Honoré des Prés I Love Less Carottes is in the WeLoveNY Collection. And yes, it is inspired by farmer’s market carrots and it smells like farmer’s market carrots.

Les Carottes really does smell like freshly grated carrots…with orange zest in the opening. Photo-realistic carrot shavings and orange peel. And then I’m reminded of dried apricots. It’s fruity, sweet carrots with a hint of dried ginger but with cool, mineral earth from iris and patchouli. I should probably think it is more unusual than what it is. But, I’m possibly jaded. Carrots aren’t weird to me in perfume…they just remind me of sugary iris. And carrots are used in many other niche compositions; however, the difference with I Love Les Carottes is that this isn’t as complex (as let’s say Neela Vermiere Creations Mohur which has a yummy, carrot dessert-like accord). This is like carrot “soliflore”. The base sweetens up with vanilla and smoldering, caramelized benzoin while keeping that earthy, sweet mineral thing that this fragrance seems to be built around.

It appears from that from the responses seen online from the online perfume community, that this is one that you love or hate. I rather like it, not love it. But, I like it. It’s a sweet, earthy carrot. Sometimes I wonder if I’m immune to gross, mineral accords.

Now I don’t love the actual packaging. The bottle is fine but the disposable travel coffee cup is silly to someone that lives in Seattle. It’s as glamorous as wrapping this up in a Ziploc bag! Do you know how many times I’ve had this out of the perfume cabinet and my husband has tried to recycle it? It’s amazing that I still have this bottle and that it hasn’t met its death down the recycling chute.

Notes listed include carrot, orange, iris, vanilla, patchouli and benzoin. Launch date 2010. PERFUMER – Olivia Giacobetti

Give I Love Les Carottes a try if you want to try something novel and different, something that smells like carrots. Also try it if you like iris. Or if you like perfumes like Dior Homme, The Different Company Sienne d’Orange, Neela Vermiere Creations Mohur, Providence Perfume Co. Eva Luna and/or Demeter Dirt. I also see those that like CdG’s novel/weird scents liking this one.

Les Carottes has average projection and below average longevity. It wears more like an EDT. I use a lot of sprays of this stuff just to get about 5-6 hours of wear.

The 1.7 oz EDP retails for $98 at Beautyhabit. 

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Dried apricots, carrots in 3-D, damp earth and caramelized benzoin. Hey, I like it! I don’t know, others may find it challenging but I find it wearable.

Want more reviews? Try…

Now Smell This

Scent Hive

Grain de Musc

What Men Should Smell Like

Olfactorialist

Huffington Post

Basenotes – Member reviews

*Product purchased by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Carrot postcard from urbandebris.typepad.com. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!