I have lost my sample of this perfume. On the day it arrived, I was anything but in a state of luxe, calme and volupté. So I thought I would save it instead for the weekend, putting it aside in some now forgotten place. Prior to this scurrying away, however (my curiosity getting the better of me, as it always does), I had sprayed semi-voluptuous amounts of the scent vial onto some of the crepe tissue paper that accompanied the package; and secreted those away in a box.
On the dark rainy day in question, getting ready for work, in stark, rational mode of mind, slow, insinuous trails of Francesca Bianchi’s newest scent kept finding their way to me through the room like sweating, erotic tendrils.: I was aroused, distracted. This perfumer really thinks long and hard about her base accords – unusual in these olfactory times of shallow superficiality – which are unusually rich and long-lasting on skin; addictive.
The new Baudelairean episode – a poem taken from the nineteenth century poet’s langoruous anthology Les Fleurs Du Mal, is presumably provoked by a much longed for (and needed) sinking into the self; the pleasures of the senses and interiority, the privacy of sex, after all the haemorrhaging neuroticism and angst of this last year in which we bled out like water into the cold realities of the greater world. A refuge in sensuality and the re-discovery of the body, Luxe is an opoponax-sandalwood kissed through with benzoin and iris, sungolden ylang; vetiver, and tropical fruit; the frank carnality of the blend, in its later stages, taking me back to some of the the 80’s and 90’s amber/resinous white flower divas such as Jean Patou Sublime, or the original Moschino Moschino : : buttery temptresses arranged on white furs.
I was ‘troubled’ the very second I first smelled this blend – even though I was ironing my shirt at the time and thinking about grammar. Something about it goes straight – simplistically – to the pleasure centres – even if the prolonged and dusty bitter hiss of the green tangerine/ galbanum and hyacinth opening accord, which I was less keen on – vines of cold fire reminiscent of the harsh, petrolic ginger notes in some mid-period Goutals such as Un Matin D’Orage, will prove jarring for some. Bianchi seems to really be urging you to settle in with this one; breathe in the full vista; the dawn vapours of a tropical island, steam rising up from the poisonous undergrowth – – she wants us to take our time.
As I said, I haven’t yet tried this on skin – because I can’t find the perfume. But I have my instincts about these things, and I have no doubt that on many people, especially certain women, this rich and dense luscious scent will – due to, or in spite of, the glaring tropes of its sun-tanned, dangling gold/white-open bloused femme fatalisms – prove sexually irresistible.
The Black Narcissus 
It is a beautiful perfume, one of her bests in my opinion. It is getting me through my skin cancer ordeal of having had Mohs Surgery last Tuesday. I read up on the surgery but it is much worse than in reality.
I am so sorry to hear this, lots of gentle healing vibes to you!
Thank you Tara.
I had Mohs surgery too, Filomena. I’m sorry to hear you had to go through it, but glad you’re safely rid of your lesion. Beats the alternative.
Rest well.
Robin, you are right about that. The surgery was worse than I expected even though I expected the worst, but at least they got it all.
Sorry to hear that, Filomena – I hope it has been excised and done with. A perfume like this is very embodying and sexy – grounding I would imagine.
Yes Neill it has been excised and takes 6 months to fully heal, so they told me. I still have to go back to get out the stitches (in was on the left cheek of my face) and in several weeks they want to do a whole body scan. Hopefully, after that, I won’t have to ever deal with it again.
I hope not. This sounds very stressful.
Maybe lay off or reduce the perfume load as well?
Wishing healing light and positve juju to you filomena. So sorry you are going through this. So nice the fragrance is bringing you some comfort.
I just ordered this unsniffed and it is sitting in my house in San Diego. :-0. Had a feeling it would be really good, thanks for the mini review!
I am not sure about the raspish green beginning, but thou shalt surely smoulder once it gets going
I’m happy to be forewarned about the opening, but not too concerned. I have a few perfumes that are difficult for 15-20 minutes but are worth it for the drydown.
Sometimes deep glamourousness is called for – and this will deliver.
First, love the images.
Second, I’m already in love with this perfume. Your description is phenomenal and that opening accord of green tangerine/ galbanum and hyacinth, once you’d drawn a connection with Un Matin d’Orage, hasn’t put me off, although if you found it a bit jarring I might, too, I’d imagine. (I am sometimes exactly in the mood for Un Matin d’Orage. Then, I love it.) The zingy shizo leaf in particular might be the thing that connects the two.
Oh, update on the tiny, historic village of Lytton, in the international news for breaking a Canadian heat record earlier this week of 47.9C. A fire started somehow in the centre of town and it very quickly burned to the ground yesterday. At least two people died. Everyone in BC has been through Lytton at least a few times; it’s where the muddy-brown, mighty Fraser River joins the clear blue Thompson in spectacular fashion down a steep, high cliff right along the village’s edge. We’re all choked.
This is horrendous. How bizarre that one specific place should be assailed in such a way. My condolences.
I was stunned to hear about Lytton in the news – the Canadian heat record, then burnt to the ground. Shocking.
OMG, how sad.
So sorry to hear about Lytton. How tragic.
Hopefully you will try this on your skin soon, it sounds pretty amazing.