Givenchy bills Eaudemoiselle* as a youthful fragrance: an attempt to capture a young audience — and a presentation of a “rebellious rose.” (Roses are rebelling everywhere this year, most recently in Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin.)

Eaudemoiselle goes on with rose-tinged, opaque (sugar-glazed) citrus aromas — or is it citrus-tinged, opaque (sugar-dusted) rose aromas? Eaudemoiselle is sweet, but in a natural, old-fashioned way; it’s not a contemporary gourmand perfume (no neon-colored fruits or caramel or chocolate are involved). Eaudemoiselle’s vibe is floral-citrus, circa 1960s, but without the woody-mossy base you’d expect in that time period. There’s not a lot of change between Eaudemoiselle’s opening notes and its heart, but in mid-development the notes turn creamy, then change course and become a tad powdery. (Venerable Ÿsatis’ DNA is somewhere in Eaudemoiselle’s formula.) As Eaudemoiselle enters its final phase of development, it becomes even more rosy, though I can detect musky ambrette seed mixing with the flowers.

When I first discovered Eaudemoiselle in a scent strip in Neiman Marcus’s 2012 Christmas catalogue, I felt SURE I could wear it myself…

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