Quartz by Molyneux

Hi! Has anyone tried the reformulated Quartz femme? I’m scared it might be a total disaster…

Does it smell like mosquito repellent to anyone? I picked it up at a vintage shop for an incredible price, but I haven’t worn it once because the scent is unbearably earthy and herbal, just like repellent.

Finally, I can give the definitive review. Quartz is linear: it opens powdery and dries down powdery. At first, I notice carnations and peach; I’m not a fan of peach in perfumes, but here it smells like the velvety skin of the fruit. As it dries, it becomes very woody and earthy. Ideal for autumn and the office: decent, complex, and not annoying.

Beautiful, fresh, elegant. It’s a tremendous perfume that makes you feel like you can take on the world. I had it in the nineties and recently tried it again; at one moment I felt like I was twenty again. Delicious. I remember it as fresher, more citrusy, and sparkling; now I notice more cypress and woody notes. I love both versions. It has an elegance and versatility that make it ideal for blind buys. It has a linear development (like in the nineties) but it’s not negative. It’s one of the few I always come back to buy.

It says ELEGANCE. Quartz is for a woman who wears heels, not for going to a nightclub… or yes, if she wants to, but I don’t see it fitting that setting. It’s timeless and not intrusive. It has moderate to soft sillage (depending on the person), but you notice it if you pass by or share a dinner. It has a subtle air of sensuality. It’s that kind of woman who doesn’t need to draw attention to seduce. If you have an idea of wearing it on an elegant day without wanting to attract too much attention, I imagine her in a black outfit, simple but elegant. Makeup that highlights your features, not too elaborate. If you have a date after work and don’t know what to wear to smell sensual and pleasant. If you know that on that day you’ll finally give that first kiss you’ve been waiting for. It could be your calling card if you don’t want to overwhelm but want it to be clear that you have class. Imagine a rainy afternoon or evening. If you have a job interview, it’s another occasion to leave a mark of elegance. I disagree with those who say it’s for “old ladies.” No, at least if you only enjoy current fragrances. There’s nothing gourmand here, nothing that smells like fruit… It’s not that Quartz. I have two 100 ml bottles and a smaller one I’ve had for years as a collection. This perfume cannot be missing from my vanity. Lastly, to receive its benefits, you don’t need to spend much. It’s accessible and luckily available. I hope you give it a chance; if you see a tester, try it. Who knows, a story between this fragrance and you might begin there.

Quartz is one of my favorites. On my skin, it smells like a forest with morning dew, then comes the lily root, honeysuckle, and carnation with a wet, lively touch. Over time, it turns mossy and ‘fougery,’ ending with a powdery note, but like a masculine talc. It’s in the same family as Jean Couturier’s Coriandre (another 70s gem). The only downside is it doesn’t last long for me (maybe four hours with heavy application). It has a subtle to moderate sillage.

Quartz is one of my favorite perfumes. On me, it comes out earthy, like a forest in the morning dew. Then lily root, honeysuckle, and carnation appear with a wet, alive touch. As hours pass, it becomes mossy and “fougery,” and finally has a powdery dry down, but like a masculine talc. It’s in the same family as Coriandre by Jean Couturier (another jewel from the seventies). The only negative is that it doesn’t last long on me (maybe four hours, perhaps with many sprays). Sillage is subtle to moderate.

I don’t mind the phrase ‘grandma’s scent’ or that it seems like something for women over eighty. I absolutely love perfumes with identity—strong and persistent ones that announce my arrival. In fact, sometimes at the perfumerie I tell the salespeople I’m looking for fragrances that their moms or grandmas might have worn. My mom, grandma, aunts, and great-aunts were women with a lot of presence, elegant, mysterious, and intelligent, and they wore perfumes that complemented that. Perfumes dress you up; I complement my outfit with a scent that matches it. I love recreating that ‘my grandma’s vintage’ imprint in an era where all perfumes are sweet, bland, and lack any ‘identity statement.’ I think the original today is to use iconic perfumes from other eras. Even buying them keeps these works of art alive.

Synthetic floral? Yes, just carnation. The description says floral, but there’s no rose or jasmine, and the hyacinth has lost its ground. The base notes are so intense they’re almost the only thing I notice. The lily-of-the-valley root, carnation, and talcum powder scent overpowers everything and forms the backbone. When it dries down, it smells only of talcum powder. I’d rather file it away among the many artificial scents on the market. I wouldn’t buy it again.

I love its scent; it comforts me without being a winter fragrance… it’s rich, I don’t know how to describe it better.

It’s an elegant and fresh perfume that is very current. Whoever says a fragrance is outdated lacks knowledge. In fact, perfumes don’t have an age range, and the existence of female and male versions is just subjective and commercial. For example, essential oils from India or Egypt are unisex. Chanel No. 5 is from 1921 and is still the best-seller for a wide range of ages.

This perfumerie classic is for daily use. Woody, good longevity, lasts quite a few hours. It’s not one of my favorites, but I have it and use it from time to time because I don’t dislike it.

Every skin smells different, who knows if it’s magic or chemistry? The truth is, perfume is very subjective. Maybe what pushes us to choose one over another is something deeper. Quartz brings me back to past springs and that youth that’s no longer here.

Smells old, like ladies over eighty. I wouldn’t recommend it.

This is a fragrance from years ago that I wore all through my teenage years. I bought it for my teenage daughter and she loved it. I ended up using it myself a few times too because its scent is so particular and unique that I haven’t found anything similar since. Men love it. It remains a current and irreplaceable fragrance.