• About
  • Login to comment
    • Facebook
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Menu ▼
  • Perfume Reviews
  • New Perfumes
  • Perfumers
  • Perfume Houses
  • Shop for perfume
  • Resources

Fragrance of the day: Diptyque Olene

Posted by Robin on 4 January 2006 20 Comments

Diptyque Olene perfume

Since Frederic Malle's Carnal Flower turned out to be so quiet and well behaved for a white floral, I thought I'd try a little shock therapy today. I'm wearing Olène by Diptyque, created by perfumer Serge Kalouguine and released in 1988. The notes are listed, not very helpfully, as wisteria and narcissus.

Olène is probably the sort of fragrance that creates a white-floral-hater. The first 15 minutes are heady, to put it lightly: an explosion of honeysuckle, and not just any old honeysuckle, but a very sweet honeysuckle. On steroids. That calms gradually — you won't want to spray this on and walk right into an elevator full of innocent bystanders — into a lush blend of florals, with the wisteria and narcissus as promised, along with quite a bit of jasmine and a light musky base.

It is best after about 30 minutes, when the sweetness of the top notes has faded somewhat and a light hint of green is evident. It has a kind of sultry quality that always reminds me of a hot summer night in the South, on a verandah perhaps, although if you were to really wear it on a hot summer night in the South it would probably send you to bed with a massive headache. It is best worn in the spring, when it has a nice sparkle that many white florals lack, and even then, it is somewhat easier to take when it is dabbed rather than sprayed. It is often compared to Jardin Blanc by Maître Parfumeur et Gantier, but I find Jardin Blanc rather heavy and flat in comparison.

Diptyque Olène is available in 50 and 100 ml Eau de Toilette; the lasting power is more like an Eau de Parfum. For purchasing information, see the listing for Diptyque under Perfume Houses.

Possibly of interest

Amouage Portrayal Woman ~ fragrance review
McQueen Eau de Parfum by Alexander McQueen ~ perfume review
Tom Ford Orchid Soleil ~ fragrance review

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: diptyque, serge kalouguine, white floral

Advertisement


20 Comments

Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This. Here's our privacy policy, and a handy emoticon chart.

  1. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 12:41 pm

    I generally do not like white florals since they tend to trigger my migraines, but I love Olene. I ignored my sample vials of Olene that had arrived unwanted and unloved until the day that I accidently dabbed some of it on thinking that it was Opone instead. After the hot, heavy opening (which I perversely loved), it settled down into a beautiful green floral that lasted almost all day on me. I even dare to wear it on hot summer nights here in the South since springtime seems to last about 3 days here in SC before it gets hot. Olene makes me feel irrationally happy since it is completely “not me”!

    Log in to Reply
  2. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 1:07 pm

    Interesting…I'm surprised that Olene doesn't bring on a migraine if other white florals do. I wonder why? It isn't like it is a light scent. But happy you found one you could wear…I think of white florals as “not me” also. Fracas was the first to convert me, and now I love many of them, but can't escape the feeling that they don't suit my personality.

    Log in to Reply
  3. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 1:08 pm

    M, I have a feeling you would hate Olene…but you never know!

    Log in to Reply
  4. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 2:03 pm

    R, Olène is sooo sweeet!!!

    I don´t think I´d ever bring myself to wearing this (but who knows…) though I don´t hate it at all. It´s just so overwhelming – it seems that a lot of floral fragrances get pretty heavy on my skin.

    I agree that it may be best suited for spring, but I´m curious since it´s been a while that I tested it for the last time & will test it again right now ;-)

    Log in to Reply
  5. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 2:20 pm

    Your comment on wearing it in the South made me laugh, because yes, Olene is bound to give you a massive headache in the Bombay level humidity and heat in many parts of the South. :) I used to like it, but now whenever I wear it, it strikes me as sharp and one dimensional. Jardin Blanc is the one I now like even less. A few years ago I was completely entralled with these two big, heady florals, but now I cannot wear them.

    Log in to Reply
  6. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 2:55 pm

    Wow, Robin — this pretty much sounds like everything I hate in a fragrance (I think how you felt about the Borneo?!) — actually, if they threw in a really strong patchouli base, or some cumin, I could hate it a little more. The only one I've tried and looooved is L'eau Trois, which is certainly not on anyone else's list of favorites.

    Log in to Reply
  7. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 2:58 pm

    If I want to get out of a meeting, just spritz this on before I go in, check. I really like white florals, so this may need some exploration.

    Log in to Reply
  8. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 3:53 pm

    I don't know–I think of myself as a white-floral lover, but I guess only sometimes. At any rate, I wasn't impressed by this–not disgusted, just not impressed. Too bad:(

    Log in to Reply
  9. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 4:12 pm

    Can't deny that it is sweet, S! But better after it calms…and even then, not something I reach for very often. But in the right mood I love it.

    Log in to Reply
  10. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 4:15 pm

    V, I don't find it sharp once the top notes fade, but not sure I can argue with one dimensional….I find many of the Diptyques one dimensional, but nicely so, if that makes any sense :-)

    Log in to Reply
  11. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 4:16 pm

    LOL — if they threw in some cumin or patchouli, I'd hate it too! I like L'Eau Trois too, and its cousin Virgilio, but those require an even rarer kind of mood.

    Log in to Reply
  12. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 4:17 pm

    The possibilities are endless if you want to get out a meeting, LOL! A little Dinner by Bobo is sure to get you dismissed — apologies to its fans ;-)

    Log in to Reply
  13. Anonymous says:
    4 January 2006 at 4:19 pm

    J, I read somewhere that it is one of their best sellers, but was very surprised to hear it as it is not widely loved on the fragrance boards….so you are not alone!

    Log in to Reply
  14. Anonymous says:
    6 January 2006 at 10:18 am

    I adore Olene, but it doesn't seem to last very long on my skin! It all but disappears after an hour and a half. I can't figure it out!

    Log in to Reply
  15. Anonymous says:
    6 January 2006 at 11:51 am

    I am surprised, not all the Diptyques are long lasting on me but have no problem with Olene. Are you spraying it on?

    Log in to Reply
  16. Anonymous says:
    7 January 2006 at 11:54 am

    Yup! Liberally. I don't understand it — I've kept the bottle away from heat and sunlight. There's that first explosion and then about an hour of jasmine, and then nothing. It doesn't even leave much of a scent on my clothes. It's such a shame, because I'd love for it to linger on evenings.

    Log in to Reply
  17. Anonymous says:
    8 January 2006 at 9:34 am

    That is a shame then, it is not so short lived on me. Maybe try the MPG Jardin Blanc if you haven't yet, I think it was longer lasting.

    Log in to Reply
  18. Anonymous says:
    8 January 2006 at 4:06 pm

    I will do, thanks for the tip!

    Log in to Reply
  19. Anonymous says:
    26 October 2008 at 9:09 am

    hmmm, I discover my sample o Oléne just now again, it is wisteria and a LOT of jasmin, if you spritz just a bit, then laundry, soap, clean, a tad of green, and the jamine tea pure. It lasts good on me, wonder how I came to it while looking for a Jasmin scent?!

    Log in to Reply
  20. Anonymous says:
    26 October 2008 at 1:24 pm

    Lucky?

    Log in to Reply

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Advertisement

Search

From NST at Twitter

    Browse by...

    Topic

    Perfume talk New fragrances
    Shopping Books :: News
    Body products Home fragrance
    Polls Another subject

    Date

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022

    Prior months

    Author

    Robin Jessica
    Angela Kevin
    Erin Guest Author

    Tag

    Celebrity perfumes
    Cheap thrills
    Collector bottles
    Perfumista tip series
    Video
    The complete tag index

    Recent reviews

    Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus
    Moschino Toy Boy
    Arquiste Misfit
    Diptyque Eau Capitale
    Zoologist Bee
    Parfum d’Empire Immortelle Corse
    Comme des Garcons Series 10 Clash
    Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir
    L’Artisan Parfumeur Le Chant de Camargue
    Yves Saint Laurent Grain de Poudre
    Régime des Fleurs Chloë Sevigny Little Flower
    Chanel 1957
    Gallivant Los Angeles
    Amouage Portrayal Woman

    Blogroll

    Bois de Jasmin
    Grain de Musc
    Perfume Posse
    The Non-Blonde
    More blogs...

    Perfumista lists

    100 fragrances every perfumista should try
    And 25 more fragrances every perfumista should smell
    50 masculine fragrances every perfumista should try
    26 vintage fragrances every perfumista should try
    25 rose fragrances every perfumista should try
    11 Cheap Perfumes Beauty Outsiders Love

    Favorite posts

    The Great Perfume Reduction Plan
    Why I Love Old School Chypres
    New to perfume and want to learn more?
    How to make fragrance last through the day
    Fragrance concentrations: sorting it all out
    On reformulations, or why your favorite perfume doesn’t smell like it used to
    How to get fragrance samples
    Perfume for Life: How Long Will Your Fragrance Collection Last?

    Upcoming

    List of upcoming Friday projects

    20 May ~ Haiku Challenge
    20 May ~ splitmeet

    Back to Top

    Home
    About Now Smell This :: Privacy Policy

    Shop for Perfume Online
    Perfume Shopping in New York
    Perfume Shopping in London
    Perfume Reviews
    New Perfumes
    General Perfume Articles
    The Monday Mail

    Glossary of Perfume Terms
    Perfume FAQ
    Perfume Links
    Perfume Books
    Fragrance Awards

    Noses ~ Perfumers A-E :: F-K :: L-S :: T-Z

    Perfume Houses A-B :: C :: D-E :: F-G
    H-J :: K-L :: M :: N-O :: P :: Q-R :: S
    T :: U-Z

    Copyright © 2005-2023 Now Smell This. All rights reserved.