Superstitious Frederic Malle for women

This perfume with a Haute Couture spirit combines a velvety rose with an opulent jasmine. The whole composition is complemented by a sunny duo of mango and peach wrapped in amber.

Portrait of Lady's older sister who is alluring, mysterious, detached, strange, and aloof but very soft and sensual once you get to know her, but she's hard to get to know, and her style of comfort is never quite warm.

This one is tricky. I like POAL but I found it much too accessible, which for me makes it hard to wear. Superstitious is much more my style. It has a bit of an otherworldly quality without being completely alien. The opening is very cold, airy, and dry to me and never quite warms up, rather, it just kind of spreads and diffuses in a very linear fashion. This is a scent to wear under warm clothes; a sharp wool coat over a silk sweater dress and hose, a large merino sweater over leather pants. Tall suede pumps. Wearing it on exposed skin felt a bit too much for me, but when layering under clothes and undergarments, it took on a very different, intimate energy. I get compliments when I wear this (though I don't often since it's gone), but for me, it's strictly for cold nights on freshly clean skin.

FM had to stop selling it due to commercial rights that had to be sorted out after the passing of Alber Elbaz (Lanvin creative director) which co owned the rights of Superstitious.

Just received an email from FM that it's being resurrected.

"After a few months of absence, the iconic fragrance is back.
SUPERSTITIOUS returns to delight us with its floral aldehydic scents. Imagined by Frederic Malle for Alber Elbaz, this perfume with a Haute Couture spirit combines a velvety rose with an opulent jasmine. The whole composition is complemented by a sunny duo of mango and peach wrapped in amber."

It’s nice. Old school aldehydic floral chypre. No oakmoss but the vetiver and patchouli really smells like some sort of moss and I’d what they use to recreate oakmoss. I don’t smell any similarity to Lanvin Arpege, this is more earthy, that one is more indolic rose, jasmine and Iris. If your a big spender try to track it down but honestly it’s very very similar to Salvador Dali Parfum De Toilette. which you can still get for under 40$

A difficult opening with a lot to think about.

I'm thinking gourmand, soil, spicey, minty, sour port or heavy wine, liquorice, peach, headache coming on, familiar dirty patchouli, possibly a bit of cherry, oh yeah, there are the aldehydes, headache getting worse, glad I didn't spray this on my skin and I only bought 10ml.

Undeniably a quality perfume, but one that belongs in a different era, perhaps even a different world.

After half an hour the dry down starts to get delicious and warm, but it's too much for me during those 30 mins. It's like the single, 50s aunt at a wedding who wears a screaming-loud ensemble with an attention-seeking hat, before mellowing out as the day, and the drinking, goes on.

I'm glad I have a little bit now it's finished but I can't see myself wearing it.

(As a guy) Very spicy! With vanilla. Despite its strength/boldness, it’s still classy. Starts projecting too much, but quickly settled, and became more warm and cuddly. Unique main experience that keeps catching my attention.

Somewhat intriguing, but the soapy element is not in line with who I am.

Slipping into a plush black velvet cocktail dress, the mysterious madame is heading to a hotel bar in Knightsbridge London. She's having champagne sitting by a fresh bouquet of jasmine and white roses. Quiet, introspective, intelligent, and utterly sensual. She's devastatingly beautiful. She's not merely an object of desire in the eyes of men, she's luxury itself.

Smart, smooth, sensual. Alber's perfect woman. RIP maestro.

This fragrance is not very modern. The first whiff gives off a mature vibe. The opening is thunderous, and aldehydes are heavy but dry down is fresh and floral. It is a decent winter scent. I bought a decant, but I will never buy a bottle.

I got a chance to sniff Supertitous few years ago. Hmm, i dont like it. It seems over me at that moment.
Time changed..I look it back. Oh gosh, It’s crazy beautiful in a dirty way. Aldehyde with the vibe of Chanel No. 5, the sweetness from the fruity…peach and white floral with jasmine dominant - Actually, it’s a bit remind me of Ysl Opium vintage with this combo, but without too much spicy.
AND the incense smoky, a hint a rose behind (then come close more time by time).
The overall effect is like a bouquet of flower with aldehydes, sweetness of fruity (I guess maybe it has cumin) and sour in a time.
Drydown to sour rose incense in a dirty way.
Beautiful and sexy scent
It is quite a challenge scent to me. Sadly it is discontinued. Hope it will be back.

I love it so much.

It's so special, loud and old school!

It is a super fresh, and moist, wet, skanky scent like old days or classic perfumes of the 20th century.
Don't be deceived by notes. It is not a soapy aldehydic perfume, but an aldehyde-chypre. I would like to say It is the jasmine and peach version of Portrait of a lady. Super diffusive and powerful, long-lasting.

Aldehydes and jasmine the rest of the notes are nonexistent
It’s a challenging one indeed the jasmine is definitely dirty or the aldehydes are making it seem that way
Aldehydes are the dominant factor here
It’s definitely strange and unique I couldn’t put my finger on a verdict I just felt it was ok
Performance is nuclear ☢️

Superstitious by Frederic Malle

A breathtaking broody cold aloof aldehydic floral jasmine perfume and I'm here for it!

It has a futuristic mixed with 80s powerhouse vibe.

Certainly not a safe blind so sample first.

I'm so grateful to finally have this beauty.

A MASTERPIECE

Old school interpreted in a modern way.
It's more ozonic than soapy.
Sour peach, overmuch aldehides, indolic and crisp jasmin, and just a touch of incense.
Dark and deep.
It reminds me of Givenchy 3 (vintage), but SS is way more complex and refined.
Simply unisex,
Beast mode.
Masterfully blended 10/10

A beautiful sour jasmine.

I got a sample of this and really fell in love with the stuff. At first I was hit with some major aldehydes, reminding me of something on the border of being too dated. Reminded me of the 50's. As it evolved, I started noticing some very strong florals, like rose on steroids. Later it it seemed like some jasmine came in. I also smell oakmoss, and the scent became heavily soapy. Reminds me of one of my favorites--Diane von Furstenburg's eponymous perfume, which is also richly soapy. Deeper into the drydown, it smelled more ambery and spicy. Not in a natural way, kind of like a synthetic amber that just brings a certain smooth quality to the base and also seems to suspend the florals in it and tone them down. The spice reminds me of a spicy flower like hyacinth, as though there is a touch of Penhaligon's Bluebells mixed in. Sometimes all the nitty gritty description makes it hard to really imagine a fragrance, so what I will leave you with is that the fragrance smells fairly vintage, is quite heavy, and could be perceived as retro-glam. I could imagine this on an actress attending the Oscars who is wearing red lipstick and a princess-style gown with a pouffy skirt. Projection is excellent, and it lasts the entire day. I wouldn't dare to touch it up, lest I wish to suffocate everybody, myself included.

Frederic Malle Superstitious (2016) - Black tie - #dominiqueropion creates a larger than life aldehydic floral akin to Lanvin’s #arpege and Hermes’ #caleche This perfume has less of the flowers and more of the sparkling aldehydes - radiating and enveloping like lace or sheer fabric. At the background, you get Jasmine, Rose, Crisp Incense and Peach. Reminds one of black tie events and formal dinners.

-This is a vast departure from the usual Frederic Malle fragrance.
-Its supposed to be a modern scent. Im not sure about modern but it's definitely not something ive come across before.
-The combination of jasmine and patchouli in this frag doesnt work too well imo. Then again, i've never been much of a jasmine fan in general. Not fbw. (-)

A brighter Portrait of a Lady + Mint & Aldehydes. I find this more wearable than POAL.

Modern version of Chanel No 5 and No 22.

When I smell this one up close, I get the indolic aldehydes for sure. If I ignore it a bit I pick up whiffs of peach wafting around me. A few hours in, I always detect some sort of smooth, minty note. I'm not sure why, but the same thing occurs when I wear Clive Christian No 1 for Men, which also has no mint listed in the notes. Overall, I can see how this one is challenging for some, but it's a wonderful composition.

The sensory journey that Superstitious takes me on is hard to articulate, but it simply culminates into this: a bar of vintage soap still in its gilded wrapper, à la Palmolive Gold, Cussons Imperial Leather, or Lux.

Other olfactive memories that come to mind are the smell of YSL Rive Gauche being sprayed out of its iconic banded metallic bottle; slim canned deodorants marketed to teen girls in the '80s (I was one of them); the gold cap from a yeasty bottle of beer; the wire cage from a champagne cork.

My favorite synesthetic picture that manifests when I smell Superstitious is the barbarically elegant act of testing genuine pearls on your teeth — yes, that feeling that grates every cell in your body like nails on a chalkboard. Superstitious is fascinating that way. It feels primal yet sophisticated.

Occasionally I get an indolic whiff of musky butt-funk jasmine that holds me captive, commingled with static electricity, sterile papery woods, and ghostly sweet ash. Spray too much and it will overwhelm. But just a veil on the wrists is the perfect way to wear Superstitious. This scent is dynamic and lively; if you restrain it under your clothes (like I usually like to wear perfume, low and discreet in my cleavage) it turns into something quite dense and almost bitter and unpleasant, like actually chewing on a bar of soap. Given plenty of breathing room, Superstitious can be well behaved and not feel the need to tug on its leash. It's much like the white space that delivers a focal point to ad copy, or the right-of-way you might give to a tulle skirt.

Frankly, this is one perfume which I find hard to describe, perhaps because it is familiar but the world around it has changed so radically and relating to it is not the same as it used to be.

Context is everything. This bottle, the creation of Alber Elbaz, former Yves St Laurent fashion designer and creative director of Lanvin, in collaboration with Frederic Malle, and crafted by Dominique Ropion is a welcome addition to my wardrobe as an homage to times past, and a departure from mass-pleasing fragrances. Superstitious is my urban classic.

You think this is nice but very expensive (well it is indeed), then why don't you just try and consider 'Giorgio for Men' by Giorgio Beverly Hills? Same sour aldehydes are there from beginning to the end joined by rose and patch. Both fragrances performing quite well. Try and thank me later.

All I get is a huge blast of terrible strong jasmine. It’s revolting to my nose. I love Frederic Malle and own quite a few of the perfumes by this house but oh my goodness did they screw up on this one . Maybe it’s just too masculine for me. Don’t know, I just know
I really dislike it. This is my opinion, if u don’t agree, fine. To each his own. But I wouldn’t wanna be around anyone wearing this scent.

Beautiful, bombastic, abstract aldehydic floral bouquet. It so completely straddles the line between vintage and modern sensibilities. Huge and full of personality--indoles, aldehydes, animalics--but so perfectly balanced that nothing feels out of alignment or "too much" of anything. I do definitely get the connection with vintage Arpege--while Chanel No 5 feels a little colder and even more abstract, there is something warm and three-dimensional and more naturally floral about the vintage Arpege extrait I have. Superstitious captures that three dimensional floralcy to me--like a hyper-saturated jasmine absolute. Frankincense is also very noticeable here. It has its typical woody, lemony, piney nuances...but there is something earthy and "dirty" (as in, smells like dirt) as well. Almost like geosmin. Perhaps that's the patchouli? This is amazing.

The first impression is of white, soapy, intense floral. I'm reminded of lily of the valley soap in a hot lather.

I can see why some think it's good on men, I think so too since my partner wears it sometimes and it's great with a white linen shirt - crisp and clean but unusual - plus the soapiness, the lack of sweet.

But for those women who love a classic such as Diorissimo, this is really beautiful. The aldeydes give it the classic feel too.

It's very, very 'white' in feel - I don't mean skin colour to be clear - I mean its soapy white florality.

Classy and distinct - I'd wear this to feel hyper elegant, in snow, or bright sunshine. If it was evening - only if I was wearing white.

Very good for a wedding I feel, but as it's slightly austere, not for the bride, or for romance. It wouldn't be my perfume choice for a date with someone I truly like - it's not 'come hither' so much as 'can you meet my standards?'!

Sillage and longevity excellent.

It’s very nice but it’s too masculine for me. I like it on hubby but too incensy for me and the vetiver dry down is not for me. I don’t like vetiver. Im glad I only bought a sample decant.

Superstitious by Frederic Malle is vintage modern! I love the classic aldehyde opening that is reminiscent of vintage perfumes, but this is not animalic and musky it is very modern in the sense that it has very fresh florals that keep the opening of the fragrance smelling luminescent. Superstitious has some of the best rose oil I have ever smelled and it blends perfectly with the jasmine before a soft smoky patchouli comes through. Both my young and mature friends have commented on how wonderful I smell when I wear this. It definitely changes the longer you wear it, but all the phases of this fragrance are beautiful. It is a fragrant delight for sure!

After many years of indentured servitude to the FM House of fragrances — thanks to Dominique Ropion penning the tale of my life to date (Portrait of A Lady,) it is with deep regret to say that while I absolutely LOVE this fragrance ... it is unfortunately too similar (if not an exact replica) of the original Agent Provocateur. I love both, but have decided to stick with the less expensive version with equally matched longevity (upwards +8hrs) and deeply sensual sillage.

After spending an adequate amount of time with Superstitious, I am a bit surprised at the classical references in the chatter around this fragrance. I have to concede that I haven't tried Lanvin's Arpege; however, I doubt vintage Arpege smells like this - especially it's hard for me to imagine Arpege sharing a temperament with Superstitious. Superstitious has all the trademarks of a post 2010 Ropion creation for Frederic Malle. It is meticulously crafted, seamlessly blended and has precise movements and proportions. It is a floral, but a lot more than any regular floral. There is a prominent dose of aldehydes, that appears deliberate. This renders a sparkle to the composition, to counteract the rose and the fruity aspects. Rose is at the heart of the fragrance, paired elegantly with an abstract note of peach, and a heady note of jasmine. The triad of aldehydes, rose-jasmine and a touch of peach comprise the central accord of the composition, and it stays linear throughout much of the development. There is a refined soapy aura, and also an airy mood that prevails most of the time. The slow transition finally reveals, after well over seven or eight hours, a dry down where an airy vetiver note takes centrestage, and harmonises the primary accord which now has a hazy, soft focus. Sillage and duration are both excellent.

While Superstitious does have a retro charm, it employs more of a nod rather than more obvious references. It is as modern as any perfume in 2017, the only difference being Superstitious offers a view into the past through a lens, but without any baggage of nostalgia. It blends in a particular vintage style well within a modern perfume structure, more as an embellishment. It does not want to take us back, but it brings back something from the past to accentuate its aesthetics. In terms of temperament, Superstitious has an emotional aloofness, a dry, cold character that is perhaps what it was supposed to conjure up. It smells familiar but with a definite sense of mystique. It does have a darkness about itself, which is more of a dim gray dark character rather than anything dramatic, more misty than gothic. It is angular, it is synthetic, and at times even leans towards a bit avant-garde. It is definitely not for me, especially since I usually do not gel well with fruity fragrances, especially peach. While Superstitious is far from 'fruity' since the peach note is so abstract, it nonetheless veers close to something I would admire from a distance rather than on my skin. Personal tastes aside, Superstitious is a solid offering for perfume lovers, especially in 2017, even after considering the astronomical pricing. It is immaculately crafted, absolutely not a top note con job, and has depths and nuances that are revealed after a few wearings. This is a perfume that may appear deceptively simple at first, but becomes more intriguing and interesting over time. I also think of Superstitious as being parallel to other fragrances with obvious retro references. While several new creations successfully evoke vintage perfumes directly by construction (MAAI being a leading example), Superstitious touches on the same subjects but passes by eventually. It can be elusive.


3.5/5 (positive)


(P.S.

Those of you who know how much of a sucker I am for strong perfumes, you wouldn't be surprised if I eventually end up with a bottle of Superstitious. Its potency is good, but is excellent considering it's primarily a floral, not a monotonous amber. )

The first perfume by Frederic Malle that i have tried (and still my favourite one) was carnal flower. I tried It two years ago and i felt in LOVE instantly. The same day i tried other different Malle perfumes like promises, musc ravageur and... Superstitious... But i didt pay any attention on It.

The i could have a Closer relationship with this brand. I began yo LOVE musc ravageur, música for a while and promise (but nothing to do with superstitious because It smelt for me like the perfume that my grandmother used yo wear when i was a child... This is a grandma's perfume; i thought for myselft everytimw i have tried It)...

But with the time i began yo like It more and more, and everytimw i spray It i falla on LOVE with It a little bit more. I dont know if nowaday i could say It is my favourite one ofnthe collection (carnal flower is a very strong contestant) but if not, It is for sure the second!

I LOVE the aldehides here, the rose and the fantastic Jasmín. For me superstitious means puré class! But this is not a perfume for all, even not a perfume that you Will like the first time you try It or a compliments getter... But when you learn how to LOVE It, you fall un LOVE without any doubt.

Performance is great like in most FM perfumes, overall the ones done by Dominique ropion, but at the same time is very unisex and weareable! A nice option for vintage elegance seakers!

Scent: 9.5
Longevity: 10
Sillage: 8.5
Quality/price: 6
Versatility: 8
Originality: 8
Global: 9.5

This is like if Lanvin Arpege was made by Comme des Garcons... the biting aldehydes will remind you of Arpege, or maybe even White Linen and N° 22, but where those scents are floral and powdery Superstitious is sleek and avant garde. Actually reminds me of a CdG, maybe Odeur 53 or 71. Nice retro-style scent done in a modern way, and surprisingly wearable!

Animal opening
Bright citrusy patch dry down similar to Terre de hermes soapy. I dont have 400 bucks

Contradictious...

I hate soapy fragrances. This is soapy. I love this fragrance.

I can imagine this is what they use to clean you up before letting you in Heaven...

This is a modern old school scent. You have the aldehydes, brighten the composition up, really lovely jasmine, a hint of vetiver and a very little touch of mystic incense. Could be the peach note which provides a little sweetener effect to the overall composition, but it is not a main player, not to me (I don't really like peachy notes in perfumes...) Amber and patchouli are nowhere near my nose when I sniff this beautiful juice.

This is leaning more feminine, but the effect on a man rocking this out could be seriously attractive. This is a sexy soap, vintage upscale juice, sophisticated but simple in the most elegant way.

For what it is, performance both in projection and longevity is outstanding.

Uniqueness: medium (high nowadays...)

Scent: 8.5/10

Performance: high

Would I buy it: Yes (already in my collection)

Just received a sample of this from Nordstrom. For some reason the first thing that popped into my head was "expensive." It is literally expensive of course, but it just smells rich and valuable. It's like pressing your face right into a bouquet of real jasmine and rose. It definitely has that flowery, intimate, urine-type animalic smell, but it's not unpleasant. Patchouli gives some depth and peach sweetens it up a bit. I'm a man but I wouldn't mind smelling like this at all. Classy and classic but not old at all. I'm really so impressed with this. The cherry on top is the name and bottle are great.

Edit: Now, a little while later, I can detect some similarity with 1969 by Histoires, specifically in the peach+patchouli combo.

Old style shipre, a bit urinary smelling, very lasting.Unisex with soury notes. Not my cap of tea. Also got negative comments on it from family and friends.

This reminds me of Agent Provocateur (the original). While AP is a gorgeous boudoir rose in it's own right, Superstitious is also beautiful. Superstitious is muskier and not as edgy as AP. Both confident. Love it.

I bought 10 ml of this without knowing anything about it & based on a quick sniffi in store. Other reviewers have described it really well, & in much more technical & precise detail than I can....but I think I know good stuff when I smell it - & this is quite different to most of the stuff out there & smells quite good!!

I guessed rose & patchouli before I looked at the notes. The initial blast is gorgeous, & I’d describe the top notes as being slightly salty, almost savoury. Other florals are there & it is a tiny bit indolic as time passes. I really find this hard to describe - it is blended (imo) like an older high quality classic “grand dame” of a perfume, but it doesn’t strike me as being dated or old fashioned. It is not particularly soapy to my nose & I would describe it as dramatic & beautiful, rather than pretty or feminine.I agree with another reviewer, there are definitely echoes of POAL here especially as it goes into the dry down. A little bit goes a long way, this is strong stuff.

Would make a fantastic signature scent for someone...someone who can be quite scary...& is also very rich! Lol I’m amazed It seems to be pretty unknown & I’ve never seen it mentioned.. Superstitious may not be a typical crowd pleaser, but it is well worth trying.

Edit I’ve worn this quite a few times now, unfortunately it turns a bit sour on me (like POAL does) I’m not loving it, but it’s probably me/my chemistry. Love the top notes, then sadly, (on me) it goes downhill :(

I wrote a bad bad review the first time I tried this. Ok, Superstious takes time. First, you have to go back in time, maybe to the 50's and 60's. It opens with a huge amount of some bright aldehydes, then comes the rose, a strong and dry vetiver and peony. (Yes, there's a peony note not mentioned in the pyramid). Once it settles down it becomes a satin fabric in your skin. That was the ideia Alber Elbaz tried to capture, and Dominique Ropion did it in a magic way. But like most of contemporary art nowadays, you have to be familiar with the history of the artist in question, you have to read about it, and not only contemplate it. So, the thing is, Superstious is a beautiful fragrance, but there's a history behind it before the composition itself. And in my humble opinion, a fragrance shouldn't need a previous explanation.

Cons: The jasmine note is to die for. And yes, it's and ode to femininity.

not your mother's floral aldehyde; aldehydes, lots of bitter dry vetiver, rose, almost a licorice note, all notes present but blended to be a true work of art as others have said; herbal in nature and a bit ripe and turned; every note just a few degrees off

It can induce headaches. Really, after the initial aldehydes, it's all vetiver and rose. What a combo. Then in the final drydown, it is a skanky indolic jasmine. That dry flower that seduces. I think I am in love. Or, at least lust. The final final goes back to rose. I want to marry this fragrance.

I think it's necessary to have some knowledge and experience in perfumery in order to fully appreciate this unique creation. The scent itself is sooo unusual, cold, sharp, clear and crisp. Most of the perfumes is like a water compared to this one. Not for everyone for sure. What i imagine with this scent on is a person who is always on point with flawless appearance and manners.

The scent is mostly aldehydic, almost sterile, strong but light at the same time. Kind of reminds me the scent of the air after thunderstorm, chrisp and metallic or holy water.
Performance is stunning too.

Smells like a typical bar of soap. Ergo its a very soapy scent with flowers.

Superstitous is the smell of the EGO! Spectacular, attractive, groundbreaking, assertive... Long live Frederic Malle!

طفرة جينية ام فتى المعجزة ..!
..
و كأنه خرج من تحت عبائة شانيل
منبوذاً خارج دارها ...!!
..
الى دارٍ أكثر جرأة
تستقبله بحلاً من ذهب
..
انت تنبذني لإختلافي
نعم انا مختلف
انا مميز .. انا اثير فيك الخوف حتى
..
الداهايت و ياسمين قذر
لم يعرف البياض يوماً ولم
يرى النور حتى ..!!
وردةٌ حمراء محرّمة
يحيطها الشوك من كلّ جانب
و ما خفي من الخبث اعظم
..
سوبر ستيشس
البطة السوداء المحلّاة بتاج الذهب ..!!

Buy the ticket. Enjoy the ride. This is a very expensive sports car of a fragrance. Do not keep it in the garage. Drive it. Expect a few speeding tickets. Expect a few haters. Let it purr.

I made a special pilgrimage to smell the latest Frederic Malle fragrance ‘Superstitious’ by the sorcerer of perfume wizardry himself: Dominique Ripion (all hail). The black bottle shrouded it in mystery. Off came the nicely weighty cap and out sprayed the spirit of Ripion from his almighty past. Remember that Ripion created some of the biggest game-changing, legendary fragrances from the last 4 decades. This newest offering embraces a throwback to his earliest works. There’s a retro vibe to ‘Superstitious’ which reminds me of B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful’s ‘Two Hearts’ which has the same lipstick-rose, powdery, softy smoky vintage aromatics.

The scent is like a ghost of an iconic movie star, now long dead and sorely missed. It’s like those large black and white coffee table books of screen star photography - you turn the pages in awe of the timeless, starlet beauty and wonder what they would have smelt like... It’s probably ‘Superstitious’ and I’m sure that’s what Ripion was aiming for.

It’s an immediate classic. It’s nice, but my tastes have moved away from what we now consider “vintage” and I’m aimlessly in search of something that I know not what, but this, it is not.

This certainly has a resemblance to Arpege. But where Arpege is lush, baroque, animalic and sweet (my version circa 2000) this is severe, minimalist, modern and ridiculously clean.

The question is how such rich materials as Turkish rose oil, Egyptian jasmine, incense, sandalwood and vetiver (as stated on the box) present in such an austere way.

Not to mention how they managed to use such a stonking dose of aldehydes without burning even one nostril hair. The aldehydes are super smooth – no screechy hairspray or bugspray notes – no screech at all just a deep whisper, ‘you smell fabulous’.

Sillage is close except for the first twenty minutes and that’s how I like it. Longevity all day. Wear it and weep.

went down with super serious overspraying,

aldeydes in a sonic boom

and

time warp roses

in a deranged fougere type vibe,

florals and patchouly..

this could be perceived as feminine at first,

actually it is a post modern fougere..

the kinky dandy won't miss it in its wardrobe.

Best worn to celebrate the end of summer

Sophisticated jasmines, with aldehydes and floral.

Jasmine, aldehydes blast with vetiver, bits of roses, and white floral. It does have that classic frame with a vintage twist & a hint of sweetness to form a confusion. Incense is there tho, but the patchouli, and amber isn't obvious (if there any).

I can see this fragrance conquering the Oscars red carpet, it screams sophistication, feminine beauty, yet bit naughty with ecstasy. It's quality is mild (comparing to niche of course) & it fits the mainstream standard very well.

The good reviews are already given, all that is left is the scent of couture from the world of opulent charged, when it falls into the right person it's clean and daring, I'm thinking this is the older sister of poal, or someone said chanel 5,the right man can pull this one, I can smell rubbery and like a supercharged stormy night, you have arrived, and now enjoy the flashes. Like a quiet symphony by mahler.

The first thing that comes to mind is that this smells like a very expensive soap. Aldehydes come first, clearly dominating the blend which feels dreamy and blurry. To this theme, a skinny rose contributes with an airy, fuzzy, clean softness and freshness. Next is the jasmine that comes in force, indolic and sparkly and leaves the other notes in the background. The composition feels vintage and it's tenacious. About 3 hour in and it changes again, the soapy feel from the start now smells like clean sheets left to dry in the wind. It is mostly floral, a mix of white florals which I can't pinpoint. White musk is added and it's the one that gives me the "fresh laundry" smell. From now on, the fragrance doesn't seem to change that much anymore and it gets softer and closer to skin. Much tamer and less complex that in the beginning, barely hovering above the skin, it's mainly laundry white musk with soft floral mix and a gentle wood base. The vintage feel is gone and it feels contemporary now; it's almost another fragrance. The transition and note shift is seamless throughout its life ; it doesn't feel forced even though the changes are significant at times. As a whole, it leans feminine.

Scent: 7/10
Longevity: 8/10
Projection: 7/10

I don't know why this isn't completely adored. This is a beautiful fragrance. I understand that it may not get selected when smelling on strips. I even understand that wearing it once through a small tester, may not change your mind. However... If you can wear this a second time, I think you will see that your mood is changed by the wearing of this fragrance.

It's really not a throwback to old ways as much as is said about it. Instead it is very modern.

I am a man, but like many of you, I own and wear, and love a wide variety of fragrances. I own masculines, and those marketed pour femme, however when I wear Mitsuoko, although I love it, I see why it was marketed to the audience that it was, especially in it's time! Superstitious, may not be for the man who prefers to shop for Aramis time after time, or has only ever worn Kouros once released, however, I don't think that audience is shopping for the new Malle floral anyway. Point is, this is as unisex as any floral/aldehyde has ever been. (To my nose of course!)

Think about it this way. When I wear Superstitious, it has the most amazing feeling, circulating the air around me, ever fresh and light, never suffocating.

I continue to see comparisons to No. 5, and to me, this is not doing any favors as a comparable; mostly because many of us have very specific associations with that fragrance, almost as if it were an acquaintance we all knew. Some of us are the best of friends with here, and others of us see her as the tawdry jezebel from a by gone era. Either way, I think the comparison is disadvantageous.

I am clearly biased by my adoration of this fragrance, but I in no way think it to be earth shattering, I just think it is misunderstood, and miss-conveyed, almost to the point of scaring those who are looking for something modernistic, which it absolutely is!

Is it Aldehydic? Yes!

Is it Floral? Absolutely!

Does it combine all of this with a beautiful Incense? Yep!

Is it old? Maybe in quality.

Words to aid in the description of this could be:

"Superstitious by Frederic Malle is..."

“Now”

“what's happening!”

“Crisp”

“Supplementary”

“Glistening, albeit a bit crude”

“Neoteric”

“Sparkling”
and
“Youthful”



Try it, I think you may just like it!

On a recent trip to Europe I collected another suitcase of perfume, I loved them all yet I was still searching for my calling card. I have several Frederic Malle scents, but have avoided Superstitious because I've not been especially attracted by some reviews. I was persuaded to try Superstitious after I read an interview with Frederic Malle and Alber Elbaz. Elbaz was fabulous as he described the background to Superstitious. He used the words "instinctive" and "intuitive" to describe the development process, these words motivated me to order 10ml of his (and Ropion's) fragrance. And I now have my signature perfume. Beyond all the analysis of notes, longevity and sillage etc., Superstitious brings out instinct and intuition in the wearer, fills with the paradox of calm excitement as one stands at the edge of the creative precipice. Try it, it may surprise you!

Aldehydic. Aldehydic to the point that it's medicinal. In my opinion, this amount of aldehyde usually spells "paranoia".

I guess it is intended to be a modern take on floral aldehyde notes, but I don't get much floral, except for a shadow-like sourness lurking somewhere in that dazzling aldehyde mess.

Beautiful - I think. Maybe my reaction to this one is a bit offbeat, but while I can sense that Superstitious is a wonderful piece of work, to me it is dense and very linear. I like what I smell but I can't pick up any individual notes, and I find little development or nuance. After a short while I get sick of Superstitious, but it lingers for many tedious hours until eventually I have to scrub. Very thick and flat. Makes me want to open a window. A pity. I wish I smelled what other people smell.

I just love how softly and balanced incense and patchouli evolves here.
It gives me thoughts how amouage epic could smell if you add fresh floral aldehydes there.
Also I can discover something suchlike portrait of a lady.
Nice!

Shimmering radiance! These notes really do sparkle! This has been described as a 'modern aldehyde' - and it is exactly that. Very fresh floral blend is magnified, crystallized and made abstract by the aldehyde note. Dazzling jasmine and rose, with a lush ambery backdrop. Sophisticated sheer pleasure!

Holy aldehydes!

Definitely a throwback. Reminiscent of Chanel No. 5, but a little smokier, a little more mysterious. I despise Chanel No. 5, but I can live with this. If you'd like a Chanel No. 5 without the tang and tart, this is a nice compromise.

Superstitious is Audrey Hepburn in a classic little black lace dress. She is carrying a nosegay of jasmine and white roses, wrapped in a freshly laundered antique lace handkerchief. If Guerlain's Chamade had pronounced aldehydes, it would be Superstitous.

This is a glamorous, classic fragrance; Dominique Ropion's partnership with Frederic Malle must bring out his very best, because two of the most beautiful fragrances I have smelled in the last 10 years have been Portrait of a Lady and Superstitious. It has staying power, but is not obnoxious. I sprayed 2 sprays on my wrists this morning and now it is 10 PM and I am still getting traces of exquisite dry down: white flowers and hard-milled soap.

It's been a long time since I craved a fragrance; I want to possess this beauty!

I am not usually one to scrub off a fragrance but after spritzing this on my wrist I had to use dish soap to remove every trace. I wasn’t expecting to be bashed over the head with a club of Chanel-esque aldehydes, which is the exact reason I dislike so many Chanel fragrances. A pass for me.. maybe I’d appreciate it on someone else though.

I agree with @Germany. There is a truly old school perfume, start to finish.


Its main advantage certainly is that you will not come across anything else like this in your daily life, unless perhaps you have a fragrance library that goes back decades. It's like a time machine and it unmistakable.

Maybe for that same reason though, it's just a little.... weird. Idk. I don't want to call it cold per se, but it's distant. Too airy, aldehydic, ungrounded for me. It's not like something you smell ON yourself, but it sort of hangs beside you if that makes any sense. Ofc in reality there are base notes, but by the time it gets to that point, my nose is somewhat exasperated.

Regardless of my gripes though, this is completely beyond a doubt glamorous. And not like red carpet "i called my stylist", posturing type of glamorous, but in its very character. Maybe those who embody that better than me have an easier time wearing this one.

i love this fragrance!! one of the fav from the house after POAL!!
if you love POAL you will love this too

Superstitious is a Big perfume, impossible to ignore, and it seems like it's a love or hate thing .... and quite a Chameleon judging from these reviews. As someone who only wore Vintage for 4 years or so — oddly it doesn't appeal to me anymore although I adore and appreciate my Vintage scents, I no longer want to wear them — it has a Vintage Vibe for sure, must be those aldehydes and big florals. I don't get the peach at all but it must be contributung to the overall richness of the scent, which has my favorite quality of being so masterfully blended that individual notes are completely indistinguishable. I adore this scent but wear it rarely as it doesn't really seem to suit how I feel in the countryside! But I do find it wonderfully uplifting and transcendent when I wear it ... happiness in a bottle!

Love it! One of the best offering from legendery Frederic Malle. Chic, complex and timeless!

Domonique Ropion's creations are wonderful. But this one I would assume are more of Elba.
Sincerely saying, it's the first perfume of Ropion I washed off my skin and still had it's strong and unpleasant smell. Reminded me more os sandal then pachouli unfortunately.
First after spraying there were floral sweetness. So cloying and sticky. Then that sandal like came mixed with some deep rose oil kind . So strong and irritating.
I was curious to try Superstitions for so long time after having and loving Gucci Accenti, Une Fleur de Cassie and Armani Mania of the same nose.
Portrait of the lady and Aimez Moi Celection by Caron were a pleasure to try but they were not my cup of tea.
Superstitious is way out of that list from DR.

When I first tried this at the mall, it reminded me of two perfumes from the same line; Une Fleur De Cassie at the top and Portrait of a Lady in the base. I was captivated by the smell for the next few days as the scent settled on the inside of the cuffs of my coat. I was scratching my chin when I first noticed a gorgeous whiff of something then I remembered it was Superstitious. It felt so good that I knew I had to buy a bottle.

I received my bottled a few days ago and have hesitated to spray it. Reason being; when something costs so much, you want to savour it and this did come across as a special occasion fragrance. So today I just decided to spray it and I am still getting references to Cassie and POAL for which I am so glad but it also made me think of Carnal Flower.

It oddly opened up with a creamy coconuty tuberose (Maybe people will notice it if they spray for the first time from their new bottle?!?) which I didn't mind at all. This loses power in the next half an hour but it's still there giving that soapy hint I think people are referring to. I liked Carnal Flower as a fragrance but it was so overwhelmingly tuberosy for me. I am glad that I could have the taste of all three fragrances packed into one bottle so that makes me feel better about the price I paid.

Another strange thing I just noticed... It is for women! Such a shock to the system but it is decidedly feminine but I like it so I am going to wear this one.

The dry down to my nose is like Cardinal with a hint of rose water so I am even more happy now because I let all the aforementioned fragrances go because of performance issues but they all come together as one in Superstitious and I really have no reason to complain.

Projection is close to skin and can be perceived for about 4-5 hours. Stays on clothing for a couple of days which is why I bought this after having experienced what happened when I firs tried this. I think it will perform better when the weather is a bit mild. And... I don't really care that it's for women. Life is too short for people pleasing and justifying your fragrance choices.

I came to write a review and just nodded along w/ K1's the whole time. *slow clap* beautiful and on point review - nouvea vintage, I'd call this. Embodies both cleanliness (think squeaky clean soap bar aldehydes) and an overripe skank of realistic floral components, like dying flowers that have just enough of their recent lushness left, it pulls you in to catch another whiff then pushes you away for getting too close. The incense also has a somewhat soapy component, not my style to be sure. Not 'smokey' at all.

Not for me, very astringent qualities to my nose, but so is the genre here a lot of the time. Well made for damn sure!

Don't hate me, but I honestly see a resemblance to Chanel's No. 5. However, where No.5 has a very round and fat presence, this seems to fall flat. It smells, oddly, like a snuffed out candle. Too much aldehydes for its own good, but not enough else going on.

Beautiful, fascinating but perhaps not enough for me. All the power to those who can make it work.

Very retro, very chic with a contemporary twist. This is the lovechild of Aprpege and Jean Louis Scherrer who is all grown up. Just beautiful.

Not the love from the first sight, but fortunately I had a chance to try it few times before judging, and now I like it a lot. It's pleasantly weird: clean and dirty, mild and wild. It's decidedly modern and so beautifully nostalgic without the 'old lady scent' side effect. Mature, chic and classy. I can imagine this perfume on a woman or a man, and even if it's rose-jasmine-peach-etc., it fits man perfectly, like a tailored suit. Wearing it, I feel somewhat reminding me of wearing N5: same androgynous duality thanks to aldehydes. The scent is very vibrant and rich, and nine hours after spraying it I still sense the patchouli-insence-amber-vetiver sillage, not heady nor heavy, but surprisingly sparkling. It's more for the evening because it's a bit too luxurious and showy for the daytime, but can be both if you are very self-confident and free of superstitions.

I tried this perfume last week at Frederic Malle boutique and I told my self which kind of perfume is this because of jasmine, rose and peach I thought it's normal perfume and I did not care for it anymore but because of the sample which I have I tested again and it surprised me a lot,
unbelievable, the incense playing around with jasmine and rose along with aldehydes then after some time you will smell the patchouli is making a good touch for this perfume.

believe or not, you will love this perfume after trying it for 4 times at least.

the sillage is perfect and everyone will ask you what you are wearing.
longavity is perfect, more than 8 hours with three sprays.

Thank you, Dominique Ropion for another interesting perfume.

it reminds a bit of Timbuktu but with aldehydes

This starts off with a fresh clean laundry vibe, almost like a white musk effect. Not at all what I expected from the sound of the name and look of the bottle. I was expecting a dark, sombre scent but got something that mimics an out-of-shower experience. Like you just had the Mother of all baths and emerged spanking fresh and smelling like the epitome of genteel cleanliness. Later stages feature more of a floral sweetness coming from a subtle but elegant peach note. I say subtle because peach tend to be rather in-your-face (think Kiste, Hedonist) plus outrightly girly and sometimes downright sticky. Not here. It is tempered well with a soft Jasmine and amber base, never becoming too prominent or vulgar. Instead the whole composition is attractive, decorous and ladylike. Just not worth the price tag though.

I sampled this fragrance when Barneys NYC had the launch a few months ago. To me, the top notes immediately reminded me of Lanvin Arpege. For the price point, and the collaborative effort of Alber Elbaz and Mr. Malle, I could not see the justification for the price point. The bottle design is very nice.

The dry down was different, somewhat synthetic, but again, I was expecting something different, not a reboot of an original. If the key sales people at Barneys were also kind of unimpressed with it......I think that says it all.

This is a superb post modern interpretation of the aldehyde Jasmine incense floral. Yet, it's not retro in a fuggy way; it pops and fizzes with a fresh and yes, very 'soapy' cleanliness that is truly unique. There is another great review below that talks about soap and vintage, yet expresses that it is not like any 'vintage' we know. Yes, it's so evocative at the same time. I am reminded of having a shower in our 'bush shower' on the farm, supposedly reserved for the men working and getting too filthy to wash up inside the house....there would always be a cracked and frazzled sliver of unscented yellow soap in the wire holder....this glorious frag put me right back in that shower under the rainwater tanks on our Eden farm. This incredible top and middle fades to a fairly quiet perfume after a few hours, but retains the hard yellow, UNSCENTED soap reference all the way. This is a glorious fragrance and a real masterpiece. It makes me so happy that artists and visionaries are still at work in fragrance.

6/10

Absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful!

This strange, intriguing perfume keeps me guessing. When I dabbed it on half an hour ago, I was in a dark wooded area, hiding behind a tree, watching a coven of witches--all incense and dark flowers. Then it became overwhelming and sad, like losing a lover and feeling his presence, keeping a bouquet of roses even though it is decaying. Only now can I be objective and sense the aldehydes. For me this will always be a nighttime perfume, dreamy and a little sad like Portrait of a Lady.

Haha, It's always been my dream to keep the smell of a luxury aldehydic soap on my skin for hours and hours...

I had to wait for Superstitious to give me that :)
and I'm in love!

Long live Dominique Ropion!

If this one is anywhere near as cool as Superstition by Stevie Wonder, I'm buying it!

Anonymous, one of the few scents of Malle that do not get the best. 5/10

Superstitious is not exactly what I expected it to be. I knew about aldehydes, rose and jasmine but I didn't expect to smell what I did.
Well, my first impression was..... citrysses and aldehydes. It was so citric that I was sure it would contain grapefruit or lime, but these notes are not listed. The opening is a big loud splash of frizzy sour aldehydes, like super dry champagne with roses. It's cool, but I wouldn't call it fresh. And the aldehydes are not rounded soapy or powdery, not at all. This perfume becomes powdery after several hours still conserving its sourness. If I would try to compare it to some other perfumes... it recalls Vraie Blond of ELDO for its frizzy mood, Hermes' Jour d'Hermes Absolu and Aedes de Venustas for sourness, POAL and Mon Nom est Rouge for incensy rose but these two are sweeter and more oriental in their vibe.
I find Superstitious rather agressive and arrogant but in the way you can't explain why. It's modern and chic and most of all COOL. It's not a comfort scent and it doesn't give any confidence who smelles it. Superstitious is classy in modern way, it's for sure.
I'm still wondering about this sourness. I guess some notes are not listed or is it a sour rose with unripe peach and incense.
The longevity is superb - 10 hours. The last remark - I think it recalls Cardin Rose - a fragrance I smelt 20 y ago, but it's a long time, I should re-test it for being sure.
Definitely a superb fragrance!
About the name... I think it's a lack of self-consiusness and a fear to make a person superstitious. Looking for a security in trifling facts helps to find a support one needs. Superstitiousness doesn't give confidence and it asks for a distance.
.........
I need to say it - I absolutely ADORE Alber Elbaz' work ♡

I really hope that I can smell jasmine from this perfume. To me It reminds me POAL of same perfumer and same house.
Very sour terpenic top note and incense-rosy with Some watery-peach vibe. Maybe I should smell it again.

+ This is a POAL jasmine ver. Sour terpenic incense and Spicy Jasime with Very classic chypre base. I was looking forward JP's Joy scent according to notes(Classic floral bouquet), but it's not.

I tried this yesterday on blotter and then on my skin as well. I still have the blotter and can't stop smelling it. It is indeed a wonderful composition.
The aldehydes ensure a surprising act I, then the perfume settles to an intense incense and patchouli base where it reminds me of Portrait of a Lady. I wasn't surprised if it was marketed as a flanker (albeit with an interesting twist) of my beloved Lady. At least on my skin, the warm, spicy notes dominate after the top notes leave center stage. I can hardly detect the jasmine in it.
Longevity was 10 hours on me with 2 spritzes on my wrists.
I definitely recommend trying it if you love big, bold perfumes in the vein of classics.

came across this one at Bloomingdales in Dubaimall. Jasmin-aldehyde bomb! Way too floral and pretty much one demention when it calms down a bit.

This is out of this world for a 2017 fragrance! Perfumes like this just aren't made anymore. This is good old French perfume at its best.
I am so pleased that perfumes like this are still being made. I am hoping this will start a trend.

Superstitious starts of with a big loud cloud of aldehyde accompanied by peach , rose and vetiver and Jasmine ! It's fresh soapy and woodsy , clean dirty and sweet ,,,, but not candy sweet , natural sweet , balmy ,sappy and delicious. It's true , old meets new world ,,, trading in your fur coat for a leather jacket , your dress for ripped jeans, keep the red lipstick ,, this can be day and night , casual and fancy ,winter and summer , this ROCKS !
This perfume IS truly THE BOMB ! It should win awards for the year ! It's so smooth, elegant and sexy , it delivers big time !
Perfumes that come to mind to compare this to a little bit are chanel exclusif 22 with a dash of Rue Cambon. And Caleche EDP. I don't know Aprege well enough to comment but it seems to be in that line for sure. However Superstitious is more modern than those ones listed it has the best of both worlds and no one could call you granny wearing it. Rock star would be more like it.
It has a soapy, woody feel in the smoothest way possible.
Elegant, confident and sexy !

Try this on clothes or fabric and you get a fresh clean soapy starchy sweet modern smell , one I adore ! Has a TRUBENZUCKER smell ( grape sugar candies for energy ) . Spray it on your skin and it develops differently , much more woody ,balmy ,skanky and sexy , it's so unique ,, clean on clothes and dirty on the skin ,,, your pick ;)

This is freakin' stellar! I have tears in my eyes that SUCH perfumes are still created and produced. 60's meet 21st century and they make love seamlessly on my skin. Would work with fur coats and cigarettes, but works with smartphone and leather jacket just as well. Unabashed, trendy, super sexy woman in her 40s, red lipstick and a devil-may-care attitude.

This juice has all the vintage magic without the granny feel to it. Not that I ever had anything against that feel, but boy, this ticks all the boxes!

Up there with Amouage Gold, but more modern, western and urban.

Total love from my side.

Superstitious.
A huge waxy aldehyde opening thats tighter and cleaner than the aldehydes used in the vintage formulations. Its updated and modern, fresh and bombastic. Superstition doesnt care if it offends or not. Hear it roar and its impressive.

Theres a citric nuance to the aldehydes and once they settle down the most beautiful moment happens with the jasmine, rose, touch of vetiver creeps in with flashes of insence around the jasmine.

The peach and amber note keeps things soft but alluring. Labadinum stirs in the base with some sort of warmer musk (not the white musk in CF for example) the patchouli adds a fullness to it then the drydown begins to lighten up and fade like an apparition.

Its gorgeous, seems to change subtly every time I apply it. I do think it needs to still age a bit to get its full glory. This is for the person that likes to wear big diamonds and jeans, or a fur coat over a t-shirt. Luxury, classic old school ways twisted into the modern times. Always a winning idea. I hope this is a sledgehammer to the sweet trend in fragrances into a more mature, elegant, daring direction. Modern. French. Couture.

Superstitious makes me think of Catherine Denevue. It is a mature, loud and bold creation, very sweet with strong white flowers, and underneath animalic and sexy tones.
I see it as the opposite of Ropion's Geranium Pour Monsieur. An over the top female fragrance with a dominant presence, French elegance and underneath some Israeli "chuzpa" embodied in almost body-like smells - in contrast to the soft, reserved, pleasant, calm and fresh Geranium for men.

Superstitious opens on my skin with a big boom of soapy aldehyde. At first glance, I was going to say that it's like Arpège or Chanel No.5 on steroids. But on closer inspection, there is much less powdery texture in Superstitious. The aldehyde here is unapologetically waxy, with a sharp metallic twang echoing all over in the scent cloud.

This aldehyde phase is also quite long lasting compared to Arpège or No.5 in their current respective iteration. While the later two are soon taken over by jasmine and powdery notes after about 40 minutes, Superstitious is dominated by aldehyde on my skin during the first two hours. The jasmine does appear with its camphor-like indole, but it enhances the metallic aldehyde with its mentholated aspect as a supporting role rather than taking its leading role.

When the aldehyde starts to die down, a silky, prune-like red rose emerges. Without the aldehyde boosting the sillage, Superstitious now becomes a skin scent on me once it dries down. I initially perceive a minty rose like in Mona di Orio's Rose because of the remaining coolness of aldehyde and camphor aspect of jasmine. However, as time progresses, this soft rose sweetens and warms up thanks to a ripened, luscious peach.

During its late dry down, the rose can be kind of jammy at times, but there's a quiet, sandalwood-like base that diffuses the rose without altering significantly its scent profile or adding any unnecessary weight. There's also a subtle, ripe sourness within, which seems slightly animalic and more than just the fruity tartness of the peach note.

Superstitious project moderately during the first 3 hours on me, then becomes a diaphanous skin scent. The longevity is close to 11 hours.

With its larger-than-life aldehyde opening, Superstitious can easily make minds recall those classic aldehydic floral. However, with its cold, piercing metallic twang and the surprisingly transparent dry down, Superstitious feels ultimately modern and edgy. I'd definitely recommend giving it a try, especially to those who'd like to explore aldehydic floral with a modern twist.

Somewhere between Arpège (jasmin aldheyde)and Nahéma (fresh rose and peach) but with more civet in the base (or something close to an animalic musk). Gorgeous if you know what classical (french) perfumery means, horrible if you consider La Vie est Belle and other syrups as perfumes.

A floral aldehyde , right up my alley , but why does fragrantica always fail to list aldehyde in all the FM florals. I don't understand. Notes here are wrong again.
Regardless I will purchase this as soon as it comes out !

Great! The notes have been corrected :). Thank you !

looking forward to this for sure, but not coming to the US until March, 2017

This comes out of love for Alber Elbaz... I hope it's great

Can't go wrong with such a great nose as Dominique Ropion! Genius perfumer!