Parfum de Peau

Wearing 10 sprays of this on my last day at this nightmare of a restaurant job, sayonara hoez

Parfum de Peau Claude Montana's Skin Perfume is another bête fauve from the untamed 1980s, ...the kind that has been largely driven to extinction. The notes are difficult to decipher, ...but a brightly green rose-patchouli laid upon a bed of leather, and then overdosed with such dramatic pungencies as marigold (Tagetes) and black currant sounds like a reasonable approximation. In general terms, it is similar to Ungaro's Diva, though more herbal and slightly sharper in pitch. A scent like this is still most definitely worth exploring, a sit can serve as either (or both) a ticket to a mad party and/or a map to a lost world. ...Perhaps, with some luck, even as the key to a locked treasure chest.

At first it's very strong and gaudy, old lady like. I smell leather more than any of the other notes. It's even a little sour. The more I smell it, I think it reminds me of my grandma who did not smell good at all. I used about two drops and it's pretty overpowering, so at least if you actually like this fragrance, a little goes a long way. I have a small vintage bottle, so that might affect the smell, but it's never been used before me so it's been curing for a couple decades.

I'm not very fond of this kind of smell, in today's perpective it translates to something old and forgotten. The most noticeable note on my skin is the inciense, which gives a prominent weight and character. It's still a very natural scent, but hides something obscure in it that I don't enjoy at all, prime suspect being the unusual leather and spicy combo. I understand people liking it thought, it has something calling in a very specific kind of way and feels special and powerfull.

When I smell this one one ,"neon-chypre" is what comes to my mind to describe this creation in one word. I can totally see Parfum de Peau worn by someone on a 1980ies disco dancefloor. The fragrance and the bottle design are somehow bizarre and iconic at the same. Smellwise and from the looks of it I would say this is one of my most unusual ones. The perfume is quite intense, with the strength of a 80ies perfume without the heavy sweetness, spice or density. It has a strong projection and lasts forever on my skin. With it's almost squeaky character, this composition will definitely get you attention, it can charm or choke your surroundings depending on the amount of sprays you use. At the right dose it's an inviting, bright, flamboyant and playfully animalic one. An exciting game of indolics vs subtle leathery, ambery oriental notes without heavy spice. I recommend this beauty to collectors that want a more femme but just as bold counterpart to Kouros, or those looking for something Bal à Versailles without the sweetness of it . While this ofcourse does not smell like the ones mentioned, it hits close to home if you love this vibe. The first version is hard to find and sold rather expensive. In my opinion the new version still has more than enough beast to thrill, there are a few subtle differences between old and new, but they kept the spirit of the original alive in the reformulation. I would say I enjoy both.

For those calling this a chypre, not sure this qualifies as it contains no oak moss. I think that’s why the site’s description calls it a Leather. Although newer perfumes in the category may substitute some of the traditional 5 categories for other ingredients (like plum instead of citrus), oak mos is pretty key in the chypre composition.

"A fragrant whisper of passionate, pure femininity. From the satiny spirals of the bottle, a luxurious and magical universe unfolds, an intimate and sensual fragrance created by the designer like a dress, designed to blend seamlessly with the skin & the body. The fresh and fruity notes of ginger, birch and vetiver unfold, revealing warm nuances of musk, amber & leather. Parfum de Peau belongs entirely to the woman who wears it." Translated from a 80's italian ad! 🇮🇹 I absolutely adore this perfume. It smells like a catholic cardinal spilt a glass of fruity liqour on a leather couch, then sat in the puddle. His frankincense drenched robes & his warm butt activated the fragrant aroma! I mean this in the best way possible!

(Review of an early 1990s EdT) Parfum de Peau, the Perfume of Skin, is lewd. There is a carnal, red-blooded body heat to this that will make you fan your collar. This skin that touches you has plans best left to total privacy. The opening may not fully reveal intentions as it is a pretty standard handshake and hello from the beauty in front of you. A big swirl of sparkling aldehydes, bitter and citrusy bergamot, silky peaches, watery-waxy blackcurrants and plums are natural accents to a jammy rose accord that itself is readily apparent. Spicy peppercorn is the key part here, giving an electric tingle to this handshake and introduction. Then comes the florals. This part of PdP gives me chills. It’s hair raising. The rose in this section makes it quite clear it wants you… big time. The red rose is peppery, woody, earthy, succulent fruity, and luscious to an impossible degree. The accents to this accord provide the glint to the eyes, the corners of a sultry smile, the stiffened neck and shoulders, and the warm breath on your ear. Indolic jasmine keeps the rose from going too deep and jammy, carnation adds to the fleshy density with creamy warmth, ylang-ylang the powdery exoticism of skin on skin contact, and a musky leather and civet combo that is animalic and salty and just on the right side of filth… but only barely. The amber dry down is a post-coital nestle and a cigarette. Warm beige sandalwood, gently smokey-resinous and green frankincense of which the latter descriptor is helped along by a green woody vetiver, with plenty of damp, warm and slightly dirty breath from oakmoss and civet still lingering. The dry down is the primary focus of PdP, suggesting the afterglow is the best part that should be relished for as long as possible. A notable difference between PdP and others in this vein is how quietly it wants its lascivious mood to be relayed. Unlike many other floral chypres of the era PdP will not fill the hotel room and the hallway with its carnal moans and groans, rather it wants to keep them firmly in your ear for you and only you to hear, which means that one could - in theory - wear this to the office or to informal and/or non-romantic outings but should someone get close enough to you they will probably greatly question your plutonic intentions. Parfum de Peau is a masterpiece, a brilliantly composed floral chypre capable of eliciting some of the most primal reactions. Stunning.

Verso la fine degli anni 80 ricordo che lo andavo a provare in profumeria abbastanza frequentemente. Ero molto incuriosito e anche indoeciso. L'odore era calmo e accattivante,ricordava la camomilla. Non c'erano spine, spigoli,note aggressive ne odori di pipì,ne bestiame,ne cuoio come usa oggi 8che ricorda gli stivali di pelle usati). Era un profumo dolce,in qualche modo simile a La nuit di paco rabanne,ma più docile. Fumoso,nebbioso,intrigante proprio perchè non si rivela chiaramente ma resta ambiguo e sfuggente. La versione dopo riformulazione non la conosco ma a quanto leggo,deve essere agressiva e sintetica un po come tutti i classici distrutti.

Gorgeous herbal aromatic chypre, not unlike Aromatics Elixir. Maybe it's the chamomile note? Shocked to see no oakmoss in this note pyramid. Opening is disturbingly and hilariously (as Eau de Forklift said below) harsh. To me it's reminiscent of cat piss; ammonia in a perfumed litter box. I wish my brain didn't make that connection. Despite that, the dry down is lovely, happy to have this in my collection. And the bottle is fab. Actually the dry down smells exactly like a jasmine scented incense stick at a witchy crystal store, the kind that sells archangels and tarot cards.

Parfum de Peau is often described as a chypre, yet to my nose it clearly is not a classical one. What I experience is rather a leathered floral, deeply animalic, almost brutal in its expression. It creates a disturbing sensation of second skin, something I have very rarely encountered in perfumery. I own vintage miniatures from the 1980s, and I can confidently say that my nose had never perceived such a construction before. There is an unmistakable tension between leather, flowers, animal warmth and bare skin. This is not a fragrance of seduction; it confronts rather than charms. I am not sure I am yet olfactorily mature enough to fully understand what happens between this scent and my mind. Still, I do not reject it - on the contrary, I respect it. Discovering a perfume that destabilizes me so profoundly feels, in itself, wonderful.

The first female scent I ever tried for myself. After a few wears, it became my signature and made me all-too-open to trying feminine fragrances. It's a masterpiece. I've gone through at least four bottles. I wouldn't call it masculine-leaning, but it's hardly feminine. On a bad day, you might find yourself smelling like celery. Fizzy, bright, and hilariously harsh green top that mellows with florals that smell less floral than they seem to sweetly coalesce with the green notes, while providing a ladder for the smoky, animalic, resinous base in the dry down. You'll go to bed feeling cozy and carnal all at once, awash in a perfectly balanced haze of amber and incense. The evolution is incredible. The longevity is fantastic. Unexpected compliments. A favorite of huggers. My mother has threatened to get it for her husband. I understand what people find confrontational about it, but there's also something confrontational about an open mouth kiss from a gorgeous woman pressing you against a car outside a party. I'm not on the waiting list to cry about it and I feel bad for anyone who is. This could easily be released as a niche unisex today, but it would also be less interesting and less daring. It's sexy, it's serious, it's faceted like a diamond and spooky as an opal. It's also frequently at discounters and generally pretty affordable even when it isn't on discount. The atomizer is the most reliable I've ever touched and the sprays are fat, wet, and pillowy like a good set of lips. I can't wait to try Peau Intense.

The gasoline monster would be a better name for it. It smells exactly like how I imagine villains in old castles. There’s nothing alive in this perfume: no flowers, plants, or fruits just burnt rubber and old books. (As a niche fragrance, it would probably be popular as a weird temple scent.) Still, I like it but I don’t really know where to wear it, it needs a main-character mood and the confidence of a Disney villain. If you have an annoying coworker, this is the perfect choice, especially if you overspray. Hehehe.

One of those scents thar remind us what a perfume is.

Parfum de Peau is possibly the biggest and wildest of the 80s chypres. It’s got a buzzing golden core of animalic skankiness blended with bitter herbs (marigold, patchouli), which I find utterly glorious – and a huge, tacky, unbelievably purple grape-kool-aid note, which I find almost intolerable. Too good to dismiss; too loud to wear. Do you remember the old Babysitters Club books? Remember Claudia Kishi, the “artsy one”, with the creative fashion sense and terrible spelling and outsized personality? Kind of the poster girl for undiagnosed ADHD, except it was the 80s so they wouldn’t put it that way? Well, when she grew up, Claudia probably wore Parfum de Peau.

Truly dirty and dry until the jasmine sweeps along and cleans it all up... kind of reminds me of cacharel eden in that wet rainforest way

Found a miniature of this wonder in a french yard sell, such a summary of the 80', it smells like a cognac drinking grand ma to me, it's mellow in it's very own way. The smell has a long lasting and is aptly named cause feels like a second skin. The montana's typical botteling is a real pleasure, specially the miniature which is a treasure of design for every botteling enthusiasts and more!

I thought I would love that one ,but it's not strong (it's the EDT) and it reminds me of the Indra by Ulric de Varens ,one that you can find in French supermarket .They are so similar to me .I'm not impressed.

Maybe it's a defect of my nose but i smell nothing at all. I sprayed 13 big sprays but still nothing to smell. I have the newest version so with nowadays strength below body mist it's a disappointment. I would like to try the vintage version maybe that one will work for me but the current version is not worth buying unless you have a very sensitive nose and smell. For me in the selling bin right away. 😞

my moms favourite perfume

This perfume is truly a beast in every sense of the word! Lasts up to 15hrs on my skin, And projects almost the entire time. One of the strongest perfumes I’ve ever used. To me, This doesn’t really come across as a Chypre, It’s more Oriental. Lots of Amber, Spice, And super Animalic, Strong Civet note, Maybe Castoreum as well. Think Chanel Coco with the Clove and Rose toned way down, And Animal notes turned up to 100. Not sure what formulation my bottle is, But the notes listed on this page are definitely not it. This fragrance will be too much for many people, But I love it, It’s rich, Opulent, And sexual.

I have a Prestige version of this intriguing fragrance. Once the top notes dissipate and I come up for air, the rest of it is so incredibly gorgeous. I'm thinking that my bottle does not have the civet note because if it did I would be sick! I hate, and I mean hate, anything animalic except one that has four legs, a tail and fur! I need to spray some more to see if this is truly as gorgeous as I am believing it is! WOW!!! I gave this away to a dear perfume friend who adores "skank"....

J'ai mis des années à l'apprivoiser.... Mon Dieu que cela a été long.... Mais désormais sur ma peau de "vieille" ;o))) il fait mère vieille heuheuheuheu pardon : merveille..... Un rendu "chypre" sur ma peau magnifique ! Somptueux ! Elégant..... J'adore m'habiller et sortir avec lui sur la peau autant en hiver qu'au printemps et même en automne... Par contre en été je n'ai pas essayé et j'ai peur d'être déçue.... J'ai peur qu'avec les fortes chaleurs, il tourne ! Et j'ai horreur des parfums qui tournent à cause de ma peau transpirante... Ca m'est arrivé plusieurs fois et je le crains mais énorme quoi !

Parfum de peau...when I used to wear this fragrance the name actually was Montana, long time ago. She was as the sexiest, perfume,ever had. The leather,a little bit Bandit style, made me feel a sort of sex bomb😂 I was twenty years old😀 The actual version is not the same not so strong, not so rich but is still a very interesting perfume. Maybe ,not for daily use, but for some special time can be a good and very original choice.

This is west end girls, leg warmers, off the shoulder cut sweatshirt, broken in leather in a carpeted wood paneled basement with Human League blasting from a boom box. Teal and fuschia aquanet bottle on the floor. This scent so brings me back to a time period I thought I’d forgotten. I’ve smelled this before as a child. Someone I was quite familiar with wore this because with one sniff I was instantly transported to the ‘80s. This is a really unique scent. It smells like a softened Bandit by Robert Piguet. I definitely get the leather amber base but the spicy dark berry opening with crushed marigolds and the patchouli rose base make this unique and alluring. Every time I sniff I get something different, and tbh some sniffs I abhor and other sniffs are divine…I never know which one I’ll get, but I keep coming back for more. This is a keeper - I’ll keep playing with it to see what it goes best with but all in all this is a sexy elusive little number. **Cues the ‘80s New Wave**

I only have this in the current formulation but it really reminds me of Estée Lauder’s Knowing (also in current formulation). I’m actually a big fan, though I see others lamenting the loss of the vintage version. But I must say this version is very lovely to my nose and I have very few complaints. This is an 80s gem to me, I get all the animality, power and raunch of that decade and definitely takes me back in time. Not for everyone but neither should it be.

This smells like Animale mixed with Kouros. I can’t believe amber is voted so high, this smells very aromatic. I definitely get the ginger but it comes across as herby. I was hoping it’d be different, darker.

Sour animal hide. Bitter marigold, sour ginger and berries, gamie animal hide.

This is just a fabulous, sophisticated, ingenious creation in a bottle. Sparkly notes on top of sophisticated, light leather. When I was a teenager in the 80s I had two favourite designers, Gianni Versace, who needs no introduction and my very favourite, Claude Montana, whose architectural clothes on the pages of Vogue opened a window into the mysterious world of Parisian haute couture and left a lasting impression on a young teenager in a small town in the Finnish countryside dreaming of becoming a fashion designer. I remember I liked the perfume already then when it first came out in the late 80s, sampling it at the perfume counter of the local beauty shop. Reminiscing back now decades, and much life, later I recently got the new issue which is such a wearable, ambery, leathery, brightly floral that smooths down to a simply beautiful sophisticated caressing scent, right in every occasion and every weather. The bottle is a tactile delight - I can’t believe it took me this long to reacquaint myself with the delight that is Montana Parfum de Peau. If you don’t know it yet, you should. I don’t understand some of the reviews below - maybe this is one of these works with certain body chemistries only scents (I do well with dirty beasts but this, for me, is LIGHT). EDIT: I also got the later issued Peau Intense which is supposed to be more like the original (which I sadly don’t have at hand). The Peau Intense is, however, nowhere near as good as the current Peau. Somehow the nuances get buried in that issue

One of the most characteristic and charismatic perfumes I have ever used, very artistic, very femme fatale, a seductive fata morgana that rises from the magic lamp when you brush, sorry, spray the bottle. Arises with all its attraction above the surface like a sexy but dangerous nymph upheaving out of the mystic river Styx. Actually when you take a look at the ingredient list above, one would think "yeeayyy that's a fruity floral girly coctail" but it's not, it's 80s fellas, and all the women perfumes in 80s opened with a deep, thick, wall to wall covered Ambregris accord (mostly the molecule called Animalis Hypo) and this here is no exception, dusty,ambery animalic, powdery and hypnotic, I can only recommend, that you would need to train your nose to the 80s femme fatale classics (Ungaro Diva, Givenchy Ysatis, Lancome Magie Noir, Estee Lauder Knowing) before you take a try on this