Ô de Lancôme by Lancôme

It’s the most unisex of Lancôme’s range, and that shouldn’t be, because O de Lancôme was the most feminine and fresh EDT the brand ever had; until they reformulated it. The herbal notes have been overtaken by vetiver, and now it smells like a men’s cologne from another era. I want to like it; I want to feel that feminine, clean, casual herbal scent that inspired me in my adolescence, but I am still me, and I let myself be confused by memories, you know… The point is, I don’t recommend buying it blindly; it’s better to try it first.

I had it years ago and, as I couldn’t remember the scent and I already own O d’Azur and O de Orangerie, I bought a decant. It is very citrusy, starting with lemon and tangerine, then rosemary and sandalwood. It burned my skin when I applied it, which doesn’t happen with most perfumes. It’s too unisex for my current taste; it reminded me very much of the big-bottle colognes sold in the 80s. It’s not for me.

It reminds me of my youth back in the mid-90s. It’s a timeless, green, and exotic perfume for my nose.

It’s been an eternity since I’ve smelled it, and I have a wonderful memory of it. One of my aunts used to wear it every time she came from Dijon, and I loved how it smelled; I have that memory etched in my mind. I’ve never smelled it again, so I suspect it mustn’t be too mass-produced. I’m going to buy it and hope I don’t come away disappointed, as I’ve read it’s been reformulated several times; I just hope it retains at least its DNA. As a summer option, it seems like a marvel alongside my beloved Cristalle EDP.

I love it; it smells of citrus and moss, of vetiver. It’s a timeless scent. Generally, I don’t like Lancôme much because it tends to be very commercial, but this perfume rises above that. Despite being on the market for years with the corresponding reformulations, it is truly an interesting, serious, and wearable perfume.

I couldn’t find it in Argentina and now some do. Eight years ago I bought a mini set in Chile and fell in love; I remembered it as super citrusy and fresh. Now I’m surprised: it’s not like that anymore, perhaps a reformulation or my skin has changed, but it’s nothing like before. I don’t feel that previous freshness; the sharp lime, not the bergamot, the very soft mandarin, dominates with basil and rosemary; I don’t detect jasmine and it becomes mossy. At first I didn’t like it, I couldn’t find the fresh citrus, but after hours it becomes pleasant and I wear it.

They say it’s been reformulated, and while you might like it, you can’t help wondering if you’re missing something you didn’t even know you had. I wanted something transparent, luminous, fresh as crystal water and morning dew, and as a lemon lover, I find it sharp and bitter on the skin, a bit rough and sparkling. It never gets old; it makes me feel dressed and wrapped up, and I can smell it all day. The longevity is impressive; it still lingers the next day. I love that it stays on clothes, something I seek in dry-down scents that are herbal and wild, contrasting with my idea of femininity as soft and floral. Yet, feeling wrapped in a clean scent, slightly wild and rustic, like dense, sturdy vegetation, challenging with its bitter note, luminous due to its elevated and clean top notes, yet tough and resilient without losing grace or dignity. I adore it immensely; the bottle is gorgeous. I wouldn’t fall for a great perfume in a terrible bottle, so I don’t hide. I like the simplicity of its transparency, the freshness of the tone, the feeling of something cared for and loved by the engraved glass, or as if it were. It conveys the same as the perfume itself: simple but crafted, delicate, cared for, designed to stay.

At first, dry lemon and Mediterranean spices, but as it dries on the skin, it becomes a soft floral moss, like a forest after the rain. Low projection but lasts 12 hours. Fresh and unisex, ideal for summer or spring. I tried it again yesterday and remembered why I love it; it’s one of the few with so much moss that I enjoy. My favourite in the O line (and perhaps all of Lancôme). It reminds me of my school days in the late 90s, with a super-clean classmate who always smelled freshly out of the shower. She told me she used Lancôme O, just like her mother and grandmother. Surely her daughters will use it too. This shows it’s worthy of any age. It’s super versatile; although it’s not a bomb of complexity like Shalimar, it’s special and deserves to be among the greats of the last century. Pleasant: 8/10 Interesting: 8/10 Versatile: 7/10 Original: 7/10

It’s a delight, a very complex citrus scent that I feel is elegant, sometimes slightly powdery and floral. In my opinion, it’s for young and mature women; although it’s old-fashioned, it doesn’t smell old, but rather current, fresh and summery. The bottle is lovely, elegant and high quality. The downside is that on my skin it has no sillage; it disappears in an hour. I’ll give it to my mum to see if it works for her. I won’t buy it again as it smells like nothing on me, but if she likes it, I’ll gift her another bottle, as it’s a delicious scent.

The perfume of Diana the Huntress. A few weeks ago I was offered to try it; it hadn’t caught my attention, but I did and was surprised I hadn’t smelled it before. What an interesting, herbal and green perfume. On my skin the citrus notes are scarce; what stands out most is the honeysuckle with moss and vetiver, and a shy jasmine. Moderate trail and longevity. It’s like stepping into a deep forest, with chaotic trees and lush vegetation in the early hours of spring. Being herbal, some categorise it as unisex; I see it as androgynous. That’s why I associate it with Diana, the Roman goddess who wandered the forests accompanied by her nymphs. Suitable for summer or late spring.

I’m furious. I was looking for a fresh, revitalising summer fragrance, a blessing at a good price. The sales assistant told me it was for older ladies and insisted I try a flanker of Vie est belle. What a kick in the teeth; I felt extremely uncomfortable and left to buy something else. I regret it so much—what anger that such lovely scents come with such attitudes. O is absolutely beautiful for those who want it. The good news is this will never happen again.

Although it has been reformulated, I’m glad this fresh water remains in circulation. It’s timeless, suitable from quinceañeras to the elderly. It begins citrusy, moves into fused jasmine with lemon and honeysuckle that sweetens with soapy touches; the herbs add a dry, sober note. Sandalwood closes it in the style of the 60s and 70s. It was a landmark when other fresh waters appeared against patchouli, with Lancôme being one of the first in this male trend that other houses continued. O de Lancôme carved a niche in the dressing tables of women during the moon era, the counterculture, and films like Easy Rider. In Spain, Suárez takes possession, series like The Count of Monte Cristo emerge, films like Abuelo made in Spain appear, and the whole country follows Eurovision with Salomé and Vivo Cantando, highlighting a spectacular vocal stream alongside this Lancôme masterpiece.

Years ago, I used to gift this to my mother and some cousins wore it, just like my mother’s eldest sister. I tried it too; it doesn’t feel feminine to me, more unisex. It has a very energising freshness and vigour, ideal for humid and hot climates, perfect after a shower. It was a wonderful, unique delight thanks to that citrus and herbal touch. Now it’s not even a shadow of what it once was; it doesn’t last and seems another old-school glory that they foolishly ruined with a terrible reformulation. The bottle was opaque and now it’s crystal clear, which is fine and looks lovely. But the longevity is poor and it’s not worth the price. It doesn’t last as long as it should, which is a shame.

Lancôme’s L’Or was one of my favourite summer scents for years. I used to alternate it with Eau de Rochas, choosing according to the season or my mood. It belongs to those fresh classics that, for me and many others, are superior to today’s offerings; they add elegance despite their freshness. The opening is delightful, cheerful and sparkling; as it dries, it leaves an interesting, slight mossy nuance. On my skin, it isn’t too much – I’ll explain why. The citrus notes are always accompanied by aromatic herbs, giving it a dry, distinctive touch. It’s balanced, evoking open spaces, gardens, fountains, nature and a gentle breeze. Ideal for daytime leisure in spring or summer, also suitable for the office as it’s not intrusive and suggests neatness and optimism. It feels a little more mature than Eau de Rochas, yet doesn’t clash with younger wearers. In my case, I’m not convinced by its evolution on the skin over time. The same happens with another very different Lancôme fragrance: La Vie Est Belle. I don’t know if this is typical of the brand, which surprises me given its prestige. Perhaps it’s my skin, although I wear many perfumes and this only happens with these two. After two hours, it loses much of its zest on my skin: it reminds me of fresh flowers that are wilting. Rather than losing intensity, it transforms. It’s a pity because its opening is wonderful, making one want to exclaim: ‘Oooooohhh…!’