If you feel that minimalism is overrated or you’ve had enough of well-mannered, chic to the point of annoyance perfumes, I have one answer for you: Chopard Casmir. You have it all in this amber tinted liquid–the richness of vanilla, the earthy heft of patchouli, and the creamy sweetness of sandalwood. Also, let me not forget the piña colada like fruit and jammy jasmine. It may sound scary, but Casmir works surprisingly well as a blend of woods with a bold gourmand note. It’s a Bollywood film in a perfume bottle.
Chopard is famous for its jewel encrusted finery and watches, but its fragrance collection is comprised of such over the top scents that even diamonds pale in comparison. Most of the perfumes were flops–Mira Bai, Madness, Infiniment, and Casmir didn’t exactly rake in the profits with its drama queen personality. Created in 1991 by perfumer Michel Almairac, Casmir looks to the 1980s with its glitzy composition.
At first, Casmir unfolds on skin with a bright pineapple-like note, the sour tang of which lightens up the creamy layers that follow. The perfume is mostly composed of vanilla, a big wallop of warm, rich vanilla. In most other instances, this would translate into a birthday cake of a fragrance, but dollops of sandalwood, patchouli, and amber keep Casmir out of the pastry shop realm.
Suddenly, the vanilla becomes drier and crisper until it crumbles like a crunchy sugar topping on crème brûlée. Wait for a bit longer, and the caramel turns into dark curls of wood shavings. Combined with an earthy accent of patchouli, Casmir plays this woody vanilla tune while it lasts. And last it does for hours.
As you might gather from the description, Casmir is not a versatile perfume. It also goes from delicious to lethal in a matter of one spray. For the sake of my fellow human beings, I spritz it gingerly, but when in the privacy of my house and in need of an antidote to rain, stress or other nuisances, I’m more heavy handed. It’s like popping my favorite Bollywood film in the DVD player and humming along as the star crossed lovers sing, dance and do the kind of improbable things that work only in Indian cinema. For a dose of escapist fantasy, Casmir is hard to beat.
If you need more convincing to try (or to avoid) Casmir, then please read Angela’s irresistible review at NST.
Chopard Casmir includes notes of mango, coconut, peach, bergamot, jasmine, geranium, muguet, amber, musk, vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli. Available at reasonable prices through various online perfume stores. I never recommend blind purchases, but in this case, it’s definitely to be avoided. Casmir is an excellent perfume, but it’s polarizing. Try to find a sample or a mini before splurging on the full sized bottle.
91 Comments
Jillie: As always, you have described Casmir perfectly. I love it initially, but after about an hour I have to wash it off or I get a sick headache – and yet I still come back to it on a cold winter’s day when I want to be cossetted. Actually, I think it could be sold as a diet aid – wear this, and you won’t want to eat! October 14, 2013 at 7:39am
Anne of Green Gables: I had exactly the same idea, Jillie. 🙂 If I wear this perfume, it will definitely keep me away from eating! October 14, 2013 at 8:05am
Victoria: So true! You smell it and it totally satisfy any cravings for sweets. 🙂 October 14, 2013 at 11:01am
Jillie: And of course you’ve got me craving it! So I had to go upstairs and spritz it (gently). I am enjoying it so far, especially as it is bringing blazing light and warmth to a really miserable afternoon. October 14, 2013 at 12:18pm
Victoria: Mmm, sounds wonderful. It has been dark and rainy here too all day long, so I don’t mind something over the top and warm. I even have cravings for mulled wine. October 14, 2013 at 3:44pm
Cornelia Blimber: I sprayed on Casmir in the 1990s because I had a cat named Casimir (not exactly the same name, of course). After the fruit my nose picked out a fine jasmine. So when I recently saw a big pile of Casmir for € 20 a bottle, I bought it . Your description is magnificent! I don’t like Madness (like beer on my skin) or Wish (too much of an Angel clone), but I love Casmir, although generally I don’t like sweet perfumes. Casmir has so many interesting aspects. October 14, 2013 at 7:43am
Victoria: Madness is probably more over the top than Casmir, and while on some days, it’s just the right thing, on others, it lives up to its name. I agree with you on Wish, it’s just an Angel version and not even a very good one. But it sells, and it’s one of the few older Chopard perfumes still available. October 14, 2013 at 11:01am
Lea: I had a cat named Cassia. October 14, 2013 at 11:59am
Cornelia Blimber: We never forget the cats we had! Your Cassia could inspire you to try Une Fleur de Cassie. October 14, 2013 at 12:18pm
meg: I have been wearing Casmir since it’s first marketing in the United States and I keep a bottle handy. I’ve had the bath products. I love the smell because I can’t smell when I am wearing it. That’s the sign of a great perfume for you I have had many comments from friends and coworkers who ask what I am wearing. They can smell it can smell it and it’s a delicious sent to them. it stays for a long time and it does seem to find its way into clothes and sweaters but it has been my go- to perfume and the only perfume that I wear August 18, 2019 at 9:23am
rosarita: I want to try this! I found a mini of Mauboussin the other day and it smells so rich and complex; as niche prices continue to soar, it’s refreshing to rediscover older, richer, less expensive perfumes. October 14, 2013 at 7:59am
Victoria: If you like rich and sweet perfumes, Casmir is a good option. I generally run away from anything overly sweet, but somehow Casmir works for me. Not everyday, perhaps, but on cold, grey afternoons like we’ve been having, it’s perfect. October 14, 2013 at 11:04am
Anne of Green Gables: “Bollywood film in a perfume bottle” is such an apt description for this perfume! I tried it a couple of months ago because it was one of the minimal selections available in a nearby drugstore. I didn’t dislike it but it felt as if I just had quadruple chocolate cake that’s so rich that it’s almost indigestible. Now that the weather has become colder, I think I should give it another try. October 14, 2013 at 8:03am
Victoria: Yes, I can see that! Which is why while I like Casmir, I caution anyone from buying it blindly. It’s one of those perfumes that can be either the biggest delight or the worst disaster. But I have a couple of friends who wear it regularly, and it smells terrific on them. In small doses, it’s better. October 14, 2013 at 11:06am
Rita Sanyal: Sounds like an interesting MASALA blend ! October 14, 2013 at 9:10am
Victoria: 🙂 It has it all. October 14, 2013 at 11:07am
Susan: Very happy to see a review of this perfume here. I’ve been wearing Casmir since it came out. If you apply it carefully, it’s the best woody vanilla ever. I betcha if it came out under some niche label, people would be raving about it. Thanks for highlighting this underrated treasure. October 14, 2013 at 9:13am
Victoria: Glad to meet other Casmir fans. Your description of it as a woody vanilla is spot on. I think that those who like DelRae Bois de Paradis or Tauer’s L’Air du Desert Marocain should enjoy Casmir as well. October 14, 2013 at 11:23am
Aukje: You know, I’m so glad you wrote about Cashmir. I love this perfume, and I could never put my finger on why. I wear it when it’s dark and rainy and I need a warm blanket. Actually, I associate it with CD Dune for some reason, it gives me that same comfortable, warm, feeling. October 14, 2013 at 9:24am
Victoria: Me too, I feel the same way about it. It’s so cozy under the layers of warm sweaters and coats. For all of its drama, it can be worn lightly to tone down its loud voice. October 14, 2013 at 11:24am
Martha: This sounds like a great perfume for these cool autumn days. I’ve been trying to add in more vanilla to my repertoire; Casmir sounds like something I ought to try. October 14, 2013 at 9:35am
Victoria: I usually find vanilla heavy perfumes to be boring, because unlike some other notes, vanilla just adds sweetness; it doesn’t have its own strong character. But Casmir managed to combine the cozy sweetness of vanilla and the sexy bite of patchouli. And it’s a lot of fun to wear (if it works for you, of course). 🙂 October 14, 2013 at 11:26am
zari: I’d really be interested to know what perfumes you actually wear. You should make a perfume profile for yourself so that when readers read your review of something, they can use that perfume profile to really understand where you’re coming from when you like or dislike a perfume.
Also, what’s a vanilla heavy perfume? I have been wearing Tocca Collette which has vanilla, lalique le parfum which also has vanilla, Shalimar which also does, and Youth Dew which I’m not sure has vanilla – are these heavy vanilla perfumes? Thanks! October 14, 2013 at 4:19pm
Victoria: I try to explain why I like or dislike something in each review. And then you can see my top favorites by checking the five star rankings (some of those reviews are from other contributors, but most of them are mine). Anyway, if you saw some of my favorites like Iris Silver Mist or Cuir de Russie, my like for Casmir wouldn’t make sense, but here you have it. 🙂
Vanilla dominated perfumes for me would be L’Artisan Vanilia, Coty Vanilla Fields, Nicolai Vanille Tonka, etc. In other words, they are the fragrances in which vanilla is the main theme.
None of the perfumes you’ve mentioned are heavy on vanilla, except for Shalimar. Even in that case, vanilla is balanced out by bergamot (most of Shalimar is actually citrus, so it can almost be a cologne), so I wouldn’t describe it as vanilla heavy. October 14, 2013 at 5:06pm
zari: Thank you for that Victoria! 🙂 October 14, 2013 at 8:16pm
Victoria: P.S. I forgot to say that I’m very happy to someone else who loves Tocca Colette. 🙂 October 15, 2013 at 7:35am
Zazie: Oh, I want to try it now!
I also like the ad you chose to illustrate this post: the colors and shapes make me want to be inside the image!
I can almost hear the bollywood movie songs echo in the distance!!!
😉 October 14, 2013 at 9:45am
Victoria: Casmir should have its own soundtrack! 🙂
Most of Chopard’s fragrances from that period came in ornate bottles. Oh, and there was the ruby square of Madness, which looked striking. October 14, 2013 at 11:29am
FearsMice: I loved Casmir back in my “go big or go home” days, but haven’t smelled it recently (um, that’s maybe in the last 15 years? Time flies…). Does anyone know if the current version is reasonably faithful to the original? October 14, 2013 at 9:46am
Victoria: “Go big or go home” days–I love it, and I think that I need to have some of those days. 🙂
My Casmir bottle is a couple of years ago, but I had to study the original in the perfumery school. They didn’t seem too different to me. I actually think that it’s on its way to discontinuation (or it might have been discontinued already), because I no longer see it at Chopard’s website. Until just recently, it was still there. October 14, 2013 at 11:32am
Barby: I know this comment is a bit older but Casmir is still on chop area website, I’ve notice a few day ago. x August 4, 2020 at 9:08am
Janice Dickenson: My dear sweet mama wore Chopard Geneve and I still have her original bottle with just a few squirts left. I recently found it on eBay and bought a bottle, it was billed “Rare vintage Chopard Geneve Perfume”. I also bought a bottle of Casmir after reading reviews on it, I found it on eBay as well. To my surprise, they smell exactly the same. I’ve searched the web for details on Chopard’s Geneve perfume but cant seem to find anything on it. Are you familiar with it? October 25, 2023 at 11:47am
FeralJasmine: I have a vintage bottle of Casmir, bought after you recommended it to me, Victoria, in a comment over a year ago. On cold rainy weekend days in the fall and winter, it us a wonderful spirit-lifter. When wearing it outside the house, my experience is almost opposite so e other people’s. I spray lightly, of course, but also spray about an hour before I leave the house. That odd offbeat bright note just doesn’t work on me, but the spice, wood, and vanilla certainly does. October 14, 2013 at 10:02am
Victoria: I also like it much more after it has a chance to settle. At first, it’s a touch too candy-like for me. But after an hour, it’s just fantastic. So pleased to hear that my recommendation worked out, especially since Casmir can be such a love or hate fragrance. October 14, 2013 at 11:35am
Nick: I love it with Encre Noir spritzed over the top. Elevating the sweetness to something new. October 14, 2013 at 10:14am
Victoria: Wow, it sounds very interesting! I’m definitely going to give it a try later tonight. October 14, 2013 at 11:35am
nikki: Bollywood in a bottle! That’s a fun description! I absolutely adore the flacons and the idea of an orientalist’s dream….however, I also can’t stand the perfume itself.
There is something so sweet/fruity that doesn’t go well with my skin. It reminds me of the other sweet perfume that came out in the 90s: Alchemie by Rochas. It is just too much sweetness for my skin and nose.
But the bottle is wonderful and so pretty! October 14, 2013 at 10:26am
Victoria: Yes, that’s a good comparison. The level of sweetness and heft is similar, even if they don’t smell alike (Alchemie is more of a true floral and oriental blend, and Casmir is oriental and woody all the way). October 14, 2013 at 11:37am
Lea: I saw Casmir, Wish and Mira Bai at TJ Maxx for less than $20. What do you think of Mira Bai, Victoria? October 14, 2013 at 11:58am
Victoria: I remember it as very sweet, cloying even. But the last time I’ve smelled it was such a long time ago. October 14, 2013 at 3:43pm
Rachel: Luca Turin’s Mira Bai review is hysterical. I remember reading it on the bus and laughing so hard I got funny looks from fellow riders. If you have the Guide, look it up! October 15, 2013 at 10:16am
Victoria: I don’t see it in The Perfume Guide. Could it have been in his French language guide? October 15, 2013 at 11:22am
Rowanhill: Thank you for a lovely review Victoria. Not sure if I ever tried Casmir but I will certainly keep it in mind. Unless of course it now disappears from the perfume counters. Inspired by your writing, I am longingly looking at my winter fragrances. Hello friends. Perhaps Bois des Iles or Tolu will open the rainy season. October 14, 2013 at 12:28pm
Victoria: I’m eyeing my bottle of Kenzo Jungle L’Elephant, Lutens’s Ambre Sultan and Nicolai’s Sacre Bleu. They’re my winter friends, especially perfect for the long Belgian winters. 🙂 October 14, 2013 at 3:45pm
Rowanhill: I was yesterday in Paris and made it my business to finally visit Parfums de Nicolai. Odalisque came home with me. Funny coincidence as I had just previously admired the painting at Louvre. October 20, 2013 at 6:02am
Victoria: Great choice! I like many perfumes from Nicolai, but Odalisque is one of my top favorites. Enjoy it! October 21, 2013 at 8:17am
Kathy Bible: Casmir has always been one of my favorite scents. I had half the women in my office wearing it when it first came out in the 90’s. It’s a bit of sillage monster for today’s tastes, but I still love it. October 14, 2013 at 12:34pm
Victoria: I always receive compliments on it, but I try to be careful with how much I apply. It’s so easy to overapply, especially since at first the pineapple and citrus seem innocent enough. 🙂 October 14, 2013 at 3:46pm
Aisha: It’s cold, rainy and very windy today, so I decided to wear Vanille Tonka. If I spritz Dune over it, do you suppose the combination might smell a little like Casmir? 😉
Really, I’m intrigued by your description. And I LOVE the bottle (and the ad)! But yes, I will definitely test before I buy. October 14, 2013 at 12:41pm
Victoria: I don’t think it would, but the combination could be interesting. Well, it could also be lethal, but hey, it’s a low risk situation if you have some makeup remover on hand. 🙂 I don’t have a bottle of Dune with me at the moment, otherwise I would try it myself. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes. October 14, 2013 at 3:48pm
Aisha: I will certainly let you know the outcome if I ever do that, and then we can all have a good laugh. 😉 October 14, 2013 at 3:58pm
Victoria: Well, you can also try it on a piece of paper first, if you’re worried about the consequences. 🙂 October 14, 2013 at 5:11pm
Phyllis Iervello: I will have to look for my bottle. It lost its place on my dresser a while back to make way for another perfume. When I wore it, I used to get a lot of compliments–especially from men–I assume it was due to the mega dose of vanilla in the fragrance. All the comments were spot on. Even when I did wear it, I couldn’t tolerate it for too long as it became sickening to me. October 14, 2013 at 12:44pm
Victoria: I’m curious how it will seem to you upon revisiting it after some time. I like it more now than I did when I first smelled it 10 years ago. And yes, I also get many compliments on Casmir. It’s one of those impossible not to notice perfumes, but the comments are always positive, rather than “hmm, what is that perfume you’re wearing?” October 14, 2013 at 3:51pm
Austenfan: I tried this a couple of months ago because a bottle of it was ridiculously cheap in a sale. Unfortunately I think I didn’t like it. Mind you, I tried it, thinking it was a Grojsman creation (I confused it with Boucheron Jaipur in my mind) and of course it isn’t. I will try it again as it sounds very interesting, and for once affordable.
I keep reminding myself that it is mid October and that cold rainy weather is perfectly normal for this time of year. I just need a little more time I expect. It has just been so glorious up till now; nothing quite beats a sunny autumn day. October 14, 2013 at 3:06pm
Victoria: Sophia Grojsman would never use this much vanilla in anything but a cake, and yet the enveloping, big and warm character of Casmir is not unlike that of her scents. Going by your comments here, I don’t know if Casmir is your kind of perfume. I forget, do you like perfumes like Nicolai’s Vanille Tonka or Delrae’s Bois de Paradis?
The fall started very suddenly. The grey, murky light makes it seem colder than it really is. October 14, 2013 at 3:55pm
Austenfan: I like and own both Vanille Tonka and Bois de Paradis. Neither are top favourites in my collection though. They share a certain “heaviness” or density that doesn’t always agree with me. I will try Casmir again, however, because your review has made me curious. L.Turin calls it a “strange oriental” in the guide, would you agree with that? October 14, 2013 at 4:03pm
Victoria: Bois de Paradis is great in theory, but in practice I find it too heavy to be worn comfortably. Vanille Tonka is much easier by contrast, but even so, that’s my “depth of winter” perfume.
I don’t remember LT’s review, but yes, I suppose that the strange thing about Casmir is how much vanilla it contains and yet it doesn’t end up in the cupcake territory. October 14, 2013 at 5:10pm
Austenfan: Rest assured, I had to look up the review myself!
Some sunshine today, hurray! October 15, 2013 at 5:29am
Victoria: On and off! At least, it’s not raining, so it’s already good. October 15, 2013 at 7:48am
nikki: I used to love Bois de Paradis and bought two bottles only to get tired of it really fast and then it smelled harsh to me and I gave it away. Some perfumes are best in theory…
Maybe I should try Colette….as I love the writer. Didn’t she use Jicky though? October 15, 2013 at 4:18pm
Austenfan: I still enjoy my bottle of BdP, I just don’t wear it that often.
I like the other Roudnitska Delrae’s much better though. October 15, 2013 at 5:08pm
Victoria: She also professed to loving gardenia, I recall. I have a lovely book called Flowers and Fruit, which is a collection of Colette’s essay on the subject of different plants. If you haven’t read it, you’re in for a treat. October 16, 2013 at 8:44am
Cyndi: I wore this when it first came out, and I received a lot of compliments. I did use it sparingly, but for those raw November days, and into the winter, nothing could beat it. Haven’t tried it for years, though. I got this weird feeling that it was reformulated beyond recognition, so I was apprehensive about trying it again. It seems the only place I can find it is online! October 14, 2013 at 7:51pm
Victoria: You might still like it. It really hasn’t been reformulated drastically, but it’s probably on its way to extinction (Chopard’s site stopped listing it). It’s too bad, because it was the best one from the line. October 15, 2013 at 7:34am
Elia: I bought Casmir once because I was looking for a good vanilla for my sister. She didn’t like it. And I found less vanilla than I’d wanted as well. I remember an overblown peach being the most stand out characteristic of the perfume. Definitely sweet, definitely very strong. I ended up gifting it to a Russian friend because I thought she’d appreciate the opulence more :), which she did. October 15, 2013 at 3:44am
Victoria: I can see that, Elia. For all of its massive dose of vanilla, Casmir is not a single note vanilla perfume. That’s perhaps the most surprising part about it.
Your comment about the fruity notes reminded me that in my perfumery textbook, Casmir is described as an “American oriental,” because it uses a big fruity note, which was very much aligned with the American tastes at the time. But it did ok in France and the US and even influenced a whole slew of fruity oriental perfumes. October 15, 2013 at 7:47am
annemariec: Thanks for the review. I’ve been curious about this brand since I smelled Madness on a colleague. She had the big, warm personality you need to carry that one off. Casmir … I dunno … it’s normally the sort of thing I’d run a mile from, but caramel to wood shaving sounds intriguing. And we have talked here haven’t we about testing your perfume boundaries …
My 15 ml bottle of White Diamonds is one of my most treasured perfumes, not because of its rarity or cost – Lord no! – but because I found out something about myself when I discovered I loved it. October 15, 2013 at 5:55am
Victoria: White Diamonds is a terrifically crafted perfume. If someone wants a lush floral bouquet with a dark twist, it’s one of my top recommendations. Well, if you like and can wear White Diamonds, I think that you can pull off a big perfume like Casmir too (not that they smell alike, of course!) 🙂 October 15, 2013 at 8:04am
nikki: White Diamonds is a great perfume! I just can’t believe how good and how cheap it is….it is lovely on! Some of those Drugstore perfumes are amazing! October 15, 2013 at 4:20pm
Victoria: Long before it became a drugstore brand, White Diamonds was all about luxury. But the perfume still has lots of character. October 16, 2013 at 8:45am
Patricia: I bought an inexpensive used bottle of Casmir online a few years ago because I liked the verging-on-tacky squat bottle design.
Surprisingly, I’m enjoying the fragrance and wore it recently to a Middle East restaurant. The others in my party commented on it, so I must have overdone, but it smelled good to me! October 15, 2013 at 10:26am
Victoria: Yes, very over the top like the perfume. 🙂 Kind of gives you a clue as to what to expect.
I’m sure you smelled great, Pat! October 15, 2013 at 11:26am
The Blue Squid: I’ve been off foraging in an undersea trench, so am late to the party here, but I just wanted to say that I always enjoy these reviews of older, obscure-ish mainstream perfumes. They’re a great guide for department store, pharmacy and online browsing. Thanks! October 16, 2013 at 9:51am
Victoria: There are so many gems like these ones. Plus, you often find them for very little at discount shops, so if you score a winner, you end up with a nice bargain too. October 16, 2013 at 11:48am
Steph: Thank you for reviewing this! I have never heard of it before but it sounded very interesting. I bought it blindly, a big no no but I was intrigued and thrilled to find that it is not expensive. I’m wearing it now and I have to say it is one of the best perfume purchases I have ever made. I did heed your advice to use sparingly. I can see how Casmir would be headache inducing! October 25, 2013 at 11:11pm
Victoria: Phew! I’m so glad that it was a success. Casmir deserves all praise and more, but an easy perfume it’s not. 🙂 On the other hand, a couple of dabs can feel heavenly on a cold, dreary day. October 28, 2013 at 10:39am
Ness: This fragrance smells suspiciously like another fragrance by Nutrimetics called Marie France January 16, 2014 at 5:22am
Victoria: It’s probably the other way around, since Casmir has been on the market for a while and it has inspired many other perfumes. January 16, 2014 at 5:33am
renee: I love Casmir, Venezia and Samsara so you can tell where I am on the spectrum of not so subtle scents. Way way out there. I don’t wear too much because I know it is like being on an anti-depressant that jumps up and smacks you in the face to remind you just how wonderful life really is with scent in it, Some people do not being slapped around by a perfume scent but I like it when it is warm and inviting like cinnamon buns in the oven. When I wear it I feel ALIVE! April 4, 2014 at 10:01pm
LadyXanth: Casmir is my all-time favorite fragrance! It reminds me of past lives, ancient temples. (very incense-esque)
I wore it when it was launched and was so very sad when for over 10 years it became unavailable in the states.
I have never had a negative reaction when wearing this. (maybe it’s the way it works with my body chemistry. Idk) People come up to me asking what I’m wearing and sniff me! “oh, my God you smell so good”
Those that know me well tend to inhale deeply and say “you smell like LX, ahh”
Yes, Casmir is my signature fragrance! July 21, 2014 at 3:19am
Victoria: It does have a wonderful sillage, and it’s such a well-crafted perfume. I’m sure you smell amazing. July 21, 2014 at 5:46pm
Ceci: I use to wear Casmir and I had people stop me to ask about the fragrance. I would tell them that how a fragrance smelled on one person could be totally different on another.
I changed when I could no longer find it. It’s been almost 15 years. I’m go glad I was able to find it again. My fragrances are Boucheron, Allure Sensuelle and now Casmir July 23, 2014 at 1:30am
Victoria: It’s very distinctive, and it’s true, nothing quite comes close to perfumes we love. The memories for scents are very specific. July 23, 2014 at 7:42am
Linda Johansson: I love this kind of perfume: oriental, woody vanilla, but I think I prefer soft, powdery vanilla.
My signature scent was Cristobal from Balenciaga, the best perfume ever… I have now replaced it with Thierry Mugler’s Alien (but hate Angel because patchouli always smells so strong on me and I really dislike patchouli).
I have Shalimar of course (and Dior’s Addict edp) but with my body chemistry I get a very sharp note first and it takes forever to get the soft vanilla.
Could Shalimar smell better/softer as a roll on perfume instead of spraying? It’s usually a large different on me, the same perfume transforms depending on if it’s a roll on or spray perfume.
After reading this, and other reviews, on Casmir I decide it was worth a blind buy. It’s often wasted money because my body chemistry wins, compared to what my nose and heart likes. 🙁
But 30 ml Casmir only costed about $23 in a Swedish webshop. I should have known better, they have sold me too old, stinking perfumes before.
I’m so disapointed right now. I have a really good nose and can smell things that my sister can’t (we live together), but in Casmir I only detect the base notes and the vanilla is awful. It’s a very weak scent, minimal sillage and more a skin scent?! I thought it had the same sillage and longitivity as Shalimar edp?
I can smell something that should be vanilla (tonka beans I guess), opoponax, benzoin, sandalwood: a sweet, balsamic vanilla-ish, powdery scent there something got really wrong…
It smells like perfumes smell when they have aged really hard and you only can detect the basenotes (the last notes to go).
Could it be a cheap copy or is it just too old? This Casmir doesn’t smell anything like you or all the others have described.
The box has numbers printed on it, can I find out how old this perfume is?
I’m so tired of complaining to this webshop about everything, so I’ll probably just throw the bottle away. And will never again buy anything from that shop 🙁 August 23, 2014 at 11:06am
Victoria: Have you tried Shalimar Ode a la Vanille? It’s much softer than the original Shalimar. Guerlain also has a new Shalimar version this summer, called Souffle. August 24, 2014 at 12:44pm
Adriana Galani: I love it! I love it because it is not easy, because it is what it is, unfaulding on my skin like a piece of jewlery coming slowly little by little in view. It is my rainy days perfume and well, I am not always light handed. I feel that if I have to be tortured olfactively by some God foresaken cheap headaching stuff applied in no discrete doze while travelling to work, well then rather smell my own fragrance right. It definitely is a winner, I hope they’ll keep it. August 31, 2014 at 4:29pm
Claire-Anne: I unfortunately bought this based on reviews and I’ll never do that again. I’m sorry, but Chopard Casmir just stinks.
However, to be fair, if you enjoy a cloying, overpowering, cheap, vanilla scent – the kind that ditzy teens and twenty-somethings seem to hose on by the bucket load – then you’ll love this.
For the rest of us, getting stuck in an elevator for 18 floors with one of the aforementioned leaves the rest of us collapsing out the door with migraines while gasping desperately for fresh air.
This fragrance, at any price, is over-priced. November 25, 2014 at 7:37am
Victoria: Sorry that it was a let down, Claire-Anne, but thank you for sharing your thoughts. As I said in my review, “I never recommend blind purchases, but in this case, it’s definitely to be avoided.” It’s a love or hate perfume. But you should be able to swap it away easily, since it has many fans on the blogs. November 25, 2014 at 7:50am
Oona: Omg i havent thought of this scent inages, but it was my signature when I was in high school. It feels immature to me now, if only because of my memories. November 12, 2015 at 7:04pm
Victoria: Sometimes it’s fun to revisit the old favorites. November 12, 2015 at 8:47pm