I was excited to hear about the two new floral fragrances from niche line Le Labo, but only just so much — of their initial offerings, I was far more attracted to the men’s fragrances (Bergamote 22, Rose 31, Vetiver 46, Patchouli 24) than to the women’s and unisex scents.¹ As it turns out, I need not have worried. If they had set out to create one perfect fragrance for Angie (Ylang 49) and one for me (today’s subject, Lys 41), they could hardly have done any better.

If you were hoping for a glorious lily soliflore, you won’t really find it in Lys 41; as with the rest of the line, it is named for the note in highest concentration rather than for the note you are most likely to notice on skin. But Lys 41 is a white floral, and a particularly lovely one. It’s from perfumer Daphné Bugey, who also developed two of the favorites I mentioned above: the under-appreciated Bergamote 22 and the justly lauded Rose 31…

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