Skip to main content

Bois de Violette by Serge Lutens

Cedarwood, Violet Leaves, Flowers.

So many Lutens have that effervescent quality in their openings and Bois de Violette is no exception. Some of them come off as a hairspray accord on my skin, but happily BdV isn't one of them.

Woody violet? Yes it is, but you must remember that this is the world according to Serge and his interpretations aren't along the same lines as convention. Bois de Violette is sweet overall, but stops short of becoming too much of a good thing. I can image some will find this scent molto dolce, yet I believe it's properly tuned and more in line with a feminine fragrance.

There's also a leathery quality to Bois de Violette. I get the impression of a subtle iris-labdanum combo in the works. Yes, I'm aware it's not listed, but I still smell it and it is more pronounced than the wood accord from the very beginning.

After 5 minutes, I am persuaded that a more appropriate name for this very nice fragrance would have been Cuir de Violette. The wood quality is minimal on my skin and I am not complaining. I am a fan of wood and leather and I have been caught off guard. Still, I find Bois de Violette a very respectable scent and unfortunately one that leans too far feminine for me to wear comfortably.

As you might expect, this particular Lutens creation is simplistic and nowhere near as complex as others in his line. The violet note has hints of green and manages to stay centered for the life of the scent. Once the slightly fizzy aspect in the opening accord subsides, a leather incrementally gains momentum and seems to shadow the violet. It never overtakes it, but it does make its presence felt.

This is the totality of Bois de Violette in my wearings. Uncomplicated, yet substantial and a scent I can picture on a corporate woman who means business. Sillage is respectable and longevity is 5 hours or better on me. The violet note is long lasting and sans the sharpness usually attributed to it. I think the Serge did a nice job, so Bois de Violette gets a thumbs up for aroma, but not for price point. As always, a sample wear is recommended.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

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...

Paco Rabanne Pour Homme

I am reviewing the original Paco Rabanne Pour Homme ( circa 1973 ) thanks to a generous basenoter who sent it to me recently in a swap. He also sent me the current formulation in order for me to do a side by side comparison. The side by side resulted in what I had already imagined would be the case. Not that the newer formula is terrible by any means. The original version simply is better by being deeper and a bit more masculine. No......you shouldn't go to ebay searching for the vintage formula and paying stupid prices. It's simply a notch or two better than the current and noticeable by comparing the two in real time. Rabanne Pour Homme opens with a slight shimmer in conjunction with lavender, spices and a subtle woodiness. It's an old school introduction, however a good one. The lavender takes about 5 minutes to raise its volume and evolve into a soapy rendition. I dislike when a boatload of soapy lavender takes over a composition, but here it doesn't go over t...