Santal Majuscule
The opening seconds of Santal Majuscule on my skin is an exceptionally lovely, lightly floral scent. But after just a few seconds, it morphs into a combination of bitterness and burnt butter. A mild element of creaminess sneaks in, moderating the bitterness and Santal Majuscule almost sweetens up to a creme brulee, but then the sharp wood note takes over.
The opening seconds of Santal Majuscule on my skin is an exceptionally lovely, lightly floral scent. But after just a few seconds, it morphs into a combination of bitterness and burnt butter. A mild element of creaminess sneaks in, moderating the bitterness and Santal Majuscule almost sweetens up to a creme brulee, but then the sharp wood note takes over.
In a short time, the wood note loses the creaminess and begins to feel drier. About 10 minutes in I get something slightly medicinal, and I'm not really sure what it is. This fades slightly, but Santal Majuscule never really progresses beyond this for me. It stays slightly medicinal, dry and woody, and has a dark brown aura.
On my skin, Santal Majuscule feel a bit raw and unfinished, where I would hope for a slightly rounder and creamier feel. I'm really confused by the notes, because I get no rose or chocolate. It must be a chemistry thing.
Family: Wood
Top Notes: Rose
Middle Notes: Tonka bean, Rosewood
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Cocoa
Perfumer: Christopher Sheldrake
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Fleurs d'Oranger
Upon first application, Fleurs d'Oranger presents as a soft and slightly powdery orange blossom. To me, the opening feels like a delicate cloud - beautifully feminine and lovely. Within a couple of minutes, the scent becomes a little spicy and peppery which is pleasantly reminiscent of the spicy and sweet orange blossom of L'Artisan Parfumeur's Seville a l'Aube.
Unfortunately, just after the pepper the familiar tang of cumin makes it's entrance. To be fair, this is no Bigarade Concentree. On the whole, the cumin isn't *terribly* strong but it does register as body odor on my skin, and regrettably it detracts from the whole experience for me.
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| My son Walden, clearly confused and upset that cumin is used in perfumery... |
After 15 minutes or so, Fleurs d'Oranger introduces a combination of creamy white florals. They lend a plushness to the scent and their weight works well to balance the sweetness of the orange blossom and the spice of the cumin.
Fleurs d'Oranger doesn't strike me as a particularly complex scent, with few evolutions before the drydown. Nonetheless, it is a pleasant, easy to wear, happy perfume. I think I'd like it a lot if it didn't possess the pervasive undercurrent of BO from the cumin.
Of note, I've read that older versions of Fleurs d'Oranger contain more cumin than the more recent formulations. I received my sample in a swap, so I'm not sure if the sample I tested from was of the older or newer variety.
Family: Floral
Top Notes: Orange Blossom, Neroli
Middle Notes: Tuberose, Jasmine
Base Notes: Hibiscus, Cumin, Musk
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My rating of Santal Majuscule and Fleurs d'Oranger: 2
1 - - - - 2 - - - - 3 - - - - 4 - - - - 5
Nausea/Gagging Meh Decent Great Olfactory Elation
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So far I have only tried a few Serge Lutens fragrances, but none have really dazzled me. I'm not sure if it's a body chemistry thing, my unsophisticated perfume tastes or if I'm just not trying the right ones.
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