Rochas Femme (original) fragrance notes
Head
- Peach, Plum, Bergamot, Lemon, Apricot, Cinnamon, Rosewood
Heart
- jasmine, May Rose, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Clove, Orris, Immortelle
Base
- Musk, Amber, oakmoss, Vanilla, Patchouli, Benzoin, Leather, Sandalwood, civet
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Latest Reviews of Rochas Femme (original)


Peaches and Cream Floral meets Cumin Leather Chypre,
the contrast - extreme, the balance - precarious and perfect.
This was Roudnitska's third perfume - and already his first masterpiece.
He wasn't happy turning out mere pretty scents, he liked to use odd themes in his work, and with Femme, the stone he threw into the pool was cumin.
Femme is a lactonic, pink fruity floral, with a dark bitter underside. It has depths of expression that the fruity floral doesn't usually plumb.
But, because the dark base is held in check it never hides the sumptuous beauty of Femme's peachy theme.
Instead, the contrast - between the lovely pink top half and the underlying bitterness - is like chiascuro in painting, the darkness highlights the beauty of the composition.
The way these contrasts were handled by Roudnitska is just brilliant.
Because of this, and the fact that he didn't shy away from complication - or even conflict - in his work, means that Femme can be seen as the Godmother of Niche.
It's also one of the most beautiful perfumes of all time.
*****
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The vintage juice, on the other hand, is a deep, brilliant orange in color, almost announcing its radioactive power. It is superb. A rich, luridly-hued pile of peaches and peach skin, dusted in warming spice and set against a backdrop of lacquered woods and damp moss. There is a fair amount of cumin or civet in this, enough to set my hair ends at vibrate alert anyway, and certainly enough to imbue the perfume with a curvaceous sensuality. Yes, there is a kinship to the great Mitsouko, as all fruity/woody chypres must have, but Femme is slightly looser and sexier - and dare I say, perhaps even a bit easier to wear. Edited to add: the heavy cumin/civet, fruit, and moss actually remind me a lot of the first half of Jubilation 25, when it still behaves as a bitter, fruity chypre rather than its creamy oriental second act. But Femme is chypre all the way through.

This simply means scents that imitate and enhance the natural body aromas from madame's nethermost regions.
It is strong and heavy, combining the cinnamon, cumin and coriander in an unforgettable way, bringing a new scent category into being.
This is not to be worn for casual flirting. The woman wearing this means business and is hoping for serious love-making. Definitely not an office scent unless the woman is a heartless tease. The male equivalent of this would be to my nose Ernesto Sebastiano's name scent.
Top notes: Peach, Plum, Bergamot, Lemon, Rosewood, Apricot, Cinnamon
Heart notes: Ylang, Jasmine, Rose de Mai, Clove, Orris, Coriander, Immortelle
Base notes: Musk, Amber, Oakmoss, Benzoin, Patchouli, Leather, Sandalwood, Civet, Sandalwood, Cumin.
Turin called it a "woody floral" - ??? and gave it three stars. Barbara Herman called it a "fruity chypre."
It was Mae West's signature scent. Need one say more. One of the greats.





