EaudeLys

I enjoy this. It has definite similarities to the Hermes Merveilles line but without the warm mandarin top notes it doesn’t feel as autumnal. Instead we start with the amber and patchouli from Hermes and then progress to an earthy rain scent. Maybe the fig is adding a little bit of additional greeness, but this composition is not sweet at all. I wish the more amber forward top notes lasted a bit longer, but this can easily be layered with an amber perfume oil to achieve that effect. Overall, this is a really good release for Zara/Jo Malone.

Yeah, it’s a little like potpourri but there’s also the undercurrent of clean fresh roses florals with a bit of soap. It’s a complex fragrances that starts off very spicy and almost masculine but then becomes a more unisex, floral fragrance. I really like it, it’s complex and old fashioned but also works in the modern perfume landscape.

I don’t generally like fruity scents but this is a really well done version. I definitely get the red pepper at the top as it feels slightly spicy as in hot. It stays in the back of your throat like the aftertaste of a spicy meal followed up by something like a mango margarita. The fig seems to be providing more sweetness rather than making it figgy, but that’s fine because it’s a very realistic mango note. At the base I mainly pick up on Guaiac wood and leather—kind of like taxidermy but cleaner. The deep dry down becomes slightly vanillic probably from the amber. The whole composition is very unique and interesting. I look forward to sampling other offerings from this house.

I really enjoy this. The basil is very anis-forward and camphorus (probably emphasized by the eucalyptus) so it reminds me more of Thai basil—which is my favorite. It’s blended well as I don’t necessarily differentiate the other notes (it’s definitely more basil than neroli) but that’s fine by me because I really just wanted a fresh basil scent with decent longevity and this does what I want it to.

One of the first things to strike me about this fragrance is how dry it is. It first hits like breathing some makeup powder thrown in the air. But then it transforms and sweetens slightly so that it’s not makeup powder but dried iris petals ground into powder and mixed with uncooked rice. There’s a definite vegetal undercurrent that makes this feel both like a makeup vanity, the kitchen pantry, and the outdoors all at once. I didn’t detect the vetiver at first but now I think it’s definitely the source of the outdoorsy element.

The overall effect is very clean and calm but still unique. It’s not your typical clean girl, your skin but better perfume because it feels somewhat vintage but in an entirely complimentary way. A shame it’s discontinued because it’s really a stunner for spring.