Parfums Delrae Mythique: Perfume Review

In the last couple of years, iris perfumes have, in my humble opinion, over-saturated the market, turning the fairly precious ingredient into something ubiquitous and thus no longer exciting. Or maybe I simply never have been that much into iris, and after a couple (dozen) of releases I was done with the note. Mythique, Yann Vasnier's (not Michel Roudnitska's, thank you for correction!) new creation for DelRae revives my interest in all things orris. Inspired by the legendary courtesan Diane de Poitiers, the scent is a simultaneously playful and classic take on iris. If you wanted a raw, "natural"-smelling orris, this is probably not the scent for you. This is a perfumey iris, imaginatively adorned with other ingredients and gallantly stylized. Totally suited for a courtesan in a way that the earthy-streamlined-realistic Iris Pallida is not. I like the fresh, slightly sweet juiciness that citrus fruits in the top notes lend to iris, the note that fairly often tends to be quite dry. I love the rosy glow that peony puts on its ordinarily pale cheeks and the way jasmine highlights the sensual side of orris, a side not often enough brought up in iris perfumes. And I adore the way sandalwood, ambrette and patchouli create a leathery quality in the base of Mythique, giving its flirtaceous, vivaceous, girly femininity a dark, subversive depth. If Mythique had an ad campaign, it would be shot by Ellen Von Unwerth. If I had to compare Mythique to other iris scents, I would say that the rich, honeyed, again, perfumey way the note is interpreted here, made me think of the late and lameted L'Artisan Orchidee Blanche and Editions de Parfums Iris Poudre. Right now Mythique is available at First in Fragrance, €145.00, or Les Senteurs, £110.00 Image, obviously, is by Ellen Von Unwerth. Yes, I know that it is stylized for an epoch later than Poitiers's, but it fits my impression of the fragrance.

Divine L'Etre Aime Homme: Perfume Review

"At the heart of our lives is a perfume we will never forget, the fragrance of the one we love," says Yvon Mouchel, the founder of Divine, and I wholeheartedly agree. Think of the scent of your most beloved, maybe your first love, maybe your biggest love...it lingers in your memory forever. You smell it on a street and you can't help but stop in your tracks and look around expecting to see that face. You get the phantom whiffs of it at the most unexpected moments, out of nowhere, out of your own heart and soul. Fahrenheit is an inexorable part of my memory and maybe even more so- a part of my identity. I am sure you can think of at least one perfume that is just as important in your life. With a premise like that, L'Être Aimé Homme had high expectations to meet and it met and surpassed them. Centered around the note of everlastiing flower and focused on the aromatic aspect of the latter, the latest masculine Divine is one of a venerable heritage. I recognize in it the best aspects of some favorites: the earth and spice of Yatagan, the piquant sweetness of The Third Man, the mossy leather of Derby...with a nod to the floral-for-men trend of today. Complex and chameleon-like, on some it will smell like an aromatic blend of lavender, patchouli and celery, on others, like a green and leathery chypre; skins of the particularly lucky ones will bring out the delectable tang of ginger sweetened by sandalwood. There is a chance that you will recognize a hint of your beloved's perfume in one of L'Être Aimé's numerous facets. Aromatic but soft-voiced, with the quiet sort of charisma and with the classic sort of elegance, L'Être Aimé will fit effortlessly in any circumstances, from a formal occasion to lazying and cuddling at home on a Sunday afternoon. The latter is my favorite way to experience a beloved's fragrance. Available on divine.fr and luckyscent.com.