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vetalian – :
Out of the gate this is three things: peach, cyclamen and tonka/vanilla. It is deepened by the musk and sandalwood. Some other florals are detectable in the drydown. But, this is definitely a juicy fruity scent with no DNA of Ciara, no spiciness.
04andriy1993 – :
I’ll be tickled if I ever find a “fresh” bottle of this; as it is, the 3.4 ounce bottle I have has turned very dark indeed and it seems as though the top notes have ‘burned’ off as in, the opening has that “VINTAGE, been sittin’ in the bottle a while” distinctive tone to it.
Few other fragrances could compare to FRESH Ciara Femme Fatale, though.
Such a pity that it’s been discontinued, this was once a gorgeous, wonderful, sweet-spicy-floral sexy WOMAN juice. Fortunately, the mini I have is still very fresh, but I won’t be repurchasing CFF unless it’s re-released.
C’est la Vie!
But, as the Gershwin brothers taught us in song, “No, no, they can’t take that away from me”.
Fortunately, I have part of a .45 oz spray bottle that is still fresh and beautiful and will cherish every drop.
SpookY – :
Fragrance Review For Ciara Femme Fatale
Revlon
Top Notes
Mandarin Orange Pear Peach Cyclamen Lily of the Valley
Middle Notes
Jasmine Rose Nutmeg African Orange Flower
Base Notes
Sandalwood Musk Tonka Vanilla
*1995 Cologne Spray
Femme Fatale is a rather delightful Ciara flanker with a 1990’s fruity floral bent.
This perfume, and it IS a perfume, has a kind of sweetness and spiciness that appeals to me, with a decidedly feminine and mature vibe.
I was thoroughly enchanted and relieved that something this good is also very affordable.
Why does one need to spend so much on new Chanel wardrobe when you can have something just as beautiful and breathtaking for a cheaper price?
Femme Fatale is exquisite as a fruity floral Oriental vanilla fragrance.
The box has such a cute retro charm!
The fragrance opens with fruit notes almost like the ones in Chloe Narcisse with a peach and apricot, a mandarin and a pear.
They are not fresh fruit but darker fruit concentrate, rich, exotic and sweet. The peach is my favorite fruit note in perfumery. This peach is very well-made and it provides this fragrance with that 1990s fruity top formula that made a lot of perfumes commercially successful – i.e. Tresor by Lancôme.
The heart is floral with pronounced African Orange Flower also known as orange blossom, a little white jasmine and soapy rose. The florals are kept at a minimum but they are sufficient. The flowery smell is a lingering one, heightened by the sweet fruits.
In this capacity it’s not too different from Chloe Narcisse which other reviewers have even included in the section “This fragrance reminds me of…”. It sure does smell like Chloe Narcisse only with less florals and perhaps less of that oiliness (rose oil) and with more vanilla. The vanilla in Chloe Narcisse is faint and in the background at the dry down. In Femme Fatale, the vanilla and tonka take over.
From the base a muscatone (musk note) and sandalwood seem to congeal to transform into an incense. The sandalwood is redolent and gives it an Oriental kick. The musk is not as leathery or animalic.
It’s powdered musk and powdered vanilla/tonka. The whole thing turns into an incense and powder. It seems tailor made to be worn to Church. I smell incense and I think of Church, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t wear it anywhere else.
It can be sported to other places and venues: a romantic dinner date, even to work if you apply lightly. This is not a super powerful perfume. It’s a cologne concentration so it doesn’t throw out as much sillage and projection as an eau de parfum. So this is the kind of perfume you can spray liberally and bathe in without any fear of repercussion.
A beautiful and affordable luxury.
Lexa06 – :
Assuming one can bypass the opening root beer that is probably caused by a strong pear plus musk, they are in for a very nice and pleasant surprise. Creamy sandalwood, rose, tonka with a hint of spicy peach! Smooth, aromatic and utterly delicious! Musk adds a grounding quality while allowing the rest of the notes to reveal themselves in all their glory. It is jammy, sweet and kind of semi gourmand at the beginning, but the development is pure joy. A sophisticated, mellow wood with nuances of rose, hints of Tonka and a touch of fruit spiced with an utterly sensational nutmeg, this is Ciara Femme Fatale. You either love or hate. For me it’s Love!
pokcbivSAZi – :
Mine smelt off so I told the seller and they sent me another one which also smells off. Is that how Ciara Femme Fatale is supposed to smell?
WHITE321 – :
Simmering poached pears in cream sherry, with bursts of maraschino cherries. Drying down now, more vanilla and softer. It is sweet although very decent and seems a powerhouse. Nice with the lightest of touches, literally one drop. A hint of Chloe Narcissus, a drop of Guerlain Nahema within a boozy backdrop. To me this is very good value for dollar if you can get the original vintage, Not sure of reformulations if any but the original is there, holding up with more costly others. It is very sweet though.
varvar67s – :
I agree that it does not resemble the original Ciara, at all. Revlon most likely wanted to use the popularity of Ciara to launch Femme Fatale.
This is another “take it easy otherwise major headache” fragrance. I oversprayed and I had to wash it off right away. Tried it again (I hate to think I wasted my money, call me cheap), and, yes, even though it’s not as good as Ciara, IMO, it is quite pleasant, specially if you like a little of the fruity vibe without all the sugar.
At first whiff I get pear, a bit chemical, which makes it more current (yeah, we have to admit that the new stuff is mostly chemicals). I “sense” the rose, mandarin orange, and other notes lingering in the background. The dry down does not change much, which it’s OK. The sillage is tremendous, that’s the only thing it has in common with Ciara. But, remember, do not overspray!
mug – :
In fall & winter , on days I just don’t know what to do
With myself , I put this on . Very Little , I just dab a bit on .
The smells changes through the day , takes me to different places .
I never knew anyone that wore it so I don’t connect it to memories from the past so I use it for dull dark cold winter days to day dream . As the day changes the different notes come & go . Warm & mysterious . Comforting to me some how .
It’s nice just to have on hand .
AlexeyB – :
P.S. Fresh cut roses in the moon light air.(my little daughter expression for this one)
Sweeptith – :
Oh this was GUUUUD! I wish I still had a bottle of this boozey sexy scent. Ciara’s are very bold, deep and HUGE no matter what the % (80, 100, or 200) & I didn’t realize or appreciate this when I was younger and purchased my bottle of Ciara Femme Fatal.
It is SEXY. Whenever you have a floral and add a boozey vanilla with a bit of nutmeg or cinnamon you have a juice that will make a lot of men go weak in the knees. It’s been studied. It is a fact. Their brains & other body parts react to pumpkin pie like spices & certain florals. This perfume is not the exception. It is deep, fruity, mysterious, spicy and leaves a silage like nobody’s business.
The day after I bought this I doused myself in it and went on a road trip with my mom and grandpa. They were both kind enough to refrain from any rude comments but we all had our windows cranked down and could barely breathe. It was too much. I didn’t use this again until several weeks later and when I finally did I only used a tiny bit. What a difference correct application can make with some scents! It unfolded note after note, layer after layer each laying perfectly the foundation for the next to build upon.
This is intense and I would compare the intensity to the likes of Chloe Narcissus. (Hideously strong), BUT it is also soft. The vanilla and boozy quality of it take it from what could be a screeching rock concert to a mellow bar playing bluesy jazz.
I wish I could find a reliable source for this with juice that hasn’t turned. I do not think that my Ciara is one that has aged well with time, so I’m doubtful this would either. Please PM me if you encounter a online retailer or private vendor selling CFF.
Thank you!
Cheers!
Siste_8612 – :
Rose and nutmeg dipped in honey. Soft and pleasant, even a little mysterious smell. I like it.
mog049bedyWelty – :
Dear Tenderhearted,
Your honesty about your compassion is truly heartwarming…Thanks for sharing!!!
Sincerely, V.
maestro1991 – :
I figured with a name like “Femme Fatale”, that this Ciara flanker would blow the original away. Other than a similar title and bottle design, I cannot detect any olfactory connection between the two.
This has been an unusual fragrance experience for me. I do not think I care for this perfume. There are some notes in this fragrance that rub me the wrong way. The first accord that I get that just isn’t my bag, is some kind of “booziness” that I really don’t know how else to describe. It reminds me of an old fashioned, Manhattan cocktail or perhaps a strong, warm, apricot brandy. Then, there is this smoky element that isn’t like straight tobacco or pipe tobacco. It’s more like a “blue nile” variity of burnt incense resin/tar that remains on a dish after the cone has burned away. I realize that elements like these are added to create a sense of mystery, but they just simply don’t turn me on. I also find that they seem to clash in theme, with the fruity notes that weave in and out of the composition. It’s almost annoying. It’s as if you took a person and smeared them with insence tar, splashed them with booze, let that dry…then, doused them in Viva La Juicy. It’s a bit messy.
I do love the original Ciara. And, although I don’t hate this fragrance, I will stick with the original.
мигел – :
I recently had the pleasure to swap for Mackie sight un-sniffed. The second I spritzed it in the air I recognized a long lost favourite… I never wore Mackie in the ’90s but I did wear Ciara Femme Fatale. I lost my bottle in the midst of multiple moves and never found it again to replace it. Mackie smells like Ciara Femme Fatale’s creamier sister. I used to get so many compliments when I wore Ciara Femme Fatale from both men and women. A very sophisticated drug store fragrance. Thank you Tenderhearted for pointing out that not every one can afford expensive perfume. People who can’t afford expensive perfume can have good taste and know quality when they smell it.
krw136speagoessenda – :
I love your reviews tenderhearted!
My Mom used to wear this. It was really pretty and sweet. It did smell a little bit spicy too.It was kind of that thing where you can’t really put your finger on notes,it just smelled like lovely perfume.
I hope Revlon cares about animals.
Peugeon – :
I just wanted to let others know that the only reason I would not wear this perfume anymore,is because I am not totally clear as to whether Revlon conducts cruel animal testing when making their perfume/cosmetics.I just cannot chance that,my heart cannot take it. I don’t think that Revlon uses real animal musk though. And that is a wonderful thing.
I used to wear this before I knew about animal testing (and musk),and it really smelled quite beautiful. It is not very kind to insult others for the perfume they wear. Some people cannot afford expensive perfume.
Let me tell you ladies and gents,I would buy a vegan dupe/imitation of this in a heartbeat! It smelled very purple to me. It was sweet and softly smoky. It smelled like dreamy white flowers dusted gently with something purple and sweet,powdered grapes if you will.And it was juicy too,and had gentle smoke rings,like plums trees blooming and growing next to the softest incense smoke.There was yummy powdered vanilla in this too. It really was one of my very favorite perfumes and it quite suited my gothic heart.
I can see in the notes,that what my nose used to detect may be different,but that is ok. We all sense what we sense.
I am noticing that the imitation perfumes I have of Mariah Carey M and Amber Romance,both remind me of Femme Fatale at times. Especially the M perfume. M has that creamy sweet,exotic,soft smoke,and purple smell that echoes Femme Fatale memories.
The name was perfect to me,and I received countless compliments when I wore this perfume.
**Important to also note,that I wore this perfume in 1998. The reformulation beast may be around to bite our perfume spraying fingers! So this may not smell quite the same here in 2011.
I care about everyone, and I come in peace always.Please let’s be kind to each other.