Moving on to Serge Lutens from L'artisan:
Ahhhh... Oh my. This is the first time I've seen so many Lutens fragrances in one place since I was in Paris. On that trip I was overwhelmed by the choices, didn't really know the offerings, and felt confused enough not to make a choice. Then a generous POL'er (you know who you are) sent me from Europe a wonderful selection of sample vials so that I could really try them at my leisure. I went on to order several decants and a couple of partial bottles.
This week I sampled Rousse, Datura Noir, and Miel de Bois.
Miel de Bois is practically straight honey. I prefer L'Occitane's Honey and Lemon which has less honey predominating:
Miel de Bois:
Notes of honey and woods with top notes of ebony, gaiac and oak wood, middle notes of honey and bottom notes of beeswax, iris and hawthorn.Honey and Lemon:
lemon and citrus fruit, golden honey, vanilla and caramel scents.
I liked this Datura Noir quite a bit, but I have Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier's Secrete Datura* and while not the same, it gave me pause to think of getting this one. I look forward to putting it on skin again, and comparing it to SD.
Datura Noir
Notes of myrrh, bitter almond, tonka bean, and musk, heliotrope, mandarin, lemon flower, and tuberose, vanilla, coconut oil, and apricot.
My favorite of what I tried was Rousse . I fell in love with this one, but I would want to sample it comparing it to Fou d'Absinthe on my next trip, unless I simply decide to bite the bullet and get both. Rousse was created by Chris Sheldrake. Cinnamon is one of my favorite spices, so to have it in a fragrance that is more than gourmand, is a delight.
I expected it to be like Chypre Rouge, which I find masculine, but it is not. Rousse is certainly wearable by a man; it is equally wearable for me.
Rousse
notes of mandarin, cinnamon, cloves, spices, floral & aromatic notes, fruit, cinnamon wood, precious woods, amber, musk and vanilla.
Now, I would be completely happy concerning fragrance if I had one or both of the ones I loved -- but then would I be on the hunt for more? Yes, probably, but I've resigned myself to the knowledge that there are so many new offerings that it is impossible to test all of them. I must be satisfied with the few.
There were a couple Lutens I didn't care for, but I didn't write their names on the cards, and I am having trouble recognizing the names as I look for them, so I will have to have an addendum when I sample them again.
Karin
Secrete Datura's notes:
Notes: Datura, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Chocolate
Top: intermingles the lily, heliotrope and lemon.
Mid: jasmin, honeysickle, wallflower and orange blossom,
base: iris, vanilla, chocolate, and sandalwood.
Originally posted 2008-06-28 18:46:31.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Miel is unifromely difficult, too much honey which borders on urinous on most. Some lucky people report flower overtones.
Datura is too much, too sweet for me, the heliotropin rules it out.
Rousse is the easiest of the bunch and completely gorgeous, but somehow it doesn’t really ring any bells as being a Lutens, something fabulously weird, you know? It could stand well in any brand and that somehow diminishes the appeal to me. But it smells delicious and is very unisex, I agree.
I am on tenderhooks on the two newest ones, of which I was honoured to be allowed to report some impressions by someone who actually smelled them at the Paris presentation. They sound great!
Yes, Miel is straight honey. L’Occitane’s Honey and Lemon is quite nice. My daughter loved it on me.
I re-tried Rousse yesterday with L’Artisan’s Absinthe on the other arm. Both my daughter and I preferred the Absinthe on me when I could compare both on the skin.
Rousse smelled just a tad too masculine in the dry down for me. I liked the cinnamon, but agree with the reviewer who thought over all it smelled like Red Hot candy.
I’d love to smell the new ones.
Datura is a little too floral for me.