Fifi Chachnil ~ Fifi Chachnil
From the cutesy bottle right down to the juice inside, Fifi Chachnil embraces retro-chic glamour. It is the smell of the way the we look nowadays upon WWII-era pinups, casting our modern-day eyes at them and seeing a degree of innocence in images intended to be provocative at the time.
Fifi is the flirty little sister of Molinard’s much older Habanita. But where Habanita is a proper lady cracking a whip, Fifi is a dirty girl whipping a smile.
The fragrance has strong top notations of lemon zest, which shifts down into subtle spice from corriander and the tobacco base. Sweetly powdered rose forms the heart of Fifi, and it is this quality that really lends it a flirty retro flavor. The aforementioned tobacco at the base, as well as a wee intonation of leather, temper the sweetness, cutting into it an element of dangerless danger. I perceive it as a flash of thigh, if you will, from a pretty but ostensibly otherwise chaste little lady. The most subtle of musks is buried way, way down in the base as well, but it is nearly invisible.
I’m afraid Fifi is still just a hair too sweet for my taste. I have other powdered rose scents I prefer for myself, including Habanita. However, I feel this is one scent that should prove to be quite fun for folks to try. But do try before you buy.
Fifi was tricky to locate in the States for a while there, but luckily it’s now available for immediate purchase through Beautyhabit, and reservations are being taken for future shipment through Luckyscent and Luscious Cargo.
February 17th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
I’ve been curious about this one. The Lemon zest scares me. I don’t do lemon!
However, I liked Habanita..so..maybe :-)
February 17th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
L: You know, I don’t necessarily do lemon so well myself. However, this is definitely zest-like, which I find less acidic and less industrial-cleanser like than just plain old “lemon.” If that makes sense, anyhow?
February 17th, 2006 at 1:59 pm
“A dirty girl whipping a smile”- this is good!
I love Fifi. But I seem to have a much sweeter olfactory tooth than you, K., so I don’t perceive Fifi as a sweet scent at all :-)
February 17th, 2006 at 2:15 pm
M, yeah, your tastes do run a tad sweeter than mine, this is true. And honestly, if I didn’t already have powdery roses I already loved, I’d probably find Fifi much more compelling personally. But, as it is, it’s just one of those scents I’ll prefer to smell on others rather than myself.
February 17th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
I have always thought that it was too cute and too sweet for my tastes, although I admit that I need to revisit it again. Thank you for reviewing it!
February 17th, 2006 at 2:36 pm
V, I think you in particular will find it too sweet again upon revisitation. I do find it cute, though not TOO cute. It would be interesting to see what you think of it with a thorough testing.
February 17th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
I have a sample. Something has kept me from actually putting it on skin. Will have to do it soon. Wonder why all the US stores are getting it all at once, hasn’t it been around for years?
February 17th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
R, it has been around for years, but I think there was a couple reasons for the delay in reaching the States. One, no one here really knows Fifi Chachnil as a brand or anything, so I’m betting that interest wasn’t real high when it was first released. Two, I believe that there were some difficulties in importing it, though I’m unsure what the sourch of those difficulties were. You will have to try it sooner or later - it is a fun one. It’s just not “me” is all.
February 18th, 2006 at 1:59 pm
Sweet I can handle, but the tobacco scares me. I have gone back and forth on even wanting to try this now ..I can’t wait to try.
February 18th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
You know, V, if you were okay with the one in Velvet Rope, I’m guessing you’ll find this one all right, too?
February 19th, 2006 at 6:12 am
Dangerless danger…. I like that one. This sounds like a Swiss lady to me, you know: The famous Swiss banks and insurances making sure that we may go through danger without real danger…
February 19th, 2006 at 6:16 am
Everyone talked about it so I ordered it from Beauty Habit, I did have a sample from Paris, seems really neat and interesting, a little different,
February 19th, 2006 at 3:44 pm
Andy, hee - I never thought I’d see insurance brought up with regards to perfume, but there ya go!
Perfumegirl, you know, I did think this would be fun for some folks, and I’m glad it is for you. And it is neat - there’s something wonderfully chic about it.
February 25th, 2006 at 10:22 am
Ok, I have it in … errr … on my hot little hands. Wow it is so soft! I wasn’t expecting it to be so soft. You were right, since I don’t really get tobacco from Velvet Rope, I don’t get it here either. I like for sure, but do I love it? I may need a decant to find out. I’m thinking it may be slightly different sprayed on.
February 25th, 2006 at 11:15 am
I don’t think the tobacco will bug you when sprayed, either. That’s just a hunch, though.