Perfume Review: Caron - Violette Précieuse

I have had such a craving Charbonnel et Walker violet creams these days! Anything violet seems to fit so well with the first days of spring where it's still a bit chilly, but bright and sunny. There's a freshness to the smell of violet that is very appropriate. This lead me to buy Violette Précieuse, believing it would be a great early spring perfume. I wish it were so!

Caron - Violette Précieuse in the old formulation used to be a magic thing from what I have read, a seductive scent straight from 1913. Unfortunately, this is not true of the current version. It doesn't smell too modern in spite of the raspberry base, but it's not seductive, and it's not what its name leads you to believe; it's  not precious and certainly not what you'd expect of a perfume from House Caron. I have the EdT formulation, but even for an EdT lasting time is poor. It leaves behind an almost undetectable sweetish smell, but it's nothing to write home about.

I was really looking forward to trying this one which of course means I am pretty disappointed with what I got. I do regret buying it before sniffing and trying it on, but up till I got this all the Caron perfumes I had tried suited me and my taste. It's too light and leaves no lasting impression. It's the bimbo of Caron perfumes I'm afraid!

I do wear it, but I usually layer it over something more substantial like Caron Montaigne (I will review this, too) which makes things better. We've had a few happy days like this, but soon I'll move to my proper spring perfumes! One day I hope I can find the old perfume to sniff.

On a final note I would say that if you want to buy a perfume for a pubescent girl, I think this would be a good choice. A light floral perfume like this would suit a young age and it's not like the sickly sweet horrors that are passed on as perfumes for these ages at the minute.


Top Notes: Violet Flowers, Violet Leaves, Iris, Orange Blossom 
Middle Notes: Jasmine, Lily of the Valley 
Base Notes: Raspberry, Vetiver