05/16/2013

Ysbrand
84 Reviews

Ysbrand
Very helpful Review
8
Lukewarm Narcissus
And please, read "lukewarm" as a mere temperature description and not as my reaction to Eau de Narcisse Bleu. Colognes are meant to be refreshing (and so is this one, very much) but there is a sort of residual warmth in it. Like the cool water chilling down the heat a body radiates after swimming several lengths.
When i first smelled Eau de Narcisse Bleu i thought it was very similar to its close relative Eau de Gentiane Blanche. Nevertheless, while they share a clean, confortable freshness that reminds you of pristine landscapes of untouched nature, they are fundamentally different: where Gentiane Blanche feels virginal and has a strange herbal mustiness, the Narcisse Bleu is a physical green floral scent.
And it feels summery. Makes me think of swimming pools, gardens, naked skin and a summer-storm coming up.
As it opens it is bright and sunny, with a sparkling neroli, a bit of orange and leaf-green galbanum, all gift-wrapped on what i think is hedione. The citrus spark is soon to be dimmed, although it will stay in the background for a while, making room for the narcissus to unfold its sensual scent, that comes with an orange blossom tint. Narcissus is a bit of a paradox, being animal and persistent as a white flower would be, but somewhat tepid, low-key, airy and green.
Or blue! As the name implies, Eau de Narcisse Bleu makes us see the narcissus through a blue/violet tinged lens. Bluish, grayish notes as orris, violet leaves and cedar wood shavings are crucial allies to the green sprouts, to conjure up a moody mist over the obsessing sexuality of the narcissus, and the fragance never settles between the rainy soil and the muscly arms, so why not keeping both? Eau de Narcisse Bleu reminds me in spirit of another favourite "blue" fragance, Bas de Soie: it smells cool, detached and delicate, but if you give it a closer glance, you notice there are some bedroom eyes, looking back.
Anybody who likes green florals will be pleased with this narcissus fragance, and surely will appreciate its voluptuous, grown-up twist, quite unusual in a fresh cologne. I don´t have to say I am in rapture with this complex fragance, not being so excited about a new release in a very long time.
When i first smelled Eau de Narcisse Bleu i thought it was very similar to its close relative Eau de Gentiane Blanche. Nevertheless, while they share a clean, confortable freshness that reminds you of pristine landscapes of untouched nature, they are fundamentally different: where Gentiane Blanche feels virginal and has a strange herbal mustiness, the Narcisse Bleu is a physical green floral scent.
And it feels summery. Makes me think of swimming pools, gardens, naked skin and a summer-storm coming up.
As it opens it is bright and sunny, with a sparkling neroli, a bit of orange and leaf-green galbanum, all gift-wrapped on what i think is hedione. The citrus spark is soon to be dimmed, although it will stay in the background for a while, making room for the narcissus to unfold its sensual scent, that comes with an orange blossom tint. Narcissus is a bit of a paradox, being animal and persistent as a white flower would be, but somewhat tepid, low-key, airy and green.
Or blue! As the name implies, Eau de Narcisse Bleu makes us see the narcissus through a blue/violet tinged lens. Bluish, grayish notes as orris, violet leaves and cedar wood shavings are crucial allies to the green sprouts, to conjure up a moody mist over the obsessing sexuality of the narcissus, and the fragance never settles between the rainy soil and the muscly arms, so why not keeping both? Eau de Narcisse Bleu reminds me in spirit of another favourite "blue" fragance, Bas de Soie: it smells cool, detached and delicate, but if you give it a closer glance, you notice there are some bedroom eyes, looking back.
Anybody who likes green florals will be pleased with this narcissus fragance, and surely will appreciate its voluptuous, grown-up twist, quite unusual in a fresh cologne. I don´t have to say I am in rapture with this complex fragance, not being so excited about a new release in a very long time.
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