The 5 Plum Perfumes You Should be Wearing + Plum Crazy Draw

Plum Tree by Gail

Dateline – Harvest time 2018:  Plums, plums everywhere! The old plum tree in our mini orchard has delivered a bumper crop of excellent quality fruit. I have finally finished picking and processing the last of the lot.  One would think that, after compulsively washing and polishing the dusty blue bloom off of over 2,000 dark purple plums, I would be tired of the smell and taste of stone fruit. But strangely I find myself craving even more of the succulent, sweet and fragrant flesh. In fact, the scent of plums is driving me "plum crazy"! I must have more. And where else to find a treasure trove of plum smells than in my own stash of  plum perfumes!

Gail's Vintage Rochas Femme© collection

These days it seems there are incalculably more plum perfumes than there ever were plums on the old plum tree. In my large collection I have an uncounted number, but only a handful stand out from the crowd. The most memorable, without a doubt, is the original Rochas Femme, the masterpiece of "prunalic" delight that launched my obsession with plum perfumes. In 1943/44,  Edmond Roudnitska, the most brilliant perfumer of the 20th century, created, for Marcel Rochas’ third wife Hélène, the now legendary fragrance, Rochas Femme. Edmond Roudnitska, inspired by one of the most notorious and powerful femme fatales of the silver screen, Mae West, used Prunol for the peachy sugarplum, laced the blousy plum with a tang of lemon, lifted her with aldehyldes and fortified everything with dusty immortelle. But the master did not stop with this one gorgeous Femme.

Edmond Roudntiska and Therese Roudnitska via Michel Roudnistka

Over a period of several decades he developed a very personal fragrance for his wife, Therese, a perfume simply called "The Plum", which she worre to the Dior office. What we know today as Frederic Malle  Le Parfum de Therese was a scent that was, for years, worn, exclusively by the perfumer's wife. Le Parfum de Therese was finally revealed to the public by Frederic Malle in 1999, three years after Edmond Roudnitska's passing. For more about Le Parfum de Therese, I know you will enjoy reading Edmond Roudnitska's son Michel Roudnitsak's "The History of Le Parfum de Therese" on Cafleurebon.

Michelyn's Shiseido Feminite du Bois 1992

From Femme to Féminité, Christopher Sheldrake, in collaboration with Pierre Bourdon (Edmond Roudnitska's student), offered the world a ground- breaking, fragrant take on raw sexuality – the 1992 Shiseido Féminité du Bois.  The first time I encountered this juicy, sweaty, woody, peachy plum I was taken aback by the dirty effect of the cumin, but soon came to love it! The original Shiseido Féminité du Bois was one of my favorite plum perfumes for many years.

In 2011, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz introduced her own plummy masterwork – Mirabella.  Of all the varieties of edible plums, the small, round yellow skinned French Mirabella is probably the most fragrant. Dawn, working with a breathtaking botanical plum accord, honey, beeswax, white flowers, osmanthus and civet (to name but a few of the luscious notes) created a perfume that references the true Mirabella scent and, like Féminité du Bois, evokes extreme sensuality and an almost tactile presence, a plum perfume that you can taste and feel on your skin.

Gail's collection of  Dior Hypnotic Poison©

As much as I adore Vinatge Rochas Femme, Le Parfum de Therese,  and Féminité du Bois,I find that the unavailability, scarcity, and/or expense of these plum perfumes preclude everyday wear. When I am driven "plum crazy", Dior Hypnotic Poison and DSH Perfumes are my plum perfumesof choice. Created in 1998 by Annick Menardo, Dior Hypnotic Poison has weathered at least two reformulations and is still very close to the same beauty she was 20 years ago.

Plums from Gail's Garden©

Despite the fact that plum notes are not listed as part of the current EdT, my vintage Hypnotic Poison (EdT) is among the plum perfumes I must pick to finish off the 2018 harvest season, a fragrance that reminds me of a pleasantly peculiar terroir that flavors everything in my garden. All the fruits, vegetables and even the maple syrup that we occasionally make from the sap of the Big Leaf maples on our property, have a distinctive, flowery, nectar-like foxiness that is, at once, ephemeral and earthy. I find this same effect in Dior Hypnotic Poison. Perhaps it is the peculiar combination of bitter almond, vanilla, caraway and jacaranda wood that makes vintage and modern Dior Hypnotic Poison so much fun to wear. Hypnotic Poison is a scent for every season and a powerful perfume that I love to apply with lavish, energetic and crazy abandon!

Disclaimer:  The plum perfumes referenced above have been – or still are – in my collection.  My opinions are my own.

Gail Gross – Senior Editor

Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

Editor’s Note: I adore plum perfumes. My first impression of DSH Perfumes Mirabella was Serge Luten's Feminitie du Bois's skin twin. Although there is no cedarwood in Mirabella, there are spices, plum, woods, bergamot, benzoin, and honey. Both are tributes to sensuality and to the quintessential beauty of a woman. Comparing fragrances is not my style; yet the resemblance on my skin is remarkable. –Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

Thanks to the generosity of Dawn Spencer Hurwitz we have a 10 ml voile de parfume pulse pen of DSH Perfumes Mirabella (90 percent botanical) for one registered reader worldwide. You must register here. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what appeals to you about  the plum perfumes Gail chose.  You can also tell us if there are plum perfumes that that drive you "plum crazy"! Draw closes 9/20/2018. Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebon @azarsmith7 and @dshperfumes.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS blog feed…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

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44 comments

  • Amy Leonhardt says:

    I loved reading about these different plum perfumes that stand out to Gail. I never thought of Hypnotic Poison as a plum scent, but I do like it. Right now, I am loving Blackbird’s Anemone.

  • Mirabella by DSH sounds like a fascinating perfume, the combination of honeyed mirabella plums, white flowers and civet must be heavenly. I love mirabella plums so I would be delighted to try it.

  • Richard Potter says:

    Oh, Gail, you must be plum crazy after processing 2K+ plums! I love the picture of your amazingly fertile plum tree. I hope to some day be able to try vintage Femme de Rochas.

    (Pause, to apply Féminité du Bois)

    Dawn’s take on Mirabelle sounds like Heaven. I would love to it. She is a genius. And you are a wonder (making your own maple syrup?!). USA

  • I’m a fan of Hypnotic Poison, love it. Also used to wear BBW Forever Midnight. It was a delicious cheapie. Love the pic of HP and all those plums, lol. USA

  • We had the most amazing stone fruit jam at a local restaurant and now I want to make a jelly-roll cake with plum filling!!!! Love honey, love plums and would very much like to try Mirabelle! Thank you for the drawing!

  • Monica Beaton says:

    I remember plucking the dusty blue fruit straight from the tree as a kid and sinking my teeth into the sun warmed silky luscious flesh. Hypnotic Poison is one of my current favourites (great photo!). Many thanks to Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and CaFleureBon for such a generous giveaway. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into Mirabella! Australia

  • I love plums, fresh, in jam, in tarts, in muffins, but I’ve never considered plum add a scent for perfume! They don’t smell as much as, say, ripe pears do, but I should look into these scents, esp hypnotic poison, as I fully remember poison original. Thank you, once again, CA Fleure Bon, at introducing me to something I hadn’t considered before! I don’t have a favorite plum perfume, so perhaps mirabelle is a possibility? Thank you for the draw, I’m in the us

  • I got really excited when I saw the title of this post! I love plum notes in perfume, especially in the fall and winter. Something about the jammy aspect it adds is such a comfort scent. Then I read about the 200 plums. Wow, Gail! You have been busy.

    I was unaware of the plum note in Parfum de Therese… I own a very small decant of this one, which I love, and will have to look for the plum note next time I wear it. Mirabella sounds delectable. I hadn’t heard of that one – it’s going on my try-list. Thank you for the great roundup of plum-centric perfumes! Ys Uzac Immortal Beloved has a plum note in it to me. It’s great in the fall as well. Thanks again!

  • Frederic Malle Le Parfum de Therese is my favorite. I also like Rochas Femme. However, I’ve not tried any of the others DSH sounds particularly intriguing with its plum and honey notes. I would love to try it….thanks for the draw.

  • My daughter and I made plum jam for the first time as we had a large crop. Looks like Gail had a good year in her garden as well. I love plums! I was a fan of prunes also before they got a bad rap and were renamed dried plums. I will wear Hypnotic Poison tomorrow, I didn’t realize it had a plum note. Interesting about Parfum de Therese, I really want to try that one now. This summer I discovered Tardes by Carner with a plum note, it’s quite good. Thanks for the chance. US.

  • I’m all for the lush ripe plums tempered with the darker more reinous notes. I do love fresh plums as well as hybrids such as pluots! I haven’t tried any of the perfumes listed, but Gail’s review made them all sound so appealing. I’m in the US

  • I’ve not tried many of the perfumes that Gail writes about but in my head and on my tongue i’m getting a lush, sweet, luscious honey. Couple this with white flowers and osmanthus, oh gosh Gail, i have to try this lovely scent from Dawn. All the pictures of Autumn jam are appearing in my news feed, and i cant eat anything with sugar in it at present, so i think i need to be able to wear Mirabella on my skin, please!
    I’m in the UK – and thanks for the draw. 🙂

  • Plum is so trendy now but unfortunately I did not try out those fragrances that Gail wrote about. DSH is my number one house and I am dreaming about trying all Dawn’s perfumes. Mirabelle sounds like the one I’ll surely adore because I am obsessed with honey and animalic Civet + Dawn’s perfumes always smell amazing and natural. Hopefully I’ll win because then I’ll finally find my favorite Plum scent. I’m in Germany, thanks for the draw

  • Great choice!!!
    Unfortunatly, I do not remember now how does smell Rochas Femme. But I liked it. I love Dior Hypnotic Posion.
    I like plum in Histoires de Parfumrs 1740 – plum, leather, immortalle.
    Armenia

  • Wow! So damned in love with Feminité du Bois! I own a vintage “idol” bottle.
    I also get a very beautiful plum note in Mon Parfum Cherie (par Camille), Annick Goutal.

    I live in Italy.
    Thanks for the draw!

  • Roger Engelhardt says:

    I have had the pleasure of sniffing Rochas Femme many years ago, Mom loved it, but not more than her Opium!!
    I almost bought Hypnotic Poison for a friend a few years back, I liked it, but it really was not her style.
    Not familiar with the others, must seek!
    As far as Dawn, there is nothing in perfumery that she cannot do!
    I’ll bet Mirabella rocks!!
    Great writing by Gail!!
    I am in the USA.

  • I simply adore the plum note in perfumes. One of my favourites plum, actually not exactly plum but more of a smoky prune, is from Puredistance M, a fantastic juice. I would love to try Mirabella, DSH perfumes are always unique and quality. Thanks for the chance.

  • I loved Gail’s personal tour through her own perfume collection, and her astonishingly productive trees – great pics, as well, thank you!
    Vintage Femme is my favorite of all the scents mentioned.
    I’d love to try Mirabella, I live in EU.

  • I love vintage Femme. I found an old bottle where the oak moss has deepened and the plum isn’t as strong, but it is still very sensuous. I have heard so many good things about Le Perfume de Therese. I’d love to try that, as well as Mirabella from DSH.
    I live in the USA.

  • I have never smelled Shiseido’s Feminite du Bois and I’m curious about the dry cumin and woods partnered with the juicy plum. I like the plum in Floriental by Comme des Garçon. Thank you for the draw.

  • Wow! Mirabella sounds absolutely fascinating! Have not tried many of the scents Gail mentioned but I do love Plum.
    Natori is a favorite.
    Thanks for the giveaway, I live in the U.S.

  • Lillyhollowayblog says:

    This is the perfect time of year for plum accords. I have fond memories of picking plums at my grandmother’s home to put up as jam.
    Anything from DHS is divine and I am certain Mirabella smells as good as Gail describes it. US resident.

  • middleagedandmixed says:

    Gail has reignited my interest in Dior’s Hypnotic Poison. I used to wear Poison so much in high school but haven’t really revisited since them. Recently, I’ve been discovering how many flankers have come out and have been interested in sampling them now with Hypnotic Poison high on my list. I love the scent of plums and would love to try Mirabella as well.

  • I have vintage Femme Rochas and don’t get plum. It is horrid to my nose! It smells like smells like aldehyde and stuffing, oakmoss, cumin. Most people I know get the stuffing/cumin vibe. Tom Ford Plum Japonais, Yves Rocher Ode a L’Amour. Natori Natori and Galimard Printemps Japonais are some plum faves.

  • I feel fortunate to have a bottle of vintage Femme and now I am inspired to wear it again as it has been ages. I just purchased a new bottle of Hypnotic Poison and it is indeed still quite good – but never thought of it as a plum fragrance – I will have to consider that next time I wear it. I would add SL Bois et Fruits and Natori to a favorite plum scents list. Tom Ford PB Plum Japonais is very similar to Bois et Fruits to my nose. I really want and need to explore DSH fragrances more thoroughly – I’ve barely scratched the surface. Mirabella sounds wonderful and I would love to try it.

  • I love Feminite du Bois (thankfully, I don’t detect any “dirty” notes), it’s sheer luxury to me. I also enjoy wearing vintage Femme, – a Roudnitska chypre is a must for a chypre lover such as I am) and the early batch of Hypnotic Poison (no love for the modern formula, sorry, Dior). There is also one of my biggest favourites where the plum note is beautiful albeit subtle: Chant d’Aromes.

    Mirabela sounds delightful, thank you for the chance to try it. I’m from Russia

  • I have always loved Hypnotic Poison. But for lots of plum notes, the original Poison has it all!

    I live in the USA.

  • I am a huge fan of Hypnotic Poison as well but my favorite plum perfumes would have to be either Boxeuses by Serge Lutens or Plum Japonais by Tom Ford. I’d love to try DSH Mirabella after reading Gail’s review. I’m in the U.S. thanks!

  • I loved the perfumes Gail has written about. Femme is an especially favorite of mine and I would love to try the Mirabella. Thank you for the draw. I’m in the US,

  • I’m sure Gail has very, very refined perfume-tаste.
    From this list I leke beautiful green-plumy Frederic Malle Le Parfum de Therese!!
    I would love to try the Mirabella.
    Armenia

  • I have many plum trees and love picking and eating them. I have wore the lovely vintage Femme but I never thought of it as a plum fragrance. I’m in the US and thank you for the drawing.

  • I dont have too many plum scents, but I wish I had more. It’s such a lovely fruit note since it’s quite dark. My favs are probably Plum Japonais and Nabeel’s Nasaem.
    im in the US thanks

  • I think these are all interesting choices – I wouldn’t have thought Poison would be too plummy.

    My fave hands down is the incredible Plum Japonais – nothing quite compares I think.

    I also had Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean for a while but ended up selling it. For me that plum note is the ‘perfume’ plum note and not at all like a real fruit or plum jam. I like it to be more realistic.

  • Thank you Gail for such a wonderful and personal article
    . It’s incredibly interesting to read about your personal preferences and very refined taste.
    I’ve been picking plums with my grandmother since I was a child and was always fascinated by the numerous types, or species, each with it’s distinct aroma and taste.
    I appreciate Dior’s Hypnotic Poison, but Tom Ford Plum Japonais is my favorite. Still haven’t sampled Black Tulip fron Shay & Blue which is supposed to have a noticeable plum note.
    Thank you for a wonderful review and a generous draw.
    Greetings from Romania !

  • Just dropping by to say I enjoyed the review! Please don’t enter me as I already own the beautiful DSH Mirabella.

  • Valentine Girl says:

    A perfumista friend of mine at work is plum note obsessed and just last week let me sample his new acquisition of Bond No. 9 Dubai – Garnet, which I ended up loving. Since I was just introduced to plum notes, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article about other plummy perfumes out there, and I am on a journey of discovery to try others. I would love to sniff Mirabella, as my only experience with these plums is drinking Alsatian Mirabelle eau de vie. Thanks for the draw and I live in USA.

  • Thank you, everyone, for your comments and for taking the time to enter the draw! I am so glad that you enjoyed the post and loved reading about YOUR favorite plums. Please check back at CaFleureBon for the winner of the gorgeous DSH Mirabella.