Note Pyramid
Estée Pure Fragrance Spray 50ml
Estée Lauder Estée Pure Fragrance Spray 50ml carries the founder's own first name, which in 1968 was a statement rather than a label, and the fragrance inside it is accordingly formal. It opens straight into flowers with no fruit anywhere to soften the entrance. Jasmine, rose and lily of the valley arrive together, the jasmine honeyed and heavy, the rose full and a little jammy, the lily of the valley cool and green and faintly metallic. That combination was the standard shape of a serious floral at the time and it still reads as grown up.
The middle is what makes it worth finding. Coriander sits over the flowers, green and seedy and slightly soapy, which is a strange and very effective choice, while ylang ylang adds a creamy sweetness and orris a cool rooty powder. The coriander is the detail that keeps the whole thing from smelling like a bouquet and makes it smell instead like a perfume.
The base is two materials and no more: sandalwood for a soft creamy wood and oakmoss for a damp, bitter green earthiness. That economy is characteristic of the period, when a base was expected to support rather than to perform. Expect a long wear from it, most of a day, with the first two hours the most present. Cooler weather suits it, as does evening and any occasion with a dress code. It is a women's fragrance of the old school and it will seem strict to anyone raised on sweetness.
The maker is an American company of 1946, opened in New York by Estée Lauder and her husband Joseph, whose first product was a face cream sold in Manhattan salons; perfumery followed in 1953. It is still run from New York and is one of the largest beauty businesses in the world.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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