I remember the first time I smelled Philosykos. I had ventured with my young baby to Blue Mercury to sniff the Diptyque candles and perfumes, and was curious about Philosykos because I'd read so many positive reviews. I didn't spray it on a tester, but I sniffed the bottle (the EdT, I believe) and smirked, turning my face away. Blegh. I left Blue Mercury thinking the candles were overrated, and only liking Eau Rose and Eau Duelle of the perfumes.
Fast forward a month or so. I went to Nordstrom to purchase the Eau Rose roll-on and things completely changed. Nordstrom had almost 20 Diptyque candles and this time they ALL smelled amazing! Given this new revelation I decided to retry many of the scents, including the famous fig scent Philosykos. The Philosykos roll-on perfume oil became my first perfume purchase since getting really interested in perfumes. According to the website, this perfume oil is an Eau de Toilette.
The roll-on comes with a nice soft travel case. The container appears black, but is actually translucent so you can tell how much perfume oil remains if you look at the dispenser in front of a light.
Perfumer Olivia Giacobetti did a marvelous job recreating a true-to-life fig scent. Philosykos embodies more than simply the fig fruit, which would be elementary and boring. Philosykos encompasses the entire experience of the fig tree - the large rough leaves, the milky sap of the branches, the mealy pulp of the unripened fruit and finally the jammy sweetness of a plump and fully ripened fig. I enjoy this olfactory experience as it reminds me of our own fig trees, and is immensely wearable.
Though fig trees often yield two crops - in early and late summer - Philosykos feels to me like the late summer crop. While definitely a fresh and fairly light scent, this perfume doesn't have the brightness I would associate with spring or early summer. Instead, the dewy green opening is married to a warm milky accord that gives the fragrance a certain fullness without being heavy or overwhelming. It feels like a tree-filled park freshly drenched in a warm summer rain.
After the rich opening, the fragrance softens and really warms up on the skin. The green notes fall back and a wood note surfaces amidst the milkiness, wrapped in a tender, slightly soapy sweetness. This is how the fragrance lingers on my skin until it fades to oblivion. Delightful and warm - a very comfortable everyday scent.
I'm not sure about the spray EdT (or EdP) but the sillage of the roll-on is on the weaker side. This is perfect for me as I'm pretty sensitive to scent and don't need to broadcast loudly. The longevity is only 3-4 hours, but frequent reapplication is a breeze with a roll-on.
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I've been shoving my wrist in my husband Clint's nose ever since I got into this perfume frenzy, so I thought it might be fun to hear his characterizations of the scents as well. From here on out, they'll be referred to as Clint's 3. (I'll be honest, I was pretty surprised by how well he did for Philosykos!)
Clint's 3: grass, wood, fresh
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My rating of Philosykos:
1 - - - - 2 - - - - 3 - - - - (4) - - - - 5
Nausea/Gagging Meh Decent Great Olfactory Elation
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Philosykos as described by the Diptyque website:
Family: Woody
Close your eyes and discover all the delights of the fig tree. Fresh leaf, green fruit, bark, and its milky sap are all intensified with a touch of white cedar.
Notes: Fig leaves and wood, White Cedar
Perfumer: Olivia Giacobetti
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I'm finding that I'm really loving milky scents. They have an inherent lushness about them and are not sharp or overwhelming to my sensitive nose. I'll definitely have to seek out more scents that possess this character and welcome any recommendations!
Have you tried Philosykos? What are your favorite fig scents?
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