The reason Emeraude is worth mentioning here is because it makes a decent old school men's fragrance. In fact, in its current form I think it would make a lousy scent for women. I find that pretty interesting. Emeraude is now an ultra-powdery barbershop styled oriental, with emphasis on powdery. There's no doubt about it, folks - this is a powder bomb. In fact, the only thing that cuts through that talcum powder smell are some barely perceptible wood or herbal notes and a touch of vanilla in the drydown. It's a subtle, skin-hugging scent, sort of like a lighter, less complex Canoe. I much prefer Canoe.
Of course the usual whiners are moaning about the reformulation of this classic, but I've seen some reviews saying this new version is a good scent. This time I have to side with the whiners. Though Emeraude isn't bad, I cannot imagine this being the same perfume that's been touted as one of the greatest orientals ever composed. I like powdery fragrances, but this smells one-dimensional, flat, dull and cheap, and I have to believe they crucified this perfume when they changed the formula. It really does smell like a $10 fragrance.
Despite my criticisms, considering how inexpensive Emeraude is, it is worth trying out if you like powdery barbershop colognes.
MY RATING: 5/10
Fragrance House: Coty
In my experience with such reformulated scents, I decided to have patience and get some on ebay at a reasonable price. I have the 1960s PdT version. It's not especially powdery. The florals are wet and heavy, giving it a bit of a contemporary niche type quality (perhaps with the florals turned down just a little). In some ways it's like the Habit Rouge EdC I've tried, though this has plenty of galbanum and no leather, among other things. It's rich and natural smelling. The composition is excellent, with balance, contrast, and dynamism. I wish they would just not produce such fragrances any more, rather than doing so and leading many to negative impressions.
ReplyDeleteRather than completely discontinue Emeraude, I think Coty would have been better off reformulating it as they've done, and re-naming it "Emeraude For Men". Although I've never smelled old Emeraude, if what everyone is saying is true, they should have re-named it when they changed the formula. This stuff isn't terrible, but it sure as hell isn't rich or complex.
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