To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
klaus1243 – :
This perfume was a gorgeous scent. I’m going to wear it (and use it up) during the next spring, when the orange blossom is blooming. It smells like the south of Spain in easter week, at the end of march/early april. A very thick vintage one, with heady white flowers
neytronik2 – :
I wanted to like this but from my vintage mini the frag is way way too strong. On opening a smell more like an aldehyde. Opening reminds of Jean Patou ma collection which should be good but just stays put with no development. Said to be strictly floral but I am getting spices and amber on dry down. No magnolia or jasmine, I suppose the top notes are gone from my sample. I may try this again with a different sample.
red33 – :
Rosendo Mateu created this beautiful floral fragrance for Carmen Victorio & Lucchino, launched in ’92. This is one of the most beautiful and luxurious flower power perfumes of the 90’s. I first experienced this fragrance at my Russian girlfriend’s wedding in New York. She adored the scent of magnolia in this but to my nose the orange blossom is the strongest floral accord. I love orange blossom and magnolia and they blend very well with the jasmine. This fragrance has been discontinued but sells on ebay as miniatures or as an eau de toilette spray. I have the EDT Spray and it smells just as I remember. It’s so beautiful. If you like white flowers this fragrance will definitely satisfy your white floral desires. I see it as a wedding gown fragrance so ladies if you’re on that difficult exhausting search for the right fragrance for your wedding day, this is one I’d recommend along with Kate Spade by Kate Spade, Channel No. 22 and even Marilyn Miglin’s Four White Flowers. This one and Kate Spade are the most expensive smelling and of course Chanel No. 22 is absolutely perfect. Carmen is a delicious strong flower scent so you are going to leave a trail of flowers behind you. I find it so unbelievably beautiful and it saddens me that the Eau de Parfum is long gone and that women don’t smell like this anymore. Women SHOULD smell like this. Instead they replaced flowers with pralines, vanilla cinnamon and other gourmand garbage LOL I will use this fragrance to wear whenever I go to Europe. I’m getting a French, Spanish and Italian vibe and I’m sure they’d love to smell it on me over there, even when it’s very strong. This is such a romantic fragrance. I want to wish everyone on Fragrantica a Merry Christmas.
cvoloshuga – :
My darling Dad brought two bottles of this home from one of his trips to Europe way back in the 90’s, as gifts for my sister and I. No doubt my father bought them because of the good looking bottles. I was only 20 and had only used Alyssa Ashely French Garden Flowers Rose … it was my teenage signature perfume (and I’ve been searching for a bottle of it this year on ebay… It never appears! Looks like it may be long gone now). So at 20 years old Carmen became my new signature. Honestly… I loved it then. My sister (the gal who SAVES EVERYTHING) still has her bottle and its practically full. I sneak a spray sometimes now and then, and I still love this fragrance. Its really STRONG, though… possibly even too strong for me at this point.
Huge florals here, and then a sophisticated creamy dry down. Warm and also somehow pristine. The notes listed seem pretty accurate, but I don’t have the perfume on me and haven’t tried it in a little while.
I can however tell you about the most memorable experience I’ve had while wearing this perfume.
I used to work with a guy who literally could barely keep his hands off me or his nose out of my hair once I started using this perfume. Its like it was an actual magic spell. He was really darling and I had had a mad crush on him, and he rarely took much notice of me until the day I came into work wearing Carmen. After that he was always coming up to me and hugging me… or flirting in a really scandalous way. I mean… really scandalous. I won’t go into how scandalous it got. He would smell my hair and say, “Oh God you smell so GOOD!!! ” and plunge his face into my hair (we were all a bunch of actor types, and dancers… so a very playful, crazy crowd) I didn’t have a boyfriend at that point, and was living with a group of gals in a flat… So I don’t know if any other men loved it the way my co-worker did, but he ended up falling in love with me, and asking me to be his girlfriend. I turned him down… I wasn’t ready for a serious relationship yet. But Carmen is exactly why he fell in love, I am certain of it.
So… As bad as the reviews for Carmen are here… For me it brings back amazing memories of my Dad’s jazz concerts in Europe, my young adulthood in a new big city, and crazy passion between me and my co-worker. There is some kind of magic in this bottle, I’ll always believe that.
poxipoll – :
Even after reading some of the reviews here I couldn’t resist bidding for a tiny bottle of this on e-bay a while back.
At last I have tested it. Firstly, on opening the lid the scent hits you. Just a small drop on the wrist is enough for this test. It is strong, a powerful floral – for me jasmine all the way.
I am not sure I would wear this in the summer – too powerful – but in the winter it would penetrate through a jumper, scarf, hat and coat with no problem!
Can’t see me using it too often, but if I feel like cheering myself on a dark and dismal winter’s day I might reach for it.
drobik1963 – :
I got one: kind of aquatic, flowery, spicy to me.I can not define declared jasmine there at all, however some lovely scent coming after one hour. It is not as strong for me, as it mentioned below.
SVB85 – :
Seville,s, well, southern in general, Spains spring in a perfum, be careful as its enough with few sprays, this is a very powerful floral, like mixing up tons of orange flowers with jasmins and a small touch of magnolia and lime, Carmen, a spanish female name, really suits it, as well with the bottle than reminds to an old andalusian bouquet of flowers with roman and mozarabic influences, a very interesting perfum suitable mostly to women older than 35 and for the daytime the whole year
сербун – :
Gosh I almost forgot the name of this one… when I lived in Madrid my then flatmate used to douse herself in this and the whole appartment would smell of it. Interesting to see which ingredients make up this nuclear cloud. A very loud floral with the ability to cut through inner city smog and crowds for sure.
kosdelabar – :
Wow, so much orange blossom! I bought this is in Spain to remind me of the fun I had visiting Madrid. This is a very strong at first spray but settles down into something very warm and rich when it’s on the skin and it lasts for ever. I think it’s a evening fragrance rather than daytime – bit too full on and flirty for the office. Men seem to love it!!
vaucher74 – :
If anyone wants to buy/trade this one from from me, let me know, it doesn’t work for me.
zaytsev.sasha – :
it really suits its name.wow!!!Very bewitched fragrance.extremely seductive.Perfect for nights at the seaside.Very long lasting and perfect sillage.very classy with lil old fashioned touch but with a moderntouch at the same time
P.S.in the dry down i deffinatelly smell the same iris benzoin combo from Prada Iris
vasyakin – :
I really wanted it – because of declared magnolia and orange blossoms notes, the bottle and … the name 😉
However, the first impression really put me off. Instant nausea 🙁 which to me happens rarely – as I am an avid lover of vintage “lady scents”. I had to pull all my strenghts together not to wash it off right away. It took three hours to melt down and mix with my skin to an “approachable” warm rich scent which is no longer unpleasant and in fact is rather unique and interesting. Orange blossoms finally there but as if from a warm hazed misty distance – which is nice. Still much too soapy for me. Reminds me of D&G Sicilly and Lanvin Rumeur which are also unwearble for me because of the soapiness I feel.
Might be someones “signaure scent” though – it definitely is unique. Silage is good, it stays with you 🙂
parliament – :
this scent is definitely not for everyone however I do have to say it is one of the most beautiful scents combined. Sad to see reviews are not great on this one
Nomneisem – :
Yes, I would have to say that this one is my first disappointment especially for the price. The floral notes are there but something in it also smells like soap. I thought Carmen would reflect its name but no so!
korpan – :
This perfume has some really weird and unappealing notes, although it has a small but loyal following.
Official frag notes to follow next week when I return home.
Injesinue – :
Cramen…when I think of it I imagine a romantic,spicy,savage perfume.
unfortunately this one is none of them.all I get here is flowers.simple & chic,not seductive at all.
I love the story of the famous free chipsy women but they’ve wasted such a nice name for an average perfume like this!