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July 5, 2008

Parfum Sacré

by Caron, 1990

... is actually a blurry spice trapped in the chewy center of a flower-flavored pastille. A plasticky eugenol note glows from it, evoking my grandmother's lipstick or some other old cosmetic.

The trapped spice in question is mysterious: A peppercorn? Dried pepper leaf? Smoked tea? Tobacco? Sumac powder? Who knows. The flower-flavored pastille it's trapped inside definitely has rose, but the clove-ish cosmetic element defies the definition of any other flower it might contain. As it wears, the powdery element of the clove pretty much takes over, leaving only the candyrose and a vague spiciness behind.

Though it evokes a very specific reminiscence of my grandmother, it's still not emotionally engaging. It's an unusual mixture of notes that work together well; the candysweetness says "young contemporary", the rose & clove says "old-fashioned classic", the spice even suggests "masculine", yet... I'm still disappointed it wasn't formulated better. It smells like a draft on the way to a much better perfume, one with a stronger spice element, more definable flowers, and only a touch of clove to hold it together. Instead we get this promising but unfinished sketch that's somehow gained entry into the holdings of a world-class museum. I wonder, who's its uncle?

1 comment:

Durval Júnior said...

Onde consigo esse perfume de dentista?