If you are passionate about opulent perfumes, those of the old school, with Matiére Noire, you are on the safe side. It is one of those scents that revolve around dense, slightly dirty, earthy, and resinous accords. These accords are made of enveloping light and dark flowers, incense, resins, and mature woods from which gluey fluids drip. I confess I bought it in the dark, having found a splendid opportunity and trusting my instincts, and you know what? I did not expect such a scent, a pleasant and unexpected revelation. What doesn’t come to mind is its name, Matiére Noire. I would have expected a magic potion with deep and dark scents, but instead, it is translucent and bright. The rose-jasmine-patchouli triplet creates an atmosphere that reminds me of
Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum, a perfume that is nearly two decades old, and I’m surprised no one has noticed the same thing so far.
However, since every perfume with character needs a dark wood tone to give it a sense of mystery, Matiére Noire makes use of agarwood, or rather its resin. Coco does not have this essential touch. Dark matters are clarified here by the essence and sweetness of the flowers. The resulting mixture gives a mystical aroma that deepens as the perfume grows.
Matiére Noire is a fragrance that has fruity, floral overtones with a spicy, balsamic, and earthy background. It revolves around dense, dirty, earthy, and resinous edges, consisting of wrapped flowers, incense, and old woods from which gluey fluids drip. The opening is much softer than you might imagine after looking at the list of notes. The immediate chord that strikes me is that of the queen of flowers, the rose, delicately powdered and made slightly acidic by a profusion of black currants. It’s a sudden burst of rose petals drenched in blackcurrant molasses. There is a hint of watery fragrance, but it is not disappointing. Instead, it has a pleasant wet and dewy feel that serves to lighten the opening without making it overly aquatic.
Within minutes, the initial acidic syrupiness takes a step back and lets a colourful bouquet, that feels a bit dewy, take centre stage. A slightly smoky narcissus, a moist and prominent cyclamen, and an overdose of indole jasmine reach a powdery rose and add dirt to the potion. However, it fails to be a courteous floral and, although it possesses a touch of sophistication, it still emanates an enigmatic vulgarity. When the oud rises from the bottom, it combines with the rose and creates a leathery, suede-like nuance.
At the bottom, when the scent becomes a close skin odour, precious woody nuances of bitter oud and sweet patchouli lend darkness to the fragrance with a chocolate slant. This ensures it does not degenerate into something too flowery, sweet, or downright cloying. The oud is just a whisper in this blend that does not overpower and blends well with all the other ingredients. Don't think of Arabian and oriental opulent attars. Here the oud is just a whisper and does not stand out. The floral accord subsides although the jasmine survives, and two other resinous notes flank these two earthy and medicinal ones. The smoky facet comes from the incense grains, here sacred yet not too clerical, while the benzoin grains give that slightly sweet oriental veil. The warm, leathery, and mysterious sensation lasts all day, even the next day if worn on fabrics.
As a matter of fact, Matiére Noire is quite unisex despite belonging to the feminine collection. If you like wearing a rose-jasmine-patchouli combo, you will like this one. Here, a tinge of oud enriches the blend to give it a unique personality. The balance between flowers, resins, and oud is fantastic and surprisingly stable for the duration of the perfume. Both projection and performance are above average and though the wear is quite close, it suits the scent profile very well, keeping it just a touch refined and mysterious. This is mainly a scent that is used at night in the fall and winter months, and perhaps even in the spring. Not for clubbing, but something more intimate, like dinner out, or a social event.
I base the review on a decant I have owned since October 2022.
-Elysium
Blackcurrant
Benzoin
Jasmine sambac
Narcissus
Oud
Rosa centifolia
Cyclamen
Frankincense
Patchouli
Hermesh
Elysium
Estbienla
Capsicum
Janetbeary
