Pavlova 
Five Star Fragrances (1957)

I wore this throughout the 80's and absolutely loved it then and love it still. It is a wonderful, heady floral that never feels like "too much". As a died-in-the-wool floral lover, I often see resemblances between fragrances but Pavlova smells like no other perfume I've tried. It's truly unique. The older the bottle (perfume, not EDT), the better!

My bottle is kind of old. The top notes are vague these days. There is a barely discernable citrus touch. The floral notes are pretty much right out there, from the beginning. Bold tuberose, jasmine (with a slight dirtiness), and hiacynth. Neroli, ylang, and geranium are right out there, too. These note combos seem to alternate in waves. They come and go, rise and fall, each exposing their nature.

I went through numerous bottles of Pavlova in the 80's and early 90's. I remember it being somewhat sweeter (almost powdery) with its notes of raspberry and cassia. I miss that, with this bottle. I doubt I could ever find a version that would still have that little sweetness in the top notes.

Actually, it is the ylang ylang that stands out more than the other notes, as time passes. Oakmoss begins to merge onto the highway here, making an earthier path for the flowers to follow.

Later, the base notes are all mixed well as one gets an earthier, darker, slight wood blend. A slight tinge of vanilla adds a tiny bit of sweetness close to the skin.

If you like old florals with dark bases, then Pavlova is worthwhile if you can find an older bottle. However, there are many similar recipes released in the late 70's that are of better quality. If you stumble across Pavlova at a yard sale for cheap, give it a try.

As the base wears on, it has a more modern feel.

This morning, my husband found a box of vintage fragrances that went missing during a move many years ago. I thought the box had probably been stolen, but it was discovered in the basement in a cubbyhole behind a false wall, its contents beautifully preserved. To my delight, Pavlova by Payot was there. In its earlier incarnations, this was a lovely floral blend which - as others have noted - was sweet without being excessive or cloying. I have not smelled recent bottles, but I've read that the juice has suffered a great deal through reformulation - if you find a vintage Pavlova somewhere, she might reward you for giving her a good home.

I like this one for fall or winter, with restraint.

Although I like tuberose & a shading almost like incense in the range between citrus & woody notes, I know that some other people might find it heady. I love spraying a little of the EDT on myself right before dressing because it lingers in my room & closet...the perfect suggestion of the oriental face of eastern Europe...

This is a review for the original parfum by Payot. This is classic French tuberose scent to my nose, very floral and heady, with sharp citrusy/fruity top notes and indolic white floral middle notes. Absolutely feminine, but for floral fans only. I hope to never be without a bottle.

I have a Payot vintage bottle of the stuff, and it is QUITE lovely. Fragrantica lists the notes as: top notes, mandarin orange, cassia, raspberry and grapefruit; middle notes are tuberose, jasmine, hiacynth, neroli, ylang-ylang and geranium; base notes are sandalwood, musk, vanilla, oakmoss and vetiver.The most impressive thing about this scent is how seamlessly the notes are blended... it gives the impression of a soft, sweet wall of fruity floral wrapped around a warm and earthy base. This never goes cloying or too sweet on my skin and I am so happy that Brielle had a bottle on offer! It is what I would consider a gorgeous romantic feminine scent with tons of class.