40 Days & 40 Nights Of Fragrance Notes: Lilac
We have been doing the 40 Days & 40 Nights project since the Lent of 2006. It all started with primers.
Back then, primers were just starting to gain popularity. It was a stretch to locate 40 primer products. We were begging for samples on the beauty floor of Bergdorfs.
Last year we tackled skincare. This was the most exhausting and stressful project. It almost made me throw in the towel.
My friends have encouraged me to continue the blogging tradition.
This year we have decided to focus on fragrance notes. So for 40 days you will see gushes and slams on everything from the rose to the oud.
The first note in the series is lilac. This is one of my favorite flowers to grow and wear. The tiny flower bundles come in the shades of purple, white, pale yellow and pink with heart shaped leaves. The moment of bloom is fleeting. The scent makes up for the short life of the flowers. It is operatic and glorious. Lilacs smell sweet without being cloying. They smell innocent. They smell fresh and clean.
When "fragonerds" discuss great lilac scents, there is one perfume that is always mentioned as a benchmark of greatness. This fume is Frederic Malle En Passant. En Passant is a stemmy lilac with some salt and a loaf of bread thrown in. The actual notes are lilac, water, greens, cucumber and wheat. It is haunting and quite lovely. It is considered perfumer Olivia Giacobetti's finest creation.
En Passant can be purchased at Barneys in NYC. The 50 ml bottle retails for $130.
I recently fell hard and fast for a new scent at Anthropologie. It is a collaboration with the Le Labo perfumers and creators. Bouquet Blanc listed notes are cassis, bergamot, jasmine, tuberose and vetiver. My nose picks up lilac. A strong and singsong lilac. Patti aka Cavewoman proclaimed it to be the best lilac she ever sniffed. This is a grand statement coming from Blogdorf's chief perfume pal. It is springtime in an amber bottle. The price point is lovely at $62. The Le Labo/Anthropologie fragrance series really knocked my socks off. Impressive quality.
Other lilac fragrance appearances are Ineke's After my Own Heart(a favorite of Beauty Alchemist!), Guerlain's Apres L'Ondee, Yves Saint Laurent's Jardins Romantiques, Ralph Lauren's Blue, Gucci's Guilty, Estee Lauder's Pleasures and Demeter's Lilac.
Disclosure: Le Labo's Bouquet Blanc was purchased at my local Anthropologie
Photo Credits: Blogdorf Goodman
Graphic Credit: Melanie Parker
Day 1 Reviewer: Annie
Labels: 40 days and 40 Nights of Fragrance Notes, Frederic Malle, Le Labo, lilacs
posted by Annieytown @ 6:26 AM
26 Inspired Comments
26 Inspired Comments:
And...... it begins! This is going to be the best 40 in 40 series ever, because it is our favorite subject, perfumes! Great review, Annie! I was not a big fan of the Malle, and with the huge difference in price between Malle and Le Labo Anthro, lilac lovers with a budget are going to be so happy!
I am definitely going to have to go and try those Anthro Le Labos! I like the Ineke After my own heart, and have never tried the Malle. I wish the F. Malle scents were more available. Great review!
I love 40 Days & 40 Nights. So glad you're doing fragrance notes. My favorite lilac is the sadly discontinued Vacances by Jean Patou.
YAY! I love 40 Days & 40 Nights. So glad you are doing fragrance notes this year. My favorite lilac is the sadly discontinued Vacances by Jean Patou.
Yay! Great theme! And starting with lilacs is perfection. En Passant is stunning. I also enjoy Elizabeth W's Lilac. Going to go sniff out the Anthropologie scent ASAP!
xoxo,
*jen
So glad you are continuing the 40 days. Favorite time of the year!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE 40 days and 40 nights. I have a thing for pear scents. I hope it makes it to the list.
Thanks for the shout out :)
Happy that the 40 days is back and that it's all about the Fragonerd.
I didn't realize the Le Labo was a bottle, I only saw the solid online. Aha. Now I need to look further, but I love solids so that's what I will have my eye on whenever I get there.
Great to see 40 Days & 40 Nights back and this time about my favourite subject, too! Though lilac is a difficult note for me I love En Passant. Another one I liked when I tested it is Miller Harris Coeur d'été. Lyn Harris created it when she was pregnant and the notes are very odd: lilac, liquorice, banana, cocoa bean...
Patti: What was that other Anthro scent that I loved?
The Malle's cucumber note keeps me from falling in love. That water note makes my nose twitch.
Tussah: The next time we go to NYC we will plan quality time at Barneys Malle area. I feel like I need to revisit the ones I do not own.
Go to Anthro. These scents are GORGEOUS.
))))))))Sara(((((((((
I miss you!!!!!
How have you been?
I have never been able to smell Vacances. I behind on the classics!
This totally makes me want to go shopping at Anthropologie this weekend. My sniffer is finally cleared up after sniffles most of the winter. Lilac was a great start tot he project!
Jen: I forgot about Elizabeth W's Lilac! That is a lovely scent.
Now that Anthro list states that lilac is not in there. I think they are fibbing. LOL! Let me know if you get the Lilac note.
Thank you coachwife!!! It is a tradition. The gang really encouraged me to keep it alive.
Zulfa: I do not have pear on the list. Tell me what pear scents to check out!
The Beauty Alchemist: The Le Labo scents are worth an Anthro visit. You will be amazed.
Fragonerds forever!
Tiger/fragonerd: I have never smelled that Miller Harris. That banana note scares and intrigues me.
Melanie: I caved on the lilac because it was unique. I have no other lilac's in my fragrance collection except Estee Lauder's Pleasures. It is a wallop of spring!
Yayyy 40 days are back! I am so clueless when it comes to perfumes, but I know that will all have changed by Easter! lol I'm excited for this one!!!
AngelJenn: I am glad! I think the hardest part will be including everything. The rose post will be off the hook.
40/40...one of my favorite blogging events ever! I promise that if you do one of the "notes" on violets that I will be forever in your debit. (Like cleaning your bathroom every week "in debit").
Thanks for going another 40 rounds for you sisters-in-beauty.
Annie, the one we loved with the oakmoss note? It was called Chant De Bois. I have to have it. We also loved the Belle Du Soir with the gardenia and sandalwood. I should have caved.
Yay! So excited for these... it's like a free education from the masters!!
Annie - Sorry!! Sorry !! I meant Peach. As you can see my nose is far from from sophisticated or discerning :-P. Years ago, The Body Shop had a peach eau de toilette (I can't remember the name). I saved my allowance to buy it, and really loved it. I moved on to other scents, but my current peach love is Annick Goutal Petite Cherie.
Now that I know what lilac smells like... Swoon! I loves it. Just got the Demeter lilac
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