Humiecki & Graef is a line of perfumes that I really respect mainly for their unusual inspirations and the fact that many actually live up to their unusual inspirations. And in typical Humiecki & Graef fashion, Candour “describes the emotional state of the particular directness and open exchange between two (connected) people who left the tentative phase of their relationship far behind. Two people who have developed their own intuitive language.” OK, so this perfume has something to do with cohabitation. Or something.
Candour opens as green and watery. It’s bitter, green and spicy with piquant, freshly grated ginger. This opening brings to mind lavender cleaning products and old-fashioned castile soaps. Other times it brings to mind metal shavings and honeyed citrus/linden blossoms. The dry-down of Candour is one I didn’t expect, especially with the rather confrontational opening. It’s milky, creamy and comforting like a cardamom rice pudding with sandalwood.
Candour is aggressively green. And aggressively metallic. And aggressively creamy. It’s an aggressive fragrance but that’s why I like it. As far as the inspiration, this all works. It’s slightly abrasive but dries down to something soothing and comforting, which oddly enough, is how I would explain cohabitation to someone that has never experience the joys of living with your best friend and arguing about the stupidest shit and then being ridiculously comforted by the fact that you can argue with your best friend about the stupidest shit and quickly move on. Arguing about throw pillows or giving an irked glare because the olive pitter isn’t where you want it to be, oh, that’s home. That’s love.
Notes listed include green notes, calamus, iris, ginger flower, galbanum, violet, olive leaf, sage, lavender, almond, cardamom, milk, vanilla, sandalwood and lily of the valley. Launch date 2012. PERFUMER – Christophe Laudamiel
Give Candour a try if you like unusual perfumes or green scents. Or perfumes like Slumberhouse Pear & Olive, Eau d’Italie Bois d’Ombrie, Norma Kamali Olive You and/or Roads Bitter End.
Projection and longevity are above average. It’s like a parfum concentration.
Retails for $220 at Babalu.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Aggressive green fragrance that has a comforting, creamy dry-down. Modern and unusual. I really like this one; another great perfume by this brand.
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Thank you for sharing the article. I’d like to try it. Hope to hear more from you.
This is what I think of as one of your “classic Victoria Jent” reviews – which is to say, absolutely brilliant and funny at the same time. Your last paragraph is priceless – so true!
(You also let me know in a concise fashion what to expect from the perfume in terms of smell. Great review!)
Haha, well, can you tell I’ve been married for over a decade? 😉