
Thanks for the impressions and your excellent reviews, Drseid. I hope Fleur de Figuier will be some fun to sample at last.
That one is today's sample. I actually tried Fleur de Figuier out on skin for an initial read yesterday night, and it was a much different presentation of fig -- fruity and aromatic instead of the near coniferous fir greens from the leaf... And a much better one I might add. Today I will get a chance to see how it develops...

Edit: 12 hours in this is probably tied as my favorite along with Lait Concentre so far (with only 2 samples to go). It is a very nice moderately sweet fleshy, fruity fig that turns slightly green as time passes before melding into a nice cedar wood finish. Very good longevity for a fig composition. Very good stuff, though I confess to not being much of a fig fan...
10 years ago
Up today is Lait de Biscuit. Early on I get a very gourmand sugary sweet vanilla crossed with a supporting baked sugar cookie accord. Not enjoying this one much... I wish the perfumer would give up on the utilization of sugary sweet vanilla in her compositions as it smells really annoying, IMO. I guess we will see if this gets any better in the late dry-down...

Edit: Well the dry-down got better, but in the end this one is a fail, IMO. It poorly captures the scent of Speculoos biscuits, and there already is a reference quality gourmand on the market that perfectly captures the best aspects of their aroma in Speculoos by L'Antichambre. Why buy this composition that is 1/10 as good as that one?
Last edited by Drseid on 12.07.2014, 01:00; edited 2 times in total
10 years ago
Drseid:
.. this is probably tied as my favorite along with Lait Concentre so far .. Very good longevity for a fig composition. Very good stuff, though I confess to not being much of a fig fan...

I am glad there was something in this range to enjoy sampling - I was beginning to feel rather bad about it .. If I ever introduce you to a house again, I will make sure there won't be the slightest trace of 'sugary sweet vanilla' in the compositions. Wink
10 years ago
Hello everyone. I have the samples. I'll be some time making my way through them but just for the sake of an initial impression here are some thoughts. These are rough impressions and as always are only my humble opinion...

Chic et Boheme;
Contrary to our good friend Drseid I don't find Chic et Boheme too sweet, (and I don't like sweet generally), I get a little tart edge to it which keeps it bright and which I enjoy. What did impress me straight away is that there is an accord in this fragrance which reminds me very much of Shalimar Parfum Initial. I thought that it was maybe an accord of bergamot and Iris, amongst other things, but Chabaud tell us the florals in Chic et Boheme are around Ylang Ylang. Im not hugely fond of Ylang usually but this accord is very nice. After a short time an aromatic note appears, geranium perhaps, and then it settles into a quiet drydown.

I could see my seventeen year old niece feeling quite chic and cool in this.
10 years ago
The final day of sampling has arrived... and with it Etoile de Lune.

The notes on this one sounded up my alley so I probably had the most hope it would impress, but alas it doesn't early-on. There is a sweet and powdery mild amber coupling with synthetic smelling light musk making its way to the open to additionally join very faint dull rose and supporting orange blossom florals. The end result... baby oil. "Johnson's and Johnson's" baby oil is a heck of a lot cheaper at about $2 a bottle, and smells at least as good (which isn't saying much). Highly unimpressive early... Again, we will see as the day goes on if this pricey baby oil concoction develops into something more substantial.

Edit: Now after finishing up the day with this one on skin I can honestly say things never get much better until the very late dry-down and even that is pretty mundane.
Last edited by Drseid on 13.07.2014, 00:33; edited 1 time in total
10 years ago
Foustie:
Chic et Boheme;
Contrary to our good friend Drseid I don't find Chic et Boheme too sweet, (and I don't like sweet generally)..

Am looking forward to reading more on your impressions, Foustie. Good thing that tastes differ. Smile
10 years ago
Well, with the last offering worn today I wrap up my time with Chaboud. I want to again thank MiaVonTrost for the opportunity to try the house...

My final verdict I am afraid is not very good. There are a couple standouts, however, as Fleur de Figuier and Lait Concentre while both not my kind of compositions are indeed very well put together and smell quite good. That said, there is just too much of a super-sweet focus to most compositions in the line, and none are innovative, IMO. I guess I just like my compositions with a bit more spunk, excitement (and less sweetness) than these.

Now that I am through with my samples I would be happy to pass on the whole set for someone else to try and post their own impressions. If anyone is interested, please PM me and I will send them on to you (US based preferred to avoid potential customs issues but I will mail anywhere in the world except the UK due to mailing restrictions). Whoever PMs me first gets them, with the hope that they too will forward to another when finished.

Edit:The first responder was Sweetgrass, so I will send the sample set out to her shortly.
10 years ago
Drseid:
Well, with the last offering worn today I wrap up my time with Chaboud. I want to again thank MiaVonTrost for the opportunity to try the house...

My final verdict I am afraid is not very good. There are a couple standouts, however, as Fleur de Figuier and Lait Concentre while both not my kind of compositions are indeed very well put together and smell quite good. That said, there is just too much of a super-sweet focus to most compositions in the line, and none are innovative, IMO. I guess I just like my compositions with a bit more spunk, excitement (and less sweetness) than these.

Now that I am through with my samples I would be happy to pass on the whole set for someone else to try and post their own impressions. If anyone is interested, please PM me and I will send them on to you (US based preferred to avoid potential customs issues but I will mail anywhere in the world except the UK due to mailing restrictions). Whoever PMs me first gets them, with the hope that they too will forward to another when finished.

Edit:The first responder was Sweetgrass, so I will send the sample set out to her shortly.

And this was sorted out too, thank you MiaTrost and Drseid for you generousity! I am really looking forward to sampling this house Smile
10 years ago
Hello everyone, back again. Sorry I took so long. Just busy.

I'll start with my favourite. BTW I just spent ages on this post then lost it! So here goes again....

Vintage
Vintage is a plush fragrance and as such I find it quite different to the other fragrances in this line. I was going to describe Vintage as a floral oriental with particular almondy-floral notes but today (I'm wearing it), and I am going to go with my instincts and say that it is a heliotrope centric fragrance with a floral heart, through a soft focus lense.

Vintage begins with a fruity note, but classy fruity. On paper it is clearly a lovely tangerine. On skin it is less clear to me and it morphs seamlessly into the floral heart, probably helped along by the ylang. We are told that the heart is ylang, jasmine and tuberose. Hmmmm, interesting, because these are not my personal favourites, but here they are lovely. To me they come off as a cohesive, very creamy floral accord. Is there a little Iris too? It really is a beautifully nostalgic accord.

The base is also soft, with caramel and vanilla, and again something which whispers Iris to me. Vintage does make me think about plush fabric, the kind which appears as different colours depending on the direction of the light. Louise Brooks could be draped in this. It lasts, although it does become quietly, softly close to the skin and that will suit some people, but I would have preferred it to have billowed off the skin a bit more. I just think that it should.

For me, the lovely almondy-floral notes are what gives this fragrance it's character and it is that which captures my heart. This is the second fragrance of this type that I have smelled recently, the other was by Oriza L Legrand, and I am utterly delighted by them.

Vintage is a soft, creamy, nostalgic fragrance, sensual and feminine, a real beauty, through a soft focus lense.
10 years ago
Sorry I took a while. Busy...

OK, my standout favourite is the fantastic "Vintage". It's just stunningly beautiful,ylang and heliotrope, nostalgic, beauty through a soft focus lense. Highly recommended.

Of the others, I also like;

Chic et Boheme, which is, well, exactly that, Chic et Boheme.

Innocent Fragilite I think of this as a Fairy's fragrance! Again it does what the name says, very gentle and pretty, white flowers, light as a feather.

The milky series; Hmmmm...... Lait de Biscuit, Lait de Vanille, Lait Concentree. I just don't connect with these at all personally, so I will leave it to someone better placed than me to say something about those.

I am now happy to pass the samples on. UK only unfortunately because of the postal restrictions. I'm not sure what the rules are here about sample shares. If I'm doing something wrong please tell me in case I get into trouble!!

Otherwise, post or PM or do whatever we do.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to try these fragrances.
Passing the Torch... 10 years ago
Hi everyone,

I am currently working my way through sample and writing reviews for this collection. What a divine priviledge to have access to such fine fragrances to review. I got a little behind with my bring "day-job" and travel and also the sweet vanilla offereings of this line were a bit overwhelming to me inspite of their delicate sillage. I will likely be wrapping up my reviews in the next week and since I am moving in 3 weeks I will be happy to forward the remaining samples to anyone else interested in taking a stab at reviewing them. Please PM me if you are interested (in the US- preferably and will happily send them to you!

Thanks! Flavorite
10 years ago
Foustie, I loved Vintage, too. As a whole, I thought the line was well-done if on a delicate scale. It's a pity that the samples came in dabber vials because the complaints about lack of sillage may have been fewer if these perfumes were sprayed.
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