Ca Sent Beau (Kenzo)


By Dane

And it does! Ca Sent Beau may be one of the more challenging fragrances to love, but once its charms seduce you, there's no turning back.

Before you run screaming from the hideous bottle (designed by renowned sculpture and bottle designer Serge Mansau), remember to not judge the book by its cover. Ca Sent Beau is a beautifully strange citrus floral that is like no other. It appears as though it was originally simply titled Kenzo, and I'm not sure when or why the name change took place, but either way, CSB (Kenzo's first fragrance) set the stage for a fascinating line of purposely synthetic-tinted fragrances.

Opening with a strange and jarring tangerine note, CSB slowly calms to a (still very bright) peachy tuberose accord with a fiery kick of spices. While this could have been your average floral, Kenzo's signature plastic-beachball note is present making it much more unusual. Eventually a clean vanilla is left on the skin, but the tart sharpness never really goes away.

I'm a big fan of tuberose scents, and CSB takes the already peculiar flower into all new territory. If there was a category for electric florals from outer space, this would take the prize. Tangy, fluorescent orange, and unlike anything I've ever smelled before.

Year: 1988
Perfumer: Francoise Caron
Notes: Magnolia, Gardenia, Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Jasmine, Plum, Peach, Citrus Fruits, Cardamom, Coriander, Cedar, Sandalwood, Moss, Musk, Vanilla
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3 comments:

  1. I love Kenzo. The design, the accords, the ads, the site...
    Japanese culture is so amazing!
    he is modern, technological and yet delicate, feminine.
    Thank you for this posting.
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  2. I guess I'll have to re-visit this one. I thought I'd finally found one that was too femme for me.
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  3. I have a love/hate relationship with my bottle of Ca sent beau. I tried it twice on 2 consecutive trips to Europe (it's hard to find) and finally concluded I had to have it. To me, it starts out smelling like hot spiced apple, which really is a lovely, homey, warm scent for me. It has a very long lasting, almost musky drydown though, which is anything but "apple pie". Just when I decide it's too much for me I put on a sweater that still has a hint of it and think "what is that?!... it smells divine", and the whole cycle begins again. I suppose the very fact that it is so interesting means it's a brilliant creation. Too bad it's so hard to find.
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