Niki de Saint Phalle Niki de Saint Phalle for women

the sharpest hit back to when I was living in seattle & found this. at the time I was in the kind of tormented love that makes you want to jump off a building, splattered and gutted as one of NDSP's very own shot paintings XD. this chypre would knife through the rainy days & the green would bleed along with everything. i'm glad i still have the last quarter of it or so!

i recently found a beautiful mini bottle at a thrift store, after wanting to try this for quite some time. i think i am trying it in the wrong weather but it opens green with a hint of animalics followed by some spice and florals. it's oakmoss heavy. i like it a lot but can tell i need to try it on a cool rainy day. the mint adds such a nice cooling element along with the green notes.

i LOVED this EdP in the 80s. even as a poor college student i splurged on this perfume happily. at some point (maybe on my 3rd bottle?) i discovered other scents and sort of let this one go, only to eventually realize it was no longer around when i wanted to go back to it. i have been searching "green chypre"and "floral green chypre" and a few names keep popping up (sisely eau du sour, chloe nomade, mitsouki) but not sure if those are any easier to get and without sampling first i am not going to shell out the $$.
sadly nothing is coming up as an inexpensive dupe.
EDIT well this is something...i found a small (10ml?), wedge shaped travel size of this buried under some samples. i vaguely remember buying this off ebay maybe 20+ years ago. i remember not using it cause it smelled so harsh so i knew it must have been a fake? it still is horribly harsh initially, then sort of smells like a boozy cocktail of some sort, but then....the drydown gives me that 80s memory of that gorgeous scent. it's very fleeting so this MUST be a fake. but i am happy i caught a whiff of the memory of the real thing.

i'm so blown away, i'm at a loss for words. a chypre lover's dream. one of my most successful blind buys ever.

more thoughts, the day after: some reviews mention getting aldehydes. not only are they not listed, i don't get any aldehydes (and i'm very sensitive to them/ don't generally like them). like many, i'm reminded of lancome magie noire, one of my all-time faves; i'm also reminded of sisley eau du soir.

in my notes, i eventually wrote: this makes me feel like i’m in the deep, shady heart of the most magical of woodsy forests, near a small glade with aromatic herbs and flowers blossoming amidst the ancient trees and verdant, mossy undergrowth.

I was eager to try NdSP. How could I not be? The bottle is blue glass (favorite color!) with colorful snakes on it, and I have a cobra tattoo on my arm! How could I not love it? As it turns out, I didn’t, but it is an interesting scent, and definitely unique.

The scent is a combination of many unusual notes–pine, grapefruit, marigold, geranium–and thus smells hissingly green and spiky. It’s a bit too acerbic for my taste, even though I love green scents. But what fascinates me is the picture it evokes–that of a garden in late summer, when the only flowers still blooming in the blazing sun are, you guessed it, marigolds and geraniums. Dry, hot, and pungent. It would be the perfect scent if you love the scent of marigolds. But I don’t.

Managed to snag a miniature and a tiny dab of this goes a long powerful way. If this is the EDT's strength, I can't imagine how intoxicating the pure parfum would be. I'm one of the people who thinks it smells like Silences (about 60% similar in my opinion) in its green drydown, but with more darkness and earthiness. It also reminds me of Magie Noire with a bit more of a clinical/medical touch. Don't be mistaken - it's a fantastic perfume with its own character in its own right despite the comparisons. Might be a little difficult to wear in hot and humid weather here in where I live but I would love to collect a full-sized bottle one day.

With such a prominent leather note, I'm shocked at this being compared to Silences over Miss Balmain or Cabochard. Halston classic is a very clear ancestor of this scent, and NdSP could easily be a stand in for an "intense" version of Halston. An easy love for me, with an aldehydic herbal opening that quickly transforms into an intensely mossy leather. The bottle can fool you, smelling only of flowery aldehydes--this MUST be sampled on the skin. I can see why this gets ranked among the best chypres ever, it is THAT sublime. For lovers of leather, wood, and moss ONLY. You won't find many flowers or fruits, here. Smells wintery to me. My only complaint is the lame cap--such a beautiful bottle, but the cap on the splash is cheap golden plastic with a visible seam. Why not a metal cap?

Review is for EDT splash, which is plenty intense for my requirements.

This is my holy grail perfume, and it's near impossible to get hold of!! Such a glorious heady green opening melting into strong woody floral with earthy soil tones floating throughout. Absolutely a POWER fragrance. I wish they would make more!

I have been waiting a Looooong time to try this. I have mostly been holding out for a Cancer bottle but those are so overpriced now. I realized it may not be any time soon that I feel like spending that much on a blind buy. I’m also not a fan of splash bottles. I wanted the spray. Finally I got one of the 30 ml vintage sprays for an incredible steal. And MAN! It was worth the wait. To me this is the epitome of green. It’s bitter, it’s mossy, it’s herbal. The oak moss is obvious as the real deal that you don’t smell in perfume anymore and it’s such a tragedy because it just can’t be replaced. For me, Niki stands beside Dali Homme as the best of the dark green moss scents. If you want to seek out Dali avoid the current version, vintage only. it was ruined by IFRA regulations. To compare to the other scents that Niki is compared to: well I have never tried Halston and now I know I need to grab a vintage. I am a huge fan of Silences and in my opinion Niki is even better. Darker, mossier. More herbal. Great silage, will update on longevity

A perfume that is 40 years old, and it does smell like it’s from a bygone era. Powdery green musk over a hot mess of notes. Something about this perfume, Niki is powerful and on the naughty side (though I am not picking up any skank). Like a lot of scents from that time period, it’s stronger than today’s counterparts. A solid like.

This is a very unique perfume. I am a fan of Niki de Saint Phalles artwork, especially her colourful sculptures, but the perfume speaks a very different language, of someone very sophisticated and chic. I read her bio once somewhere and it described how she was a fashion model in her youth and was always impeccably dressed. This chypre fragrance is just that. Impeccably good taste. Extremely well blended, difficult to hone into separate notes, complex, sophisticated. Carnation, oakmoss, little bit of leather, amber. Enough florals to soften it down, make it more easy to approach. Great balance between lighter, herbal notes and the long standing base notes. Not too heavy not too light but just right. The bottle is fun, like her art work. I get the feeling she had this created to her personal, impeccable, taste.

I think they built chypre lovers different from the rest of the human race. Never am I reminded more of this, than when I watch your average person smell or describe a chypre. Really, I could wait all week for tickets to that show. Layers of expressions occur in under a minute, as if I am watching an old Nickelodeon starring Chapman himself. Horror, disgust, surprise, astonishment, sadness...the whole human condition summited in a moment's time. Fascinating, that knee-jerk, visceral experience. I, on the other hand, have a penchant for mossy compositions, and I guess I have always loved the pungent contrast contained within those loud chords. I used to think I was the odd duck, drawn close to scents most scoffed as odd or off putting. My soul might be in the ocean, but my heart lies amongst the trees. I feel as if chypres engage a different part of my brain - a higher dimension, that seems to enhance my creativity and problem solving ability. I also think that, evolutionarily speaking, chypres are the most complex in their representation of a natural environment. Some facts are elemental, just as some of us are particularly coded for sniffing. The chypre lovers of today, would have probably served as look outs and trail guides, in an ancient wild, and certainly long before what we know of humanity even existed. For us, the dirt's aroma is as pleasant as the plant that sprang from it, just as is the sour fermentation to the sweet fruit.
I realize this is a long way of saying, perfumes like Niki don't strike me as particularly loud or obtrusive. Minus a moderate aldehydic fog, this perfume is quite tame to me. "Green Notes" in the top could easily encompass artemisia, mint, and carnation. Bergamot, patchouli and oakmoss, by tradition, scuff along. Musk, leather, and amber bring an animalic base. Idolic jasmine, rose, and ylang-ylang simply create direction. Sandalwood, cedar, and peach are barely recognizable, but breeze through the dry-down no louder than a whisper. Top to bottom textbook. I purchased my bottle for $5 in an antique store, and having smelled, but never heard of it, was laid flat when I appraised the bottle. That which was sitting in my hand was worth over $160.
Is it worth that?
The existential question so many perfume enthusiasts ask themselves right before a purchase. Like a breathing piece of art, it ultimately is worth whatever you are willing to pay. Not a very direct answer I know, but it will certainly have to do. I personally disagree with the market's value, then again, I disagree with any perfume being that conspicuously priced. However, I'm sure there are others for which I would at least consider the expense. This perfume falls in line with Avon's Moonwind and Unforgettable, and has distant similarities with Halston Classic and Cafe Cafe. All of which are infinitely easier to come by on the internet, (the new Oregon Trail of commerce). I will end this by stating that this is, truly, quite pretty, and if you love chypres as much as I do, and can afford it, you will most definitely be pleased. For me, I find it projects far more complex and interesting on paper and fiber than it does on my skin. With the clarity of retrospection, that could just as easily be my chemistry; some ancient DNA, still in service from more furry ancestors - soaking up the smells of the forest floor, and signally to the tree tops, that safety lay ahead - there amongst the chlorophyll sky.

Niki is QUITE UNIQUE. I discovered it in the eighties, in FLORIDA. Loved it from the beginning. Still do. Not for the faint of heart! One of my top ten, perhaps even in the top five. The artist created a true work of art. Thank you, Niki.

Though I've had this bottle of Niki de Saint Phalle for years, I've been avoiding pinning down my thoughts on this one. I am not sure how much the woman had to do with the creation of the perfume, but Niki de Saint Phalle was a French-American artist and filmmaker renowned for her distinctive sculptures of voluptuous vividly colored, giant, joyously conquering women. The perfume was launched in 1982 but it smells like my imaginings of the early 70s It's a delicately spicy, mossy green-leafed potion, with notes of wormwood, carnation, leather, peach, and soft aldehydes. It's complex, yet eerily balanced and I can't get a handle on any one note. It makes me think of a meandering, plotless arthaus film that you loved for the visuals and the atmosphere and the score, and even though you didn't understand a thing that was going on, you're still daydreaming about it decades later.

A blind buy based on the reviews of fellow Fragranticans and NowSmellThis. And, boy, does it not disappoint! Gorgeous stuff made before Health and Safety killed the Chypre. Carnation and oakmoss heaven, so much so that it reminds me of L'air du Temps in its glory days (as I remember it was in 1980s), sans the aldehydes and cloves but with the same slight soapiness that sets in in half-hour or so. Artemisia gives it some grown-up bitterness that I love. If you'd wear L'air du Temps in 1980s with a white trouser suit, fedora and killer heels, NdSP can be worn with down-to-earth jeans, a lumberjack shirt and cowboy boots to go hiking or riding and then still empower you to gatecrash an event of any calibre at any venue.

This is gorgeous, reminds me a lot of Chanel Antaeus. I am an Eau Du Soir lover and fan of this genre, having tried Jean Louise Scherrer, Givenchy 3, Chanel Cristalle, Aromatics Elixir etc. This reminds me the most of Antaeus and I'm surprised no one has made this comparison! The smell is glamorous and spicy- no florals here just spicy green moss. I have a mini vial-- If only I could ever get my hands on that gorgeous snake bottle!

This also reminds me of Estee Lauder Spellbound, which I have not smelled in 25 years so it could be a false memory :)

I love chypres and bitter smells like galbanum. And I adore oakmoss. So I was excited by the promise of oakmoss and forest. But wormwood ruined the day, This is the 'fume that taught me to wait before buying... wait to see what a scent does on my skin and not get pushed by sales ladies to buy things! I wanted to like this - the EDT bottle is SOOO gorgeous and what first drew me to buy it, along with what it smelled like on a card - a chypre floral oriental wonder! All my faves rolled into one. But on my skin the initial chypre-oriental burst of beauty quickly changed to a horror show bitterness married to bathroom-stink floral - cheap, floral drugstore perfume cut with rank civet and acrid darkness. UGH! I didn't want to smell like a psychopathic whore lurking in the night at a gas station but that's what the whole vibe was on me. I kept it just for the beautiful bottle.

Niki de Saint Phalle is alchemic enchantment, with notes so saturated and vibrant, much like the works of the artist. There is confluence and congruence to the composition as a whole, from the moment it hits your skin with a defiant radiance of aldehydes, peaches, and green herbs. Technicolor flowers are tempered by dark, shadowy dry resins, leather, and oakmoss. The dry down is aromatic velour, sultry musk and woods.

This is thoroughly unisex: men, you gotta try this one out.

As with a lot of my blind buys, I go on eBay looking for one fragrance, find it for a good deal, then check to see if that same seller has other "good deals". And this is how I stumbled upon this lovely. I had never heard of Niki de Saint Phalle...the woman...the artist...the fragrance. After reading that Niki's first attempts in art involved paint and firearms and seeing this beautiful cobalt blue bottle with the intertwined snakes painted on, I was intrigued. So much so, that before even waiting for the bottle to arrive from this eBay seller, I bought a tube of the bath oil. Not a huge investment for a 3.5 oz tube at $10.99. I read one of the reviewers mentioning that she puts the bath oil in a atomizer (yes, it is thin enough to go through the nozzle of a vintage Devbliss medicinal atomizer) and she layers both the oil and the EDT for extra longevity. And she is right!!! This scent is gorgeous green and woodsey. Finding this site has opened the floodgates to what use to be a moderate obsession with fragrance to an outright addiction. My obsession started in the 70s with my mother's perfumes, then the 80s powerhouses, then it died down in the 90s. In the 2000s I have acquired more than previous decades. Mostly vintage scents associated with my favorite classic film stars, but also indulging in current cheapie celebrity fragrances that I thought I would never go for only because I am not particularly found of or appreciative of these celebs (ie. KK, Sean John, Jessica Simpson, Lady Gaga and the list goes on). However, I am finding beauty in all of tbese fragrances. There are so many more that I want to try, but they would put too much of a strain on my pocketbook. Hey, never say never cuz you never know if a windfall is around the corner or a beauty will be discovered in a dusty thrift shop.

Niki de Saint Phalle is a beautiful, complex and well blended chypre of the good old school. Bold and daring, not for the faint of heart. At the same time it is elegant, sophisticated and refined.

On my skin it opens with a massive blast of aldehydes and green leaves. Not my favourite phase I must admit, but it fades away within five minutes. Then I smell wormwood and carnations, a bit of peach and ylang-ylang. This beautiful and enchanting combination lasts approximately one hour. And then my favourite phase beginns - oakmoss, leather, patchouli and mellow musk. This smells very autumnal, has a hint of decomposing leaves, something woody and quiet about it. And as a gentle leitmotif through all this beauty - orris root, a bit soapy and powdery.

Good longevity, stays 6 - 7 hours on my skin. This perfume reminds me of Ivoire de Balmain, Magie Noir Lancome, Azuree Estée Lauder and alike. Funny that a feminine fragrance of the 80's sounds completely unisex nowadays. Love it!

Opens with peaches and wormwood, and mint--that has just enough of a toothpaste-and-orange-juice dissonance to make one wake up and pay attention, not unlike the vibrant color-blocking of Niki de Saint Phalle sculptures--weird and bright, yet pretty.
Carnation and patchouli and some green-dyed-leather twists it around for several hours, and woodsy moss covers the skin for the rest of the day.

So lovely it makes me wish Niki had made more perfumes. Her only effort is a beauty, from its cobalt bottle with the playful snakes to the lovely stuff inside. The scent reminds me of a sun drenched garden (of Eden?), where drying herbs and flowers perfume the air.

This fragrance is completely unisex. Bracing herbs mingle with soft musk to create a unique, beautiful scent. Although this perfume has an artemisia note it still manages to keep the bitterness to a minimum. Ma Griffe could learn a thing or two in that department ...

Sillage is average, this scent sticks close to the skin.
Niki's masterpiece should be more popular, it's truly a standout.

Feral vegetal. Would perfectly suit Princess Mononoke riding her wolf siblings through the forest. Shocked me the first time, liked it the second—as so often happens with greens, there's a getting-to-know you phase.

The opening is strong, bitter and dusty-spicy with the artemisia, chrysanthemum, marigold and mint notes. There's milky sap alongside the green, reminding me of the time I took a natural history pamphlet too literally: on a walk through a Maine meadow, I crushed milkweed leaves against my arms as an improvised sunscreen.

After the opening roar, there's a distinct sweetening (rose and ylang?), and the carnation comes in on a bed of cool orris dirt. The drydown is similar to Bandit but more user-friendly, lacking the industrial vibe and staying in nature.

I received a compliment from a customer when I layered Niki with some dabs of Papillon Tobacco Rose. Something about it was deeply familiar to her, though she assumed I was wearing Tom Ford. That seems to sum up Niki—weird but compelling, lodged somewhere in the collective unconscious.

Just got my new 30 ml splash bottle, courtesy of a guest newly arrived from the States. I didn't have high hopes for it since it's not the vintage and my last bottle (the 60 ml.vapo-spray)that I had for well over a decade was already a reformulation.
This new bottle does smell fresher though and the notes have more definition, AND it has the colorful snakes on it. Looks gorgeous on my dresser.
I haven't been without Niki since it first came out 35 years ago but I only just realized that the dry down, after a good 4-5 hours, strongly recalls Halston Classic- (another old love of mine, pre-reformulation). Indeed I just checked the notes and there is a very extensive overlap. I don't get much leather, if any, in this version of Niki. Maybe that's why it recalls Halston now. The oakmoss predominates now in both.

I found a really good deal on one of the horoscope 2oz bottles. It wasn't my "sign" but it was cheap and these bottles comes with a spray! WAHOOOOOO!

Strange, the box/bottle doesn't say EDT. I'm assuming it is. It smells exactly like regular Niki. Except, call me crazy-- but one squirt on a tissue has HUGE sillage. Dare I say-- much more sillage than any of the splash EDTs. Perhaps it's the amount of liquid that comes out the sprayer? Anyways, I'm STOKED to have a spray bottle now.
I've previously put my Niki splashes in atomizers, but now I'll just refill these 2oz bottles. Too bad it's not my sign tho. Haha.

I also put my Niki bath oil in an atomizer, and it still sprays/works despite being oil. The bath oil is thicker and has this "doughy" aspect to it. So the bath oil smells a bit diff than the EDT.

I also have a mini vintage, and honestly-- I can't really find a difference in smell.

Gawd, I love this. Minty greeny piney fresh soapy woody earthy. Sublime.

I get a lot of mint in this version, which I wasn't sure I'd like/want. But I do. I love! Minty pine!

I also love the dark blue shower gel!!

This was not good for me, in any way or shape . I had a splash bottle that I received a a gift . This just smelled like any other inexpensive splash fragrance that had turned bad , to me . The bottle was a newer formulation and was apparently new stock , it just wasn't good, and there were no decipherable notes . Maybe I got a bad bottle, but I won't bother trying again.

I have a vintage miniature. This has the aura of a classic and well made perfume. It's my first wear so I have yet to decipher it. Although I have not knowingly encountered its scent before, I have a strong feeling of being taken way back in time; perhaps to the 1970's although I note this wasn't launched until the eighties. I associate very different scents to this with that decade. This is a real hit of Oakmoss which is lovely as, living in the EU our perfumes have been stripped of their inky intensity. Of this type of perfume, the mood evoked is similar to that when I wear Miss Dior (Original), Empreiente, Aliage, Gucci No. 1 and Jean-Louis Scherrer, Givenchy III maybe. For me personally, it's a more prominent carnation note that is the difference between a perfume smelling Vintage or 'of it's time' as compared with 'timeless'. I need to be in a specific mood to wear a scent that evokes the past.

A leather, chypre and vetiver mix. I do not remember this from when it was released. A bit too dry for me but it may be better when tested again in cold weather

My best friend in high school bought me a spray bottle of EDT (early 80s) right after my tiny sample had run out, saying, "I had to get it for you because it's so weird. Like you." Intelligent and observant as well as generous, that one. :)

We both loved the cobalt blue glass bottle, the golden cap with embossed intertwined snakes...even the ads were magnificent.

Not for conformists, conservatives, nor the faint of heart, this scent literally turned the heads of admirers, the curious, and the frightened. 15/16-y-old strawberry blonde Michigan girls certainly weren't supposed to smell like THAT!

Niki de Saint Phalle is sharp and sweet, light and deep, cool and warm, bright and dark, and all at once. A sweet smile, a rather intimidating glance; a light touch, a profound sexiness. Green, floral, but with a heavy and spicy base. It's simultaneously lighthearted, mysterious, innocent, and sophisticated. It is many things, but it is never submissive: this is for a woman with an independent mind.

Only an artist - or alchemist - could create a smooth blending of such diverse elements and make it work. It worked well enough it convinced a miserable punkly teenager at least one more human out there understood her, and they made this perfume. (I have neither owned nor smelled any reformulations.) It lent an enormous amount of moral support and confidence.

Wear this for dancing in a meadow, whilst examining those avant garde paintings you've considered for your modern Parisian penthouse, or beret and bongos at a coffeehouse. Yeah!

Vintage smelling greens/woods/chypres are my obsession, and I happened upon this page-- I have never heard of this?!

I read the reviews, and went right to Fragrancenet to buy a 2 oz bottle.

Mmmmm... this is good. GREEN, but soapy, earthy, and woody. I don't get any mint (good). I get the "pine" like green but it's so well blended and smooth overall. A little bit of every note put together so well. Along the same lines as Bandit IMO. I just love how it's still clean/fresh but green 'n dirty. Good stuff! Totally unisex. Compared to vintage femininity like Miss Dior, Intimate, Bandit, Aliage, Animale, Dioressence, Charlie, etc... this is very feminine. But compared to today's opinions-- this is masculine. So anyone who wants should wear this! :)

This must be a recent formula, it's not very potent (edt). But I def love it! I went over to ebay to check out the other products, and I'm beyond stoked that I got a 100ml bath oil for $25. I hope it's the kind of bath oil that doubles as a skin perfume! (I have Youth Dew bath oil and prefer that as a perfume)
Any have experience with Niki bath oil?

Update: 3 hours later, this EDT on skin is still going! Only I get a light velvety spicy/wood/patch. I'm going to decant this into a spray when I get home and GO NUTS! I love this!

A tale of two perfumes; it was the best of scents, it was the worst of scents (you get the idea). Niki de Saint Phalle wears very strangely on me; two entirely different scents exist within the perfume, simultaneously. One is amazing and beautiful and would easily hold a spot among my loves (and, in fact, did for several weeks), the other is blah and headache inducing and would surely place it firmly in dislikes). So is it the temperature? Do I just have to be careful about when I wear this? Sadly, no; this is where the strangeness arises; they are both present in each wearing.
The scent I love is at the skin; rich, green, and EARTHy. Oakmoss. Artfully cut with dashes of licorice and mint and all rounded and grounded out in woody resins. It is truly one of the most beautiful "brown" scents I've ever smelled (beautiful, earth-toned brown; richness and comforting nature). All the loveliness of a secluded cabin in the woods.
And then there's the scent in the sillage; painfully dry, powdery musk. This is thrown off in wafts. It took a few wears to realize what was happening because I was so enamoured of the "wrist crack" I couldn't fathom where the other scent was coming from. (It's different enough from the other aspect that I didn't immediately connect them). A colleague commented that it smelled like a container of Lysol wipes was open somewhere. It's actually headache inducing. I'm sure that this thrown scent is a difficulty of my own chemistry; powdery effects are one of my scent nemeses (and the reason I can't wear Shalimar.)
If only the two scent profiles were reversed, icky at the skin but beautiful in the sillage, I'd wear this scent with abandon. Sadly, I will ultimately not wear it at all.

My husband and I are hanging out on the deck, drinking wine and taking in the cool fall air. Niki D smells like the mountains and turning leaves...it's perfect right now.

The EDT starts out with pine, mint and rose. Then there's the creamy, soapy era and then there's secondhand smoke...outdoors with a little breeze.

It's amazing. Not for wallflowers.

I received a lot of vintage, first edition (1982) NdSP products for my birthday. When I first opened each of the bottles, it seemed that the juices inside had turned.
Epic sadness.
So I left the bottles open overnight and, while they were open, every couple of hours I would close each bottle and turn the bottle to blend the air into the fluid before reopening the bottle to continue to rest open. I then let them sit in my collection (which is kept very cool and is only ever exposed to artificial light).
Now I'm wearing several drops of the parfum and am finally reliving the rich, mysterious, to my nose unisex glorious beauty that made me fall in love with perfume as a child (not yet a teen).
I thought I had an allergy to oakmoss but that must not be the case; the oakmoss is prominent here, gorgeous, earthy, dark-green and deep, and I have no headache or asthmatic response which is awesome.
The furry musk and smooth suede give it this composition a playful, dirty-sexy vibe that takes me further down the rabbit hole. NdSP is luxurious, rich, complex, elegant, beautiful! This is sophistication in a bottle.
I prefer the parfum to the EDT but plan on seeing how the new releases compare to the first edition.
Now, although I admit to being insane, to my nose/ mind, Tommy Hilfiger's TH Bold is similar in complexity, depth, body, unisex earthy-foresty goodness although not nearly as dark-green as NdSP.

Wow, I didn't know that this still existed, or that anyone remembered it... I have a vintage bottle with the entwined snakes that I have had for years, and it is still fresh and new. Heavy come-hither licorice-like scent with a floral backdrop. Very old world and appealing.

Well, after years of wearing and sampling many other perfumes (and coming to appreciate quite a few), I just have to give in and say: It will ALWAYS be Niki de Saint Phalle for me! Even with the ingredient meddling by the IFF, it still manages to be so versatile, many-faceted, and pure magic to wear. There are other perfumes that come close, but my heart belongs to Niki!

Recently I noticed there's a new? line of perfumes 'by'? Niki de Saint Phalle, called Zodiac Eau Defendu, one perfume for each Zodiac sign. I've searched for descriptions, and found none!

So, I's asking the Fragrantica family for help: what can these undiscovered gems smell like? Etc! Thanks, All.

I had tried and loved this one way back when it came out, and loved it. And of course, back then....young and dumb....lol....the bottles we my main infatuation, probably...lol. However, I ignored this one, after finishing a small .085 oz spray, and never re-purchased it. But it was on my mind alot....memories. Well, I received my 2 oz round blue Zodiac spray bottle today.
I was scared that it would be a horrible re-form mess.
I can tell it is a true vintage bottle due to what came in the box with the bottle. A beigey leaflet that show images and descriptions of the whole line,,,,lotion, gel, powder, soaps...edp & parfum and the variations of the bottle styles....wow....surprised. I spritzed my left arm....and I waited patiently...to discover the scent again. It does smell "different to me, but only because I first wore it 30 years ago...OMG !!!...so I know I have changed as well as my chemistry and psyhology. Right ???.... I am still really liking the scent...ahhhh...nostalgia...I do gey the herbal light chypre/flora vibe....and soapiness, yes, but this one is a "senses soother" for me, so I will keep this as my fond memories of times past....and revel in it !!
Now that I know the house of Guerlain pretty well, I would say NdeSP is very Guerlainade-ish to my nose...making me a quite happy person !!! Cheers Niki !! And thanks for the memories.

I don't know what bush I was living under in the '70s but I just don't remember this, perhaps it wasn't shipped to the colonies, so those of us living in Australia missed out. At least I did, so I cannot compare the new to the old, I can only comment on the new.
Yes it's in the '70's style, reminds me of the Molyneux perfumes, maybe Vivre? It's soft and woody, and seems to have a touch of citrus to balance the heaviness of the leathery wood. In any case, I do like it, and would recommend it.
It's definitely not an old lady style person to those younger readers who are terrified of '70's fragrances and think they'll turn into Miss Havisham.

I had a small vintage bottle of EDT. It wasn't particularly pleasant. It smelled like a musty library and did nothing for me. I'm reading EDP is better.

Reminds me of Halston Halston Classic for women. Lovely unisex beauty. Just wish longevity was better (only 2 hours on my skin).

Typical woody chypre that I disliked initially then took out years later and adore. The rose and carnation are there beneath the bitter oakmoss and artemisia with woods and aldehydes popping. A masterpiece of a chypre. I think my nose had to evolve. I like the bright floral top moreso than the drydown in the base. I still am not a lover of oakmoss and bitterness.

I was rummaging through my vintage stuff and stumbled on Niki. This was my signature frag for YEARS. I don't remember why I stopped wearing it. It did disappear for a time. Anyway, this is such a wonderful scent. Green w/o being too herby, grassy, or lettuce-y, all of which I hate and the aldehyde is not too bitter (which I also hate). There is some sweetness in it, which balances the above-mentioned beautifully.

Someone compared this to Knowing and L'Arte di Gucci. I have both those lovely scents. Knowing is much stronger and harsher than Niki. I think L'AdG is closer, but Niki is softer.

Anyway, I'm very glad I found this. I think I will buy another bottle ... OMG, I hope to goodness it hasn't be reformulated! Please tell me it hasn't been reformulated ...

I got so lucky and found this bottle at the local thrift store with about 75% still left in it. It looks like it's an original 1982 bottle but I can't tell because there's obviously no date on it. It is the oval shaped bottle with the intertwining snakes on it and the artwork is beautiful. I love the cobalt blue of the bottle. Now onto the scent, all I can say is that it's vintage in a very charming way. It was very warm in the thrift store yet the smell didn't seem overwhelming so I think that it can still be worn for spring but I would definitely recommend it as a nighttime fragrance. Unfortunately it didn't have a price sticker on it and my local thrift store usually will not sell something if they have not priced it yet.I pouted my lip out and ask them if they could please price it in comparison to some of their other perfumes and they said they'd sell it to me for $2.99. So I got a very good steal! It's a beautiful scent it was made the year I was born and for no other reason than that I love it. The smell wins me over.

A soft, supremely well-blended fragrance, what I smell is mainly oakmoss, supported around the edges by a very tender marigold, warmed grass, and hay. This is HEAVEN. I usually love oakmoss for the sharp, pungent depth it gives my favorite chypres, but the oakmoss in Niki de Saint Phalle is something else -- a dreamy, pillowy, sunlit mossy green breeze that I just want to float in. I have the round cobalt blue mini with the intertwining snakes, and have just ordered a 4oz bottle of EdT in the same design. I never, ever want to be without this soft, strange beauty, for the rest of my life.

P.S. I've just layered this with L'Artisan's Timbuktu, and I think I've just found my summer holy grail.

Along time ago in a galaxy far, far, away I picked this up and spritzed. I was horrified and ran and washed it off. Fast forward thirty years, I remember my reaction and ordered a decant of the edt just for fun and remembrance. Time really changes things, cause I think this could be a contender for a signature scent. It's a masterpiece. I adore the oakmoss which has always been one of my favorite notes and ahh the green notes. Well I will no longer be without this beaut. No matter that it took a long time the wait makes it that much sweeter. Does anyone know what the parfum smells like?

This perfume reminds me of a sophisticated confident woman who keeps her secrets to herself. There is an air of mystery about her as she goes about her activities.
Truthfully, years ago, I was repelled by the artwork, entwined snakes on cobalt mini bottle. I just did not have Fragrantica reviews to help me understand this dark green mossy composition. My thanks to a Fragrantican friend who sent me an almost full bottle. I love it.

Thank you Luna Rebel for your review clarifying the difference between the versions. Based on your info, I'm pretty sure I have the EDT. I received this in a swap and the label was too smudged to read. There was about an hour of this horrible choking powdery note. I was too lazy to scrub and I'm glad because now I get the pine-y oak moss-y goodness in the base.
Very nice.

Interesting flacon, but has a gaseous, rotten odor after it dries down, sort of kept me wondering, "what's that funny smell? I hope it isn't me." I gave up with this perfume years ago -- shortly after it came out.

This is one of the hardest reviews to write in years. As an admirer and collector of several old school chypres, this one fails me. I obtained a vintage bottle and was somewhat anticipating a nice alternative to Halston or Ivoire.

I gave a spray on a tissue and it seemed safe enough. Then I braved my wrist and it became a disaster! I love green notes, yet there is this bitter artemesia that dominates the entire composition in the worst possible way. I generally love rose and leather and wear them contentedly. This leather is like a blue handbag that hits you in the head making you see stars.

The rose is soapy and out of context. It reminds me of the rose that used to scent toilet paper in the 1970s. The drydown sustains these notes and makes it a scrubber.

I had to use Clorox to remove it from my skin. I can imagine a dominatrix wearing this as it is more painful than any of her torture devices. Sorry fans. I will say it-this is the worst vintage I have ever encountered. Evident, that older is not always better.

I love this scent but it gives me a horrid headache unfortunately. Beautiful woodsy fragrance. Subtly sweet and a very intimidating fragrance. I had to grudgingly give this one away. Stunning bottle too.

To me untrained nose it is green and powdery, and the dry down is very much like Dove soap..

I just splurged and ordered a new (old) bottle of this, after the bottle and name caught my eye and I read just about every review on here, I clicked around all my usual 'fume sites until landing on the 'Bay. Scrolled down a few and not only was it an old, unopened bottle, but the special Zodiac edition Eau Defendue spray - IN THE "CAT" VERSION! IT MUST BE PERFUME FATE! (I am most certainly a crazy cat lady, and a Leo.)

I have a soft spot for chypres, the greener and mossy-er the better -- and I've recently begun to discover that contrary to my expectations, I dig on leather accords as well. I found my recent acquisition of Mitsouko to be a disappointment, it's just ~okay~ from what I can gather. It's a vintage EDT and I spent the entire first two days thinking maybe I got a bad bottle or was anosmic, I could barely smell anything! Now I get faint shadows of scent, but barely enough to really fall in love as I was hoping. My fault I suppose, for going for the less expensive EDT. I couldn't find for sure whether the Eau Defendue/Zodiac version of NdSP is EDT or EDP, I'm just hoping to be pleasantly surprised. In any case, I am dying for the beautiful bottle, now I can get rid of my gnarly Katy Perry Purr and Meow that I really only own just to have a cat represented on my perfume tray. (Anyone interested, PM me.)

Thank you all for your reviews (good and bad), I tend to be more intrigued by the more uncertain or negative ones I read, and I'm literally bursting with excitement to try NdSP! I can't wait to smell like a mossy old book, left forgotten in an enchanted forest. I'll update once she settles into her new home.

UPDATE 3/2015: Perfection! Dark and mysterious spicy woodsy mossy heaven. Earthier than my beloved Coriandre but reminiscent of all of my favorite things about that scent. Projection/sillage and longevity are moderate, probably to the benefit of those around me as I tend to overspray my favorites.

Niki de St. Phalle is a woman who does not take herself too seriously. She is still in touch with her inner child and thus the whimsical notes of orris root which smell more like violets and pixy stix grape flavor candy on me. Interesting without trying too hard. The leather notes come out in the initial spritz and then fade out to a sweet violet candy. She invites others to play...

Addition to comments: After playing with NDSP I am entranced by what is really a very complex composition. It is a fragrance that cannot be completely discerned at first instance...The green woody chypre can be detected by smelling the whole bottle--the forest so to speak. In that forest you can then linger on what entices you the most, be it the moss on the ground or a meadow of wild violets. The powder is very prominent as well, a princess is lost in the forest and is enjoying the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees.

I started wearing this in the 80's, I just immediately loved how strange it was, strong and yet really lovely.
for a time, it was very hard to find, I looked for a substitute, something similar and was recommended to try Ivoire De Balmain, which was nice enough, but no, not a satisfactory replacement. then someone said, try Cabotine de Gres. and that is also not enough like Niki to please me.
now I am able to find it again and am so relieved.
there really is nothing else like this.
hard to describe objectively.
cool refreshing and complex.

So excited to try the EDT, so baffled after I did. This is not my cup of tea. All I smell is cloying sweetness. I can't get rid off this smell in my nose. Maybe the EDP is much better for me? Or should I be more patient and wait. Until lady artist Niki de Saint Phalle shows me her real face. I strongly hope she does.

Edit: Unfortunately she didn't. At least not to me :-(

If you like Knowing and L'Arte di Gucci you will appreciate this one. Very potent.

Intriguing, sensual, moody.
This brought out that crazy sour note on my body that makes me wonder what in the world I eat or do that causes that to happen! I wanted to love this. I am GAH-GAH over the blue bottle. It is a collectors item in itself. Very Parisian and artsy looking.
I do sort of grasp the Olympic Rainforest comparision. I live in an Olympic Rainforest on the peninsula.
It often smells of dank, dark earth, moss, mushrooms, saltwater, low tide, musk/civet from all of the raccoon & skunk spray, black-berries, oak, cedar, resins, wet cool mercury/metal. It makes sense and all of the elements combine into a lush woodsy masterpiece…that just didn't work on my skin. Boo. :/

If you like this, try Avon's Mesmerize...they are perfume parallels in more ways than not.

Unique.... a lovely masterpiece.

grayspoole and Joshua CB - "Deep, somber and lovely" and an olfactory version of "Nocturnal Me" are dead on.

This one doesn't get worn much by me down here in Texas. This is a nighttime perfume - deep, dark night in the deep, dark woods. It's also for winter, and sometimes for Fall if it's not too warm. This is a 40f and below fragrance. It's just so heavy, like putting on a cloak before stepping out into the moonlit world. Deepest evergreens, moss, old and wise, and yet something very warm and alive and feminine quickening under the surface. Like the future promise of Spring as the evergreens stand there alone, waiting and waiting and remembering. I love it.

The best way I can describe it is this: I picture myself on a moonlit path at the edge of a wood. I'm very small against the trees. I have a mission to accomplish of great importance - gathering herbs, or maybe just getting to the other side, as that is no small thing in and of itself. It's a magical place full of hidden beauty, but also the promise of beasts and pitfalls and other unseen dangers. To go into the woods means being ready to face whatever comes into the path and charm it, outwit it, fight it if need be. But the myriad wonders of this place await you as well, if you're heroic enough to make the journey. I only wear this one on the cold nights when the wind howls and I'm feeling particularly heroic. It's always rewarding.

I am wearing the Eau Defendue in the round zodiac bottle, and I am loving this beautiful scent. The mossy green notes, bitter wormwood, and fresh cedar are tempered by some light flowers and just a drop of sweetness. I do not perceive the presence of either rose or leather in this perfume, and those are two of my favorite perfume notes. If you like chypres, you might enjoy this, It isn't weird or medicinal, bitter or bone dry, just deep, somber, and lovely.

I would probably have loved Niki de Saint Phalle if it wasn't for my nemesis the leather.

I love everything about the lush opening, the grassy patchouli, the carnation, the woods and the light touch of fruits. But then after a little time it arrives with it's sharp, sour and inevitable strenght.

After it's arrival I can only smell green leather eventhough it softens after some time. I have the same experience with many adorable fragrances that I had to sell or give away: La Nuit, L'Arte di Gucci, Chanel no 19 extrait and so on. The leather simply outrivals all other notes. So for that reason Niki de Saint Phalle not going to end up in my wardrobe.

Niki de Saint Phalle, Niki de Saint Phalle vintage EDT
I once had an instructor say that all good art should elicit an emotional response. It doesn’t matter if it’s a positive emotion like awe or acceptance, or a negative emotion like fear or hate. Art that has an emotional impact is good art. Personally, really beautiful art, art that is painfully beautiful, makes me weep.

Niki de Saint Phalle is among the best of the best. I acquired a vintage EDT in a blind swap; knowing nothing about the fragrance nor the designer except that it had a cult following and that it was vintage, which was enough to make me want it. I really had no idea what was in store for me.

This fragrance is so beautiful I want to weep. I cannot believe this fragrance hadn’t crossed my path before. It’s so unbelievably green and lush, but also vibrant and unbelievably colorful. On my skin, the carnation arrived first wrapped in green and mint. The heart was a perfectly blended leather, cedar, artemisia and orris with a hint of fruit. The drydown was sandalwood and a mossy green with amber.

Years ago, I went to Niki’s sculptural garden Queen Califa’s Magical Circle. At that time I knew nothing about the artist, not even the name of the park, but I knew I had never seen such beautiful structural mosaic before! The pieces were so colorful and whimsical that I remember them clearly to this day. Now that I’ve worn this fragrance and I’ve experienced her beautiful mosaic sculpture in the park, it all makes perfect sense! This fragrance really is a liquid interpretation of those glittering vibrant joyful mosaics. Niki received the artistic equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize in art, and what she created in tile, mirror, and concrete, she has recreated in fragrance. This is absolutely exquisite.

Just got a new vintage edt bottle, little strange green start for a minute with powdery drydown, long lasting, easy to ware, nothing scary there, however i swaped it shortly after, waiting now to try a new perfume from Spain.

Master piece one.Very good unusual.I love green note from one.it has a character, I'm man but it's good smell on me,and long lasting too.Bottle is good design I love to wear.Try it.

This was definitely love at first sniff! I bought it when I was 16 or 17 and ever since I have loved it, adored it, dreamed about it!
A mystic and sophisticated scent and very spicy.
Love it so much!
Though it may not be my all time favourite it's one of the best fragrancies I know of. A scent I can't do without. Lovely with a huge personality and even more so in the winter with snow outside ... it kind of brings the scent to life when it's cold and damp ...
Another masterpiece - special and unforgettable!

I am a lover of green fragrances but Niki has never been one of my favorites. I had two bottles back in the mid 80's. One was EDT and the other is the fabulous dual snakes parfum bottle, which I still have. I never finished the EDT but gave it away.

I liked so many things about this fragrance, it had so much going for it, particularly the leather, sandalwood,mint and carnation. What I think ruined it for me was the funky Artemisia.I do remember that the mint was very prevalent from start to finish. It's been a long time since I have smelled this fragrance on someone else. Nor have I ever smelled any of the newer formulations. It may no longer contain Artemisia.

maybe a bit too masculine a bit too medicinal ..earthy dusty heavy..a greenish note..it reminds me of au de soir..a mature cent
i just retested this beautiful hidden old school gem..a long lasting deep perfume..
i found myself appreciating it more and more it has a hidden beauty a mysterious woodsy oriental opulent side perfect for layering ..i was wearing amuge jubilation and sprayed niki and omg it was a sudden beautiful blast of beauty..
those who like drier perfumes such as au de soir or gress or pier balmain ivorie will like this ..


edt 100 ml
perfume ratting 4 out 5
bottle ratting 4.3 out 5
my own personal liking 3.4 out 5

Such a strong stuff! Too mature for me, sorry but i can't stand it!

Niki de Saint Phalle was the first "real" perfume I bought...I was a teen, not yet old enough to drive or only barely old enough, and my mother disapproved very strongly of the purchase. At the counter where I was testing perfumes, she protested my desire for it. I had not seen any marketing for it, nor had I known anyone to wear it; on the contrary, it was completely outside of my provincial experience. She felt, I think, that it was not a genteel scent and certainly not suitable for a girl my age. I persisted. I bought it with my own money, despite her manifest dismay and disapproval. She drew up her mouth. I handed over a pile of five and one dollar notes. I took it home, wore it in tiny spritzes daily and more generous sprays on dates. It suited me, somehow. I didn't really know exactly how i smelled, but I knew that I smelled different than my female school-mates. More...mature? Moer complex? Not so sweet. I LOVED IT. I still have an unholy respect for the chypre genre...I think it's time to search out a new (old) bottle of this, for auld lang syne. I found it intriguing then and I still do. Green and growly, earthy and intricate, bold and remote. Opposites that embrace. Very me...

Very herbal to my nose. I really like it but I think it can be difficult to wear because it is easy to overspray this one. I find that if I am careful with the amount on my skin it is really lovely but quite different from what is out there in fragrance right now. There isn't a chance that I'll run into someone who is wearing the same thing! It reminds me that someone who likes gardening would also like this perfume because it smells quite earthy and piney but on a very deep level, like when a spade overturns damp earth in the spring. This is beautiful and well done in composition, a nicely blended fragrance and unique.

I love this scent... but understand the fear that it inspires in some. It is not for the shy or timid. It is strong fragrance that enters the room with. Not subtle.

I reminds me of Christmas...

Very vintage in scent. Used to smell this one around the house quite often circa 1989 - 1992.
Powdery, mossy. Smells like an old leather handbag containing a powder compact that's been sitting in an attic. Kind of a waxy, lipstick rose note in here as well.

Don't have your mouth open when you use this perfume. It's over-powering, migraine producing fumes. When you can taste the stuff and want to rush to the shower it's not right for you :)) DUH !!! LOL

I gave my bottle away years ago - bought it when it first came out and don't know why I did.

Ever get gagged literally by someones perfume? This just does that to me. SORRY to you who love it. Each skin is different.

This is one of my favourites, however I have blind purchased it based on reviews and Niki's personlity/. I was not dissapointed, it's a sillage bomb and a very distinct perfume to my nose. It smells with velvety moss, it is so different and potent. I think it is mysterious-one of my reasons to buy it was tagetes note. I can distinhguish it as well. Since then i bought another bottle and another round shape one from ebay. I think it will definitely stand out as unrecognisable in modern crowd, unless you have history with this perfume. I don't, so for me it's new experience and no one from my environment dare to oull it off.

This one isn't for me unfortunately. It opened quite nice...lots of greenery and herby smelling notes. But the whole underlying "Classic" smell just isn't my style. I can appreciate it for what it is but the Chypre perfumes that were made in the early 80's don't sit right with me.

So as I said..the opening is very interesting, I like herby scents and this one is deffo that! It's quote a strong blast too and I got a bit worried thinking whoa..this i gonna knock people out.

However by the time I got to work this has settled into something more smooth but still VERY calssic smelling, I jsut cna't pick out anything individual and it smells like alot of other things from the same time. (this must just be my unexperienced nose with perfumes of this style) It smells like Azuree by Estee Lauder to me. Same kinda vibe..

I'm afraid I'm just not as seasoned in this area...

I thanK JB78 for sending me the sample though!

If I could be faithful to a perfume, this could be the one. This is so me, it is more me than me. This is the imagery that came to mind earlier when it was newly on:
I am outside and in the near distance there is meadow filled with blooms and scent. But, I am walking into a forest that I have to part the vines in order to enter. It is much cooler in the forest, and smell of damp earth, trees and green foliage prevails. As my feet sink in the compost on the forest floor, I turn to see the sunlight on the wildflowers.

I got moderate sillage for several hours. I can still sniff it out on my wrists and it has been 11 hours. This is very unisex, and it is exquisitely beautiful. I wish I could swim in this.

My husband bought this for me in the early 80s. Been wearing it every since. I never have this scent on without being asked what I am wearing. I love the way the scent keeps changing as the day goes on. I wear it year round. I definately don't think it is an old lady scent.

I get this musty, old attic smell from it...possibly the oak moss. That scent certainly holds it's charms but not in a perfume. I can't get any of the other notes, possibly I'm too distracted by the smell of dust. Old books, that's the closest I can come to describing this.

Maybe oak moss is just not my thing. If it seems to be the star of the perfume it smells old and stale on me. I can see where if you have the right skin this perfume might evolve into something beautiful, but on me it just smells sharp and woodsy...and maybe a little dusty ..like an old book.

Good stuff! Earthy, spicy and sensual.

I read all your reviews and then decided to blind buy this one. Shut the door! This is fabulous. It's a rainy winter day in California and this perfume is just perfect for this weather. Love all the woodsi-ness in this scent and I agree, Niki would smell great on a guy, too. An extra bonus is the bottle - beautiful!

Ooh, now this is a strange one for me..I've been dying to try this one for so long (thanks muchly to icekat for the decant).
I've just applied some on my hand and at first sniff, I am very much reminded of Silences by Jacomo - very green.
Very quickly though, it morphs into something which brings memories of Giorgio Beverly Hills Yellow to my mind.. not necessarily a bad thing.
I 'should' absolutely adore this - the perfume type, the era, the bottle (and as with Casmir, thankfully no hint of the abhored carnations!) - but I'm circling it warily, doesn't feel quite 'me'.
I'll revisit this one.

I've been wearing Niki de Saint Phalle since the 80's. It's my signature perfume. I'm told all the time how good I smell. Strangers will stop me and ask what I'm wearing and where they can buy it. I was wearing this when I met my significant other and it's all he he wants me to wear. I *LOVE* Niki D and will wear it forever!

Smooth, warm woods. I love this and get compliments from it often. Would smell great on a man.
I smell the cedar and musk the most. Has good sillage, and lasts all day on me.

On my skin, this has a quality like the dry-down on vintage Molinard de Molinard; about which I am elated because I have been looking for something exactly like this.

I love green scents but my skin tends to eat those notes making it a difficult thing to find. In this case, the green start is quickly subsumed by the softer edges of the peach, jasmine, and woods/resins. The balance is wonderful; as this stays nicely soft like the scent of woods after the rain. Dare I say, it has a very similar quality to Apres l'Ondee on me with greater presence and complexity.

Progression moves from sharp green to a soft floral- and resin- tinged green. It is really compatible with a wood fragrance that's more linear (I just happened to be testing Ava Luxe No 23 at the same time). Will test this a few more times but for the price, it seems very FB-worthy.

Many thanks to MsMaryO for the sample!

Niki is a typical buttery green perfume like Halston & Norell! I think it is a nice perfume, but to be honest, I Love Halston more!

Very off-putting at first..reminded my of my grandmothers house, made me think of cleaning supplies- as it dries and mellows it remains sharp. this scent ha dto grow in me...I like florals more than trees, but my youngest son loved this scent and used to steal it from my room and spray his stuffed animals with it. It sure made the house smell good! I used an entire bottle with his help, but I'm not sure I'll buy it again...

Review of Vintage EDT:

This fragrance was not what I expected from the reviews below. Perhaps there is a distinct difference between the vintage formulation and the current formulation?

Upon first application, vintage NdSP, is dominated by clean orris root, oakmoss and a hint of citrus. After an hour heart notes briefly appear in whispers of scent: rose and carnation are the only two I can decipher. Finally at about 1 1/2 hours after application this scent dries down to an fantastic warm cedar, gentle leather, oakmoss and musky scent.

My personal impressions of are of clean, chic refinement and elegance, not the haunted/enchanted forest vibe that many note below. I wouldn't call this fragrance "green". I feel the richness of the patchouli underneath the more prominent notes, but I don't actually smell it.

Sillage: about 15 feet
Longevity: 10 hours on my skin
Unbelievably well blended, it ALMOST wears the same from start to finish. Wearable by both sexes IMO. There is something very swoon worthy about the way this smells. This is the perfect scent to wear to an event where you want to stand out in a crowd in a good way.

I've found a new love for chypres, particularly ones of this kind. I love the green crispness that these fragrances tend to convey.

Some people may be quick to brand this as an 'old lady' perfume, but I think not. Niki de Saint Phalle is a classic but not in an old-fashioned sense. Green chypres, are in my opinion, timeless.

This fragrance is something that can be worn all year 'round. It's mostly green, mossy powder with hints of tropical fruits and dark, mysterious leather. It's a complex scent, one that keeps me guessing. In some ways it requires a certain air of sophistication to pull it off, but at the same time, it is a relatively easy fragrance to wear.

The scent itself is unusual, perhaps even a touch exotic. It reminds me slightly of Dior's Diorella, though perhaps not as Summery and bright. There is a darkness to Niki de Saint Phalle which is quite addictive and alluring.

The sillage is moderate, and although the longevity could be more lasting, it still lasts relatively well on my skin. I'm surprised to see that this fragrance sells quite cheaply, especially online, which draws me to conclude that this fragrance is an unexpectedly good bargain.

It smells cheap, old fashioned and I do not like it at all. I t was a blind buy, lucky that I did not pay a lot for it. I have the same experience with New West perfume, same style. My doughter criticise me for wearing old lady perfumes.I try to like it but I cannot.

I thought I’d love this fragrance. Dark green chypre . I’d read a lot of comments from fans. Risky. Strange. Exciting. Maybe the parfum is different, but I only know the edt. NdSP hits the notes I should love (green, mossy, bitter) but doesn’t really do anything with them. The top notes are strong, but indistinct. As it evolves, NdSP starts to seem more unsteady. It’s got some of the right stuff, but what seems like haphazard composition and uneven editing make it seem both out of proportion and simple at the same time. The seams are showing. Not long into its evolution, it gets patchier and then falls apart, and oddly, the only interesting parts ---the bitterness, really (moss, tagetes)---fade and a vague resinous sweetness remains.

Proof that we’re not blind fans of any particular genre and that artistry in composition matters.

I really wanted to like this perfume. I think I just cant do chypre floral or it may be the oakmosss. It just never made it past the tree-rot stage for me. I waited and waited and hoped it would change into one of the wonderful smells that i kept reading about. On the plus i got a sample and didnt buy a full bottle.

A lovely new acquaintance. More green than mysterious to me, a very well blended and easy to wear chypre.

JUST got this today (tester that was being sold at a discount at a fragrance outlet, 2 oz almost 95% full), and it's gorgeous. At first spray it seemed very soapy and powdery to me, but now that I've given it some time to develop I'm getting the patchouli, sandalwood, and oakmoss. I'm a huge fan of chypres as it is, (I'm going to have to get Mitsuko someday soon) and the somewhat soapy/powdery top notes at first put me off a bit. Now I'm glad I took a chance on it.

As a guy..., I love to smell this scent on a woman.
It's so refined and sophisticated and not too sweet nor too spicy.
Actually, this is one of the first scents that I really couldn't pick out the notes. It's just blended so well.
Just something I know I love on almost every woman.

Niki is one of the most mysterious perfumes I ever experienced. Reminds me of a tropical forest right after the rain. I think it's mint that gives it a cooling effect and makes it perferct for the hottest weather. I don't get any leather, but I do detect carnation and oakmoss. Overall the notes are blended so perfectly that none of them jumps out at you.
Considering it's EDT the sillage is great but not overwhelming. A very unique creation that is worth being added to anyone's collection.
A great value for the price too!

Niki de Saint Phalle reminds me of Camus' "Noces à Tipasa". He describes the generous aroma of wormwood on the Mediterranean coast of Algeria and the joy of life that eating a peach can give you.

A beautiful literature page in a bottle.

"Au bout de quelques pas, les absinthes nous prennent à la gorge. Leur laine grise couvre les ruines à perte de vue. Leur essence fermente sous la chaleur, et la terre au soleil monte sur toute l'étendue du monde un alcool généreux qui fait vaciller le ciel. Nous marchons à la rencontre de l'amour et du désir." (...)
"...il y a beaucoup de fruits - surtout des pêches qu'on mange en y mordant, de sorte que le jus en coule sur le menton. Les dents refermées sur la pêche, j'écoute les grands coups de mon sang monter jusqu'aux oreilles, je regarde de tous mes yeux."

hmm... all i get is first some greenness and then a powderpuff. a very dense mossy powder. I like thick powder smell, so now thinking about using it for layering ....

This perfume is a masterpiece. I spray it, and wow...love, lust at first sniff. Starts off really tantalisingly citrussy, warmly, smoothly sweet ( I know it sounds like a contradiction, but that is what I get!!!!!!!!!!). Not a fruity cocktail sweet, warm, hypnotically sweet. I think what captivates me is the bergamot mix with apple/citrus. Then, it dries down to a gloriously composed middle waft of gentle, powdery warmth...must be the carnations...and of course, the 'I love', patchouli, which here just seems to anchor and stabilise the sometimes oversweet notes such as jasmine. And then,, add even more depth. And I'm walking on sunshine, and sweetness, and a fabulous cloud of divine scent.
Just ordered 2 more bottles..no way am I ever going to skimp with this one.
NB, I wore it yesterday, for my birthday. My darling daughter (aged 21) said to me...'WOW! What is that amazing perfume. It's divine!" Now, she generally likes sweeter chypre and floral fumes. (Currently she wears Lolita Lempicka and Parisienne) So, the allure must be ageless....
Thank you to Niki and the gods of all perfume beauty. Another great love!!!

Picture it: 1982. A twelve year old girl is walking through the old I. Magnin store at Union Square in San Francisco: an elegant, gracious space done up in grey marble and accented with gilded brass. The girl, in love with the glamour of her surroundings, the first giddy flush of love in fact, passes a cosmetic counter; a flask atop it gets her full attention. A rectangular pillar of blue cobalt glass supports two metallic snakes, one gold, one enameled in piebald primary colors. They are entwined in what parents or teachers would euphemistically call "an act of love." A sales lady (That's a sales assistant, for you younger readers) notices her gawking at this revelation, smiles, and hands the girl a sample of what lies within that cobalt pillar. (Yes, there was a time when sales assistants were called sales ladies and they did things like that. Sigh.)

At home the girl sits down cross-legged on her bedroom floor and opens the little vial. Even before the fragrance touches skin she knows---something about her is changing, is being changed by whatever is in this tiny plastic vial. She doesn't have the words to adequately describe or analyze what she is experiencing, though words like topnotes, oakmoss and drydown really can't be used to describe an awakening, a coming of age, an epiphany.

What is really in that little vial is not so much a perfume but a secret handshake admitting her for the first time into a world of mature sensuality. Sweet flowers with a serrated edge of bitterness, spicy and forbidding with woods thick enough to become lost in: though it will be years before her first real kiss, her first real love affair, her first heartbreaks--this is the moment, the passkey from childhood to what lays beyond.

Though I kept the sample for years, I did not buy NdSP; by the time I was in my late teens/early 20s it had disappeared from suburban mall shelves and I thought it was discontinued and gone forever. About a year ago, discovering fragrance again, I wondered, "what about Niki?" and set out to find it. While the EDT is excellent-- lighter than the vintage as I remember it, more green and less complex--the old NdSP lives on in the bath oil--the bitter pollen of marigold that makes this fragrance what it is really stands out. This is a must try for every serious perfumista because there is nothing like it on the market today -- so says my inner 12 year old.

This has quite a citrus smell on me. It is a strong scent but fresh and clean. In general I go for woody, spicy, oriental fragrances but there is something about this that I really like and I find myself wearing it fairly often. I know I will buy another bottle when I finish it.

Niki de Saint Phalle and Chanel no 19 don't seem
too different from each other they both have the
simular sharp green opening although no 19 stays
cool and crisp, Niki dries warm and reisenious
with Leather and patches of Civet Niki is a warmer
and extroverted cousin to No 19 with it's cold cypre
like wet grass and dry oakmoss comes to show you that
every Oriental and greens are a Indivual.

“I don't love you as if you were a rose of salt, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as one loves certain dark things,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.”

Thank you Pablo Neruda (A Chilean poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971), for this beautiful passage.

I had a different experience with Phalle Parfum today, and so I must write about it. I never realized how strongly the carnation stands out; and carnation, as you see above, is fiery.

I also got strong images of a fragile, pink light fighting against the shadows, and voila, along came this poem.

NIki de St. Phalle is an unusual scent. I’ve been coming back to it for over a year now, in various strengths and years of production. This will never rise to the top shelf with me, but what is so arresting is the oily leather played off on the deep, earthy florals. The seduction is so subtle I think it demands a biblical warning. Song of Solomon author take note.

As a black, dusty leather with an elusive swath of green this is truly remarkable. Folks who like Jean Scherrer (original), Eau de Soir and Miss Dior should give this a nod.

I’ll probably always keep a small decant on hand, just for the soul of it.

This is SO wonderful. It opened with such a lovely green burst of mint followed by peach sweetness and jasmin. It's sweet, but spicy from the patchouli. The carnation gives a wonderful "green" feeling and I must ask - what's there not to love?
It reminds me of forest, of woods, of rain, of nature, it's a real masterpiece and the price?
It's extremely well maid and a must for every chypre of floral green lover. Gorgeous. I'm very impressed.

To me Niki is all about the cedar and cedar to me is all about freshly sharpened pencils. This EdT instantly takes me back more years than I intend to divulge here, to a time in September when the anxiety of beginning a new school year was soothed by the satisfaction in owning pristine new school supplies.

It's not common to experience a sense memory that vivid. It happens in dreams but rarely in waking life. Yet somehow the cedar note in Niki de Saint Phalle reawakens for a moment all that ambivalent childhood intensity felt at the approach of the first day of school.

Of course there's more to Niki than cedar wood, plenty to appreciate in it beyond the brief excursion back to childhood that always takes me by surprise. But somehow the cedar is so redolent that for me the other notes become its background, indistinguishable from one another though together forming their own very lovely composition. To me there are two notes in Niki; cedar and the rest. Both are beautiful.

This is one of those fragrances that smells more expensive than it is. Sometimes ebay sellers, unable to decipher the actual spelling from the signature on the bottle, list it as "Niki de Saint Ralle" and it goes for even less since buyers aren't looking for a fragrance that doesn't exist.

As if to bellow out from behind a gigantic megaphone, "Yes, you can have it all!" NIKI DE SAINT PHALLE manages to roll the best of chypre florals and leather perfumes all into one powerful potion. To wear this creation is to go on a raucous ride on a bucking bronco out in the wild, wild west. No one can claim that NIKI is boring or tame.

The opening is rather green, with a galbanumesque-edge that introduces a complex chypre which continues to evolve with notes coming and going in wafts of wonderfulness. Meanwhile, the leather begins faint, as almost a soil-like complement, suggesting early on that NIKI will be but another well-behaved chypre. But, no, hold on to your hat, the leather gets darker and heavier as the green dissipates, to be replaced by other tell-tale chypre elements, including oakmoss.

The florals are less assertive players in this composition, but essential as well: this is not fruity or sweet at all and at times the carnation and ylang contribute a dash of spiciness. By the drydown, the leather and the woods have more or less taken over, but the oakmoss persists all the way through to the end, many hours later, thanks to the amber and musk.

NIKI DE SAINT PHALLE is definitely a composition worth trying--provided that you love both leather and classic chypre!

Geez, Louise... ! I did NOT like this fragrance at all...It didn't fare well with my body chemistry...It smells cheap, old fashioned, and mostly like not showering and then trying to cover up the dirty smell with a powdery scent...I'm glad others like it because I DON'T!

I had been looking at this one for quite sometime But I did not have the courage to buy it. but it was calling my name then I read what Nyoka ( which is my top favorite reviewer) wrote . And I decide to buy it with out trying it. And it was love at first sniff . It is like no other perfume I have tried, It is so natural ,nothing artificial. It does not clash with my animals senses ( horses, goats, dogs , cats chicken) dosnt make them moody or hiper I can use it to go out just to be in the house. It is refine & elegant Ahd I feel good, sexy mysterious elegant in it. It is just wonderful
LOVE IT !! LOVE IT!!!!

One of the loveliest perfumes I have tried in the past year or so - I even bought a bottle (and when you already have a large collection, that is saying a lot).
On me the opening is a bit fruity-floral, but then this fades to a wonderful green oriental, with a dry-down that is light and sexy. Not as overwhelming as some of the 80's orientals and could easily be worn during the day, even at the office. Lovely overall.

This is one of my favs.THe green notes make my heart sing!The peach and patcholi mingle and make a slight floral scent.I love most the dry down,ummmmmm,irris root,oakmoss and cedar make this a really green wet woody scent.When I wear it,I feel like im in a forest with cool gentle rain falling on nme.My senses feel alive.Always perks me up.

This is Sublime's little GREEN sister. The blast of green at the begining is nothing short of extraordinary. It's very deep, layered, and crisp. A clean note of mint cuts through the opening and gives it serious dimension. Within an hour, woody heart notes peek through the composition. Patchouli and cedar, with the requisite rose and jasmine. The overall feel isn't powdery or dry; rather, the sharpness of the dominant notes are balanced by some juiciness (I'm not sure where it comes from). The drydown is lush, green, and does not skimp on oakmoss.

Niki de Saint Phalle is very very green and lush, never acridly dry. It reminds me of Chanel No.19 in some regards, but it smells more modern and versatile. I imagine Niki de Saint Phalle would layer nicely over other perfumes too.

Highly recommended, unless you can't tolerate green!

Dark green at the start, but quickly became very dry and resinous on me. I do not get any florals. My chemistry must be amplifying the leather note, because the overall effect is not far from how Miss Balmain performed on my skin. I feel a little overwhelmed by this fragrance.

Had this one in my early 20's and from what I remember, I loved it and it was one of my "date night" favorites - very sexy and mysterious.

It's been a long while since I last wore it, and now I may have to buy another bottle to resurrect my experience.

I have always been attracted to fragrances that are sweet and smoky, sexy, surprising, noticeable but not overpowering, and again, from what I remember this was a top fave for many years.

Another chypre floral that I have loved - LOL, *surprise!!!* at least I'm consistent!

So complicated this scent is, but I am not complaining, no, I am basking! The herbal opening is gorgeous. Adding mint and bergamot to those little fresh cut leaves brightens the scene, and makes it perfect. The peach is hidden, it doesn't shout out with sweetnees-the peach uses itś fuzzy skin, and stays softly in the background, taming the opening notes, keeping them from turning "too masculine".

My nose is elated, ecstatic, and stunned, and the middle notes are difficult for me to discern. I can say that the carnation keeps the composition dry. The jasmine and ylang-ylang are slightly overshadowed, but not completely lost, while they mix and meld so perfectly with the other earthen notes of cedar, orris root, and patchouli. The rose reaveals itself only by playing rival to the patchouli, and lending hidden power and velvety caress to all the other notes in play.

The drydown comes along and I am
baffled by how intensely I can enjoy all the whole three stages of this scent, so thoroughly. The base is like a cedar chest, an antique house with wooden floors. The base itself reminds me of a gentle Azuree by EL. At first the leather note in the base misguided me, I thought of wax or powder, but now I am finding the leather to be a lovely and essential touch.

The scent is strong, but itś not forceful, not tacky. This perfume is on edge the whole time, but simultaneously balanced, sublime. This scent has presence, texture. It develops, changes, revealing so many facets-doing so-smoothly at every level.

An excellent Chypre, it is never sugary, not for one moment. Wonderfully natural, always keeping you grounded. Oriental in the way the spices and deep eastern notes conjure dreams of 1,000 Nights under an indigo dark sky. Truly beautifully Floral, as it never fails to be profoundly feminine.

I like it. It is very strong indeed, day after i could smell this perfume and than was the most beautiful. Must be great with body cream,I love so many chypre perfumes, but rarely buy them. Base notes are fantastic with favorite oakmoss,amber,leather. Wow!!! After a few hours smelled so powdery and soft. Incredibly powerful drydown, left a deep impression on me. I'd love to have this one!

Yep, it's still gorgeous in the body cream, but it is a remarkable scent overall a lovely deep floral chypre for someone who doesn't like sharp mossy scents. The moss is there, but it's in the background. The florals are deep and dark and the mint and patchouli overshadow the cedar and oakmoss in this one. The carnation and Ylang makes it deep and dusky and a great scent for the evening....and yes, layer it with the body cream. Lush.

I just received my bottle of Niki and I am very impressed. It smells so lovely, floral, but not too flowery, musky, but not too dry. The heart is amazing with carnation and jasmine. I love the dry down, soft and powdery, while it still has presence. Perfect for cool,crisp fall days.

Adding another review, now that I have tried both the Eau de Toilette and the pure Parfum.

If you're new to this scent, try the EdT first. It is inexpensive and easily found online. If you like the citrus and pine top notes in the Edt, you'll want to purchase the Parfum at some point. Those notes last much longer in the Parfum concentration and give the fragrance a different effect. The parfum is much greener and a little sweeter.

If your favorite part of this fragrance is the leather and musk of the drydown, the EdT gets there faster and those are the notes that will linger. This scent is very long-lasting even in the EdT strength.

(And if you're a bottle collector, you'll want both versions! They're just so darn pretty!)

I first encountered this scent at age 19, and I can see now why it wouldn't have appealed to me at that age, but is very appealing now that I am in my late 30's. Niki de Saint Phalle is a mature woman's scent, with maturity meaning age and experience rather than a number. I was not ready to be that person at age 19 or 20, but I welcome this scent now.

Other Fragrantica members suggested I would like this one as it smells similar to Molinard de Molinard, which is one of my favorites. It does smell like that one, with a little more green "Christmas tree" note in the opening. It then dries down to a beautiful, sexy musk, similar to Halston Classic. I can't wear the Halston at all, but Niki also has enough leather in the base to keep it pleasant-smelling on me.

It's a bit out of fashion at this time, or perhaps its a scent completely out of time altogether, unless it's the right time for YOU to wear it.

Full disclosure: the beautiful packaging is a HUGE part of the appeal for me, too. I never buy scents based on packaging alone, but thankfully, the scent is as exotic, attractive and mysterious as the opulent blue bottle that contains it.

I have the EDT and it has decent staying power in this concentration, but I am hoping I can find an EDP or Parfum of this scent to purchase in the future.

it is very sweet and flowery I think it is a summer perfume. The bottle is very unusual. I am not sure if I would get it again as I prefer spicy and oriental perfumes

It''s not love at first sniff, but as it dries down, a nice balance of musk/floral/sweetness develops. It is not for the young or free spirited woman. It suits a sophisticated, but unconventional woman best. Great fall/winter choice.

This is also very delicious in the body cream.