07/23/2022
Elysium
816 Reviews
Elysium
3
The Desert's Ocher Land
If there is one thing I cannot understand, it is why some fragrances are only distributed in certain countries while are not available for others. In Italy, where I was born and still live, the Yves Roches chain of stores is very well known and widespread, both through physical stores and online e-commerce. Still, fragrances like Voile d’Ocre or Nouveau Genre are not available. Well, I was in Montpellier in France recently for a short vacation to visit a niece who lives there. During a tour in the oldest part of the city, I found myself in front of a shop of this brand. I entered intending to buy Nouveau Genre, which they probably discontinued, and the entire line of The Yves Roches Parfume Collection was available on the shelf, including this fragrance at a significantly discounted price; the last pieces were undoubtedly out of production. I didn’t think much about it. I sprayed it on the paper strip and headed to the cash desk with the perfume and the blotter in hand. And right from my hand came the dry and creamy notes of the blond woods that form the structure of Voile d’Ocre.
Voile d’Ocre is an Eau de perfume added lately to the collection at the beginning of 2021 and is not a very complex perfume, yet in its simplicity, it is pleasant to the nose and the mind. The combination of two blond kinds of wood inspired the two noses that composed the scent: sandalwood and cedar. We, therefore, find a woody opening in which the dry and slightly green aspects of cedar pencil shavings prevail and release warm spicy notes. The smell of wood reminds me of a sawmill, where cedar logs still a little green are cut, and the air is filled with resinous and woody aromas. You can feel the sap that once flowed inside the tree. There is a bit of freshness, in the beginning, nothing citrusy or watery, just fresh.
There is no heart or tail as the perfume passes from a dry to a more creamy aspect, in which the sensuality of milky sandalwood makes its way. More, the two kinds of wood need the right balance, and I think there is an unmentioned secret ingredient that links, reinforces, harmonises, and extends the longevity of the cologne. Since I like it, I think they added an overdose of Iso E Super, a molecule that resists longer on clothes and is detectable days after. I recognise the typical earthiness and dustiness I meet in #zara sandal or #zara sublime cedar, for instance. Now the scent twisted into something warm, reminiscent of the desert backdrop.
If I wanted to associate this fragrance with something I have already smelled, it would be Santal 33 Eau de Parfum. I recognise a dry spiciness from cedar and a milkiness that I attribute to sandalwood. However, Voile d'Ocre does not want to be a perfect clone since in Santal 33 the dry and pungent accord of cedar wood shavings reigns supreme, while here we are faced with the creamier and smokier accord of sandalwood. The perfumers have done a fantastic job using two of the stepping stones in the woods to create a new woody retreat on the edge of the desert. I wanted to try it out last night to go to an outdoor event. Despite the heat, a stormy wind blew. All the people I met told me I was wearing a beautiful perfume, while some perceived hints of coconut, others of fig. These two notes are not mentioned, but they may be some shades of cedar and sandalwood reinforced by the aroma chemical Iso E Super. Indeed, this uncomplicated perfume does not go unnoticed.
I like it and find it a scent full of contrasts, fresh and warm at the same time, dry and creamy, spicy and milky. I find it ideal for mid-seasons, from late spring to late autumn. I can wear it very well during the day, in my free time, but also during work. Its scents are delicate, and it does not have a robust projection, but on the other hand, it lasts a long time, all day without a doubt. Although I am sorry I did not find Nouveau Genre, I am very proud to have purchased this unknown gem in its place.
I base the review on a 100ml bottle I have owned since July 2022.
-Elysium
Voile d’Ocre is an Eau de perfume added lately to the collection at the beginning of 2021 and is not a very complex perfume, yet in its simplicity, it is pleasant to the nose and the mind. The combination of two blond kinds of wood inspired the two noses that composed the scent: sandalwood and cedar. We, therefore, find a woody opening in which the dry and slightly green aspects of cedar pencil shavings prevail and release warm spicy notes. The smell of wood reminds me of a sawmill, where cedar logs still a little green are cut, and the air is filled with resinous and woody aromas. You can feel the sap that once flowed inside the tree. There is a bit of freshness, in the beginning, nothing citrusy or watery, just fresh.
There is no heart or tail as the perfume passes from a dry to a more creamy aspect, in which the sensuality of milky sandalwood makes its way. More, the two kinds of wood need the right balance, and I think there is an unmentioned secret ingredient that links, reinforces, harmonises, and extends the longevity of the cologne. Since I like it, I think they added an overdose of Iso E Super, a molecule that resists longer on clothes and is detectable days after. I recognise the typical earthiness and dustiness I meet in #zara sandal or #zara sublime cedar, for instance. Now the scent twisted into something warm, reminiscent of the desert backdrop.
If I wanted to associate this fragrance with something I have already smelled, it would be Santal 33 Eau de Parfum. I recognise a dry spiciness from cedar and a milkiness that I attribute to sandalwood. However, Voile d'Ocre does not want to be a perfect clone since in Santal 33 the dry and pungent accord of cedar wood shavings reigns supreme, while here we are faced with the creamier and smokier accord of sandalwood. The perfumers have done a fantastic job using two of the stepping stones in the woods to create a new woody retreat on the edge of the desert. I wanted to try it out last night to go to an outdoor event. Despite the heat, a stormy wind blew. All the people I met told me I was wearing a beautiful perfume, while some perceived hints of coconut, others of fig. These two notes are not mentioned, but they may be some shades of cedar and sandalwood reinforced by the aroma chemical Iso E Super. Indeed, this uncomplicated perfume does not go unnoticed.
I like it and find it a scent full of contrasts, fresh and warm at the same time, dry and creamy, spicy and milky. I find it ideal for mid-seasons, from late spring to late autumn. I can wear it very well during the day, in my free time, but also during work. Its scents are delicate, and it does not have a robust projection, but on the other hand, it lasts a long time, all day without a doubt. Although I am sorry I did not find Nouveau Genre, I am very proud to have purchased this unknown gem in its place.
I base the review on a 100ml bottle I have owned since July 2022.
-Elysium
Elysium
