• 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

Comme des Garcons Eau de Cologne & Oriza L. Legrand Cologne Extra-Vielle ~ fragrance reviews

Posted by Kevin on 7 March 2018 9 Comments

lemon

Soon, Seattle will have its one week of spring followed by a long, hot, dry summer (such is the new 'normal' in the climate-changing world). As I gear up for warm weather, I start to test citrus-y Eaux de Cologne, looking for refreshing, sparkling, natural-smelling perfumes to wear when the going gets sultry. These fragrances need not last longer than 10 minutes: I use them most right out of the shower (before putting on a stronger perfume) or at bedtime (when long-lasting fragrances are verboten).

Comme des Garçons has reissued its 1994 1996 Eau de Cologne as part of the Olfactory Library series. Perfumer Mark Buxton developed Eau de Cologne as a lighter version of his Comme des Garçons Eau de Parfum; the brand describes the cologne as...

...a light, fresh and dynamic fragrance, a  'feel good energy giving' scent. The bottom note is based on the original perfume Eau de Parfum with added citrus fruit and flower based fragrances. The underlying Amber gives it weight and strength. Finally comes the bouquet of freesia, magnolia and rose flowers.

Right out of the bottle, Eau de Cologne smells fizzy-fuzzy, a lightweight, citrus-infused amber. Up next, is barber-meets-medicine man in character, a mix of spicy-herbal, bay rum and clove-y aromas. If you tried Comme des Garçons Eau de Parfum you will recognize the kinship between cologne and parfum. What was "adult-strength" syrup is now diluted to create a child-safe tincture. I wore original Eau de Parfum but can't say I enjoyed it (I appreciated it); I like this lightweight version better.

As Eau de Cologne dries down, I smell faint, smoky sandalwood and a vegetal-floral musk. On me, Eau de Cologne wears more like an Eau de Toilette. If you're the type who goes into amber withdrawal in spring and summer, give this sheerer version a shot. Eau de Cologne's extreme dry down reminds me of the comfortable/cozy scent of wool sweaters and scarves that have held on to rich, oriental perfumes. Eau de Cologne does not fit my Eau de Cologne sweet spot (it's too strong and long-lasting), but I can see wearing it as a fragrance day or night, dressy or casual, in any season.

Comme des Garçons Olfactory Library Eau de Cologne is $95 for 50 ml.

Oriza L. Legrand is a favorite perfume house of mine (and I'm addicted to their soaps) and that's why Cologne Extra-Vielle* is a major disappointment — it screeches in a vile synthetic language you'll recognize from cheap shampoo and conditioner scents found at the Dollar General store; that's fine if you're paying a dollar for this cologne, not so fine to pay almost $200 for it. Every fragrance note is stunningly ugly...I could not wait to wash it off.

Oriza L. Legrand Cologne Extra-Vielle comes as a set: each set includes a 250 ml splash bottle and a 50 ml (refillable) spray bottle (you get 300 ml total for $195).

* Fragrance notes of bergamot, lemon, rosemary, bigarade, orange peel, orange blossom, citron, neroli, lavender.

Note: top image of Citrus limon: Corsican [cropped] by Deborah Griscom Passmore, 1840-1911, via USDA Pomological Watercolors.

Possibly of interest

Oriza L. Legrand Scotch Lavender & Le Regent ~ new fragrances
Comme des Garcons Rouge ~ new fragrance
Comme des Garcons Series 10 Clash ~ fragrance reviews

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: citrus, classic cologne, comme des garcons, mark buxton, oriza l legrand

Advertisement


9 Comments

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

  1. SheWolf says:
    7 March 2018 at 5:20 pm

    So what does hit the “Eau de Cologne Sweet Spot?” Asking for a friend…

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      7 March 2018 at 7:43 pm

      SheWolf: you know, I love all the Guerlain Eaux de Cologne, especially Eau de Cologne Impériale. I wear Eau de Rochas often…I wear Hermes Eau d’Orange Verte and Pamplemousse Rose…I could go on for days! Chanel’s Eau de Cologne is nice, too.

      Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      7 March 2018 at 7:45 pm

      SheWolf: forgot my favorites: Astier de Villatte’s line of colognes…love ’em all.

      Log in to Reply
  2. Coumarin says:
    7 March 2018 at 5:21 pm

    I adore CdG’s cologne! I think I prefer their own White for a lighter version but I could almost justify having both

    Log in to Reply
    • Coumarin says:
      7 March 2018 at 5:35 pm

      I should say, I was a bit surprised they called this a cologne because it doesn’t strike a refreshing note.

      Log in to Reply
      • Kevin says:
        7 March 2018 at 7:44 pm

        Coumarin: agree…not a ‘classic’ cologne by any means…but really good.

        Log in to Reply
  3. nozknoz says:
    8 March 2018 at 12:10 am

    The CdG cologne sounds interesting but there is something so confusing about that line (at least the non-series, non-designer-collaboration parts of it).
    I’ll never get those scents straight in my head, or feel certain that I’ve tried them all, or that I understand which one is the subject of a given review. For example, is there really a masculine and feminine of CdG 2, or just different different special bottles, and, if so, which bottle is which?

    I think I’ll stick with Astier de Villatte! They do such intriguing variations on the theme, and I love some of the names.

    Log in to Reply
    • Kevin says:
      8 March 2018 at 1:43 pm

      Noz: the CdGs ARE confusing in the “basic” line…I think I’ll treat myself to an Astier de Villatte cologne for summer…hard to decide.

      Log in to Reply
  4. cazaubon says:
    10 March 2018 at 12:02 am

    I like the Roger et Gallet Extra Vielle/Jean-Marie Farina scent, as well as Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat.

    Log in to Reply

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Advertisement


Luckyscent

Search

Browse by…

Topic

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

Date

December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
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

From NST at Twitter

  • "Jo Loves adopts refillable technology for Fragrance Paintbrush" (cosmeticsbusiness) https://t.co/sn2tZ1cguT,
  • @robini71 And my favorite honeysuckle is also limited edition -- Goutal Le Chevrefeuille. They do bring it back eve… https://t.co/MFGwHJK0Ji,
  • "Juliette Has a Gun Gets Minority Backing" (wwd via aol) https://t.co/7EdL3TyXKO,
  • @MrsCollins1787 Good, hope you love it!,

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

TBA April ~ freebiemeet

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 © 2005-2021 Now Smell This. All rights reserved.