Lauren by Ralph Lauren

Lauren was the first Ralph Lauren fragrance for women. It dates back to 1978 but still has not lost its romantic and elegant woman panache. Unlike its floral-based peers, Lauren’s unusual combination of old fashion florals creates a wondrous cloud of refreshing bouquet. Intoxicating and truly enchanting, this scent is certain to draw compliments. It’s classy and very un-unisex, a common theme on most fragrances today.

The notes are composed of marigold, rosewood, pineapple, rose, lilac, violet, jasmine and lily of the valley with cedarwood, vetiver and carnation. All ingredients speak femininity. It’s intense, timeless and simply incomparable to contemporary women’s fragrances. It belongs to the past. The scent evokes memories of old-fashioned charm. It’s reminiscent of one’s youth, the comforting and uncomplicated ambiance of the ’80s.

Over the years, Lauren Perfume has undergone tweaking and reformulating. For those who knew the perfume well, they can easily the discern the difference. Lauren now is more subdued, weaker than the original but still has that distinct classic Lauren style.

According to one perfume enthusiast from basenotes.com, “If I were sent away and told that I could bring only one fragrance, I would bring Lauren. It is timeless, both clean and fresh enough for day wear, and sensual enough for evening. It has excellent staying power and implores your nose to sniff deeper, taking in all the complexities and details not found in its peers.”

Another perfumista who prefers the original formulation over the new one says, “It is quite representive of the later 1970’s when designer fashion really took hold amongst the masses! To this day I enjoy revisiting this scent. It ‘wakes me up’ and refreshes! I also love the bottle! (I must add, the newer reformulated juice is nowhere near the quality of the original – snag a vintage bottle, if you can!)”

Lauren takes us back to the time when scents are gender descriptive. A feminine perfume projects femininity and a man’s perfume conveys virility.  If you want to savor the beauty of the earlier Ralph Lauren fragrances, you may want to start with the classics and see how it differs from the new fragrances today.