The chypre family of fragrances are back in the spotlight - which is perfect timing with winter on its way, says editor Trudi Brewer. Who adds, find out what makes this newbie from Lebanese couture designer Elie Saab so unique.
Image BeautyEQ
Elie Saab Le Parfum Essentiel, 30ml $120.
What’s in it?
Created by French perfumer Maïa Lernout she calls this scent a rich and sophistication chypre. Why? Allow me to explain. The chypre fragrance family is complex. However, they all start with a citrus burst, that is the first thing you will recognize. With this perfume, it's a blend of mandarin and orange blossom. Next, comes the cistus labdanum, or the earthy resin, which is the heart of a chypre fragrance. But not in this case, the heart features a bold white flower, and one of my favourites - gardenia. It is one of the hardest scents in perfumery to get right - it can go from being velvety, sweet, and enveloping to cloying within minutes, but in the case of Le Parfum Essentiel, Lernout has nailed it. Finally, a mossy-animalist base completes a chypre scent, and with this perfume, it's a blend of patchouli and Lebanese cedarwood. The perfumer Lernout says, “When you wear this fragrance, it will bring you a peaceful, blissful confidence.”
“The fragrance you wear should silently say something about your personality. It’s the one impression you can leave behind without uttering a word. ”
Why do I like it?
The fragrance you wear should silently say something about your personality. It's the one impression you can leave behind without uttering a word. This new fragrance is bold yet feminine, thanks to the addition of exotic gardenia, and for me, it's the reason I like it so much. Does it bring me peaceful, blissful confidence? I am not sure, but as someone who has spritzed on more scents than I can count, it positively affects those around me. Everyone from men to women, even strangers, have complimented me when I wear it - but don't take my word for it; try it yourself.
Perfume is the ultimate present. Here’s what we’re wearing right now.