Héliotrope Blanc L.T. Piver 1850 Eau de Toilette

I have already written a statement about this fragrance, and this comment is an addendum. It turned out to be rather negative, but I didn't want to leave it at that.

My story with this classic began at TK Maxx. It was in the morning, so I could browse in peace and research almost every fragrance I found. There were some very interesting-sounding options! In the end, I had to choose between Quatre Absolu de Nuit by Boucheron and Hèliotrope Blanc. The comparison to the almost similarly named fragrance by Etro was what ultimately convinced me. Perfect, off to the checkout and then straight outside to spray it on...and well, I was quite disappointed.

The first thing I could perceive were the floral notes, which did not behave subtly fresh but rather unusually opulent. Over time, the almond also made an appearance. However, it did not evoke the association with marzipan, but rather with unsweetened milk substitute. As mentioned, Hèliotrope Blanc was initially floral, creamy, relatively low in sweetness, and not at all my thing.

Disappointed by what I thought was a bad purchase, I read the reviews again and wondered how it was possible that my nose perceived it completely differently than about 100 others. Well, it happens. However, it also happens that one changes their opinion about fragrances, so I decided to test the little water again after a while.

As a precaution, I had not applied any other perfume that day. It could very well be that a sweet scent cloud was clouding my perception. At first, the unwanted flowers greeted me again, but this time something was different. The unsweetened creaminess I had initially complained about gave way to melting almonds. Heliotrop wrapped itself like a veil over this construct. Immediately, I developed an association with donuts dusted with powdered sugar. Delicious!

I can only explain my initial aversion by the fact that the perfume simply felt unfamiliar to me at first. Normally, fruity notes and a measuring cup full of sugar can be found in fragrance pyramids. Hèliotrope Blanc is sweet, but by no means as sweet as others in the genre. While others scream, here you have a quiet, elegant lady who observes the hustle and bustle from a safe distance. She probably has more to say than some of the loudmouths, but you have to let her speak...

Overall, you get an extremely well-made fragrance. Every note is recognizable, and none of them feels out of place. It's not a big deal that the longevity is rather short. I'm glad I didn't 'overhear' the lady among the loudmouths after all!