I’ll say it right up front:
While I was intrigued by A Lab On Fire’s latest offering What We Do In Paris Is Secret, I was a bit disappointed by the other two perfumes in the line.
L’Anonyme ou OP-1475-A
L’Anonyme was created by Olivier Polge and includes notes of bergamot, geranium, blonde woods, white amber and suede leather.
I have a bit of a problem with a perfume that calls itself Anonymous. I want to express something with a perfume, some aspect of my personality, some character trait, a mood, a feeling, I want to relive memories or make new ones. I want my perfume to have a soul, a character, a distinct presence. Not be anonymous.
L’Anonyme smells just like its name suggests. Which is hardly something one should criticize, because at least it is truthful and fulfills its stated purpose.
L’Anonyme smells bland, innocuous and perfectly nice. L’Anonyme is what you should wear in an environment that is not perfume friendly. You won’t bother a soul with L’Anonyme, as a Perfumista you won’t be very happy though. Plenty of white musk, softly rosy and vaguely woody is how L’Anonyme presents itself, gender is not an issue of course. It has a low sillage, but lasts a good while.
It reminds me of – but I prefer it to – L’Eau by Serge Lutens but it makes do without the aquatic persistence that winds me up in that one.
When I think about it, there is one environment where I would love to smell L’Anonyme all around me as an ambient scent – the hospital. I think L’Anonyme could be great in waiting areas and emergency rooms, it would enhance operating theatres and bedrooms alike. It is the smell of white, clean and sterile, but in the best way possible, if you know what I mean.
Sweet Dreams 2003
Sweet Dreams 2003 was composed by Thierry Wasser (now in-house perfumer at Guerlain) and includes notes of bergamot, neroli, petitgrain, orange flower, jasmine, musk, amber and castoreum.
A cologne style orange blossom scent, Sweet Dreams 2003 is nice, but I have smelled it in about 435 variations before. It is light, airy and pretty, but I can’t for the life of me be impressed with it in terms of originality. It wears close to the skin and lasts for about four hours on me, the drydown is the prettiest stage, where a delicate amber sweetness bolsters the translucent orange blossom. A soft fresh green tinge is apparent throughout the development, which makes Sweet Dreams 2003 a very lovely summer scent.
One of many, though.
Did you try the line? What is your verdict?
Olfactoria's Travels 
I haven’t tried the line yet and I don’t think I will anytime soon. They sound a bit blah. I think you have done a great job of reviewing them. It sounds like while they aren’t awful, they aren’t anything wonderful either. If a sample were to cross my path I’d try them but I won’t seek them out.
A bit blah – that is just it. A bit blah doesn’t cut it. 🙂
I love What We do in Paris is Secret. It was in heavy rotation with Prada Candy and Kelly Caleche last winter.
I will not seek out either of these – they sound meh and blah.
WWDIPIS is lovely indeed (apart from the practicability of that name in writing). Unfortunately the other two are not up to the same level.
I think I feel the same way as you about this brand. It’s all very nice but they don’t wow me in the slightest.
Sometimes ‘nice’ just isn’t enough is it?
Exactly. Nice in this case can be a damning judgement.
Glad to see you finally review Sweet Dreams 2003 – if you remember from my review, I thought it was crap too! But then again I didn’t really like What We Do In Paris either.
Sweet Dreams blew me away in terms of how p*ss poor it was :’) A completely unnecessary release, so gently aquatically floral – it’s literally, neither here nor there, it’s a nothing of a fragrance, and I’m pretty sure it could have also been named L’Anonyme. But there we go 🙂 It’s a shame becuase I really like their packaging.
S-Perfume is much more successful with a similar concept and presentation 🙂
Well, I had written this review a while back, when we talked about it, but it got pushed back and farther back for more important things, which says it all anyway. 😉
LOVE What We Do in Paris! I would consider fb. I am not interested in the others.
We are totally in agreement then. 🙂
Love WWDIPIS and ordered FB! Enjoyed it on cooler days and am looking forward to fall so thqt I can enjoy it more regularly. The other two, did not make me jump and buy at all. Your reviews of both is spot on.
Thank you!
This brand was on my ‘smell’ list for this month’s trip to Europe. L’Anonyme was my favourite simply because I have a soft spot for this style of fragrance, but like you said, the more you take an interest in perfume, the more your tolerance lowers for these types of ‘blank canvas’ perfumes, so it wasn’t enough for me to buy but I marked it down as something to buy as a gift for the person who wants to wear something less commercial but in reality many niche perfumes overwhelm their palette. Thierry Wasser’s offering for the line, held the least interest for me and Dominique Ropion’s fragrance interested me but I always find it hard to wear heliotrope/almond notes, but that’s just my personality. It’s a great fragrance.
Hi Clayton, we seem to see those three perfumes very similarly. Your European trip must have been great! 🙂
Hi Birgit, you are right, we do see them the same way. And yes, my European adventure was fantastic. I am very envious of all the European perfume fans who have easy access to everything. Australia is so far away from all the action : ) Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
You too, Clayton! 🙂
I haven’t tried the line, nor is it near the top of my list, and this review confirmed my lack of lemming-ness. The Abyss of Nice is a real dilemma for we perfumistas.
Lack of lemming-ness – I like that! 🙂
You really are not missing a whole lot here, Dionne.
I’ll skip these two reviews for now and I’ll tell you why. A Lab On Fire has just appeared in Poland and I ordered samples of their 3 fragrances. They should arrive next week. I’ll go back to your reviews after I sample them myself, to compare with your opinions.
I’ll be curious to read your impressions eventually.
Thanks
I like WWDIPIS. I think the name just prompts all kinds of fun and clandestine mental images. The fragrance itself also reminded me of a sweeter Carner Barcelona Tardes.
But I agree: to call something anonymous is just kind of lame!
WWDIPIS is great in name and smell. But that’s all the line has going for it, the other two were a disappoinment.
Isn’t it so sad when that happens?
It is. 😦
I just ordered “What we do in Paris” yesterday and their other creation “Rose Rebelle”. So I am going to try them next week!
I tried to search for the review of Rose but nothing came up (It’s not even in A Lab’s site…)
Strange.
That’s the first I’ve heard of Rose Rebelle – a secret scent apparently. 🙂
Enjoy!
I haven’t tried this line yet. I will eventually but I’m not too anxious: there are too many other prtfumes and not enough skin 🙂
Very true. I think there are more rewarding options to use your skin-space. 😉