Anais Anais by Cacharel c1978

Anais Anais by Cacharel: launched in 1978, pronounced (ah-nd-ees ah-nd-ees). Created by Firmenich perfumers Roger Pellegrino, Robert Gonnon, Paul Leger and Raymond Chaillan and took three years to complete.

The perfume was named after the ancient Persian goddess of love, Anaitis, also this is the name of a butterfly, the Pareronia anais anais.

Anais Anais initially was launched by L'OREAL in mass distribution at a near-commodity price. The success of the perfume made L'OREAL rethink the strategy and so in 1981, marketers removed it from the supermarkets, and relaunched it in selective distribution venues such as perfumeries and department stores such as Burdines, John Wanamaker, Levy's, Jordan Marsh, Robinson's and others. By the 1990s, Anais Anais rose to the number one worldwide fragrance brand for women. It has maintained consistency of marketing mix: fragrance, bottle, packaging and advertising. It reached slightly above the level for the mass market channel and it chose an array of distribution standards.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a delicate fresh floral fragrance for women. It begins with a fresh, leafy green floral top of hyacinth, honeysuckle, galbanum, lily of the valley, and lavender, followed by a delicate, romantic floral heart, resting on a woody, powdery base. Press materials describe it as "The lily is complemented by a floral bouquet of natural jasmine, rose, iris, orange blossoms and ylang ylang. Woody notes of warmth are added by vetiver, cedar, patchouli and oakmoss. The base notes of musk and Russian leather add depth to the complex drydown."

• Top notes: lily of the valley,  leafy green note, orange blossom, lavender, fruit note, galbanum, honeysuckle, hyacinth, lemon, bergamot, blackcurrant bud, white lily
• Middle notes: Moroccan jasmine, honeysuckle, carnation, tuberose, Florentine iris, white Madonna lily, orris root, Madagascar ylang ylang, Grasse rose
• Base notes: Russian leather, sandalwood, amber, Singapore patchouli, musk, Yugoslavian oakmoss, Bourbon vetiver, incense, California cedar 

The perfume is created around the unusual, elusive scent of the white or Madonna lily which has been cultivated for centuries, primarily for its fragrance. The favorite of the ancient Greeks and Romans who regarded the flower as a symbol of purity. Today, the white lily is cultivated in the South of France, Bulgaria and the Middle East for its use in fragrances. It is such a precious essence that it takes acres and acres of lilies - one ton of flower petals - to create juts one pound of oil of lily. The fragrance of the white lily is described a a delicate floral, with subtle individual notes that are reminiscent of tropical flowers and sweet, ripe fruit. The white lily is a flower treasured for its fragrance, as well as its beauty. This is the heart of Anais Anais.

The fragrance, inspired by the lily, has a floral bouquet which also includes seductive Moroccan jasmine, Grasse rose and iris, which blend with the woody, exotic undertones of vetiver, patchouli and oakmoss. These elements led to the creation of the flower of Anais Anais, an imaginary flower with a hint of pink and a suggestion of green which symbolizes the romanticism of woman. In 1990, Parfums Cacharel took the Anais Anais floral motif and developed a very special gift concept for their fragrance brans, 'The Anais Anais China Collection." A partnership was born with Royal Doulton. Parfums Cacharel introduced a second edition to the china collection starting in March 1991 with the purchase of 1 oz Eau de Toilette Spray. They will be offering a beaker suitable for all sorts of bathroom accessories and a ring dish. 

Anais Anais made use of various synthetic chemical elements such as:

• Lyral  (white floral note)
• Lilial (white floral note)
• cyclamen aldehyde (white floral note)
• hydroxycitronellal  (white floral note)
• methyl anthranilate (tuberose character)
• Helional (tuberose character)
• Evernyl (mossy note)
• phenylacetylaldehyde (green note)
• cis 3 hexenyl acetate (green note)
• cedryl acetate (woody note)
• phenylethyl phenylacetate (honey note)
• cire d'abeilles (beeswax absolute)
• cyclopentadecanolide (4%) (musk)
• aldehyde C14 (exotic fruit character)
• hexyl cinnamic aldehyde (12%)
• salicylates (6%)
• musks (30%)
• hedione (10%)

Bottles:

The Parfum is imported from France, this elegant presentation of Anais Anais is mounted on a silver pedestal. One convenient size to delight everyone who appreciates the most precious form of fragrance. 

• Parfum - 1/2 oz.

The bottle is made up of a specially made opaline glass flacon designed by Annegret Beier and adorned with a silver cap and base, and the signature Cacharel romantic floral motif on the wraparound label. The soft and feminine signature Cacharel print has remained extremely popular since its introduction in the mid 1960's.

The fragrance was also available in other bottles and concentrations:

Parfum Atomiseur - an elegant, silver, purse-sized container holds a precious 1/4 oz of Anais Anais perfume. This convenient purse spray is refillable from any splash product. 

• Perfume Purse Spray - 1/4 oz

Eau de Parfum - a romantic looking frosted glass bottle contains the Eau de Parfum, a more concentrated form of Anais Anais than the Eau de Toilette.

• Eau de Parfum Splash  - 1 oz
• Eau de Parfum Spray - 1 oz

Eau de Toilette- a nostalgic, white opaque bottle captures the very delicate beauty of the Anais Anais floral fragrance:

• Eau de Toilette Splash - 1.7 oz
• Eau de Toilette Splash - 3.4 oz
• Eau de Toilette Splash - 5 oz
• Eau de Toilette Spray 1 oz (Limited Edition in 1983)
• Eau de Toilette Spray - 1.7 oz
• Eau de Toilette Spray - 3.2 oz

Since Anais Anais was launched in the United Kingdom in 1979, Parfums cacahrel carefully nurtured its feminine and romantic image. 

A new limited edition vintage style bottle is out and is described as "The legendary fragrance slips into a new case. It's vintage bottle, inspired by the intimate world of a revamped boudoir,  is the symbol of budding beauty, ready to blossom open  like the light flower around its neck. It sensually diffuses the most tantalizing of secrets, that of eternal femininity."

Ancillary Products:

To complete the Anais Anais experience, Cacharel introduced a line of sumptuous bath and body products called Le Bain d'Anais.

Gel Moussant Parfume (Perfumed Body Shampoo) - for those who prefer an invigorating shower - a velvety, rich formula which bubbles luxuriously to gently cleanse the skin, leaving it supple and delicately perfumed. Formulated to protect and maintain the skin's sensitive balance. even in hard water. Smooth all over with a bath mitt or directly to wet skin in the shower, or pour under the open faucet for a bubble bath that gently softens and relaxes. 5.1 oz.

Savon Parfume (Perfumed Bath Soap) - Cleanses and softens skin gently, smoothing and enveloping you un a satiny rich lather. A luxurious French-milled formula that lets you enjoy the delicate scent of Anais Anais even longer. 3.5 oz each.

Huile de Bain Parfumee (Perfumed Bath Oil) - Rich in emollients, this French beauty formula is designed to soften your bath water and moisturize your skin. Works by forming a fine emulsion that softens, soothes and scents your skin while filling the air with the gentle fragrance of Anais Anais. Can also be used in the shower: just smooth a sleek film from head to toe before a final rinse for a beautiful "veil" of scent. 6.76 oz.

Voile de Doucer Parfume (Perfumed Body Lotion) - Soften and smooth your skin while gently perfuming it with the delicate scent of Anais Anais. Smooth this fragrant lotion lavishly onto your skin. The luxurious French formula will make your skin feel satiny soft while enveloping you in the beautiful floral scent of Anais Anais. 6.76 oz.

Poudre Apres Bain Parfumee (Perfumed Dusting Powder) - Enhance the pleasure of your beautiful bath ritual with the lightest, most delicate form of Anais Anais. Use the lavish puff to envelope your body in this delicate satiny smooth bath powder. Your skin will be gently fragranced with the floral fragrance of Anais Anais. 5.29 oz.

How Old Is Your Anais Anais Fragrance?

Anais Anais is still produced today, though quite reformulated due to IFRA restrictions on ingredients, it is termed as "Anais Anais L'Original".  The easy guide below was made specifically to help you date your Anais Anais perfume, so the dates given will be after 1978, acknowledging the date the perfume was first introduced. For other Cacharel fragrances, check my blog.

• How is the fragrance's name styled? If it is simply "Anais Anais" it dates prior to 2014. If it is styled as "Anais Anais L'Original" it dates after 2014 onward.

• Does it have a bar code? If no, then it dates prior to 1990. If yes, how is the barcode placed? If it is placed vertically, it dates from 1990-1992. If it is placed horizontally, it dates to after 1992.

• Does it have the "greendot" recycling symbol? If no, then it dates prior to 1992. If yes, it dates after 1992.

• What is the address on the box? If it is "14, Rue Royale, Paris" then it dates from 1978 to 1992. If it is "16, place Vendome, Paris" it dates to after 1992.

• Who is the distributor? If your label or box is marked "distributed by Cosmair USA" this means it was used from 1978 to about 2000-2001. If it is marked "distributed by "Luxury Products LLC" then it dates from 2001 and onward.

• How is the Cacharel logo designed on your box? If it is enclosed inside of an elongated ellipse, (cartouche), it dates from 1978 up to 2002-2003. If it is no longer enclosed, it dates to after 2003.

• Where is the Cacharel name located on your box? If it is enclosed in the cartouche and placed at the bottom right corner, it dates from 1978 to the early 1980s. Please note that the original box had the cartouche logo placed in the center, this was used interchangeably with the 1978 version, so look for the cartouche.

• How is long is the ingredients list? Prior to 2004, a short list of ingredients appears, generally something like" "Ingredients: alcohol, water, fragrance." After 2004, a longer list of ingredients appears on the box. It was at this time, fragrance manufacturers were required to disclose ingredients used in their products. This is due to regulations imposed by IFRA in part to certain aromachemicals and natural ingredients classified as allergens or harmful. 

• Now remember, companies often tried to use up existing packaging stock even when introducing new packaging styles, so you may see overlapping of addresses, barcodes, etc.

• Your bottle and box should be marked with a batch code denoting what year and month the product was made. From 1978 to 1992, your Anais Anais fragrance may display either a 4 digit or 5 digit batch code. From 1992 onward, it should display a five digit batch code only.

 

 

Anais Anais also spawned many flanker scents.

Today you can find Anais Anais in the following:

• Eau de Toilette in 30,50, and 100ml
• Eau de Parfum in 30 and 50ml
• Eau Legere (light) in 100ml
• Body lotion in 200ml
• Body shampoo in 200ml
• Deodorant spray in 150ml
• Roll on cream deodorant in 50ml

See photos of the butterflies here:

http://www.samuibutterflies.com/insects/butterflies/pieridae/pareroniaanaisanais/