Category Archives: perfumes in movies

Bonjour Tristesse (1958)

bonjourtristesse_bornunicorn (1)After a night of partying and reminiscing, Cecile (Jean Seberg) finally returns home, removes the elegant Givenchy dress she’s worn so far and puts her make-up off.

pondscoldcreamvintage_bornunicornTo do so, she uses a traditional product like Pond’s cold cream.

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lucienlelong_gardenia_bornunicornIn front of her there are several beauty products, but the most intriguing object is the octagonal box on the right side of the vanity. Even if the label is not visible, this is definitely the box of Lucien Lelong Gardenia, a soliflore perfume launched in 1936. Too bad the wonderful fluted bottle is not out of the box.

Scarface (1983)

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I’ve been curating this project for more than 10 years now. I’ve covered hundreds of films, thousands of products, but believe me when I say that I still get excited when unexpected gems hide in films that are part of our collective imagery. Take Scarface, for example: the epic crime tale of the rise and fall of Tony Montana has been analysed in all its tiniest details by virtually anybody who loves or studies cinema. But there’s still more to be revealed. Have you ever noticed the two perfume bottles in this specific moment? It’s the famous Jacuzzi scene and it’s just a couple of minutes long; then the camera moves on and the bottles are gone.

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The first bottle has a metal cap with a peculiar ring: it’s Lagerfeld Classic by Karl Lagerfeld, a woody fragrance created by Ron Winnegrad and launched in 1978. Can you imagine Montana wearing a Karl Lagerfeld perfume? I personally don’t but I guess this bottle was probably chosen for its decorative value.

pacorabanneeaudecalandre_bornunicornThe second bottle is Eau de Calandre by Paco Rabanne, a flanker of Calandre, the Michel Hy fragrance launched in 1969. This is an unusual choice. Eau de Calandre was marketed as a women’s fragrance, so the question is: did Montana wear it, thus showing an expectedly modern taste in perfumes? Or did Elvira wear it instead? The answer could obviously be simpler, if we assume that this one too was chosen only as a decoration.

Irma Vep (1996)

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cetaphil_oldpackaging_bornunicornWhile wandering through the corridors of her hotel, Maggie Cheung – in Irma Vep black latex attire – enters a room where a semi-naked woman (interpreted by Arsinée Khanjian, credited as l’américaine) is talking on the phone. Maggie goes into her bathroom and steals a necklace. On the marble counter there are some beauty products, too. For example, a bottle of Galderma Cetaphil cleanser in the old packaging (blue label and white lettering).

clarinseaudynamisantevintage_bornunicornThere’s also a box of Clarins Eau Dynamisante, a wonderfully fresh fragrance created by Jacques Courtin-Clarins and launched in 1987. This is the original packaging.

Parasite (2019)

parasite (2)Yeon-gyo (Cho Yeo-jeong) is a lucky woman: she lives in a wonderful house, she’s got a loving husband and two beautiful children, her closet is filled with Hèrmes Birkin bags and she’s got a luxurious minimal style. When we are allowed into her private room, we are not surprised to see what’s on her dressing table – European luxury perfumes, skincare and make-up.

tumblr_n0f4gtpbfa1sm54eyo3_1280On the left there’s a bottle decorated with an orange and black ribbon: it’s Orange Blossom by Penhaligon’s, a citrus floral fragrance created by Bertrand Duchaufour and launched in 2010.

smnovella_acquadifiordarancio_bornunicornAlways on the left, just behind the Penhaligon’s perfume, there’s tall bottle with white stopper and a pale green front label: it’s an aromatic water by Santa Maria Novella, the Florence-based company very popular especially in Asian countries.

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chanel_travelpalette_romanticdestination_bornunicornThe several black make-up palettes displayed right in front of the woman are of course by Chanel.

Uncut Gems (2019)

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montblanclegend_bornunicornHoward Ratner is a gambling addict who runs a jewellery store in the diamond district in New York. He leads a very hectic and dangerous life, as the bruises on his back show. He’s always busy (even when he’s just out of the shower, he’s on the phone) but thanks to this short scene we can take a look at the toiletries and perfumes he uses.

On the right of the screen there’s Montblanc Legend, an aromatic perfume created by Olivier Pescheux and launched in 2011.

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gillettefoamy_bornunicornBy the washbasin there are two Old Spice Classic deodorant sticks, Pinaud Clubman after-shave lotion and Gillette Foamy shaving foam.

chanelbleudechanel_bornunicornThis id is just a guess, but I’m pretty sure it’s correct. I think the bottle half-seen between Howard’s arm and chest is Bleu de Chanel, at least judging from the lettering and from the shape of the atomiser. From a historical point of view, this would be an accurate choice: the film is set in 2012, and this Jacques Polge creation was launched in 2010.