Aimez Moi was launched in 1996, and was said to have been inspired by the earlier Caron fragrance N'aimez Que Moi, which was released in 1916 for soldiers to present to their sweethearts before going off to war. The newer fragrance was created by perfumer Dominique Ropion, and the notes are anise, freesia, violet leaf, bergamot, mint, caraway, magnolia, cardamom, jasmine, peach, iris, heliotrope, tonka bean, amber, musk and cloves.
Aimez Moi starts rather strong and sweet, and the first time I smelled it in the Caron boutique I thought it was lovely but that it might be too heavy for me. I was given a tassel sprayed with the fragrance to take home, and that was all it took: I purchased a bottle before the week was out.
The top notes are spicy, with deep notes of violet and anise. The anise fades slightly as it dries down, while the violet intensifies and is joined by the other floral notes, although I find it hard to pick them out individually other than the faintest bit of magnolia. The dry down is spicy and vanillic, with light notes of amber and musk. The traditional dark Caron undercurrent, which always smells slightly musty to me, is present, but is not as overwhelming as it is in some of the other scents in the line.
Aimez Moi is an unusual scent. It smells deep and cool, and rather mysterious. I have the eau de toilette and have no complaints about the depth or lasting power. As far as I know, it is only available as Eau de Toilette or parfum, but please correct me if I am wrong. At any rate, it can easily be found for a reasonable price at the major online perfume discounters.
Note: image via Images de Parfums.
The first time I tested Aimez Moi I was in the Caron boutique with the sniffa gang. I passed my wrist around and everyone agreed that it just sat on my skin. I was disappointed because I loved it so much on cavewoman. It smells like heaven on her. This last NYC trip we were able to quickly visit the boutique and it smelled fantastic on me. I could not stop sniffing my wrist. It really began my love affair with violet and anise based fragrances. I still have not purchased it but it is on my lemming list. It is just breathtaking and stunning.
Have a great week Robin!
Not to tempt you, but it is really cheap at parfum1.com if anyone is looking for it!
And you have a great week too Annie!
I got little decants of the parfum AND the EdT, lucky me. But then, unlucky me, my initial love affair with it wore off. The scent dwindles into a powdery sweet and flat drydown on me. Try as I might, I just can't make it smell as good as it did before. It'll probably end up in the garbage, now that I'm through swapping.
I am weeping to think of the poor parfum in the garbage! Keep them, maybe they'll regain your affections one day.
I am so pleased to see your report on one of my favorite fragrances! I give all credit to Karen liongirl, who 'forced' me to try this on my wrist at the Caron Boutique. Instant love! Instant purchase! I got the last quarter-ounce parfum in the store. I covered my eyes and handed the SA my AmEx. No regrets.
I had wished that this were an urn scent so I could have one of the adorable bumpy laydown bottles filled with it.
And so, I bought a larger bottle from perfumebay, I bought an empty cobalt bumpy laydown bottle from Caron, I filled my laydown with the perfumebay bottle, and I have my wish!
Patti, Take a look at the special bottle they created for Caron's 100th birthday (near the bottom of the page)
http://www.leclubparis.com/english/shopping/articles/caron/article.asp
I want one!
Oh holy mama.
I am a goner.
Here I am, doing my comment-way-after-the-fact thing again. Just tried Aimez-Moi today and had a different reaction to it, so I thought I’d add my thoughts.
It IS beautiful. And I do get mostly anise and violet, with hints of spice and magnolia. The base seems mostly vanilla and heliotrope to me, but perhaps the amber is more present than I really notice – because you could have told me this was a Guerlain and I’d have believed you. It seems like a less-ethereal, more textured take on Apres l’Ondee (which I love) to me; I’ve never smelled the N’Aimez que Moi. Where Al’O is a silvery-lavender silk chiffon wrap, AM might be a pastel angora sweater.
Where my impressions differed from yours, Angela, was that I perceived this one not as cool and mysterious, but as cheerful, girly, and romantic: the perfect thing for falling in love for the first time. Since I’ve perceived it as innocent and romantic, I have a hard time wearing it — I know too much now to be comfortable in a scent that reminds me of that First Love experience.
If I were twenty, I’d wear it every day. If I were thirty-five, even, with all my illusions intact, I’d wear it frequently. As it is, I’m 41, and to quote Bob Seger, “Wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then.” So, please, someone else wear Aimez-Moi and let me smell it on you! It’s too gorgeous to languish in the generally-unimpressive (to me, anyway, except for my lovely Parfum Sacre) Caron line.
I think you’re talking to me — Angie didn’t write this one
Oddly, we have a nearly opposite take on AM — I enjoy it very much (and bought a bottle), but don’t think of it as one of the house masterpieces — not so impressive as most of the older urn fragrances (although I understand most of them have been reformulated & are not as impressive as they once were). But, this one is probably more in tune with modern tastes than many of the urn scents — as you say, many of them have that sourish musty note.
OOPS! Sorry, Robin, I misread the byline – or maybe I was just blinded by my emotional wipeout.
It is odd that I had such a strongly negative emotional reaction to what is truly a lovely scent. Maybe someday I’ll be able to wear it. But yes, I didn’t get “mysterious and cool” at all. It seems so heart-on-the-sleeve to me.
No worries! And why ever try it again at all if it bothered you…there are so many other fish in the sea.
It occurs to me that I should try more Carons before making a sweeping judgment about the line. The few I’ve tried have not pleased me, however: either too sweet, too boring, or have a sourish musty note in them. (Except for Parfum Sacre, as I noted above.) Please don’t throw tomatoes, you Caron fans! I know you’re out there.
Aimez-Moi is my first perfume. I used to wear it at the age of twelve…lovely souvenirs. I am happy to read your review on it!
Ah, and do you still wear it?
Do you know Royal Bain de Champagne? Today “Royal Bain” because the french Champagne producers have forbidden the name. It’s an amazing Caron : retro like, powdery, mysterious, sweet. I invite you to smell it…
Yes, great scent!
I am new to trying decanted fragrances and discovered them through reading your blog. Thank you for that. Caron’s Aimez Moi is my favorite from all that I have tried so far. I just ordered another set of 20 samples (beginner’s introduction to niche fragrances) with an added 5 ml decant of Aimez Moi. There are too many fragrances that I have yet to try – I feel like a kid in a candy store, actually – but, I wanted a larger sample of this one. It is truly beautiful.
Sounds like you’re having fun, that’s nice! And glad you found a winner already