Description
After the fragrance Max Mara, the first fragrance of the Max Mara house, in February 2008 comes a new, elegant and by its composition very interesting edition Max Mara le Parfum.
It is created in cooperation with perfume ‘nose’ Vincent Schaller. The composition prevail various musk notes. Musk, accompanied with nutmeg accords, makes 60% of this fragrance. This can be expected to be a fragrance in which male components dominate over the female and floral aromas.
This specific masculine combination in a ‘female’ bodied bottle, Max Mara le Parfum, brings kind of musk, nutmeg, gourmand accords of plum, Moroccan rose essence, jasmine, Tyger lily, sandal wood and lime wood accords. Suck mix of notes is indeed rare in modern fragrances for women.
The interesting bottle in a shape of amulet was designed by Thierry de Baschmakoff. The fragrance comes as 30ml (1 oz.fl.), 50ml (1.7 oz.fl.) and 90ml (3 oz.fl.) EDP.
Microptic – :
I wanted to like this scent. But is too much musk in it.
Lightly podwer and musk dominates. Not my type of perfume.
LESOGORSK6 – :
I was lucky to buy a bottle on ebay auction. I also have Oriflame Paradise.
Yes, its true, Oriflame Paradise is the very close version of it, but much much simpler version.
The difference is like if Max Mara Le Parfum is silk and Oriflame Paradise is denim. Max Mara is much more delicate and seductive.
sgz418Negeltzex – :
Same kind of elegance as in Bottega Venetta’s classic scent: Clean with a “tss”. Musky champaign or chamgaigny musk? A smart spice sleeps underneith an non-average to average niceness of a 2000. I think John Frieda shampoos could have smell this way. It comforts me crazy. I think everything about it is elegant, just as the brand is. The flacon is stunning. It reminds me of lotus feet. My conclusion is simple: Bring it back. With exclamation mark.
This is my Prada Amber pour Homme, this is my clean but special smell, my female whisper with masculine bite. I am sad I cannot make this my signature due to some marketing / market research decisions…
Dan1386 – :
Yes, it is discontinued. I bought it first time on the ferry between Greek islands for €25. Blind buy as it was cheap and I left my perfumes at home. I never regret about it. I love slightly masculine perfumes, as:
A) they are really special on women and attract attention
B) they are “cleaner”
C) I work in office and they are more relevant.
Fine, about Le Parfum – it’s one of the typical “Italian” aroma: well balanced pyramid, never overwhelming, quality ingredients. It is peppery-crispy flowery-musk. It is not very long lasting.
After my 1st bottle I bought 2 more 90 ml. Testers. Those were about $50 each. If you have a chance to buy a tester, don’t hesitate – it has a cute bottle stand, which is convenient and cute.
I got a lot of compliments from men, especially from those who are executives.
My statistics, saying on my taste: I was buying more then 1 bottle of:
– Sissi by De la Morandier
– Climat by Lancôme
– Samurai by Alain Delon
– Diamond Dust by Agent Provocateur
– Tawasul by Quraishi (Arabic)
Recently I did review of prices, seems they are around $200. Does it worth it? I would not buy it for more than $150. Otherwise there are many new perfumes I want to try for $200. I bought Paradise by Oriflame to compare, but its being shipped.
What I am wearing now is Florabotanica by Balenciaga – with those cannabis notes it’s dinstinguishable. What I want – one of the niche by Luten.
i_am_small – :
Unique. Fresh pepper on the opening then turns flowery musky, with a bit spicy in the background. Vintage. Soft & warm like afternoon tea time. Good longevity.
Rinachothbona1979 – :
Why it’s so hard to buy this parfums? Is it discontinued?
Felix2014 – :
Found it in surprise, never knew nutmeg can come my way, the bottle is nice, body lotion is nice and this is special!
I must cherish the rest of this, its rather hard to find another one similar to this.
xik113Diobtetty – :
Silent temptation in the bottle. Just a hint. Just a glance. Just… and it means so much.
I imagine a woman dressed just in man’s shirt and enjoying the first sunbeams in the morning. The room is light, there is a bouquet of white flowers on the glass table. And a sensual, electric sexuality lingers in the air. He is still asleep but he feels her scent in his dreams. He knows what she wants…
First it’s citrusy (I can compare it with Versace Versense), but they are not listed. Then it’s nutty (warm, delicious filling) and then it turns into an elegant sandalwood. I really appreciate the scent of linden blossoms. It makes me remember a warm, scented breeze touching me like a caress.
Beautiful!
Serge1488 – :
Le Parfum is like wearing a pashmina scarf; cozy, elegant and slightly mysterious.
The pink pepper and nutmeg make it spicy enough to separate it from ordinary soft and powdery scents but not too much to become loud or masculine. I’ve enjoyed wearing it.
The bottle is gorgeous!
alerty77 – :
This perfume is pleaseant but nothing amazing.
It smells like a fresh citrussy “perfumey” perfume. I know “perfumey” is a really strange/crap word to describe a perfume. To me “perfumey” is that overall smell of perfume you get when you walk into an airport…or…department store.
This has some nice clean notes and some citrus but…is not really anything that makes me go…wowzers!!
yac042speagoessenda – :
This smells citrusy to me,even though there are no citrus notes listed.
Creamy,musky,fresh but warm at the same time.An all-year-rounder.
Fizzy and sparkly like pink lemonade,but never sharp or sour.
Sillage and longevity are good.Five hours later I could still smell it.
I’m not a fan of ‘fizzy’ fragrances generally but MM Le Parfum bucks the trend.
Love it.
vladialav – :
it’s very spicy. opens with a peppery fragrance and doesn’t even stay on for a long time.
ejikspe4enikom – :
I love this! Yes, maybe it’s not extraordinary, but it gives me a nice and, I think, special and intelligent aura. I can wear it anytime, never frustrates me.
valgol09 – :
It’s not a loud perfume, you can wear it in summer and it will never give you a headache. Spicy nutmeg on the top and some soft flowers, very feminine.
marytrouddy – :
ادکلن زنانه با بوی ناز و خوش بو
با کلاس مخصوص خانمهای جوان و با وقار و موئدب
Cute, sweet feminine fragrance with the scent of cologne
for young women with class and dignity and Mvydb
Stawr07 – :
this perfume is too “silent” for me… i mean, way too calm and heavy. i don’t get any remarkable emotions when i smell it.
н.и.к.и.т.а. – :
I like the smell and it’s surprising because I usually don’t like fresh scents. But what makes me want to wear the perfume from time to time is the nutmeg – a great one and it can be distinguished easily. The start is peppery – very peppery – I like pepper in perfumes. I also like the moment when the rose comes into play and, as I don’t like roses in scents, this one is an exception.
Do you remember the song “Sweet Harmony”? The male singer and young women sitting nude around him? So is the smell, it’s nude and transparent. My husband said I leave a trace behind me when I wear the perfume. Staying power is also very good.
What I notice the most is nutmeg, musk, pepper and rose, a bit of freesia, gardenia but I don’t see any plum.
Dimich_90 – :
You know what “nude” make-up is, don’t you?
So if we speak of “nude” perfumes, Le Parfum would be a typical example.
I could imagine an elegant young woman in the white silk dressing gown wearing this at home in the evening.
So you could try this one if you want the most natural effect and some intimacy, maybe.
Step by step now:
Nutmeg + pepper. Interesting spicy top (still light and discreet) softened slightly by flowers. Plum appears somewhere between the top and the heart.
All these promise original continuing, really. Besides, I was happy to find such strong nutmeg – I like it both in perfumery and in cooking.
In the middle, pleasant musky flowers come.
That’t truly very likable and inoffensive, perfect if you need to make a good impression (e.g. at a job appointment).
But it lacks that originality that makes you feel unique, it’s just a kind common and unmemorable.
The base: tender sweet musk and sandalwood.
On me, sandalwood is very distinctive and so lovely! Yet, the scent is so light that I’m likely to be the only lucky to catch this beauty.
Berg – :
I can smell a very sharp sandlewood in this. My Godmother got a bar or sandlewood soap made in Fiji on one of her holidays. It was in a little silk bag tied with a ribbon. This when I sniff my wrist smells like sharp sandlewood not Samsara smooth warm sandlewood, sharp sandlewood. It settles nicely on me but it takes half an hour to settle down. I hate the opening spray it is very sharp and peppery. I wait for 30 minutes and then I really like this. Like a cool version on Chopard Infiniment or Provocative Women by Arden. It becomes smooth with the spice just softly there but in a cool way the abovementioned perfumes have a warm vanilla amber drydown. If you like Miracle or Wings by Police this is a nice middle of the road. Not as good as Miracle, not as Young and cheaply priced as Wings but classy. It lasts on me although I do like to respray it and of course I have to go through those opening notes again but I don’t mind I am glad I got this. There is no cupcake smell or overly strong vanilla either. If you like Notorious by RL it is warmer than this but you may like this as a light perfume.
fzs912Bessinepome – :
I got a couple sample vials of this today, and I think it’s a really nice perfume. On me it started out very light and nutmeg-y. However, after it had time to sit on my skin, the smell seemed to get stronger and muskier, though still very clean. I love the way it radiates as I wear it, and I plan to wear this perfume at the office.
Genesis_fromAC – :
I actually wanted to test and review the original Max Mara fragrance, however due to some confusion on the sales assistant’s behalf, I was sprayed with Le Parfum.
From what I’ve read in the last hour or so, Le Parfum was created using nutmeg and musk, which are often the ingredients which make up a masculine scent. This fragrance is attempting to prove that a feminine fragrance is possible when these notes are combined.
I hate assigning a gender to a perfume as I’m a strong believer that you should wear whatever you like. Le Parfum is feminine, in that soapy, slightly powdery and clean sense of the word. The musk has obviously been tamed with a multitude of sugary white florals.
This fragrance reminds me of Annick Goutal’s Musc Nomade, a perfect example of a musk that makes a woman feel as pretty as a princess and a man feel clean and dominant. Le Parfum hasn’t ruled out its male buyers entirely, it has just invited the women to join in too.
I’m not too fussed with Le Parfum to be honest. It’s pretty, clean and musky, yet it doesn’t transcend past any boundaries. I am sometimes anosmic to musk, so every now and then I forget I’m wearing Le Parfum because the smell vanishes. The poor longevity doesn’t help either.
I like the bottle with its minimalist design complete with a grey ribbon, however getting the bottle to stand erect is another obstactle. I prefer Kiehl’s Original Musk for my musk cravings, however Max Mara’s Le Parfum is much subtler and more clean and soapy, so perhaps there are some people who would prefer it for its delicate qualities.
were12 – :
My male friend who works in perfume retail hated this, saying it smelt ‘musty’ but for me, i have a real love for pink pepper notes. Anyways, I kept trying it on every time I went into see him. finally i took the plunge and bought it. And i don’t know why, but now i don’t like it. I am going to try it at different times, seasons. I think it something to do with my body chemistry, or the warm weather is putting me off… I don’t understand it at all… It’s so different to other things on the market, and that’s a real selling point for me.
i am going to re-edit this at some point… once i figure out Le Parfum’s place in my life… 😛
Edit: Jan 2011…
I have to say, we have become reacquainted and had some good times together. I have to be in the mood for this though and my body chemistry changes it. I’m kind of relieved because it’s quite a special little thing. cute packaging… it’s not an every day, or even an every week go to fragrance for me… i kinda like it that way…
Alexeyi4 – :
very peppery, woody, and slightly floral
moursuata – :
What a dissapointment! Another pretty fragrance which dies a mediocre and quick death on my skin.
It was gorgeous on the paper blotter. Still is, two hours later. The scent on the paper is a soft, woody floral. The nutmeg in the top notes ties the whole composition nicely together, and melts into the rosewood in the base.
On my wrist, it’s a different story. It’s nothing like what it’s supposed to be! All I smell is dust and button mushrooms… And even that is faint. *le sigh*
Please, always test a fragrance on your skin! The reviews may be tempting, but a perfume is a unique experience for each and every one of us. I hope I’m the only one that got dusty mushrooms 😀
g0FF – :
Opens with a peculiar spiciness, yet fades into a soft, musky floral scent. Clean, reminding me of fresh laundry. Very elegant and original. Softly feminine. The packaging is extraordinary.
Nekromorph – :
It is softly spicy – the spices here take over even the plum.Pepper and nutmeg are dominant here and it really has a slightly masculine touch to it…I am sure it could make a great scent for a man.Nevertheless, I liked it, it has a certain seriousness about it, not at all like original playful MM scent.I was hoping to get that linden flower in the end but it was not meant to be.
Nikolai 509 – :
This is one of my all-time favorite fragrances because it’s so unusual and it wears so softly on my skin, despite what the notes might suggest.
I get a lot of nutmeg, pepper, and rose…fresh and light, not in a heavy way. Later, it dries down to a delicate woody-rose scent, with a trace of the pepper persisting.
I find it perfect for the office and love it in both winter and summer. It stays close to my skin and lasts forever.
bodik – :
This is kind of weird. The opening notes are very unusual, if I had to compare it to something I’d say it’s like opening a freezer and breathing in the frosty air.
It lasts for up to 10 minutes, then it quickly calms down to a very subtle, delicate, a bit soapy accords. Pleasant flowers, but very bland! Wish the opening, intriguing notes lasted longer.
kingdima777 – :
Now, after I have it I can say for sure that it is very feminine and sexy scent, but don’t last long. After one hour there is nothing nothing left …
duegrarpela – :
i had this perfume for test. it smells really nice and clean. besides jasmine and fresia you can smell black pepper as a base note. it’s a good choice for the ones who are looking for a daily scent which makes a difference!
boibrabet – :
I get this after-showering-feeeling! On me it´s very feminine , clean-but still warm! It reminded me much on Cerruti´s 1881 because this one is powdery, too, only less overhelming flowery-it stays closer to skin. A new love for me:)!
Dim0n4ikk – :
This is the umpteenth time I have tried this perfume sample, just to check if ‘it’ will happen again…it has the most bizarre effect & I’m pretty sure it’s not down to the weather or my personal chemistry.
After a quick zesty-fruit flutter you have a strange feeling of breathing in really cold, still air on a hot day – like when you put your lips to a glass of frosty, fruity iced tea & inhale deeply over the ice cubes. I can only describe it as a cool, spicy ‘white’ heat (perhaps the pink pepper?).
You don’t have to wait long before the bouquet of exotic white flowers open & a lovely nutty warmth begins to take hold – this bit is beautiful, but dissipates far too quickly leaving just a whisper of musky sweetness before bowing out on a rather stale note.
IMHO, it’s not a masculine scent. It is feminine, floral, clean & soft but nothing special. The only reason I will remember it is because of that white heat start – a most unusual trick to play on one’s nose!
mishga – :
This would be the funeral perfume. I find it a bit cold, shallow, green and sharp at first, then some kind of warmer woody musky depth, but not to deep.
Saneck399 – :
This is feminine, tender, soft scent. It is also special and noticeable.I am using it since last spring. I don’t find anything masculine it it despite the idea that nutmeg is component only for male fragrances. This special spicy note gives the style to the whole fragrance. I can also describe it as alluring.For me it is suitable for normal weather, spring autumn and winter, i don’t use it much during hot summer days.
forexauto – :
Le Parfum is very feminine and faint. Just like some other I sprayed it and got faint impression of it then 10 minutes later it’s like gone…
I can feel nutmeg, linden blossom and rosewood and some flowers. The very first 10 minutes it was almost only all about nuts. This is second Max Mara perfume I tried and it feels very faint, the other was faint and light too… I wonder why, because some described it as a strong and masculine like. I like it it’s not offensive, it’s close to skin and casual, but not intense at all. I can feel it only when I actually stick my nose to my wrist. Longevity seems quite good, but again, louder! Quiet and peaceful, if you don’t want to offense anyone with perfume you can try this. (Only if it doesn’t go loud and masculine on you.)
Dimarin32 – :
What happend?! Is it my skin? I got a sample of le parfum when purchesing other stuff. I tried it yesterday. Sprayed it on an but a first hit of lime then
……nothing. It disappeared completely. I asked my husband if he could smell it and he said he could smell a little bit and it smelled quete. is it just me?
vaduha1284 – :
Nothing masculine in this fragrance! It smells so feminine and even warm. Actually it reminds me of my mother every time i feel the scent. She usually wears Omnia Christalline so it may be becauuse the two perfumes have something in common like the Musk for example.
Batterfly2010 – :
This is a very feminine fragrance for me, I agree it is spicy at the start, but later becomes lighter and floral. Can be worn daily at the office or for any occasion. I can recommend this one if you dont want a loud perfume. Still classy.
by =phoenix= – :
I love this parfume.It’s so classy
nickolai1990 – :
I couldn’t find anything masculine in it… I think its a very fresh floral perfume, for spring or autumn:)
литва – :
In the beginning, it smells spicy and a bit green, maybe a bit masculine, but the soft floral notes appear soon afterwards. I like the base best, it reminds me of some kind of soap I used as a child.
gyliamovs – :
I just received a sample of this new Max Mara fragrance in the mail, and you can take it seriously when it says this stuff is masculine! The smell totally contradicts the beautiful, feminine bottle. It’s not a bad smell, but extremely strong. It just about stung my nose. It smells like a bunch of black pepper on me, no kidding. The black pepper smell dominates the florals. However, after 30 minutes, the strength of the masculine notes die down, giving way to spicy rose. Very interesting, could definitely have been marketed towards men if it were in a different bottle. I was told it smelled really nice on me, and when I asked about the gender, he said it could be unisex.