Présence d'une femme Montblanc for women

Im a man and I love and im using this perfume. Although this perfume is designed for woman, but its woodiness and spiciness make it masculine and gentleman. It is a compliment getter for me whenever I wear it to the office. Presence for femme much much better than Presence for Homme. Dry down for femme is fresh with a hint of spicy, but the dry down of Homme is sooooo musky and generic. Bring back Presence for Femme to the market!!!!

Unique. Along with Yohji Yamamoto pour femme, now discontinued unfortunately, this is one of my favourite perfumes. More than twenty years ago I met a woman who used to wear this fragrance. Back then there were no Baccarats, no Tom Fords (not so many at least) and there was no niche frenzy. At least not in my country. So her perfumes were magie noir, shalimar and some other classics and the extremly popular ralph lauren for woman. But she seemed annoyed with the classics even though she was in her late 50's. So one day she started wearing this one. I've waited about 12 years to buy it. First because my lack of finances and then because i was buying "new" perfumes or classics I've always wished to buy. In my opinion this is a masterpiece. Sharp, clean and exquisite this perfume smells like you would expect a smart woman to smell. It has a certain professional vibe. Professional as in someone who knows exactly what she is doing, capable, who acts from a place of power. This fragrance lacks romanticism, warmth, coziness and the velvety notes of nowdays perfumes. It's almost masculine, in a way. I like it because it has no sweet, overpowering notes and not the slightest gourmand note. Sharp, peppery, cold in the beginning. I love it.

Easy going every day scent, unisex. Reminds me of men's colognes, is it the ambroxan? NIce, but common. Great for someone young starting with fragrances. When you have a big collection of fragrances you don't need it.

Blind buy looking for something similar to my favourite (Alexander McQueen Kingdom limited edition 2004).
Love from first sniff, it's not an exact match but close enough to that magic potion of mandarin, pepper, sandalwood and patchouli.
Way cheaper and readily available.
I will eke out my Kingdom by combining with Vaseline to make a long lasting solid perfume but now I can get even more mileage by alternating with this delightful close relative x

@sue165 It's still readily available. At least here in Europe. 😊

is it still available now in 2023!?? Or discontinued?

Soft Woody-Floral BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD with Pepper, Mandarin & Orchid...

In the first few minutes before the spray dries, I can feel the rosewood notes with their rich floral and slightly spicy tones. Once the spray dries and the sillage starts to open up, I get the mandarin & pepper, but the rosewood notes are already swelling through. As it transitions to the heart some soft floral tones emerge with orchid and cyclamen, but the florals, including vanilla-flower, are here more as part of the rosewood accord. In the base there's a trio of woods (rosewood, mahogany & sandalwood) accented by patchouli & soft vanilla-flower. Overall I get a rosewood scent, with all of the other notes serving to enhance and support different facets of rosewood with it's powdery, rosy, velvety, rich-floral, spicy-sweet,creamy-soapy & woody tones. There's also a nostalgic quality for me, that's hard to pinpoint - but more in a down-to-earth way than a vintage perfumery way. This has been a signature scent of mine off and on, since it first came out, and I've been through more than one bottle. Initially this struck me as feminine, however after reading reviews I can see how this may read masculine to some as it has some touches usually reserved for men's cologne. In truth, it's unisex, but regardless anyone could wear it. This isn't a dupe of anything, but it has reminders for me of other rosewood prominent scents like Dune Dior, Rosewood Banana Republic & Midnight Fleur Nest.

Contrast to Rosewood Banana Republic:
These are different, but there are similarities with a forward rosewood. Presence d'une Femme leans spicier, sweeter & more complex. Roughly equivalent performance, or slightly better for Presence d'une Femme.

Overall: gorgeous, unisex Brazilian Rosewood scent profile with average or slightly above average performance. This is the perfect scent to wear for going home, if only in your mind. It's a longtime love for me. 10/10. Enjoy!

Judging by the notes this is not what I was expecting, thought I was going to get a warm spicy woody vanilla but got a fresh masculine cologne with lots of ambroxan.
Kinda reminds me of the smell of magazines mixed with man cologne and I do actually really like that smell.

What had they claim from above notes doesn't turn out from what I expected. I blind buy this perfume and I am glad I love it. It has the MontBlanc unique vibe similar with Femme Individuelle but is different category. Présence d'une femme can be unisex.

The top note starting up with a fresh chamomile tea but some leather underneath the base note. Is fresh, aromatic and relax.
I can get some patchouli but not a strong patchouli. No sandalwood or woody note detected by my nose.
I believe the orchid play the biggest roles here and the rest notes claim such as patchouli, wood note, pepper, mandarin notes, minor supporting the orchid.

For a EDT, the projectivity is super great value for it price. the longevity is great for it value.

I will say this is not a safe blind buy for people who love flowery, soft, cotton, warm like perfume.
If you love, Femme Individuelle, you will definitely love Présence d'une femme.

For a woman's perfume, i love the way this smells on the skin after it settles down a bit.
Definitely unique and a woody.
Floral and sweet.
Love smelling this on a woman, but a man can wear this scent too.
9/10

I usually don't write bad reviews, but with this fragrance I feel it may be justified. However, I will start with the positives first.

This is my first and only Montblanc fragrance and if I was the kind of person who liked fragrances that smell like Shampoo, like a tumble dryer sheet and clean. Then I'd be over the moon with this. But im not.

This fragrance is very misleading and I thought that I was going to get something ambery, woody, warm spices, autumnal and good for the cold weather, but I did not.

Those accents don't exist in the construction of this fragrance, despite the note listing but what I do get is a very, synthetic, longlasting, ambroxan bomb 💣.

I have to admit that I was so shocked and disappointed 😞 when I tested the fragrance and I can't see where, when or why, ill ever wear this fragrance. Its boring, insipid and generic and if this is what the brand puts out, then its definitely overrated, which is a shame.

I really should give top marks for the bottle though..It reminds me of the Nivea bottle; but this one is more like a UFO, and its huge and awkward to hold in your hand.

I'll try and keep a long story short on this one. Years ago I bought Adrienne Vittadini from a discount store, likely because it was being discontinued. It was in the Men's section, so I took it home and sprayed it on. My wife fell in love with that scent on me. It wasn't until years later that I discovered that it is technically a women's fragrance, though several reviews indicate it leans masculine and some men also claimed to like it.
As it's getting hard to find (and expensive) I was looking for a close dupe, and hit on this one. Looking at the notes, it didn't seem as if it would be a close match, but I bought it on the cheap and thought I'd give it a shot.
Today I sprayed an equal amount on to opposite wrists. When they first went on, they smelled pretty similar. After 15 minutes or so, AV became more woody with the "pencil shaving" notes significantly stronger than the Montblanc, which curiously lists woody notes more prominently.
After dry down, these are virtually indistinguishable to my nose.
A fairly unique offering and will have a permanent place on my shelf.

This one is odd to me. At first spray and for quite awhile, I smell green grass, a spring-summer vibe. It's def not in the notes. I can't reconcile the notes with what is in my nose. As it dries down, it mellows into something more warm and spicy and less intensely, offputtingly fresh. Fresh is my least favorite scent profile. I am not sure I will keep it, but it was a great buy so I may hang onto it and just see if it gets better with age. The bottle is just weird, sitting on its sprayer end, but looks cool on the table.

I am new to the fragrance world so bear with me. This is my third time wearing this fragrance. The first time I thought it was nice but not my type. The second time I thought it was quite nice and maybe I would wear it to work. This time, wow it's stunning! This could easily be worn to the office, but there is something alluring about this fragrance that would make it perfect for sensuous, intimate nights. I don't find it overly feminine or particularly masculine and feel this could work for both. When I first tried this perfume, it was Winter. It is now Spring in the Southern Hemisphere and I think that has made all the difference. So I would definitely say it works better in Spring and Autumn, but am yet to see how it performs in Summer. Projection is arms length and possibly more, sillage is reasonable, longevity was down to a skin scent by the 6 hour mark. Overall, a nice affordable fragrance.

I bought this unsniffed because it got good reviews and because I like another Montblanc feminine fragrance, Femme Individuelle. Michele Almairac was the perfumer for both, and Presence d'Une Femme and Femme Individuelle smell related to me. Both have pepper, patchouli and vanilla, while Presence has more woods and vanilla, Individuelle has more floral and fresh notes. While either could be worn day or night, spring or fall, I would tend to see Individuelle as the more daytime/spring scent and Presence as the more evening/fall scent. I think both are versatile, affordable scents.

I bought a tester bottle of this perfume. when I first sprayed this on I was not sure, it smelt quite fruity, sweet and feminine which isn't really to my tastes. I was ready to not like it from there however as soon as it settled into my skin, I was surprised with how addictive this perfume really is. It makes me picture an exquisite and fashionable woman wearing a black pantsuit, branded sunnies, hair in a neat bun with some strands escaping just to delicately frame her face, dark lipstick, and she is striding with confidence and purpose on the streets of Milan
this perfume lingers on me, and I keep catching a waft of it for hours. I notice when it wafts, I inhale deeply just to enjoy as much of the scent as I can. Needless to say, I love it and am keeping this in my collection

I love this. I've had this since around Thanksgiving. I haven't worn it much, but I'm sure going to. I'm not keen on the first few minutes. But after that, I love it. I think it's ideal for cooler weather.

Boy oh boy, Mont Blanc does not disappoint! Their creations are of a sophisticated, rich smelling kind, and this is not the exception. I'll be completely honest: this was a crazy crazy purchase because I knew nothing about it, so it was completely blind. I am so glad I took the risk and went rogue buying it without even knowing anything about it because it is sooo good! It is carefully woody (well blended). It was crafted with expert and exquisite taste and detail. It smells expensive but it's not. Nobody talks about it and nobody knows about it, so I feel like a fortunate secret keeper. This is my fourth Mont Blanc. I also own Signature, Lady Emblem Elixir and my latest gem along side this one: Individuelle. Lord am I fortunate.

This would smell incredible on a dude.
What a gorgeous inexpensive gem!
Seriously tho- Montblanc makes very well constructed, long lasting scents. I’m super impressed.
This smells current- perhaps the herbal sage & pineapple gives me Aventus vibes? It definitely skews masculine to me.
Gonna find out if my husband is into it.
What a happy surprise!

This is my latest blind buy and OMG yes! I fell head over heels for it. This is a floral wood-vanilla combo. A bit aromatic too. I get a soft Chamomile Tea aroma all the way, so unique.

The opening is a blast of Mandarin and pepper. As it dries down I get a delicate floral aromatic scent and finally, it settles down on a woody vanilla base that my skin seems to love.

People are very occupied by the masculine or feminine aspect of it. Do not! This is simply an amazing scent, round, well constructed, unique, elegant and not for the faint-hearted. I picture a strong and confident person wearing this fragrance.

Also long lasting - 6 sprays lasts for 8 hours on my skin and longer on clothes. Sillage is reasonable.

I am in love ❤️

I want to love this, but there's just too much orange here for me.
I feel that the comments about it smelling masculine are rather strange as I found it to be distinctly feminine.
Very smooth and fresh, warm and ambery. The orangey note is very nice but I am not keen on orange in perfumery at all, which is why it's off putting for me, so the note is not a detriment to the scent - it just isn't for me.
Lasts well, soft projection.

I think this one is unique, special. Although nobody says it and in his notes it does not appear, it smells like tea to me. A tea with mild spices, somewhat woody, with a hint of citrus and a few drops of vanilla. I see that many think that it leans to the masculine side, but for me it's more in the middle, inclined to the feminine side. I didn't like it the first time I smelled it but since I already had it (it was a blind buy) I gave it more opportunities ... and I fell for it. Now every time I use it I really do enjoy it. It's long lasting and has moderate sillage. It's my SOTD, and 8 hours after having applied it (generously) I still can clearly perceive it. And I find it very versatile, suitable for use all year round, day or night (except maybe in the hottest days of summer).
I really love it and can't believe how affordable it was. As soon as I finish it, if it's still available I will buy it again, for sure.

I was going down memory lane and was looking for the 1999 fragrance by Adrienne Vittadini or something similar - and this is definitely it! It leans unisex but is still quite feminine. It has a noticable presence yet remains polite, making it suitable for the workplace and formal occasions. Slightly synthetic opening, however that fades within seconds and develops into an aromatic semi-sweet woody vibe.

For me, the performance is 4-6 hours and has a very pleasant dry down. I would consider this a mature scent, ages 25+

I've owned this scent since Christmas; it's about time I admit this blind buy was not a success. I love scents with vanilla/woodsy notes, not overly sweet and with floral notes. Based on the notes, I had assumed it would be right up my alley. Not so much...This thirty-something cannot pull off this powdery business-scent.

The scent itself is lovely. The vanilla and woodsy notes really are warm and soft, the pepper makes for a spicy little twist. I get wafts every now and then. It's present, not screaming for attention. I think it's the patchouli that makes it masculine/aloof. The warmness never gets cozy. It's a business woman all the way. She does not immediately stand out, but she demands a second look. And, you have to admire how well put-together she is.
Unfortunately, she's not me.

She is up for swaps for anyone in the Netherlands, if you can handle her.

I’ve been wearing Présence d'une for the past 5 hours and it’s still going, so very good performance. Indeed, Présence leans slightly masculine (and I’m a female who has always enjoyed masculine scents). This is for anyone to enjoy,....a good one to check out.

Identifying specific notes in this composition—beyond the obvious pepper and wood notes—is difficult for me. Maybe there’s vanilla here, but it’s with a light hand. Initially I thought I loved Présence (and I did for the first hour) then Présence either developed or my nose grew tired of it. If I had to pinpoint the reason, I’m guessing too much iso e super, or another synthetic used, which is also why this thing is a performance monster of a perfume.

In any case, I’m convinced this is a good, intriguing scent though I’m not compelled to run out and buy it—even though I almost did just that—as it’s going for a steal on fragrencenet.

I’m glad I waited to sample first.

I first fell in love with this frag in 2002 just watching the bottle: a round shaped silver base, the transparent round glass…it reminded me of a pebble, and it was really pleasant to keep in your hand.
superb design, innovative, classic and sophisticated.
That’s what I though about the scent when first spritzed it: sophisticated.
An elegant, but decided woman that is classic yet sensual, mysterious and irresistible.

This perfume is never overpowering, it opens with a fresh scent that blends with tangerine. Then it reveals a modern floral bouquet, and I find the dry down irresistible: powdery, a little oriental, sexy and very very delicate and clean. Stays on all day. Enrobes you with sensuality. A delicate vanilla patchouli with a balsamic woodiness.

Some reviewers in other blogs have written about pineapples notes – I have used 3 bottles of this fabulous fragrance without noticing any pineapple note.
Then I went to check the actual pyramid (see below) and it turns out that only the leaves of pineapples were used, not the fruit.. :o)

I always receive many compliments when wearing that.

_____________________________________________
Pyramid:
Top note: Pineapple leaf, tangerine, pepper
Middle note: Cyclamen, orchid
Base note: sandalwood, rosewood, vanilla flower, patchouli

Finally bought it, blind buy, i was expecting something sweet and bold because it is classified as Oriental Vanilla, but i smell no vanilla, at all. I find this fresh citrussy, kinda like a men cologne, i get why so many reviews said this is very masculine. I also reminded of Mugler perfumes at the first 1 minute, maybe the patchouli, but in the lighter version of Angel. Not great nor bad, it is pleasant but very light, i don't know if people will notice me wearing this or not.

@rickyflicky. This bottle is round and flat (sort of like a thick pancake). It is quite solid in the hand and does not look or feel cheap at all. More importantly, the scent is quite unique and lovely. Not the usual fruity, suntan lotion summer scent.

I hope this helps.

I plan to blind buy this, never smell it nor see it. I just love the bottle design. But can someone tell me is the bottle heavy or thin? Is it made with good material? Thank you before 🙏🙏

This was a blind buy for me in my hunt for my next signature fragrance. I tend to like the warmer fragrances, and Burberry Women was my go to for years. After that was Tonka by Reminiscence. This one starts with a powerful and "In your face" opening and then dries down to a sweet, warm, and skin close scent. Overall a good pick just buying based on the notes and the reviews. I wish this was a bit stronger on the base, as that is my favorite part of this fragrance. But it's not a big deal to reapply since the opening is very brief and quickly dries down to the part I love the most.
The opening is a very strong, but pleasant and brief, Orange peel and pepper (more orange than pepper). Kinda like peeling an orange and the oils the peel leaves behind on your fingers. As it's drying a soft floral scent which is neither too sweet nor too feminine. Base is very nice mahogany and a soft, sweet, and warm vanilla scent. Not an offensive fragrance, in my opinion, and the base could actually afford to be stronger. This one sits close to the skin for me once it dries and I find myself re-applying once around mid-day. Could definitely be used as unisex, but as I am a very big fan of "masculine" scents, I'm keeping this for myself!

Woody, slightly masculine and still feminine enough. I smell rosy woods with a hint of orange and sharp pepper. There's warm vanilla too and I can smell sandalwood. This would be a great scent during the fall. After a while the vanilla note deepens into a even warmer, sweeter one. This composition is nice!

I can see why some ladies find this a touch masculine. I'm wearing it in warm conditions and it really comes into its own.

It's a "I mean business" scent but I'm also feminine.
The wood notes are the unisex element but the sweet orange, orchid and vanilla remind you that I'm a lady.

I wasn't sure about the pepper note but I find it much better in the warm atmosphere. It keeps it bright.
Not bad longevity and sillage for an edt either.

If you are looking for a modern, crisp scent for work then this worth checking out. It smells way more expensive than it costs.

To sum it up, it's Mandarin Woodiness.

I love Mandarin and Mahogany so works for me perfectly.

It falls in the same vein as CK Euphoria, but not the same smell, Euphoria is Pomegranate Mahogany and this is Mandarin Mahogany. So if you like Euphoria, you will definitely like this as well.

Decent longevity.

Edit: What a beauty! the more I use it the more I love it. And in all honesty, I don't find it leaning more masculine.

It opens with orange and slight pepper kick.. fresh n uplifting.. then some florals.. the interesting part is in the drydown.. i can still smell the orange from the top note mixed with vanilla which gives a bit creamy sweet smell and smooth woody note which i guess coming from the sandalwood.. overall i really like this scent.. longevity is good 6 to 8 hours.. moderate projection for 1 to 2 hours.. never become skin scent to me.. its soften but always presence.. so i guess the name fit its character..

I bought this blind hoping that it would smell like Dune because of similar notes. This one is not as dry as Dune and has a prominent vanilla note. It is also sweeter. It stays close to the skin.
It is unisex, fresh and woodsy.

I really love some male fragrances from Mont Blanc, moreover I sometimes love my husband's perfumes so much i get myself thinking "I wish they did a female version of this". usually that's not what happens, the female versions are completely different and relate close to nothing to the their male counterparts. So I bought a sample of this and then I felt like they did, in this perfume, the magic I have been waiting for: turned a male perfume slightly to the female side. Certainly it will not fit everyone, but they kept the masculine character just on point, I really like it and will definitely buy it.

So wonderful on my skin. I feel sexy, compelling, and powerful when I wear this.

Its almost masculine. Its what I would want to wear when competing with the boy's club in CEO business meetings. It would help me show my dominance in a setting where I could use any advantage that I could get.

In that same respect, I would wear it to divorce proceedings with lawyers present. It would scream no nonsense and take no prisoners but without being crazy loud.

The opening was strong and sharp orange/black pepper combo. So spicy that I actually had to check the name of the perfume on my sample to make sure I really have a female version. It seemed totally masculine, so my attention was catched immediately.

The drydown milds the scent into sweet (but not sickly) vanilla, underlined with woodsy notes and a little sign of florals.

It smells clean/fresh, slisghtly sweeter, white, but with some spiciness to it. In my opinion perfect for spring for everyday every night use. Could be unisex. Safe for office work.

I noticed some people said here it's not feminime. To me it is. As I believe there are also women who like to stand out of the crowd and who know how to wear something that is far from girly.

Another lesson learned: Blind buys are great fun with a good deal and good research, but don’t blind buy a perfume you liked as a kid, because your tastes have probably changed. This reminds me of the smell of Abercrombie and Fitch pumped out into the hallways of the mall when I was wearing flared jeans and baby doll tops. It definitely runs to the masculine side of things, but in the cheap teenager first cologne way. I’m not sure I will ever find a way to wear this because it smells so dated. Maybe I’ll keep it a few decades until that type of fragrance becomes a classic, hahaha.

EDIT: okay, in fairness, I owe this perfume a bit of an apology. It was unseasonably warm today and I spritzed a bit on my arm and the fragrance is not nearly so harsh and masculine as it was before. I will keep it in rotation as the weather warms up and hope that maybe it just needs the warm seasons to really come alive.

EDIT 2: yeah, no, on me this is crappy cheap 90’s boy smell.

On me it is completely different from Dune, dry and short lasting without any sweetness.Dune is one of my favorite scents, and on my skin it is sweet (90s sweet, very different from nowadays), comfortable, sophisticated, dreamy and cozy. My mother and I loved Dune (and this is quite difficult to happen, since we have opposite tastes in perfumes) and almost fought over a bottle of it. A beloved, comfort perfume, a classic.
As per Presence it was a huge disappointment, no sweetness,a strange clash of notes without any unifying direction, lasted for 2 hours with light sillage, the worst perfume by Michel Almairac on my skin.

"Presence d'un femme" is a little aromatic, a little spicy, firmly woody, tenderly flowery, sweet-like vanilla and skin-like patchouli.

The perfume opens with very apparent mandarine, but it is not sharp, or zesty, or bitter. Mandarin joined with pepper has a mild aromatic-spicy effect similar to the smell of "dried arancini" (Mediterranean organic sweets made of orange skin sun-dried in sugar, which taste aromatic and peppery).

Nor orchid, or cyclamen are expressively flowery - flowers tame the top concoction, preventing top to become piercing, and bringing peppered mandarine back from spicy to mildly aromatic, before the other big concoction enters the stage: woods and vanilla.

I really can't smell all three woody notes (rosewood, mahogany and sandalwood) - it is just rounded, firm woody complex on me. And then again - it is instantly followed by vanilla, making it rounder and milder. The vanilla-woods combo in base presents powdery-dusty effect, mildly sweet and freshened by remains of peppery-aromatic top. Sometimes I get almond/nutty-like vibe (I guess that's woody-vanilla expression) in this stage of development.
And there is patchouli... I am very sensitive and somehow particular to patchouli iterations (they can thrill me and they can disgust me, I still don't get the pattern, except that this in some cases related to the warm weather). Patchouli is very discrete here - I sense it in the base only as some "warm-skin" presence, but far from anything skanky or noticable enough to provoke reaction.

There is, in fact, some dissonant "maleish" accord present, partly in the peppery-citrus opening, and mostly in woody-vanilla dry down, which works as a subtle contrast to the natural sweetnes of flowers and vanilla. But, it is not dominant at all, and it likes to play "hide and seek". It is like you put on a lovers yesterday's shirt with the remains of his perfume, but you are wearing your own very feminine perfume, and it is dominant. I find that interesting and slightly tempting but, above all, not overwhelming.
I really don't get this "totally masculine" feedbacks on Presence - in my opinion, this slightly masculine accord is the thing that keeps this fragrance away from beeing just another clichè perfume created for oriental-woody-vanilla lovers.

Finally, about that "masculinity"-issue that flooded the reviews below, let's put it this way: the man that I sleep with - wearing Presence d'un femme?
Well... No.
Nope. Can't imagine that. No way. Sorry.
Except - if I leave it on him.
As my presence.

Overall, Presence isn't the best ever, or earth moving fragrance - BUT - it is far from dull, stereotypical or "unproblematic" scents. Also, it is very pleasant and unintrusive, and for daily rotation it has quite enough qualities to be taken into account for FB, or at least for serious testing.

* like ("ok one")
* sillage: moderate (arms lenght)
* longevity: moderate (up to 6 hours)
* discontinued (but still available at affordable prices).

This is definitely on the masculine side. However I am totally in love with it. It starts off crisp and fresh and then becomes something totally different with it's warmth and coziness. Love it.

I smelled this for the first time today. My friend used it to freshen an outdoor space and it was the spiciness that captivated me. It was also crisp, so I tried it on (even though she used it to freshen the air) and I fell in love. It started out crisp and spicy and settled into something warm and cozy by the end of the day. It lasted all day and I was outdoors most of the time. It never was overwhelming or suffocating. I kept smelling myself because it was such a beautiful smell. It was something like no perfume I've ever owned. It was feminine, but with a touch of masculinity. I have to order this now.

The most masculine smelling perfume I've ever tested to this date that is advertised as being a perfume for women. I can smell mandarin orange, pepper and I think wood (though I'm not sure because I'm not very familiar with woody notes - but it's a dry and dusty smell that stays during the whole time). Orchid, vanilla - no idea, my nose couldn't locate them. Longevity - sorry, poor, it stays on my wrist 30 mins max, I believe this is because it's and EDT. Sillage - nonexistent. I wouldn't buy this fragrance myself, but I got it as a gift so I will use it up though it lacks distinction. It's like a watercolor painting - it's there, but it's so sparse and thin, like a ghost of a proper perfume.

Did not like it..... Who wants to swap????

Reminds me sweet minds.Love this.Absolutely masterpiece.

Mmmm. Présence d'un(e)...freshly showered bloke.

Oddly, up close I get some berries and sweetness, yet my aura smells distinctly masculine. Really quite nice, I should say, but more reminiscent of a clean fella on his way to work than une femme.

I think Présence might have been an experiment by Montblanc, aka "What do women most like the smell of? Nice, clean, well-dressed men. By Jove, I think we've got it!"

I tried to get my mind around it being wearable by women too, but after a few hours I got fed up of the olfactory dissonance. I will try it on my man...

As much as love this scent (I even got praises), as much as I'm hesitant to buy/wear it again, because it's obvious that people categorize it more under masculine scents
It is very pleasant scent (specially in winter)
and I'm keen to smell the empty bottle from time to time :)

First of all, i have to say that i got this fragrance from a friend, my female boss, because although it's a nice fragrance, the prices here in Brazil are OVER THE TOP, so wouldn't be worth it.

Anyway, the review:

The main accords of this scent, as described above are woody, balsamic, sweet, powdery, fresh spicy and patchouli. Not for me. I would describe this, in order of importance as Woody, Fresh Spicy and Powdery.

I don't get the balsamic side, or even the patchouli (as i'm used to in other scents).

Presence D'Une Femme is a wonderful simplistic scent. Sexy and classy without making any effort. Whenever i use it, i feel powerful without trying, like, paraphrasing Beyoncé, "i woke up like this".

Downside (at least on my skin) is the poor longevity and projection.

Office friendly, safe for dates and gifts.

(For those of you who knows Brazilian brands, it reminds me a little of the original Glamour, without the citric accord - or a least not that pronounced).

I love this fragrance!! It smell amazingly refreshing, not too powerful but definitely memorable. This one is particularly special and personal to me.

i love this one! there is no perfume which resemles to this one..very woody,unique and distinctive! i would definetely purchase it if its lasting power was stronger!

This is nice and a bit different to the usual commercial fragrances. A lovely citrus wood combo. This would be nice to wear on a summer evening. It would be perfect for wearing in the office. Feminine but to be respected. As you would expect the orange is very evident from the word go. It adds a freshness and sweetness to the orchid and wood notes. I love the orange, orchid, patch, sandalwood combo unfortunately with the pepper becoming more and more evident on the dry down. Tbh I think all the pepper towards the end is too much and prevents it becoming a love for me. I dont find it very masculine at all. Moderate sillage and longevity.

Very nice but very masculine on me...androgynous at best.

I'm not getting any pepper at all which is a shame since I love peppery notes. I can't quite place what makes it so masculine to me. Maybe the orange with rosewood? I think I might give this one to my hubs. It will likely smell much nicer on him.

Not a bad scent at all - just not as feminine a fragrance as I usually enjoy. ;)

not my cup of tea :( the pepper in the top notes is very strong and chemical... it isn´t a bad composition, but it didn´t work together. for me it´s a very simple and absolutely unimpressive scent, very masculine, but nothing special - it´s like a simple cheap man´s perfume. Probably it would be better with some warm and sweet accord there (vanilla, amber?).

not bad got it at a bargin price a great winter scent reminds me of angel

You see ,it's comments like the one before me that make me feel completely useless on this fabulous website. Fabulous reviews like the one before me....:) spot on!

Ahhh... tha' Paradox of Presence... a Presence revealed thru an androgynous tapestry of spicy/warm fragrance notes. So many folks getting hung on whether it's masculine or feminine/male or female/blahblah... just getover your sweetself & enjoy tha' ride. Lotta curves w/ this ride, presenting a playful drydown that travels from good2better w/ excellent sillage/longevity. But one needs 2 respect one's unique individual chemistry... one of the cool traits of an excellent juice is its capacity for smelling different on different folks. Masculine, or feminine?... Yes! For it is a classique of both animals, & on some will be masculine w/ a feminine touch, & on some, feminine w/ a masculine touch. That's a goodthing... we're actually created tha' same way... & yet...UNIQUE, ladies & gentlemen. But a deeper & more interesting paradox emerges... this one is Strong&Subtle. The wonderful scents of orchid, manderin, pepper, sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli, & the others, display suble fairness of 'presence', without knockin' you down, like commercial scents these days. For instance, when you cook, you don't want the ingredient 2 stand out, like, man... that's CURRY... you want it 2 blend into a design that cues you into, hmmm, nice taste, smooth flavour. Scents should do tha' same. I don't care 2 hear, "isn't that vanilla?" Perish tha' thought, though many of today's lackluster/losers are like that. You just want it 2 subtlely intice, the different notes, in harmony w/ each other. And remember, you DON'T want folks 2 SMELL you , before they SEE you; w/ a keeper juice, it should be a 'less is more' dynamic, if it has decent sillage/longevity. Enjoy the Paradox of Presence: Strong but subtle, playful but serious, aloof but intense... it may reflect your own Presence... hope so, for tha' sake of Surprise, Dearie ~

This is one of my power fragrances. When I go to the office and mean business, this is what I wear. Not too girly, just a tinge masculine and absolutely lovely; the perfect fragrance to go with a power suit.

I've worn this in the past being only "sweet" 19 (I'm 28 now) and felt so grown up :) It was a gift of my mom. She herself received it as a gift but wasn't really into it so lucky me!

I've ordered it again a few days ago and it finally arrived. It's soft and classy but edgy and fun at the same time. The perfect combination of feminine and masculine notes: peppery, woody, patch and a little flowers and fruit. Fresh and at the same time warm. I'm seeing a scheme here with my taste: I also love Chance, Dune... For me they also have these characteristics.

I've had Lovely by SJP as my signature for a very long time but from now on this will be it. I'm so happy to have this in my collection again and hope that they won't discon' it anytime soon!

Beautiful present from sweet veda! I love it. Was always imagining it similar with Roma by Laura Biagiotti and yes, they are - similar. Yet old formula of Roma is more heavy and substantional, while Présence d'une is more soapy-lightly-spiced more woody-orchids fragrance. I dont have any hint on masculine frag, as some reviewers have mentioned - I guess each person's chemistry sticks to each own result from the notes.
On me this fragrance is also like a sister of Sonia Rykiel(pink jumper),mandarines with green-tree scent, cheerful, open-minded, its not over popular, so at least while wearing,you will feel positively different. I can see myself addicted to this one.

My mother owns this one, and I have to say it does smell like a male fragrance (as corny as it may sound); this one strongly reminds me of Animale Animale For Men, which I love and have in my collection; the only issues I've found are both sillage and longevity. That said, I think this scent is really pleasant and soothing.

Overall score: 7-7.5 (It'd be 9 if sillage and longevity were much stronger)

mandarino e vaniglia le prime note (o arancia dolce) che si fondono immediatamente su sentori di pepe. l'accordo evolve poi sulle note di cuore legnose di sandalo e mogano, per finire su patchouli dolce. benchè la persistenza sia molto buona, non si tratta di un profumo invadente: rimane lieve sulla pelle. mi pare più qualcosa associabile ad una donna gentile, quasi androgina. l'insieme è assai notevole.

Présence d'une femme is not nearly as "masculine" as many of these reviews would have one think. Yes, it is not a sweet or flowery scent. Woody with a touch of mandarin and a feeling of cinnamon to me. A very nice woody, by the way. This is a sophisticated fragrance, however, I wore it to bed last night, and the experience was so pleasant! I could see a certain type of man wearing this, but he would have to have a good bit of savoir faire. Luckily my man does, so he wears this on occasion, and I love it on him, too!

I wanted to test it today. It could be an unisex fragrance, it's easy to wear and very pleasant. 5 stars for the longevity!

Worn it today. The first 3 hours are VERY unpleasant. Too much pepper and mandarin. I felt like a male teenager wearing dad's cologne to a teen party.

But the drydown... very woodsy. Rosewood, sandalwood and mahogany with some patchouli. It's a pity I have to stand such an unpleasant opening to get to the absolutely lovely drydown.

It's not THAT feminine, if you consider the overwhelming sugar-honey-caramelized hype that has taken fragrance nowadays. But, alas, it wouln't be consider very feminine in 2002 either. Has some tamed 80's vibe.

sehr weich und feminin. Langlebigkeit ist durchschnitlich. Kein junge Mädchen Duft.

very nice! a bit masculine. I don't think it's oriental vanilla. It's not sweet.more pepper than vanilla

Everybody is different and is hard to recommend perfume-fragrance .
I wear it for years and have whole collection of Mont Blanc for women .
This one for my nose is .....a field of camomile and I love it . In my 50 , I am getting
complemnts from young man on my scent . Really :)
Very feminine , but with a floral-wood unique statement .
It is not everyday scent to wear because of its elegance in the whole bouquet .

It does have a masculine edge, but becomes very soft and wearable within a few minutes. Montblanc scents strike me as really unique, actually. A scent with a bit of bite to it, but not so that that it's hard to wear.
Edit - This, in moderate doses really is unique and I like how 'femme' does not mean too floral or too sugary (in that sense a bit like D&G's Red Cap, though they smell different).
I hope it's not discontinued, though it does seem like it's a lesser known fragrance, so that's entirely possible.

Eu gosto muito do Roma da Laura Biagiotti mas ele é muito forte para o calor brasileiro, então eu encontrei o Presence, uma versão mais leve e fresca. Adoro!!!!

This fragrance is my signature scent for years. It is a very nice vanilla mandarin scent, warm and sweet but not overwhelmingly sweet. I always get compliments when I am wearing it. I really recommend to try it.

I bought this during last spring and I'm still afraid to wear this in public cause to my nose it really smells like men's cologne honestly... I kinda like the smell but I guess I just need to try wearing it more and maybe get to like it more.

I remember liking it a lot at first sniff at the store, and then I brought the scented card to a friend of mine for her to smell, and she said it was a little masculine to her... Then I realized that, yes, probably she was right...but then I would be biased. So I surrendered myself to my first impression and ordered it and now I enjoy this smell! This is a daring smell at the start, indeed, but with a trully feminine heart...

I am totally in love with this perfume! It's my 3rd bottle, something like must-have for me and I'm still never disappointed with it. It develops different on me depending on weather and time of the day. I love the woody note that stays on me even after having shower.

I can see why some will say this has a masculine twist. I also think that this can be worn by men very well. It's a soft, sweet oriental fragrance, I cannot tell the notes apart on this one, everything is blended very nicely. On my skin none of the notes dominates over the other.
On me it is not really woody, it's also not floral, but it's also not very vanilla... however it is a lovely, gentle, soft & sweet mixture of notes creating a feeling of sensuality.
I am very curious about the Intense version of this, I hope I can find it some day!

After first spray i thought i mixed my samples - it was totally masculine. On me it's balmy, extremely woody and strong patchouli. After 30 min. i got some tiny cloud of sweetness. It's nice, mysterious but not really my taste.

This is utterly gorgeous.

I went to a local perfume shop and asked for something woody, spicy--nothing gourmand or little girl sweet, nothing with white florals. She didn't even need to think a moment, and pulled out Présence d'une femme. Wow, it was perfect, exactly what I've been looking for.

My skin *loves* woody and spicy, and this really works for me. It's elegant and yes, a little masculine, but still shades into the feminine. I see it's classed as Oriental Vanilla, but it doesn't work that way for me--it's woody aromatic.

For me, it's warm, sexy, alive, just barely sweet (which I like) and not overpoweringly strong (though I don't go overboard with it). This might possibly be my favorite perfume. I'd wear it every day, but I like switching around a bit too much. Still, I pull it into rotation very often. Today is a day for it.

If you like something that's not candy-sweet or vanilla-heavy, give this a try. I definitely recommend sampling before buying, because I think it's a scent you either love or hate. Me, I love it.

What a scent !
Pepper
Orchid
Woods
Patch.
Vanilla
Ok - to a little maleish opening
but it softens to a deep orchid,
vanilla, woody and to me feminine scent !
Really beautiful to wear.
I´ll wear it a lot til spring with its lighter fumes serch for attention.!
This is another blindbuy, based on Fragrantica community reviews...
Thank You !
When I checked the online store for a back up...gone

So interesting to me that many comments here describe this scent as masculine or unisex!
I get the complete opposite response when I wear it.
And on me, it turns heads, strangers stop me in the street to compliment my scent (men and women) , men approach me closely to whisper how lovely and feminine i smell. My loved ones have been nuts about it.

A gay male friend of mine with a good nose and impeccable taste, described it as "the scent of simply clean, warm, feminine skin".

I adore it, it's the only fragrance I'm comfortable with any time of the day no matter what the situation or mood, that's just ME.
And I'm a bit oversensitive to perfume especially early in the morning.

Heartbroken that it seems entirely unavailable since a long time, and would be so gratefull for ANY tip on where I can find it now!

I suspect it's been taken out of production, the last time I got a bottle, my friend found it at the airport in Mexico and had people running between shops and storages to dig up a single bottle.
That's true friendship :)

Nice but too masculine for me. I gave it to my husband. It smells better on him.

I think this one is Uni-sex. Fresh woodsy notes blended with patchouli, sandalwood and pepper. Not modern sugarsweet. In topnote I can't smell Vanilla, but in basenote I can. Great for every-day-use for both women and men. On my skin the woodsy notes turn male'ish. They are too dominant for me.

Denna kallar jag Uni-sex. Fräscha träiga noter i toppnoten, fint blandad med Patchouli, Sandelträ och peppar. Inte modern sockersöt. I toppnoten kan jag inte känna någon Vaniljton men i basnoten så kan jag det. Härlig varje-dag-doft för både henne och honom.
På min slår de träiga noterna över i manligt. De är för dominanta för min hudtyp.

For woman that loves to wear masculine perfumes, not for me!

Had this few years ago but still remember the smell.
Can't compare Presence to any other fragrance I know.

The base of Presence is the best part, it is woody, warm with a hint of vanilla.
I don't find it to be masculine at all.
I see in it a confident and elegant 100% woman.

I used this 5 or 6 years ago. I bought it from duty-free shop in airport, and now I can't find it in the shops around me. The fragrance is very long-lasting and classy. It smells really elegant. I loved it, if I found it again, dont think even a minute to buy again.
Ps: Its bottle is gorgeous.

This was a blind buy - and a good one. I do find it a little masculine but layered with L by Lolita Lempicka (which I can find a little too sweet at times) it's perfect, especially around Christmas time.

simply unregrettable ... you woul feel guilty for not having it...
discretely imposing itsel.... wooooow

This is one of my favorite fragrance, i can bath myself in it. So i'll try to describe why i love it so much- it's not very feminine, i imagine a woman sitting in front of you, she is wearin a suit, she is very self confident, she is a leader. This masterpiece is very longlasting,unisex and unique.

To Dollycat: Carefully,this brand was founded just at the beginning of 20th century and is very well-known, but in certain ( elite) circles ;-) their pens, Jewellery, watches and accessories are all exclusive masterpieces and are very-very expensive. Cartier is a sister brand to this one. They just Launching their perfumes only since 2001, and there are already 12 of them( homme and femme).

A very spicy oriental!. Not an ordinary smell, you will be addicted to it or absolutely hate it. I´m very much addicted to it. MontBlanc has excellent and expensive smelling scents. I have all 3 and i love them all the same. The brand is not very well known and appreciated but for the perfume lovers a quit hidden treasure. Worth every penny.

Translating my comment below to help other people to know this jewel of perfumes:


This perfume is for strong women, who lead teams, intelligent women, who are present, and it do not cease to be female.

I think that's why people give him the unisex category, but it's not unisex, is very feminine, just not the kind delicate females, is for women .... floralzinho personality.

Presence D'Une Femme ... Femme.

Esse perfume é para mulheres fortes, que comandam equipes, mulheres inteligentes, que marcam presença, e nem por isso deixam de ser femininas.

Acho que é por isso que as pessoas atribuem a ele a categoria unissex, mas it's not unissex, é muito feminino, só que não é do tipo feminino delicado, floralzinho....é para mulher de personalidade.

Femme...Presence D'Une Femme.

Presence d'une femme is an androgynous type of scent.It could be easily unisex.Deep wood,patchouli and some coffee accords to my nose!Its masculinity gives a boost to a dymanic woman that is not afraid to show off her power.Woman rules in this.I am happy that this kind of perfumes do exist.We are overwhelmed by vanilla,''sexy'' scents that do not show off anything!This perfume has personality and power.Dynamic,strict,amazing!Lasting power is really good.

The dry-down process was an emotional roller coaster for me! I went from love to hate in a period of 30 minutes.

The opening notes were gorgeous! I love the mandarin orange-pepper combo! It was very uplifting and fresh. The heart phase was less inspiring but still pleasant. I absolutely love orchid, but I felt the cyclamen detracted a little from the beauty of the mandarin/pepper/orchid blend.

I don't know what went wrong when I hit the base notes. I usually love all the notes listed, but the fragrance became extremely masculine on me...even to the point of inducing a headache. I kept smelling "cologne". I am even surprised I had this experience, because many of my fragrances have a masculine edge to them, but this one was too much for me.

It must be a matter of chemistry!

What is wrong with me? I am SUCH a sucker for masculine/woodsy fragrances! Reminds me of D&G L'Amoureux; very bold, very sexy yet unconventional and sophisticated.

Funny thing about this one: All I got from it was warm woods and a little pepper but when I asked my husband about it he said : "Hm, I don't know, it's a little too much vanilla for my taste." How weird is that?

It's a great scent, surprisingly well executed and definitely something I'd consider purchasing. It has definite unisex qualities to it and the only REAL criticism I have is in regards to its name, which, in my opinion, is misleading.

It's a straight-forward, bold, "balls-y" fragrance that does not exude much femininity, but rather captivates the essence of a strong (-willed) woman.

Good sillage, matches the personality of the scent - not too overpowering but definitely demanding attention.

Lovely spicy/woodsy scent. Reminded me of my first boyfriends Fleur De Sante after shave that I loved, and still miss it. Nice with jeans and shirt.

It certainly smells like a men's fragrance, reminded me of Salvador Dali Homme, but after a few minutes was very good, a sweet wood

it's a classy fragrance, who starts a few masculine, woody, but after a while it's becomes sweeter.
I like a lot because you not see a lot of women using this perfum. So, this one is quite unique for me! :)

Intenso, sofisticado, exclusivo y elegante. Sus notas son una mezcla de vainilla, sándalo, y piña, flores y especias, perfecto para ocasiones especiales o salidas nocturnas…. y para quien quiera dejar su huella…

Intense, sophisticated, exclusive and elegant. His notes are a blend of vanilla, sandalwood and pineapple, flowers and spices, perfect for special occasions or nights out .... and for those who want to leave his mark ...

This is both feminine and masculine. It is just right for those who like scents to be in the middle. It is careful not to reside either way and settles nicely all day. This is a new addition to my collection that will be cherished. You can't go wrong with this even if you order without sampling.
The bottle is really cool too and is round and flat, fits well into purses.

It isn't masculine. This its a nice woody fragrance for confident women, that likes sofhistication and nature at same time... that could be comfort drinking a dry liquor if they want, no matter if anybody dislikes.

Cyclamen and orchid mixing with the woody notes, makes this fragrance just deligtful.

This is a lovely, sort of "clear" fragrance on me - the notes balance nicely on my skin making a sensual, slightly spicy woody scent. My husband is pretty picky about scents - he doesn't like many of the ones I constantly wear, but he does like this one. I only have a tiny vial sample - I suppose I'll have to get a big bottle now ... :-)

It is one of the most elegant and sophisticated scents I have tried.
It isn't masculine.
On the contrary, I find it super feminine, however it is not kind of "innocent" feminine scent, it is a statement fragrance, very sexy.
It is a must-have in your collection!
I absolutely love it.

This is most definitely the fragrance that compliments my personality. The very subtle feminine florals that is perfectly balanced by fresh citrus and sharp peppery note. The dry down of woody vanilla is warm and beautiful. I think it is just magical on my skin, not too strong, settles down well and lasts really long. Absolutely wonderful!

The base composition is very attractive. When I used this perfume I gathered a lot of compliments.

My mother has this. This is not unpleasant per se, but STRONG and I agree that its not very feminine.

Mont Blanc PRESENCE D'UNE FEMME opens enticingly in a manner very similar to my memory of Dior HYPNOTIC POISON (can't be sure, though, since I only had a mini, long ago drained...). Lots of sweetness with a dash of pepper for extra interest.

The drydown of PRESENCE is a scrumptious woody vanilla with just a touch of spiciness, still imparted by the pepper. The patchouli is only an accent, not the focus of the drydown. The wood is really dominant and becomes stronger over time.

PRESENCE D'UNE FEMME edt has good staying power and sillage and is a surprisingly beautiful wintertime scent from a company primarily renowned for its writing implements!

This at first application is a two headed fragrance. On one wrist, the fragrance strikes me as masculine in a middling quality sort of way. I smell the citrus and even wonder if this fragrance has lavender in it also. On the other wrist, the fragrance is much more feminine with the citrus retiring and the florals front and center. The cyclamen and heliotrope are so pretty. That side is also very shy. At the drydown the woods take over. I think it is very definately a unisex sort of fragrance depending on your chemistry.

First of all: Presence d'une Femme has nothing to do with it's name in my opinion, actually, when I smell it, I turn round to find the man who wears this owerwhelming perfume, and ifind a woman being present instead of a man. It's brave enough, but no way would I call it feminine. On the other hand, as i read the positive reviews, it must smell very good on a few women, and if so, this perfume can really highlight their presence. Definetely not for me!

Love it, it does smell like a man woody fragrance at first but it grows into a lovely warm sexy feminine smell after a while.Though there is something in it that gives me a bit of a headache.

The first time I smelt this was on a sales woman at TJMXX, she told me the name, got it the same day, it smells similar to CK contradictions, can me masculine or femme. I like how men scents smell great turn on. May be that is why I like it. Broke the bottle last week and need to buy another bottle for my collection.

I like strong and a litle masculine fragrances. This is one of them. Not that I use it whenever I need a litle more confidence to speak and present my ideas. But it's not a romantic or dating scent.

I´m wearing it today: certainly it´s not a perfume for everyone´s nose. The pepper notes are clearly evident and after a couple of hours the woods appear, making the concotion very good and confortable.
The excelent aspect of this perfume is that is completely different from the massive vanilla that infests the market nowadays.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Estou usando hoje: com certeza não é um perfume para qualquer um. As notas de pimenta são evidentes e depois de umas duas horas as madeiras aparecem, tornando o perfume muito gostoso e confortável.
O que é excelente nele é a fuga das baunilhas excessivamente doces que assolam o mercado atualmente.

I have just bought it...and I love it! I disagree that it is musculine...not at all...it is woody/sweet fragrance...
It is not heavy in a bad way...it is havy as in a way that your head turns into this smell...wondering what is it....at least it was like that with me...
I love this perfume.

To my nose this is not a masculine scent.
In fact i got tired of it since the vanilla on me is very strong. There is certainly a strong presence of woods note, along with the top notes of mandarine and peper, but are mellowed by the flowers and the vanilla.
I bought it because at the time it was unlike any other scent out on the market. I am wearing today, to confirm that recollection of it.

Oh, no! I don't want to smell as man, even I do not want to smell as woman in type George Sand, who walked in men's suits and smoked cigars. My nose reads Presense as man's water cologne - cold and rigorous. It is curious, but very argumentative smell.

I had the exact same reaction to this as argeada. It always gave me a dizzing headache.

Smelt like an updated version of Obsession on me -- quite sultry. Generated quite a few positive compliments but I doubt I'd wear it again.

This fragrance is one of the few, and hopefully the last unlucky choices I've made when I bought it. It's heavy, dull, and far from feminine. I've given it a shot in several different moods and occasions, and always ended up desperate for a shower. Say no more!