Andrade by Lise Watier c1978

Lise Watier Fragrances was a division of the Montreal-based cosmetic company established by Lise Watier in 1972. Her brand originally started in 1968 with a spa, called 'L'Institut Lise Watier'. 

Her first commercial fragrance was Andrade, introduced in 1974, a light mixed floral based scent for women that she said would give women an "aura of dewy youth." It was packaged in a clear, cylindrical glass bottle and topped with a golden ball cap. The line was complete with Parfum, Eau de Parfum and Eau Fraiche, followed up by Hand & Body Lotion, Soap, Deluxe Dusting Powder and Foamy Milk Bath. At first Watier didn't know all the ins-and-outs of the perfume business, but forged ahead undaunted, she said that "I was just a crazy young girl with a lot of guts."

She visited the Paris perfumer's association and then to a French fragrance house, where over the course of three years, she finally hit upon the sample that felt "just right." She had a scent, but it didn't have a name yet. She decided to hold a name-that-perfume contest on Montreal radio and television but came up empty. At a late night brainstorming session with her husband she had a revelation. "I knew Guillermo would hate it, but I persisted. I said the name will be your second name, Andrade. And that is that," she said. 

She created her first men's fragrance, also named Andrade, le parfum un hommes, which she originally created for her husband, Guillermo Andrade de la Concha, whom she married in 1970. 

"We wanted a signature perfume, a distinctive perfume that didn't smell like any other. And we wanted it in a distinctive package," said Watier. "I wanted a woody scent with a citrus note. Emotionally this represents the out-of-doors to me." By deciding which olfactive family she wanted, Watier eventually eliminated hundreds of samples, but over the years she tested some 500 different combinations of fragrance. In order to get the true experience of a sample, each one had to be worn all day,  this way you get a feel for how it develops and lasts on the skin. "I was pregnant during the time. Some were so strong I couldn't stand the,. They made me nauseous," said Watier.

"I only want the best results, I can't agree to second best," she said. Never satisfied with anything ordinary, she kept prodding the perfumers to keep at it. "When one is deciding a fragrance, a whole new vocabulary develops. I would tell the essence people in France, 'This one is too spicy.' But the scent of spices to them was quite different from the scent of spices to me. How do you tell a stranger from a different country what you are smelling? You learn a whole new set of words," said Watier. After three years, she finally arrived at what she felt was the perfect scent, saying, "Wearing it feels like a cocktail." 

It then took her another two years just to develop the elegant and rich looking package. The bottle was molded in France, the bottle cap and packaging especially designed for her, an attractive rectangular shaped bottle with a square silver cap, and the Andrade coat-of-arms on the silver label.

After the initial scent was created, the ancillary products needed formulating: cologne, after shave, bath soap and deodorant, all the things a man would need to not only be well groomed, but exquisitely scented. Watier explained that this is a tricky process because "They all have to work well together as well as separately."

Andrade is an example of a "Fancy Cologne": a note based on a mixture of citrus odors, harmonized with more complex scents.  Fancy colognes are more exclusively masculine, but classical colognes have been traditionally used by both sexes for over 200 years. The  Andrade fragrance was a crisp, sparkling, "woody citrus scent" which Watier felt smells like all the things a man should be - "fresh, clean, masculine." Exotic flowers, rare woodnotes and citrus. Not just a lemony splash.

• Top notes: bergamot, lemon
• Middle notes: patchouli, vetiver, floral notes
• Base notes: sandalwood, amber, musk, oakmoss, cedar

Celebration:

Launched in 1983, it is classified as a chypre floral fragrance for women.  Asophisticated chypre floral oriental type designed around a sensual bouquet of roses, iris and ylang ylang. Created to ignite passions.

• Top notes: citrus
• Middle notes: rose, iris, ylang ylang, jasmine
• Base notes: vanilla, oakmoss, musk, patchouli, sandalwood, amber

Nieges:

Neiges, launched in 1993 became Watier's most successful and enduring fragrances to this day. Its was the fragrance that Watier wanted to identify with Canada's crystal-clear skies and crisp, white powder snow. Essentially, the magic of winter in a bottle. In 1995, she launched the fragrance in Paris, staging a snow storm in front of a department store, Au Printemps. Watier explained that, "The Canadian government also helped arrange a party for the launch, and by the end of the night, cars were stopping in the street. They were confused about whether this was really snow. People got out of their cars to touch the snow to see if it was real. It was amazing to see the reactions."

Created by talented perfumer Carlos Bienaim, the Neiges fragrance is an airy, subtle, long-lasting, fresh scent that was available in eau de parfum, eau de toilette forms and an alcohol free perfume mist. Pure white flowers including hyacinth, lily of the valley, Christmas rose, night blooming jasmine, magnolia and orange blossoms give it light, breezy top notes while woodland undertones anchor it was a sensuous musky finish. "Neiges gives me wings because its popularity leads us to believe its capacity to please has no borders," said Watier in 1998. 

Neiges for Men, also known as Homme Neiges, was launched in 1997. This classic aromatic woody men's fragrance combined top notes of bergamot, cypress and mandarin orange with a heart of lavender, nutmeg, geranium, violet and water mint, layered over a base of sandalwood, amber and musk. 

Neiges and Neiges pour Homme's packaging were given a makeover in 1999 to give the brand an image more in tune with international, high end tastes. Watier explained that "We've altered the shape of the bottle from a very round ball to a more oblique look that we think has more international appeal." The surface of the bottle was given an etched treatment suggestive of snowflakes.

 In addition to the packaging redesign, Watier said "We're putting $100,000 into a print campaign that has my daughter Marie-Lise as its poster-girl. We hope it will raise consumer awareness across the country. Canada is just so big, and there is such a small population, you have to get creative to get your message across." 

Her plan was a simple one, reinforce an advertising campaign that calls for full-page ads in newspapers and fashion magazines with packages of Neiges in small tester bottles. And then sell them for $5 each. "I don't do any gift-with-purchase or fancy tricks," she said. "I prefer to have people try it, see if they like it, and then sell it at a price they can afford."

The first flanker scent for Neiges came in a blue flacon and was aptly called Neiges Bleues. The beautiful floral amber fragrance had top notes of freesia with zesty citrus notes of bergamot, mandarin orange and tangerine, middle notes of the classic marriage of red rose and jasmine tempered with notes of iris and ripe red berries. This was supported by a base of heliotrope, sandalwood, agapanthus, white musk and amber.  This is no longer in production.

In 2005, Lise Watier announced that the company would be removing counterfeits of its its Neiges perfume that were being sold in stores across Canada. The Federal Court authorized the manufacturer to remove the fake products for a years. Watier said she "never thought we would be victims of forgers."

2009 saw the introduction of a flanker scent called Folies Neiges, a fragrance that is at once citrusy and filled with fresh spring blossoms. This was followed in 2011 with Frisson Neiges, formulated by Vanessa Prudent to appeal to younger women, it has sweet notes of tropical fruits, papaya, peaches, passion fruit and zesty citrus fruits of orange and tangerine, layered over white spring flowers and sandalwood. This fragrance has been discontinued.

Another flanker, known as Baiser de Neiges, a floral woody musk fragrance for women was launched in 2013. It has lovely top notes of tangerine, pink pepper and baie rose, a tender heart of lily of the valley, jasmine and more rose, its base is fixed by musk, cedar, amber and sandalwood. A limited edition Eau Fraiche for Baiser de Neiges was introduced in 2017.This was accompanied by another flanker called Neiges a L'Eau de Glacier, a floral woody musk perfume with aquatic notes, white flowers and musk, really just a lighter, watery version of the original Neiges, perfect for summer, but alas, it too is discontinued.

In 2018, Lise Watier debuted a new limited edition line to compliment the existing Neiges fragrances. Dubbed the Fleurs de Neiges Collection, it included three floral fragrances for women. Fleurs de Neiges Fleurs d'Oranger had top notes of petitgrain and bergamot, middle notes of orange blossom, jasmine, white floral notes and an "air accord". Its base was redolent of musk and precious woods. Fleurs de Neiges Muguet had top notes of "dew drops" and ivy, layered over a floral heart of lily of the valley and soft jasmine, resting on a base of musk and vetiver. The third fragrance, Fleurs de Neiges Rose opened with spicy Sichuan pepper and bright bergamot, followed by rose, pink lotus and magnolia, finished with a base of musk and sandalwood.  

Nuits de Montréal:

Lise Watier launched the fragrance as part of the city's 35th birthday celebration.  

Capteur de Reves:

In 2002, she launched her fragrance Capteur de Reves, "Dream Catcher," its name was inspired by the Native American, circular webbed hangings. The dreamcatcher legend believed to be Ojibwa, tells of a spider who repays a woman for sparing his life by suspending a web over her as she sleeps. This ensures only good dreams get through; the bad ones get tangled in the web. Watier claimed to have taken her tiny symbols of Canada with her when she travels abroad, her signature gift to her foreign clients. "I had to find something that would reflect my country," she said and remarked that it was a female client in Paris who commented in the beautiful name. An instant inspiration. ”Follow your dreams and your soul will find peace” is the inscription on promotional items. Perfumer Christine Baillifard blended the essences of native plants such as Turk's Cap Lily, Balsam Fir with aromatic sage, resin and watery lotus. Unfortunately, the fragrance was discontinued by 2011.

Desirable:

In 2008, Lise Watier brought out a new perfume, called Desirable, hoping to recapture the immense success that Neiges achieved in the 90s. Developed by IFF perfumer Jean-Marc Chaillan, it includes notes of crisp sweet apple and juicy wild berries combined with osmanthus, freesia, magnolia, lily of the valley, creamy sandalwood and musk. It had a limited edition Eau Fraiche in 2017. 

In 2010, a limited edition flanker scent to Desirable was issued, in the name of Neon Love Desirable. This variation features a tropical classic flavor of coconut, pineapple and zesty lime, followed by an exotic floral heart and the signature Watier base of sandalwood and musk. This fragrance has also been discontinued.

Bora Bora & Vent du Sud:

2011 also saw the launch of Bora Bora, which I find somewhat confusing as there was already a fragrance by that name put out by Liz Claiborne in 2002. Watier's is classified as a fruity floral fragrance  for women. It combines fruity top notes of kiwi, bergamot, mandarin orange and cassis with heart notes of passion flower, bubblegum pink jasmine, rose and apricot, resting over a base of vanilla, musk, amber and woodsy cedar. Watier must have gotten flack from the Claiborne camp as the name Bora Bora was changed to Vent du Sud by the end of 2011.

Next is a fruity floral flanker called Vent du Sud Azur, released in 2018. Its top notes of bergamot, apple and tagetes are married to white tea, violet leaf, jasmine and base notes of amber, musk and cedar. Eau de Mer, a watery fragrance was also introduced in 2018. It featured orange blossom water, grapefruit, pink pepper, rose absolute, lily of the valley, violet lead, musk, cedar and white amber. 

2019 was also accompanied with Vent du Sud Sunset, another limited edition flanker scent. It features summery notes of orange, mandarin orange, grapefruit, peach, coconut, jasmine, lily of the valley, heliotrope, rose, orange blossom, musk, violet, vanilla and vetiver.

Vent du Sud Havana is another flanker, presented as a limited edition for 2020. Bright sunny notes of bergamot, lime, orange, peitigrain and a "solar note" open the fragrance to a heart of jasmine, rose, orange blossom, exotic ylang ylang, lavender, cardamom, pink pepper and aromatic herbs, closing with coconut milk, amber, vanilla, heliotrope, musk and woody notes.

 Other Fragrances:

In 1982, Lise Watier introduced a new perfume line called Harmonies, which included Parfum de Beaute, "a memorable orchestration of rare and precious scents."

Watier released Ivresse in 1978 (which is curious to note that in 1980, another perfume company called Parfums Ozer brought out a fragrance called Ivresse) and the eau de toilette, Aphro d'Ivresse in 1984. This is the same fragrance called Ivresse that was relaunched in 1992. This floral fragrance for woman was blended by Jean-Marc Chaillan. Its top note features bergamot, lily of the valley and orange blossom followed by an opulent heart of rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang over a base of cistus, sensuous musk, vetiver and pungent spices.

The floral fragrance Luminescence was introduced in 2005. It featured notes of orange, mimosa and orchid. This fragrance has been discontinued and is extremely hard to find. Around this same time period, the fragrance Dentelle was released, however, this too is discontinued and extremely hard to find.

Following the trend of "black" fragrances of the period, Watier released the fruity floral fragrance Or Noir in 2011. This "black gold" scent boasted black currant, lychee, pomegranate, jasmine, amber, musk, violet, vanilla and magnolia. This is no longer in production.

A limited edition for the warmer months was released in 2012. Called Summer Sunset, it featured the freshness of flowers. The fragrance opens with a bouquet enriched with the vitamins and subtle tartness of grapefruit blossoms, bergamot and luxurious red fruit. The scent then reveals its femininity with touches of jasmine, lily of the valley, honeysuckle and apple. It finishes nicely on creamy, enveloping background notes that are woody and musky.

The lovely ambery floral fragrance India was also released in 2013. This heady, sweet scent is captured in a gold and amethyst colored bottle. It features notes of ground cardamom sprinkled over passionfruit, nectarine and bergamot. Saffron, Indian jasmine sambac, honeysuckle, tuberose and gardenia make their presence known in the heart of the fragrance. The drydown is of sensuous white amber, musk and sandalwood. It embodies the exotic qualities of its namesake, but this too has been discontinued.

A particularly nice fragrance is simply called Watier. This feminine floral fragrance was launched in 2019. Formulated by Michelle DeFina with fresh, sharp top notes of blood orange, mirabelle plum, Sicilian bergamot and pink pepper. Heart notes include night blooming jasmine, leather and Turkish rose against an earthy foundation of patchouli, musk, Bourbon vanilla, sandalwood and amber.

Vertige:

The year 1996 witnessed the launch of the fruity floral perfume Vertige. Three years after the creation of Neiges, an intoxicating and classic fragrance, Lise Watier embarked on a brand new sensory experience with Vertige.

"'When you like to live without a safety net', the slogan of this new scent, expresses its rebellious and sparkling personality well", explained Lise Watier. Unlike Neiges, the No. 1 fragrance in Quebec, an intimacy fragrance, which falls into the category of great classics, "Vertige addresses the whimsical aspect in every woman."

It was after conducting a survey of Quebec women that Lise Watier decided to embark on this dizzying adventure. "The conclusions of our survey have shown that women are no longer loyal to a single perfume", continues Ms. Watier. "She now has a wardrobe of fragrances... If they want to cheat on Neiges, I prefer that she do it with Vertige!"

In the creation of this new perfume, Lise Watier teamed up with IFF, a world leader in the creation and production of fragrances which devotes more than 90 million dollars annually to researching new products.“With Vertige, the challenge was daunting since the perfumery market is renewing itself at a frenetic pace,” says Ms. Water. "More than 125 new fragrances have been launched in the last year."

In addition to having to face fierce competition, Ms. Watier also had to familiarize herself with the new laws of the market. Prior to the mid-1990s, women's perfumes were targeted as being aimed at the active, classic, sporty or seductive woman, but that era was over. Lise Watier's perfume was part of the emerging Cyberspace trend. Her perfume sought to seduce consumers by talking to them about lifestyle, comfort and happiness.

Vertige is classified as an aquatic green floral, where the fruity notes are gently worked rather than have a harshness that could turn consumers off. The top notes take flight in a whirlwind of surprising waves of hyacinth, rose, lily of the valley with aquatic notes of fennel, juicy watermelon, water lily,  mandarin orange, tart grapefruit and clementine. The base notes of powdery iris and green vetiver blend with the velvety aroma of sandalwood and the magnetism of musk.

Something Sweet:

A saccharine delight created for summer known as Something Sweet accompanied the other fragrances launched in 2013. This gourmand fragrance with a definite fruity floral slant had a first course of refreshing rainbow sorbet ice cream and sparkling champagne aldehyde, followed by the second course of a hollowed out melon filled seltzer water and with juicy red berries floating on the top and a third course of milk chocolate mousse covered in drizzles of raspberry syrup and grated dark chocolate.  

The following year two flanker scents called Something Sweet Sorbet and Something Sweet Cupcake was released as limited editions which have been discontinued. The Cupcake version has top notes of pomegranate, juicy red fruits and citrus zest, followed by red peony, orris butter and sticky sweet caramel, the base has the familiar Lise Watier musk and woods foundation accented with chocolate mousse and other floral and gourmand notes. The Sorbet version opens with a tangy lemon sorbet note mixed with fresh orange, its heart features mint, litsea cubeba for a slight violet touch and watery aquatic notes, its base is of sweetened lemon syrup. 

 

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