Sylvaine Delacourte, Guerlain's fragrance creative director, has recently launched her own perfume line simply named La Collection Muscs. This first collection includes 5 perfumes all based on white musk and built up with other precious ingredients to reveal different aspects of this popular note.
The names are fascinating too, Dovana, Florentina, Smeraldo, Lilylang and Helicriss, they could all be European or exotic princesses whose essence has been effortlessly captured in a bottle.
White musk has been an extremely popular ingredient and in the past years it has been used in perfumery and other scenting industries to the extremes sometimes, so our nose has become very accustomed to it. We subconsciously have associated it with products, daily routines and even emotions and this makes it even more difficult sometimes to distinguish the difference in the quality of the raw material used in each product we try. This collection however is so cleverly composed that the way the raw materials are combined, leave you no doubt that only the best has been used as a rich base where all the other ingredients lay.
The sample set I received is beautifully presented and it included all 5 perfumes of the collection:
Dovana
is pure and fresh, the essence of youth and carelessness. The white musk here has a soapy, powdery feeling with a hint of lemon and sweet vanilla. Although light and airy, it has great projection and lasting power that keeps coming back in waves.
Florentina
is a rosy cheeked princess with flowers in her hair. On my skin the carnation is very prominent with a very strong cinnamon note and I also get cherries and berries (although not listed in the notes) along the bitter almond. It has a dessert kind of feeling for me like ice cream on a fluffy candy floss cloud.
Smeraldo
is the warrior princess. Earthy, animalic, gourmet and dry at the same time; aromatic and fresh yet with a naughty white musk note. Almost masculine, she is independent and fierce, yet soft and inviting.
Lilylang
is the exotic princess dressed in silk, smelling of jasmine and tuberose. Flowery and bright thanks to the citruses, subtle white musk is combined masterfully here with bright white flowers, rose and benzoin.
Helicriss
is a temptress who uses precious spices and resins to seduce her lovers. Cinnamon, patchouli, Tonka beans and frankincense are blended with citruses, rosemary and everlasting flower that leave a trail of an unforgettable woman.
An excellent start from a talented woman and I hope more is yet to come!
