Histoires de Parfums - Moulin Rouge 1889 (perfume review)

After giving myself an ample buffer of time following my bad experiences with Vert Pivoine and Blanc Violette, I figured it was finally time to start trying some of the other Histoires de Parfums samples I had purchased. Next on the list was Moulin Rouge 1889.

Photo from Histoires de Parfums Press Visuals

Moulin Rouge is definitely one of the more interesting scents that I've tried so far.  Upon first spritz, I'm greeted with a rather strong plastic smell - but warm plastic - the smell of plasticky dashboard baking in a sun-drenched car. Then when I take a closer sniff of my wrist, there's a definite acridity, delicately wrapped in sweetness, that's reminiscent of rotting fruit. The two scents are clearly separate entities and somehow they dance briskly together without merging. I can't help but think of Johnny reminding Baby to lock her wrists and her arms, emphasizing what was his space and what was her space. (Important side note: BEST MOVIE EVER!!)

After a few moments the forceful plastic relents, making room for powder and the previously distinct auras begin to meld into one. Now I can almost feel the puffs of compact powder swirling about my nose and the creamy dark red lipstick smearing onto my lips. The zing of cinnamon adds energy to the scent and one could easily envision the experience of the Moulin Rouge - the glitz, the glam, the lights, the excitement. The costumed performers back-stage applying their make-up, the drinks, the laughter, the perspiration...

From here the scent gets softer. Instead of being in the middle of the excitement at the Moulin Rouge, I'm now opening a velvet-lined make-up drawer, inhaling the combination of powders, lipsticks, blush and perfumes that have left their caresses upon their vermillion cocoon.

Moulin Rouge never loses its powder and lipstick accords, but in the dry down it mellows out and veers into the territory of a skin scent. While being powdery, it flirts with creamy beige leather. The musk grounds the powdery sweetness and brings a touch of human warmth to the composition.

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Clint's 3: Masculine (reminds him of his grandpa), Coffee, Mint Chocolate

Wow - Clint was all over the board on this one! It really goes to show you that everyone's noses are different. I think he was struggling to describe the warm sweetness of the dry down when he came up with coffee and mint chocolate. It's also interesting that he thought it smelled masculine and reminded him of his grandpa. I've heard of tons of perfumes being 'old lady' but not many being 'old man'!

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My rating of Moulin Rouge 1889: 3

1  -  - -  -  2  -  -  -  -  3  -  -  -  -  4  -  -  -  -  5

    Nausea/Gagging         Meh        Decent       Great         Olfactory Elation     

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Moulin Rouge 1889 as described by the Histoires de Parfums website:

Family: floral powdered; feminine

Top Notes: Tangerine, Prune, Cinnamon

Middle Notes: Absinthe, Rose of Damas

Base Notes: Iris, Patchouli, Musk, Fir

Perfumer: Gerald Ghislain

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Given that Vert Pivoine and Blanc Violette were disasters on me - this is easily my favorite of the three Histoires de Parfums perfumes that I've tried so far. While I can't claim to love the opening of Moulin Rouge 1889, I can appreciate its interesting combination of notes and evolution on the skin. I was surprised by how much I do actually enjoy the powdery sweet lipstick pleather dry down.

As an added bonus, this is the first scent I've tried with patchouli that I don't hate! *Cheers* 

Nonetheless, there's a world of love-worthy perfumes out there so I wouldn't classify this one as FBW for me (especially given Clint's lukewarm response). 

Have you tried Moulin Rouge 1889? What's your favorite Histoires de Parfums scent?