Lancôme will launch Hypnôse Senses, a new flanker to 2005′s Hypnôse fragrance for women, in June. The new fragrance is described as “carnal and disconcerting”, and features a chypre base.
Hypnôse Senses was developed by perfumer Christine Nagel, and features osmanthus, rose, patchouli, cistus labdanum, benzoin and tonka bean.
I will update with sizes and concentration when I find them. (via veraclasse.it, elle.it, glamourparis.com)
Update: thanks to Nick for the news that Lancôme Hypnôse Senses will be in 30, 50 and 75 ml Eau de Parfum.
Another update: Lancôme Hypnôse Senses “was developed to recruit a younger audience to the brand’s perfumery portfolio”. Additional notes include honey, pink pepper, vanilla and mandarin. It will be sold at a lower price point than the original Hypnôse, but will not launch in the US until near the end of 2009. (via wwd)
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This actually sounds good. Just afraid that, like many, they all sound good on *paper*, but when I get to smell them, they’re an artificial mess. *is hard to please* LOL
It sounds really nice to me too…although looking forward to seeing how Lancome describes it on their website when it launches, as it sounds oddly heavy for a summer launch.
Completely agree, that was my initial thought too when I saw the notes.Hopefully it will be nothing like the original Hypnose which I didn’t care for.
Not a favorite of mine either, although I never smelled the “light” version.
I remember the original Hypnôse sounded interesting too when the words first got out–then we smelt the actual juice.
Though Hypnose was stomach churning, I love a lot of Christine Nagel’s creations, so want to try this (despite my flanker aversion)!
It’s a darned strong scent — if you don’t like it, it *is* stomach-churning.
This does sound good! Maybe Lancome is turning things around? Finally? I did not like Hypnose AT ALL, and really have not liked anything else they have done since Tresor. (Which, I recall, others did not appreciate on me, so maybe I can’t even count that. My mom refused to ride in the car with me at one point because I had it on, making the comment, “You’ve sunk to an all-time low.”)
Karin, what else has Christine Nagel done? I’m drawing a blank. (Although I keep picturing her as looking like the cover of Duran Duran’s “Rio” album–Nagel, get it?
Oh, never mind…)
Hey miss kitty. Click on the “Christine Nagel” link Robin placed in her post and you’ll see some of her other scents…
BTW, Duran Duran is my all-time LEAST favorite band! (Oh, sorry.)
I liked Duran Duran. (Didn’t have three hundred posters on my walls and all their albums, though, like my sister did.)
Duh! Ok, thanks
I meant “duh” regarding the link, not Duran Duran.
Oh, but I do miss the 80′s…
LOL — your mom tells it like it is! I like Tresor too though, in an abstract way (never wore it).
Oh my god, Miss Kitty, laughing out loud over here because your Mom went to the same Academy of Criticism that my M did. Though I admit she was rarely that direct. It would have been something more like– “Well THAT’s an interesting choice.” Or maybe just, “Is that you?”
My mom (who is very sweet–I know you would never know it, based on what I’ve shared) has not, historically, liked anything I’ve worn. Of all things, LouLou was the one thing she liked. Which is weird, because even I think it’s pretty loud. I can’t see it being something a perfume-a-phobe would like.
“You’ve sunk to an all-time low” made me laugh out loud.
Exactly, I thought the same too….
““carnal and disconcerting”, and features a chypre base. ”
Add in the notes list & it sort of sounds like a retread of Guerlain’s Elixir Charnels. Oh, look, same nose! If its better priced may well be worth a bottle, definitely worth a sniff.
I never tried any of those Guerlains, so won’t even notice
Alas, I did last week & a new lemming was born. Unfortunately (fortunately?) they are pricey individually & “break the bank” collectively, so I passed.This almost sounds like a blend of all three, & I’m not sure it that’s good (only need one LOL) or bad (its an indistinct mess, because individually they are quite unique).
LOL — see, I’m best off not smelling them!
Sounds promising! If it’s bottle worthy, I’ll wait for the next GWP and get it them – I love all the goodies!
Send me the mini mascara
Chypres are very very iffy for me, but I have to say this one does sound nice, with rose and tonka and osmanthus and labdanum – hope it’s not pedal to the medal on the patch, as that’s pretty much death for me. Seems a bit heavy for summer, too, but we takes ‘em where we can gets ‘em.
Poll idea: chypre suggestions for the chypre-phobic? There are only a few I like, so far, and they tend to be weighted toward the floral.
Modern chypres are iffy for you, or classic chypres? They’re so different I don’t even think of them in the same category.
I think there needs to be a new term rather than “modern chypre” which I am beginning to think is the new Yetti and just a marketing term to make people think they will be getting something like those amazing classics that are on the endangered species list …. Most “mypres” smell like salty gourmands to me, or are so close to being a heavy oriental or “woods” that it seems they shouldn’t count. To me labdanum, benzoin, and tonka say either woods or oriental. Although I must agree that this fragrance *sounds* interesting and if big fragrance companies are moving back into more interesting fragrances, then good! I wish that the industry could lose the modern chypre lingo.
Since I’m out on a limb…I’d also like to add that if it is just the presence these days of good old patchouli to make a modern chypre, then every hippie girl running around is wearing a modern chypre. I don’t know – I think it is lame – nothing against patchouli mind you….
I don’t like the term either, but on the other hand, I also don’t find the whole concept of fragrance families all that helpful anyhow so I don’t know why I go on letting it bother me, LOL…most people don’t know what the families are anyway, or find them confusing (I think we had this discussion when we did a fruity floral poll, and almost everything people listed as favorite fruity florals wasn’t technically speaking a fruity floral).
Dunno… the only “modern chypre” I can think of is 31 Rue Cambon, and I love that. Patchouli, unless it’s teeny and soft, is Not My Friend. I replied to AnnS below with a list of so-called chypres I can/cannot tolerate.
I agree, modern is so different from the classic.
I think it’s too much of a buzz not to–take out the traidtional oakmoss from the classic chypre structure and we get a variant along the axis of patchouli + labdanum + possible citrus–bordering on a light oriental which is not hard to do (I’m obviously generalizing here: there are many ways to get to Rome).
Hi Mals – try Givenchy III, Chanel No 19, Cristalle or Ralph Lauren Safari which are nice classic green florals — they are chypres b/c of oakmoss and/or vetiver, but are so nice, classic and dry dry dry.
Thanks! Now, I luuv me some green florals – I’d call No. 19 one of those, and it’s one of my favorites – but chypres… well, Mitsouko hates me, Paloma Picasso tries to kneecap me every time I come near her, and Aromatics Elixir took a cosh to the back of my head. Knowing, Alliage, Miss Dior Cherie – um, No. NO. EL Private Collection – too much green, not floral enough.
PdN Number One was wearable, and so was Krasnya Moskva. I do get on quite well with vintage Magie Noire, Odalisque, and 31 Rue Cambon (which is so strongly ambery to me that “chypre” isn’t even close). All of those, though, seem strongly floral in the body to me, with perhaps a chypre scarf thrown about the neck.
Mitsouko hates me too, I think because of the fake oakmoss in the new one(haven’t tried vintage)… new Miss Dior does the same thing. I call it swampy fetid bog… *shakes fist at fake oakmoss* real moss doesn’t do that to me!!! *grumbles about EU and allergens*
I’d like no. 19 better if it didn’t smell like my Doctor’s office. Classy smellin’ office, eh? lol
Bunny, I’d be checking the diagnostic codes closely on your doc. bills….just to make sure you aren’t paying for premium room frags. lol
I never see bills, just the government lol (Canada) Maybe the doctor wears it… even if he is a guy… or maybe the receptionist or nurse… or there’s some fine disinfectants out there lol
I’m in almost total agreement with you on those heavy chypres, and I don’t care for Mitsouko either – it’s actually the heavy leather – swampy vetiver part that gets me, as it does in the original No 19 and Cristalle. I have worn Knowing off and on over the years, but these days it seems really hard to me for some reason. I prefer the lighter dry chypre that is normally paired with a green floral. (I don’t know how I missed it the first time around, but my head swoons each time I wear Safari now…) What also surprises me (and this gets back to that oakmoss thing) is that I went and read all of the ingredients on my fragrance boxes about a month ago. And you know, there were plenty of my frags that listed oakmoss (evernia prunastri) or tree moss (evernia furfuracea) even though the fragrance itself isnt’ considered a chypre. I agree with Robin that sometimes these categories are bunk and a lot of the PR is just nonsense.
Oh – and Rue Cambon is total, yummy amber on me too. Chypre? What chypre?
Oh, and I’m testing Tauer Une Rose Chypree today – which I dared because there’s rose in the name, and I figure it will probably have enough floral for me.
Update on the Rose Chypree test: I have a wristful of deliciousness! Wow. Go order samples, everybody. Now. (I got mine at luckyscent [not affiliated] – a very generous sample, looks like 1.5 ml, for $5.)
These notes sound very appealing indeed. I’ll be looking forward to giving it a sniff. And maybe the Guerlain’s Elixir Charnels Licia refers to as well, though I’ve never noticed it before…hope it’s still find-able?
As far as modern chypres go, I haven’t found my destiny yet. For a while I was fond of the Different Company’s Sublime Balkis. Eventually it was too much berry for me, though I still really enjoy smelling it on others. I am curious to know what others have found to love of the “modern chypres”.
My favorite of the so-called “modern chypre” (I do hate the term) group is probably Chanel’s 31 Rue Cambon. I thought Gucci by Gucci was also really well done.
2nd that on the Gucci By Gucci… I keep an extra lotion at my desk to replenish while working
… you might also want to try their EDT version, it’s a little lighter/fruitier but the lasting power is the same.
Carnal is okay with me, but I’m not sure I want to be “disconcerted” , nor do I generally wish to be “disconcerting” .
However, I rarely pass up a sniffing opportunity even if I do complain later.
Beats “dull as rocks”
You have a point, my friend!
Looks like they are trying to copy the Guerlain Elixirs Charnels look and ad copy – I’ll give it a sniff but Lancome’s scents are not usually my cup of tea.
But other than the word carnal I don’t see the relationship — maybe I’m missing something?
The color of the juice, the use of “carnal”, some of the notes – I don’t know, somehow as soon as I saw this post I thought of Guerlain’s Elixirs Charnels. But who knows, it could smell like anything!
Ah, gotcha. Well, who knows? I did not think those Guerlains were so influential, I guess…they seemed to come & go in a flash.
I’ll give it a try and hope it smells nothing like original Hypnose… GAG!!! I swear it smells like sunscreen to the power of a million and that makes me sick without being strengthened lol.
It’s not my favorite either, but I think it does well so many people must love it!
‘Carnal and disconcerting’ – my, doesn’t that beat the usual perfume copy…’Quietly similar to a hundred other perfumes. For the timid woman who craves invisibility.’?
Wouldn’t it be fun to rewrite all the perfume copy after we’d smelled the juice in question?
now that would be some Thursday poll, eh? NST perfumistas (and perfumistos) provide rewrites for mainstream perfume copy! We’d probably get collectively sued by the industry moguls….of course “the truth is an absolute defense”…..so we wouldn’t do any hard time…
My god, that would be fun!!!
Speaking of which… Robin, are you going to do another Prix Eau Faux? I still chortle at the memory of the last batch.
Ack, soon, soon! Believe it or not I’m still “fixing” things from the move at the end of March, and trying to get all the old articles “tagged” & whatnot. Realistically speaking it’s possible it won’t be til the fall, I guess.
Yikes, I believe it! Well, that gives us all time to polish our purple prose…
I just snorted tea out my nose!
Have to say, the ad and bottle do not strike me as to suggest a “carnal and disconcerting” fragrance! It looks more like ‘powdery osmanthus pooft’.
Looking at the notes, they don’t really match the promises to me either; not to say it couldn’t still be a decent fragrance otherwise (hinging for me really on how the labdanum is handled). As a side note, I think ‘carnal’ is a really ugly word.
For me, “carnal” conjures up deeply laquered red lipstick and black lace lingerie and the explicit bathroom scene in Body Heat. lol.
Not easy to tell just on the notes…could be sexy stuff, could be not.
Now, see, “osmanthus pooft” sounds really good to me, especially in conjunction with a labdanum-benzoin-tonka base. Right up my little floriental alley…
Yeah, that bottle is kinda blah. Where are all the good bottle designers out there? Man, that would be my dream job…
That would be fun, wouldn’t it? I love when designers interject a sense of humor into the design – anyone remember the L.E. YSL Homme bottle from a famous architect (sorry, the name eludes me)? That was an outstanding bottle.
The architect was Jean Nouvel. Wasn’t that a great bottle? So much fun! I wanted to own it, but YSL L’Homme is such a bucket of blah that I wouldn’t even spend $20 on that bottle, let alone the $90 they were asking. (I suppose if someone had given it to me, I’d just set it on my dresser as a smart little piece of modern sculpture. As long as I didn’t feel I had to wear the contents. Blah.)
LOL at “bucket of blah”. Perfect.
Jean Nouvel – yes, thanks! My 10 yr old son wears it, and it’s perfect for him; safe, inoffensive for school. I saw it online for $20 – at that price, it is cheap modern sculpture and a great conversation piece
And see, I think the Hypnôse bottles are some of the more interesting ones out there.
It doesn’t thrill me, but I don’t hate it either.
I’d really love to see someone who LOVES the original Hypnôse come crawling out of the woodwork. Anyone? Yoo-hoo!
Having loved Hypnôse Homme, you’d think I’d have at least sniffed the women’s at least once out of curiosity, but no (not that I expect any similarity). This flanker sounds interesting (“chypre base” automatically makes anything *sound* interesting), but ill-timed for a June launch.
I love the original hypnose femme. Maybe because i love a creamy feminine gourmand. To me, hypnose femme smell like vanilla and chocolate cookies : )
I don’t think Senses is gonna be a strong fragrance at all. Pale pink and carnal don’t match at all. I can imagine it as something like guccy pf II or addict 2.
Seriously, many people must! Thanks for chiming in Rickbr.
Here I am, I admit it – an original Hypnose fan. To me, it’s a nice vanilla-y comfort scent in cooler weather. I’ve been away for a couple of weeks and this is the first post I’ve read since returning. Despite the ‘disconcerting’ aspect [is that supposed to be a good thing? haha] – this flanker sounds swell to me.
Good, we’ve been waiting for you! Do note that the “carnal and disconcerting” are my translation from the French, I should have mentioned that above. Perhaps they will use different language for the English.
lhypnose”senses smells great just like soap a very soft . scent
so far i love it you must try it if you love soft scents
love this stuff just out of the shower soapy clean
Thanks, hope to try it soon!
Tried it at Nords today and I liked it. Much more then I liked the original. It reminded me of Lola. Probably bcuz of the pink pepper.
I do hear it’s nicer than the original, but if it smells like Lola I doubt I’ll love it!
I have to say – despite developing a taste for the rare and expensive (particularly since subscribing to this blog!) – I really *love* hypnose senses. But the perfume snob in me is slightly embarrassed to be having an affair with a such cheap little department store frag ;-p
I tried it a while back one idle lunch hour not expecting to find anything to like – but there was just something that kept pulling me back until I cracked when the Xmas gift sets started to appear and bought one with shower gel, body lotion and perfume. That was towards the end of October and I’ve used up everything barring a tiny bit of perfume! I’m holding on for the post Xmas sales so I can hopefully stock up on some discounted gift sets
Despite a mantelpiece groaning with Frederic Malle, Ormonde Jayne and Comme des Garcons, this little beauty keeps ending up on my wrists day after day – and I regularly get told I smell delicious.
On me, it’s sweet and comforting and ‘snuggly’ for want of a better term. Sexy in a Scarlett Johansson in the opening of Lost in Translation kind of way.
It’s really cold in England today and I’m wearing layers of pale greys, winter whites and a baby pink pashmina – this is the perfume equivalent. I’m worried I’ll run out before the sales kick in and will have to buy regardless!
I think they did a really nice job on Hypnose Senses…I like it much better than Hypnose.