Inoui by Shiseido: launched in 1976. Shiseido's Inoui took its name from the French word “Inoui" means “extraordinary” "unprecedented" or “unforgettable" in the English language. The name was also used for one of Shiseido's makeup lines.

In 1975, the master perfumers of Shiseido were inspired by an art exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to create a perfume that would capture the attention of the world. The exhibit, titled, The Great Wave, chronicled the profound influence of 18th century Japanese ukiyo-e prints on the work of foremost European artists of the 19th century such as Degas, Gaugin, Toulouse-Lautrec and Manet. These artists were inspired by a Japanese expression of beauty and elegant simplicity. Such were the perfumers who wished to bring some of this refinement to those who could appreciate a different sort of art.

From Shiseido:

"Inoui was released with the vivid message: “It's not her that's beautiful; it's how she lives her life that's beautiful.” For this product Shiseido paired with an American design company to come up with an unprecedented design, one well suited to women of refined international sensibilities and particular about performance and usability. The slim, sleek containers were designed to target the contemporary career woman."

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a green balsamic fragrance for women. It starts with a fruity green top, followed by a resinous, green spicy heart, layered over a mossy base. A blending of rich mosses, deep woods mingling crisp, cool greens, aromatic meadow herbs and a whisper of flowers such as jasmine and roses and a touch of spice from carnation. First you get the green notes, then it dries down to a warm, alluring, long lasting mellowness.

Top notes: galbanum, green note, cypress fruits, juniper, lemon, peach
Middle notes: jasmine, freesia, thyme, pine needle
Base notes: cedarwood, myrrh, civet, oakmoss, musk

Inoui was originally available in the following:

0.5 oz Parfum
Refillable Parfum Spray
2 oz Eau de Parfum Splash
2 oz Eau de Parfum Pure Mist
2 oz Eau de Parfum Aerosol
4 oz Perfumed Bath Powder
Perfumed Body Lotion
Perfumed Milk Bath
Perfumed Bath Oil

Bottle:

Designed with the world famous Japanese genius for beautiful presentation, Inoui's handsome golden edged packaging captures the warm patina of polished, cherry bark, and housed elegantly in contoured bottles that recall timeless beauty of a wood block print of Impressionist painting. Inoui's parfum was presented in a crystal cube shaped bottle with a rounded rectangular stopper.