Colognes are close cousins to gin, vermouth, and other spirits flavored with botanicals. Until the late 19th –early 20th century when denaturated alcohol gradually began to supplant grape spirits as a perfume base, you could safely take a swig of your Eau de Cologne. Today, I wouldn’t recommend it, but take a whiff of Ô de Lancôme, and you can easily imagine it served on the rocks with a twist of lemon. It smells exhilarating–green and lemony, with a pleasant earthy note of wet woods.
If you’re familiar with Christian Dior’s Eau Sauvage, Ô de Lancôme will seem familiar. Launched in 1969, it was Lancôme’s answer to Dior’s marvel–you see, even back then, perfume companies were happily copying each other’s blockbusters just as they do today. But while in the 1970s, it was probably just another nice cologne, today Ô de Lancôme stands out for its classical elegance and nonchalant style. You can easily wear it to the gym, to a cocktail party or even a board meeting: It’s really that versatile.
For my part, I love Ô de Lancôme the most on hot summer days, when everything else feels oppressive. The initial hit of lemon crushed with basil leaves is bracing, and the herbal bitterness makes it even more so. The crisp citrusy prelude fades into the mossy and earthy backdrop. It’s like stepping inside a cool and damp garden shed to escape the intense sunshine.
As your eyes adjust to the darkness–and as Ô de Lancôme loses all of its citrusy dazzle, you notice other elements taking shape. There is a delicate curl of jasmine, the nutty richness of vetiver, and an earthy slick of moss, all topped off with dry amber. In its original version, Ô de Lancôme had a darker, inkier drydown, thanks to the liberal dose of moss and different amber materials, but today it’s more transparent. It’s plainer, but also more refreshing, which is a boon on those days when even sitting in front of a fan with a glass of iced lemonade requires effort.
You can, of course, find other colognes and even better ones, like Eau de Guerlain, Chanel Eau de Cologne, or Annick Goutal Eau d’Hadrien, but I like the simplicity of Ô de Lancôme. It’s not overly sweetened, not cluttered with exotic spices or heady flowers. It’s just lemon, green jasmine and moss–shaken, not stirred.
Guys, please don’t worry about crossing over to the feminine fragrance section to look for Ô de Lancôme. Just like Eau Sauvage, it’s androgynous enough to smell great on both men and women.
Ô de Lancôme Eau de Toilette includes notes of lemon, tangerine, bergamot, petitgrain, honeysuckle, lily of the valley, jasmine, rosemary, basil, moss, vetiver, ambergris, and musk. Available at all Lancôme counters, Planet Parfum and other big perfumeries.
Sample: a sample from Sephora compared to my vintage Eau de Toilette dating to the 1970s and an original from the Osmothèque perfume conservatory
91 Comments
Cornelia Blimber: In the seventies, Ô was certainly not simple! Is that wonderful chypre really gone? I owned it in ±1970, did not revisit it since then. As a refreshing Eau, Rochas is the best for me, but I am curious now to smell Ô again! June 21, 2013 at 7:19am
Victoria: Perhaps, we just mean different things when we say simple. The original to me had a very elegant, polished character, not overly decorated, not cluttered with unnecessary things. It’s far from facile and boring though. Today, yes, it’s different, as every perfume from that era is, but it’s far from gone. The moss is sheer and crisp, the musks are softer, the whole thing is thinner. Still, it’s very good on its own terms. June 21, 2013 at 7:25am
nikki: the drydown was just so sexy, mossy and aloof somehow! I still like it though….I have used this for a long time now. thank you for reminding me, will order some right now! June 21, 2013 at 10:09am
Victoria: Sexy and mossy is my vision of O de Lancome too. Most colognes make you feel as if you need to engage into some sporting activity, but this one is a bit different. June 21, 2013 at 3:26pm
ra: I agree with you Victoria, most colognes feel too ‘sporty’. O is an old favorite of mine. Thanks for reminding it. June 22, 2013 at 11:29am
Victoria: I’m glad that I wrote about it, because it was so good to read all of these interesting comments. Plus, O de Lancome deserves a bit more limelight. June 24, 2013 at 12:24pm
Cornelia Blimber: Sorry, I misunderstood what you said, i guess!
So, it is indeed as with many perfumes from the past: thinner, but still interesting. Thank you for clarifying!
I will try O asap. June 21, 2013 at 8:02am
Victoria: Please don’t apologize! It gave me an opportunity to flesh out the difference between the versions more. If you try O de Lancome, I would love to know how you like the new version. It’s always hard to revisit something in the reformulated guise when you knew the original well. June 21, 2013 at 10:48am
Cornelia Blimber: Today I tried the new Ô and I was not too much disappointed. If you like your chypre without fringes, frills and flowers, Ô is still a good choice.
As you pointed out, it is still mossy, earthy, in the drydown. I like your striking image of finding relief in the shadow after the sunshine!
But for me, it has lost some of its fascination. The initial note is now too fizzy for me; formerly I associated it with the colour green, now it is yellow.
Nikki put it so well: Ô was ”sexy, mossy and aloof”. Now it is still mossy, but more pleasant and charming than sexy, and everybody’s friend in stead of aloof.
These things are subjective, it’s only my opinion! June 22, 2013 at 11:27am
Cornelia Blimber: P.s.: the longevety is amazing. June 22, 2013 at 11:30am
Victoria: I’m very happy to hear that you liked the new version well enough. The best judges of reformulations are the loyal wearers, because you know the perfume even better than the perfumer who created it. June 24, 2013 at 12:24pm
Barbara Crilly: I know this last post I’m responding to was on 2013. And now 2019, soon 2020. I never knew that there was another version of the O de Lancôme. I just ordered myself 2 bottle’s of the original O de Lancôme. I’ve had a really hard time finding it, I love the smell of it so much and when I where it I get lot’s of compliments. I was first introduced to it back 1995. Now I know where I can purchase it so I will continue to where it. When I where it, it make’s me smell like I just jumped out of the shower. November 24, 2019 at 9:06pm
ralu: I had this fragrance when I first moved to the US at the age of 17. I agree, it works on both men and women. I’ll have to smell it again. Thank you for reviewing this classic. June 21, 2013 at 8:53am
Victoria: You were a sophisticated 17 year old! 🙂
It’s just so perfect for these hot days. O de Lancome is refreshing, but with enough twists to keep me interested. June 21, 2013 at 10:51am
iscentyouaday: I adore O de Lancome and often think it’s as refreshing as pouring a Gin and Tonic onto your skin. It even seems to “fizz” as if it has bubbles! June 21, 2013 at 9:15am
Victoria: A gin & tonic bath–what an idea! 🙂 By the way, Demeter has an excellent Gin Tonic perfume. It’s fleeting, but on a hot summer day, it gives me a nice boost. June 21, 2013 at 10:53am
Cornelia Blimber: what about Gin Fizz de Lubin? June 21, 2013 at 12:53pm
Victoria: I tried it, but I don’t remember it. So, I will now add a note for myself to revisit it. June 21, 2013 at 3:32pm
Daisy: I am a big fan of Eau Sauvage so I bet I would like this too. Thanks for the review and for comparing the current formulation to the past ones! June 21, 2013 at 9:32am
Victoria: By the way, I just spotted the ad for Eau Sauvage in Cosmetique Mag, and the model seems to be Alain Delon. I remembered that they’ve used his image (taken in 1966) before, but the new ad is slightly different. I now want to watch The Swimming Pool. June 21, 2013 at 11:04am
Daisy: I haven’t seen that movie in years! Just saw the “new” Dior ad too. If you didn’t know who Alain Delon was, you would never know the image was recycled. It looks so modern! June 21, 2013 at 11:13am
Daisy: I actually saw this when I was out with my mom today and tried it. The drydown is truly addictive as you say! And as for longevity, it lasts and lasts and lasts on my skin. Even after a shower. That. Is. Amazing. But it was never overwhelming and felt transparent and comfortable at the same time. Thanks for the review, Victoria! Without it, I might have never paused at the Lancôme counter! Now I think I need a bottle of this 🙂 June 21, 2013 at 11:52pm
Victoria: Awesome! I’m very happy that you’ve given it a try and that you liked it. Can’t you just see it as a refreshing drink? 🙂 June 22, 2013 at 10:54am
RenChick: Your description does indeed make this sound very edible! I’ll have to try this cologne – soon! The vetiver and oakmoss alone make this a very attractive sounding composition. Thank you for the gorgeous review. 🙂 June 21, 2013 at 9:33am
Victoria: It’s less edible than the sweeter, bubblier modern colognes, but yes, I can imagine it as a dry cocktail! 🙂 June 21, 2013 at 11:05am
Liz K: I arrived at my mother’s last evening and was digging through drawers in my old room -wondering why nobody had disposed of any of the junk, when I found my old almost full bottle of O de Lancôme which I had thought long gone. It was one of the few feminine gifts my father bought for me and I believe was either birthday or Christmas 1995. I was unbelievably thrilled to find it still good (if a smidgen off in the top notes) and wearable. I was always amazed at my father’s good taste when applied to fripperies. He was the type to usually get my mother and me a tool set or rain gauge if he even remembered a holiday. I am wearing my O de Lancôme on this hot first day of summer for the first time in years and enjoying it very much. June 21, 2013 at 9:48am
dp: It’s so funny that you mentioned your old room in your reply. When I was composing my reply, I almost mentioned that this was one of the things I managed to save when my Mom would routinely clean out my room/drawers when I was in college. Things I thought were safely stored in my sanctuary at home were fair game to her trash bin or my sister’s greedy paws! Funny how everyone’s perspective of personal space/possessions is different! June 21, 2013 at 9:59am
Victoria: We might as well have the same mom! Mine did the same thing, much to my consternation. 🙂 June 21, 2013 at 3:23pm
RenChick: Wow, my mother did the exact same thing as well! She would get into one of her purge moods, and nothing was safe from her. I didn’t have any perfumes to lose at the time, thank goodness. But I did lose many books that way! June 21, 2013 at 4:34pm
dp: Books, treasured letters, silly little things that wouldn’t mean anything to anyone but me, even term papers and poetry were fair game. Why my closet and dressers were in her line of fire were a total mystery. Years later, my sister pulled out some 45’s to show my kids (who had never seen them). Mine had all disappeared! Interestingly, hers had my name crossed out and hers written over! Hmmm!
The downside of this cycle of tossing what does not belong to oneself is that I do not make my kids dispose of anything they choose to keep. And I have all of their baby things, papers from school, etc., as well as every perfume (etc.!) I’ve ever owned! My poor husband cannot understand this at all! Perfumes especially hold memories, and I will keep them as long as they hold their scent. June 21, 2013 at 6:47pm
Victoria: I had my college notebooks and various books stored in her basement. All gone now! I’ve learned my lesson and before we came to Belgium, I was careful not to leave anything in storage with her. 🙂 June 22, 2013 at 10:11am
Victoria: Finding something like this is like discovering a treasure. Your father definitely has a good taste in perfume. And how lucky that nobody threw it away. At my mom’s house, nothing at all ever survives. My grandmother, on another hand, keeps her children’s dresses. My cousin and I joking call it an anti-disposable lifestyle. 🙂 June 21, 2013 at 3:19pm
Martha: My mother did the same thing. We had strong words when I discovered she had cleaned out and thrown away my small treasures. Of course this was 35 years ago so it doesn’t matter now. June 22, 2013 at 9:22am
dp: I bought O in the 80’s in Europe and adored it. Couldn’t find it in the US for a long time. Bought it last fall in its new form and was so glad to have found it again that I forgave the watered-down eau-ness. It stays like the memory of your favorite garden walk, it refreshes with a tall glass of lemon-cucumber water, it transports to a hidden alcove of moss-covered fallen logs with miguet peeking through the forest floor. June 21, 2013 at 9:53am
Victoria: What a lovely description! Yes, that’s exactly O de Lancome for me. June 21, 2013 at 3:19pm
rosarita: I’m not experienced with colognes at all, except for 4711 which I keep in the fridge some summers. It’s a genre I want to explore and O sounds like a good one to try, thanks for the review! June 21, 2013 at 9:54am
Victoria: Do try it, if you have a chance. It’s another good contender for keeping in the fridge for those dog days of summer. June 21, 2013 at 3:20pm
zephyr: Back in the late 70s, my then-boyfriend USN submarine officer brought me a flacon of O de Lancome back from his travels in the Mediterranean. It was the spray version, with a burgundy cap, though the rest of the container was very similar to what it is today, just not frosty-looking. I was very surprised that he gave me fragrance as a gift, and even more surprised that I loved it! Guess I favored chypres without knowing anything about perfume at the time.
Well, O de L has changed over the years, but I still wear it several times a week, especially in warm weather, and still love it. The boyfriend has changed over time too, and we’ve been married for almost thirty years. Guess they’re both keepers! June 21, 2013 at 9:54am
Victoria: One of the reasons I love writing about older fragrances is because the discussion invariably touches upon poignant stories like yours. (Writing about the new releases (especially the dull, unexciting stuff) feels like doing homework, by comparison.) Thank you so much, Zephyr! I wish you both lots of happiness and many other exciting new discoveries. 🙂 June 21, 2013 at 3:23pm
zephyr: Oh, you’re welcome, Victoria! And now reading all the comments on O de L, I now want to try Eau Sauvage, lol! June 21, 2013 at 4:56pm
Victoria: It’s so worth at least one sniff. Eau Sauvage is another classic and another perfume that has an arbitrary gender assignment. It works so well on women. June 22, 2013 at 10:12am
Anita Monroe: During a trip to Paris in the 1990’s I bought O de Lancome and Eau de Patou. I thought that the latter was a much better fragrance although the Lancome one was also pleasant. I was told that French women love O de Lancome and that it is a big seller in that country. June 21, 2013 at 10:31am
Victoria: I agree with you, Anita. Eau de Patou is superior in some ways, and I still wear mine, but I only need to look at my almost empty bottle of O de Lancome to see where my true loyalties lie. June 21, 2013 at 3:27pm
patuxxa: Wait, one could actually drink cologne back in the day? That scene in Gone With the Wind where Scarlett O’Hara takes a swig makes a little more sense to me (she was doing it to mask her liquor breath, but anyway). June 21, 2013 at 10:38am
Victoria: Even gargling with denatured alcohol that’s used today is a very unpleasant experience. Not that it stops the alcoholics in Russia, which is why perfume sellers there need to have a special license. But yes, in the past, you could take cologne internally. After all, it started out as a tincture of various herbs and citrus rind in alcohol. I have several old cookbooks that list recipes for cologne alongside ratafias and liqueurs. June 21, 2013 at 3:30pm
Nancy A.: Here will be another re-visit on my part for O De Lancome. Based on your review it’s a fragrance to look into altho’ I didn’t wear this fragrance, its familiarity is remembered. I like your comparison to certain libations/spirits. My memory of greeting summer was O de Guerlain (a blast of sweet mint) and a fragrance that is never worn out on me and for me. I guess edits of fragrances of years prior have to be marketed with different notes, don’t they? June 21, 2013 at 11:57am
Alityke: Still adore O de Lancome and prefer it to Chanel Eau de Cologne. I must have used 5 or 6 bottles during my lifetime.
I feel a purchase of another bottle coming on imminently after reading your column today June 21, 2013 at 12:19pm
Victoria: I have a large decant of Chanel Eau de Cologne, and while I like it, the heavy musky drydown is not exactly hitting the spot for me. I miss the crispness and freshness, which is what I get out of O de Lancome. June 21, 2013 at 3:31pm
Courant: Eau de Rochas is still my favourite of these and these scents always make me consider inherited memory. Today I use Kelly Caleche with gay abandon. The EDT that is. June 21, 2013 at 1:21pm
Victoria: Do you find Kelly Caleche EDT very different from the EDP? June 21, 2013 at 3:32pm
Courant: What do you think of when you feel nauseous? Something that won’t make the stomach heave? Since I was a child I think of a lime ice block. Popsicles in America? Kelly Caleche is my lime ice block. Who described the EDP as suffocating wet rose blooms? Harsh, I thought, but accurate in a way. Layering seems to bring out the best in both.
I travel with the EDT but not the EDP. It’s fresh and clean but doesn’t conjure up a Mediterranean association. That’s the difference. June 23, 2013 at 3:29am
Victoria: Thank you, it makes sense! The EDP isn’t suffocating to me, but it’s flat and opaque, a minor disappointment. June 24, 2013 at 12:20pm
Maja: Me, too. Eau de Rochas is my biggest summer love. And recently I found out that Kelly Caleche edt in summer is much better than in winter. It sparkles in the sun. 🙂
I have to give O a try properly. I love colognes! And everything with a mossy drydown. June 21, 2013 at 3:53pm
Bert Keuken: I tried Ô a while back, as an Eau Sauvage lover I was curious to see whether I would like it as much as current and vintage Eau Sauvage. Initial impressions: fresh, green and… old fashioned. Must try it again soon. Eau Sauvage took a while to grow on me, perhaps Ô needs a few more samplings. June 21, 2013 at 3:10pm
Victoria: I can see that too. It’s definitely a child of its time, but for me, it’s a good thing. That mossy-earthy finish does read retro, but it becomes addictive after a while. June 21, 2013 at 3:33pm
annemariec: I have not really bothered with O de Lancome but I wore Eau Sauvage and Eau de Givenchy for years until just last summer, finally shook my head and decided I was a bit over that old herbal/citrus/mossy combo. I bought a bottle of Un Jardin sur le Nil and wore it happily all summer as I felt it finally had something new to say in this genre, even though you might argue that its fruitiness means it’s not in this genre at all.
After your review and all these really fascinating comments I will back-track a bit when the warm weather returns here. I have not tried the Eaux from Rochas and Guerlain, so I will fix that, and give O de Lancome a proper go. And I had no idea there was an Eau de Patou. Really? The house responsible for those symphonic floral masterpieces did stoop so low as to produce an Eau? Wonders will never … June 21, 2013 at 5:38pm
Victoria: Oh yes, they’ve had even more than a couple of colognes. Plus, making a good cologne requires a considerable skill (and I would argue, much more so than Joy requires). After all, a mark of a good chef is how well he’s able to make a perfect omelette or a crystal clear consomme–seemingly simple dishes that call for excellent skills.
But I digress, if you like the mossy-citrusy style, then O de Lancome is for you. Another one to consider is Parfums d’Empire Azemour. Not sure if you’ve tried it, but it’s another one of my top favorites. June 22, 2013 at 10:17am
annemariec: Yes, I’ve tried Azemour but found it so mossy as to be almost dirty ashtray. And oddly enough, apart from the ashtray, I found it short-lived and in general hard to smell at all. There are bits of it my nose just does not pick up.
I so agree about the omelette and the consomme. Nowhere to hide your mistakes! June 22, 2013 at 5:45pm
zephyr: I have a sample of Azemour (from a “Recommend a Perfume thread last fall) and I’m going to revisit it again. Yes, it’s heavier than O de L though at the time I didn’t get “dirty ashtray” from it. Maybe an evening, more formal version of O de L for me? Bet I could wear O de L during the day and just spray Azemour on top of it in the evening if we were going out, and it wasn’t too hot out. Hmmm… Much to play with here! June 23, 2013 at 7:26pm
Victoria: You aren’t the only one who finds the dirty ashtray note in Azemour. I’m probably not as sensitive to these smoky notes as you are, but I can see what you mean. June 24, 2013 at 12:32pm
Nina Z: Back in the day, I would never have worn a fragrance like this because I used to believe that a fragrance was a kind of statement about who you were, and I saw myself as more of a Magie Noire woman than an O woman. Now that I’ve been–thanks to the influence writers like you, Victoria—liberated from that kind of narrow thinking, I’m free to follow my instincts and choose whatever fragrance suits my mood as well as the time of day, the season, and the surrounding landscape. And sometimes a simple and refreshing fragrance is exactly the right thing (I wish I’d had some O last night, when that was exactly what I was craving). June 21, 2013 at 6:39pm
Victoria: It’s liberating to escape the rigidity of a signature perfume idea, especially since we all have different moods and different cravings. Like you, I used to think that I need to find something that was “me,” but in the end, it turned out to be more fun to play with scents that are totally different. June 22, 2013 at 10:53am
kaori: Thank you for the review. O de Lancome and Eau de Rochas were my beloved colognes. The other day I visited a Lancome cunter and tried a few colonges (not sure “O” was included) , which were disappointing. The current “O” has changed? I have a bottle of Caudalie Eau Fraiche now and I need a bottle of new colonge!
Kaori June 21, 2013 at 10:04pm
Victoria: I’ve tried one of the new O variations and it was just ok, but O is still very good. Caudalie Eau Fraiche is another thirst quenching cologne for the summer. Thank you for reminding me about it. June 22, 2013 at 10:54am
Eva S.: Thanks for this review, so nice to read about something different!
I am looking for a versatile, fresh summerscent-I will have to try this when I near a Lancome counter. June 22, 2013 at 7:18am
Victoria: I’m getting tired of testing the new releases (it never ends!), so I’m taking a pause and going through some of my tried and true perfumes. It’s a pleasure to write about old favorites. June 22, 2013 at 10:56am
Sofia: This was one of my first “grown up” perfumes that I received as a gift when I was teenager. I loved it and sort of forgot about it. Your lovely review is making me consider buying it again for this summer. June 22, 2013 at 8:38am
Victoria: Every summer I try to pick a different cologne to give my season a new flavor, so to speak. O de Lancome is an old favorite, but I’ve been wearing it a lot. Last summer, it was Annick Goutal Neroli. June 22, 2013 at 10:57am
Nina Z: My friend Jarvis calls that a “smell track,” the smell equivalent of having song of the summer. How interesting to do this intentionally, so you’ll always have a perfume to bring back a particular summer or a trip somewhere, not just a special event (like a wedding). I unintentionally did this went I went to a retreat at the Tassajara Zen Center in Big Sur. I carefully chose one perfume to wear to bed (wearing perfume during the day there seemed inappropriate). After much consideration, I chose Serge Lutens Incense et Lavande, because it was cooling, calming, and meditative. Now that fragrance will always bring back the magical hidden valley, with the sounds of the river and the monks chanting. June 22, 2013 at 11:06am
zephyr: I like that – “smell track”! June 23, 2013 at 7:03pm
Victoria: I love this! A “smell track” is a perfect way to call it.
Your choice of Serge Lutens’s incensey lavender seems so good for the occasion. It’s a beautiful, serene perfume, but it’s also intimate and second skin-like. June 24, 2013 at 12:22pm
Martha: I’ve not tried this one, but now I’m determined to go to our local cosmetic counter and try O. The notes look wonderful, and summer has arrived with high temps and humidity so refreshment is the order of the day. June 22, 2013 at 9:18am
Victoria: It’s been humid and unpleasant here too (and we have no A/C!), so I think that by the end of the summer I’m going to test out all of the colognes and find the ones that truly beat the heat. 🙂 June 22, 2013 at 11:00am
Martha: Oh dear! No A/C? How do you manage? I lived for many years without A/C, but I really don’t know how I did it? Well, I was younger and more resilient so that’s likely how I got through it. Drink plenty of water and take care, Victoria. June 22, 2013 at 3:06pm
Victoria: Most older homes in Europe have no A/C units, and until recently, it was really not needed much. But every year there is a heat wave when a lack of A/C becomes unbearable. June 24, 2013 at 12:29pm
Moi: O de Lancome is right up there in my pantheon of late, great, 1960–1970 colognes and cologne-style frags: Calandre, Eau de Givenchy, and Eau de Rochas. It was a staple in my and my teenage friend’s households all throughout middle and high school. If I want to skip down memory lane to lazy summer days by the community pool and nights spent cruising the city, looking for parties and flirting with boys, all I need is just one sniff. Wonderful stuff. June 22, 2013 at 10:29am
Victoria: The memories….
Eau de Rochas is another amazing cologne (even if somewhat underrated), but I think that it’s a bit hard to find in the US these days. June 22, 2013 at 11:01am
Austenfan: This is one of those fragrances that I will always smell whenever I see a tester. So far I haven’t felt the need to own a bottle as I have quite a lot of fragrances in the same vein already.
And I agree with Eva in that it’s lovely to see a review of an older fragrance. June 23, 2013 at 7:59am
Victoria: There are many perfumes in this style (Hermes Eau d’Orange Verte is another one), so I can completely understand why you may not need more than a couple. But it’s definitely among the better made colognes. Whenever I encounter yet another overpriced niche version, my love for O de Lancome grows stronger. June 24, 2013 at 12:20pm
Austenfan: I have that Hermès, and the Guerlain Colognes and the Goutal eaux and lots of others so I can’t quite justify the purchase. But I agree that it is very good. June 24, 2013 at 1:04pm
Figuier: Great to see this favourite has lots of fans! My mum wore this for a while in the 80s, it was high on my wishlist in the 90s, and I’ve always found it beautiful. I quite like the new ‘versions’ as well (especially the orange flower one), but the original is definitely the most impressive.
Unfortunately, the hot weather to which this beauty is suited has not been forthcoming here, so at the moment I’m still wearing mainly vetivers and florals. June 24, 2013 at 4:03am
Victoria: The orange flower one is very pretty, but I agree with you, it doesn’t match up to the original. On the other hand, Lancome often has nice promotions, so it can be purchased at a very reasonable price. June 24, 2013 at 12:09pm
Maureen: I used to work at a Lancome counter from 1984-86. My counter manager wanted me to push Magie Noire, so I wore it and was complemented many many times and sold a ton of it. I gave my mom bottles of the perfume and the perfume oil. She liked it very much. But I loved the O de Lancome so much better. I was very young, and Magie just seemed so heavy to me. (Wish I would have kept some of that oil!!!) I have had bottles of O ever since then, for it is one of my favorite summer scents. Thanks for reminding everyone of this lovely, and I think one of the best, Lancome fragrance. June 26, 2013 at 9:39am
Victoria: I so enjoyed this story, Maureen. Thank you! You’ve experienced Magie Noire at its best. And wouldn’t be amazing to smell that oil now? June 27, 2013 at 10:54am
Mary: O de Lancome has been discontinued in South Africa. I am distraught! There was no other perfume for me. It was my signature scent. May 3, 2014 at 4:59pm
Heidi: Hi Mary, I know where you can still get O de Lancôme in SA. July 27, 2014 at 10:13am
Diane: Please tell me where I can buy in South Africa October 28, 2015 at 2:56pm
Jeff Molina: I certainly agree about ‘O’ being unisex. I’m a guy and I’m going through my third bottle now. I think it a fresh, citrusy scent that just feels right depending on the occasion. March 9, 2017 at 2:58pm
Julie Demelo: Dear Victoria,
I purchased a bottle of this last year…It’s a perfect summer fragrance for me. One of my favorites!
I loved your review Victoria. On hot summer days, I also enjoy using L’Occitane shea verbena soap along with their body mist. 🙂 July 24, 2018 at 11:56am
Victoria: I’m so glad to hear that you liked it.
I also like L’Occitane verbena soap collection. It has such a refreshing scent. July 24, 2018 at 2:46pm
Michael: I wore Ô in the 80s and loved it. Today, I tested must be the reformulation. It was ghastly, and nothing like I remember. All the freshness was gone, and was replaced by a sort of mothball sourness. I don’t know what happened. I was really hoping for the zesty, lemony summer freshness I adored. Has anyone else had this experience? July 31, 2021 at 1:54am