Skip to main content

The People of the Labyrinths: Luctor et Emergo

Luctor et Emergo by The People of the Labyrinths (Netherlands) is an odd little creature, and if I were you, I wouldn't let it anywhere near your man. It's suitable for girls, for women, maybe even for babies, but its sweetness and initial burst of cherry almond tempered with "grasses" (which I detect as hay and sweetgrass accords) is very femme indeed. This is the kind of perfume that even fans of a good many gourmand scents will shy away from, as it represents the extreme edge of foodiness. It boasts some pretty amazing packaging and lists precious woods, vanilla, fresh grasses and white florals among the notes, but don't let that fool you. The flowers are eaten by the other top notes, and the only time you will see any woods here is in the drydown far off in the distance, where a light sandalwood that could almost pass for sensual musk and a pervasive powderiness duke it out for control.  There are some days I just want a sweet scent to comfort me, but I want it to be interesting. Luctor et Emergo would fit the bill. It's far beyond vanilla; it is tenacious and has an odd beauty that is slightly disturbing. It inches up on cloying, it even borders on annoying, but it never quite arrives there. Okay, Luctor et Emergo, go get your stuff. You can stay.


Comments

  1. Nice review Carrie. This one sounds like it has "Not for Aromi" written all over it...lol...

    I'm not very familiar with this house. Is there others from them that you find good?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Dave! I've not tried the other scent from POTL, A*MAZE, but it sounds like another ultra-feminine scent (rose-based this time). I would like to see more from them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I seem to recall this being listed under the category "cherry bomb", and I can certainly relate! This is, well, a candied catfight in a bottle, and while it might not be for everyone, it's definitely not boring! I liked it a lot, just not enough to own it. A*MAZE, on the other hand, I would buy! Great review!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you tarlesio, I love your description "a candied catfight in a bottle". Whoa, wish I'd thought of that. :) It's perfectly accurate.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

                      Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme by L'Artisan Parfumeur

I read many reviews before or after I do my own and I seem to be at complete odds with the house of L'Artisan. I have previously said on basenotes that for me, L'Artisan Parfumeur is the most over-rated house I have come across. La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme does nothing to sway that opinion. Yet another linear, floral dominant scent that does nothing to stir me up or inspire me in any way. This house has "pleasant" nailed down to an art form......but damn...can't we go beyond that? The only attempt at polarization so far has been Dzongkha ....and I found it a jumbled mess. At these prices, move me, anger me, hate me.......but please don't bore me. Extreme in a nutshell is a toned down tuberose with assorted "blossom" thrown in the mix. Is it bad? No, it's an acceptable floral scent that's very timid and just lays on my skin smelling like....well....a toned down version of tuberose with blossom this or that added to it. I'm almost a...