Les Epices de la Passion by L’Artisan Parfumeur
October 3rd, 2006
Les Epices de la Passion (Love Potions) are part of the L’Artisan Parfumeur fragrance line that was initially introduced as a set of 15 ml bottles (The Spice Trio), and is now available in regular 50 ml and 100 ml sizes. With a savory spice as the lead ingredient, the fragrances are meant “to add a touch of spice to life”, “stir up the passion within us and set our hearts on fire”. I could always use some spice (literally and figuratively), especially in perfume, so these scents did not go unnoticed and have proved to perhaps not quite set my heart (or nose) on fire - rather, added that much needed zest and piquancy.
Piment Brulant (Hot Pimiento)
Red chili pepper, chocolate, poppy, vanilla, cloves, musk, amber. Hot and fiery, soft and creamy like whipped chocolate. Starts out with juicy red pepper with just a touch of chocolate that keeps it round and smooth. My favorite part is when poppy enters the scene with its gentle bitter powderiness. The drydown is just hints of red pepper on a gentle, watery clovey-musky base. This is an acquired taste for me. Probably the least savory, more subdued, and sort of the most diplomatic of the three.
Poivre Piquant (Fiery Pepper)
White pepper, milk, licorice, honey. The pungency of pepper is immediately softened by milk and honeyed licorice that to my nose smells like white chocolate. The most gourmand of the three. The liquorice here is mature and not dominant, amd in the drydown it’s mellowed by dusty pepper and fluffy white chocolate. Playful and invigorating!
Safran Troublant (Saffron Spell)
Saffron, vanilla, sandalwood, red rose. This one was my immediate favorite as I adore saffron in fragrance. Starts out with very sweet, honeyed saffron, the kind that pleasantly tickles your nose. There’s just a touch of rose to highlight the spiciness, and the drydown is zippy, savory saffron on a sweet, frosted milky sandalwood base. The jolliest, zappiest of the three, hence my frequent comfort scent.
The Love Potions are available at Aedes, Beauty Cafe, Luckyscent, as well as directly from the L’Artisan boutique online. For more information, please check their retailers page.
P.S. I’ve also experimented with layering these, and my favorite combination so far is Poivre Piquant with Safran Troublant.
Imag source: www.aedes.com
Entry Filed under: Perfume Reviews
28 Comments Add your own
1. Leopoldo | October 3rd, 2006 at 2:00 am
If I hum loudly, close my eyes and turn round til I’m dizzy, perhaps the voice in my head saying, ‘you’ve avoided these so far, but here’s Ina telling you to try them. Go on. Go on. Go on.’ will go away..
Erm, thanks.
2. Elle | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:29 am
Love Safran Troublant! Piment Brulant, w/ its fruity bell pepper and green tomato notes, reminds me of Harissa. However, Harissa is missing the chocolate note, so at the end of the day, I prefer the full summer brightness of Harissa. I’m definitely going to have to layer Poivre Piquant w/ Safran Troublant.
3. Judith | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:29 am
Safran Troublant is wonderful scent, both on its own and for layering (Sara is the ST layering queen). And I like Poivre Piquant, too; as you say, it layers very well with ST. The Piment was really boring on me–nothing “brulant” in sight–so I gave it away.
4. Patty | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:33 am
I’ve just gotten to Safran Troublant so far of the three, and I really like that one, not sure why I haven’t tried the other two yet, but I must rectify that. Well, I’ll add it to the already too-long list.
5. Marina | October 3rd, 2006 at 7:55 am
I couldn’t remember yesterday which one of the other two spices I disliked (I adore Safran Troublant, of course). Well, it has got to be Poivre Piquant. Milk, licorice- ugh!.
6. Victoria | October 3rd, 2006 at 9:57 am
I grew to love all of them, although at first, I gravitated towards Safran Troublant.
7. dinazad | October 3rd, 2006 at 10:20 am
Sorry to be a spoilsport, but …… well, Piment Brulant wasn’t too bad. Not brulant in the least, nice, fresh and green on me. But Safran T. made me smell like a smoked sausage. And Poivre Piquant wasn’t piquant it was more….. ummmm….. savoury foodstuff left lying around for too long and gone stale. If I want to smell like food past its “best by….”, I can always go roll in supermarket’s bargain bin, it’s cheaper….. But that’s only me. I’m sure it’s gorgeous on you ladies, but that’s just ‘cos you’re all so charming and gorgeous… *hides face and sobs*
8. Jennifer | October 3rd, 2006 at 10:55 am
Must get my hands on Safran Troubalant; I love saffron and have heard so much about this one.
9. violetnoir | October 3rd, 2006 at 11:02 am
Lordy, Ina, you are making me hungry. This is why I try to avoid fragrances that are too foody. But of the three, I agree with you that ST is the most interesting.
Hugs!
10. Tigs | October 3rd, 2006 at 2:58 pm
See, Safran Troublant is the dud of the bunch for me. I’m alone in this, I know, but I shall stand proudly alone, like the cheese. I like the unloved child of the family here, Piment Brulant. The red pepper is so cheerful, though I do wish there was more of a poppy bite.
11. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:13 pm
Leopoldo, just try them already!
12. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:14 pm
Elle, Piment Brulant needs to get more recognition. It’s really not that bad.
13. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:15 pm
Judith, ST is indeed awesome for layering.
14. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:16 pm
Patty, you might like Poivre Piquant, too. Do try them!
15. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:16 pm
Marina, don’t tell me you don’t like licorice?!
16. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Vika, same here. ST, then Poivre Piquant, then Piment Brulant for me.
17. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Dina, wah!!
18. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:18 pm
Jennifer, ST is a must try for saffron lovers.
19. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:18 pm
Robin, happy to please!
20. Ina | October 3rd, 2006 at 6:19 pm
Tigs, I just fell in love with Piment Brulant a couple of days ago. I really do see what you mean. It needs proper testing to truly “get” it.
21. chaya ruchama | October 4th, 2006 at 9:32 am
Dina, darling, I’ll roll around in the produce with you, just for fun…
Don’t cry- I HATE it when you cry..[whimpers softly]
Leopoldo, one of us will surely take pity on you and send you a sample…
I love ST, it’s subtle enough and layers well, but I can take or leave the other two-
nothing particularly wrong with them-
just nothing particularly “must have” about them…
That said, I confess to buying the adorable trio months ago, because I couldn’t have the ST alone…
What a big fat hypocrite baby, huh? LOL !
22. Ina | October 4th, 2006 at 10:59 am
Chaya, when it comes to fragrance, we’re all big fat hypocrites.
23. Leopoldo | October 4th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
Samples? Did someone say samples?
24. Tom Pease | October 4th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
Safran Troublant was a mind-blower on me, but it sadly lasted about three seconds. Poivre Piquant was only slightly less fleeting, but was so beautiful. Piment Brulant started off with a brilliant pop of hot red peppers that made me giggle- sadly the drydown on me smelled a lot like Ortega Taco Mix, and this was the one that lasted.
Bummer
25. Ina | October 4th, 2006 at 9:54 pm
Leopoldo, I have no idea what you’re talking about.
26. Ina | October 4th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
Tom, LOL at Ortega Taco Mix association! I totally see what you mean. It’s mostly fresh red peppers on me and then some poppy, all pretty watered down. They all could use a boost of staying power, though.
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