I'm sitting here smelling of oakmoss, amber and the 80s.
Like the decade that saw its launch, Turbulences by Revillon is a big, colorful pastiche, not necessarily in the best of taste, but warm, fun and more than a little sexy, as long as you don't mind some shoulder pads.
Revillon is an old (as in 1723) fur and fashion house that still exists, though I can't find any reliable information on their perfume franchise other than it dates back to 1934. Details on Turbulences (1981) vary widely from one website to another, though there seem to be a consensus between them and my nose that there's quite a bit of oakmoss involved. But Turbulences doesn't smell like a classic chypre. Yes, it's mossy and woody (sandalwood, I think, because of a certain creaminess), but it's also quite floral (carnation), sweet and dries down into an ambery powder richness that is just a bit over the top.
I've only tried Turbulences in extrait de parfum, which is deep and strong but doesn't project too much sillage. I'm not sure I would dare wear the PDT or EDT formulation for fear of Giorgioing my nearest and dearest. A couple of discreet dabs where it counts feel very nice, especially on a cool day. More than that and I'd be dating myself more than I care to do.
I have a bottle of the pure parfum that while not vintage, only lists water, alcohol and perfume as ingredients, which most likely means it has all the original oakmos. Surprisingly enough, it can still be found online for under ($25), though I can't guarantee what batch and formula you get from different websites. Since oakmoss-heavy perfumes are quickly disappearing, this is one of the easier ones to get. For now.
One little 1981 bonus- Two of the biggest icons of that year (and decade) on covers of British and American Vogue:
Ads for Turbulences by Revillon: okadi.com
Like the decade that saw its launch, Turbulences by Revillon is a big, colorful pastiche, not necessarily in the best of taste, but warm, fun and more than a little sexy, as long as you don't mind some shoulder pads.
Revillon is an old (as in 1723) fur and fashion house that still exists, though I can't find any reliable information on their perfume franchise other than it dates back to 1934. Details on Turbulences (1981) vary widely from one website to another, though there seem to be a consensus between them and my nose that there's quite a bit of oakmoss involved. But Turbulences doesn't smell like a classic chypre. Yes, it's mossy and woody (sandalwood, I think, because of a certain creaminess), but it's also quite floral (carnation), sweet and dries down into an ambery powder richness that is just a bit over the top.
I've only tried Turbulences in extrait de parfum, which is deep and strong but doesn't project too much sillage. I'm not sure I would dare wear the PDT or EDT formulation for fear of Giorgioing my nearest and dearest. A couple of discreet dabs where it counts feel very nice, especially on a cool day. More than that and I'd be dating myself more than I care to do.
I have a bottle of the pure parfum that while not vintage, only lists water, alcohol and perfume as ingredients, which most likely means it has all the original oakmos. Surprisingly enough, it can still be found online for under ($25), though I can't guarantee what batch and formula you get from different websites. Since oakmoss-heavy perfumes are quickly disappearing, this is one of the easier ones to get. For now.
One little 1981 bonus- Two of the biggest icons of that year (and decade) on covers of British and American Vogue:
Ads for Turbulences by Revillon: okadi.com
Now I've got my eye on a mini bottle going for £10 on ebay.uk. I love woody fragrances, and I love carnation, and I never seem to find the two together. I'd even be getting out of the style taboo of doing a trend twice, since back in the 80s I still thought there was no real difference between fragrances and 'designer impostors'.
ReplyDeleteThe strangest thing to me about those Vogue covers is how few cover lines they have; I've gotten used to seeing text all up and down the sides unless it's a special edition.
hey there, i just tried this a few days ago, too. in extrait, no less. i put it on next to guy laroche's j'ai ose in extrait to compare. they have similar dry downs on my skin.
ReplyDeletei'm not a big chypre or oakmoss person at all. recently, i've found i can enjoy it in extrait versions only. which is a relief, because i used to feel left out of the cool kids chypre party.