It was the summer of 1987, the summer between my sophomore and junior year of high school. I was lucky enough to get to Europe for a month to visit family and travel around. My friend and I spent two weeks in Paris. When we first arrived in Paris, I bought Loulou in the airport. I was already a budding perfumista at the age of 16 and had Diva by Ungaro, Poison, White Linen and Joy in my suitcase. But something about the dreadfully tacky box and bottle containing Loulou captivated me, so I had to have it. I wore Loulou every single day for the rest of the trip.
I’ve been wearing Loulou more and more over the past year. Since wearing it exclusively in high school I haven’t worn it or even smelled it for at least fifteen years. Loulou and I are having a reunion of sorts. I admit it was Perfumes: The Guide that made me find Loulou again. For all the fragrances where I felt Turin & Sanchez didn’t get it right, they made me happy by getting it exactly right with Loulou.
Loulou is a diva. But she isn’t a cold, manipulative, demanding or selfish diva. Instead she’s the lovely warm, curvaceous diva that everyone on set loves. If Marilyn hadn’t professed her love for wearing Chanel No 5 to bed (and if Loulou existed during Marilyn’s time) I would say Marilyn wore Loulou.
Loulou is a loud yet soft, powdery floral oriental. Somehow, Jean Guichard, the perfumer, manages to keep Loulou from going completely over the top and makes you want to smell it again. I’ve read reviews that call Loulou a “grandma” sort of fragrance. I guess if you consider your grandma a sultry, exotic diva...in a burlesque sort of way...then it could be a grandma fragrance. Loulou is the sort of abstract perfume where I won’t even begin to describe the notes. It’s a well blended soft floral-oriental which creates an aroma that’s altogether it’s own without any realistic florals or spices exposing themselves. I think Loulou smells vintage, it gives a big nod and bow to classic, full-bodied and complex perfumes. I’ll put the list of notes below but I don’t think the list would help anyone figure out what it smells like.
I have a soft spot for under appreciated fragrances. Loulou, to me, is an underdog. She’s stuck in a cheesy 80’s box and a light blue and burgundy plastic bottle. The house of Cacharel has created some beautiful perfumes; Anais Anais, Eden and Noa come to mind, yet most seem to think Cacharel is an awful drugstore brand. Sometimes you really have to look beyond the packaging and just smell the juice.
I couldn’t agree more with Luca Turin’s final statement about Loulou:
“This is one of the greats.”
Longevity: forever
Sillage: huge – no more than 2 sprays please
Almost everywhere I checked had a different set of notes. This is what I believe to be the correct (or very close) list ~
Notes: Jasmine, bergamot, mimosa, apricot, cashmeran, marigold, Tiare lily, iris, sandalwood, vanilla & incense
7 comments:
I never wore Lou Lou but we bought a sweet little pekingese dog a long time ago and as I name all my pets after perfume , she became Lulu (easier to spell and explain at the vets-LOL). We had her for 17 years. I still miss her and when I see a bottle or an article about Lou Lou I think of her .
It sounds wonderful! Something like Bal a Versailles. Will have to try it.
I too get annoyed when I read about "grandma" perfumes. My own, who wore Tangee lipstick and cut her own hair, would never have dreamed of wearing a heavy perfume. Nor have I ever known a grandma who did (although Auntie Mame comes to mind -- are these grandmas all fictional?) Maybe we should replace the word "grandma" with "sultry" or "worldly" and then we begin to approach what the classics are all about.
Lady Jicky - Awwww, your dog named Lulu :-) what a perfect name! You should have a bottle - or even just a mini since she was a small dog - in her honor...
Olfacta - me too, I don't get the grandma reference. My grandma certainly didn't smell like any of these supposed "granny" 'fumes - she smelled like baby powder and honeysuckle or sometimes lily of the valley. I agree with you, I do think "vintage" or "classic" or "sultry" or "complex" are a much better label for the supposed grandma 'fumes.
Abigail - that is a great idea! I am going to keep my eyes out for a mini to put next to a photo I have of her. Lovely, thanks.
I tried it in a shop a few weeks ago, and it didn't smell like I remember it. You don't mention reformulation, but maybe there has been one? Or maybe my memory is faulty - which it could well be, because I'm not getting any younger... ;-)
Hey Tania,
None of us are getting any younger!
I don't know about reformulation. Did you think it smelled better or worse? I think Loulou smells less powerful but maybe I'm much more conservative with application than I was as a "kid." (At 17, there was probably a mushroom cloud of Loulou following me around!)
Abigail,
I thought it didn't smell as nice.
I used to wear it a lot, and I figured I had a good memory of it, but it was not the same. I wonder if my skin chemistry has changed with age? I think if Lou Lou had been reformulated, I would have read that in a blog somewhere.
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