We review Mon Parfum Cristal by M. Micallef, an Eau de Parfum (EDP) for women and a rosy, cinnamony flanker of founder Martine Micallef’s “personal” Mon Parfum.
M. Micallef
The French house of M. Micallef was founded in 1996 by wife-and-husband duo Martine Micallef and Geoffrey Nejman, at a time when niche perfumery was still in its naissance, and a handful of houses that could be considered “niche” even existed.
Martine sold out of her beauty business and Geoffrey retired from his banking career. And so, in the basement of their villa in Grasse, a small town on the French Riviera that happens to be the perfume capital of the world, the couple put a start to M. Micallef.
(The “M,” should you be wondering, stands for Martine.)
A quarter of a century has passed since. The duo, in a fragrance triangle with nose Jean-Claude Astier, has been concocting some of the finest scents we’ve tried and tested, and formulating many of the rules of niche perfumery as we know it today.
From the artistry of the bottle and the alchemy of the scent to the exceptional appreciation for the customer—one can order any fragrance the house has ever made, even if that fragrance has been discontinued—M. Micallef has become synonymous with niche perfumery, its creations collected and cherished by fragrance connoisseurs around the world.
Mon Parfum Cristal
Facts
| House | M. Micallef |
| Fragrance | Mon Parfum Cristal |
| Concentration | Eau de Parfum (EDP) |
| Nose | Jean-Claude Astier |
| Released | 2013 |
| Family | Floral |
| Description | This sensual fragrance releases delicious vanilla and caramel notes sublimated by the depth of the remarkable amber/musk duo. |
| Sizes | 1.01 fl oz (30 ml), 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) |
Ingredients
Denatured Alcohol, Fragrance, Water, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Geraniol, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Citronellol, Limonene, Eugenol, Coumarin, Isoeugenol, Cinnamal, Citral, Benzyl Benzoate, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Farnesol, Ci14700, Ci15985
Source: M. Micallef, last retrieved January 12, 2022
Our Review
Released in 2013 and concocted by French nose Jean-Claude Astier, Mon Parfum Cristal is a flanker of Mon Parfum, one of M. Micallef’s best-selling perfumes.
Compared to the original, Mon Parfum Cristal is sweeter and more gourmand-ish, with a certain je-ne-sais-quoi about it that’s difficult to transcribe into words (then again, it isn’t meant to).
The top notes are cinnamon and pink berries. The heart notes are rose, tuberose, vanilla, and jasmine. The base notes are caramel, amber, and musk.
In a nutshell, deliciously elegant. It’s sweet, but not cloying. It’s unassuming, but sophisticated.
The opening is reminiscent of sweet, tawny cinnamon and playful, spicy pink berries. The sweetness is subtle, not like the fairy-floss scent of Kilian’s Love, Don’t Be Shy, and the spiciness is mellow, far from the kick you’d get in a dark scent like Tom Ford’s Black Orchid.
Almost immediately, a hint of violet rose, heady tuberose, earthy vanilla, and opulent jasmine joins the mix. Imagine gingerbread cookies smothered generously with rose-petal and jasmine-flower jam.
The drydown is thick and confectionary: one of caramelized brown sugar, warm amber, and immaculate musk. There’s a sophisticated sweetness to it, as if you just opened a box of white-chocolate caramels and indulged in the olfactory deliciousness in the air.
It’s worth noting that the juice is colored, and, when you spritz it on, it may leave a trace on white garments or your skin.
M. Micallef’s Mon Parfum Cristal is delectable, marmalade-like. The rose makes the fragrance feminine and powdery; the vanilla is comforting and the jasmine sophisticated. Amber and musk balance it out and give it an elegant—but profound—note.
Picture yourself in your mid-thirties, wearing a long red velvet dress. A pink rose in your hair, matte lipstick. Wherever you go, you leave a beautiful scent trail. You’re inviting, yet seductive. You’re warm, yet mysterious. Your beauty lies in your grace; your charm in your poise.
Mature, exquisite, and sumptuous, Mon Parfum Cristal is perfect for wearing all year round, particularly in the fall and winter.
Longevity
Mon Parfum Cristal by M. Micallef is an Eau de Parfum (EDP) with an excellent longevity. Sprayed in the morning on the pulse points of freshly bathed skin, the fragrance easily lasts for 8 to 10 hours.
You asked, we answered: Why some perfumes last longer than others
Sillage
When it comes to sillage, Mon Parfum Cristal doesn’t perform poorly. But I wouldn’t describe it as above-average, either. The projection’s there for 3 to 4 hours of wear, after which the scent starts to sit closer to the skin.
Layering
Layering Mon Parfum Cristal by M. Micallef with Oud Bouquet by Lancôme yields a unique feminine fragrance that’s heavier and more sirupy-sweet.
To accentuate the rose note and double-down on the “wow” factor of M. Micallef’s Mon Parfum Cristal, layer it with Armani Privé Rose d’Arabie by Giorgio Armani.
M. Micallef’s Mon Parfum Cristal layers exceptionally well with Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Oud Satin Mood. The resulting fragrance is a dark, oriental combination between the two scents that’s ideal for upscale dinners and dressy cocktail outings.
Sizes
Mon Parfum Cristal, an Eau de Parfum (EDP) by niche house M. Micallef, is available in two sizes: a 1.01 fl oz (30 ml) and a 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) round glass bottle, adorned by hand with golden crystals. The cap is solid, but not too heavy, and snaps securely in place.
If you buy the fragrance from the house’s online store, you can request gift wrapping or a personalized engraving on the bottle. Those who buy the 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) bottle get a complimentary travel spray.
Read our guide: Which size perfume to buy?
Price Tag
On the day this review was published, the 1.01 fl oz (30 ml) bottle of Mon Parfum Cristal sold for €79.17 ($90.59), and the 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) bottle sold for €187.50 ($214.57) at M. Micallef’s online store.
Frequently Asked
Consider Peregrina, a genderless Extrait de Parfum by Thameen; Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper, a layerable Eau de Parfum (EDP) for women by KAYALI; Roses Vanille, an Eau de Parfum (EDP) for women by Mancera.
Mon Parfum is an Eau de Parfum (EDP) released in 2009, and Mon Parfum Cristal is a flanker of the original EDP released in 2013. While both perfumes are feminine, Mon Parfum is on the tropical and citrusy side, whereas Mon Parfum Cristal is on the rosy and cinnamony side.
In Conclusion
If you’re looking for a floral gourmand with rosy and cinnamony vibes, Mon Parfum Cristal might just be the signature scent for you.
