L'Air du Temps
Nina Ricci (1948)

I wanted to try this as I really love carnation as a note.
I initially thought a bottle which was turned. I bought a second bottle which also was turned. I was starting to think this was one of those fragrances that did not stand the test of time. Luckily the bottles were cheap and I had no issue chucking them. I finally stumbled on a bottle that was part of a cheap lot. This one was in great shape.

I was oooh! I can't wait to try it. All that time and effort for meh..it is sweet, floral and the carnation I was anticipating was insipid. It does not last a lick either. What a disappointment! I stumbled on the white can of modern at a CVS that was on clearance for 10.00. This is one of those instances where I like the modern way better than the vintage. The carnation is still on the odd side, but the aldehyde burst initially makes it worthwhile. The modern is not as complex as the descriptions of the vintage. It is a nice dainty fem fragrance with pretty non-descriptive florals and a pleasant aldehyde blast.

L'Air du Temps is a baroque type of lightness, its aldehydes bubble and twinkle among the gentle lilt of citrus and peach, with its centerpiece, the pepper-clove carnation, the flesh of its body, light and lively. I do wish I still smelled something like this in today's ether, as nowadays such a bouquet would be deemed too stuffy and austere, and certainly not sweet enough. I'd take an enchanted garden incarnate over a walking snack any day.

Cool green cutting through creamy, canorous florals, woods and spices, this atmosphere grows into a softer, elegant powder over time. It recalls one of my mother's favorites when I was younger, Windsong, and naturally that brings forth fond memories; it would be worth comparing the two. This reminds me of innocence and wonder, nurturing and care. I suppose that can't be a bad thing at all, especially when the drudgery of adulthood often leaves little room to be inspired.

Color me inspired by one of the least likely of classic perfumes.

We had all kinds of virile leather chypres flying back and forth in the 1940's, giving women some serious growl in their wardrobes, but for all the proper ladies not ready to crack the whip, there was Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps (1948). The story behind the fragrance is rather interesting. Robert Ricci helped conceive this perfume with famed perfumer Francis Fabron because he loved perfume and wanted his mother's house to branch into perfumery. The original presentation (mimicked in current bottles) was designed by René Lalique of house Lalique fame from their special lead crystal, and the dove adorning the cap was meant to symbolize a post-WWII peace. L'Air du Temps or "The Air of Time" is a pretty standard white floral by modern definition but in 1948 was a rather breathtakingly fresh accord, with almost two dozen notes wafting in light mellifluous manner over a soft musk base, in polar opposition to heavy orientals and bitter chypres of the time.

Bergamot and peach lactonic notes lead into orange blossom and centerfolia rose right from the start, but the white and delicate floral balance of L'Air du Temps shifts towards muguet, ylang-ylang, orchid, and gardenia rather quickly. The heart of these flowers remains the bulk of the accord for the longest duration but clove and orris eventually creep in to add some soapy tones to the overall feel. The base is a clean musk and oakmoss flanked with a dry vetiver and warm amber, with crisp woody tones and a tiny speck of benzoin for just a bit more gravity than the musk alone can provide. L'Air du Temps is meticulously-crafted to be optimistic, friendly, and fairly devoid of any overt sexual tones. This is the perfume many often gave to their daughters as their first, and houses like Avon and Coty copied this ad nauseam through into the 70's when greener florals became more fashionable.

Wearing L'Air du Temps is pretty easy even so many years beyond its release even if it does feel a bit traditional compared to modern takes on the white floral style. The biggest giveaway of L'Air du Temps' antiquity is really the lack of fruity sweetness or white patchouli in the base, instead opting for a near-chypre sharpness that will rub some younger noses the wrong way, but overall it still retains a timeless quality. Casual day use is my recommendation and this one is staunchly feminine enough that only the most dandy of CIS men will go near it, but that's okay because not everything can be worn by everyone. Nina Ricci has had many perfumes come and go but clearly "The Air of Time" endures, although I do think the accord has become common enough not to really feel special anymore. Sampling should be easy as this ends up in most perfume shops over the globe, and there isn't enough differences between concentrations or vintages to make a fuss about it. Thumbs up!

I own an amphora Lalique bottle from the 80's (I think, if anybody knows how to date L'Air du Temps, please contact me). The fragrance is soft and light floral, with a soapy side. It went through time pretty well. I could smell older versions which were very bitter.

I love this, for nostalgic reasons. I also happen to think this is very beautiful, in an old-fashioned way. Crisp, champagne-like opening. Notes of bergamot, peach, neroli, and carnation. The latter not too bitter. The middle is well-mixed. So much so, it is hard for me to pick out more individual notes. Jasmine, rose, and clove stand out the most. The base is blended well, too.

L'air du Temps is one of those classic perfumes that may be out of style but, will always have a place on my bedroom "dresser". It is a reminder of my youth - simpler, happier times.

I get lily and clove, but I definitely think this suffered a vast thinning from reformulation over time. I got a sample vial to remember what it smelled like, as I remember smelling it in magazine strips back in the early 90s. I remember it smelling bigger, but not near the 80s powerhouse level. It's nice but seems like a ghost of it's former self.