DIPTYQUE.
EAU DUELLE 2013
Perfumer
Fabrice Pellegrin
Key notes
Sugary Bourbon Vanilla · Pink Peppercorns · Smoky Cypriol · Ambroxan
Surprising Note: Incense
A stunning woodsy vanilla. Balmy and green with a natural sweetness, I was blown away by this one when I first smelt it, and I spent hours trying to unpack it.
It smells like fir needles in sugar crystals, like when you add a vanilla pod to the sugar jar. Autumn leaves crunching and a smoky woodstove somewhere in the hills. It smells like the Scottish Highlands: heathered and ancient. It's getting dark as you make your way home and share spiced drinks by the fire. It brings to mind a safe place.
People sometimes describe this as 'church-like' or having a 'dark academia character' which I completely appreciate. I think we are all picking up on how sacred this smells, regardless of whether you want to wear it or not.
Eau Duelle is a fantastically chic vanilla that's in no way candy-like or overly girly. Perfect for any time of year, occasion or weather, although I have noticed that it really shines at special occasions that call for something ceremonial.
Woody, soft and addictive.
I chose it as my wedding day fragrance.
EXTRAIT NOTES:
Mood
Serene.
Wear when you want to feel
Curated.
Last thought
Woodland fairy.
CORAIL OSCURO 2024
Perfumer
Alexandra Carlin
Key notes
Effervescent Mandarin · Rose Bourbon Absolute · Warm Salty Mineral Accord
This is a bitter, dark green scent full of salt and sand.
It's an abstract scent that directly brings to mind a coral reef as intended, and while it's insanely unique, it's not at all wearable for me. It comes across as pleasantly light and refreshing at first - nice! But the longer you let it sit on the skin, the more it smells like hot seaweed.
This is the wrong side of marine - like you've high tailed it to the beach and just stuck your nose in an old shell. The sweetness (yup, there's a surprising amount in here) makes it so much worse. It smells like a what I imagine a deceased mollusc would smell like on a warm day...
Briny decay and salt air.
EXTRAIT NOTES:
Mood
Pirate.
Wear when you want to feel
Salty.
Last thought
A choice.
LAZULIO 2025
Perfumer
Quentin Bisch
Key notes
Tangy Rhubarb · Vibrant Vetiver · Balsamic Benzoin · Touch of Rose
For the first hour or two this is beautiful and I couldn't stop smelling the card as I went about my day.
Delicate, tart rhubarb - very much like a paired back Delina. This makes perfect sense given they share the same perfumer. After a while though it just becomes overly sweet and pinchy. A sharp laundry smell starts to take over and it just feels like all edges, no roundness at all to balance it. Even the sweetness from the rose and benzoin doesn't cut through.
This is very textural perfume with a piercing sensation when you smell it. Overall, I'm a little disappointed after the initial impression wore off, but I'm happy to miss out since it's so expensive at £255 for 100ml. I'd much rather have Delina for various reasons; like the presentation, the lychee, the rose and the overall character.
EXTRAIT NOTES:
Mood
Unapproachable.
Wear when you want to feel
Spiky.
Last thought
Garden centre.