ImmortelleOpens with
RoseHeart
SandalwoodDries down to
Annick MénardoThe nose · 109 fragrances · also made Bottled Absolu (2024)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Frederic Malle · Sold as unisex
Contre-Jour
The hush of a sunlit room at dusk, where light filters through sheer curtains and casts long shadows on the floor.
Full bottle: Luxury tier, typically $250+. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Contre-JourLuxury · $250+
55%Similar accords, often for lessMa'magnifica · BvlgariPremium tier, $100–250 · all 2 of its listed notes are in this one8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
Main Accords
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 2026 by Frederic Malle, Contre-Jour is a unisex eau de parfum composed by Annick Menardo. This fragrance explores the interplay of light and shadow through its streamlined structure: immortelle, rose, and sandalwood. Immortelle, with its radiant yellow aspect and slightly untamed character, forms the top note, while rose absolute and narcissus create a heart that is both spicy and floral. The base of smooth sandalwood rounds out the composition, offering warmth and depth.
Contre-Jour's immortelle top note is bright but fleeting, so applying two sprays ensures that the spicy rose heart has time to emerge. The sandalwood base settles in gradually, making it ideal for a quiet evening at home rather than an all-day wear.
Fig. 01 — Contre-Jour, Frederic Malle
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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Annick Ménardo
Three decades at FirmenichAnnick Ménardo is a French perfumer who has worked for the fragrance house Firmenich since 1991, building a long career within one of the industry's major laboratories.
Designer Frederic Malle
More from the house · founded 2000 · France
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $250+ price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalContre-JourFrederic Malle · Luxury · $250+Bvlgari · 2023Ma'magnificaAll 2 of its listed notes are in this one$100–250★ 3.94 (93)54%Match
Lancôme · 2024Absolue Rose On The MoonAll 2 of its listed notes are in this one$100–250★ 4.05 (84)55%Match
ALREHAB PERFUMESSandal RoseAll 2 of its listed notes are in this oneunder $40★ 4.07 (41)55%Match
Swiss ArabianSandal RoseAll 2 of its listed notes are in this oneunder $40★ 4.00 (5)
With Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur Hair Mist
Adds musky, lavender and cinnamon; shares sandalwood.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Respected, if divisive: loved by 41%, disliked or hated by 15%.