Today's blind grab from the goodies from my friend is one that I might have passed by in the store, although I might have been tempted to stop because the juice is such a pretty pink (and sometimes the delicate and lovely and soft grab my attention in spite of myself).
Per Lancome, this is considered a "fresh floral," and the top notes are bergamot (citrus), juicy pear, pink peppercorn; the middle notes are rose and jasmine; and the base notes are white musk, vanilla, patchouli, and cedardwood.
Based on the notes alone, some may put this in a fruity floral camp, and at first application I did get a distinct pear note that immediately dropped down to give place to the rose (and yes this rose is another bright, raspberryish rose) and the white musk. Some other sites said that it has a chypre edge at the base, but I'm not getting that (or the patchouli) at all.
As it dries: I waved it under my husband's nose. Since it was still fresh, he blinked a little bit and said, "That's a little more...sharp than I expected?" Sharp, for him, covers a world of notes, but usually tends to mean it hasn't faded down much so he is reserving judgment. For me, I find it to be veering more toward a "classic" floral, with very clean lines, and the fruit seems to be serving to keep it from going too dry or too floral. It feels like a bright late spring day, one where the sky is brilliantly blue, clouds are fluffy, and the air has a small bite still (hasn't yet decided to go heavy or muggy).
There is something about this that reminds me a little of church camp in the late 80s/early 90s, where hairspray and perfume and chatter, and the absolute essence of femininity, swirled around the dorms as everyone got ready for church. For that alone, I'm loving it a lot. It's happy, and feminine, and has a bit of an edge, but also is soft and contains moments of quiet reflection, too.
The longer it sits on my skin, the patchouli, an extremely soft one, slowly steps forward and reminds me of a shawl that has been carefully packed away (the way they used to be shipped eons ago) in patchouli and roses, so when you lift it out you get the faint whiff of far away places and adventure, while still feeling like you don't have to leave home if home is safe and comfortable. Throughout it all, the rose weaves and dances and rises then drops back down again, keeping this firmly in the floral camp, but also teasing the senses with, "But I'm more than a floral!" And it is!
It's happy. Comforting, but not in a smothering way. It has edges, but is soft. It comes forward, then falls back to rest quietly on my skin. It's charming and bright, and makes me feel much prettier than I woke up feeling, and that alone is probably a big mark in its favor lol. This feels like it will pair well with any kind of day. Blue? Put this on. Happy? Put this on. Ornery? This may encourage you to act on it, but in a way that lightens the heart and makes you giggle for the rest of the year. Melancholy? Put this on, and let it wrap around you and remind you that beauty and life and light still exist. (I think this will also be beautiful on a brisk autumn day, where the nose may be cold and the sky may be gray, but the breeze wafts this around and fills the air with glorious perfume and a reminder of sunshine and hope.) It's a delightful mix of contrasts, and I'm so glad I have it!
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