Classique by Jean Paul Gaultier

I’ve never worn this before and now I can’t understand why. It smells super feminine and classic, perfect to keep as my go-to fragrance 💜

This perfume brings back memories of 2006, when I was 17. A model friend from the Maison in Havana gave it to an Italian, and every time we went out, I’d go to his house to put on this enchanting scent. At the club, everyone would ask us and give us so many compliments. It’s incredible how a perfume can take you back to the past and revive moments that don’t return but stay forever. Later, I arrived in Barcelona in 2018 and found it in a small liquidation shop; they sold me a new 50 ml bottle for €20 and I didn’t hesitate to buy it. I kept it for six years and today I’ve found a 100 ml and another 50 ml, both vintage from the 1993 first edition. I bought both without thinking twice. I adore them; when I smell them, I’m transported back to those years. 💕

It smells so sexual, enveloping and captivating… It maintains a touch of elegance (without being the typical kind like the CH ones in heels, despite being a classic). I had a friend who wore it and I loved it for going out partying and devouring

A legendary scent I discovered late and it has fallen in love with me. Those sparkling notes of bitter orange with star anise make it addictive. It’s refreshing yet at the same time dense and enveloping. On me, the vanilla and ylang-ylang don’t stand out much, so I see it as ideal for the shoulder seasons. It’s not excessively warm or fresh, it stays at an intermediate point. I feel it’s citrusy but a resinous citrus due to the amber note, surely… certainly talc-like but not powdery. I love it; it seems like a little jewel that needs to be known at least once in a lifetime if you have a passion for perfumery

Jean Paul Gaultier Classique – A story of 25 years of love… unrequited. Today I’ve finished my 50 ml bottle that they gave me in 2000. Yes, 25 years later! My relationship with this perfume has been complicated: I tried it, but every time I wore it I’d just say ‘uffff’. What’s curious is that on paper it has everything to please me. Its notes are: Top: bitter orange blossom, mandarin, star anise, pear, rose and bergamot. Heart: iris, ginger, plum, orchid, ylang-ylang and neroli. Base: vanilla, amber, musk, cinnamon and sandalwood. And I like them all! But on my skin they camouflaged, I couldn’t distinguish anything; it was a dense scent where my nose got lost. I won’t deny it has good trail and projection; quality is noticeable. But simply it wasn’t for me. In recent years I didn’t know what to do with it. I wanted to use it all at once, so I started layering it with potent vanillas and magic appeared! Especially with Angelic Vanilla from Zara… it transformed into something addictive! I liked it so much that now that it’s finished… I’m even sad! Classique… A quarter of a century later, finally we say goodbye… thanks for that reconciling final stage.

When Classique came out I was nine years old. I was with my mother shopping and they let us try it in a perfumery. My mother wrinkled her nose in disgust but that beautiful bust got burned into my mind. When I turned 16 I asked for it and finally they gave it to me, and it has been part of my life since then. It’s not my signature fragrance because I have many, but I always have Classique; I love putting it on in winter and spraying it on my scarf to wrap myself up when I’m out on the street. It’s been reformulated but I think it’s a very good reformulation. Smelling it is returning to the nineties, returning to my childhood.

I agree 100% with Paulix: it smells of a wisteria garden and orange blossom, a dreamy spring breeze. Although it doesn’t list wisteria, my nose certainly detects it. Quite similar to Givenchy’s Amarige, but less so than Poeme; it lacks the peach note. This is my personal impression. Pretty, good value, but it doesn’t turn my head. It’s nostalgic, bringing back good memories. I was looking for something like Poeme, but it wasn’t quite it, though it bears the imprint of Belletrud.

It’s interesting because they say it represents the 90s and is a period jewel. It is quite the opposite of Leau de Dissey. It’s suitable for special or formal occasions where you want to leave a trail. For me, it’s not a lady’s scent: it’s intense, spiced, and fills the nose with complexity. The flowers give sensuality and sweetness, while the spices provide body and depth. It’s an identity; you smell it and recognise it instantly. There is no dominant note; it’s the whole combination. I wouldn’t recommend it if you prefer soft or fruity floral fragrances. It’s not discreet; it’s the exact opposite. I also don’t think it’s for ladies or teenagers. It suits men, although it is clearly feminine.

It gives a more serious, classic, and formal touch. In person, I like it, but it’s not the best. I’d use it for work or meetings. Its longevity is good. I wouldn’t use it daily; it’s a bit heavy and can become overwhelming if worn repeatedly.

It’s a 90s classic, very similar to Givenchy’s Amarige. They share even the same notes. When I bought it, I didn’t realise until I compared it with Amarige, and indeed, they are 98% identical.

I think this is the perfume from my mother’s silver tin; she absolutely adored it, but it drove me mad. I suppose it’s the pear or anise note. It’s sweet, but a vintage sweetness that just didn’t sit well with me.

All the reviews were saying wonderful things about it. Yes, it has good sillage and longevity, but the scent felt very heavy and oppressive to me. They say it’s timeless, but it isn’t. When you smell it, you know it’s a classic from the 90s, so I don’t blame those who say it smells like a granny; literally, there were grandmothers only 20 when it was launched.

I’ve been waiting years for it to stop being so overexposed, and finally, I feel it’s part of me, not just the streets. It’s the essence of a woman in a bottle: creamy, floral, sweet, slightly soapy. To date, I haven’t found anything else like it; no JPG has disappointed me with their new creations. Scandal and its flankers don’t conquer me; too much honey and sugar, but nothing new. This is an outrageously sexy perfume that invites you to embrace. The EDT feels more lasting and sweet. If you like it, don’t think twice; with Classique, you can’t go wrong, whatever your age. Scent: 9/10, Projection: 9/10, Longevity: 9/10. I wish the EDP was exactly like this but more intense; it would be 10/10.

Classique is floral, citrusy, and ambered, formal and sober, long-lasting, outside the current caramelised gourmand concept. I think it’s suitable for all year round; it has presence, it’s elegant and classic. In my case, the slightly bitter or greenish neroli is too noticeable; if you’re looking for the bubblegum sweetness of L’Interdit or My Way, this isn’t your option; these go more in the direction of Ralph Lauren Woman, very green but without sweetness. A low-cost alternative is Avon Today. Who will like it: obviously, lovers of classics.

I discovered it almost 10 years after its launch. It was love at first sniff. It’s everything I hope for in a perfume: sexy, glamorous, mysterious, fine. I don’t use it as much anymore, but there it is, to remind me that, even if just for a few hours, I can be a diva too.