I love fig fragrances. And over the years I’ve had this “try all the figs” mentality. And I’ve tried lots of figs. Nez a Nez Figues et Garçons isn’t your usual lactonic/coconut/creamy sort of fig. It’s a bitter, green fig.

Figues et Garçones opens a bitter, green fig with a hint of overripe “skunkiness” from fruits. It smells like a hot day at a farmer’s market – figs, pears, rhubarb. When the greens and effervescent fruits dry down, Figues et Garçons cleans itself up after a trip to the farmer’s market. It becomes astringent, clean and “soapy”. The heart is a sharp cedar with pears and green fig leaves. The dry-down is a light, warm musk and sandalwood. This brings to mind tree bark.

I actually like a lactonic, milky fig. This is what I prefer. I don’t wear bitter fig fragrances. Now I realize that many people hate fig perfumes because they associate the note with the coconut that I like. For those of you that like a bitter fig like Sonoma Scent Studio Fig Tree, you will most likely like Figues et Garçons. These green, bitter figs aren’t that prevalent in the perfume world.

Notes listed include fig tree leaves, petit grain, fig, kiwi, cedar, sandalwood and musk. PERFUMER – Karine Chevallier

Give Figues et Garçones a try if you like fig fragrances or sophisticated fruity fragrances. Try if you like Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio, Slumberhouse Pear & Olive, Sonoma Scent Studio Fig Tree and/or Hermès Un Jardin En Méditteranée. Figues et Garçones is unisex. Its crispness does well in heat.

I find that this scent has average projection and below average longevity. I get about 5 hours of wear.

The Nez à Nez site still has Figues et Garçones but I can’t find it at US retailers like Luckyscent (where the 3.4 oz bottles of other scents retail for $165). Posh Peasant has decants so you can technically try it before trying to order it from Europe.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Astringent green fig. This is all about the leaves, not the fruit. I don’t like my figs like this so I’ll be saving some money 🙂

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*Sample purchased by me. Product pic from Fragrantica. Brenda Marshall pic from www.fanpix.net