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Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Perfume Review: L'Artisan L'Eau du Fleuriste

L'Eau du Fleuriste is a Limited Edition L'Artisan Parfumeur scent, which was released ten years ago and since then seems to have disappeared so completely that I haven't even been able to google up an image of a bottle. The scent is unmistakably a Giacobetti creation, subtle and diaphanous. As the name suggests, its dewy, floral-green accords do make it seem evocative of a florist's shop, although to me the scent brings to mind stems much more than actual flowers...stems in big vases filled with water.

It is a gentle, understated fragrance, with notes that are beautifully muted, as if seen (or rather, smelled) through a gauzy fabric. The beginning is very green, reminiscent of freshly cut flowers and freshly mowed spring grass. It has a very slight cucumber undertone, which, combined with a subtle violet accord, makes the beginning of L'Eau du Fleuriste somewhat similar to Verte Violette. As the scent progresses, I at times smell a sweet rose note, but as if from a distance or as if the rose was hidden in a bouquet of delicately scented, humble field flowers, most prominently camomile. And yes, as I said, it does make me think of a verdant smell in a florist's shop, but the image that I most often see when wearing L'Eau du Fleuriste is that of lying in a field, sunk into the tall grass, watching my toddler chasing butteflies, listening to her excited giggles...a vision of pure happiness and utter contentment.

I wish I could tell you where to find a bottle of L'Eau du Fleuriste, but unfortunately I can't. It seems to be very hard to find.

The image is from gettyimages.com.

30 Comments:

Blogger Kelley said...

Beautiful review. And, speaking of hard to find (or, should I say impossible to find) information about a certain L'Artisan, what about Leau de Incroyable? I am beginning to doubt my sanity! Did this jewel ever really exist? Was it simply a dream?

11:47 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sounds lovely. I do like Verte Violette a lot.

Update on the likelihood of my DH wearing French Lover:

"Hey," I said, "there's a new masculine chypre out from Editions de Parfum Frederic Malle. It's supposed to be very attractive."

"And... Why are you mentioning this now?" Oh, the suspicion!

"Well, it's called French Lover."

"I don't want to wear something called French Lover!"

How did you do, Colombina?

2:03 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have to repeat Maria, because I feel the same : it sounds lovely.
Why they make something and then let it disappear for ever ?! It's sad and I hate the "never more" feeling...

5:23 AM EDT  
Blogger elle said...

This really was an absolutely lovely summer scent. The bottle was one of their huge ones (not too dissimilar from the current Jatamansi one - at least from what I can see of it in photos) w/ a detachable band of multi colored dyed silk flower petals around the neck (hello, dust!).
Beautiful image of you and T. :-)

6:33 AM EDT  
Blogger Unknown said...

Why do they discontinue these?!?! Waaa, it sounds so gorgeous.

7:07 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What an idyllic sounding scent! It sounds like pure happiness in a bottle. For a moment there, I was happy just reading the review. Thank you, M.

7:48 AM EDT  
Blogger lilybp said...

My, you are going over to the light side.:) I have never tried this, but it sounds lovely.

Will be at the Boston Barneys/FM event this Thurs, and HOPE to try French Lover. Unlike Maria's DH, mine never fully absorbs the names of perfumes, anyway. I just spary him with something, and if he really likes it, he takes the bottle (or tries to), assuming it's "for him." But I think I might want this for me. . . or, if he is nice, to share.

7:50 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

*big sigh*

8:33 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Kelley,
I have never heard from L'Eau de Incroyable until you wrote about it some time before. I am sure it existed, don't doubt yourself. I sometimes see very old, still Laporte, L'Artisans pop up on eBay, with names I have never heard.
I was sent as an extra in a swap a decant of a scent by L'Artisan. The swapper did not know the name (she was given the decant herself), just knew it was a limited edition centered around lily. Smells wonderful. I've been trying really hard to find out the name, and no one knows what it is :-(

9:12 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Maria,

Me: Would you wear a scent called French Lover

He: No [bleep]-ing way.

:-D

9:35 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Lady Jane,
It's coz they wanna hurt us, coz they wanna make us cry. :-)

9:36 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

L,
The bottle sounds cute, if a little kitchy :-) The image is some random and super-gorgeous child from gettyimages.

Oh, you mean the image of T. chasing butterflies. Clearly, I need more coffee. Sorry! And thank you.

9:40 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Patty,
I don't know why. I can only repeat what I said to Lady Jane: it's coz they want to make us cry :-)

9:41 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Minsun,
And your comment made ME happy :-)

9:41 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Judith,
You must report afterwards on the scent, the Malle and everything :-)

9:42 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Leopoldo,
I am glad it is a big sigh, not a big yawn :-)

9:42 AM EDT  
Blogger lilybp said...

OK, I just called DH (at work, yet) to ask him if he would wear a scent called "French Lover.
He: *sounds very puzzled, undoubtedly wondering if this is some kinda trick, or else why would I call him at work to ask such a thing*: "Ummmmmm, uhhhhhh, I guess so. . . . Why? Does it smell good?"

He obviously did not successfully finish his training at guy-school.

10:26 AM EDT  
Blogger donanicola said...

Sounds very lovely. If I hadn't recently tried Le Haie Fleurie and fallen in love I would have been lemming this but I'm happy to be lemming something I can actually get my hands on (salary permitting. oh who am I kidding? credit card permitting!)

10:28 AM EDT  
Blogger Kelley said...

Marina, there was a time (in the early 1990's) when I knew every release from Jean Laporte. Now, it's hard for me to keep up with all of these L'Artisan limited releases.

I used to have a flyer that was given to me by the lovely L'Artisan folks that contained all the releases around the year 1995, I wonder where that is? I will search for it later...

Speaking of French Lover, I read a recent review that said it was nothing special (Basenotes). I don't remember what it was compared to in the top notes--obviously an angelica heavy scent-- but the base notes were said to be exactly like Gucci Pour Homme (yikes!). I hope that reviewer was an idiot and totally wrong!

10:34 AM EDT  
Blogger tmp00 said...

So tell me- you got a full bottle of this as a bribe,
right? Sounds delish: what's my cut?

11:15 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Colombina, you know there are days when I could cry over a discontinued perfume (I guess, today could be such a day...)

11:22 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

p.s.
Now, I called my HB if he'd wear a perfume called "French Lover" and he sad YES with a smugly smile - but, he IS really french...

11:27 AM EDT  
Blogger NowSmellThis said...

Sounds lovely! Wishing (for the zillionth time) that L'Artisan would do a coffret of all the summer limited editions -- wouldn't that be perfect?

11:29 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Judith,
The funny thing is...I just asked again DH via MSN, and his reply this time was...if it smells good, I would. And they say women are fickle!

12:53 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Nicola,
I am madly in love with Haie too! I sooo want a bottle. My next purchase will be it.

12:53 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Kelley,
I'd love to read that list fo old scents.

I don't think the review is wrong. If FL smells of Gucci to him or her, then that's just the way it is - for him or her. So many times I'd tell someone: oh, this smells just like...And they will be like: what??? :-)

12:55 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Tom,
The hand-over will be in the usual place. Wait for a man in a houndstooth suit, Chanel cufflinks and Tom Ford sunglasses. He will be carrying The Goods in an olive-green Birkin bag. Be careful, I think They are on to us.

12:56 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Lady Jane,
I cry to over some :-(
Ah, a French husband! How wonderful. :-)

12:57 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

R,
From your keyboard to their ears!! Imagine - a limited edition of all limited editions! Ooooh!

12:58 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have it! It will be on ebay on June 8, 2010 3pm MST. Search word: L'Eau du Fleuriste

2:14 PM EDT  

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