Daisy

Anyone who stumbles upon vanilla, amber, and guaiac wood while studying the ingredients and misses the mention of musk or cedar is well advised. Because Blanc des Cotons, which could be loosely translated as "white cotton," has little in common with what I call a Clean & Soft fragrance. While the listed lavender might initially send you down the fresh laundry path, the scent quickly reveals itself to be a gourmand of the intense kind, crowned by enormous longevity.

In the opening, Blanc des Cotons presents itself as bittersweet, earthy-musty, and strict, almost medicinal. No, I initially guessed iris root due to the supposed earthy note, but I discard that thought right away. It must be aldehydes, aha! How strange - while I usually enjoy their distinctive candle wax note, here they come across as quite distorted. I faintly detect a hint of jasmine. However, one searches in vain for anything distinctly floral. What follows is admittedly quite pleasant, but of rather short duration: delicate lavender, not at all herbaceous or scruffy here, but beautifully ethereal-woody, seems to float on a fluffy-soft vanilla cloud. That vanilla, with its full, slightly smoky sweetness, unfortunately intensifies immensely as time goes on. Once the last lavender sprig is gone, the scent becomes entirely edible. Amber is quite resinous, while vanilla sweetens as if there were no tomorrow.

All in all, the base here is simply too powerful for me. The combination of lavender and vanilla may be a lovely thing in itself, but the former lacks enough power to counteract this heavily sweetened fluffiness. Fortunately, it is not sticky as well.

Under a fragrance that is supposed to evoke white cotton, I understand something entirely different. There is absolutely no talk of fresh cleanliness, radiant whiteness, or carefree joy here. Therefore, I give it the label: Missed the Mark.

For those interested, I recommend Masaki Matsushima's Shiro (Clean & Soft in 3D) or Puro Lino by Officina delle Essenze; they are also Italians, but in my opinion, much more skillful when it comes to laundry scents.

Oh, one more thing! In summer temperatures, I find this fragrance unsuitable. The scent aura could easily turn into a vapor dome. If at all, the best wearing time is autumn and winter, but even then, better not in warm, enclosed spaces with many people inside.

Smoke, very cool, less dense. And lemons, mild, subtly creamy, sweetened, rather loose lemon cream, a piece of wood and a small cold cigarette butt. Medium volume - nothing that takes your breath away. A flattering, even fragrance structure without frills, however quite fleeting. It strikes me as unusual, but not expensive. More for her than for him. Suitable for special occasions in autumn; it’s not for the couch, bicycle, or desk.

Violets - delicate little flowers with velvety, bright lilac-blue petals, whose sight can transport me to ecstasy and whose fresh, bright scent brings a delightful mood to my spirit.

Anyone who knows one or another fragrance from the house of Lutens will not expect to find an ordinary violet scent here. Quite rightly so, because nothing in this composition is as one encounters in many soliflore violet fragrances: they tend to be polite, shy, gentle, and sometimes display a boring dullness. Exceptions, as always, confirm the rule. However, I have yet to meet a single one that stands out from the crowd as much as Bois de Violette.

This violet here is not a delicate, sweet little flower, but rather quite self-assured and almost cheeky. Its impressive presence is owed in no small part to an ensemble of indeterminate floral notes. I will spare wild guesses, as I could not name a single one with certainty. No matter which floral notes make our violet shine, it is magnificently staged. Its bright glow hovers above everything.

What makes the scent so attractive to me is this certain "wood" accord, which I have encountered in several Lutens fragrances (e.g., Bois et Fruits and Féminité du Bois) and which brings me great pleasure each time. It feels like a mix of wood, damp leaves, resin, and dry earth. Here, it creates a pleasant depth, not suffocating or dominant, but always allowing enough space for the violet.

In comparison, the Eau de Violette de Parme by Rancé 1795 appears lucid and fresh, presenting the gentle green of the violet leaves on a softly padded yet very woody base. I also do not want to forget the delightful Borsari violet, whose charm is underscored by a delicate powdery-woody base. I find each impressive in its own way.

Bois de Violette is a wonderful violet scent, for me the most beautiful of its kind. It is perfect for wearing while traveling on vacation and does not seem out of place in the office either. I have firmly embraced the noble bell-shaped bottle, which found its way to me from Paris in the caring hands of a dear parfumo friend, along with its precious fragrant contents.

Under the chairmanship of the honorable Judge D., a closed session was held today to expedite the trial against the defendant C. C. was accused of having behaved inappropriately towards several witnesses known to the court by name and having insulted them with his repugnant remarks.
C. defended himself by stating that he had no knowledge of such incidents. Years ago, he had withdrawn from public life and no longer maintained any social contacts. His reputation had always been impeccable; he had never done anything wrong. Such behavior was completely foreign to him. However, there was a malicious individual in his close family who had recently made several unpleasant appearances and wanted to destroy his good reputation through targeted actions.
Judge D. then ordered an assessment of the defendant's physical condition. As no suitable expert could be found on short notice, Judge D. took it upon herself to carry out this task. After a thorough body search and personality assessment, she found no behavioral abnormalities. The report stated that C. was a lively and cheerful person with a pronounced tendency towards gluttony. Nevertheless, he appeared wooden and somewhat stiff. He had no romantic inclinations. Furthermore, he always preferred a good, sugar-free dessert after the main course, rather than enjoying a brisk walk in the fresh air. It could be ruled out that C. had a repugnant or grumpy tone. His emotional state showed no bitterness.
Based on the court's findings, C. could not have committed the act, as he undoubtedly lacked the necessary negative traits for it. C. was acquitted of all charges on the spot. Relieved, he assured that he would personally endeavor to restore the family's good reputation.

Royal Delight is one of those fragrances that effortlessly conjures images of people in my mind. This doesn’t happen often. Most of the time, I see nothing at all, which I like to attribute (because it’s inexplicable to me) to the fact that “the scent hasn’t reached me.” I admire those of you for whom a whole film unfolds on their discovery journey. I would be grateful for just a still image.

The scent evokes the image of a woman around 40. She wears a tailored, elegant green-brown tweed suit, subtle makeup, and speaks in a soft yet firm tone. She is introspective and shows little emotional expression. Nothing can shake her composure. Even an embarrassing mishap only elicits an apologetic smile from her. A woman with natural grace and cool elegance, with education and refined humor.

Fruity notes of bergamot and mandarin open a beautiful floral sequence. Jasmine, which presents itself rather decorously and nobly as the main player throughout the fragrance journey, is accompanied by a somewhat shy rose. The listed violet leaves I can’t really identify as such; perhaps they take away some of the usual opulence from this noble duet.

This charming, unobtrusive floral quality is caught by one of the most beautiful bases I have encountered so far. Its warmth is so delightful, its resinous sweetness only hinted at. However, the fragrance owes its special character to an impressive, velvety leather accent that I can hardly describe, and to which any comparison with other perfumes is (still) impossible for me. Well, perhaps there is a certain similarity to the leather note in Piguet's Visa.

I can imagine wearing it at work or during a restaurant visit. A suitable autumn candidate for both genders with great fascination potential.

(The list of notes above omits Turkish rose; sandalwood and vanilla are also missing from the base note.)