Perfume Review: Sonya Rykiel Belle en Rykiel

Here is how to make your very own Belle en Rykiel. Take Rykiel's Woman Not For Men (or, lacking that, Barbara Bui, which is more or less the same thing), add a generous splash of any lavender soliflore, and you are all set. Seriously though, the premise of Belle en Rykiel was very appealing. "Feminine, but with a nod to the masculine (...) composed of equal parts of darkness and light" (osMoz) ...frankincense-lavender accord contrasted with the soft gourmand-ness of heliotrope and vanilla... In reality, the frankincense part of the deal is missing completely on my skin, and lavender alone is incapable to produce the effect of "darkness", although it does manage to add a touch of cliché barber-shop-ish masculinity to the composition. The top notes, where lavender reigns supreme, are sharp, soapy and cold. As vanilla and heliotrope become perceptible, softening the chilly harshness of lavender, the fragrance warms up considerably, acquiring the weightless fluffiness that is quiet attractive although not in any way original. In fact, as soon as lavender disappears, Belle en Rykiel basically turns into the aforementioned Woman Not For Men / Barbara Bui on me...only with an addition of a note that is vaguely coffee-like. But that one note, lovely as it is , does not make up for the absence of the promised frankincense and for the aggressive over-abundance of lavender, not does it make me, an owner of a Barbara Bui bottle, to want to purchase the new Rykiel scent. Fairly boring as it is, Belle en Rykiel should, however, be appreciated for what it is NOT (yet again). A luxe perfume release that is not fruity, fruity-floral and/or aquatic deserves our kudos. So kudos to Rykiel! Belle en Rykiel is available at Nordstrom, $70.00-$85.00. The winner of Friday's poll is Existentialist. Please email me your address and the samples will be on their way!