Ysbrand

I had smelled Olène some years earlier and i remembered it as a particularly intoxicating white floral so i was very looking forward to smell it again; when i did in my last visit to the Diptyque store in Paris, i had the same exact feeling of wonder and i celebrated the reunion with this vernal goddess by getting myself one bottle that i don´t really need because i already have perfume for an average lifespan.
The opening of Olène is to me, one of the most beautiful and perfect i´ve ever smelled. Serve the illustration on the label (now in the back of the flaÇon) as a promise of the content: Flora holding a cornucopia of flowers, therefore spring-like, seductive and lush as very few other fragances, Olène does to narcissus what Guerlain´s Mahora does to tuberose.
Olène is indeed a very narcissus centered fragance, could i dare to say a soliflore? I speak with Oléne-tinged fingertips on the keyboard and the nose on a helpful "bridal-crown" narcissus that grows on a lil pot just at my side (yeah,im literally twisting my head to sniff and type at the same time just for the sake of being truthful) so contrarily to other opinions, im convinced when i say the note of narcissus is dominant.
The glorious opening, though, is much sunnier and sweeter than narcissus itself, thanks to what it seems to be a honeyed spanish broom-like accord (wisteria indeed? pseudoacacia? fabaceae after all) and i think thats the key of the right-away climax of Olène. Wisteria sweetens but also enhances the tonic herbaceous side of narcissus, that almost reminds to a slightly astringent green tea. As the fragance develops,looses the sunbeams holy nimbus, but not its beauty. It turns more sober, falsely melancholic just because its eyes look better that way, a subtle flirty smile; narcissus takes the center, closely assisted by jasmine and gardenia without dilluting the unique ambiguous, voluptuous character of narcissus. A nostalgic honeysuckle pulls in the other direction of jasmine: greener, more yellow, tad honey and pear-like. Olène stays quite linear, closer and closer to the skin until is just a whisper.
My only problem with Olène is precisely its longevity. I dont mind it becomes my skin scent (i wish!) but it should stay longer. Fades too fast to take it seriously. A looser hand with the narcissus absolute and this would be a classic. Diptyque really needs to launch an eau de parfum concentration version as they did with other iconic fragances.

So monsieur Lutens keeps exploring the metallic notes after his Vierge de Fer. This time instead of being a Palais Royal exclusive, he expanded his Eaux line with this really original, unorganic creature. But such a strange accord really leaves an impression in one, and this is not the first time i smelled it.

Yes, this ultra-high pitched aldehydes plus the ultra-clean musk recall the much maligned L´Orchidée Terrible by Imaginary Authors (minus the sour vanilla orchid, that gives a definitely warmer direction to the fragance) and i have only used it on my skin once (now twice since im comparing them) Being the Orchidée more passive-aggressive-aggressive than the Laine that is only passive-aggressive.

So, Laine de Verre. Do i like it? Yes. It is important to mention this because concepts like synthetic, fabric softener (think of A-Men Pure Shot)and metallic can sound negative for some people for some reason. To this list, include a minty feeling. I frankly like it, a great gym fragance. Problem is, theres always one, right? that this strange, aldehydic plus laundromat opening is very fleeting on the skin (not on paper) which is an issue considering the price. Then it turns into a comfy, soft lemony/woody fragance with a considerably less futuristic white musk (as white as it gets, mind you) and traces of the before firework-like aldehydes.

Wont make it to my shortlist, but i wouldn´t mind to have it as a gift, and i´m sure i would use it often.

Rose 4 Reines (i prefer Eau des 4 Reines, though) is marketed as a rose soliflore that features 4 different roses (french, bulgarian, turkish and moroccan, which are actually 2 types, one centifollia and 3 damascenas, so i better say 4 origin denominations) so one would expect a very intense rose experience.
Thats what i expected and, well, Rose 4 Reines is indeed a very rose centered fragance but i wouldn´t remark the intensity or the beauty of the rose here, to be completely honest.
Basically i don´t enjoy the approach to this ingredient. Not every rose soliflore is my personal taste, like Diptyque´s Eau Rose or Goutal´s Ce Soir Ou Jamais (compared to some beloved roses like Frederic Malle´s or Perfumer Workshop´s roses) but they are well done and the rose is beautifully portayed and enhanced.

Not the case of this 4 slumbering (perhaps drunk?) queens. Rose is there, all the time, but smells kind of dimmed under a thick layer of powder and a slightly skunky musk. Truly a very conventionally femenine, boudouir type of fragance. A touch of violet pastilles, slightly cosmetic (ylang?) and definitely a very warm, almost ambery approach to the rose note that makes it not very suitable for the warmer seasons. Therefore, not a very fresh rose, and not a trace of the promised green opening (i have experienced this with other L´Occitane fragances, the opening notes are really thin and fleeting) and definitely lacking the depth, intensity and multiple facets that this rose compilation promises. Is it regal? i guess you can say that, if for you regal means boring.

On its favour, very good longevity and diffusion.

In the last times i have had the chance to visit several times the beautiful showroom of Serge Lutens at Les Jardins du Palais Royal, and experience some of the exclusive fragances, including this very last release, La Vierge de Fer, probably some of you are curious about it, so here are my impressions.

As every time a new fragance from the House of Lutens is released, it comes with an exquitely designed mythology that usually triggers my desire to smell it as very few brands manage. In this case, the concept is so appealing. The religion of Iron needed a Virgin, and the Virgin, a lily. What a delightfl transition from the torture device at the service of fanatism, to the a flower of purity. A maiden of iron, with its hollow inside covered in nails and razors to purify the sins of the body and make the soul worthy of our Lady´s lily... it gives you chills, but this poetic imaginery indeed describes pretty much what the scent is.

A lily that smells of metal. Or, well, a bit metallic.

But in order to really understand La Vierge de Fer, here´s a warning. This is not a dark, gothic fragance. Take a lily and take a metal note. Fuse them masterfully so the lily morphs into iron (or blood) in one single deep sinff. There you have it. No torture chambers. No coldness from the metal. No mistery even. Not a shadow, but a beautiful, heady lily, at the very light of the day.

Now, lilies can be a torture device for some people! They sure are heady. I find myself having this sadomasochist feeling when i happen to have fresh lilies at home... i love them but they can be too much, and even if im grasping for air, i wont dare to open a window... La Vierge du Fer is not as suffocating, but is way headier than Un Lys from the same line. Un Lys is greener; a natural smelling lily. La Vierge is more complex. The addition of jasmine imparts a more sensual and femenine quality (almost sexy, not really virginal) than Un Lys (i would wear Un Lys) and the tinkling iron note makes it more aggresive and high pitched than the former, which is probably what i like best of this perfume. But, overall, aggressive is not really a word that goes with La Vierge de Fer, lets say more assertive... it is a pleasant, grown-up, lily soliflore that wont give you maedieval nightmares , nor fulfill your heavy metal fantasies.

The quality is outstanding as you would expect of the price. Great performance and longevity. I loved that the metallic notes didn´t fade although i long they managed to transform the lily up to the point it smells really cold and detached instead of seductive and ladylike. But really worth a sniff! We need more lilies!

I´ll be brief: as a honeymaniac, i have to say Honeymania doesnt fulfill my needs of the golden elixir (i know, kill me). It doesnt mean that Honeymania is necessarily a bad fracance, but it is not even honeycentric. Honeymania is a floral with a honey note that is a bit lost, so forget it if you are looking for a soliflore. It is something a tad blurry (and a bit synth) in between a white floral (ylang, gardenia-ish) and a pink floral (sweet pea-ish) with a fruity nuance and in a lesser extent, gourmand. Sure the honey is supported by a touch of vanilla and coconut, but thanks the Gods those are not more than mere supporters. Opulent and sensual, and a bit cheeky, honeymania doesnt buzz as it should, but it flies. And that is good enough considering the brand and the price.