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.
makagon – :
A throw back to the year my daughter was born. I’ve always thought of this perfume as a refined rose. A rose of class and elegance. It’s a very feminine scent. A very fresh warm rose. I can’t think of much anything else to say, except it’s a lovely fragrance.
Longevity great
Sillage great
jnx557bedyWelty – :
Caron Sacre EdP- I just checked the mfr. batch code on a dozen NIB, unopened, vtg. glass splash bottles I have: 1991 original !!! Bottles are stunning. Juice appears pristine & full. Tried opening a few, but stoppers are sealed shut (stuck). Can’t wait to get one open & try it! (Batch 113590491). Will update w proper review- ☺
D_General – :
Because of the order in which I have tried these rose perfumes, Caron Parfum Sacre reminds me of Elizabeth Taylor Diamonds and Rubies.
If you really like Diamonds and Rubies, but would like something softer, more refined, with a brighter soapier drydown, and the opportunity to have a perhaps less proletariate answer to the question, “what are you wearing?” Parfum Sacre may be for you.
dik102 – :
doesn’t last; floral; spice; vanilla; sweet; smells like something else I can’t place my finger on; soapy
alexfzr – :
It is truly fantastic what perfume can do to open up our hearts and share our very personal lifestories. A big Thank you to “lada 1947” for your wonderful story.
Parfum Sacre has become one of my absolute favorites – I think I now prefer it over Christobal that have been my signature fragrance for a long time.
On me the most dominante note is vanilla – that blends so perfectly with the spices. Myrr gives it that extra edge that sticks out and makes it very special.
I love it and now in the coldest of winter in Sweden.
It is snowing heavily and I am cuddling up in front of the fireplace with a cup of warm cocolate and the fragrance of Sacre lingering around the room.
chserg66 – :
My bottle is not like the one above, but more like an Annick Goutal bottle with the rounded gold cap.
Beautiful soft spicy notes with myrhh, cinnamon, a little bit of cardamom and a soft touch of rose. Projection is good, staying power very good. A fragrance for the colder months and I’ll be interested to see how it performs when it cools down after our hot summer here in Oz.
jenek032 – :
My father gave this to my mother when it first appeared in our village, the Christmas before she died. To please him, I took on the bottle and have worn it every Christmas Eve since that day. While he was alive, he was always so pleased that I was wearing Mum’s perfume. She didn’t have many, being a Yardley and Goya lady mainly through necessity, and she wore this, her “good” perfume, through many highlights of her last year.
I…like it. A lot. I love its history, our family history. I love that I wear it for my parents. I don’t love the perfume itself, in the same way that I love Nuit de Noel, for example. I think that the incense comes across as a plastic note, for me. Every now and then I get a glimpse of the flowers in this, and I am happy. All the same, I like that it smells like church, too. My father was a priest and church smells for me are part of a very happy childhood. Part of the magic, mystery and wonder of Christmas. This perfume is also part of that magic and wonder. I will always wear it on Christmas Eve.
Longevity is great, by the way. I put on a couple of sprays at 0730 this morning, and it’s still going strong now, at almost 1700. It has dried down into a beautiful light and flowery fragrance now…the best bit, for me!
Slog – :
Myrrh Is Mine
It’s Bitter Perfume
Breathes A Life Of Gathering Gloom
Sorrowing
Sighing
Bleeding
Dying
Sealed In The Stone Cold Tomb
– We Three Kings, Traditional Christmas Carol
The gift of myrrh is contained within this most beautiful fragrance of the Orient. This is a rich exotic incense based perfume of the East, presumably what today is Palestine & Syria, Israel, a region of our planet that has never known peace, the Lands of the Bible, from which the Three Magi hailed following the Star that led them to the Infant Jesus Christ. The gifts were of gold frankincense and myrrh. It is said that Jesus, who was possibly at least 1 year of age and not a newborn baby, was clever enough to reject the gift of gold and chose the gift that would define him: myrrh. The gift of gold represented materialism and earthly wealth, kingship and power. Naturally Jesus did not have earthly wealth and power – which the Emperor of Rome had in his hands (Augustus) at the time of Jesus’s birth in what history later recorded as the first year of the 1st Century AD. The gift of incense represents divinity and godhood which was of course true of Christ, but as a baby he did not accept this gift as he was not yet ready for such power. The gift of myrrh, however, was a prophetic symbol of his Crucifixion and Resurrection. The baby Infant predicted his own death. In the more practical usage of incense and myrrh, these incenses were used for worship among Hebrews & Jews in the Temple of Jerusalem. For me this fragrance is not as much a Christmas Eve perfume as it is a very rich and elaborate Oriental fragrance.
The opening of the vintage classic is an angel’s trumpet with the volume turned up high. Middle Eastern Spices, pepper, ginger cardamom, and citrus burst out of the nozzle in the first spritz. Do not let this turn you off to the perfume. It is a bit harsh as it begins but it is so powerful and fascinating to me. The nose behind this fragrance knew exactly what this perfume could mean to someone who can be moved by the Oriental magic it releases. The spiciness and exoticism is so pretty. As one reviewer in this page notes, it’s not a Church fragrance. It’s clearly more of a Jewish Synagogue fragrance. I’m Jewish but embrace all faiths. This is a perfume that can be worn by anyone of any faith in the winter time in colder regions (Europe, Russia, winter time in the Middle East) but it does come off as more of an Abrahamic scent: Christian Jewish Muslim. The incense is at the heart of this perfume.
A powdery and delicate rose scent and citrus keeps the spiciness from being overwhelming, but even a pretty rose mimosa and jasmine is not enough to make it a floral fragrance. This is all about those spices, cloves, resins, musk, and myrrh. After a little faint rose fades, I detect cloves. This leads into the dry down of myrrh and musk. There is definitely animalic accords in this fragrance. As with many Orientals and Arabic perfumes, a muskiness emerges after spices-citrus-florals. I wish this thing had amber but the musk is very warm and cozy. It is further warmed up by a myrrh that takes over the entire perfume. Myrrh is the star. Myrrh can change itself as well. After a while it’s powdery. This is a powder as much as it is an incense.
Parfum Sacre is a divine fragrance of stars, dessert sands, camel caravans, Three Magi, kings, and spices selling in bazaars. It does indeed have a regal air, like it was specifically made for a King. In cold weather (snowy weather, heavy rain and below 20 degree weather) this is a very comfortable robe that keeps me warm. It’s smoky and sweet at the same time. The skin feels warm when the perfume is on my pulse points. Being musky and so spicy it is unisex. There are hardly any florals so this is indeed a cologne that a man can sport easily. What a great perfume.
Sdfrega – :
I just love this perfume to distraction. I love the Intense version also. It is church on Christmas Eve. It is an exotic trip to the Middle East. It comes on strong with incense. It lasts a good long time. If I had tried it when I was younger, it would probably have intimidated me, but not now. The dry down is vanilla and jasmine and musk. It’s like boldly going on a trip and then coming back to the comfort of home. It’s too hot now to wear it, but once I get to put on the sweaters or velvet or sweeping overcoats, out it will come.
147369 – :
A very nice dark resinous fragrance. On me the mryhh and the black pepper are really amped up on my skin and that spoils it for me. I was hoping for a touch more rose and sweetness. So much pepper that its making me sneeze and it overshadows the spices which I really love. I would say this was most definitely unisex and bang on the middle. Moderate sillage and not surprisingly good longevity.
Nexus66 – :
Thanks for your review Gigi The Fashionista – you moved ME to tears!
Since I’m already here…
I own a miniature bottle of vintage (early 90s) Parfum Sacre, that I purchased blind. It was my introduction to the house of Caron, and they quickly became one of my “most tested” houses. Now they are one of the houses I can’t live without. This should indicate the level of greatness I believe Sacre achieves.
Sacre is a grounded perfume, gentle for how deep it is. Like many Caron scents, it’s unassuming – its power surprises me. The power of Sacre is not in its longevity or sillage, but in its ability to create a feeling of positivity and peace within. It’s extremely evocative and can affect my mood for the better.
I had the interesting experience of wearing it to a birthday party in early winter, where it seemed like the bday girl was off her meds and the atmosphere became more strained the more alcohol was consumed. There were plenty of times I wanted to either a) tell her off, or b) leave early. And yet these moments of strain and aggravation felt so fleeting, I couldn’t commit to their negativity, when I felt so comforted by a warm cloud of all that has been so right in the world since time immemorial.
When I wear Sacre, I feel beyond time. Whether or not the perfume itself is a “timeless classic” is up to you, but I know that I *feel* timeless when I wear it, like I’m in touch with a part of collective consciousness that is so strong it will carry us through anything like the tides, the seasons, and dreams.
Here’s what is not in this perfume: No powder, no sugar, no big flowers, no leather, no oakmoss. Like Gigi The Fashionista says in her great review, Sacre is different (even different from perfumes that claim to be “different”) and more people should want to wear perfumes that are different. She says it’s “meaningful”, and I agree. I suspect it was composed very carefully but also in a breath of inspiration. I like to think that the nose, Jean-Pierre Bethouart, decided before mixing exactly what notes were going to be in this perfume. He maybe wrote in his notebook, “I’m going to create a scent with these notes: Cloves, frankincense, rose, etc…… This. And nothing more.” All the power to him.
Mempa821intitytek – :
There aren’t enough adjectives to describe my love, my obsession with this scent. This is a case of Caronade, I have tried time and again scents with similar/ identical notes, but, alas, NOTHING is anywhere remotely like my precious, beloved Sacre!!! Spicy and yet smooth, creamy, deliciously resinous with immense depth and character, with the most beautiful and balanced rose that together with a whisper of vanilla and musk becomes soft and velvety and the orange ever so faintly adding a touch of zest!!!! Classy, sultry, comforting and utterly unique!!! The only one that is remotely alike is its spicier sister Sacre Intense with a heavier musk and spices. However this perfume with all its comforting undertones still demands presence and personality by the wearer. Not for the usual “sugary fruity/ floral brigade”, but for the ones that can appreciate the finer things.
wxc533InsuffBooni – :
Winter has finally come and I just broke out my cold weather perfumes. Parfum Sacre EDP was one of my first to wear, and because I only wear this one during the winter I often forget how magnificent it is. It’s one of my loves; unique, passionate, warm incense and spice. It’s heavily loaded with myrrh, peppers, cinnamon, cardamom and rose with a hint of orange and vanilla. I sprayed it on a little lighter than I normally would so that I wouldn’t offend the office peeps, but it’s already been 6 hours and I am still surrounded with a cloud of this heavenly aroma.
rent1987 – :
SACRED PERFUME…FOR CHRISTMAS
I have only enjoyed the experience of this original formula. The new one (reformulation) was an atomic incense bomb that blew up my house and covered it in ash, and a mushroom cloud of dark smoke. I couldn’t wear that. I would prefer to wear L’Agent by Agent Provocateur which is big on incense but not like the reformulated new version of Parfum Sacre. This one has myrrh which is incense but much sweeter and less smoky. It’s so very sweet and touching. It’s like something out of the Bible and very appropriate for Christmas after all Christian tradition holds that the infant Christ was presented with gifts of incense from the Three Magi Balthazar Caspar Balthazar and Melchior. What was it? Frankincense and Myrrh. That’s what you get out of this perfume. I am going to wear it for Christmas Eve. It’s really quite beautiful. Starts off spicy with pepper, ginger (cardamom ginger) and cinnamon. While these are gourmand notes this one just reminds me of Christmas, of being at Church on Christmas or being at home with friends on Christmas having a traditional Christmas with the tree and with an angel on top of that tree. Often times wearing this fragrance I feel like candle light is being lit inside of me. The heart of this fragrance is a rose but it’s not a big player. Its paired with a jasmine and gives it a softer, headier but not overwhelming scent. So if you’re big on soft flowers but heavier myrrh this is for you. This is my Christmas perfume every Christmas. They did a terrific job arranging the notes to take you on that night Jesus was born when the 3 Magi followed the star of Bethlehem to find the infant Jesus Christ on that manger. I’m not Christian nor Catholic and I love wearing this fragrance – ON CHRISTMAS EVE because it moves me to tears. I wish that more people could wear fragrances that express something more than just “sexiness”. This is a deep and very meaningful fragrance. The new one is ok if you’re big on that intense incense. I thought it was ok for incense room spray but this oh this one is heavenly. It’s a holy scent of angels, choirs altars, Christmas carolers, cathedrals, churches, and that night the little drummer played for Jesus. Merry Christmas Fragrantica
gug187intitytek – :
I did not expect this to smell of a less sweet version of Tocade by Rochas, but we learn something new every day. If only I liked Tocade. If only Parfum Sacre and Tocade both smelled less sickly synthetic.
What’s more Parfum Sacre seems terribly weak, already fading considerably even though I’ve had it on less than an hour. Perhaps the drydown will be better.
ETA: My mother tried this. Smells nothing like Tocade on her, though still isn’t very strong. Nicer on her though. Skin chemistry is a funny thing.
duj736speagoessenda – :
Do they still make it? I can’t find it on line anywhere. Caron still operating I hope. I am out of Parfum Sacre….It is a deep and mysterious scent way above many others.
Nemetzzz – :
If anyone has this beauty but doesn’t care for it, please let me know! Thanks!
55509 – :
Sacre wasn’t my love from the first sniff, even though I love spices big time. Something was turning me away from it for first three times of wearing – opening – salty almost and disturbing. Now exactly the opening is what makes me love it and appreciate this perfume the most. Myrrhe here is raw, peppery and dry, it startles you, shocks you and rocks your world. Sacramental perfume it is – in its whole mysticism and passion, would love to smell it on man as well.
russell black – :
Parfum Sacre opens with a blast of myrrh, almost incense-like in it’s smokiness. This phase passes fairly quickly, and the heart opens with a strong bitter orange note, supplemented by cardmom, and the slightest hint of breezy mimosa. In the dry down, I get distinct cedar (not listed, but I notice others have remarked on the woodiness of the scent), orange, vanilla, and the slightest touch of cinnamon.
I like the cedar note in particular, but overall, I wish that that initial smoky incense note has either remained or returned. The opening was the most intriguing part, reminiscent of the incense used in churches, and I guess the reason for the name.
Overall, Sacre is warm, a little spicy, and beautifully woody, but the dry down is not as unusual as the opening led me to expect. I can’t remember what the dry down reminds me of, but it’s an accord that I’ve encountered before. Safely unisex.
I recommend trying this- but given that Sacre can be quite expensive, I think testing before blind buying is a good idea.
Deroxmmgrm – :
This review is based on a decant. On my skin and to my nose, I get mostly mimose on top follows by powdery rose, which is prominent with hints of cinnamon and black pepper. It also has sort of almond qualities to it. Although I’m not a world class rose fan, this actually agrees with my nose. Together with Incense Rose by Tauer and La Fille de Berlin by SL, it’s one of the rose scents I would wear. Parfum Sacre has moderate projection and longevity on my skin.
receptor312 – :
This IS a fascinating perfume and just lovely, lovely, mysterious, and incensy. I’ve been wanting to try it forever as well as a couple other Caron’s. Their is a note that comes through after about 15 minutes that I just can’t put my finger on, but to my nose it’s almost a minty fresh floral of some sort. It’s just amazing how sell blended and “old school beautiful” this is! Next on my list to try is Nuit de Noel.
windows – :
I’m fascinated by how the rose note in Sacre tips the perfume into incense territory. Absolutely entranced by the opening act.
There are peppery spices peeking out behind the rose, so at times, my brain also registers this perfume as soapy — fancy, french rose soapy.
And then, and then…
Longevity is ridiculously shortlived. 30mins at full steam, and then a dramatic drop off into skin scent sillage. I continued to get sudden whiffs over the next couple of hours, but I’m not looking for a short-term fling, my dear Parfum Sacre.
On my skin, this is such a disappointing end to what I thought was going to be a beautiful new love.
Dimasikno – :
This is my first experience with this design house and my purchase was blind but because of all the rave reviews here at Fragantica, I knew I could trust you guys and boy am I glad I did! I was so deflated earlier because the new production of Youth Dew it seems must have put water in the current formulation and I was in the mood for incense and myrrh which are at the base of vintage Youth Dew. I was sad and feeling like I needed a fix for those ingredients!:)
In short, I purchased a bottle today of this amazing liquid gold and yes, I do get the church connection, it smells of that lovely incense they use on Holidays, which makes it even more significant for me… I am surely hooked, it is an instant calmative and a fragrance I will hopefully keep in my collection. I am not easily convinced but this is one of the most beautiful scents Ive ever encountered, really…
vigor333 – :
Parfum Sacre proves quite different ‘in person’ to my nose than the notes here would seem to indicate. But I like it!
Hmmm…..
I wonder if it’s the mimosa that creates the utterly beguiling CREAMY note I am smelling?! I also sense few if any spices, a hint of incense, and well mannered florals perfectly blended in the best old fashioned tradition.
Remarks about this drying down to a skin scent are quite correct – for me at least it is not a heavy hitter but rather subtle and refined. I am also smelling a sort of undergirding of soft musk and perhaps sandalwood that truly reminds me of Guerlain. ( FYI – I have a sample of the vintage version. )
All in all, a lovely creature. I think I would fall in love over time, were this sample just a TAD larger…. hehe. 😉
Four Stars ~ Five if the sillage was superior!
barsik222 – :
At first I was underwhelmed but by the end of the day I was in love. It’s a smokey softly incensy perfume. I was expecting something more churchy.. I guess is how most would describe a strong rose incense perfume. And yeah, this is not that. IT’s soft, very lady like, but definently sexy. The spices n pepper are soft, nothing scary at all, in fact I wish it were spicier. It’s a touch soapy which I don’t mind, and the spices and powdery mhyrr with the rose in the background.. it is balsamic, but you really have to be looking for the rose to even be able to tell it’s there. At first it just smelled like dirt to me, dirt that is , in a good way, as good as dirt can get. But as alredy mentioned it only took a short while… actually only a few minutes for it to go to an almost love. My only real quam with this (and I’m referring to the vintage EDP) is that it doesn’t last very long. I love the first 30 minutes, it’s strong with sillage. But then quickly dries down to a skin scent. Still noticeable. But then in only a few short hours… it’s almost gone.. I really have to press my nose hard against wrist to detect anything at all. I would really think that coming from the house of Caron and being vintage, and being edp that this should last (at very least) a full 8 hours.. So that’s increadibly disappointing. Because it is a lovely scent.. but come on?? for these prices… I better get atleast 8 hours without having to re-apply. The most I get is 3 hours… and I’m sorry but that’s just not good enough
Also, I think everyone did a fantastic job describing this perfume, however I really don’t find this to be ”riske” at all, as some have described.. actually it’s a pretty safe bet.. well that is, except for the longevity. And you have to like having a touch of soap in your perfume
This reminds me somewhat of the vintage passion by Elizabeth Taylor… you know that soft budoir sort of incense perfume. While they don’t smell alike, the feel is similar too me. But where that is purple.. this is a earthy smokey color, and instead of all incense.. there’s rich woods, and resins and spices… soft spices. It’s all very soft. This is even suitable for wearing to the office. It’s like a versatile outfit, great for work, but take of the jacket (re-apply) and it’s sexy for going out on the town after work
To clarify, I’d say it’s a safe blind buy, if you love incense, smoke, cloves, cinnamon and pepper… done softly of course
ohyes, and there is a touch of some sort of bodily skank, but not much. I love that skank. But if you’re into girly pretty perfumes, with no skank, this may not be for you.. I just realized I said it smells a bit soapy and it does… but it is definently a bit skanky too, skanky soap?
And after all this, above all else it is unmistakably beautiful. I’m often leaning over shoulders at work and almost everytime I do and it’s within that first 3 hours, I get some sort of compliment. And it is addictive. If this was longerlasting I could see this as a signature scent. While it’s not as riske’ as I’d hoped, it makes up for it in sheer class and distinction
8/10
rinat007 – :
I’ve only tried vintage (bottle type pictured above). This is a rich blend of spices, wood, florals, ambery/sweetness, civet, and myrrh. It doesn’t go too far in any one direction (though at first it smells a bit like certain cough medications), and smells like what niche wants to do but can’t. The big difference between a scent like this and so many recent designer ones (especially many of the “masculine” Black ones) is that the notes here don’t feel like they are sticking together, which becomes irritating rather quickly for me. Also, the touch of civet helps with complexity and dynamism. I think it’s worthwhile to compare this one to Ungaro II. While that one is a bit more “masculine,” it is a bit “sticky” to me, and so I prefer this one. If one compares this to La Nuit EdP by Paco Rabanne, though, I’d say this one has more going on and is smoother (La Nuit is more animalic). Keep your eyes open for a deal on ebay and you might get lucky!
denfis – :
The reviews here inspired me to blind buy this (the new version, EDP with the violet colored label). I am so glad that I did! This is a fascinating, beautiful perfume. I have to say that if at first you aren’t sure about this one, please give it a chance. I recently wore it for the fourth time, and that is when the magic hit me. I am so glad that I didn’t give up on this. Everyone has done an excellent job in describing it, and I can’t really add more except that if it doesn’t really “click” for you at first wear it a few more times, and it will grab you. I also applied it less heavily than I had previously (2 sprays, one on the throat/chest area and then a misting walk-through) and it wasn’t so over powering and in-the-face, that way. Much more pleasant. I finally got the rose/myrrh/amber/incense/pepper and I am thrilled. It lasts all day and is softly present (if you stand near me you’ll smell it, but you don’t have to get right next to me) but doesn’t overpower. I have received compliments on it. So far I’ve worn it in cool and cold weather, and now I’m looking forward to trying it in the warmer seasons.
SEREGA2510 – :
Dirty silk panties.
Very peppery at the intro. Strong cloves which come off simultaneously medicinal and bodily. A slightly cosmetic rose musk and some powdery mimose.
I don’t know if I find the name to be super appropriate. I do smell the myrrh, but I don’t get anything churchy here. It’s more a bedroom scent. As in, someone’s bedroom not the things that go in in a bedroom.
ImmomoSticki96815 – :
My fellow reviewers (in special Vie Cafe) did a great job describing the fragrance, and I have nothing left to add. Nevertheless, I’ll talk about the 2013 edition.
I had finished my pretty white labeled (with golden cap) bottle and my husband thought that a new bottle would be a nice Valentines Day present. I almost never finish a bottle of perfume – that’s how I love Parfum Sacré!
So, my amazing husband came home with the 2013 re-designed bottle. At first, I was afraid Caron had changed the formula, as they did with Nocturnes.
First impression – the wonderful balsamic myrrh-frankincense-spices-rose smell was the same. Nice! But after 1 hour…
To make the story short – The 2013 Parfum Sacré has half of the staying power and 1/3 of the projection. Shame on you, Caron!
D2Opromotion – :
Parfum Sacre reminds me of pale pink silk that’s been passed through incense smoke.
(I might not have got around to trying it it but was given a generous sample by @Aphelion, thank you!)
It opens with a peppery woody/spicy rose accord which very soon develops on skin to a warm rose/incense, with the spices calming to a subtle blend.
The rose in Parfum Sacre is very distinct – slightly soapy yet salty/sweet and delicate. Contrary to my expectations, Parfum Sacre feels gentle. The spices listed might lead you to expect this will be a classic winter spicy oriental but I’d happily wear this at any time of year.
It feels, if not exactly contemporary, quite timeless, and there are no powerful aldehydes or animalic notes, nothing to tie it down to a particular decade or style. One thing I’m grateful for is the absence of noticeable patchouli, this is not a heavy perfume and into dry down it’s really almost a skin scent, the rose has very slightly gourmand qualities (might have something to do with light touch of vanilla)
The heart notes and dry-down feature a beautiful incense quality. Often, incense accords in perfume can smell like raw, unlit Frankincense or myrrh, in Parfum Sacre it’s more like the remains of velvety incense powder in a small temple (nothing cathedral-like about this incense!)
I’d like to try the intense version in the pink metallic bottle, but this was immediate love for me so I ordered a full bottle in this version.
Sillage soft to moderate, longevity 5 + hours, if applied generously
ekvizitor – :
The overwhelming impression for me is medicinal. Sorry everyone! The medicinal is starting to fade after half an hour, but that’s rather a long time to smell like you sprayed flyspray on yourself. I am left with the incense smell and it’s not subtle. Incense needs to be used very sparingly in perfume
Update: an hour or two later most of the incense has gone but then there is hardly any trace of the perfume at all now!
KawsAssib – :
I’ve tested Pafrum Sacre before but at that time in such tiny amounts per testing that I couldn’t pick up the notes beyond the spicy take off. Since I recently was given a generous decant from a fragrantica friend (thank you Mimmi!) I could investigate it more thoroughly.
Today I found out that I LOVE myrrh! I love this effortless bittersweet, spicy and slightly medicinal note and how it blends with the rose and the smaller amounts of cinnamon and cardamon. I usually avoid spicy orientals as I think most of them doesn’t suit me, but this one does. Apart from the black pepper which fades away quite fast, Parfum Sacre developes more like a floriental on my skin. And the cloves are moderate and just adds a spicy animalic note to the blend. The drydown which lasts + 12h is to die for: a honeyed gourmand rose with a touch from spices and that amazing myrrh. I simply adore it! (Vintage edp)
acid2408 – :
Beautiful. Opening was spicey and a wild but pleasing cinnamon. The dry down is still spiced but more smooth. It is wonderful and surely agree with MITSOUKO’s REVIEW It is unusual. This review is for the reformulated version. I am so curious what the original smells like.
Shuxer1980 – :
Calming, meditative, and terrifically blended. I can picture the inner chambers and courtyards of ancient Egyptian temples smelling of this–priests taking purification baths in the sacred lake before burning incense and sweet myrrh as offerings to their gods, the fragrant smoke rising and dissipating into the dry desert heat. Great stuff.
Kiryha_rigel – :
Temperatures finally dropped in my location a few days ago and it looks like the cooler winter season has begun to set in. The last two or three days made me want to wear something warm and comforting so I decided to sample Parfum Sacre.
I was preparing to meet someone with intense, vivacious, possibly overpowering personality, the way oriental fragrances usually are, but the scent that came out of my vial wasn’t like that. It’s oriental provenance comes forward in the richly satisfying spicy-smoky sweetness but on the whole the scent is very smooth and mellow. Because of this laid-back oriental profile Parfum Sacre should be worth checking out by those who, like me, tend to steer away from heavy, gourmand stuff.
As the scent develops I get some faint floral note which to me smells like a soapy rose. To me the fragrance feels neither warm nor cold; it seems to oscillate slightly between the two from one minute to the next, while never losing its comforting quality. I think it should work great in the summer months as well.
I think it’s the type of perfume that has the potential to become the fragrant equivalent of that special dress you’ve had for some time now, that you know always makes you look good. Not the sexy little number that requires you to assume a whole new persona when you put it on, but the one that you actually look forward to wearing every single time because it just flatters you in all the right places, yet doesn’t make you feel self-conscious. I wouldn’t mind having a full bottle of this.
npg696Negeltzex – :
I always thought you shouldn’t be buying a perfume because it’s nice, smells good or the chemistry is right for your skin, but because you adore it and drives your imagination, through olfactive experiences, into wild dreams and sensation. Parfum Sacre does it all for me. The first time I sprayed it on me, I visualised a very beautiful woman travelling on a train dividing her time between writing on her notebook and melancholically looking out of the window. I visualise a scent of solitude and majesty, of war and peace, of dark and light. It ultimately reminds me of the multicoloured windows of the gothic cathedral: so fragile, yet so strong. Thank you, Caron.
Briarey – :
Very smooth, but I would