Description
Oscar is the first perfume by Oscar de la Renta, created by Jean-Louis Sieuzac in 1977. This is a classic, floral, slightly sharp perfume of aromatic notes of lavender, rosemary and carnation, with sweet, powdery, musky base notes.
The top notes include orange blossom, basil, coriander, galbanum, peach and gardenia.
The heart of this composition encompasses ylang-ylang, jasmine, tuberose, rose, rosemary, cyclamen, lavender and orchid. The base includes opoponax, carnation, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, lavender and amber. The perfume won FiFi Award in 1978.
The perfume was designed by Serge Mansau. It celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007. On this occasion a limited, jubilee version in a beautiful bottle was launched.
shansone – :
THe vintage EDT is the way to go. I have not yet sampled the EDP vintage version, but you can find vintage EDT bottles of ODLR on ebay for a great price. The current version is sharper, more dominant lavender note to my nose. The vintage version is creamier, seamless with the soft florals and spices. If your skin responds nicely to powdery, spicy florals, then you may really enjoy ODLR. Also, see if you can find a little mini parfum version (again, they can be found for cheap!) and although the sillage is not montrous in this version, the scent is deeper and richer. It’s a classic in my book.
Ingwarus – :
All I get is strong baby powder, I ended giving mine too a friend! I don’t like the smell of baby powder, at least not in a fragrance.
sakura_17 – :
A timeless classic!! Soapy, clean and so resinous and smoky woody in the drydown. Beautiful.
374984-1 – :
Oscar de la Renta should be a personal favorite because I prefer big, bold florals with lots of sillage and staying power.
Unfortunately, the fragrance doesn’t work on my skin. It doesn’t last, nor does it develop much from the very sharp opening. Maybe it’s my weird skin, but OdlR dries down quickly to a harsh chemical smell.
This is a disappointment because I’ve received several micro minis of the scent in recent perfume lot purchases. OdlR is popular – or maybe it was popular at some time in the past. It’s a real shame the frag doesn’t do a thing for me.
Please check out my thread on the swapping forum if you like this scent.
беляш – :
I get images of a balmy late spring day in the woods, where the ground is soft and the sun is shining through the leaves, warming the air.
But there is a soft soapiness to it that mixes with the earthy floweriness that doesn’t work on me. It is not a scent for me.
andrei196716 – :
I ordered a vintage sample from Ebay so I’m reviewing that version, as that is what I wore in the 80’s.
I had forgotten how beautiful this is! Only one dab to each of my wrists lasts 4-5 hours. I don’t think I really appreciated this in the 80’s, being so young and all. Now when I wear it I can’t take my nose off of my wrist. This does not smell dated to me, and only one word can describe this: Intoxicating!
fort1010 – :
It smells kinda dated. Something from the 1950’s. Strong and characteristic. Floral, absolutely. I dont think a modern woman would prefer this.
amomitiamyjep – :
A soft, clean, creamy 1977 beauty destroyed by reformulation. Very much worth experiencing in its original form.
The version now sold at Marshall’s and TJ’s is flat, cheap, and dusty-smelling, like a designer imposter. Vintage is readily available on eBay—to find it, the box/bottle should say “Oscar de la Renta” and not just “Oscar” as the fragrance name. This is a well crafted scent that’s held up very well with time. Unless the juice in the bottle has darkened to amber or brown, the smell should be fine.
Oscar is among my very favorites, and my husband and kids love it on me. It starts off with an almost barbershop vibe of fresh lemon & orange blossom, moves quickly into a luscious tuberose/clovey carnation combo, and finishes very powdery, deep, and woodsy. That all may sound like a hot mess, but judiciously dabbed on skin, it is clean, delicate, and gorgeous. DO NOT OVERSPRAY— for an eau de toilette, Oscar is extremely potent.
Yes, it has an “oldie” vibe, along the lines of the old Guerlains, Chanel 5, Vanderbilt, Tresor, etc. If you don’t like those kinds of perfumes, you’ll hate Oscar. But if you can appreciate the classics, this one is among the loveliest & most wearable of them.
maximilianus – :
It’s a shame they made the new design so plain and generic looking. And in reading the reviews, apparently this is not the lovely floral of year ago. I am glad I tested this one, I almost bought this. While I love white florals and clean scents, this one is not only a little sharp at times, but I sometimes detect a masculine whiff, and while I am not shy about wearing unisex or even masculine fragrances, that note just kind of is off-putting here for me, unfortunately. The masculine scent is weird, almost like a cheap aftershave. This is not terrible, I can’t say that I dislike this, it just hits my nose in a bad way sometimes.
There are boatloads of similar white clean and fresh type florals that don’t have the sharpness nor the masculine scent to my nose, so this one’s a pass for me. However, in looking at the silver lining, I could see this being good in the high heat and humidity for some skins, and I think this would also make a nice affordable gift for a mother, grandmother, aunt, mother in law, that sort of thing.
bugaev.58.mail.ruHH – :
I bought a sample spray of this scent and am wearing today. I have to say that the note of gardenia is overwhelming, and I’m not a big gardenia fan. That being said, the perfume is smooth and very creamy and the drydown has a lovely spice going on – it’s too bad the gardenia is so overpowering it infiltrates every other note. If it wasn’t for this I would love the perfume. But because of this, I gave the via to a friend. If someone could invent this dry down spicey smell into the main notes of a perfume it would be my signature scent every single day.
ed68 – :
KEYWORDS
– ´80s elegance
– uncompromising tuberose
– spice explosion
– powdery but powerful
– classic
– unmistakable
– unforgettable
Enough said.
hasxzxsah – :
For me this is a beautiful classique
next to Chanel No5 EDP.
A serious one and NOT an everyday one!!
That’s all.
V
Katerinka-K – :
The new EDT version: weird and totally unique; the first whiff in the top was an odd powdery floral but quickly the myrrh, coriander and woods took hold of the florals and the herbs; balsamic, herbal floral riding on light musk
23reg – :
Review for the EDT version.
It has taken me a good few days to think of what it reminds me of and its a cross of Red Door (original bottle) and L’Aimant (current perfume), but the sweetness and the aldehydes are similar to Red Door. I do like this fragrance a lot and cant help but say that it reminds me of the scent of nursing homes. You have to like or be able to tolerate aldehydes as theres plenty in this fragrance. Very good sillage and longevity!
When i first smelt it i instantly thought of it was a tamer version of Oscar Esprit. That for me is like the original Oscar on steroids!
I vaguely remember smelling the EDP at a department store and it didnt smell as powdery as the EDT plus there seemed to be more carnation. I would need to re-visit this as i’m going by memory. But that smelt amazing and a refined version of the EDT. I would assume that would need the right skin chemistry as i recall it being great on paper but not on my skin.
gstyueioapqo – :
two years ago I blind bought a bottle of this. The first spray hit me quite badly. All I got was a screechy pub smell, nothing floral in it. Nothing else and the perfume clearly hates me.
So I put it behind all the other perfumes. Everyday for two years Oscar watched me spraying away all the others and each time I almost touch her, I changed my mind. But today I’m in the mood to explore again our possibilities together… and she greeted me with the richest floral scent to prove her worth. OMG she is so creamy from the first spray, 30mins has passed yet she still maintains her strength. Powerful sillage, powerful longevity. I couldn’t believe this gem been sitting idle for two years! To think that I almost tossed her away. I’m glad I didn’t ♥️
MinkLynclic – :
A perfume store owner told me once that there’s no bad perfume. There’s only perfume for you and for others. I think I’m still a newbie in this perfume appreciation journey, but my.. don’t I understand that statement now. A perfume grows on you. I know Oscar does.
When I had my bottle of Oscar EDT, I wore it without really paying attention. And somehow my Mama ended up giving it away when I was not at home, as I said I’m not really into Oscar then. I thought Oscar was perfume for others.
There’s something about Oscar that I miss so much nowadays. I think it’s the spicy creamy goodness of it. I can’t really say what particular note. Just the entire refined beauty of it. Effortless but memorable. So it happens I’m scouring the net for a bottle of this as it’s very rare in Indonesia.
I hope to score a bottle soon.
tadas888 – :
I think this one has way too many notes going on. It’s similar to Nina Ricci L’air du Temps if your into fumes like that. Too mature smelling for my liking and maybe my chemistry doesn’t do it any justice because on me it’s just a stink bomb. If this works for anyone I would be happy to swap away my 100ml full bottle for something I would actually like. PM me if interested.
papa6612 – :
Didn’t we all had a bottle of this bjuti? Well, I had, it was exeptional when it first came, it was magic drops, I always liked it, but it smelled even better on my sister =))
xoma87 – :
This was my signature scent in the 80’s and early 90’s. I stopped using it when I could no longer smell it on myself. Fast forward to today and I found my vintage half full bottle of the EDT and have sprayed it on. I preferred the EDP- richer and creamier, but this is still quite lovely. I mostly get gardenia/rose with spice and sandalwood. Truly a classic to me along with Chanel No. 5 EDT which was my first real love I purchased in 1972. This one will always hold a special place in my heart – very comforting and classy. Will definately add this back in my current rotation. Will wear it next time I am around my adult children and see if they comment on childhood memories – they used to buy this for my birthday or Christmas gift.
foster – :
Blind buy!i regretted immediately!very vintage smelling,I did not appreciate it at all and was too strong and made me pack it again to be handed over to someone older as many seem to like this fragrance due to memories attached to it
Just did not work on me
KilaFeeniatut – :
I have the eau de toilette. It is a strong smell to me but classic and spicy. I don’t get a powdery or soapy scent but I really like those types of scents– I don’t see them as the stars here. This smells bright but balanced.
To me this smells like a “woman”, classic and clean but a little vintage and I wouldn’t buy it as a blind buy.
My husband says it smells “happy” to him.
V__I__P – :
I was in shock. This was one of the first perfumes I owned, about 30 years ago. It had settled in my memories as a lovely flowery, slightly creamy fragrance. Recently I bought a bottle for sentimental reasons. When I sprayed it on my arm, it was nothing like the beauty I remembered. Was this a case of reformulation? I read a lot of reviews where people talk about fragrances that have been destroyed by the new rules. Maybe that was the reason that I could only smell this strange sharp fragrance, and all the goodness was gone. I hunted down a vintage bottle (no name on the bottle, only an embossed flower, and the top has no silver inlay (that’s my baby, that’s how I remember her), and did the test. Left arm new Oscar, right arm old Oscar. Yay! What a difference. The creamy flowers were there, I had not gone mad. I love the old Oscar, the new one is not my cup of tea.
subaru906 – :
Although I experiment and rotate my fragrances seasonally, I always come back to Oscar as my signature each Fall. When the air gets colder, there is something very comforting about it – warm, fresh, exciting and sexy. It is quite potent, so I stay with one spray. It is one of the most beautiful fragrances ever created. Feminine and classy, yet full of grace and wisdom. I first smelled this on a very classy boss of mine, and it struck me as just the most gorgeous perfume ever – very unique, and I have been hooked ever since.
fjodr – :
Oscar is a lovely, fresh spicy, soapy, woodsy floral. Cloves + ylang ylang + myrrh = happiness for me!
Meenx317Bessinepome – :
Beautiful classic floral. A little soapy . Very clean and suitable for daytime wear. I love it and always want to have in my collection
SunBaks – :
How lovely that the fragrance from my misspent youth is still available everywhere and perhaps it is nostalgia that makes me want to add it to my wardrobe again.
Oscar de la Renta is classy, a bit glamorous and very feminine. It can be worn to the office but for me, it says getting dressed to the nines and strutting my stuff. It makes me feel beautiful, vivacious and carefree.
It’s a strong fragrance that lasts a long time so a little spray goes a long way.
Лёха-Молодец – :
I spritzed this on at Belk the other day, and overdid it. To my nose, it wasn’t as I remembered it from my college days in the late 70s. As it developed, there was a L’Heure Bleue vibe in it. And L’Origan. Both of these are better than Oscar to me. I’d like to try the E’sprit version though.
xez_temp – :
This powdery, soapy, squeaky clean, silage beast was my signature back in high school. Yes, when all the other girls at my school were wearing fruity/citrus nose assaults like Tommy Girl and Clinique Happy I was wearing ODLR and on occasion, Anna Sui Anna Sui. I was a walking oxymoron… I went to punk shows and smoked cigarettes with fingers manicured black but I smelled like a confident, successful woman. lol A lot of important, personality shaping journeys occurred for me while wearing this perfume. I fell in love the first time wearing this for instance. I wore this on my first trip overseas. Needless to say it carries a lot of good memories for me.
Nowadays I am a that confident, successful woman (but I do still listen to Punk. lol) I almost feel like my younger self intuitively chose a perfume more suited to who I was becoming than who I was in the moments I wore it. And while I do still appreciate ODLR, my more grown up self prefers Esprit D’Oscar which I find to be slightly softer in all the right places.
skipish – :
All I smell is intense Baby powder it does smell good though. Good staying power.
Lyncnaine – :
smoky , burning, powdery and sexy
there’s something “shalimar” about it
but more sexy and alluring
Goodvinmax – :
I like it. It is very old-fashioned, “retro”, powdery, reminds me of Chanel no5 (similar aldehydic note), but it is creamier – not so citrus-y, I can scent some undefiniable dusty flowers (maybe iris + jasmine) and weird, metallic, “dusty” note of effervescent calcium tablets, wet pavement. I don’t know why, but this fragrance gives me the unique feeling of safety and relaxation. I like falling asleep with one drop of Oscar on my neck.
dima199024 – :
So I picked up a set yesterday of shower gel, Oscar perfume, and the body lotion and I’m currently wearing the body lotion only before I go to work. This stuff is so potent and smells divine!! I put it on my lower legs only and I can smell it up by my nose. I hope it’s acceptable for work.
In the 80’s I walked past ads for this perfumes and I had to get it now that I’m in my 30’s and can appreciate it more.
Stas9in1987 – :
I only have a perfume sample of this but decided to put just a tiny drop on my wrists today to experience it again. I’m so happy I did. It smells fresh, light, powdery, lovely. It’s not too harsh, but just right. It immediately takes me back to high school in the ’80s. I had so many perfumes in rotation back then (some things never change!) I can’t remember one particular year I wore it, though. I haven’t gone through all of the reviews yet to see if this has been reformulated over the years, but it looks like it may still be manufactured (??) This is soft enough that it doesn’t smell dated to me at all. Love.
SALAGA – :
This has been my mothers scent as long as I can remember. Isn’t it incredible how scents are so closely aligned with memories – whether good or bad? I think this is why I love exploring perfumes. To understand the emotions they evoke, to create new positive associations and find perfumes that make me feel how I want to feel – strong or feminine or sexy or girl next door, depending on the day. On me, this perfume is a very soft feminine floral delight. Though it can never be mine, I am glad to know this perfume can be a delight on the right person.
Dassytubfat – :
Good vintage fragrance,long lasting will give a lasting impression. Blends well a little heavy on the powery side.
BAKLd – :
I absolutely love this perfume! It is so light, airy, feminine and fresh. It is not like nothing else I ever worn. Its perfect on a warm day. I must for me! I seem to go for tuber-rose scents and this has it. Magical.
Armin – :
Another Sieuzac dream. Mid 80’s Vintage Eau de Parfum. Bergamot start with Aromatic Basil, Coriander Anise twist at first reminds me of Hiram Green Voyage and Shalimar.
Peach slightly sweetens and is countered by Clove/Cinnamon. Here, this nods to Youth Dew. A quiet Carnation Camphour cools, dries and mops up the sweetness of a drop of Nectar.
A Jasmin Indole, with it’s gentle rot, draws me away from a mild Tuberose Heart.
The Rose drifts in and attaches to the real Sandalwood as a hint of Castoreum rises through the center with a light incense. Amber slightly Vanilla-ed anchors.
All in all a beautiful package that can be worn by a man as easily as Shalimar.
Drydown becomes a buttery Savon, I suspect a little Moss is to blame.
Vadim666 – :
Oscar combines many characteristics of the other two fragrances that I deeply love: L’Heure Bleue and Vanderbilt.
As those two, Oscar is noble, elegantly distinct and powdery, but where L’Heure Bleue is about introspection and intimacy and where Vanderbilt is about comforting calmness, Oscar is about sparkling temptation.
Thanks to originally pronounced tuberose and spice (mirth, mostly), Oscar pronounces my bodily warmth and emphasizes something womanly tempting.
Not girly. Feminine.
Not sexy. Seductive.
Oscar is one of my most beloved perfumes, the one that I keep being devoted for a very long time, and I’m pretty sure that this will never change.
PS
I really need to say this, because I think it is fair, in case someone expect to experience Oscar as it was once was: as many of the true classic, this scent has also suffered from a change.
EDT which is sold now has significantly less oppulence and power: tuberose is barely present, myrth also, and alltogether Oscar somehow lost “the edge” which made it so distinguisged.
EDT version is still recognizable without mistake as “Oscar”, but it is “pale”, and I’m so, so, soooo sorry that this happened.
However, Oscar EDT is still very refined and very noble fragrance, only now as EDT it works for me more as daily and office-friendly scent.
EDT, recent
* like
* longevity: moderate (up to 6 hours if generously applied)
* silage: moderate (arms lenght, if generously applied)
* weather/season/time: Cold to moderate weather conditions. Semi-formal to formal. Daytime.
EDP (2 nd bottle, purchased in 2002)
*love
*longevity: longlasting (up to 8 hours)
*silage: big
* weather/season/time: Cold to moderate weather conditions. Semi-formal to formal. Day and night.
luksha – :
To me this is a scent of overwhelming nostalgia, married and elderly women all done up to their best for a wedding or evening out when I was a child. A perfume-y perfume, not a gourmand or “fresh” or sweet, but not heavy, either. Classic.
My mother wore L’Air du Temps, but Oscar still makes me picture her dressed up and made up for an evening party, hairspray in her hair and lipstick on her lips.
I am a very different woman at forty than my mother was–permanently dishevelled, hair stuck in a braid, no makeup. But spraying Oscar on makes me feel special, mature, elegant. I adore it.
rapidash.ru – :
So myrrh this one! A linear strong head turner. Evening of sophistication for yourself, opera or a lonely walk down the Kudamm.
For your/myself as I doubt that someone ‘modern’ in my thirties could like being around this.
Have to admit I only baught this due to the overwhelming beauty of the bottle.
Джон10 – :
This is a beautiful classic. You can buy the version freshly made in the classic way in the aluminum bottle at the perfume factory in Grasse France. I remember my mother explaining to me what “French milled” soap was while I was watching her in her bath with her Oscar de la Renta soap. I just remember her showing me my father’s Ivory soap that was coming apart at the sides in layers and her soap that was made all in one creamy piece. This fragrance will never go out of style.
kiriyha – :
My clothes that have been at the bottom of the laundry hamper for two weeks STILL SMELL LIKE OSCAR.
This is a glorious, bright, sparkling, tenacious floral. Very classy and elegant. I could swear there’s a little lily of the valley in there some where amongst the florals. Basil lends some herbal freshness and coriander gives it an oriental edge.
Great value for money.
10/10
vento – :
I actually quite like this. It’s a very yellow scent. Unlike most of the powerhouse aldehydes from this era, this is an Oriental floral. It is quite sweet to my nose. I wish it was a tad spicier, but I guess that’s why this one is so universally wearable. It is a classic for a good reason. I like to wear this one when my nose becomes bored with my usual choices. This one is nice and complex and keeps things interesting. It’s not linear at all.
PlailsNatliar – :
I wore this when I got married in 1998 on a 40 degree day in Australia. I was only 23 years old and it was the perfect scent.It was a toss up between Coco Chanel and Oscar and I picked the right one.
It is sophisticated and elegant and not too over powering. I purchased a gift pack and dabbed on the pure parfum during the evening as I started my adventure with my new husband.
I think this fragrance still holds up in the current age of sweet/fruit/”oud”/coffee/intense/noir wannabes that are released every day. I recently bought another gift pack with soap and pure parfum and it seems fairly unchanged. I would love to splurge on a large bottle of parfum for my 20th wedding anniversary but can’t seem to find one larger than 4ml…
I recommend this fragrance as a gift for someone who loves floral with some depth.
Surprisingly sexy for a 23 year old bride without being skanky.
A real treasure xxx
Эстель – :
I noticed that this has cloves, which I don’t like (like L’Air du Temps smells too much cloves to me), but in this there is appropriately it. I find this very addictive smell. I can’t stop sniffing it. Though I somehow get image of older woman (I’m not so young myself either), but it’s so well made and smells so beautiful and feminine. I think this must spray very little; just one spray to the air above, so it’s not too loud. Luckily it has no vanilla, it would ruin it for my opinion.
SHAITAN4uK – :
I got this for someone who loves floral scents, and this is one of those. Rich orange blossom is in this giving it a bit of a syrupy feel, or maybe it is gardenia, but it doesnt smell sour like gardenias can, and of course florals. It is very floral and smells real nice, high quality. Has a distinct 70’s type of floral scent I think. Very nice and can be had for a good price too online or at tj maxx and marshalls. They actually sell it at macy’s too, but for about 4x the price of the other places I mentioned. definite for floral lovers.
other nice florals are of course bueatifull by estee lauder, and white shoulders by evyan or elizabeth arden who makes it now. white shoulders can be had for cheap, and the estee is a bit expensive but is what its name says it is.
chandryu – :
Is there such a thing as floral spicy? If there is I think this is it. White florals, cloves, woods, coriander and ylang ylang making a very spicy and a teeny bit sweet floral masterpiece. My son bought it me for Christmas as he remembered me wearing it 15 years ago. I forgot how great it is! It’s slightly sharp on opening but soon settles down. Now 16 hours since I put it on and it still smells great although a skin scent now.
Easily a day to evening fragrance and great longevity and sillage. Timeless, ageless, classy, classic.
Zark – :
I get nothing but an assault to the senses of tuberose, which I do not like.
ukrvodas – :
Oscar has a very special place in my heart. My mother wore only Oscar for most of my childhood. For me it has an intense sense of nostalgia, nights spent in my parents bathroom playing with her dusting power and juice. Recently I rediscovered Oscar, I work in a cosmetics department, so I casually sprayed myself to trigger some memories. What a fantastic sent, feminine but not sickly sweet, powdery but not too soapy. We will be selling a 30ml bottle for less then $20 tomorrow so I’m grabbing one for sure. I can recommend this juice for anyone looking for a timeless feminine floral for anytime of year.
sia23 – :
Oscar Night
I’m but a humble retired music schoolteacher with a short lived operatic career in the UK. From my tele, in the comfort of my row house, I used to watch the Academy Awards in Hollywood, the Oscars, between the years 1960 and 1991. That’s a lot of years.
Eventually it became tiresome and the movies themselves did not interest me anymore. I would imagine that I was in the audience wearing a beautiful glamorous designer gown. I don’t own any such gown but I do have a luxurious piece of designer goods – Oscar perfume by Oscar de La Renta.
This is a glamorous yellow floral fragrance.
For me, the opening is quite similar to Vanderbilt Gloria Vanderbilt but Vanderbilt is more floral and powdery, soft, decidedly feminine, sophisticated and romantic. I would also classify Vanderbilt as a pink rose scent. Oscar is yellow and citrusy, spicy. I detect plenty of citrus perhaps courtesy of oranges, bergamot and or a rather strong orange blossom at the top.
Before long an ylang ylang note joins her. This is a very soft yellow & white themed gossamer tulle. It’s like 2 layers of satiny cloth atop the other. A white floral note is also coming through. It’s the gardenia and tuberose ensemble. This is a fine tuberose, not as strong and aggressive as the tuberose in Giorgio Beverly Hills, which I still wear and enjoy, but more delicate and milky. The coconut milk in this scent matches up with the white florals, although they never turn into a Jungle Gardenia tropical scent.
There is orchid & lavender which as others have noted, is more on the soapy side. It does smell like a luxurious soap, not quite French, but rather Spanish or French. It’s citrusy, floral soap. It has a rosemary note in it as well and a lavender that completely takes over. Lavender is a favorite flower of mine, so I don’t mind. The floral soap scent is pretty and delicate, but still spicy especially as the fragrance leaves behind the florals.
The original miniature dab on bottle has the deep Oriental notes that develop nicely on your skin. It turns into a warm soft myrrh & incense, not terribly smoky, but more powdery than anything else. This also has vanilla which is not listed on Fragrantica. It is not a very strong vanilla and it’s in the background. There is more amber than vanilla. It’s also redolent with sandalwood. The miniatures are what you want to get to experience the true beauty of this scent.
The new formula is like a hand soap and it even comes off as masculine with too much citrus and lavender repeating itself so don’t bother. If you can get your hands on the vintage original classic, which was always a miniature bottle with a flower stopper, you’ll count your lucky stars. Nothing out there today in the fragrance world matches up with original Oscar, other than Vanderbilt. You can find your Oscar online for purchase on ebay.
Still luxurious and beautiful all these years. I don’t know if it won a FIFI or not, but it is a very well made fragrance that deserves attention and critical acclaim in the fragrance world. I believe it was Oscar de La Renta’s debut fragrance. A friend of mine said it’s garbage and smells like a dupe for Estee Lauder White Linen but I don’t see any resemblance. This is also not garbage at all!! It’s classic, elegant, and sophisticated.
And the Oscar goes to…
Oscar!
torxm – :
I treated myself to Oscar’s debut fragrance during the stressful Election Week.
In these difficult times of change, fragrance is as therapeutic to me as a good tea or Church.
I went overboard and recently purchased a vintage Oscar splash bottle with the flower stopper as pictured on this page. It came with a deluxe set of body lotion, soap and hair gel.
Oscar is similar to Vanderbilt by Gloria Vanderbilt but whereas Vanderbilt is floral, powdery and soft, delicate, lady-like, Oscar is an assertive, and spicier scent.
The spices are what most come through for me.
There are cloves and coriander, basil, and the spicy floral notes of rosemary and lavender.
Cloves and lavender are listed twice and it definitely spices up this scent. It makes me feel like a Japanese Geisha. Something about this fragrance is, well, Oriental.
This is a fragrance I’d imagine Madame Butterfly would have in her little home on the hill in Nagasaki.
The orange blossom opens the fragrance quite beautifully. It’s lemony, fresh and sweet with a touch of peach and citrus.
The spices develop quickly and you can make out those cloves rosemary and lavender notes.
Furthermore a floral arrangement featuring tuberose and ylang are prominent. I smelled other light white florals in passing: gardenia, lilies and a white rose.
The dry down is amber, sandalwood and incense but these notes, usually more aromatic in Oriental perfumes, turn soapier and softer as it begins to fade away on your skin.
This is very easy to wear and it’s casual, no nonsense, a multi purpose perfume.
I can wear this to my job as a public school teacher, to lunch with girlfriends, and to Church, as well as dinner dates at restaurants.
It’s definitely on the mature side but we all have to grow up sometime.
A beautiful and very well composed perfume
kazak130 – :
I love it, not demure at all to me…classy & sassy. Gardenia & Ylang Ylang are always in style.
rageola – :
Powdery, demure, and complex. It’s clean and floral with a hint of ivory soap. It’s very classy, something I could see a congresswoman wearing out to dinner. It’s timeless! I don’t know if it has a place in my wardrobe right now but I definitely appreciate it for what it is.
Dbnzpm1 – :
As a teenager I was gifted a large bottle of Oscar De La Renta for Christmas by my then boyfriend. I think I was way too young to appreciate the masterful symphony of notes at the time and for me this is definitely a woman’s perfume, not a young girl’s.
I picture a confident, well dressed woman in her forties or fifties with flawless make-up and a timeless red lipstick. The woody spice & resinous notes give this an androgynous feel, I think of maybe a nonchalant Greta Garbo or Marlene Dietrich type of lady, edgy and bit scary one minute yet beguiling and sexy the next. She never has to try too hard and knows who she is.
This is a scented rollercoaster of a perfume starting sharp with a blast of carnation, citrus, spice and green herbal notes, yet in the background you are aware of whispers of creamy amber & heady gardenia, sweet tuberose and ylang ylang. Different aromas soar and swirl up from your wrist as the perfume evolves; bright orange blossom and bergamot, juicy peach and sensual jasmine blend with soft, warming sandalwood and enticing musk, making Oscar both addictive and delightfully perplexing. Perhaps a little like those who choose to wear it.
A classic.
irisha216 – :
OSCAR is a very warm and spicy fragrance, which for me is best in autumn and winter. After a few hours, the creamy and powdery notes become more noticeable, but it’s still all about the spice. I find it to be an energizing type of scent rather than a relaxing or sultry one, so I tend to wear it during the day. I’ll wear it in the evening if we’re going out or if friends are coming over. The sillage is on the high side and I find that one spray does it.