Estee Lauder Cinnabar was introduced in 1978 and features notes of Jasmine, Orange Flower, Tangerine, Clove, Muguet, Lily, Olibanum, Sandalwood, and Patchouli. One of the first orientals, Cinnabar is just a gorgeous, rich perfume! "Cinnabar is a fragrance that fulfills every woman's yearning for the exotic and mysterious," said Mrs. Lauder. Estée Lauder had always been fascinated with the mystery and opulence of the Orient. In 1978, she decided the time was right for an Eastern-influenced fragrance. Cinnabar marked the beginning of a worldwide wave of exotic Amber fragrances." - a note from the brand.
This is the edp, eau de parfum. This is the current version of this perfume.
Fragrantica - "I will always love this perfume! I adore its sultriness. I adore its spiciness. I adore the memories it conjurs up. It's a gorgeously rich fragrance that's easily a signature scent. I, personally, love too many fragrances to relegate only one to be my signature. Cinnabar is a magical scent, complete with fire and ice."
Fragrantica - "This is the very definition of a classic oriental. It is warm , soft but powerful, rich, intense, sexy and also elegant . I think it is the best oriental perfume I have encountered in years and the ingredients remind me of the glory years of fine perfumery that is almost nonexistent now."
I had a bottle of this years ago and loved it! As the years have my husband's nose is sensitive, so I hated to invest in something I wouldn't be able to wear. Being able to purchase just a small amount was perfect. This was exactly what I needed and am so happy to say that I'll be buying more!
I wore original Cinnabar throughout the 80s. It was my first signature fragrance. I saved up for my birthday one year, and purchased a precious frosted glass bottle of the parfum. Amazing. I also had the dusting powder (which was also fantastic!) So I am familiar with vintage Cinnabar. There are 12 notes in original Cinnabar that are missing from the reformulation. Seeing that worried me. Would new Cinnabar be a weak, sad echo of its former self? Would it be too floral, or soapy? Or- worst of all- would it be boring? Imagine my surprise- shock, really- when this new Cinnabar unexpectedly evoked the good things I remembered about the vintage version. It conjured the original’s clove-studded Christmas orange spicy juiciness. Was the new as deep and powerful as the old? No. No way. And original Cinnabar lasted for ages, whereas the new becomes a skin scent in about four hours. Then why the four stars? Because even though this new Cinnabar is lighter and brighter than the old, it is still, unmistakably, Cinnabar. Because I absolutely did not expect the reinterpretation to pay such homage to the original. And just as I have lightened up as I have aged, so has Cinnabar. The new version is work-friendly whereas the original- I would reserve that powerhouse for after five. I left off a star simply because the new version is not, and will never be, what the original was. But it is still delightful and full-bottle worthy and absolutely exceeded my expectations. And I am so happy I discovered Surrender To Chance, so I could try fragrances I probably wouldn’t be able to get to test, like this one. If you are familiar with new Cinnabar only for some reason, do try a decant of the original. (Another great thing about Surrender To Chance is that if I do order a decant of the vintage version, it will be yummy and wearable, and not a foul, eBay disappointment.) Vintage Cinnabar is an iconic, exotic fragrance from an era when hair and shoulder pads and fragrances seemingly couldn’t be too big. But this new Cinnabar is very lovely, indeed!
I had a bottle of this years ago and loved it! As the years have my husband's nose is sensitive, so I hated to invest in something I wouldn't be able to wear. Being able to purchase just a small amount was perfect. This was exactly what I needed and am so happy to say that I'll be buying more!
I wore original Cinnabar throughout the 80s. It was my first signature fragrance. I saved up for my birthday one year, and purchased a precious frosted glass bottle of the parfum. Amazing. I also had the dusting powder (which was also fantastic!) So I am familiar with vintage Cinnabar. There are 12 notes in original Cinnabar that are missing from the reformulation. Seeing that worried me. Would new Cinnabar be a weak, sad echo of its former self? Would it be too floral, or soapy? Or- worst of all- would it be boring? Imagine my surprise- shock, really- when this new Cinnabar unexpectedly evoked the good things I remembered about the vintage version. It conjured the original’s clove-studded Christmas orange spicy juiciness. Was the new as deep and powerful as the old? No. No way. And original Cinnabar lasted for ages, whereas the new becomes a skin scent in about four hours. Then why the four stars? Because even though this new Cinnabar is lighter and brighter than the old, it is still, unmistakably, Cinnabar. Because I absolutely did not expect the reinterpretation to pay such homage to the original. And just as I have lightened up as I have aged, so has Cinnabar. The new version is work-friendly whereas the original- I would reserve that powerhouse for after five. I left off a star simply because the new version is not, and will never be, what the original was. But it is still delightful and full-bottle worthy and absolutely exceeded my expectations. And I am so happy I discovered Surrender To Chance, so I could try fragrances I probably wouldn’t be able to get to test, like this one. If you are familiar with new Cinnabar only for some reason, do try a decant of the original. (Another great thing about Surrender To Chance is that if I do order a decant of the vintage version, it will be yummy and wearable, and not a foul, eBay disappointment.) Vintage Cinnabar is an iconic, exotic fragrance from an era when hair and shoulder pads and fragrances seemingly couldn’t be too big. But this new Cinnabar is very lovely, indeed!
I wore Cinnabar back in the 80’s. It’s a beautiful scent that stands out against the others. Exotic and spicy, as well as long lasting, it is sure to turn heads.
I am COMPLETELY satisfied and will order more items in the future. They are FANTASTIC!! Very helpful and makes you feel like you matter as a customer. Can't say enough good things about this product or company!!
Sorry to say, I will not be wearing this new formula of Cinnabar. This was my favorite in the 80’s and then it was retired and apparently brought back. It is NOT the same, not even close. It is so strong now that it actually made me nauseous.
I wore Cinnabar and Youth Dew during the 70s, so I'm sympathetic to those who say that the current formulas are a shadow of their voluptuous selves. However, the EU ban on certain ingredients is here to stay and some notes are gone forever. The perfume world is now awash in air, powder, sugar, and white flowers, leaving those of us who crave resins, woods, and spices with little to choose from. Forget about her background and approach Cinnabar as a stranger. It's one of the few current scents I've found that cannot be characterized by any one note and, more importantly, it's decidedly NOT a garden floral. It is deeper and more redolent than the perky "fresh" fragrances, and is self-confident in its own particular beauty. The distinctive characteristic that Cinnabar has retained from her earlier life is sillage. Not mushroom cloud sillage to knock people flat, but the ability to create a vaporous aura that leaves wisps of loveliness in its wake. The fact that it's not as strong as its previous form is a reasonable concession to modern tastes. Let's look at it as using her "indoor voice." Those who want more amperage can try spraying it on a scarf, or creating sachets or liner paper for their lingerie drawers. Cinnabar still lasts longer than most of the chic colognes that have flooded the market, and at a retail price below $60 you can afford a booster spritz in the afternoon.
Cinnabar is in the family of Opium and Youth Dew, but overpoweringly heavy, a bit stale and old lady. It has an exciting element but is too much of a good thing. Not for me.
