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.