Question:
Originally Posted by Strollyourlobster Do the other Guerlains I thought I'd tried resemble their originals? ...
And another thought. How would you get ahold of oakmoss extract after these regulations? Will its manufacture be forbidden or only its inclusion in fragrances? ...
What's happening to the industry that has produced these now-regulated extracts and EO's? In answer to your first question, there are a few ways to find out: Read blogs, forums, and reviews. Refer to Parfums Le Guide by Luca Turin (or other writing by him) because he has actually smelled the vintage perfumes and tells you when they ruin them.
Get your hands on the vintage. I don't trust e-Bay buys unsniffed. Some people do.

People from the DIY forum or some of our resident parfumeurs might be able to answer whether oakmoss will still be sold.

What's happening? Check out this thread. It starts out about Mitsouko, but the discussion turns to regulations and natural vs synthetic, which is a hot-button topic anyway:
/showthread.php?t=192660
--------------------------------------
Originally Posted by Bois et Musc as I mentioned before on this thread, it also comes down to patchouli, and ambregris. It looks like the last time they used real ambregris was in the early 80's Is is true that the perfume made and sold in France is made with better alcohol, (and possibly different ingredients) than the perfume sold to the USA?
I agree with you totally that ingredients make a huge difference in perfume, as much as formulation--maybe more.
I wonder what lovely ingredients were in the 1970s version...

Answer:
Originally Posted by shifts Your first words about the ambergris in this one made me crave that version real bad. I would really r e a l l y want to know what that one smells like. Ambergris and sandalwood, it would make me drool I'm sure. ha ha shifts you would! it 's such a high!
it 's so not easy to come up with words, since the real ambregris is a secretion from whales it has this sexual smooth mysterious radiance, I love it better than natural civet like in Joy that 's more a raw animalic fixative.
I was fortunate to find this Mitsouko parfum 80's vintage for $45 on ebay in 2002 I think that before the "Turin Mitsouko hype"
--------------------------------------
Originally Posted by purplebird7
Is is true that the perfume made and sold in France is made with better alcohol, (and possibly different ingredients) than the perfume sold to the USA?
I agree with you totally that ingredients make a huge difference in perfume, as much as formulation--maybe more.
I wonder what lovely ingredients were in the 1970s version...
I often hear that but I believe it makes more sense when it comes to Chanel perfumes, I know Coco and No 5 in EDT and EDP are made in the US thus respecting FDA restrictions. Their extraits de parfum are always made in France.
I will only talk about Mitsouko extrait here, it 's a more limited production than EDt and EDP, I really don 't think they use different standarts for the US and wordwide export.
My little tip for a Mitsouko vintage regardless of concentrations, go for something that 's not too old always sealed in box no stains, the early 80's is perfect, they were still using real ambregris, top quality patchouli and oakmoss.
on ebay trust someone who sells his/her own vintage perfume and that can tell you exactly with more authenticity in wich conditions it s been kept throughout the years and how old it is, usually retailers, wholesellers don 't know anything and just assume anything.

Answer:
Thanks for the great tip.

Answer:
I bought my first bottle of Mitsouko in 84 or 85. I'm fairly sure it was the EDT. I loved it.
I bought the parfum in the mid 90s, and I still have it (it's rather brown these days but still smells good). However, I preferred the 80s EDT - the parfum starts off a bit strident for my tastes, but once it has settled I adore it. I just assumed it was the difference between the stronger and weaker formulations, but I'm guessing now there was a change between the two?

Answer:
I'm not sure when it happened, but there is a change.
Altogether, Mitsouko seems to be moving away from the mellow, creamy peach into a more bright peach and dry wood.
That "harsh" note is what most people object to in the newer versions. Is it the change to treemoss? Is it more citrus? Is it a harsher oud component? Is it the loss of ambergris? Is it a lessening of the 1970s vanilla or amber base? I do not know. But you are not imagining a change.

Answer:
This weekend I went to Saks to try Mitsouko EDT while I was wearing a spray of my new bottle of EDP on one hand. The EDT I tried was all creamy softness, which to me signalled that they may have had older stock (no one ever seems to be looking at the Guerlains at my local Saks...they're so sadly overshadowed by all the new stuff)....My hand with EDP had a very strident , penetrating astringency that was quite different from the restrained EDT. I realize that to wear Mitsouko I'm going to have to decant my EDP into a roll on because I've gotten to the point where I can't bear the spray. I'm sad.
On the other hand, at Saks they had a TESTER of the parfum of Shalimar. That was quite a treat because I'd never tried it before. It was lovely.

Answer:
Originally Posted by purplebird7 \
That "harsh" note is what most people object to in the newer versions. Is it the change to treemoss? Is it more citrus? Is it a harsher oud component? Is it the loss of ambergris? Is it a lessening of the 1970s vanilla or amber base? I do not know. But you are not imagining a change. I don 't really think it 's about vanilla or amber changes, these are basic ingredients, from my experience in the parfum concentration the change from natural real ambregris to a synthetic substitute resulted to far less radiance as a counterpoint to the earthy fruity chypre notes. I attribute the harshness and horrid tar note to the treemoss substitute instead of the original oakmoss. overall a far less mysterious enigmatic perfume extrait de parfum.
--------------------------------------
Originally Posted by Indiscreet I bought my first bottle of Mitsouko in 84 or 85. I'm fairly sure it was the EDT. I loved it.
I bought the parfum in the mid 90s, and I still have it (it's rather brown these days but still smells good). However, I preferred the 80s EDT - the parfum starts off a bit strident for my tastes, but once it has settled I adore it. I just assumed it was the difference between the stronger and weaker formulations, but I'm guessing now there was a change between the two? vintage or new the different Mitsouko concentrations also have different formulas, it 's not just about "concentrations".
the EDT version has an enhanced vetiver base note that gives it a rather interesting androgynous touch not found in EDP and parfum.

Answer:
I've never smelled the "2006" version. How does one know if it was made in 2006? The parfum I have which was most likely made around 2001-2002 is hard to distinguish from the stuff I have from the late 80's. Same goes for the EDT.
I've never seen oakmoss listed on a Guerlain box. Luca Turin and others have said that Guerlain has been listing tree moss in place of oakmoss for many years even though it actually usually contains oakmoss. As of March last year, Turin was told by Guerlain that Mitsouko had not yet been reformulated but that it would be shortly.

Answer:
I truly wish they would put dates on bottles.
(Pluran, please bear with me, I know you've had to read through my reiterations in PM form already. I write this again for the benefit of others reading the thread. Thanks.)
My EDT and parfum from 2006 had more woodiness and a citrusy top than the 1980s version. There could be actual citrus-type ingredients, or vetiver could account for that difference.
The 1980s version was smoother and more integrated - and you know what? There might two reasons for that. I thought about this for awhile. Perhaps it was the formulation, but perhaps it is because the ingredients have sat around in the bottle together, exchanging molecules for decades.
The 1970s version, oh yes, that was where it smelled peachier. A focus on different notes, definitely.

Answer:
I love the parfum of Mitsouko,but can't stand the edt.This was last year,smelled it at the airport.They don't sell Mitsouko at my local store Anyway,I love the parfum since it does not have too much of the peachy aldehydic and sweet smell to it.I find the parfum more woody,which I love.My quetsion is,does the new version have more woodyness to it or is it basically the same secnt?(only more synthetic...)