Before I begin, I need to disclose that I'm not a huge fan of the scent of lily (or of bulb flowers fragrances in general), and I've never worn a fragrance that has predominantly lily notes. I enjoy Lys Mediterranee, to my own surprise, but I don't feel it's a "me" type of perfume.
Baiser Vole is often described as "powdery". Being on a powdery "kick" I've wanted to test Baiser Vole for quite some time, but it was far down the line on my "must test" list and I just got to it today. I have a spray sample of it, and I've been wearing it for several hours. I was hoping this would be a smooth, powdery floral, along the lines of Love, Chloe, because that's how it's been desribed by so many other wearers. No such luck. On me this is one heady floral, a la Jessica McClintock 1990. It begins with the kind of flowery notes that cause my instincts to assume my eyes are about to tear, and my respiratory system is about to be endangered.
In the Spring, all the grocery stores and markets around here sell potted lilies (Lilium Longiflorum). These plants have large trumpet-shaped white flowers, with a long, pale green stigma, surrounded by bright yellow anthers. These lilies are often called "Casablanca Lilies","Easter Lilies" or "Bermuda Lilies". They have a heavy, very strong, districtive aroma that overpowers all other flowers.
Baiser Vole begins with that distinctive sour, bittersweet, heady scent of lily, and it stays lily for a long time. It mellows after a couple of hours, but it's still a major floral. I just don't get any "powder" from this, but, to me powder is ambery, and/or dry vanilla, and Baiser Vole smells very green-based (on me). I so wanted that vanilla dry-down I've read about, like the one in Chanel Gardenia, or Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune, but my skin won't produce it. This gets greener as it develops. When this is in the drydown stage, it's soft, and much lovelier than its beginning stage.
Baiser Vole isn't a fragrance I would buy for myself, only because I'm not that into lily. However, I believe this fragrance is perfectly beautiful, well-crafted, unique, and classy. Its lasting power is wonderful, and it has the most powerful sillage I've experienced from a new fragrance in 15 years. I've no doubt this will make thousands of new lovers of lily, because it is certainly a new take on an ancient, beloved flower. This is sure to inspire many more fragrances with predominant lily, so if you love lily you are in luck!
Jan
07
2012