Our take
What does Joy smell like?
Joy was born in 1930, in the teeth of the Depression, and Jean Patou bet against the mood of the times with a fragrance of sheer floral excess. Composed by Henri Alméras, it packs in a density of blossom few perfumes have matched. The opening already brings rose, tuberose and creamy, sunny ylang-ylang. The heart doubles down on rose and jasmine, now steadied by a powdery iris. Sandalwood and musk form the base, and a restrained dose of civet does the crucial work, lending a warm, skin-like grain to what could otherwise be a mere bouquet. The effect is not a polite flower but a carnal, saturated floral that fills a room without ever shouting.
When to wear it
Save it for celebrations, ceremonies and dinners that call for dressing up. It suits lovers of grand old-school florals built on rose and jasmine.
It belongs to the Floral family. Joy is one of 1 creations by Patou in our encyclopedia.
