Magnifique is the latest fragrance for women from Lancôme, and it carries the tag line “You are unique; you are Magnifique”. The celebrity spokesperson for the fragrance is Anne Hathaway; the perfumers are Olivier Cresp and Jacques Cavallier; the spicy woody scent is intended as “an olfactive interpretation of red”.
Magnifique opens on a very rosy, rhum-y, spicy and fruity rose with tangy and woody touches and a little salty edge. After the initial rather sublime entrance of the rose, the perfume soon goes into a soft mode becoming subtly creamy. Despite the dark, saturated colors of the Magnifique bottle and advertisement, meant to celebrate red, the creamy woody impression evokes an ivory satin gown. The color red is added with touches of red fruits.Then the scent starts revealing a citrusy lift (geranium, often used paired with rose), more luminosity, and an exotic smell arises which seems to be a combination of papyrus with berries and little touches of hard (sharp aldehydes) fruit sours, but done in a sophisticated manner. The scent is slightly peppery to reinforce its main spicy facet resting on saffron. Echoing the rhum-y nuance, a Vodka-like facet seems to be present, probably linked to the rose essences.
After testing it several times, a deep kinship to classic fruity chypres like Guerlain Mitsouko and Rochas Femme appears, even perceptible in a stewed-peach undertone, but with the addition of lactic, milky woods.
As the woods develop, they become richly exotic bespeaking of Indian summer nights, with a slight swirl of smoky incense to them.
Available at Lancome.com and most major department stores.
$65, 1.7 oz.
$85, 2.5 oz.
$46, Perfumed Body Lotion
$46, Perfumed Shower Gel
