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klasika1986 – :
This is a spicy fun little fragrance for when you’re feeling playful: this always seems to put me in a good mood when I wear it. Spicy in a sort of non-sexy, but adventurous way, I see some comparison to Opium but it’s much lighter (okay for summer wear IMO) and kind of reminds me of spicy root beer in the way it smells. It actually smells more like one of the Opium flankers I used to have, Fraicheur d’Orient, but I like this one better! This was a delightfully inexpensive blind buy, lots of fun to wear on gray days when your spirits need a lift and you need a little spice in your life!
Babeboy – :
his is a good copy of a spicy Opium sh fragrance. Not sure why its called cafe, as there is nothing coffee about it, Bottle is kind of cheap looking, but the fragrance itself is worth the purchase.
Strange, as an Opium copy I would have expected cinnamon and the like – but that isn’t listed in the notes.Carnation and citrus is listed, and I don;t detect that. It makes me wonder if the listed notes are even correct?
anyhow good silage and ok longevity, but may require a few more than just one or two sprays.
Nice for fall/winter. Not overpowering. Happy with my purchase.
roreinciara – :
Cheapie fragrance, but very nice. I bought a sampler of this and was quite surprised how much I liked it. Some reviewers note a similarity to Opium, I notice a resemblance to Cinnabar.
Cafe isn’t as strong as Cinnabar, nor as sharp or rich. It’s a warm and spicy scent that doesn’t knock people over when they get a whiff of it – Opium does that.
This scent seems perfect for layering, I’ve got some ideas about that … maybe with Timeless? Or Ciara? Those fragrances all share similar notes with Cafe, let’s see how they do together.
I’ve ordered a larger bottle of Cafe, and I hope so much this scent hasn’t changed. There’s no coffee in Cafe, but I like it very much!
mixail0959478822 – :
I bought this for the nostalgia, since my mom wore it a lot in the ‘80s (when it came in a plain rectangular bottle). Back in the day this was designed as an Opium dupe and it was quite good, a comforting spice-bomb—and quite strong. I remember that I liked it better than real Opium.
For $8, I figured it was worth a gamble on current Cofinluxe version.
I’m feeling conflicted about this. Cafe was never an expensive scent, but current version SMELLS as cheap as it is, and that didn’t used to be the case. There’s a screechiness on first application, then it smells better for 5 minutes, then it’s almost gone. I would liken this to a dollar store Opium knockoff. Not good… but I do so love the bottle with the little festive coffee beans on it! I may search out vintage on eBay.
drammpir – :
Last week I picked this up on ebay for under $8 US including shipping. After reading most of the reviews here, I wasn’t confident that I was going to love the scent, but figured for that small of an investment I could afford to take a chance. The moment I spritzed it on my wrists, I was immediately in love. How is such a delicious fragrance readily available at such a fantastic price? I don’t know, but I’m sure glad I took the plunge. So far, I am not noticing opening vs heart vs dry down on my skin. For me it is all wonderful, delicious spices from the first spritz until it fades to a skin scent. On me, the sillage is medium and as for longevity, I would say on me it sticks around 3-4 hours. At this price, I can reapply as often as I wish! For me personally, I wouldn’t wear this to an office job where you sit near coworkers. I’m sure there are some out there who won’t love the fragrance as much as I do, and I could imagine even a tiny bit of over-spritzing could potentially cause problems. I think this is going to be heavenly in Autumn and Winter, especially while wrapped in a quilt and drinking my coffee – of hot cocoa! However today the temp here was 90 degrees F and I still enjoyed every minute of it. I know I am going to make every effort to keep this frag in my collection at all times. I would recommend this for all who enjoy spicy perfumes. Oh! I just thought of the thing that has been in the back of my mind, reminding me of this scent that I couldn’t recall. This fragrance reminds me of smelling spiced, mulled cider in the Autumn. Autumn is my favorite season, and I love all of the smells associated with the season. Perhaps this is why I love this perfume so much. Enjoy!
igor_golovan – :
It starts with a detergent smell, smells better in the dry down. I don’t think it smells like Opium, to me the dry-down is similar to Magie Noire by Lancome.
Firetil – :
Desdemona is spot on. Smells like the knock off Opium at the 5 Below store, very one dimensional and fades fast. It was sweeter than opium which is what I did like…but again, the hairspray note! Tried it, found it just meh, moved on.
+1
WaRTeX – :
I got this at Ross for a song…yes this is somewhat like Opium, but I detect something that reminds me of mocha…not sure what it is, but this is quite lovely. I believe it is softer and less complex than Opium, but beautiful none the less.
A lovely scent for Fall, soft and powdery as it wears on, you really can’t complain for the price…I just wish it would last longer.
CalvinGZ – :
Desdemona is spot on. Smells like the knock off Opium at the 5 Below store, very one dimensional and fades fast. It was sweeter than opium which is what I did like…but again, the hairspray note! Tried it, found it just meh, moved on.
simon530 – :
Similar to Opium only by about 10%. Gone in 2 minutes. Poor quality and smells synthetic. Spend the extra few dollars and get Opium, you won’t regret it.
cjg122Unlogrere – :
First notes: diluted opium/obsession + cognac. Cognac is gone in 2 minutes. Not similar to opium but is from the same family. Oriental. Does not last as long as obsession or opium. Not for the day use. Very nice base. Good juice for the price.
олег 2 – :
This is wonderful. It brings a summer in the city with tons of street cafe’s to mind. The scent really reminds me strongly of great vacations in warm, bustling cities, with the aromas of herbs and spices floating through the summer wind. When I am invited to a fabulous but casual dinner on an outside patio, this is so fitting, and if you cannot make it there, the scent will surely take you there in your mind. At least for me, this scent always works. Don’t fear wearing this beauty in the summer, it is really light enough for an oriental fragrance to be enjoyed in the heat of summer.
In fact, for me it’s best worn on hot summer days
Zoowaptutbaft – :
I got a travel sample of this in the early 80s. It was lovely with great projection and lasting power. I was disappointed to discover that it has been watered down to practically nothing. A wonderful oriental before the reformulation elves worked it over.
MichealUL – :
Yikes! it is not as soft as people say… yes it does resemble opium , the vintage one , but its missing some notes..but to the untrained nose it very similar. also it reminds me a little bit of cinnabar or youth dew.
unisex , but only for cooler weather or cool summer nights.
cheap in price , not in quality
vikfish – :
This a review for Café by Café Parfum/Cofinluxe, Parfum de Toilette, still containing Oakmoss and Treemoss in the ingredients list. (I know there are no other versions but I always like to make it clear.)
What a lovely and warm spicy fragrance! And so underrated! I agree with many reviewers that it does bear a resemblance to YSL Opium, however I dare to say (and I am expecting stones my way) that Café is even better than Opium. It is spicy with an earthy hint of patchouli, but the rose gives Café a sweet soapiness that makes it a lot less aggressive to the nose than Opium. It also smells less dated to me, although I believe this is because Café did not define an age, like Opium did.
One interesting thing about Café (and I found this to be true to many other Café Parfum fragrances I own) is that it is not a layered scent. What I mean is that, at the dry down, you don’t smell many different scents unfolding on the skin – the smell remains the same from almost the first spray. This is not necessarily bad. Café is an uncomplicated fragrance – what you smell is what you get – and this is precisely why it is one of my favourite perfumes for daily wear.
The bottle is not very imaginative, but I like its vintage minimalism. It suits the scent. The 30ml one is perfect to carry in your purse or bag.
Café is a softcore Oriental perfume, for those who enjoy showing their spice off but don’t necessarily feel like knocking passers-by out. It is warm but soft, intimate. It can be worn during the summer without fear (I have even worn it at the beach). Granted, the longevity is not its greatest strength, but it’s cheap so you will not feel too guilty about reapplying it.
Настя 34 – :
Wonderful fresh smelling perfume to me … I think from the combination of spices and patchouli. I love patchouli as it always seems to add a bit of freshness. Based on the short list of notes, I’m amazed how beautiful it smells … it reminds me a bit of Maja (rose, patchouli and cloves). It smells like it comes from Spain.
The biggest problem with this perfume is it’s name and packaging. It gives the impression that there’s coffee in it and looks cheap. If it was called something like ‘Espalina de parfum’ (the spicy Spanish dancer) and packaged more like the Chanel fragrances, it would have been a lot more popular … LOL!!!!
Like Tiger84, I too stumbled upon this perfume to save shipping costs … so glad I did … bought some reserves too!!!!
Riba1844 – :
Amazing spicy-incense piece which dries down to a little soapy and powdery. A truly surprising and underrated gem.
I stumbled upon it by accident as I placed an order for two items and was supposed to get free shipping if I order two perfumes, but the shop didn’t have Caron Pour Un Homme in stock. I decided to look around, perhaps I find something inexpensive that I would rather order than pay the shipping, because if I order another fragrance, I can at least discover one more of them, instead of only getting it shipped. Weird logic but I’m sure some people understand it, would you rather pay for shipping or for another bottle of new scented territory?
So I found the Cafe brand and checked some reviews and I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw what they wrote about this. I ordered a 30 ml bottle. Then after it arrived, I soon followed up with a couple 90 ml bottles, because it is so special I wanted backup.
This is really like a toned down Opium. A bit too soft for my taste but my coworkers probably appreciate when I use this instead of Opium (which I use for more special occasions because it feels like a protecting, guiding spirit which knows everything and shows me the way, therefore I keep it for the days when I need that the most). It also reminds me to the ever amazing Coco, so it is like having two very good things in one tacky bottle.
Sillage and longevity could be better, but I have no problem with refreshing the scent. I am sure there are people who find Opium too much (not me), they may even prefer this piece for its softness.
haba1313 – :
I have to re-test it. I may have tested from a spoiled bottle at the store.
====
On me, something dry and herbal, mixed with, unfortunately, stale tobacco smoke.
Try before you buy. It may work better on other people.
Tested a spray on the top of my hand.
denismyx – :
As I am almost done with the bottle of Opium I purchased in late ’80s, I have been looking for something similar, and from the reviews on here I thought this would be a good choice.
In side-by-side testing it is very much like Opium, with a spicy warm opening that softens to something a little creamier after about 10 minutes on the skin. A nice substitute and the price is just a fraction of the cost.
Tot93ru – :
After finding out how cheap it was ($15.75), I decided to give this baby a chance–I’m a man!
Café for Women smells really nice. You can feel mainly spices, musk, and incense on a soft flowery layer (by account of the rose); it’s a little strong when first sprayed, but it settles down after five minutes and becomes very pleasant.
To me, Café is definitely a unisex scent, and it does smell like YSL Opium. Longevity is moderate (4-5 hours), and projection is rather low. It performs best if worn on colder days, but it would work well on warmer nights. It’s really pleasant to wear; it’s also dated (well, I don’t care), but totally inoffensive.
I’ve heard it’s not widely available nowadays (at least in my country), so it’s worth having, especially if you like 80s orientals.
marminegree – :
Received it as a gift when I was a teenager…a little bit much back then. Still, I used it up and reserved it for night time to go out as it was a little bit too spicy. I think I’ll put it in my want list…as I loooove this kind of frags now.
валюша – :
Beautiful! I agree that it shares a facet or two with vintage Opium. The warm sweet cinnamon, and soft incense is very similar. However it does not have the wonderful spicy sultry drydown of Opium. Still a quality perfume, warm, interesting, and unique. Although the bottle is not so elegant, it certainly deserves a place next to my Shalimar EDP. Love.
imohaxi – :
This EdT smells the way I remember vintage Opium parfum smelled on the women in my life when I was a child in the ’70s and…. is so inexpensive. Love it.
GFvvg32354fcbv – :
Review in cooler temps (70 to 80 F): great spicy scent with more than 10 hour longevity ( a day on clothes) and strong sillage for over 3 hours. Improves its performance a lot with cooler temps.
Nmskollv – :
On me it was a good perfume, a spicy patchouli/vetiver with a faint floral touch, not too sweet but not bitter or medicinal either.It is quite original now, when white flowery or very sweet fruitchoulis are all the rage and good to wear even on hot days, although this is better for cooler temps.It is quite long lasting (over 7 hours on my skin), although sillage that starts strong in the first hour decreases to a soft cloud soon after. But its originality (in terms, since it has an Opium vibe) makes it quite discernible in the crowd and people stop to compliment.This has aged very well (it is from 1978) and is a good scent with good performance.
Gusqufzn – :
CAFE is in the same family as OPIUM, but definitely isn’t a sibling. A cousin, perhaps. A cousin who might not have had the benefit of the same advantages and tends to get overlooked.
CAFE starts off with rough edges, but dries down to a smooth, rather powdery spiciness. (I pick up allspice and cloves.) I’m not sure what the coffee bean design has to do with this fragrance, but then again what does any packaging design have to do with anything other than merchandising? The sillage becomes soft after the initial rough phase is over, which takes about half an hour on me. Longevity for me is 3-4 hours, but much longer on fabric. All in all, a decent fragrance for the price.
PS: To be more accurate about the longevity, CAFE lingers for an additional few hours as a skin-scent. It’s very soft by that time, but it’s still there.
dan452 – :
This is my favorite. I noticed it on somebody in the 90’s, she went and got me a bottle as a gift. I’ve been wearing it ever since. I’ve used, Opium, Obsession, Cinnabar, but this one is my favorite. Although, there was a time when it smelled watered down, and I thought I would never buy it again, but maybe I got a bad bottle. I love this fragrance.
sludenis – :
This is a very spicy scent that is tempered with the notes of amber, rosemary, and lime, giving it a very unique coffee-like scent compared to the other warm and spicy perfumes that i have in my collection.
My grandmother gave me this back in the late 90’s as a birthday present when i was a very young teen (maybe twelve or thirteen) and i have quite fond memories of it. Not being much a connoisseur back then, i would wear it at random times throughout the year, day and night, in the warm Panamanian environment.
Eventually i forgot about it and just recently dug up my old bottle, which was not even used halfway. Upon smelling it after spraying it on, i was immediately transported back to when my grandmother had first given it to me and i smiled. Although the top of the bottle is missing, it still has a lot of meaning for me as my grandmother is now gone, and i will cherish this perfume for as long as i’ll live.
As an adult now who is much more patient and knowledgeable about her fragrances, i can now say that this is a fragrance that is better suited for evening wear. Although perhaps the odd person or two might be able to pull off wearing it during the day, i would personally find it a bit too aggressive for day wear. This isn’t the type of fragrance that i, now as an adult, would purchase since i tend to lean more towards flowery fragrances, but i understand now why my grandmother would’ve purchased something like this for me. Considering that she was from the era where fragrances like those by Myrurgia were the rage, she always gravitated towards spicier scents.
This isn’t the type of spicy fragrance where after drying down, it will become sweeter like with Spark from Liz Claiborne. It will stay firey. The sillage and longevity leaves a lot to be desired, and at least on me, it stays close to the skin, so you might want to be mindful of that.
oreolis – :
Not a dead ringer for Opium, obviously. But how can it smell as similar as it does, given the notes?
frolov1978 – :
I experienced a scent memory of Avon’s Topaze when I sprayed this for the first time. A good friend of my mother used this….I think it was late 70s, maybe early 80s. Anyway, I thought of her immediately.
I love the flower patch in the woods impression on the top, and the creamy spice of the drydown. Very nice.
l.leh20111 – :
This absolutely does not smell like Opium or Cinnabar. I have every vintage oriental known to man and woman and also a nose. I can’t believe none of the reviewers are talking about how this is an inexpensive but not cheap-smelling dupe for Chanel Coco. I actually like it more. I am not a Chanel fan. It goes on like a vintage chypre or aldehyde then warms up and lasts a nice long time. This is one of the best blind buy inexpensive fumes I have bought. A winner. I sprayed the heck out of myself because usually the cheap perfumes don’t last or project. Whew. This one is a walking cloud of Chanel.
Mookencouch – :
This reminds me of a much softer opium/cinnabar, wish had bit more sillage, but it is nice frag
Arradasok – :
This smells exactly like Bain de Soleil orange gelee, which I love. Cafe also reminds me alot of YSL Opium but dial it down 30%. It’s less intense than Opium but every bit as beautiful.
TARGIDAI – :
Old Spice by Shulton! Extremely surprised I always wanted a stronger longer lasting old spice and here it is. Can’t say they are the same but definitely get the same vibe. Never thought it could smell like Fiori di Ambra but it could be now that I think of it.
Lil Wayne – :
To be honest, I originally saw the bottle and thought it would be some kind of coffee-like scent, especially with a name like “Cafe” and coffee beans on the bottle. I was a little dismayed that it completely, did not smell like coffee but also over joyed at what it DID end up smelling like. a mildly spicy incense-y dream.
A bit heavy but it’s absolutely delicious. The spices are definitely prominent and while there is no incense, it definitely smells like there should be. It’s intense and gives me the feeling of something a littler darker, a little more sacred. Definitely a colder scent but it’s lovely.
Lasting time would range between 7-8 on clothes, and even then it’s still there, just very faint. A friend commented that it was quite a “womanly” scent.
Wollwerine – :
I tried this perfume this afternoon, and I think it smells awesome! Cafe triggered a lot of memories from my childhood days today; I’m a man, and I’d like to get this.
After 4-5 hours of application on wrist, you can feel an animalic note that is greatly blended with the rest of the components, which reminds me of Dior Jules drydown a lot (as crazy as it may sound). Longevity is moderate, as well as sillage, and it’s a great quality scent at an unbeatable price…I’m seriously considering adding this to my collection!
Fofan1960 – :
Mmm, I just love that spicy incense & patchouli! I recently snagged a cheap perfume lot from eBay for one bottle alone (Coty’s Nokomis), and got four additional bottles I’d neither tried or even heard of – Cafe included. I wasn’t expecting much, but found myself very pleasantly surprised. A delicious, creamy and mysterious oriental, packed with spice and woods.
Cafe does bear a striking resemblance to Opium, but there are a few differences. First, the price for Cafe is incredible (currently $12.50 on Amazon for 3oz). Of course, it may not last terribly long, but at that price, you won’t mind refreshing the scent throughout the day if need be. It’s less potent than Opium, which makes it a little more accessible and possibly less offensive, sillage-wise. It’s on the creamier and sweeter side, where Opium is more of an ancient, smoky frankincense blend. It’s perhaps a little more dated/less timeless than Opium, and very obviously ’70s, but this just gives it a cool vintage vibe in my opinion. Perfect for your inner gypsy!
najoceecila – :
Of all the Jean-Jacques Diener creations, this is the one I like the least. Le Must the Cartier is a masterpiece, though it’s not my style. Jacqueline is my favorite, very unique (too bad is not on the data base, IMO, it’s his best, even better than Le Must). Now, about Cafe. After reading the reviews comparing it to Opium, Nuit de Noel, Dune, Parfum Sacre, Mitsuko, MY Gosh!! I just HAd to buy it.
Well, well…..I don’t get it. At first sniff my nose tells me “anise” (which I can’t stand). I guess the combination of lime and rosemary gives that vibe. It smells very masculine (I don’t know why it’s not unisex). So I waited, and waited for the wonderful notes: oakmoss (love it), spices..but no. Just when I think it can’t get more masculine, the vetiver kicks in. Where is Nuit de Noel? , Opium?, Dune?
Not that I am knocking off scents for men. I have worn Yatagan and I love it. With Cafe, I just don’t get anything but lime, rosemary and vetiver.
I see that there are people who like it. It’s very inexpensive, and, if you love it, great. As for me, I will see if any of my friends wants it.
LexssS13 – :
I was wearing Opium for years, still do and I think that this perfume if it has to remind something it is indeed Opium. I am surprised to read that some people cannot see the resemblance. Judging by the colour of the bottle etc I believe that it came out as an Opium alternative or dupe. Like Chanel N°5 and L’aimant. BUT, if you really really love Opium, no, this is not the same as Opium. It is something similar, it has the general vibe, but no it hasn’t got Opium’s complexity and depth. It is a nice spicy oriental fragrance but unfortunately to me it doesn’t have that much lasting power. I live in a very cold country and the maximum it stays to me it is 3 hours and after I have sprayed 10 times. But anyway, even with that litle longevity, I cannot complain since the price is very low. I suggest it for cold weather and evening or night.
roman_tim96 – :
I am in “Heavenly” coffee power scent. This is one of the most gorgeous scents I’ve ever smelled. Really cheap on EBay too. I ordered 6 bottles of this this morning. I wonder why this is not more popular than it is. A mystery to me.
soloviev – :
The rosemary & verbena definitely give Cafe a soapy sort of opening, but as it dries down I start to smell the spices. I definitely detect cinnamon & cloves, but there are other spices as well.. they’re just too blended for me to be sure what they are. A pleasantly sweet and woody amber base comes through about 30 minutes in.
A slight soapy undertone remains throughout the life of the fragrance and makes me wish for a bit more warmth, but this is still a very enjoyable fragrance. Especially considering it can be easily obtained for under $15.
I feel very comfortable wearing this and I think it will make a nice everyday. It’s light enough that I feel it’s appropriate to wear any time of year.
lehagorodeckii – :
I wouldn’t care to compare this to Opium, but I suppose it’s the only frame of reference many of us have! Cafe itself belongs to Opium’s CATEGORY, more than it’s aura. It has both a creamy aspect and a freshness, something I find completely unexpected.
Personally, the exciting part about Cafe is that it’s an Oriental I can easily sport in hot weather. Better yet, it’s remarkably refreshing! I think it’s that Aromatic accord I notice and love. 🙂
Cafe has low to moderate sillage and longevity, but in this case that’s not a deterrent to me. I feel I’m using a luxurious body spray, ideal for the dog days of summer!
Five Stars
Update – I’ve since sampled VINTAGE Opium, and here the resemblance is considerably more pronounced. Cafe is like a higher pitched version, lacking some of the deeper, ‘dirty’ notes of this Opium. I like them both!
Fermilos – :
I had it along time but in my skin it´s very poor fragrance only can smell in my skin 30 minuts but in my mom it´s very long time
eAndreyMak – :
I can kind of see how other members have likened this to Opium, although it doesn’t have the patchouli hit that Opium has. In my opinion the wood is quite pronounced and I detect a certain bitter coffee undertone (hence the name I guess).
Lasting power isn’t fantastic, and for me it’s not really a valid alternative to my beloved vintage Opium. Is anything really? I’ll pass it on or use up the bottle as air freshener.
ovf557speagoessenda – :
Love, love, love. I finally found a bottle on eBay. Simply gorgeous!! It’s very possible that this scent was introduced to market in order to compete with Opium. The colours of the packaging are similar and some aspects of the scent itself are similar, but this is just a spicy beauty indeed. I think the lime accord offsets everything so beautifully. I was sniffing myself all evening last night. Could be considered perhaps an Opium lite. This scent is a little less spicy and not so heavy and intricate. Hard to find so I consider myself lucky. One of my favourites. In fact I think Fragrantica should make room for at least six favourites, agreed? 🙂
emste – :
It reminds me of Yves Rocher Ispahan only smoother in the dry down. Very reminiscent of pre-reformulated Opium. Very well-blended. Very French casual. I love it. The only thing I don’t love is the very poor longevity. It’s inexpensive though, so I can freshen up often.
stilllife – :
I, too, bought this expecting it to at least have a small hint of coffee to it. While it’s nothing like coffee, it is a very pleasant scent. The vetiver is strong at first and then it tones down to a faint smell of almost graham crackers. A very interesting perfume.
Pumpon84 – :
I must agree with cloyd42 and weegee about the oakmoss. Maybe 15 minutes in, it becomes quite prominent. Something like: Mitsouko + Parfum Sacre = Cafe.
Kylichka000 – :
Beautiful, warm, spicy. This was another blind buy for me. When it arrived this afternoon in the mail I couldn’t wait to spray a bit on my wrist. At first sniff I thought, “Wow, that is strong” second sniff, “Wow, that’s Opium!”.
Rushed here to see the notes on this and the first thing I see is all the references to this smelling like Opium. I am delighted! I have been trying all week to win various auctions on e-bay for a bottle of YSL’s Opium! I’m finished bidding…this was MUCH less expensive and smells enough like it for me!
Bigsly, there is no coffee note in this perfume. I’m not sure why others are thinking it is there…the name, maybe. Other Cafe Perfumes such as ,Cafe Intenso, have the coffee note, but not this one.
mikepollson – :
This is a gem. I purchased it a blind buy on Fragance.Net and I received it yesterday along with Balmain Amber Gris. On a whim, I decided to layer them together and it is beautiful.
But back to Cafe, on its own it is a beautiful sister to Opium but doesnt require the same financial commitement. I have been wearing it since a 6:15 am and it is currently 1:30 pm and I can still smell it a few inches from my wrist. A second application may be necessary, but for the price I don’t mind.
Although the bottle is cheap and tacky, the juice inside is beautiful and worthy of a better bottle.
I can see myself buying another full bottle of this in the near future. If you are trying to decide whether or not to pick this up, go ahead it is very nice.
Mrzeta – :
I just did a dab sampling, and it smells great up close, which surprised me (being that this is a “cheapo”). With the rosemary and vetiver listed, my guess was that this could be unisex, and that is in fact the case (IMO of course). It’s softer than YSL’s Opium and doesn’t seem to have great longevity but I’ll have to wear it normally and report back. My guess is that this may be the kind of scent you have to spray several times (on the same spot) in order to get decent longevity. It’s very well balanced and there’s clearly something ambery here, though that’s not listed in the notes above. However, I don’t get any clear coffee note. I’ve got the bottle that is pictured.
don77763 – :
A beautiful aldehyde overdose with light touch of creamy sweet coffee. It does give the same balmy quality as Opium.
sqh273Negeltzex – :
It’s 3 weeks before Christmas, and my Mom is unpacking our decorations. There are boxes of lights, boxes of ribbons, bows and paper, a big box for the wreath we have hung on our door for as long as I can remember, and then the box of candles-both electric and wax-that we deck the halls with each year.
I open the lid to the box of candles and there it is: the smell of Christmas to me. Bayberry, pine, spruce, cinnamon and cloves. That smell can only mean one thing-well, it did before I tried this fragrance!
I’ve been wearing Cafe by Cafe now for 4 days straight. I wanted to get the best impression of it that I could so I made it the only bottle I took with me for a long weekend trip. It is safe to say, I have found a new favorite frag for my Top Ten list.
This is the EDT I am reviewing, and with that being stated, I will tell you the longevity of this EDT is fairly good (upwards of 10 hours on me so far) but the sillage is nothing to write home about. I can catch wafts of it as I am moving around but otherwise it’s pretty close to my skin. Hubby says he can smell it from about 6″ and his sniffer isn’t very sensitive. However, I had to get him VERY close for him to even pick up on it. It’s not a head turner.
The bottle is Dollar Store chic, indeed. It isn’t impressive, but the spray works great on it so far and it’s a FINE mist, which I always appreciate more than a targeted stream. Maximum coverage with that atomizer.
When I first applied it all I could think of was Wassail. It’s this incredible spiced wine drink served at the holidays full of every conceivable kind of spice. My cousin makes a wine-free version at Christmas and this is almost exactly what that initial mist called to mind. Then after about 10 minutes the wonderful carnation/patchouli notes began to warm on my skin and this frag really opened up and started to shine. It’s a sweet smell, but not sugary or jammy. This has NO fruit to it. It’s a calming, comforting smell that I expect from this type of Oriental frag.
I absolutely LOVE the spices in this. That’s what I tend to go for, though. If you don’t want to have someone tell you that you smell warm and homey, then don’t wear this. For all it’s comforting overtones, it’s also very opulent to me. This is a rich frag-not cheap smelling, in my opinion. I think if the formulation had a tad more carnation in it then it would almost be cheapy. My bottle had just the right blend and with that powdery soft patchouli blending with it, it’s still very “foreign” and a bit mystical. There is a touch of incense to this as well that I also love.
I highly recommend this wallet-friendly frag to those of you who love a warm, rich, but not over the top frag on those chilly w