Sécrétions Magnifiques Etat Libre d'Orange 2006

Hello my dear perfume friends, one last time I want to open my perfume avntskalender for you this year, because the 24th is the last door. Today I face an infinitely brave task and test for you: Etat Libre d'Orange - Sécrétions Magnifiques.

Probably the most controversially rated and discussed fragrance. Is this art or can it go away? And how much art is allowed in a perfume anyway? Can you recreate a gang bang party olfactory? And in the process, I've heard opinions ranging from "gross, I want to throw up" and "a blood-covered crime scene" to "I need a new brain" All of which scared me to no end, having the shocked face of my perfume review goddess Katie Puckrick ever before my eyes.

When I had the fragrance as a sample then once in a hiking package with me at home, I smelled briefly at the spray head, grimaced and had to pass. I sent it unsprayed to the next. Scaredy-cat.

Now I got myself a fresh sample and would like to take on the heroic task for everyone's amusement. On and off I had smelled the spray head and only detected a harmless floral creaminess, but who knows, surely it's still playing dead and then, but then, it hits full on from the ambush. I'm shaking as I free the sprayer from the safety bag, about to get serious, my reindeer hair band should lighten the mood a bit. Spray or dab? Breaking it open could result in an accident, all the contents landing on the parquet floor and I'll have to redecorate the room, so I opt for spraying. A little spray, unerringly from the wrist, whew, at least that worked out well. I wave it around a bit, hardly daring to sniff, slowly approaching the spray site with my nose, sucking in the air intermittently AND: it's not that bad! I realize almost a little disappointed. Ok, taking another big breath I have to admit, it doesn't smell great either: I smell wet dog fur, something piercingly metallic. There was also talk of fresh mussels somewhere and yes, I smell those too or just the wet bleeding dog. No sperm, saliva, sweat, yes admittedly a little blood, but fresh blood smells different.

So I sit there, am a little bit disgusted and find the fragrance yet somehow interesting, because it is so very different, as everything smelled so far. He challenges its wearer emotionally as well as mentally. Emotionally, because it contains something addictive in the base, which magically attracts me. This creamy combination of milk, iris, coconut and sandal would make a smooth 8.0 scent without the oodles of azurone and ozone in the top notes, I'm sure. However, the top notes never quite disappear like that, only become toned down as the fragrance progresses. Mentally, the fragrance is challenging because it is quite suspenseful, admittedly interesting, but also exhausting because it is over-present. Even around the mini sprayer you can not smell around it.

Honestly, I imagined it more unwearable, due to the, let's call it kindly metallic sea breeze, it would not be a fragrance I could wear. However, I would give a lot to have a fragrance that has just that heart and base note. I would love it.

So Sécrétions Magnifique remains its fragrance that wants to provoke, just because of the name. You can like that or not. I count him to the avant-garde perfume art and concede him quite a raison d'être as an intellectual nose teaser. Or just as much ado about nothing, because with all honesty, I have smelled far worse fragrances.

I wish you all reflective holidays and if we no longer read us, come well into the new year!

Your Flaconesse