I had initially started writing about the May flower muguet (lily of the valley) mid-December in San Francisco when the thermometer registered in the 30s. It was a wonderful trick to play on myself, peering into a meadow redolent with the rosy-citrusy-green scent of lily of the valley in the dead of winter, but I'm glad I saved my review for the beginning of May.
Muguet des Bois smells clean, but unlike some more abstract clean scents, it's reminiscent of nature, and therefore impregnated with complexity. From the hint of musty lilac to a bright lemony-rose, there's a paradoxical artful artlessness to its fresh loveliness.
Top notes: Leafy green, bergamot, orange, aldehyde
Heart notes: lily of the valley, lilac, cyclamen, rose, jasmine
Basenotes: sandalwood, musk
In a wonderful writeup on lily of the valley perfumes, Helg from Perfume Shrine tells us that when lily of the valley's components were analyzed using headspace technology (whereby a scented object's compounds can be analyzed by placing a dome over them, passing inert gasses through, and then capturing/analyzing the components), a surprising 23 compounds were found. (Surprising to me, anyway!) Citing reps from Symrise, she says they found the "floral rosy citrus from citronellol, green pea and galbanum-like notes, fatty, waxy, aldehydic notes, and trace notes of fruit and raspberry from beta-ionone."
Basenotes says that it's still in production, but I haven't smelled the modern formulation. I hope they've maintained its beauty, but it's worth finding the vintage if you can — it doesn't smell dated at all to me. I have what looks like a '60s or '70s version of the perfume — celadon-colored cap, little enameled white flowers and green leaves running across it. Edmond Roudnitska himself, creator of his version of a lily of the valley fragrance (the legendary Diorissimo), greatly admired Coty's Muguet des Bois. In Michael Edwards' Perfume Legends, he said of it:
"I remembered that Coty had a lily that was called Muguet des Bois. No better lily note was ever made. It pushed the green note of the flower. As a lily note, it was magnificent. It was much better than the one I had made myself. I wondered how they had managed to create such a masterpiece in the Thirties, with so little means. But it never became very successful, because it wasn’t a perfume one could wear." (Thanks to Now Smell This for finding this quote.)
I'm not sure I agree with him that it's not a perfume one could wear, but it is definitely both more feral and innocent than the sophisticated Diorissimo. It's raw in the way Vent Vert is, evoking, through the art of its composition, the spicy/green aspect of flowers in the wild. If lily of the valley strikes you as too innocent — give this one a shot; you might find it edgier than you thought. (If you're interested in a freaky scientific fact that involves the molecule bourgeonal, which smells like lily of the valley, go to First Nerve and read about how a scientist discovered that bourgeonal somehow attracts sperm. Not that innocent, indeed!)
Image source: Pearl's Sentimental Journey
this one seems well worth finding to try
Posted by: Lucy | May 02, 2010 at 11:13 PM
My mother used to give this perfume to me. This is what I smelled like in junior high. It may have attracted sperm (! who knew?), but I was a good girl.
Fascinating.
Posted by: mary | May 03, 2010 at 09:02 AM
Mary, I don't think they'll be using that burgeonal tidbit about muguet's sperm-attracting abilities in an upcoming marketing campaign. But then again, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, and Tim McGraw have their own scents, so I suppose anything's possible!
Posted by: Perfumaniac | May 03, 2010 at 12:07 PM
I have a great affection for Muguet des Bois, as it was a favorite of my mother's, and was probably my own first scent. This fragrance, and Diorissimo, evoke spring for me.
Posted by: Patty | May 05, 2010 at 09:57 AM
I was surprised by how much I liked it, Patty. It's so pretty and fresh. And none other than Roudnitska said it was better than his own lily. How can we argue with that? Thanks for stopping by.
Posted by: Perfumaniac | May 05, 2010 at 12:14 PM
I wore Muguet des Bois in the late 60's and loved it. I bought a modern bottle of it recently and was pleased to discover it smells a good deal like I remember, though it seems "lighter." Very little staying power compared to the old version, but I'm still glad to revisit it once in awhile.
Posted by: damselfly | September 19, 2010 at 01:07 AM
Hi Damselfly. It is such a lovely perfume. I haven't smelled the modern version, but I wonder if it would get the same praise from Edmond Roudnitska that the vintage did? Talk about a compliment!
Posted by: Perfumaniac | September 21, 2010 at 10:30 PM
Was this the same one that was sold in drug stores in the early 70s? If so it was one of my childhood favorites and much to my father's chagrin I was overly zealous in my application of it. At the time I loved lily of the valley (and I had not yet been properly introduced to Diorissimo!!). The scent of lily of the valley reminds me of my childhood as these delicate little flowers were grown in small gardens in NYC.
Posted by: breathe31 | March 16, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Hi breathe31. Yes, even the 70s Muguet des Bois is lovely. I believe that's what I reviewed. (60s or 70s.)
Posted by: Perfumaniac | March 20, 2011 at 04:04 AM
I've been looking for Lily of the Valley for a
long time..Along came Mother's Day and my Daughter
surprised me with a bottle...Muguet Des Bois it's as
I remember it...Delightful...Thanks
Posted by: Audrey | May 08, 2011 at 12:33 PM
That's wonderful, Audrey! I'm so glad she got you this. I think it's timeless and perfect for this season.
Posted by: Perfumaniac | May 08, 2011 at 01:01 PM
I recently got a bottle of vintage Muguet to compare with my vintage Diorissimo. Muguet was my first perfume, aside from the little nips I used to get now and then.
I found Muguet warmer than the Dior perfume, but it didn't last as long on my skin as the Dior. Also my bottle was a bit soapy in the dry down.
I hadn't smelled Muguet since I was a young teen so this was a treat!
Posted by: Carrie | April 17, 2012 at 08:32 AM
Muguet de Bois was my first real scent, after the little cheapo Avon girl scents I had....I loved it. It was very innocent smelling!
It's funny how you have a "sense memory" of a smell that you have not encountered in 40 years or more....I'll have to look for this. Not sure I would WEAR IT, but it might nice to sniff it from time to time!
Posted by: Lola | August 21, 2013 at 10:19 PM
Its really beautiful and fresh, Lola. Id wear it!
Posted by: Perfumaniac | August 23, 2013 at 10:32 AM
i recently purchased it off of amazon....same fresh fragrance...love it...
i just wish i knew...exactly ...'where' the fragrance is being produced...
it is not listed on the coty website at all....
Posted by: kim | May 19, 2014 at 12:21 AM
That was the first perfume I used in the 70's fell in love with it and so did my boyfriend, I was 13 at the time and my boyfriend is now my hubby. I wore that perfume all through most of our marriage, we are still married but the perfume is no longer available at walgreens where I used to get it. I resent lay ordered a few bottles on eBay but they smell kind of old, I wish I could find a place where they still make it. A lady at Walgreens told me it is originally from France that's where they grow Lillie's of the valley and she knew because she was from there. I guess that's where we need to look and yes I will wear it!!!
Posted by: Diana Garcia | October 08, 2014 at 11:40 PM