Silences by Gerard Goupy and Jean-Claude Niel for Jacomo 1978

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Hi Ho Fellow Funies,

My mate Dionne from BOTOblog sent me a frag. care package recently. I have often wondered about a fragrance that many bloggers name as their go to green and when offered a sample I jumped at the chance.

Silences by Jacomo 1978

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom, galbanum, bergamot, lemon, green notes, cassia
Heart: Iris, jasmine, narcissus, hyacinth, rose, lily-of-the-valley
Base: Vetiver, musk, sandalwood, oakmoss, cedar, ambrette (musk mallow).

WOW! So this is nothing like the notes had me expecting, I had something deeply seductive in my mind but here I get a bitter sweet greenness, a bell pepper-ish green where I can’t find the berries or orange blossom. Once the flowers float in I find the fragrance loses about 2/3 of its power and sits very prettily, powdery and still a little green. A cool, waxy bouquet that makes CHANEL 19 look like an eager gauche slapper it is so restrained.

The name is completely indicative of the fragrance, it’s like I have been allowed a moment to breathe the cool air of memory, the spaces in between the notes and the heartbeats between coming and gone. I read mainly earthy, slightly salty vetiver towards the 3 hour point, it is soft and the fragrance still scintillates on my skin with florals floating over and woodsy musks just out of smellovision holding the whole fragrance up. For some reason I had in my head a sister to Nikki de Saint Phalle that other green goddess that I love but it is way more CHANEL 19 but softer, easier to wear, more floral and sweet, not nearly as up front about its coolness. Though my Chanel 19 is a vintage parfum and I am presuming the Silences is more modern so apples and oranges.

Photo Stolen guerlain.pl

It’s now the morning after wearing Silences for the 3rd time and I am still fragrant. I think the vetiver, hyacinth and galbanum are still pumping their song, it is an awkward salty green that is a bit naughty but that could just be me. CHANEL 19 has completely left my skin though and it was sprayed nearly an hour after for comparison.

What a marvelous warm rainy weather pick this has been, it fits perfectly with time and place and at these ridiculous prices is going on the must have list. Thanks Dionne for an affordable lemming. XXXOX

Photo Stolen desertsojourn

For more reviews see TheNonBlonde and PerfumeShrine

FragranceShop has 100ml PdT for $25
SurrenderToChance starts at $3/ml

Do you ever crave the clear green spaces of silence, or Silences? Is there another green that floats your boat?

Hope to see you happy and well tomorrow, till then take a moment to be silent.
Portia xx

Silence — Sarah McLachlan

21 thoughts on “Silences by Gerard Goupy and Jean-Claude Niel for Jacomo 1978”

  1. “Clear green spaces of silence” is such a great description, and it’s what I wanted with Silences. But it’s too harsh on my skin. I can’t ever ignore it, and that doesn’t work for me when the notes are as sharp as these are. I’m glad you had the chance to try it, though, and that it worked for you!

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  2. I love this one… almost as much as I love Chanel No. 19. Silences is green on me without that steely, queen be-yotch vibe I get from 19. When I wear 19 I feel as if I could conquer the world. With Silences I feel like I’m part of it.

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  3. Prada infusion vetiver is an amazing zingy green that I love to sprits when I have to get up at 5 am to teach classes , it’s very bitter and I love how it really sharpens my awareness when I’m still half asleep ! I get a lot of compliments on it as I has this sharp crushed bush leaf vibe to it , I found it at a discount chemist for $50 so I bought 3 bottles of it , and the falcon is so Devine !
    I have never heard of silence , I love the ad u posted , very blonde ambition !

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  4. Wheee, I’m a mate! (I love Aussie slang.)

    As you know, Silences is part of my trifecta of green, along with Heure Exquise and Bel Respiro. When I first tried it, that first bitter half hour was something I respected more than loved, it was the heart of the scent I fell head over heels for. Only with repeated wearings did that marvellously dry beginning work its way into my affections. Silences is like the ultimate air conditioning packaged in a really great bottle.

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  5. Chanel No 19 and DSH Vert pour Madame are my ultimate green scents. But I liked Silences when I tried it and I plan to add a bottle to my collection – just to have it.

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  6. Vero Profumo Mito is my favorite green. I should admit I’ve not tried many others, but I suspect this shall be at the top of my list for a loooong time regardless!

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  7. Silences is one of those rare wonders that epitomise a genre – flawlessly. I began my perilous descent into the perfumed maelstrom with green floral chypres, the chillier and more intimidating, the better! 😉 So when I discovered PerfumeShrine’s review of it a few years ago – somehow, I’d managed to pass over this one – it stopped me, well…cold? I wasted no time in locating a bottle for cheap (and a pre-reformulation, no less) and even less in wishing it for my birthday. It blew me away. It’s the closest thing to bottled air conditioning I know. Now, that bottle is cherished and adored. Although I don’t usually wear it in November! 😉 If you like Silences, green chypres or Vent Vert in any version, you simply…Must. Try. Vert. pour. Madame. It is as soft as kitten fur and as green as spring leaves, and as perfect as only warm spring days can be! xo

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