Caitlin

Trayee by Neela Vermeire Creations

November 6, 2014

Notes: Blue ginger, elemi, cinnamon, ganja accord, blackcurrant absolute, basil, jasmine sambac, Egyptian jasmine, cardamom absolute, clove, saffron, Javanese and Haitian vetiver, incense, Mysore sandalwood oil, patchouli, myrrh, vanilla, cedar, amber notes, oud palao from Laos, oak moss.

After hearing nothing but raves about Neela Vermeire’s fragrances, I decided I had to finally sample her creations for myself. I picked out Trayee because of the jam-packed list of notes. I figured, if nothing else, at least it wouldn’t be boring. I first sampled Trayee during the summer months and, while I liked it, I found it too overwhelming to really process. I’m glad I’ve revisited it now in late autumn, because it feels like the perfect time of year to let this smokey/spicy creation really breathe and reveal its nuances.

Neela Vermeire, herself a fragrance lover, teamed up with the famed perfumer, Bertrand Duchaufour, to create four fragrances that form the foundation of her French-Indian perfume house. Each of these fragrances takes its inspiration and theme from a period of Indian history. Trayee reaches back through the centuries to the Vedic period, and many ingredients used in Vedic ceremonies are featured in the notes here.

Trayee is perhaps a little infamous for its “ganja accord.” If this evokes more of a picture of college kids smoking in their dorm room for you rather than a sophisticated fragrance, don’t worry. Trayee is smokey, but the ganja accord works as an herbal and sharp green, with basil and green cardamom standing out. In fact, the opening of Trayee is kind of shockingly green for me (at first I thought I must’ve tried the wrong sample). Then the spices warm up and cinnamon appears, both sweet and hot. Cloves are there too, adding depth and leading into the more rich and creamy heart.

Trayee develops into a lovely comforting vanilla, with ginger to add some liveliness and sparkle. Little tendrils of smoke fade in and out, serving as a reminder that this isn’t just a comfort scent. For some reason incense and smokey fragrances in general have been reading very subdued on me lately. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it may skew my perceptions. I get very subtle incense here leading into the dry down, just enough to make me think of sitting in a church pew for a moment, but the intensity may be different on others.

The dry down here is gorgeous and lasts for ages. The vanilla and sandalwood come together, serving as an anchor. Both amber and cedar enter into the mix now to add some shading. The cedar in particular adds richness, while also giving that slight hint of dirty forest. Remarkably, this isn’t a heavy base, and I actually don’t get much oud at all. The amber gives the composition a kind of glassy effect, as though looking through amber glass: it’s sturdy, but translucent.

Trayee is a fascinating perfume with a lot of development in the composition. It definitely has a calming, comforting effect to it. But at the same time, there’s always more here to discover and analyze. It’s a fragrance that keeps you on your toes. I’ve worn Trayee during the day, and I think you can pull it off, but I’d avoid it for work functions. It’s certainly rich and elegant enough for nighttime wear, but it doesn’t have to be exclusively for going out. There’s a contemplative aspect to this perfume, which makes it perfect for anytime you’re in the mood to be inspired.

Samples and full bottles of Trayee are available from Luckyscent, which is where I got my sample. Neela Vermeire runs quite pricey so I definitely suggest sampling this line!

Image is from Fragrantica, while list of notes is from Luckyscent.

Anima Dulcis by Arquiste

October 30, 2014

Notes: cocoa absolute, Mexican vanilla, cinnamon, chilli infusion.

Anima Dulcis stands out as somewhat unique for a gourmand fragrance. There’s an element of sweetness here, just as you’d expect from a scent based around cocoa and vanilla. But Anima Dulcis is also savory, and even a touch bitter. That’s quite a few scent profiles to pack into one composition, but luckily it’s done here with a careful touch (or a careful nose) as Anima Dulcis is never overpowering. I get average sillage from this, which I think is just about right, anything more would be too much.

The immediate opening here is quiet on me. I sense a general bouquet of spices, but no one note stands out. Anima Dulcis takes its time, but I’ve learned it’s worth the wait. After about half an hour, it heats up very nicely. The chilli gives off an aromatic kind of heat, giving you a nice little bit of projection. I also detect a touch of cumin, although it’s not listed as a specific note.

I have to admit the fragrance is a little bit sweaty at this point, but this is where the bitter dark chocolate effect comes in. I absolutely love dark chocolate, so I really enjoy this aspect of the fragrance even though it’s not the typical creamy hot cocoa vibe that gourmand scents usually go for. And a bonus is that the bitterness has a drying effect, keeping the composition from becoming too humid-sweaty and veering into body odor territory. As a result, Anima Dulcis doesn’t read as a hugely animalic fragrance to me. Rather, the dirtiness here comes off as earthy, like rich soil. I suppose it’s the effect of the spicy/savory influences.

The dry down here is typical of sweet gourmands, with rich vanilla coming to the fore of the composition. It’s warm, appealing, and very cozy. Just a tinge of sweat lingers, and it’s a little bit leather-infused (perhaps this is the animalic effect?). Unfortunately for such a packed fragrance, Anima Dulcis doesn’t last much beyond five hours on me. But it’s a delicious journey while it lasts.

Above all, I appreciate the complexity at work in this perfume. You could easily classify Anima Dulcis as part of the Oriental fragrance family, because of the spice and the vanilla base. But there is more going on here, and I admire Anima Dulcis for stretching the boundaries of what we might consider a typical gourmand, and especially for being different than a typical chocolate perfume. I also like the way it takes time to heat up upon contact with the skin, as though Anima Dulcis needs a little time to get to know you before revealing aspects of its personality. It all comes together to make the wearing of this perfume a fascinating, challenging, and intensely personal experience.

Anima Dulcis is available directly from Arquiste and from Aedes de Venustas. Samples are available from The Perfumed Court. I got my sample from Aedes.

Image is from Fragrantica while info on the notes is from Arquiste.

Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt

September 26, 2014

Notes: ambrette seed, sea salt, sage, seaweed, and grapefruit.

I’ve been excited to try this newest Jo Malone release ever since it was first announced back in the spring, although I remember thinking at the time that it seemed odd to release a salty, beachy scent at the end of summer. Now that I’ve actually sampled the fragrance, I see that autumn is the right time of year for this. It adds a touch of brightness to the crisp, cool mornings, yet is still refreshing enough for warm September afternoons.

For me, Wood Sage & Sea Salt opens with a splash of grapefruit and a spicy sensation that’s much more like black pepper than like salt. It’s refreshing and bracing, but not overwhelming. I wouldn’t describe this as a fruity scent though. The grapefruit fades rather quickly, and the peppery opening quiets down.

In its place, a briny scent that must be from the seaweed comes to the fore. This is where the saltiness begins to come through. There’s a marine aspect here mixed with a green flavor. The ambrette acts as a musk-like base, and through all of this, salt begin to appear as though in waves (I assume this process is helped by skin chemistry and natural everyday sweat too).

Wood Sage & Sea Salt is refreshing on the whole, and exactly like a sea breeze. I confess I don’t get much sage or anything woodsy here (I find the base more generally warm and musky). Still, this is a well-blended and nicely detailed composition. There’s a bit of an edge to keep this fragrance from personifying a purely sunny beach, with the bite from the salt echoing the tangy grapefruit opening. It puts me in mind of the beaches I’ve visited in Scotland where the wind is bitter and unrelenting, even in July. But, if you’re in the right mood for it, it’s absolutely invigorating, just like the best autumn weather.

Wood Sage & Sea Salt is reportedly perfumer Christine Nagel’s last fragrance for Jo Malone. Despite the lack of floral notes, this scent fits right in with the brand’s current profile, but we will see where Jo Malone goes from here.

Wood Sage & Sea Salt is available from Jo Malone, Nordstrom, and from Saks. The Perfumed Court carries Jo Malone samples, although I don’t currently see Wood Sage & Sea Salt on offer, perhaps they are sold out. I got my sample (and eventually a 30 ml bottle) from my local Jo Malone counter.

Both the image and info on perfume notes are from Fragrantica.

Sotto La Luna: Gardenia by Tauer Perfumes

September 19, 2014

Notes: fresh spices, roasted coffee beans, mushrooms, gardenia, jasmine, rose buds, and woods.

I made the mistake of first sampling Sotto La Luna: Gardenia on an oppressively humid day in early September. The result was not pretty. This composition might be centered around gardenia, but it’s no soliflore. It’s a rich, creamy, and, at times, luxurious fragrance. But in the wrong circumstances (i.e. heat and humidity) it’s too overpowering. The vanilla of the base takes over, radiating a cloying and stifling sweetness. I had to scrub it off.

But, I had read some intriguing positive reviews of this fragrance (some excellent write-ups from The Scented Hound and Persolaise) so I didn’t want to simply discard this as a bust. Also, given that Sotto La Luna: Gardenia is an autumn release, I thought it would be a good idea to wait for less summer-like weather. I’ve now tried Gardenia several times since our first disastrous attempt to get acquainted, and I’m glad because there’s a lot to discover here.

Wearing Gardenia is like a journey through a forest. It’s quite green and sharp in the beginning as you still hover around the edges of the forest. As wear time continues and you trek more deeply towards the heart of the forest, it becomes more about the surrounding woods and soil. Gardenia petals peek out in a light wink from time to time, but the floral aspect here is mostly just a tease. Indeed, the core of this fragrance is really about the forest floor: the mossy undergrowth, the fallen leaves, and, as with any forest, the mushrooms.

The funky mushroom note pulls sour on me, but I actually don’t mind it. I appreciate a little sourness after the sweet vanilla bomb of my first attempt at sampling this. I honestly think the sour mushroom and earthy soil aspect adds some much needed balance and depth to this composition. The dry-down is a creamy, sweet vanilla that’s lightly spiced, almost like gingerbread. It lasts for ages, and luckily it’s very nice when not worn in extreme heat. But to me, this dry down would feel generic and boring if not for the weirdness that precedes it.

Sotto La Luna is meant to be a new series from Tauer Perfumes, of which this Gardenia creation is the first installment. Gardenia has definitely gotten attention and sparked a lot of debate. Considering the sharp divide of opinions, this is the type of fragrance you absolutely must sample for yourself if you’re thinking of purchasing. You may even have to try it multiple times for yourself, considering the kind of Jekyll and Hyde experience I’ve had with it.

If anything, I do admire Gardenia for challenging me. It certainly offers a wealth of experiences for one perfume: from the sharply verdant opening, to the light brush of floral petals, to the rich exploration of earthy notes, and finally the yummy gourmand-like dry down. That’s a lot to contend with for one perfume, and I’ll continue trying to come to terms with it all as colder weather closes in. I’ll also keep an eye out for the next installment in the Sotto La Luna series. At the very least, I’m sure it won’t be boring.

Samples and full bottles of Tauer Perfumes are available from Luckyscent, which is where I got my sample.

Image is from Fragrantica while info on notes is from Luckyscent.

L’Orpheline by Serge Lutens

September 5, 2014

Notes: aldehydes, cedar wood, fougere accord, coumarin, clouds of ambergris, patchouli, incense, and cashmeran.

This new Serge Lutens release is based on the simple notes of musk and incense. However, as always with Lutens and his partner in perfumery, Christopher Sheldrake, it’s not necessarily a simple fragrance. L’Orpheline opens with a gentle cloud of musk and light cedar. The aldehydes add some lift here so that the composition doesn’t appear too heavy right off the bat. I get a quiet, warm sensation of myrrh, but nothing hugely smokey from the incense.

Even though the incense isn’t dominant for me, it’s easy to see incense’s influence on the fragrance as a whole. The opening of L’Orpheline is similar to stepping into a cathedral, taking a seat somewhere in the wooden pews, and soaking up the hushed atmosphere. L’Orpheline continues with this hushed, muted tone. Despite the musky and woody notes, this is never going to be an overwhelming kind of fragrance, which makes it excellent for daytime wear.

But the muted aspect doesn’t mean that L’Orpheline is a “weak” fragrance (in fact it’s an Haute Concentration eau de parfum). I’ve been wearing this in some very humid weather, and it really blooms on the skin. It takes on a soft and comforting texture without ever feeling heavy. I haven’t felt that it’s inappropriate for hot weather because the composition retains that cloud-like feeling all the way through. The musk and cedar develop a lightly sweaty aspect that runs in an undercurrent beneath the soft cashmeran cloud. This lends a sultry air to the scent, it’s even a little bit sexy!

“L’Orpheline” translates to “the orphan girl.” It is known that Serge Lutens was separated from his mother at a very young age. Without getting into psychoanalysis, it’s safe to assume that the theme of this fragrance holds a lot of personal meaning for Monsieur Lutens. What, then, might he be trying to communicate with the creation of L’Orpheline? It’s certainly an odd perfume, not an obvious blockbuster the way some of his previous fragrances have been. And yet, a blockbuster isn’t always what’s necessary.

L’Orpheline is subtle and chic enough to wear to the office. It’s also elegant enough to wear out, and soft enough to wear as a comfort scent. L’Orpheline is all of these things, and also firmly its own creation. The quietness of this fragrance demands that the wearer stop, listen, and figure out how best to wear this, demonstrating that loud showiness isn’t always necessary to draw attention. L’Orpheline definitely won’t be for everyone, it won’t even be for all Serge Lutens fans. But it’s undeniably striking in its own subtlety.

Serge Lutens is available from Barneys New York. Full bottles and samples are available from Luckyscent, which is where I got my sample.

Image is from Fragrantica, and info on notes is taken from Luckyscent. It’s worth noting that Fragrantica lists musk and incense as the only notes, while Luckyscent goes into more detail.

Oeillet Bengale by Aedes de Venustas

September 2, 2014

Notes: bergamot, white pepper, rose, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, tumeric, clove, tolu balsam, labdanum, ylang ylang, benzoin, vanilla.

Now that it’s officially September, crisp autumnal weather is on the way. (At least I hope so, temperatures here are still hovering around the 90s!) It’s always nice to start wearing fragrances with more spice and warmth at this time of year to make up for the shorter days and the slight bite to the air at night. One of the fragrances I’m most looking forward to wearing in the coming cool weather is Oeillet Bengale, which is a full-on bouquet, bursting with inviting florals and warm spices.

‘Oeillet’ is the French word for carnation, although the Bengale Oeillet is actually a variety of rose. Aedes de Venustas and the perfumer for this composition, Rodrigo Flores-Roux, make clever use of this floral play on words. Oeillet Bengale opens with a clove and pepper spiciness familiar to anyone who has sampled Caron’s Poivre, that exemplary and refined carnation bouquet scent. But Oeillet Bengale is able to reference Poivre, while still telling its own original fragrance story.

The rose here is an earthy rose, not necessarily dirty, but not refined either. This isn’t a bouquet of roses sitting in a vase on someone’s mantelpiece. Rather, this rose is still alive and growing. There is an herbaceous aspect to this composition alongside the spiciness. This adds balance, and also takes Oeillet Bengale’s story outside the confines of a refined home altogether, placing this fragrance in the garden.

Oeillet Bengale is not meant to be a linear composition, and it develops beautifully on the skin. This means that the garden conjured up here isn’t static, and it isn’t only floral either. There are sweet red berries here, and after a couple of hours, I also get the impression of root vegetables. It sounds odd, but it’s not unpleasant. It puts me in mind of carrots being washed in preparation for baking a cinnamon-spiced carrot cake.

The dry-down is resinous, which I sometimes worry will smell too much like burning plastic on me, but the delicately smokey syrup is wonderfully complementary, especially on top of the spiced cake effect.

This fragrance is supposed to be quite strong on the incense, but it honestly doesn’t come through heavily for me, and Oeillet Bengale never reads strongly smokey to me. Which is probably a good thing, as wear time is pretty phenomenal. It’s one of those fragrances I can wear to bed and wake up still smelling traces of it in the morning, on my wrist, my pillow, and my sheets.

Aedes de Venustas is a New York fragrance boutique that carries trendy brands such as Byredo. Oeillet Bengale marks the third fragrance in their signature line, and is by far my favorite of their offerings. Full bottles of the Aedes line are quite pricey, although the packaging is certainly luxe enough (and they do offer a smaller and slightly less expensive purse spray size). It’s the quality of the fragrance inside that really counts, and Oeillet Bengale is definitely worth the extravagance. It’s going on my Christmas wish list.

Oeillet Bengale is available directly from Aedes de Venustas or from Barneys New York. Samples are available from The Perfumed Court. Aedes also allows you to request up to seven fragrance samples with an online purchase, which is how I obtained my sample.

Image and info on fragrance notes are from Fragrantica.

Pour Femme Intense by Dolce & Gabbana

August 21, 2014

Notes: green mandarin, neroli, tuberose, orange blossom, sandalwood, marshmallow.

It’s pretty obvious by now that I have just a little bit of a sweet tooth when it comes to perfume. So, is it any surprise that I would go for a fragrance featuring marshmallow as a note? Actually, it’s a surprise to me since I’m not the biggest fan of eating marshmallows (I prefer my hot cocoa without them). I thought Dolce & Gabbana’s Intense might finally be one scent that’s too gooey and sweet even for me, but that’s not the case yet.

Dolce & Gabbana launched their original eau de parfum for women, the aptly named Pour Femme, in 1992. They then launched a reformulated edition of it in 2012. Intense is meant to be, one assumes, a more intensely concentrated version of the newer Pour Femme. But Intense is a curious choice of name for this flanker because I don’t find it to be very intense.

Intense is the most consistently smooth composition from opening note to the last hint of the dry down. The mandarin gives a nice bit of zest to the opening. While I don’t usually care for neroli, I’m glad it’s here to elevate the composition and add a touch of the aromatic. Otherwise, Intense is a creamy marshmallow confection with the sandalwood adding some necessary stability and depth.

Intense is beautifully blended, and comes off as just the right amount of sweet for me. But, does this warm, comforting, dessert-like sweetness really give off an intensity? For me it doesn’t, and the most shocking lack of intensity comes by way of the fact that I only get around four hours of wear time out of this.

So, Intense remains a bit of a puzzle for me. There’s a good chance that it’s just my skin chemistry, but there’s an obvious disconnect between the idea of the fragrance and what I actually sense on my skin. I wouldn’t describe Pour Femme itself as a terribly intense fragrance either. There’s a strong red berry note that doesn’t appeal to me, and the marshmallow isn’t as delectably blended, making the fragrance a bit more sheer. However, (somewhat annoyingly!) it does last much longer on my skin: six plus hours.

In spite of myself and the mediocre wear time, I prefer Intense to the regular Pour Femme. In fact, I’m a little bit entranced by Intense. When I say it’s smooth, I don’t mean that it’s like silk. It’s not light, nor does it seem to project a sheen (is this perhaps where the concentrated intensity comes in?). Intense is rather like the most luxurious winter coat you can imagine, one that allows you to show off some style, as well as keep comfortingly warm. All I can say is, I’m ready for winter.

Dolce & Gabbana’s Intense is available from Sephora (so is Pour Femme if you’re interested in comparing) which is also where I got my sample.

Image and info about the notes are both from Fragrantica.

Cerebral yet Chic: Serge Lutens’ Bas de Soie

August 14, 2014

Notes: galbanum, hyacinth, spicy notes, iris, musk.

The phrase “bas de soie” translates to silk stockings in English, and it initially might seem like an odd name for this already odd iris/hyacinth composition. The immediate opening of Bas de Soie is so green, it comes off quite harsh. That’s some intensely green galbanum combined with the green-leaning hyacinth. You would be right to wonder where the silkiness is in all of this.

A soft, powdery floral forms gradually as wear time goes on. Interestingly, against this floral backdrop, a metallic aspect of the composition stands out. The metallic effect shimmers with an edge, and this keeps Bas de Soie on the cool, crisp end of the spectrum for me. I’ve read people saying this fragrance would do well in the corporate world because of the cool edge, and I can see that. I myself wore it to the doctor’s office, and it’s a quiet enough scent that no one noticed, but strong enough that I left the office still smelling like perfume and not like sterile medical supplies.

But Bas de Soie isn’t all razor-sharp harsh coldness. This is a well-blended composition and there is real depth here. As mentioned, there are some spice notes. The spice remains vague, but I get black pepper in the beginning, and some cloves as the fragrance develops. The spiciness has a sort of tactful restraint about it, like it doesn’t want to take over, but it’s still noticeable.

Also adding some depth is the galbanum, which evolves on my skin to become more resinous. After a couple hours of wear I get a kind of gummy sensation, as though I’m wearing a floral-flavored gum drop. It’s definitely weird, but I sort of like it. (I’d love to try gum drops made by Serge Lutens!) Sadly, this gum drop impression eventually dissolves, and a soft powdery musk takes over for one of the most gentle dry downs I’ve experienced – there’s the elusive silkiness.

I haven’t tried Uncle Serge’s other iris, Iris Silver Mist, so I can’t compare, but I hear they’re quite different. For its part, Bas de Soie seems like a quintessentially Serge Lutens fragrance to me precisely because it’s weird, and yet so fascinating. It’s a cerebral scent, one that compels you analyze it, and I think that contributes to its reputation as a “cold” fragrance.

Bas de Soie is not an easily lived-in perfume. It forces you to do the work of wearing it, but it is worth the effort. It reminds me of walking through Paris on a rainy day. You might be frustrated by the dampness and the never-ending rain. Then you look up and catch a glimpse of the Seine, all the bridges stretching across in an endless row, and it takes your breath away.

Serge Lutens fragrances are available from Barney’s and online from Luckyscent, which is where I got my sample.

Image is from Fragrantica while info about fragrance notes is taken from Luckyscent.

Uniquely Sweet: Vanitas by Profumum

July 31, 2014

Notes: vanilla, myrrh, orange blossom, sandalwood.

Ah, vanilla: the dependable foundation of so many yummy gourmand fragrances. I love gourmands in general, and, when in the mood, nothing hits the spot quite like a delicious vanilla. However, Vanitas is an unusual vanilla scent and an unusual gourmand, too. For starters, it opens with a bracing, medicinal dose of myrrh, which prompts me to wonder: is this even a gourmand at all?

The opening is tricky and even a little bit frustrating for me. Myrrh doesn’t always work well on my skin, and I still can’t decide whether or not I like it here. It’s definitely medicinal, and bordering on camphorous. Sometimes I think ah, that myrrh is so interesting! And other times I think no, it’s just giving me a headache. Maybe it’s fortunate then that the vanilla comes on very strong, interlacing a sweetness with the fortifying myrrh. The overall effect here is that of coldness, signalling that this is not a typical warm and cozy vanilla.

If this fragrance gives the impression of food, it might be of a milkshake made with vanilla bean ice cream, freshly blended, still frothy and bubbling. But then, maybe even ice cream is too heavy for Vanitas. This is a surprising vanilla composition in that it never develops that familiar creamy texture, not even from the sandalwood. Even though the sillage here is quite strong, Vanitas still manages to give the impression of delicacy.

The name Vanitas is appropriate then. In the arts, vanitas is mainly associated with still life painting. Vanitas themes and motifs are meant to symbolize the transient nature of life and of earthly pursuits. Bubbles are one such symbol used to convey the ephemeral nature of life. Vanitas the fragrance reminds me of bubbles, not in a fizzy champagne way, but in a pretty, fragile kind of way.

Vanitas is something of a riddle for me. The vanilla is quite sweet, but the myrrh keeps me from thinking of this as edible. Similarly, the fragrance as a whole comes on quite strong, but still somehow creates an air of fragility. Perhaps it’s the “chilly” aspect of this particular vanilla, creating a cold atmosphere that feels like it could shatter. It never does shatter; the fragrance fades away in a gentle cloud of swirling vanilla that clings to my clothes and my sheets.

I think I admire Vanitas more than I actually enjoy wearing it. But who knows? This atypical vanilla has room to develop in interesting ways. (And I may go for a milkshake anyway.)

Profumum is a niche Italian fragrance line. It’s available from Luckyscent in the US, which is where I got my sample.

Image and fragrance notes are from fragrantica.

Avant Versailles; Arquiste’s Fleur de Louis

July 24, 2014

Notes: iris, jasmine, African orange flower, Virginia cedar, orris, pine, rose.

Fleur de Louis opens with a wicked sharpness, a blast of cool pine and orange blossom. I initially thought I had applied the wrong perfume, since this wasn’t at all what I expected. Where is the floral? I wondered. If this doesn’t sound appealing, don’t worry, the opening is very short-lived. The harsh greenness melts away as quickly as it arrived, letting iris and jasmine unfold in its wake.

Frankly, I don’t mind the opening. It’s fitting since this fragrance is inspired by royalty: the Sun King, Louis XIV. It’s as though the brashness of the pine serves as a trumpeting signal to wait for the iris, the true star of this show.

A soft powdery floral atmosphere settles in, casting a spell of quiet comfort and lasting for the rest of wear time. This has a luxurious feel, but it’s not the gleaming luxury of Versailles. Fleur de Louis is not about opulence. There are no aldehydes in this composition, so the powdery effect remains subdued throughout wear time. Nothing about this composition is particularly loud or sparkling, and yet it’s not exactly sweet either. There is a bitterness from the orris, and I like the way this functions as a subtle reference to the sharp opening. The cedar and the rose are here to add some depth as wear time goes on, but neither note is particularly dominant. It’s an extremely well-blended composition.

Fleur de Louis is meant to represent the moment Louis and his bride, Maria Teresa, first met before their marriage. At this time, Louis was not yet the Sun King that we know from history. Indeed, the opening of this fragrance perhaps suggests the brashness of a young man, while the softness of the iris might convey a flicker of nerves upon meeting his bride for the first time.

There is a traditional feel to Fleur de Louis – it’s no trendy fruity/floral or rose/patchouli. This classic feel makes it easy to imagine the traditions that come along with royalty. The good thing here is that you don’t have to be a Bourbon king to pull off this fragrance. It’s extremely wearable, even in these dog days of late July.

The real effect of Fleur de Louis is the mood it sets. This fragrance is beautiful, but in a quiet, almost contemplative way. There is nothing boastful here, which makes it interesting that it’s based on Louis XIV. Fleur de Louis is not the fragrance of someone in the full-seat of absolute power, this is Louis before Versailles. Once it settles into the skin, it’s a quietly beautiful perfume that leaves the wearer time to think, to consider. It is a fragrance for someone on the cusp of bigger things.

Full bottles of Fleur de Louis are available from Barney’s. I got my sample with a purchase from Aedes de Venustas.

Image and info on notes is taken from fragrantica

This Side of Perfume

Author: Caitlin