#le régent oriza legrand

[perle-in-her-boudoir]

My perfume rotation

I am big on perfumes, as it is one of my hyperfixations. This hobby is almost obsessive, as I only think about perfumes on day's end, especially if someone wished to find its signature perfume around me. I absolutly will ask a lot of questions, do my reasearch, scramble and present a selection to that person. I love the thrill of the search, the testing, trials and errors, and finally the choice. I found signature perfumes for a lot of my friends, and my boyfriend have also his perfumes (he doesn't have a signature one, but two, which is the next best thing.) But there's one thing : I don't have a signature, but a rotation. I can't choose for the life of me, and it's honestly bothersome. I recently decided to roll for a while with the rotation, and eliminate until I stick to one. Anyway, let's get to it!

Insolence, Guerlain

It was, for 2 years, my signature perfume. I fell in love when it was in the famous bee bottle, but alas I was too late and I missed it and bought it bottled like in the picture, the "La petite robe noire bottle" (I hate that choice, it makes the presentation so bland). The top note is violet flower, which is my favorite scent as it reminds me of the candies of my childhood. It has notes of red berries, orange blossom, and vanilla and iris which gives its powdery scent. I loved the powdery scent with a twist of berries, as it gave a malicious twist to the traditionnal powder. To me, this scent was charming, flirty, light yet present and complementary to my own self image and skin scent. Alas, I think I grew up quite a bit in those last years, and I changed and now it doesn't fit me as much anymore. I am finishing my bottle and I won't buy it again for myself, but I'll keep a fond memory of Insolence.

Putain des Palaces, Etat Libre d'Orange

In my quest to find the successor of Insolence as my signature perfume, I found this gem. This perfume is provocative from the get go (the name translates to "Whore of the Palace") and is described as the scent of a courtesan: powdery with an animalistic and sensual twist. The powdery scent is given with notes of violet (my love!), rose, mandarine, lily of the valley and musk, and the animalistic scent is reprensented by leather, amber and ginger notes. I read here that it smells like sex, and I somewhat agree: it is an erotic scent, yet sophisticated, luxurious and very feminine. It also has that very vintage feel, hence the "grandma" vibe some think but I don't agree, as the blend of notes is very modern at the end of the day. I am absolutly in love with this violet wrapped in leather and lace, and damn I feel like a cocotte in the best way and it is exactly the vibe I want to have to me. Sexy, humourous, sensual, sharp and alluring.

Le Régent, Oriza L. Legrand

Named after the biggest diamond on the French Crown, this perfume from the oldest perfume house in France had me by surprise. I went to the Oriza L. Legrand boutique in Paris back in december to smell Jardins d'Aramide, which was a floral perfume I thought I would like. I was utterly disappointed when I smelled it, so I decided to make my trip worthwhile and to smell every single one of the perfume in the shop. To the first spray, this one was very good, but when I walked out in the street with it on my wrist? I was bewitched. I couldn't stop sniffing my own wrist. This one has no trace of the beloved violet, but this warm, soft, vanilla benzoin had me melting. Think Hypnotic poison by Dior, but warmer and better. It had me running back to the store buying it 3 hours after the initial spray. My boyfriend is in love with this one (and fell in love with Peau d'Espagne of the same house). Le Régent makes me smell like a queen, with a warming and soft presence, but with all her majesty.

La dame aux Camélias, Les cocottes de Paris

Hear me out. You understood that Putain des Palaces and Le Régent are amazing but, let's say, not subtle. I am a french teacher in middle school in France, and I have to smell good as I can be close to my students, yet subtle and demure to not bother them. This one right here does the job : La dame of Camélias is a soft floral powdery perfume with notes of verbena, orange blossom, cardamom, rose, iris, camelia (duh), musk, tonka bean and juniper. It is fresh, powdery as I like, discreet and has the name of the protagonist of french novelist Alexandre Dumas' La dame aux Camélias, which is a plus to me, as I love the silliness to match my litt teacher's vibe to my perfume lol. Maybe one day I'll be tired of buying it only for working and prefer a cheaper option, but for now I am happy with this one. It will never be Perle's signature perfume, but to my students and colleagues it will be Miss *****'s signature perfume.

Which one will be the winner and be my signature scent? Only time will tell!

Bisous,

Perle .