Hellooooo Crew. Today I wanted to chat with you about a historic fragrance that seems to be long forgotten to the modern perfume community. L’Air du Temps was created for Nina Ricci by perfumer Fabrice Fabron with her son Robert, released in 1948 after WWII with a doves symbolizing peace and renewal. When I was a squirt bitch Nina Ricci was one of my counters perfume houses. Even then it was often eschewed for newer, glossier, better advertised fragrances and only its long time lovers continue to buy it. Actually, it was usually the men who bought L’Air du Temps for their loved ones.
L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci 1948
Nina Ricci gives these current featured accords:
Top: Carnation, Gardenia
Heart: Centifolia Rose, Grasse Jasmine
Base: Mysore Sandalwood, Iris
While not being a beast mode, attack fragrance that will enter the room before you and dry clean the curtains L’Air du Temps is still a lovely fragrance. Ostensibly a pretty carnation forward floral, which is rare enough in the day of glutinous sweetness, it also still has a little growl of its animals in the base. Yes, even in the newest versions. I have a 30ml EdT bought in the last couple of years. Lighter, fresher but still unmistakable as L’Air du Temps.
The heart is a vivid amalgam bouquet and veers towards a Patou Joy type lushness but with the aldehydes of CHANEL No 5. Not exactly the same as either, and far less strident than both. L’Air du Temps feels like their cousin who never felt the need to try so hard. They’re comfortable, self possessed and, dare I say it, satisfied with their life cousin. The one who has thought about life and the world and accepts their place in it, chooses solid trustworthy friends and takes pleasure in their home and work.
As you will see below, my review bottle today is a 1990s extrait spray. Only 7.5ml and it doesn’t seem like the extrait is available to buy anymore. Shame, because it’s ridiculously beautiful.
Dry down is a floral amber/sandalwood with soft, mossy backbone. The extrait lasts for hours and hours but if I’m wearing the modern EdT it needs refreshing a couple of times a day to make it through to the end.
Aimed at the feminine but perfectly gorgeous on the dudes too.
Did you ever L’Air du Temps?
Portia xx
Undina's Looking Glass 
This was my late mother in law’s signature fragrance. Even when she was diagnosed with vascular dementia & lymphoma & in long term care she always wore L’Air du Temp, so integral was it to her very self.
If I catch a sniff of it in the wild my brain gives me a hug from Kay, such is the comfort it brings.
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That is a fabulous perfume story Alityke. Fragrance is memory.
Portia xx
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That’s what I love about perfume—the virtual hugs from loved ones through their favorite scent.
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L’Air du Temps is quite the Nina Ricci classic. It’s been a very long time since I’ve experience this perfume, but I remember the gardenia specifically being wonderful.
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Ahhhh! Amazing how our ,memories remember bits and pieces of the whole. I love that you have such a specific scent memory for LAdT Flaconneur.
Portia xx
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I only got to smell it once in an antique store because the sales assistant was curious to smell it too (and didn’t mind opening it, which isn’t always the case). It was years ago so I don’t remember it well, but it must be a classic beauty.
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Yeah, it’s a vibrant, beautiful keyhole to the past Node Prose.
Portia xx
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