A frightened gasp broke through the lazy, haziness of a very warm Southern evening. It was the sort of sound that would follow someone being startled by a swiftly moving rodent (or these days, whenever you read any bit of news). My friend’s aunt jumped out of her lawn chair as if she was being attacked by wasps. I didn’t see anything. She shouted, “Dragonfly!” which I thought was some sort of slang. There was no way that someone could be that scared of a dragonfly. She explained that if you see a dragonfly, a snake is near. All I could think is, “Yeah, probably. This is Tennessee. We’re near water. It’s summer. There’s a high likelihood of snakes being near”. I later learned that A. she was terrified of snakes and B. I guess in some (Appalachian, Mid-Western or European) folklore dragonflies and snakes are linked. Dragonflies were poisonous (not true) and associated with evil (they’re probably not evil). This way of thinking was very new to me.
I remember the first time I ever saw a dragonfly. Before I even had a concept of delusional behaviors, I remember thinking to myself that there’s no way my grandmother would believe what I saw. I described to my grandmother that I saw a flying insect as big as my face that was sparkling and blue. I was more surprised that she didn’t think I was hallucinating. It was merely a dragonfly…or maybe even a damselfly. She went on about their beauty and how they’re beneficial. They eat mosquitoes (AKA mosquitohawks). So from pre-Kindergarten onward I always had positive associations to dragonflies. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I heard about evil “snake doctors”.
When a brand has animals as its inspiration, I’m sure there are various preconceptions about them, especially if you have a global audience. I mean, look at the differences I encountered with a dragonfly from one Deep South state line to another! I also think you can have a lot of creative freedom when you use the fascinating world of animals as your inspiration. With just one animal, the concept can go into many different directions. Before trying Dragonfly, I already thought I knew what it would be: an aquatic floral. Like assuming that everyone loves dragonflies, I realized I was wrong. Dragonfly is something else.
Dragonfly opens with aldehydes and powdery florals. This bright yet powdery (heliotrope, ylang-ylang) floral opening is almost vintage in feel. It reminds me of traces of a classic perfume (like Chanel No. 5 EDT) mixed with rice face powder. The heart is still powdery with almond. The florals are delicate (perfume-y instead of smelling “living”). The dry-down is a vanilla white musk and iris. Overall, the feel of Dragonfly is a powdery white musk with a delicate whisper of florals.
Dragonfly isn’t what I expected. There’s no traces of marsh or bayou. It’s not damp or dewy. Instead Dragonfly is a powdery floral that plays up delicateness and ornateness (instead of water). In a way it reminds me of one of those rosy-cheeked Mucha‘s Art Nouveau beauties. It’s like the beautiful woman’s vanity with face powder and perfumes stored in intricately designed Bohemian glass.
Notes listed include aldehydes, heliotrope, lemon, peony, rainwater, cherry blossom, clover, iris, lotus, rice, amber, musk, papyrus and sandalwood. Launched in 2017. PERFUMER – Juan M. Perez¹
Give Dragonfly a try if you like powdery florals or classic (feminine-style) white musk perfumes. Or perfumes like Pierre Guillaume Le Musc & La Peau 4.1, Carner Barcelona Besos, Serge Lutens Clair de Musc, Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere, The Body Shop White Musk, Tom Ford Musk Pure (discontinued), Dolce & Gabbana Sicily (discontinued), Etro Musk and/or i Profumi di Firenze Acqua Chiara.
Projection and longevity are above average. It lasts ALL DAY and more on the skin.
The 2 oz bottle retails for $135 at Zoologist and Luckyscent. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Purple flowers and powdery white musk. It’s one to try if you like white musk perfumes.
¹Juan also has his own line, Exotic Island Perfumer. If you gravitate towards florals, I highly recommend sampling his line. He does amazing things with flowers.
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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic from the brand. Jane Winton pic from <>