Estee by Estée Lauder

Do you like the 60s? Do you want to travel back to that instant? Are you interested in challenges? Beyond the fact that cosmetic products already existed, the variety and constant post-war innovation were impressive. Those scents that drove women crazy back then, where everything was new, might today seem old-fashioned and be labeled ‘old lady scent.’ But before judging severely, let’s remember that at the time they were a sensation and marked an entire generation; much of that remains to this day. Fluid makeup, anti-aging creams, compact powders, deodorants, bronzers, hand creams, hair lotions… Estée Lauder at its peak, creating Clinique and the Aramis line for men. All that growth led to the launch of Estée, with the involvement of Bernard Chant, a man without a single mistake in his catalog. Responsible for Aramis and Clinique, there we find the connection. What can we expect? Something super vintage, a bomb of creamy, intoxicating aldehydes. At times it smells like a luxurious soft bronzing cream, at others like those famous heavy aromatic skin creams from back then. It’s reminiscent; we connect with something we might have already experienced. The version I have is the Concentrated Cologne with the ambered juice (neither yellow nor light green), and one spray lasts all day. A fragrance that is a whole declaration, just like the 60s: opulent aroma with floral notes like carnation, ylang-ylang, muguet, and rose. An aldehydic floral chypre, musky, with an amazing moss note and fruits that give it sweetness. I don’t feel it as green as others in the line, but it has a subtle green note, not very pronounced, so as not to overshadow the flowers. There’s also something oriental; the lily root gives it a spicy kick and the sandalwood is noticeable. Some relate it to Chamade; while there may be similarity, Chamade is very balsamic, and the green side of this is more pronounced. Exquisite, it doesn’t disappoint in projection or quality. Just be careful: don’t buy blindly unless you really like this type of fragrance. In the early 2000s, I tried the Super Eau de parfum version and felt it was less heavy, I liked it then, but not as much as this.

Hello and welcome, Macondo. I’ve never tried Estée and not for lack of desire, so I can’t help you, although I’d like to add that the high aldehyde load it carries might differentiate it from the perfumes you mentioned, which are more oriental and lush. Lastly, I feel very identified with you; I’ve been using perfumes like Aromatics, Coco, Poison, Youth Dew for years, perfumes that give me what designer men’s launches from brands don’t offer: strength, exuberance, trail, and yes, surprisingly, masculinity.

Thank you so much for the quick replies, La DamedeNoir and Espartaco (even though I haven’t mentioned you before, you are one of my most appreciated references). The Super Cologne bottle I mentioned is frosted, looks like it has some years on it, and indeed it comes from the US. I’ll try to test the current one by hitting up El Corte Inglés (they didn’t have it in Goya or Preciados). Although after your replies, I think I’ll take the risk on the vintage, given what La DamedeNoir explained and the price. Thanks again. I’ll keep in mind for next time where to add my comments or reviews.

Estée is the essence of a good day: to meet someone, fall in love, or reconnect with a friend. It’s a feeling that lives inside you, so perfect it deserves its own definition. It stays on my skin from the start until an ending that takes time to arrive. It has everything without overdoing it: flowers, fruit, and spices. I’m glad because it has a ‘something’ that gives it its own identity, a being called Estée. It’s no coincidence the founder named it that; it’s the creation of all the greats of the house. I see it as the Big Bang of Lauder, from here everything expands. I finally understood how a woman or a man can smell. I wish I could always have it in my wardrobe.

What envy it inspires, and how few achieve it. This perfume embodies the essence of great classics like Chanel N°5, Coco, Youth-Dew, or L’Air du Temps; while others sought to capture the real woman, this one does so with unique elegance. Though I’m not as put off by the fruity-gourmand trend as some, classic creations still outshine modern ones in many ways, and Estée is proof of that. Its austere appearance hides a storm of deep aspirations and an implacable force against rivals. It perfectly balances fruity, sweet, floral, chypre, powdery, and woody notes, but it’s the use of aldehydes that creates an exquisite, unmatched balance: each component has its moment of grace without feeling forced. It’s like a focused, dedicated woman who disconnects from fleeting trends to fight for her rights in every arena. It lasts a thousand years and projects light like a lightning bolt in an autumn storm. It’s a testament to respecting the masterpieces of the past, and thank God it hasn’t been watered down by reformulations that leave us with only the shadow of its greatness (a minute of silence for Opium by Yves Saint Laurent).

I used to wear it in ’79 and I loved it the moment I smelled it. Over time, I found it at the duty-free shop in Mexico City airport, c’est magnifique…