Wanted by Helena Rubinstein

@chrystiane here are some eBay listings from private sellers offering this perfume

Understood, I just wanted to provide a cross-reference to another website, but I’ll make sure not to do that next time, apologies 😉

What about Helena Rubinstein? Being an old, prestigious, and pioneering house, it seems they have focused solely on the cosmetics concept. I believe L’Oréal hasn’t managed to capitalise on it as it deserves for such a fine and legendary line; it could be a giant in perfumery like Lancôme. What’s needed is a creative director to lift its low-key marketing. This 2009 perfume is the first fragrance after 24 years for the line. The company was founded by the Polish Chaja Rubinstein, who moved to Melbourne at the age of 20 and started a small cream business using surplus lanolin from wool. Success allowed her to open shops in Melbourne, Sydney, London, and Paris, before moving to New York after the First World War, where she had constant rivalry with Elizabeth Arden until her death in 1965, which fostered intensive advertising, celebrity associations, and a sense of luxury in the packaging. By the late 1920s she sold the business, and at the start of the Great Depression in 1930 she was able to buy it back at a fraction of the price, reinvesting to cement her empire and donating part to charitable works. This fragrance takes its name from a makeup line based on the ‘wanted’ or ‘desired’ concept, inspired by the bond between a woman and her lover. On the brand’s website, the notes highlighted are ylang ylang, woody magnolia, and iris cream. The opening is creamy, with mandarins and bergamot that within a few minutes refine into a fragrant magnolia with fruity hints such as peach, apricot, and almond. In the heart, the magnolia accompanies the creaminess, giving a floral idea similar to an Avon perfume (perhaps a touch of In Bloom). Upon application, the magnolia dominates, with neutral fruity notes overlaid and early hints of powdery iris and traces of wood. Ylang ylang is also noticeable as a classic floral tone that provides support without dominating. There are also vanilla sensations that gently remind of Givenchy Organza, until the magnolia block with almond and powdery wood re-emerges. After an hour and a half, the iris shows a violet facet with anise, a bit like the violet and licorice in Lolita Lempicka, which lasts until the five-hour mark, by which time the flowers evolve into classic jasmine or rose tints with vanilla and powdery florals, with more presence of sandalwood but not reaching cypress. In the final phase, the creamy tone integrates as a warm base for the flowers, with the magnolia once again standing out over the ylang, leaving a final touch of wood and a vanilla or musk layer that evokes memories of classic florals, with sporadic points of sweet violets and a small spicy tint that blends with the light wood. The perfume recalls part of its founder’s philosophy, with her phrase ‘there are no ugly women, only lazy ones’, following a classic floral scheme with high sillage and very feminine intensity, with a creamy start to appeal to new generations, projecting striking elegance without being fussy. Despite its intensity, it doesn’t feel too complex for daily wear; it has a summery and springy first impression, yet accepts cold indoor use in winter. It stands out in the office, socially striking but with a clean professional image, suitable for a well-educated woman capable of being the centre of attention at meetings. As an evening fragrance, it performs well in formal settings such as weddings or galas, appropriately countering competition in a mid-range, feeling clean and cared for in semi-formal situations like dinners. On the romantic side, it has sensual and warm floral layers that invite closeness and smelling near the skin, perhaps a little linear and attached to the old school of seducers. Suitable for ages between 25 and 60, showing more personality and aggression in a younger woman and feeling more natural after 35.