Le Feu d'Issey vs Lolita Lempicka

The r/fragrance community respects these fragrances as critically acclaimed classics with artistic merit, but many users find them personally unappealing, describing them as old-fashioned or overly aggressive. Community consensus emphasizes in-person testing before purchasing rather than blind buying, as personal taste varies significantly regardless of expert ratings.

The community acknowledges Lolita Lempicka as a beloved discontinued classic, but the new reformulations are widely viewed as hollow shadows of the original. Multiple comparisons confirm the new version lacks the rich, dark anise and tonka backbone that gave the original its soul, with reformulation driven by IFRA regulations and EU bans (particularly Lilial). While some new wearers find the current version acceptable, those familiar with the original consistently report the fragrance feels weaker, brighter, and less complex.