Modern Muse by Estée Lauder

Oliver Cresp is still a total hit; it never fails. It’s a gem that blends creamy, citrusy, and sweet notes all at once. Honestly, I’m absolutely in love with it—it’s even hypnotizing.

One of my favorite perfumes. It’s a white floral scent, not very citrusy and very amber. Smells deliciously like an elegant woman in the morning. It lasts for hours, even until the next day I can still smell it, though it becomes more woody and sweet. People compare it to Narciso Rodriguez For Her and yes, it’s very similar, especially in the dry down.

Big disappointment. It’s complex but linear; it barely changes from the moment I apply it, which bothered me. From the start, it felt unpleasant to me. It’s not ‘for ladies’ as they say; it’s very subjective. It has a repellent or insecticide vibe—very chemical and disruptive. I don’t recommend buying it blindly; it’s not for everyone. It doesn’t match its name: there’s no muse, and it’s not modern. It’s hard to hate a perfume, and this is one of them. It’s not well-balanced; it’s not fresh, floral, or feminine. I find it repulsive and nothing like a clean scent. I recommend testing it first on your own skin and your mom’s (on her, florals dry out sweeter); it smells pretty bad on her.

Quality and art in a perfume! I’m a collector and buy blind; I bought this on a hunch because I hate patchouli and it’s listed twice… and I’m not regretting it! At first, it wrapped me in white flowers, fresh jasmine, and orange blossoms, like a freshly watered garden. I thought it was for daytime or mild climates, just another cool summer scent. After two hours, it changes almost 100%: it becomes wood and amber, the mandarin shows up (more bitter than citrus), and to my delight, THERE IS NO PATCHOULI! It reminds me of Bvlgari’s In Red, now it’s nocturnal, formal, and sexy. That’s where the quality and art show, that unfolding of notes you don’t find in cheap perfumes. What a wonder! I love being surprised like this. The longevity is good, about 8-12 hours. Great sillage at first, then more intimate, which is why it feels so sensual.

It’s a very rich, feminine, and elegant perfume. But on my skin, it doesn’t last at all; with luck, two hours. I used it and finished the bottle, but I wouldn’t buy it again.

I love all Estée Lauder perfumes: floral, feminine, and fresh. Tired of smelling sweet and cloying things, when I got a sample of Modern Muse it was a joy. I don’t agree with those who say florals are for older people; it’s like saying people who like sweet things are childish. Taste breaks down genres and ages. I’ve received many compliments, even from men. It lasts about seven hours on me; not much compared to others, but it depends on everyone’s pH. A simple, very floral perfume, dominated by jasmine. I don’t detect the mandarin, but in the woody notes I notice a hint of pepper. I use it year-round.

I remember the first time I tried it and I loved it, until I bought it and it was a huge disappointment. It usually doesn’t last anything on my skin; I think the max is an hour and a half. People around me don’t smell it and I barely do either. If I apply more, it gets strong and makes me dizzy; I can’t stand the intensity. Also, two sales associates said it was for older people, but to me it seems young girls or older ladies can wear it. In short, I would never buy it again. As my first perfume from a recognized brand, it left me totally disappointed: so expensive and the scent doesn’t last absolutely nothing.

Fresh and woody, it smells different from the competition and really sets itself apart.

I know everyone says it, but at least it doesn’t smell like those overly saturated gourmand fruit bombs out there. For an Estée Lauder, I was expecting something better.

One of the worst from Lauder. To a house with masterpieces like Estée Lauder, one demands respect—not from its clients, but from its own history. Lauder is the perfect fusion of French mastery and American simplicity, a brand that unites those worlds while respecting that concept: slow, worked-out launches, with care, unique, and not following trends. For me, it’s the younger sister of the great French houses that are getting further and further away (Guerlain, Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent). A Lauder perfume is usually a safe bet for quality due to its longevity and personality. Aromatics Elixir, Youth Dew, Pleasures, Cinnabar, White Linen, Aromatics in White, even Happy (though I don’t like citrus), are fragrances that tell a story and convey integrity. They all come to stay; they aren’t products made to last five seasons and disappear. With Modern Muse, I see none of this. It’s a generic, weak scent, a fragrance that asks permission not to bother, not to make noise. And even then, it doesn’t say anything about itself. There are perfumes enjoyed at skin level, intimate, and yet magnificent. This Modern Muse wants to be nothing; it has no ambition. It simply tells you that you’ve already smelled it before in countless places. If Modern Muse is irrelevant, the latest version, Modern Muse Le Rouge Gloss, is infinitely worse. It’s not just disappointing that Lauder jumped into the flanker game, so vulgar, so tacky, so garrulous fashion house style. The worst part is that it’s a nauseating aberration of what’s trendy today in women’s perfumery. It’s a shame to see Lauder copying everyone else. It never was like this.

Absolutely one of Lauder’s worst. A house with masterpieces like Estée Lauder deserves respect—not just from its customers, but from its own history. Lauder is the perfect fusion of French mastery and American simplicity. It’s the brand that unites those two worlds and has always respected that concept: slow, thoughtful, unique launches that don’t follow trends. To me, it’s the younger sister of the great French houses that are now further away (Guerlain, Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent). A Lauder perfume is usually a safe bet for quality due to its longevity and personality. Aromatics Elixir, Youth Dew, Pleasures, Cinnabar, White Linen, Aromatics in White, and even Happy (though I don’t like citrus) were talking about something, about a shift in the century… they were fragrances that told a story and conveyed the brand’s integrity. They were all meant to stay, not products designed to last five seasons and disappear. With Modern Muse, I see none of that. It’s a generic, weak scent, a fragrance that asks for permission not to bother, not to make noise. And even then, it doesn’t say anything. There are perfumes you enjoy up close, intimate ones, and yet they are magnificent. This Modern Muse wants to be nothing; it has no ambition. It simply tells you you’ve smelled it before in many places. If Modern Muse is irrelevant, the latest version, Modern Muse Le Rouge Gloss, is infinitely worse. It’s not just disappointing that Lauder jumped into the flanker game—so vulgar, so tacky, so typical of loud fashion houses. The worst part is that it’s a nauseating aberration of what’s currently trendy in women’s perfumery. It’s a shame to see Lauder copying others. It never was like this.

It smells nice, fairly soft, floral, and musky; I also detect some wild musk. It’s modern, yes, but the projection is quite low—it doesn’t say anything to me, no matter how much I want to give it a chance… It’s expensive for what it offers. I imagined it would be like L’Extase or Sì by Giorgio Armani, but it’s nothing like that… The one I’d like to try is Modern Muse Le Rouge.

This modern muse turned out to be a bit timid and simple: the scent isn’t unpleasant, but it has a note that makes it smell somewhat outdated. It’s not magnetic or seductive; it’s similar to many other fragrances flooding the market… I’d place it in the category of a boring musk-floral. Its sillage is very limited, and its longevity is precarious… in my opinion, it’s not very recommended.

Simple and short-lived. The saleswoman offered it to me as a jewel, the brand’s novelty, even claiming it had technology and practically transformed. Well, they applied it, and the scent didn’t seem pleasant or spectacular to me. I waited for it to change (transform) into something better, but the only thing that happened was that it disappeared. Neither here nor there, a bad perfume. Also, I remember it was priced high; I wouldn’t buy it for anything, and it’s worse than an imitation perfume.

Super feminine fragrance, soft with that enchanting floral musky touch. Jasmine and wild orchid shine, but the lily really takes the lead, very intense. Amber and vanilla give it that perfect sweetness, though I don’t detect any patchouli at all. Ideal for young girls, ages 15 to 25, and for days that aren’t sweltering.