Aromascope

Crazylibellule & The Poppies

September 24th, 2006

“Wear it everywhere you like to be kissed,” are the words of Isabelle Masson-Mandonnaud, the founder of Sephora and now Crazylibellule and the Poppies, a new line of solid perfumes. The line was launched in French Sephora in 2005 and became an instant success and has finally made its debut in the U.S. The brand name has a quirky vibe to it, “libellule” meaning “dragonfly” in French because “like fragrance, dragonflies delicately hover in the air and then lightly touch down”, and “crazy” references the female proclivity for fantasy and “the Poppies” stand for freedom in nature.” The scents come in lipstick-like tubes and can be worn alone or layered. Crazylibellule line consists of the Shanghaijava Collection (launching in the U.S. fall 2006), Les Divines Alcoves (the name for intimate, private backrooms in 18th and 19th century France to be launched in the U.S. in January 2007), and Poule de Luxe (various vanilla based scents). (Information from the press release).

I have had a chance to test all of the Shanghaijava scents and found them quite delightful and very wearable (especially considering I’m not usually a lover of solid perfumes). What appeals to me the most is that they do develop on my skin and don’t seem to leave any unpleasantness in the drydown. Here’s a brief overview:

Musc & Patchouli (bergamot, lily of the valley, musk, patchouli) - a gentle floral musk with just a hint of patchouli in the drydown that turns into a creamy scent with neither musk nor patchouli standing out. It’s more of a gentle floral on a gentle musk-patchouli base.

Ginger & Coconut (citronella, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, curry, coconut milk, cedar, amber, sandalwood, vanilla) - a spicy, clovey-lemony mix that reminds of me of some Indian dishes. I found it a bit odd at first but it sits on skin amazingly well, with coconut and sandalwood having a softening effect, and cedar adding a woodsy kick. My second favorite.

Encens Mystic (clove, cedar, incense, myrrh, benzoin, patchouli, vanilla) - my favorite! A creamy incense scent with a slight spicy kick. The resins here are really mellowed by vanilla making it more of a comfort incense that is sure to make you sniff your wrists. Yum!

Litchi Blossom (litchi, geranium, litchi, rose, litchi, mint) - a bright and vivacious geranium-based rose that sort of gets calmed down by mint that also adds a green/fresh-herbal quality. You really have to be a lover of geranium to truly appreciate it.

Lilas Spiritual (clove, lilac, lily of the valley, vanilla) - only got to smell this very briefly, so can’t say much about it other than it’s a pretty, girly lilac scent.

Blue Orchidee (bergamot, mandarin, orange, jasmine, rose, ylang, sandalwood, vanilla, musk) - a powdery orchid with a juicy orange kick at first that becomes quite sweet and radiant with rose and jasmine. I can see this being if not the best seller, then certainly very popular, especially among the younger generation.

Ananas Imperial (orange, lime, lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, cassis, peach, jasmine, cedar, musk) - very juicy citrusy pineapple, like a fizzy summer drink or a popsicle. Fruits having a major party here! Would be perfect for humid summer days.

For more information on the line, you can check their web site. The scents are currently available at B-Glowing (the exclusive North American distributor) and Art Effect in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. The cost is only $16 per tube - quite a steal!

Image source: www.sephora.fr

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