Rien by Etat Libre d`Orange

doctormod

Rien is not nothing; it is something, but defining that "something" is a task that has proved more elusive than I would have imagined.

This is the second fragrance I've subjected to the "steaming bathtub test" here in my hotel room in Honolulu, and, for what it's worth, it performed quite well under those conditions. The scent of Rien mingled with the steam was quite heady and certainly unique. I've discovered that a few/a lot of drops of fragrance in hot bathwater can bring out aspects of a perfume that one might not detect on one's own skin-it also makes for a glorious bath. The aldehyde, incense, and leather are very sharply defined. There are moments when the leather accords evokes Hermes Kelly Caleche, despite Rien being a much less refined scent.

But how a fragrance performs in bathwater and how it works on the skin are two different matters. After applying Rien, I felt a pleasant aura of leather and incense--and some hard-to-define floral accord--surrounding me for several hours. At the same time, however, there was a strange, synthetic note that was as disturbing as it was intriguing. I'm still not sure what it was--I didn't perceive it as any sort of too, too personal smell as some have suggested, nor, for that matter, as particularly erotic in nature. Perhaps the problem I had was that it didn't smell natural in the slightest, but rather like an odd chemical compound that isn't really fit for human consumption.

The sillage and longevity are quite good, but after four or five hours Rien's disturbing quality increases to the extent that it overpowers its more positive aspects. By that time, one wished it gone.

Non, je ne regrette rien--but I'm not in the least tempted to repeat the test, much less buy a full bottle.

(Apologies to Edith Piaf.)

Robert White

I LOVE this stuff...boy is it strong. I used 1/2 of the tiny sample from Luckyscent and it lasted like 24 hours. It smells really good on/to me. Of course, others may disagree. I can't wait till I can afford to buy this, because not only do I like it, I know 1 bottle will last me approximately 30 years or the rest of my life whichever comes first.

desmondorama

I have to say I like this fragrance very much; yet I have to be in the mood to wear it and also bear in mind the destination I'm wearing it to.

It's not a scent you can wear early in the morning on your way to work at the office, because it's very personal. You wear it because you want to be by yourself and want to experience what Rien has to offer.

I initially thought the the incense that dominates this perfume was frankincense, but it's actually an Indian incense which is unique and definitely not your average 'churchy' smells that I have in my 'incense' collection of perfumes.

This fragrance may suit men more than women, but it needs to be worn with extreme caution (like Secretions Magnifique) as it may irritate some sensitive noses around you and needs to be worn sparingly - you may still smell it after 2 showers!

mariotgomez

This morning I was testing out Etat Libre d`Orange Jasmin et Cigarette which is a beautiful blend but while getting ready to head out for the afternoon and reading such contrast reviews of this fragrance, my curiosity was peeked. So I looked for my sample of this fragrance to put some on.

"Nothing is everything" the tag line for this scent.

At first it is overpowering but soften has it warms up.

"It has a meticulous elegance and hypnotic beauty of a modern Dorian Gray..." As we continue to search for immortality between masculine and feminine balance in a fragrance, we will continue to protect the portraits of perfumes in our collections.

On my skin, this a beautiful blend of incense, floral and leather notes after the aldehyde notes disappear.

Follow up entery (6 hours later):
This fragrance has mellowed out into a powdery & incense fragrance. If you allow this fragrance several hours to develop, you may come to enjoy the contrast from the beginning notes to the final notes is beautifully drawn out in this master piece of contrast notes.

guest_SOS

brilliant job! very strong in the bottle, on my skin it became feminine but power scent. Wearing it in the evening I am feeling ready for flirt and may be ...more. Really sexy scent for night adventure when I wear black dress and red lipstick. But it works good with jeans and leather jacket too. Yes,it's "nothing" without you, but you are "everything" with it. One of me favorite . Benefit: long lasting.

guest_Darius

It's wonderful especial strong scent, a little bit resemble to YSL KOUROS or very strong woman's perfume Agent provocateur

F_A

I guess this fragrance smells better on men than on women. I know one guy for whom this fragrance is no.1 and on him it really smells nice, different.Even hard to believe it's rien! There's no bad rotten smell on his skin. I guess it's our skin chemistry again....

rebella

PS. Do you want to know what it actually smelled like? I don´t have a clue, I didn´t wear it long enough.

rebella

????? OMG! It maked my stomach turn upside down... have to washed it off right away? Shold be fun to hear if someone actually pull this one off? I would rather name it "To much of everything... bad"

PS. I would almost call this a absolutly not try, but since I guess you are a curious bunch I know you wont pay attention to it anyway! ;)

jillsy

Eek! Too strong on the aldehydes. Not really much of a skin scent which was what I had expected with a name like "nothing".

F_A

My oh my! It's one of those fragrances that my nose just cannot stand.On my skin it smells like rotten pickled cucumbers with mould on top:/ had to wash it off immediately...