Do you like leather perfumes?
Do you enjoy the slightly rough and tough image of many leather perfumes?
Which one is a must try in your opinion?
Which house does leather best?
What is your absolute favorite in this category?
My Answer:
I used to be afraid of leather, since I associate it with cars and cars used to make me motion sick, it is better since I drive myself, but still, the smell of cars (leather, plastic, exhaust fumes and gasoline) makes me cringe. But I managed to separate leather as a note from that unfortunate conglomerate and really enjoy it on perfume by now.
My favorites are Chanel Cuir de Russie, Cuir de Lancome for elegant floral leather compositions, Armani Privé Cuir Noir as an almost-gourmand leather, Bottega Veneta and Guerlain Cuir Beluga for their suede softness, and Guerlain Songe d’un Bois d’Eté for days when I feel brave and fearless, but not courageous enough for Mona di Orio Cuir.
What are your leather choices?
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I can choose only one?! Ok, well then its probably cuir de russie. BUT, Cuir ottoman and Cuir mauresque are close seconds. Does Daim blonde count as a leather or are we in suede territory with that one?
Daim Blond counts, suede is a kind of leather too, so we are being generous here. 😉
Also, I wanted to try this for ages and somehow it always escapes me, this fall I will finally get to know Daim Blond.
Be prepared for full bottle purchase 🙂
Oh no! Maybe I’ll delay for another year… 😉
I will second that about Daim Blond – ‘m on my second full bottle!!
I’ll also add Neela’s Mohur to the list. I wouldn’t call it a leather forward perfume, but it does have a nice leather note in its composition.
Daim Blond has many fans! Mohur is an interesting choice, I must concentrate on the leather note next time I wear it.
Hey Birgit,
So many great leather fragrances!
Full On: Lonestar Memories, Cuir Ottoman, Jackaroo, Knize Ten
Sensual: Bottega Veneta, Kelly Caleche
Surrounded: Shalimar, L’Eau Du Navigateur
These are just the ones I wear a lot.
Portia xx
Great ones indeed, Portia! Have a great week!
Thanks, I am just getting to the Leather part of Dior’s Eau Noire, so good! Sexy soft and supple. Mmmmmm
You too Birgit, an excellent week,
Portia xx
Portia, I am so jealous that you get leather from Eau Noire. I tried this and on me I just get immortelle and immortelle and more immortelle (it makes me hungry for pancakes!). I might have to give it another try though…
Hey Dunaiscents. I think my skin amps up the leather in everything, which is a plus because I LOVE leather.
Portia xx
Same here. Eau Noire is unfortunately all curry on me. 😦
Hmm, good question. The only leather I own a FB of is Cuir de Lancome, which probably tops my list. In general, I love smelling leather perfumes, but don’t often feel compelled to wear them.
I used to really like Cuir de Russie in edt, but a recent sample smells like they’ve amped the aldehydes and reduced the leathery (birch tar?) components since 2008…maybe my nose has changed, but it doesn’t smell leathery at all to me now. Maybe I should try the parfum?
Apart from that Cuir Ottoman and Armani’s Cuir (can’t remember the name) are both fantastic. And I didn’t realise Songe d’un Bois d’ete was a leather – now I’m curious to test it out…
Cuir de Lancome is the one I wear most often as well.
And yes, Songe is a leather scent, and a really powerful one too.
Lutens – Daim Blond, Tom Ford – Tuscan Leather, Chanel – Cuir de Russie – my top 3 which I simply adore 🙂 Mona di Orio’s Cuir in my opinion is great in its top notes but in half an hour it turns to be too masculine on my skin…I also do like Parfum d’Empire – Cuir Ottoman but I don’t feel comfortable to wear it myself…
And here comes Daim Blond again. I really need to try it soon. 🙂
Daim Blond is one of my favourite suede fragrances 🙂 I can’t imagine rainy autumn days without it – very comforting and elegant 🙂
Good morning on Monday. Today the new academic year begings and I’m going back to university.
I’m not a big fan of leather scents. I tried some but they usually didn’t work for me and especially duettes of leather and oud crash me totally.
But I’ve got this one favourite. Parfum d’Empire Cuir Ottoman, such great orrised leather that smells like a new pair of expensive shoes.
Have a good start back at University, Lucas!
Cuir Ottoman is a good, solid leather scent.
Oud AND leather is a bit much for me too. 🙂
Thank you!
I’m thinking about buying it or Eau de Gloire in late October or early November to wear it in winter.
Then I’ll be succesively buying more Pd’E.
I don’t have many leather scents. I like Lonestar Memories a lot. I am anosmic to Bottega Veneta. Can’t smell a thing with that one. The other leather I like is Whips and Roses.
How unfortunate you can’t smell Bottega Veneta. 😦
Your leather choices are excellent!
Hallo B. It’s sunny and hot now in Greece, where I am sending my 3 top leather perfumes from along with my wishes for the first of the month (pinch and a punch :-)); so, the winners are (in random order):
Dzing! L Artisan Parfumeur
Bvlgari Black
Traversee du Bosphore L Artisan Parfumeur
Dzing! appears as an intellectual experience with old leather bound books in a library, Black a darker and more unisex take with an amazing drydown, and the almost foodie Traversee du Bosphore where Turkish delight notes dance around a leather centre.
Oh yes, I forgot Traversée, it has such a lovely soft leather note!
Have a wonderful time in the Greek sun today! 🙂
I don’t yet know most of the ones named above, but I really like Traversee du Boshpore. My leathers are vintage Jolie Madame–I like a few flowers with my leather. I also like Histoire de Parfums 1740–patchouli, leather & vanilla.
Whoops–Bosphore…sheesh.
1740 is (or was, I fear, after the refirmulation) great! Beautiful choices, Elizabeth!
I would choose Cuir Noir as my favourite but I also enjoy Cuir de Russie, I had no idea that Traversee had a leather note too, I have a sample of that on it’s way to me too so my end up on my list too.
I would not actively seek a perfume out with a leather note as I associate my worst bouts of pregnancy sickness with the leather interior of the car we had at the time. 🙂
I hear your pain! Leather was a red flag for me initially, but I kind of eased into it. 🙂
Hi dear! Cuir de Russie, Daim Blond and SMN Peau d’Espagne are my favourites. The original Donna Karan in extrait form is not bad either.
Hmm, Daim Blond gets another mention… 🙂
As many others have mentioned, Cuir de Lancôme is my favorite all around leather. A surprise would be Guerlain’s limited edition Shalimar Fourreau du Soir which is supposed to be the same juice as regular Shalimar but, I swear it has a rich animalic leather heart that the original doesn’t. Leather is a scent that I have only recently grown to love (thanks to the above mentioned CdL). I can’t wait to try Kerosene’s Whips and Roses which my mom just bought a FB of.
You are so lucky to have a mom who shares your passion (and her bottles!) 🙂
CdL is simply awesome!
Chanel, of course! Wow what a lady Cuir de Russie is. And RP’s Bandit. My scent of the day, though I must admit, wearing a leather scent while I’m still in my sloppy pyjamas seems a little silly!
Bandit in PJ’s is great! That is real style, Carol!
O gosh, don’t think I’ve worn a leather in a while, but back in the day I utterly adored Cartier Santos, which I believe is a leather…don’t even know if it’s still being produced, but I did love it so. On a girl it was so subtly sexy back then 🙂
I don’t know Santos, but a masculine on a girl sure is sexy. I used to wear Fahrenheit when I was in my early twenties and I still adore it. (Not the reformulation though. 😦 )
I love leather. Cuir de Russie and Bulgari Black are my favorites so far, but there are so many that are good. Lonestar Memories is great too. I have a mini of Mona di Orio’s Cuir that I haven’t tried yet; just waiting for the right day!
A very chaotic day is a good one for Cuir by MdO, the stuff brings order to everything and everyone through sheer intimidation. 😉
What everyone else here has said and then I would add Dior Homme, Azuree, Miss Balmain, Bandit, Cabochard (vintage is best, but I love her in all her vintages, even her current one) and my all time favorite Parfumerie Generale Cuir d’Iris
Thanks for mentioning the PG! It’s a very interesting scent.
I don’t own many leather fragrances. A few I know and like containing leather in various quantities are:
Dana- English Leather
Givenchy Gentleman
Aramis Devin
Guerlain Derby
Halston z-14
Polo (green)
I’m sure I will like Knize Ten and Cuir de Russie, but have not tried them yet.
Very nice choices, Jim!
Did you ever wear Fahrenheit by Dior? (I always mean to ask you, but forget.)
Thanks for the compliment, Birgit! 🙂 I have smelled Fahrenheit from the bottle, but not on skin. And it’s been a long time. I need to revisit that one. Do you think I would like it? And what do you think of it?
Also, I see several people mentioning Bvlgari Black, which I love. But I don’t get leather from it. Tea and musk is mostly what I smell from BB,
I do think you’d like it (I love it on men and on myself). The problem is it has lost its soul in the last LMVH-Dior attack. So older bottles are the way to go.
That’s good to know. I remember reading about the reformulation some time ago. I’ll look to get at least a sample in the near future.
I just blogged about this! Cuir de Lancome is by far my favorite, but I recently discovered Midnight in Paris which is really underrated and can be found at a bargain. I also love the leather note in the original Fendi. And I don’t wear them much myself, but Bulgari Black and Aramis are great on my homme.
I must check out your post, I’m so behind in my reading!
CdL seems to be most people’s favorite. Such a shame it is not in production (at least I think that is the case… anyone know for sure the status on this perfume?)
Although it’s maybe more amber than leather, a vote for PG L’Oiseau de Nuit here, also Guerlain’s Derby, and for summer, PdN’s Baladin.
Those are such interesting perfumes, Blacknall!
Daim blond! It’s the only leather I wear. Layered with TDC Osmanthus it suits me! But I think Bottega and Lancôme will grow on me…
Julie, your vote for Daim Blond seals the deal – I will venture out and smell it first thing tomorrow.
Hi! I’ve been exploring leather since I wanted to find something different from my usual leather scents; Cuir de Russie and Tabac Blond. I’ve tried Whips & Roses by Kerosene, which is too waxy and somehow acrid on me, Cuir Mauresque by Serge Lutens, which smells like old leather shoes (in a good way) and then I tried Boxeuses. Very interesting. I know that SL has another famous leather – Daim Blond – but I could not remember what it smelt like, so I emailed the Paris salon and they’re sending me a spray sample! So, I’ve got more leathers to compare before I make a choice. So far, Boxeuses is the strongest contender.
Serge Lutens makes wonderful leathers. Boxeuses is so very elegant.
Vintage Diorling is my go-to. But I also loveloveLOVE Chanel Cuir de Russie – but only in parfum. Daim Blonde. Cuir Ottoman, Cuir de Lancome. I am not quite on board with Mona di Orio’s Cuir just yet. In fact, I’m having to hold off on ALL my leathers because it’s harvest season and my sinuses are in so much pain – I spritzed a bit of Bandit on Saturday and nearly fainted.
oooh! One other….but it’s…well, when I got my sample of Tommi Sooni Tarantella I remember getting an AMAZING leather note mid-way through……..it was one of the truest, most beautiful notes…but I’ve not been able to replicate it since. I still have the sample and I have a FB…but no replication. It’s so that I’m now wondering if I dreamt it?
Hello Musette,
what an honor to see you here! Thanks for commenting!
Your leather choices are excellent of course.
You made me curious about Tarantella, I do have a sample somewhere, I’ll dig it out tonight and see if I can find the hidden leather.
I guess I am not a big leather fan. Cuir de Russie is my perfume nemesis! The only leathery scent that I wear regularly is Le Labo Patchouli 24.
Wow, Patchouli 24 is powerful for sure.
I can’t pull it off, but I admire it on others.
I just had an epiphany- I was toodling around in my car huffing my new favorite, Kilian Pure Oud when it hit me – I smell leather! And I love it! So perhaps I am a leather fan in the making?
My initial encounter with Patch 24 almost put me off of it forever! The sample spray nozzle malfunctioned and covered me with about 3 ml of juice. And I was at work! (Lesson… no first time testing at the office!) Luckily, most people had gone home already. I smelled for DAYS!
You are a brave woman to ever go back to Patch 24 after that initial trauma. 🙂
I’m glad you had a leather epiphany just now. Sometimes things just click into place.
I have been thinking about this question on and off today, and I kept coming back to the same conclusion; my favourite leather fragrance is Dzing!
The weird thing is that Dzing! isn’t really a leather fragrance, it’s so much more. Perhaps I like it because I do struggle with leather scents?
On a side note we are definitely evil scent twins when it comes to car smells. I love the smell of new cars, of leather seats and petrol 🙂
Argh! New car smell – my husband adores it too, but he can’t have it. Our cars smell of Annick Goutal Noël room spray from the first day. 😉
Dzing! is such an odd perfume. I always get an image of a small donkey hopping around me, having the time of his life.
Agree with Thomas here! My favourite leather scent has to be Dzing! Incredibly sensual, incredibly sexy and soft, incredibly weird and memorable. What’s not to love? I have a good time with Montale’s Oud Cuir d’Arabie lately. Very raw and fearless in the beginning becomes this elegant leather bag scent after a couple of hours. I also like a lot Cuir de Lancome. These are the three leather scents I own so far but I love leather both in perfumery and fashion so, I’m sure more will follow. Onda , first of all although that is more like a smoky mossy vetiver to my nose.
Onda is more mossy vetiver to me too.
Thanks for sharing your leather faves, Ana!
wearing Dzing! today, one of my first niche scent purchases, and still a favourite. I like the idea of a happy donkey btw! I’m not a leather specialist, but I did miss puredistance M in the lists above … and since you have mentioned the exclusive Armanis in the past, femme nacrée is an interesting iris-leather combo (the price scares me though)
I get more amber than leather from M, but of course, it should be in the list.
I’m not listening to talk about La Femme Nacrée, sorry, La Femme Bleue must be enough for me. 😉
Haha! I love the donkey image and I totally see where your coming from!
P.S. Your cars smell very fabulous!
The donkey is cute, I like him a lot, but I just can’t wear him – he wears me! 😉
That’s the annoying thing about donkeys I guess 😛
Squeeee! Leather! I l-o-v-e leather…;-) In no particular order…vintage Grès Cabochard, Piguet Bandit (my HG leather, and I never, ever hope to be without it!), Knize Ten (bad** leather!), Serge Lutens Daim Blond, Boxeuses, Sarrasins and also…Amouage Memoir Woman. (And Memoir Man. Future paramours, take note. This is mandatory & non-negotiable!) Olfactive Studio’s Chambre Noir is a very yummy, new leather. Rumor has it that the last DSP scent I’m waiting for is one (ahem) helluva leather, which is yet another reason to get very …hot and bothered? 😉 Oh, wow, just realized I haven’t sniffed Cuir de Russie in years and years…
I was hoping you would chime in, since you sure know your leathers.
I’m wearing Amouage Memoir tonight, which always reminds me of your beautiful Memoir stories. 🙂
Thank you for that, B! Of all my perfumed stories – and I’ve written a few since! – those two haunt me the most! Which is likely why both Memoirs have landed firmly in my leathery Hall of Fame! 😉
A leather perfume actually started my love affair with niche fragrances. I was looking for a scent that smelled just like an expensive leather goods store and I was introduced to Daim Blond. I bought it on the spot.
Another great leather fragrance is MPG’s Cuir Fetiche, but it seems not many people have tried it/like it. Cuir Ottoman was a past lemming of mine, but I now find it to be too plasticy… it puts me off.
I find Cuir Fetiche too harsh for my taste, but I can imagine it to be great on a man.
Your mention of Daim Blond is noted (I think it is the most mentioned must-have leather today, or maybe that is just my perception) and it’s on the top spot on my to smell-list.
For me it would be Les Exclusifs de Chanel Cuir de Russie. Cabochard by Gres comes in at a tie for second with Knize 10 . I love a good leather!
Cuir de Russie is really one of the gold standards for leather.
Leather and I have a tempestuous relationship; the note typically morphs on my skin into something unspeakable, but the few times it’s stayed as leather (and now I’m envisioning a big ol’ bulldog with a studded collar: “Stay! Staaaaaay.”) it’s a beautiful thing.
My fave is Cuir Ottoman, Bottega Veneta is a lovely second place, and a sample of Daim Blond is winging its way to me as we speak. And although it’s more respect than love, Olympic Orchid’s Salamanca is the biggest, baddest, butchiest leather I’ve ever smelled.
I’m afraid of big, bad and butch. 😉
I hope you find many leathers you love that Staaay!
Hi Birgit!
My absolute favourite leather scent is – no doubt – Estée Lauder Azurée (to my nose is better than the reformulated Piguet Bandit). If you’ll try it, be careful: it’s a monster sillage! But it doesn’t smell like a new car, I think you should like it.
As many others commenters said above, I do love Daim Blond (a totally different take on leather, as only uncle Serge can do). I was asking if only to my nose Bottega Veneta is a copycat of Daim Blond…
Thanks for the suggestion, Woland. I’ll try Azurée.
I lurve Daim Blond and Bottega Veneta, they are very similar to my nose. DB being richer, sweeter and more apricotty. For my strict leather Im straight to Cuir de Russie. Dzing! Made me see a pooping rhino, infant that there rhino pooped on me then rubbed it’s skin against me to scratch an itch. Yep I get the joke but don’t appreciate it, lol.
Now I have an ultra luxe pale dove grey soft suede biker jacket which I always want to hose down with Daim Blond to infuse it with what would be its perfect olfactory twin
Oh that sounds really good . the jacket and the perfume!!!
Easy peesy lemon squeezy (one of my son’s favourite sayings, lol) …….my favourite leather is Tom of Finland. It is a clean, vanilla tinged musky leather in the dry down. That is if you can get past the prominent “doll-head” note bridging the top and heart. I really like the doll-head note all powdery and latex, lol! Makes me smile.
I’d take the doll-head in stride, but I can’t take the bottle! (I’m a shallow wimp, I know.)
I like leather as a perfume theme so much that I almost can’t wear anything else. I also like to offer my wife leather goods as bags and shoes.
My favorites are M by Puredistance, Cuir by Mona di Orio, Bel Ami by Hermes and Antaeus by Chanel. I just love those 4 and I rotate them all year round.
One honorable mention to Contre Pouvoir by Brecourt.
Hmmm, beautiful picks, JB! And your wife is very lucky! 😉
My favorite leathers are Hermes Bel Ami followed by Chanel CdR parfum, HdP 1740, PdE
Cuir Ottoman, Daim Blonde, Heeley Cuir Pleine Fleur, Ann Gerard Cuir de Nacre. I love smelling Pascal Morabito Or Black and Lonestar Memories on a man.
I would love to smell the Ann Gerard line. Cuir de Nacre sounds wonderful…
Let me try… Chanel Cuir de Russie, Parfum d’Empire Cuir Ottoman, Tom Ford Tuscan Leather, Armani Privé Cuir Noir, Cuir de Lancome, Bottega Veneta. In this order.
That is a pretty great list. I agree with everything, but the Tom Ford (too much car smell). 🙂
I smelled at the Pittimmagine in Firenze a new love named Naomi Goodsir Cuir Velours!! This is a beautiful cuir scent!
Cuir de Russie en Cuir Fetiche are also big favourites.
I just read a review of Cuir Velours, sounds like a must-try.
Cuir Beluga still, and I do like Habit Rouge from my man. Sweet leather. I must spray myself with it.
Very beautiful picks, Civava.
I’m rather late here, but I wanted to let you know that even I am not brave enough most days for Mona di Orio Cuir. Got a sample of it when I was in Paris and I can’t find *anything* enjoyable about it. My absolute favorite leather right now is Parfum d’Empire Cuir Ottoman, though I love a bunch of other leather-dominant scents too.
Cuir is rather severe and more suited to intimidation than enjoyment. 🙂
My favorite Leather is Cuir de Russie. I also like Dzing and Rien (ELO) and Heeley Cuir Pleine Fleur. Bottega Veneta somehow doesn’t work for me though in theory I should love it.
Cuir de Russie gets many mentions, and it should, it’s a classic!
I haven’t tried a lot of leathers, but I did recently try Ann Gerard’s Cuir de Nacre. It’s a very elegant perfume and smells just like it’s described – powdered calfskin. It reminds me of soft leather gloves, pearls, and silk. It’s a little too sophisticated for me most of the time, but it is lovely.
It sounds wonderful! I hope to try it soon!
Hey, another Patchouli 24 and Dzing! fan. I also wear Cuir de Russie a lot (it came in such a huge bottle!), I just got Cuir de Lancome for Christmas, and it’s wearable and not at all sweet. I love Cuir Venenum too. Bottega Veneta’s a bit tame for me.
You seem to like your leather strong, Joan.
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Today I went to try Acqua Di Parma Leather Colonia in Harrods.
Ah! I was so looking forward to try this. It is very nice, however there is no reason for this to exist when we have Tom Ford Tuscan Leather.
I have to say that Acqua Di Parma has not shown any originality with this and their oud fragrance. Oud is very ordinary and this one, though fabulous is very similar to Tom Ford. The notes written on the bottle even confirm that, e.g. this has raspberry too.
Some people say that this is easier to wear than Tom Ford, true to an extent. It also does not last as long as TF. However if you want a great leather experience why compromise? Just go ahead and get the TF.
Thanks for your report, Mahesh. It sounds like the Acqua di Parma is not reinventing the wheel here…