Strength In Beauty: Review – Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Tara

When it was released in 2013, there were conflicting stories as to the inspiration behind La Fille de Berlin. I prefer to think its muse is German movie icon, Marlene Dietrich. She exuded a unique kind of feminine glamour through her often masculine style – an unexpected kind of beauty.

fille de berlin

What I was expecting to encounter when I first got a sample of Le Fille de Berlin was something typically Lutenesque and challenging. I was totally unprepared for just how incredibly pretty it is. It was a happy discovery to find that “The Girl from Berlin” is a stunner of a violet-tinged rose.

As usual, the composition is by Lutens’ long-time collaborator Christopher Sheldrake and notes include rose, violet, pink pepper, black pepper and musk.

La Fille de Berlin introduces herself with a swift punch of pepper. The rose underneath is truly beautiful; an elegant bright red bloom, oozing its sweet, liqueur-like scent.

The high quality of the materials is obvious. I feel like I’m inhaling rose essential oil that’s heady and a touch green. Violet-scented cosmetic powder seems to dust the edges of the petals. The gauzy effect contrasts perfectly with the silken rose and imparts a vintage feel. Being a fan of retro cosmetic fragrances, I find this very appealing. Thankfully, I don’t get the metallic twang that some others report.

I experience La Fille de Berlin as sheer with moderate to low projection. It’s largely linear and mostly feels cool to me, with a warm sexy musk only rising up through the rosiness in the final hours. I find it fantastically tenacious, as if it’s staining my skin with its vivid red juice.

La Fille de Berlin may bore those Serge Lutens aficionados who are fans of his more usual, bold concoctions. However, I have trouble tolerating those even though I admire many. Call me a wimp, but I just end up feeling overwhelmed.

La Fille de Berlin on the other hand, helps me feel comfortable in my own skin. It possesses an inner strength and an outward delicacy. I enjoy how it manages to portray both these qualities in such an effortless way.

The aroma is gloriously female. For me, it represents a woman who knows her own worth. She is unapologetic about her femininity and has enough confidence in it to play a more masculine role when the mood takes her.

Marlene-Dietrich-Look-Makeup-Max-Factor_high

Like Dietrich, La Fille de Berlin embodies beauty that is not weak or lacking in intelligence – it can hold its own.

While it may not be as striking as some modern roses, these days I go for fragrances which are easy to wear as well as beguiling. It’s hard to find those that fit into both categories, but La Fille de Berlin does exactly that.

Do you like violet-rose fragrances? Have you tried La Fille de Berlin?

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Posted in By Tara, Floral, Fragrance Reviews, Rose, Serge Lutens | Tagged , , , , | 27 Comments

New York Via Grasse: Review – Von Eusersdorff Classic Orange, Classic Opoponax, Classic Mimosa and Classic Patchouli

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Tara

The stylised flower logo of perfume house Von Eusersdorff first caught my eye on social media. After reading a number of positive reports, I got some samples of the fragrances.

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Von Eusersdorff was established by Camille Henfling, who has built upon his family’s heritage as traders in rare oils, herbs, spices and flower petals. The fragrances are produced in Grasse, but are inspired by the brand’s base of New York City.

camille-henfling-von-eusersdorffThe first release was Classic Patchouli in 2011, followed by Classic Vetiver, Classic Myrrh, Classic Mimosa and Classic Orange. This year saw the launch of their sixth fragrance, Classic Opoponax. Here are mini reviews of four of them:

Classic Orange

Notes: Blood orange, petitgrain, suede, Chinese osmanthus, black tea, sandalwood and musk.

Orange-Tree

Classic Orange starts at the fruit and then moves into the branches of the orange tree. It starts as an incredibly well rounded orange scent. Not so juicy that you feel like you should be drinking it with your breakfast, but an extremely well balanced combination of pulp, peel and pith.

As it develops, we climb up into the leaves and twigs, with a back note of diffusive soapiness and a lingering orange tang. I know citrus notes are hard to sustain but I would love to have that opening on repeat.

Classic Opoponax

Notes: Rose, jasmine, opoponax, sandalwood, benzoin, castoreum, amber, patchouli and vanilla.

sandstorm
I find opoponax – also known as sweet myrrh – similar to benzoin but without the vanilla facet. Classic Opoponax opens with a scattering of red rose petals and then settles on softly smoky, slightly dusty, resins. An intimate musk comes through in the base.

It has a mysterious and far away feel. I’m reclining on jewel-coloured cushions in a Bedouin tent while a sandstorm swirls outside. Classic Opoponax a beguiling, gentle oriental with a spare yet elegant character.

Classic Mimosa

Top notes are neroli and bergamot with green leaves. Middle notes incorporate mimose, violet, rose and sea notes, while base notes include musk, orange blossom and vanilla.

Mimosa_-_Le_Muy
I’ve tended to avoid mimosa fragrances for fear they would showcase a nemesis note of mine – almond. I don’t get a pronounced almond facet from Classic Mimosa, but I do get a hint of Playdoh.

It’s a very spring-like, floaty, floral bouquet with a nice amount of dewiness. Violets, green leaves and flower buds sway in the breeze. The whole thing is very fresh, pretty and airy.

Classic Patchouli

Notes: Bergamot, black patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean and sandalwood.

chocolate flow

This isn’t the soul-less, cleaned up stuff that passes for patchouli these days. Classic Patchouli is an old-school, earthy patchouli but with just enough polish to make it modern and stylish. For the first time, I pick up the chocolatey facet people talk about.

This is a must-try for patchouli lovers but don’t just take my word for it; check out the fabulous review on Australian Perfume Junkies by patch afficionado, Val the Cookie Queen.
Have you tried the Von Eusersdorff fragrances? Do any of the above appeal to you?

Posted in By Tara, Fragrance Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 32 Comments

The Biggest Hit Of The Range – Review: 777 Une Nuit á Doha

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Olfactoria

Hi there Olfactoria’s Travellers,

Portia in the OT house from Australian Perfume Junkies and Perfume Posse

I’d like to take a moment to thank (and blame) Sandra from OT for bringing me into contact with these lovely range of fragrances. If it wasn’t for her I may have let this house go by without even testing it. There’s just too much coming out to get to it all but when a girlfriend whose taste you trust implicitly tells you that she thinks a house may be right up your alley, you listen and you sample.

Une Nuit a Doha Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777

Une Nuit a Doha Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777 FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Fennel, mandarin orange, ginger
Heart: Immortelle, tobacco
Base: Vanilla, vetiver

How is this not the biggest hit of the range? After spritzing I take a deep breath and my eyes roll back in my head and a sort of low humming moan/purr sound comes from my throat. It’s not a response I get from a lot of fragrances but there is something in the sweet, green, spicy opening that really sets bells ringing in my brain and pulse. Thick, glutinous and heavy heart and base all play along in a treacle like undercurrent but fitted with glorious wings of ginger licorice that lifts and sparkles across the top making all the heft seem to be shimmering and weightless. Floating.

It’s an interesting and beautiful contrast that keeps me right on the edge of my nose because even after wearing Une Nuit a Doha regularly I am still unsure of where it will go, the green and the amber seem to be happily fighting for supremacy and the war is wonderful to smell.

Une Nuit de Doha Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777 IslamicArtMuseumDohaSkyline WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

After an hour or so the fireworks are over and Une Nuit a Doha softens and melts into a simple tobacco scent. OK, simple is too strong a word but much of the complexity leaves and the tobacco, sweetened by what feels very honeyed immortelle, is the main player for me. This is the part that the few reviews I read on Fragrantica were complaining about saying the fragrance starts out amazing and then turns ordinary. I don’t find it ordinary but it is less showbiz, more a refined and beautifully warm aura of scent.

Une Nuit de Doha Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777 Doha Skyline Jimmy Baikovicius FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

I am left after sleeping with an amber/tobacco wash that makes my skin smell amazing. It’s very close to the skin but once you notice it, hang on, I can smell the dry grassy rasp of the vetiver too now I think about it. Interesting. Lovely.

First In Fragrance has €148/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $5.25/.5ml

Have you spent any time time with the Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777 range? Which spoke to you or which would you like to try?
Portia x

Posted in By Portia, Fragrance Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Not So Still Life: Review – DSH Perfumes The Giverny in Bloom Collection

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Tara

Displaying artworks in galleries with complimentary aromas seems to be a growing trend and one I’d like to explore. There is currently a ‘Sensorium’ at Tate Britain in London, where IFF perfumers have worked with Odette Toilette to scent a number of paintings as part of a multi-sensory experience.

Over in the States, indie perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz has created the “In Bloom – Scent Experience” for the current Impressionist and Post Impressionist flower painting exhibition at Denver Art Museum. This is their eighth collaboration.

In the exhibit, three of her accords are spaced around the gallery to create a surround scent impression of Monet’s beloved garden in Giverny, France.

These accords are available as three separate fragrances through DSH Perfumes (Le Jardin Vert, La Danse des Bleus et des Violettes and l’Opera des Rouges et des Roses).

The perfume Giverny In Bloom has also been released which ties the three together and encapsulates the overall aroma created at the exhibit. When working on the fragrance, Dawn used information about the actual garden as well taking inspiration from the paintings.

giverny-1
Le Jardin Vert

I think DSH Perfumes are particularly good for green fragrances. Le Jardin Vert is another example; chock full of galbanum, moist and vivid. It’s brimming with sap-filled stems, grass, leaves and just underneath, a hint of mineral-rich soil. Here we have the backdrop of variegated vegetation that enables the flowers to shine.

La Danse des Bleus et des Violettes

A cool, bluish purple hue is created by a bed of violets, irises and lilacs. The centrepiece is a blanket of violets which are fresh and very green to start with, creating a dewy bouquet with lots of foliage. The dry down is deepest indigo and velvety smooth.

L’Opera des Rouges et des Roses

This is a striking display of exceedingly spicy carnations accented by vintage roses and blousy peonies. These are the eye-catching showstoppers whose hot pink and red petals draw your attention. Their scent is just as arresting and creates a sense of drama.

Giverny in Bloom

The three scents above combine in Giverny in Bloom to paint Monet’s flower garden in various olfactory shades of green, blue and red.

It’s interesting to experience the whole panoramic aroma after sampling the component scents. The effect is actually softer although fuller than the separate strands. All three accords are seamlessly woven together to re-create the garden at Giverny.

This makes for a gorgeously lush, green floral fragrance. I’m just as aware of the greenery – that is the very foundation of the garden – than I am of the flowers that intersperse it.

Like the paintings, the overall effect is impressionistic with blurred edges and more muted shades than the constituent parts, but together they bring a complete garden into being.

Giverny in Bloom radiates colour and plant-life in soft focus.
How do you feel about scented art experiences? Have you been to one?

Posted in By Tara, DSH, Fragrance Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Eastern Promise: Review – Etro Shaal Nur

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Tara

I have a fondness for light incense fragrances such as L’Artisan Parfumeur’s transportive Passage d’Enfer. Therefore I’ve long been eager to try another reputedly airy incense which was released back in 1997 – Shaal Nur.

etro shaal nur

I’m grateful to an Aussie pal for sending me a large decant of the EDT earlier this year.

It has the following pyramid structure:

Top notes: Lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, mandarin, rosewood and coriander
Heart notes: Thyme, tarragon, rosemary, karo karoundè, rose and petit grain
Base notes: Patchouli, nutmeg, vetiver, cedarwood, opoponax, incense and musk

I am instantly intrigued by Shaal Nur‘s strange opening which contrasts bright and crisp citrus against a decidedly dark and dusty background.

The incense is very gently spiced and reminds me of the (unlit) joss sticks I have from India. There’s also lots of vetiver, old-school patchouli and that “forest floor” effect which is created by woods and leafy, aromatic herbs. I also notice a light rose note, but only if I get in close.

Shaal Nur is more multi-faceted than a straight-up incense fragrance but if I were to categorise it under just one accord, that would be vetiver. I have issues with most vetiver-heavy perfumes but not this one. The vetiver here is musty and well blended with earthy patchouli to form the base. It’s at its most prominent once the citrus, incense and vanilla have faded away.

Some fragrance fans actually see Shaal Nur as a modern twist on a classic, namely Shalimar.

As well as the citrus top notes, I recognise the smoke puffs of opoponax and a dab of sweetness from vanilla. Although, while these elements are also present in the Guerlain, I wouldn’t say the two are smell-a-likes by any means. I see the similarity but would not have independently thought to compare the two.

Shaal Nur is a lot darker, less feminine and much more resinous. I picture an antique Indian steamer trunk that has been opened up for the first time in years. It doesn’t possess Shalimar‘s gourmand curves or level of refinement.

It’s an accessible oriental which is wearable year-round because it isn’t at all heavy. In fact, it would probably work better in warmer weather because it might get muffled under layers of winter clothing.

I find that it wears close to the body, giving it an attractive intimate feel. Longevity is far better than that of your average Eau de Toilette.

OPIUM

Shaal Nur has a subtly exotic, enigmatic character and I can envision the Indian Queen that Etro say its name represents. I think it’s striking but I also find it grounding.

Shaal Nur imparts a feeling of calm and inner strength, with added interest and a touch of mystery.

Have you tried Shaal Nur or any of the other fragrances by Etro?.

Posted in By Tara, Fragrance Reviews, Spicy | Tagged , , , , | 22 Comments

Weird-Assed Amber – Review: Jacomo Art Collection #2

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Olfactoria

Hey Hey Olfactoria’s Travellers,

Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies and Perfume Posse

Last time I went looking for this lovely on the discounters they were everywhere and for next to nothing. My last bottle was from Birgit here at OT and I think I paid about $25 for my current bottle. I was getting a bit worried because there is quite a lot of air in the bottle so I thought I’d look for a replacement. Well, they are nowhere to be found. Both #8 & #9 are still around but #2 seems to have gone the way of the dodo except for the Jacomo Paris site and eBay. Well I better get in a review before it’s gone forever.

Art Collection #02 by Jacomo 2010

Art Collection by Jacomo #02 FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot
Heart: Lily, Tonka bean
Base: Vanilla, Suede, Amber, Patchouli

Before even spritzing I am in love with the bottle, it has heft, is cool, classy, designer and blackened glass so I don’t have to freak out about the light coming into my room so much.

Chewy is the word that jumps into my head whenever I spritz Art Collection #02. It’s a weird-assed amber that seems both salty and dry and many people compare it to Play-Do. I get the reference nowadays but when I was first wearing Art Collection #02 I thought they were all bonkers. The leather is not like the usual birch and iris offered to the modern leather enthusiast, here the leather is long worn, loved and super soft. The leather here smells like ladies driving gloves feel direct from the glovebox. It’s cool and pliable.

So if you had told me in my wearings of Art Collection #02 that it was also a patchouli fragrance I would have turned my nose up at you and disagreed but now that I read it in the notes I get patchouli as clear as day. An earthy, plastic and rubber patchouli. Interesting, now that I’ve found it I wonder how I could have missed it for all these years.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Lasting power is excellent and as we head towards dry-down I find the fragrance sinking into my skin and becoming a sheer patina over my skin. It smells beautiful and very appealing, much more so than my natural scent, and I can imagine it being something you would want to lean in close to get a really good whiff of.

From the Jacomo site:
#02 the most tactile of our art trilogy, illustrated by Cécilia Carlstedt
A feminine perfume with a floral note fashioned by modelling clay, tender, vanilla-scented and powdery, making it both addictive and regressive, well-known but mysterious, a little childlike but also terribly seductive.

Further reading: NowSmellThis and EauMG
Jacomo Paris still has 50ml & 100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

What was your last great love that got the chop?
Portia xx

Posted in Amber, By Portia, Fragrance Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Sunlit Water: Review – Dior Eau Fraiche

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Tara

From the very first moment I spray Eau Fraiche I recognise it as an Edmond Roudnitska composition.

Many cite Eau Sauvage (1967) as the forerunner to Diorella (1972), however Roudnitska stated that its antecedent was actually Eau Fraiche (1953).

Vintage bottle

Vintage bottle

This lesser known creation is more pared down and yes, fresher, than Diorella, but it is sunnier and less bone dry than the more masculine Eau Sauvage. It occupies the middle ground between the two.

Modern bottle

Modern bottle

This ongoing chypre theme found its most full-bodied interpretation in Roudnitska’s beautiful Le Parfum de Therese. He created this during the 1950s solely for his wife, but it was eventually released by Frederic Malle Editions de Parfum in 2000.

Eau Fraiche was re-released (and no doubt reformulated) in around 2010. Its notes include mandarin orange, lemon, petitgrain, rosewood, patchouli, vanilla and oakmoss.

It bursts open with lots of juicy, zesty lemon and accents of bitter orange. Get up close and you soon sense the shady base underneath. A layer of herbs, patchouli and moss give the fragrance some weight.

Over a couple of hours the citrus rolls back, increasingly exposing the chypre-lite base, similar to a retreating tide exposing the seabed.

One of the best things about Eau Fraiche is that it’s a citrus scent with a degree of sophistication and this is no doubt thanks to its basic chypre structure.

I usually have trouble with lemon-heavy fragrances but the resemblance to Diorella and that familiar Roudnitska signature, make it attractive to me. It’s not too sour and resembles the flesh of the fruit rather than the artificial lemony scent of detergent or furniture polish.

Unfortunately, over time, the variety of heady white musk I just cannot tolerate comes to the fore and this eventually becomes a deal-breaker for me. I can’t get past it; however, as is often the case with clean musks, it’s entirely possible that you may not be bothered by its presence or even register it.

Eau Fraiche is classed as a feminine but it is completely unisex and would be a great shared fragrance for the warmer months. In fact there is an advertisement from 1957 that markets it as such: CK One, eat your heart out!

I didn’t expect much in the way of lasting power and it’s certainly no sillage bomb, however I was surprised when someone (albeit in close proximity) commented on it at around 10 hours after application. They remarked on its freshness so it clearly retains this defining characteristic well into the drydown.

Eau Fraiche is refreshing and uplifting, possessing a relaxed kind of stylishness. It would be a good choice on balmy days when you want something which will help get you going in the morning but still has a bit of class.

sunlight_waves_1_FreeTiiuPix.com

Apply it liberally and feel instantly invigorated.

Have you tried Eau Fraiche? Do you have a favourite Roudnitska creation?

Posted in By Tara, Chypre, Citrus, Cologne, Dior, Fragrance Reviews, Frederic Malle | Tagged , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

Island Breeze: Review – Creed Virgin Island Water

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Tara

I’ve been lucky to visit some wonderful places over the years but one of my most memorable holidays was a trip with my sister to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. This idyll in the Caribbean has stunning scenery and is a sailor’s paradise.

We spent a lot of time in the water, whether it was swimming in the secluded Smuggler’s Cove or snorkelling off Norman Island (supposedly the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island).

Up to now, I had zero interest in Creed, in the way that some brands just feel like they’re not for you. However, knowing Virgin Island Water was named after the British Virgin Islands and then reading that The Candy Perfume Boy believes it possesses one of the best lime notes in perfumery, I finally felt moved to try my first Creed.

creed viw

Released in 2007, Virgin Island Water contains essence of copra (the white part of the coconut), lime, bergamot, mandarin orange, hibiscus, ginger, ylang-ylang, jasmine, sugar cane, white rum, woods and musk.

On my very first wearing, Virgin Island Water made me think of the Trade Winds that whip along the Sir Francis Drake Channel – before I had even found out this was its inspiration. Perfumer Olivier Creed wanted to capture the sailing trip he took around the Islands with his son and hats off to him for successfully recreating the sensation he was going for.

I know how brisk those Trade Winds can be because my sister’s shorts were whisked off our catamaran in the Channel, never to be seen again (she went back to our hotel wrapped in a towel).

The lime in the opening of Virgin Island Water is indeed fantastic. Sweet fruit notes usually turn me off but tart ones can be a joy. Here the lime is cool, juicy and amazingly realistic.

The lime juice is squeezed into coconut water and it’s this tropical concoction that makes up the body of the fragrance, along with accents of airy jasmine and sugar syrup (rather than boozy rum). The overall effect remains buoyant and hydrating, if not quite drinkable. The base is inoffensively musky.

I prefer it when coconut is used as it is here, in a refreshing, non-cloying way (Heeley’s Coccobello treats it in a similar fashion). If you like your coconut thick and suntan lotion-esque, this may not be for you. But if you fancy a summer fragrance that feels like sailing into a balmy wind while sea spray cools your hot skin, then Creed could meet your need.

It may be pricey for something so simple, but when taking in Virgin Island Water, I feel my tensed-up shoulders start to relax.

lisa tortola 001

My sister Lisa on a Tortola beach

It’s good to be reminded of such a special time and place.

How do you feel about Creed?

Do you associate a fragrance with a particular holiday?

Posted in By Tara, Fragrance Reviews, Gourmand | Tagged , , | 28 Comments

The Incognito Cheesecake – Review: Guerlain Paris-Moscou

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Olfactoria

Hey there Olfactoria’s Travelers,

Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies and Perfume Posse

You know that moment? The one where you get sent a bunch of samples from a mate (Natalie from Another Perfume Blog – now defunct) and as you’re rummaging through you pull out a thing that you never tried, were never even intrigued by and had no intention ever of trying because it read like a hot mess and everyone on every blog from here to the ends of the universe called it dreck? You smile indulgently and whip the samples lid off because you’re probably having a bath in a few minutes anyway so what does it matter if you splash some boring old discontinued-because-it’s-shit-refried frag on?

01 Paris-Moscou by Guerlain: Les Voyages Olfactifs

 

Paris-Moscow Guerlain FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pine needle, Bergamot, Absinth, Lemon, Plum, Red currant
Heart: Jasmine
Base: White musk, Tonka bean, Sandalwood, Vanilla

GAHHHH! Those bitches were LYING!!!

Cream/citrus/fruits/vanilla/almond. Here we have an OMG yummy cheesecake, it’s made my mouth water in anticipation and smells like every dream of cheesecake a fat boy ever had. So not really a cheesecake doppelgänger but the wish of cheesecake from a starving man who is having a reminiscence of wealthy past life dinners. I have no idea what this has to do with Moscow, and yes I understand that this is not groundbreaking, but I have never smelled it done so seamlessly. A flawlessly glorious fragrance that has me smiling like an imbecile and wishing I owned one of the original 8oz bottles.

Paris-Moscow Guerlain Moscou Pavel Kazachkov FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Interestingly the tart citrus/fruit accords stay well into the heart of 01 Paris-Moscou and the jasmine plays such a background role that we basically move straight through to the chewy base, and still we have hints of citrus/fruit overlaying the vanilla/musks. I am seriously kicking myself right now and having just gone to look at the sample & decant sites to find that NONE of them have 01 Paris-Moscou has made me a bit sad.

Even the longevity is good on 01 Paris-Moscou, I can only imagine how fabulous if it was spritzed with gay abandon. Not a big perfume but it has a very nice sillage and I wish I had a bottle.

Oh well, thank goodness I have oodles of other bottles of fragrance, I’m going to go have a bath and after that I’ll spritz something I have lots of.

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and EauMG

What is your discovered-after-discontinuation story?
Portia xx

Posted in By Portia, Floral, Fragrance Reviews, Guerlain | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Girly Guerlain – Review: Guerlain French Kiss and Eau de Lingerie

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Tara

I consider my style to be more feminine than girly. I enjoy collecting jewellery, wearing dresses and painting my nails, however I’m adverse to anything cutesy and the colour I’m probably least drawn to is pink.

French Kiss and Eau de Lingerie both seem to be quite far along the pink and girly end of the perfume spectrum.

They come under the auspices of Guerlain’s Les Elixirs Charnels (Carnal Elixirs), the luxury line which also contains Gourmand Coquin and Oriental Brulant.

French Kiss

French Kiss was released in 2014 and contains notes of litchi, raspberry, violet, rose, white musk, vanilla, iris and heliotrope.

french kiss

The combination of litchi and raspberry results in a cherry-like aroma that is closer to scented lip balm than lipstick. It’s sticky and syrupy but a healthy dusting of powder and its cloud-like feel manage to keep French Kiss from being suffocating. It settles into a fruity cosmetic scent with a handful of sugared almonds thrown in.

It’s an unchallenging confection with a light-headed, fluffy personality.

There’s certainly a big market for this kind of gourmand-lite, flirty fragrance but I can’t help expecting more from a fragrance that is part of an exclusive Guerlain collection.

At this price-point you could go for Misia, Chanel’s more grown-up take on a cosmetic scent or Frederic Malle’s Lipstick Rose which possesses both sophistication and wit. Then, for a lot less money, there’s the raspberry inflected boudoir scent of Tart’s Knicker Drawer by 4160 Tuesdays.

Eau de Lingerie

Eau de Lingerie was released in 2013 and contains notes of iris, rose, vanilla, sandalwood, white musk and ambrette.

eau de lingerie

As the name suggests, Eau de Lingerie is actually a fabric spray to be misted onto your finest under-things. I can’t quite make up my mind whether this is a cunning marketing ploy or a harmless frippery.

My natural instinct was to apply it to skin but as it’s not the intended use I put some on chiffon instead. However, I struggled to pick up any nuances from the material so ended up dabbing it on my wrist anyway. After a hairspray start, it settled down to a powdery, mildly floral, innocent white musk with a smidge of vanilla.

Laundry fresh, skin soft and feather light, Eau de Lingerie is a barely there wisp of silk. I understand it’s been designed not to clash with your personal fragrance so I can see why they’ve made it so diaphanous.

It’s perfectly pretty and could be a good gift for the woman who has everything. However, it’s not alluring enough to tempt me into taking up this “new beauty step”.

Do you like any girly perfumes? What do you think about the concept of a fragrance solely for lingerie?

Posted in By Tara, Fragrance Reviews, Gourmand, Guerlain | Tagged , , , , | 30 Comments