Rossiniopera

In 1988, before I was twelve, I went to London with my family. While shopping, we discovered a tiny boutique that had the coolest sweaters I had ever seen in my life. I begged my mum to get something, but she could only afford one and naturally bought it for herself. It was knitted black, slightly oversized as was the fashion at the time - and on the front, it had a huge embroidered spider's web. In the middle of the web was, of course, a giant spider - its body in appliqued grey fake fur; its eyes, two shiny red sequins. It was almost too cool for words, and I admired it deeply.
A year and a half later, when I started 7th grade, my mum finally let me have the sweater. I wore it to school as often as I could, and got so many compliments, from both teachers and classmates, and I felt very sophisticated.

Sonia Rykiel Le Parfum somehow reminds me of my beloved spider sweater. The perfume came out in 1991, but stylewise it belongs in the late 80s, when dark, animalic chypres ruled. This is a spicy-mossy blend with dark and dangerous undertones. A cypress-like wood, earthy and damp and full of shadows, but with some warmth from benzoin and patchouli, and a surprising hint of raspberry freshness. It could be grouped with such fragrances as Fendi, Jitrois, perhaps L'Arte di Gucci. Unfortunately, Le Parfum is more difficult for me to wear than any of those. I can agree that it might seem a little overloaded. The oakmoss-wood combination scratches my throat, and the huge sillage is just too much. I guess I love it from a distance, but not for wearing.

About my sweater, I remember someone saying it was so cool, but how did I manage to actually wear it...? Well, I just did. It was a match. It's the same with perfume, sometimes it's a perfect match, and sometimes you admire them on someone else, but not on yourself.
It can still be mysterious, intriguing and fascinating, though.

I wouldn't really call this a spicy-floral, as described above - to me it's more an earthy-animalic-leather-chypre. I find it quite dark, and the spiciness is coriander, typical chypre-style. Lots of castoreum, one of my favourite animalic notes, and rather heavy on the oakmoss. Some patchouli, musk, leather... but not very floral, at least not on me.

A quality perfume, and I would recommend to try it if you enjoy the animalic-chypre genre. Still, it's probably not for everyone - I admit I find it a bit challenging to wear, it gives me an annoying feeling in my throat (many chypres do, and I got rid of several of them for that reason). But lovely to sniff from the bottle.

Reminds me of Castelbajac No 2 (eau de parfum), which I think I prefer - even if that too seems to affect my throat, and consequently does not get worn often either. A shame, but what can you do. Better focus on the ones that agree with you, there are enough to choose from...

I am testing a sample of the parfum version.

Intense, wet, dewy, fresh-from-the-bush rose. If it's white or another colour, I cannot really tell. If you love rose perfumes and especially rose soliflores, you will probably love this. Personally, I prefer the rose note in combination with other notes, making it a rose chypre, a rose oriental, a spicy rose... something like that. Only rose is too intense for me. Beautiful, but just too much - I almost feel as if there is no air left to breathe in. Also, I am reminded very much of all the rose perfumes and other rose-scented products I remember from the early 80s - I collected scented rose erasers, and yes, there is a similarity. No offence to Shiseido White Rose. It's really lovely, but probably best suited for the dedicated rose fans.

A sample of this was given to me by a generous swap partner. I did a test spray in the sink, thought: Hm! Floral! - and left the room.

When I came back some time later, the scent had developed, it was darker, spicier, heavier, and I thought: Hey, I know this perfume! I know it very well, but oh, what is it... I couldn't remember.

The answer came to me the same evening, when I was sorting out some samples I had made from bottles I recently sold, to keep as a memory. And there it was. Loewe Gala. That's what Secret Joly reminded me of, very strongly. When I look at the notes for the two perfumes, they are not strikingly similar, but I find that the scent is. If Gala had not been discontinued, but was still sold in a slightly modernized and reformulated version, I believe this would be it. A heavy blend of jasmine, ylang, civet, benzoin and some other sweet, dark and dirty ingredients. Smooth, velvety feel.

In my review of it, I described Gala as a forgotten treasure, something I once loved but saved for too long and now it sadly doesn't suit me anymore. I will probably not start wearing Secret Joly either, but it was surprising to see how two unrelated perfumes can be so similar. It made me curious about the brand in general, and I might try to find other samples.

I am reviewing a very well kept miniature bottle.

In the opening, I am greeted by a fresh, realistic jasmine and something equally fresh, prickly green, like newly cut stems and leaves. This is followed by a full, rich, white floral sweetness. It is a clean scent, and I am reminded a little of the typical 80s floral shampoos, which often had romantic advertising pictures of beautiful women with long, blonde hair. I can imagine the same kind of ads being used for Gardenia, but of course, it could be worn by anyone who enjoys a good vintage floral. This is a high quality, very feminine perfume that cost almost nothing back in the day, but, like the rest of the older perfumes from this company, it is impossible to find today. I first received this in a set of Fleur de Santé miniatures back in 1984 or -85. It is not listed in my 1990 Fleur de Santé catalogue, so I can only assume it was discontinued by then.