3
Very helpful Review
N°5's bubblier granddaughter
I have been meaning to review this one in English for a while now, and now that the weather is warm enough to try floral-aldehydic fragrances and I have been on a N°5 binge, the time seems ripe for it.
First off, the aldehydes are far lighter, more modern -- and more fleeting -- than in Eau Première's esteemed foremother. The opening lacks the bug spray accord (aldehydes spiked with intense bergamot) that can be so off-putting to delicate contemporary noses in the original N°5 and many others, and instead comes off as non-aquatic fresh floral that soon gives way to the classical jasmine-rose combo. Those two flowers seem to me to be a cornerstone of modern Western perfumery, and for good reason -- there is nothing quite as heady yet bubbly and classy as jasmine and rose blended well together. While it can feel a bit soapy especially when transitioning from top notes to the heart, it's a very, very classy kind of soapy.
The base lacks the plump oriental amber that makes the original so intoxicating, but the vanillic-woody sweetness is there, shining a golden undertone throughout the duration of this perfume. The developmental stages seem more distinct to me in Eau Première than the original N°5, which is a near-seamless floriental joy ride, and for some reason EP lasts longer on my skin, too. It's a great, classy light floral quasi-oriental, a sharper, more contemporary Atkins diet version of the plush original; nothing off the beaten path, but I would say a definite failsafe for most people looking for something elegant and unobtrusive to wear or give as gift. I for one would be only happy to receive a bottle.
First off, the aldehydes are far lighter, more modern -- and more fleeting -- than in Eau Première's esteemed foremother. The opening lacks the bug spray accord (aldehydes spiked with intense bergamot) that can be so off-putting to delicate contemporary noses in the original N°5 and many others, and instead comes off as non-aquatic fresh floral that soon gives way to the classical jasmine-rose combo. Those two flowers seem to me to be a cornerstone of modern Western perfumery, and for good reason -- there is nothing quite as heady yet bubbly and classy as jasmine and rose blended well together. While it can feel a bit soapy especially when transitioning from top notes to the heart, it's a very, very classy kind of soapy.
The base lacks the plump oriental amber that makes the original so intoxicating, but the vanillic-woody sweetness is there, shining a golden undertone throughout the duration of this perfume. The developmental stages seem more distinct to me in Eau Première than the original N°5, which is a near-seamless floriental joy ride, and for some reason EP lasts longer on my skin, too. It's a great, classy light floral quasi-oriental, a sharper, more contemporary Atkins diet version of the plush original; nothing off the beaten path, but I would say a definite failsafe for most people looking for something elegant and unobtrusive to wear or give as gift. I for one would be only happy to receive a bottle.
Sweetgrass
