Cafe by Cafe Parfums

This was my grandmother’s signature scent; I associate it with her stern character. To me, it wasn’t feminine, as I saw femininity in my mother’s florals. It was dry, not overpowering, perhaps soapy, but reminiscent of incense. I never dared to wear it. Years later, Kenzo Flower Oriental reminded me a lot of her Café. I can’t say badly, it was her perfume. A matter of taste.

Opium was born in 1977 and Café in 1978… Similar scents? Hmm. As a child, the soaps at home smelled like this, but they weren’t Opium or Café. I lean towards thinking that back then ‘exotic-oriental’ was what was understood. Magnolia, Maja, Eastern woods… they aren’t the same, but they have that ‘aura’. That’s why Café smells soapy. Scents that evoke and associate. With some. And the rose it carries. I discovered it recently. It looks incredible on the men of the house. I like it for sleeping, a discreet dose. I’ve already ordered a refill. The bottle goes down quickly. Decent longevity. I noticed it’s ‘parfum de toilette’, the first one I own. Ridiculous price and the bottle is the best. I’m fascinated it’s 45 years old. If a niche house released it as ‘Savon du Bosphorus’ or ‘Wild Dragon Soap’ for Sayonara Baby, with the influencer hype… tremendous success. Fixed. Don’t mind me, it’s late and I’m starting to ramble. Off to sleep. Going for Café first.

The opening, which lasts a maximum of 2 minutes, is a vintage slap in the face. But it doesn’t matter, it dries quickly and leaves a sweet rose with cinnamon. If you find it, buy it! The packaging is ugly but what’s inside is gold.

This perfume is simply GOOD and doesn’t cost much. If it reminds me of Opium or Kenzo Elephant, it’s not the same, it’s a relationship in style. Sometimes I thought many liked to give bad reviews as a sport, but since I had Covid and lost my sense of smell, I understood it truly. There are people with a limited sense of smell and they can’t give a fair reference, it’s not out of malice, they perceive it that way. And in reality, in EVERYTHING there is something for everyone’s taste.

Excuse me if I go on, I write to vent. It will be my first negative review, but I was let down tremendously. It never happened to me with a perfume before; it’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that I hate it with all my might. It seems an affront to good taste. I like all olfactory options and recognise when a perfume is good, even if it’s not my style, but this is not the case. It’s an abomination and I apologise to all who love and enjoy it; I respect that there are tastes for everything. I let myself be carried away by the reviews thinking it would be a spiced oriental similar to YSL’s Opium and it’s not oriental, nor are the spices perceived, nor the rose, nor patchouli, nothing. It’s dry, harsh, rough, ordinary, bad taste, a soapy bomb and nothing more. I don’t know if at some point it could have been an oriental similar to Opium, I don’t know because it’s the first time I’m buying it and I judge what I have here and now. I’ve been using Opium since the 80s, it’s an indispensable that I adore and although it’s reformulated it remains a marvel, the quintessential oriental and an icon. This is a horrible perfume that opens with a potent bomb of soapy aldehydes (although it doesn’t declare aldehydes), so intense and shocking that I got dizzy, nauseous and a headache. In my life this has never happened to me with a perfume; I always thought it was exaggeration or that the person was hypersensitive, as it happened to me with Café Café and I am neither exaggerated nor hypersensitive. A perfume can produce physical rejection, it’s the brain reacting according to olfactory stimuli. Café Café has such a potent soap smell that I smell nothing else, it blocks the nose, blocks it and monopolises all senses. It’s like being in a sticky, oppressive bubble. Specifically it smells like white cleaning soap, homemade, of grease and caustic soda, very similar to bar soap like Lagarto soap, Marseille or Dove, but without perfume, just the chemical part; for me it’s identical to a flake soap that used to be bought in drugstores to whiten sheets, in South America they also sell this soap because I’ve bought it in several countries. It’s that smell but extremely intense, which doesn’t drop or soften for two or three hours; when it drops the intensity it still smells only of soap. It’s not a fine, delicate, toilet soap; nothing of the sort. This is ordinary, rough, dusty, chemical, industrial, horrible, I have no words… I put one spray on my neck and had to shower because I couldn’t stand it. Even my family asked me to ventilate the house because where I went I left an overwhelming, super unpleasant trail. I don’t understand how no one has commented on how extremely soapy it is, nor how it’s catalogued as oriental, nor why it’s recommended for being cheap; there are cheap perfumes that are very good, almost any from Jeanne Arthes or Instituto Español, to give an example; there are other options. I can’t understand how this can be liked even as a gift, or for car air freshener; it’s an overdose of industrial soap, unbearable! I don’t know if it’s my skin making bad chemistry or if they’ve reformulated it, but certainly it doesn’t resemble anything read. Fortunately I bought it on Notino and I think I can return it because it can’t even be given as a gift; I can’t imagine anyone liking it, a tremendous abomination (I don’t have the bad taste to give something like that away). I’m really surprised and when they continue to sell it it’s because it obviously has its clientele. It’s true that I no longer like soapy perfumes and this is the most soapy and potent I’ve ever tried, but it’s not just my thing; it displeased and a lot to all the people in my environment who smelled it. Conclusion: it’s not worth throwing away the 10 euros plus shipping, only if you adore soapy perfumes, in that case you’ll love it; and if you’re looking for a perfume similar to Opium but more economical, the best is to buy it from some perfume ‘inspiration’ brand that are cloning them better and better and are more successful. I insist in asking apologies to all who use this perfume, hope you’re not offended, this is a personal opinion based on my experience, every person is a world.

I bought it for an older aunt who should know it and now I don’t want to give it to her, hahaha. I loved it, it has a delicious spicy smell; over the hours it becomes talcum-like, but not baby powder. I don’t know how to describe it. It’s beautiful and for the price it’s very worth it. For me it’s very unisex, I think I’ll buy another for myself.

I’m a guy and I wear it; it smells of clove and spices, reminiscent of Opium but with a more masculine touch on my skin. The price is a laugh for the performance, a small amount of money for great longevity. The bottle and materials feel cheap, a bit plasticky, but the bomb is inside 🙂

Coffee? It should be named differently, as there is no coffee among the ingredients. It has been compared to the old-school Opium, that scent of mystery and sensuality, an unmistakable and ravishing aroma suitable for winter and night. Does coffee smell like Opium? If one has smelled the original Opium, they can detect the subtle differences; it’s like those talent shows where an imitator manages to mimic a singer almost perfectly, but the fans know the original. The same applies here; they are very similar but not identical. Coffee would be like a softer version, a lighter Opium, a scent with the Opium DNA for cold and mild days. At first, it feels citrusy and herbal, then after a few minutes it transforms, revealing a spiced floral aroma; I detect carnation even though it’s not listed among the notes. One could say it’s a soft oriental. I wore it on a mild spring afternoon and it didn’t overwhelm; it has won me over. Excellent value for money, and it lasts quite a while.

Well… let me tell you that after reading such positive comments about this fragrance, I decided to buy it, and ‘bam’! What can I say…? I didn’t like it much. I detect the same scent as Hinds Rosa body cream; it also reminds me of the sunscreen my grandmother used to wear to the beach. I definitely won’t buy it again; it’s a strange scent that I can’t get used to.

I don’t know what to feel about this fragrance, I like it but it doesn’t kill me. If this was the classic Opium, I didn’t miss anything fabulous. I’m wearing it and I like it, but not that much. You can feel the spices, the oriental character and the soapy dry-down which is rich, but not that much. Oh, and the gentlemen like it.

CAFÉ EDT: A recent find that has me absolutely thrilled and solves a dilemma. I know my olfactive family is spicy oriental, but what do I wear for the gym, shopping or a trip to the countryside? Wearing Opium EDP for the supermarket is an outrage. Here I found the answer: it’s adorable and smells like what I imagine Opium EDT would be. It can be applied freely, is delicately spiced and neither overwhelms nor clashes. Its vetiver and patchouli notes form the backbone, mixed with citron, rosemary, spices and citrus; together they become creamy and slightly sweet as they dry down, fading just in time to reapply or switch to something more robust. The price is astonishing (I bought all available bottles in two perfumeries and spent a fraction of the Opium EDP cost). Totally recommended for anyone looking for something light, affordable and versatile. Greetings from Chile!

Looking for an intense, strong, elegant perfume with an extraordinary resemblance to Opium? Look for Café! A perfume with these characteristics at a ridiculous price despite its quality tells us that for a long time we will continue to be ripped off by houses and designers who charge exorbitant prices for eau de toilettes and eau de perfumes with no originality and little sillage.

A quality-price jewel that makes me laugh at how cheap it is compared to its ingredients. Inspired by Opium, it opens with citron and patchouli, then turns creamy with clove and sensual cinnamon. After two hours, vetiver and frankincense add a powdery touch and a soft coffee note that smells luxurious. A lesson for expensive brands that don’t last. I found it in a magical perfumery and it smells better than the new Opium. Perfect for winter, unisex, and worth far more than its price. The bottle is pretty, though the cap is plastic. An absolute must.

I found this wonder again and didn’t hesitate to buy it. It’s rewarding to own a non-mass-produced fragrance that is high-quality, delicious, and long-lasting. Citron and spices dominate, with a touch of delicate rose. Totally unisex; I wear it from morning until I sleep with its scent. Super economical and it outperforms many prestige brands. I feel privileged to have it.

They say this perfume came out of a cave only to return there, but it’s the exception. Its value lies in the fact that no one knows it; it’s not popular. I like it for how it evolves on my skin: it starts strong with citrus and herbs, then becomes creamy and powdery, finishing floral and spiced with frankincense. It awakens curiosity and mystery, nothing like what they sell. I love it and it’s worth far more than a TV advert.