Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume
I fell for Balenciaga Paris L’Essence the first time I wore it. Violets and vetiver!
Balenciaga L’Essence is an extension of the original Balenciaga Paris perfume…but it’s better. It opens with a crisp green violet with a clean, iris-like powderiness; however, it has more depth than the super sheer, veil-like Balenciaga. L’Essence turns to a darker shade of green. I get a complex woody, vetiver. L’essence is one of those fragrances that I spray on in the morning, forget about it and a few hours later go “Damn, I smell good”. I love the “green woods” base. L’Essence has a barbershop meets the forest meets an Old Hollywood starlet’s boudoir vibe. It’s genderfluid. But, mostly it’s a really “green” fragrance, a modern green.
I compared Balenciaga Paris to the house’s fashion roots. L’Essence is more like the direction of the brand now: high fashion street styles or taking a feminine item like a fitted pencil skirt and making it out of black leather. It’s classic but with an edge. And it’s a mix of masculine/feminine. Yes, there are plenty of niche or luxury brands doing the masculine/feminine thing (i.e. Guerlain Vetiver Pour Elle) but this is a mainstream, designer perfume that is widely available. This is masculin-chic perfume for the masses and Olivier Polge has done a wonderful job with this (need I mention the hotmess called Halle Berry Closer?).
Notes include vetiver, patchouli, violet, violet leaf, green notes, sandalwood and cedar. Launched 2011. PERFUMER – Olivier Polge
Give Balenciaga L’Essence a try if you like green florals or vetiver. Try it if you like Prada Infusion d’Iris EDP, Ulrich Lang Lightscape, Estee Lauder White Linen, Etat Libre d’Orange Delicious Closet Queen and/or The Different Company Bois d’Iris. L’essence is unisex. I featured it in my “Favorite Feminines for Masculines”.
And I like the bottle. It feels heafty which I equate as “luxurious”. And it’s unisex, love the green/jade shade.
I find projection and longevity average.
Balenciaga L’Essence comes in two sizes with prices ranging from $100-$135 at Nordstrom. And sometimes you can find it on discount at Fragrancenet.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION –Powdery violets and vetiver woods. Casual enough for daily wear. I may be in the fumehead minority, but I love it. I think it is an incredible designer perfume and I want a full-size bottle. But, I tend to like these powdery violet things.
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I enjoy this perfume, too. I thought I was the only one!
I was actually surprised that after I wrote my review, I look up other reviews and found so many thinking this one was boring! I seriously thought it would see lots of praise. Oh, well, more for us!
Dearest Victoria
I liked this one too, though I detected a feint marmalade note at the start that no one else seems to get.
All very Gatsby meets Breakfast at Tiffany’s I could help thinking in my review.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
theperfumeddandy recently posted..The marriage meadow… Nocturne by Caron The Perfumed Dandy’s Scented Letter
Oh, off to read your review I go!
[…] clean vetiver with the faintest hint of florals. It reminds me of a mix of Ormonde Jayne Zizan and Balenciaga L’Essence. It dries down to a clean musk and sandalwood with a smokier vetiver. It’s a rather linear […]
[…] “green” violet. Or if you like perfumes like L’Artisan Parfumeur Violette Verte, Balenciaga L’Essence, Penhaligon’s Violetta, Ulrich Lang Lightscape and/or Annick Goutal La Violette. This perfume […]
[…] Green Tea, By Kilian Bamboo Harmony, Charenton Macerations Christopher Street, Calvin Klein CK1, Balenciaga L’Essence and/or any of the Bvlgari “Tea” scents. And as advertised, this perfume is completely […]