Epris by Max Factor (1981)

Épris by Max Factor was launched in 1981, during a period when the perfume world was embracing bold, sophisticated, and expressive compositions. The name “Épris” comes from the French word meaning “enamored” or “infatuated,” pronounced "ay-PREE". The choice of this name evokes images of romantic fascination, allure, and emotional intensity, suggesting a fragrance that captures attention and leaves a lingering impression. By selecting a French name, Max Factor reinforced the perfume’s aura of European elegance and timeless sophistication, appealing to women seeking a scent that was both intimate and glamorous.

The early 1980s were a dynamic era defined by glamour, confidence, and self-expression. Fashion emphasized bold silhouettes, luxurious fabrics, and a sense of drama, while perfumes of the time increasingly combined floral, oriental, and animalic elements to create complex, long-lasting scents. Women of this period were drawn to fragrances that reflected their independence, sophistication, and sensuality, making a perfume named Épris—evoking the feelings of infatuation and romance—an ideal companion to their lifestyle. In terms of scent, the word “Épris” suggests a composition that is passionate, elegant, and captivating, with emotional depth that resonates on both a personal and social level.

Classified as a floral mossy animalic chypre, Épris opens with sparkling aldehydes that impart a crisp, airy brightness, immediately catching the senses. The heart of the fragrance is an elegant bouquet of ylang ylang, carnation, lily of the valley, rose, and mimosa, enhanced by subtle spices including carnation, coriander, basil, and clove. This sophisticated interplay of florals and spices lends warmth and complexity, balancing the freshness of the top notes with a rich, sensual character. The base is a powdery, animalic, and slightly woody foundation, featuring sandalwood, amber, mosses, and subtle animalic undertones, creating a long-lasting impression and giving the fragrance its semi-oriental elegance. The careful blending of natural and synthetic elements ensures both projection and depth, highlighting the florals while enriching the base with texture and warmth.

The perfume’s presentation further emphasized its luxurious character. Packaged in a slim, crystal-like faceted bottle topped with an oversized silvery cap, Épris visually conveyed sophistication and modern elegance. Its association with Jaclyn Smith, a star of Charlie’s Angels, positioned the fragrance within popular culture, associating it with glamour, confidence, and contemporary femininity. While Épris was in keeping with the trends of the early 1980s—floral-oriental chypres with animalic depth—it distinguished itself through its precise layering of aldehydes, florals, spices, and powdery base notes, making it both immediately appealing and memorably distinctive. In every aspect, from its name and scent to its presentation, Épris embodied the allure, sophistication, and sensuality that defined Max Factor’s approach to modern perfumery.

 

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Épris by Max Factor is classified as a floral mossy animalic chypre fragrance for women. It starts off with an aldehydic top note, followed by an elegant floral heart, layered over a sweet, sensual, powdery base. Long lasting semi-oriental floral blend combining ylang ylang, carnation, lily of the valley, rose and mimosa with spicy notes of carnation, coriander, basil , clove and aromas of woods, mosses and amber.

• Top notes: aldehydes, Calabrian bergamot, Amalfi lemon, Mediterranean tarragon, Moroccan  mimosa, Russian coriander, Italian basil
• Middle notes: French carnation, Zanzibar clove, Manila ylang ylang, Alpine lily of the valley, Damascene rose, Egyptian jasmine, Florentine orris
• Base notes: Yugoslavian oakmoss, ambergris, Mysore sandalwood, Haitian vetiver, Tonkin musk, Omani frankincense, Madagascar vanilla

Scent Profile:

Épris by Max Factor unfolds like a journey through elegance and sensuality, opening with a sparkling burst of aldehydes that immediately enlivens the senses. These synthetic molecules, carefully crafted to enhance natural brightness, create a crisp, airy effervescence, adding a luminous halo that lifts the perfume’s opening. Complementing the aldehydes is Calabrian bergamot from southern Italy, with its uniquely sun-ripened citrus character that is slightly floral and aromatic, and Amalfi lemon, renowned for its soft, sweet, and tangy freshness that carries the sun-drenched warmth of the Mediterranean coast. Mediterranean tarragon imparts a gentle herbaceous sharpness, blending seamlessly with Moroccan mimosa, which contributes a soft, powdery floral veil reminiscent of early morning blossoms. The opening is further enriched with Russian coriander, which adds a warm, spicy, and slightly resinous nuance, and Italian basil, a sweet green herb note that brings clarity and depth to the citrus and floral top.

As the fragrance blooms, the heart emerges as a rich, luxurious floral bouquet. French carnation provides its signature clove-like warmth and a velvety spice, harmonized by Zanzibar clove, which deepens the floral spiciness with its aromatic intensity. Manila ylang ylang contributes a creamy, exotic sweetness, rounding the florals with a heady, tropical depth, while Alpine lily of the valley introduces a delicate, dewy freshness that tempers the richness of the other flowers. Damascene rose, prized for its rich, honeyed aroma, adds a regal, rosy elegance, and Egyptian jasmine brings a luminous, indolic warmth, evoking sensuality and feminine allure. The heart is subtly anchored by Florentine orris, the root of the iris plant from Italy, whose powdery, soft violet nuances lend refinement and persistence to the bouquet, enhancing the natural florals and providing a bridge to the deeper base notes.

The drydown reveals a lush, sensual foundation, weaving together Yugoslavian oakmoss, whose earthy, slightly damp forest note is essential for the classic chypre character, with ambergris, a rare and precious animalic note that adds warmth, depth, and a slightly marine sensuality. Mysore sandalwood, creamy and smooth with its signature nutty-woody aroma, blends with Haitian vetiver, which adds a smoky, rooty earthiness, and Tonkin musk, an animalic yet soft and velvety element that enhances the longevity and sensuality of the composition. Exotic resinous accents from Omani frankincense give a mystical, slightly sweet-spicy undertone, while Madagascar vanilla softens the base with warm, gourmand sweetness, subtly sweetening the musky and woody aspects. Each ingredient, whether natural or synthetic, is carefully layered to ensure that the florals float gracefully above a powerful, enduring base, resulting in a semi-oriental chypre that is elegant, opulent, and unmistakably captivating.

Épris, as experienced on the skin, balances sparkling freshness, rich floral elegance, and warm sensuality, creating a long-lasting fragrance that is both sophisticated and inviting—an embodiment of early 1980s glamour, modernity, and feminine allure.

Product Line:

The Épris product line by Max Factor was designed to offer a comprehensive sensory experience, allowing the luxurious floral mossy animalic chypre fragrance to be enjoyed in multiple formats. At the heart of the line was the Parfum, available in elegantly shaped bottles that emphasized sophistication and longevity. The parfum offered the purest concentration of the fragrance, highlighting the sparkling aldehydes in the top notes, the lush floral heart, and the deep, sensual mossy-animalic base, perfect for those seeking a long-lasting signature scent.

For women on the go, the Parfum Purse Spray provided convenience without sacrificing elegance. Encased in a compact, portable bottle, it allowed discreet reapplication throughout the day, maintaining the luminous freshness of the citrus top notes and the warm, enveloping florals. Similarly, the Perfume Wand offered a precise, controlled way to apply the fragrance, ideal for subtle layering or targeting pulse points, ensuring that the heart notes of jasmine, rose, and carnation were experienced fully with every touch.

The Concentrated Cologne Spray provided a lighter, more accessible expression of Épris, perfect for casual wear or for layering over other personal scents. This format emphasized the sparkling top notes of bergamot, lemon, and mimosa, allowing the wearer to enjoy the effervescent opening without the intensity of the full parfum. For those who preferred a tactile, sensorial experience, Solid Creme Perfume offered the fragrance in a smooth, buttery form that could be applied directly to the skin. This solid format allowed for a more intimate interaction with the scent, as body heat helped release the nuanced floral and woody notes gradually throughout the day.

The Épris line extended into personal care with Dusting Powder, which combined a soft, silky texture with the signature fragrance, letting the wearer envelop herself in the scent while providing a gentle finish to the skin. The line also included Fragranced Candles, which translated the complex floral-mossy-animalic character of Épris into a home environment, filling rooms with its elegant, alluring bouquet and creating an immersive olfactory experience. Altogether, the Épris product line reflected Max Factor’s dedication to versatility, luxury, and a complete lifestyle fragrance experience, offering multiple ways to enjoy the perfume beyond traditional bottles.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Épris remained on the market throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, but by 1997 the fragrance had quietly disappeared from Max Factor’s lineup. Its discontinuation marked the end of an era for a perfume that had embodied sophistication, sensuality, and the glamour of the early 1980s. For many women, Épris was a signature scent, a long-lasting floral chypre that balanced aldehydic sparkle with a lush heart of flowers and a mossy-animalic base. By the late 1990s, however, perfume trends were shifting dramatically—lighter, cleaner compositions and sheer fruity florals were dominating the market, leaving less space for bold, complex chypres like Épris.

The decision to discontinue Épris was likely a combination of changing tastes and the brand’s desire to modernize its fragrance offerings. Regulatory pressures on ingredients such as oakmoss and certain animalic notes may also have contributed to the fragrance being phased out, as reformulating such a complex composition could have altered its character beyond recognition. Today, surviving bottles are sought after by collectors and vintage perfume enthusiasts, who prize Épris for its unapologetically rich composition and the elegance it conveyed. Its disappearance highlights the fleeting nature of even the most beloved perfumes, capturing a moment in time when sophistication and sensual depth were at the heart of Max Factor’s vision of femininity.