Serge Lutens has released Les Fauves Royaux, special edition bottles of three of his fragrances decorated in animal skins.
Datura Noir is the Panthère, Ambre Sultan is the Tigre and Un Bois Vanille is the Gazelle.
(via osmoz)
Serge Lutens Douce Amere ~ fragrance review
Douce Amere was launched by Serge Lutens in 2000. The fragrance is described as a “fresh oriental”, and features notes of cinnamon, artemisia absinthium, anise, lily, jasmine, tiare flower, tagette, cedar, musk. The perfumer was Christopher Sheldrake.
Douce Amere is to my mind one of the glories of the Serge Lutens line. It centers on artemisia absinthium, the bitter herb also known as wormwood and famous as the source of the liquor absinthe. The fragrance starts with a brief flash of lemony citrus generously dusted with cinnamon: it is strong, and candy-sweet. The wormwood lends a bitter-green medicinal edge to the top notes, but it softens nicely as it dries down to something more like a milky pudding laced with black licorice, mildly spicy, with abstract floral notes and vague hints of something that smells very much like chocolate. It has a velvety finish, and a pale wood base…
Serge Lutens Santal Blanc fragrance review
Santal Blanc was launched by Serge Lutens in 2001. It was created by perfumer Chris Sheldrake, and features notes of white sandalwood, cinnamon, fenugreek, pink pepper, rose, jasmine, orris root, musk, benzoin and copaiba balsam.
Like many Serge Lutens fragrances, Santal Blanc starts off rather like spiced stewed fruits. Fenugreek, which is used in curry recipes and also as a flavoring for artificial maple syrup, adds an interesting touch, and there is quite a bit of pepper in the mix. Within a few minutes, the fruits and spices are overtaken by the woods. There is sandalwood, yes, but also quite a bit of cedar…
Serge Lutens on Osmoz…
There is a profile on Serge Lutens, including a brief interview, on the osmoz site:
The raw ingredients are alive, they move around and create surprises. You have to be ready to guide the fragrance in an unconscious way.
And in other news, the latest smell research results:
Canadian researchers have determined that most people's noses appear to pick up scents better when they are sitting or standing compared to when they're reclining.
(via Yahoo News link expired, sorry!)
Serge Lutens Datura Noir fragrance review
Serge Lutens released Datura Noir in 2001. It was created by perfumer Chris Sheldrake, and the notes are mandarin peel, apricot, lemon flower, datura flower, tuberose, osmanthus, coconut, heliotrope, myrrh, bitter almond, vanilla, tonka bean, musk.
Datura Noir starts off rather heady, with all of its notes in evidence. They slowly rearrange themselves; in no particular order you might notice the mandarin peel or the almond or the tuberose. Eventually it resolves into a tropical floral with subdued hints of coconut and chocolate and a very slight dusting of powder. It is lush and creamy but not loud — the white florals hum rather than scream, as they are sometimes wont to do — and sweet without being cloying…