SAMPLE .. Lancôme, Lancome, Tropiques, 'Tropics', 1/2 ml. DECANTED SAMPLE from Flacon, Parfum Extrait, 1935, Paris, France ..

Lancôme Paris is a French cosmetics company founded in 1935 by Guillaume d'Ornano and his business partner Armand Petitjean , a former Coty employee, in 1935. The company's name was inspired by the ruins of a castle, Le Château de Lancosme. The name "Lancôme" was inspired by the forest of Lancosme which lies in the Indre valley in the heart of France in the region of Brenne. The name was chosen by Guillaume's wife Elisabeth d'Ornano. The roses in the area inspired the company's symbol of the single golden rose

Lancôme launched its first five fragrances in 1935 at the World's Fair in Brussels: Tendre Nuit, Bocages, Conquete, Kypre and Tropiques. Petitjean entered into the skincare market, launching Nutrix, his first "all-purpose repair cream" in 1936, followed by make-up, cosmetics, and skincare products. Lancôme was acquired by L'Oréal in 1964, and became part of its luxury products division.

Launched in 1935, Tropiques was one of the very first fragrances introduced by Armand Petitjean, the visionary founder of Lancôme. Petitjean was deeply inspired by the tropical splendor of Bahia, Brazil, a vibrant port city teeming with lush vegetation, intoxicating blossoms, and the warm embrace of sun-drenched shores. The name Tropiques, derived from the French language, is pronounced troh-peek and translates to "tropics" in English. It instantly evokes visions of lush rainforests, golden beaches, and sultry, humid nights, filled with the mysterious and heady scent of exotic flowers, ripe fruits, and warm, resinous woods.

"The launch of Tropiques in 1935 coincided with a fascinating period in history. The interwar years, often referred to as the Art Deco era, were marked by glamour, escapism, and a fascination with faraway lands. The world was recovering from the Great Depression, and despite economic hardships, there was a thirst for luxury, adventure, and exoticism. International travel, though still reserved for the elite, had become a symbol of sophistication, and tropical destinations such as Cuba, Brazil, and the French colonies were romanticized in fashion, film, and literature.

"In perfumery, oriental and floral compositions were thriving, with rich, opulent scents dominating the market. Women sought fragrances that were both sensual and transportive, and Tropiques—with its blend of heady florals, balsamic resins, and warm spices—perfectly captured this desire. Its spicy floral oriental character was an embodiment of the era’s daring femininity, reflecting the confident, modern woman who embraced both elegance and sensuality.

"Petitjean reportedly spent four years perfecting Tropiques, crafting a scent that was as untamed and lush as the jungles of South America. The perfume opens with a burst of juicy mandarin and sunlit bergamot, their brightness enlivened by the warm, piquant caress of cinnamon and aromatic spices. This effervescent introduction is both invigorating and mouthwatering, immediately setting the tone for an indulgent olfactory journey.

"The heart of the fragrance is a dazzling bouquet of tropical white florals, mirroring the breathtaking abundance of an untouched rainforest. Ylang-ylang’s creamy, banana-like sweetness intertwines with the intoxicating power of Grasse jasmine, lush gardenia, narcotic tuberose, and delicate orchid. These flowers, often associated with sensuality and exotic allure, create a hypnotic, almost dreamlike sensation—as if one were wandering through a dense floral paradise under the glow of the moon. A touch of honeyed balsamic vanilla further enhances the richness, adding a golden warmth to the composition.

"The base is where Tropiques fully unveils its sensual, enigmatic soul. Creamy sandalwood and precious exotic woods provide a smooth yet earthy depth, while leather and ambergris introduce an animalic sensuality, reminiscent of sun-warmed skin after a day spent in tropical heat. Oakmoss and vetiver, in their dry, green, and slightly smoky complexity, evoke the damp, shaded floor of the jungle, grounding the composition with a touch of mystery.

"Tropiques was an exceptional fragrance for its time. While floral and chypre perfumes were abundant in the 1930s, few fragrances dared to fully embrace the exoticism of the tropics in such a decadent and vivid manner. In contrast to the refined aldehydic florals that dominated the decade, Tropiques stood apart as a sensory escape, a fragrance that painted a world far removed from the smoky salons of Paris or the polished elegance of New York. It was both a statement of luxury and a tribute to the adventurous, worldly woman .. someone who longed for the sun-drenched landscapes of foreign shores and the thrilling promise of the unknown.

"For the women of the Art Deco era, Tropiques was more than just a perfume .. it was a dream bottled in glass. Cleopatra's Boudoir

"Tropiques is classified as a spicy, floral oriental (amber) fragrance. The 34 ingredients in the note tree seem a trifle excessive, when you consider the nose is only capable of recognizing a few at a time. The “idea” of the scent was to combine the white florals of the Caribbean islands (orchid, gardenia, jasmine, ylang, tuberose), add fresh fruit accords (mandarin, pineapple, mango, coconut), cinnamon and vanilla for spice, and to anchor it, rosewood, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, oak moss and patchouli.

"It begins rather sharply with pungent citrus notes and then descends into a dark forest, heavy with jasmine and gardenia. Vanilla, honey and a touch of cinnamon round it all out with the impression of a fabulous pudding or dessert sauce simmering on the stove. Leather, cedar, ambergris, vetiver and sandalwood expand in the dry down.

We are left with a multi-faceted journey from citrus through white floral, then spices, and finally the
dark and very warm and leathery skin scent it has morphed into. Quite unique in my experience, with the 1935 edition (which I am experiencing) the rarest. Very worth seeking out for fans of exotic concoctions and stunning original compositions. Jack Twist, Review

Tropiques by Lancome is classified as a spicy floral oriental or amber fragrance for women. It was described as the subtle emanations of orchid clusters, a breath of gardenias and other white flowers in the undisturbed and untamed jungle forest, laden with citrus, succulent tropical fruits, the spiced balsamic fragrance of cinnamon and vanilla, warm precious woods - a firm and poetical evocation of the exotic and mysterious nights in Cuban lands.

It begins with a zesty citrus top of juicy mandarin and bright bergamot scattered with pungent spices and aromatic notes, followed by a white floral heart of tropical ylang ylang, radiant jasmine, narcotic gardenia, heady tuberose and delicate orchid drizzled with balsamic notes of vanilla and honey, layered over a base of creamy sandalwood and other precious woods, animalic notes of leather and ambergris, resting against green undertones of oakmoss and dry vetiver.

Top notes are Calabrian Bergamot, Malabar Pepper, Zanzibar Clove, Saigon Cinnamon, Spanish Mandarin, Brazilian Pineapple, Guatemalan Mango, Sicilian Neroli, and Manila Coconut
Heart notes are Russian Coriander, Ceylon Cardamom, Tunisian Orange Blossom, Dutch Orchid, Tahitian Gardenia, Provencal Honey, Egyptian Jasmine, Nossi-Be Ylang Ylang, Portuguese Tuberose, French Carnation, and Grasse Rose
Base notes are Brazilian Rosewood, Leather, Mysore Sandalwood, Mexican Vanilla, Atlas Cedar, Ambergris, Haitian Vetiver, Yugoslavian Oak Moss, Indonesian Patchouli, Siamese Benzoin, Maltese Labdanum, Venezuelan Tonka Bean, and Coumarin

Offered here is an opportunity to buy a sample of this beautiful perfume. It is very rare now .. and with the amazing list of ingredients, it a complex and extraordinary fragrance ..