La Pausa Eau de Parfum

I own both La Pausas. The EDP is totally different from the EDT. For one thing it lasts more than twice as long, and it projects a wee bit better, but not by much. With the EDT, I get the powdery and starchy orris quality right up-front, with a hint of leather as the fragrance develops on the skin. And that's pretty much it. To those for whom this version was perfection, yes, it is dead. The La Pausa EDP has a protracted deveopment. I don't get the intense, starchy orris root powder. It's more subdued, and a lot of musk has been added. The heart features vetiver, which is very distinct, tangy, and was not present whatsoever in the old version. I hate this phase because vetiver and me don't work. It's very sour on my skin. I try to endure the hours that it lasts, and the payoff is good because I love the drydown. The drydown smells like that perfect old powder compact scent. I swear that I smell rose in it. There was no rose scent in the EDT. It's in the base where I smell all of the orris root, combined with something slightly sweet-balsamic; whereas with the EDT you get orris root immediately and throughout it's entire lifespan. La Pausa EDP is like a counterpart to Misia (I have not tried the new Misia EDP though). They both smell like makeup. Misia is sweeter and has that fruitiness about it, and it is more of a lipstick and powder scent, more flirty in a way. La Pausa is like pure powder compact, no sweetness whatsoever, more of a cold, distant vibe. La Pausa EDT conjures words like depression, oppression, coldness, soul-less, sadness, Victorian times, austerity. But I absolutely loved it! With the EDP, none of those words come to mind. Instead I think of words like chic, modern, sexy, feminine, soft, mysterious. Yes, 28 La Pausa is dead, but I love the new La Pausa equally. She lost her number, but she gained a soul. For those who really love the scent of orris root, I feel that a similar, stronger (and IMHO better) orris root perfume is Le Labo's Iris 39.

When Sycomore becomes Encre Noire a L'Extreme in the EDP recomposition, La Pausa EDP is incredibly transformed into a Sycomore EDT flanker. Maybe I should call it La Pausa pour Homme or Sycomore pour Femme ? It seems that the tube that put in Sycomore draft (right before toning up the Iso-E super) was knocked over and a fraction of the liquid was splattered into La Pausa, just so conveniently Oliver Polge sent this to the market department for the finalized decision. Here we are! Guys, La Pausa EDP is far from the bone structure of its EDT version, or more generally speaking wherein the transparent leathery and greenish accord shared in both La Pausa EDT and Bel Respiro EDT/EDP was prominent in the play, however, it becomes a hybrid of Sycomore EDT and La Pausa EDT, leaning more to Sycomore though. If you are not familiar with either one, just imagine that two drops of Encre Noire blends with one drop of Prada Infusion Homme and one drop of Chanel No 19 Poudre, or 2-3 drops of Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist with 1-2 drops of Bel Respiro EDT/EDP and Sycomore EDT. No need to judge which version is better, because the two La Pausas are equally good scents in virtually different genres. If you are looking for the scent of EDT but can hardly find another bottle, you may need Bel Respiro EDP for substitution which is the closest yet compromised match within the products of Chanel. Some reviews mentioned Misia, I dont get much significant comparison with that, no matter EDT or EDP. In fact, Misia EDP is still in the same flavor despite of amplified smoky vibe and newly introduced roasted sweet potato nuance, which for the same reason makes it farther from Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose than ever. Rating: 7.5-8/10 for both versions

La Pausa took me by surprise - I absolutely love it and it rocketed up to being one of my favourite irises of all time (and even one of my favourite Chanels quite possibly THE favourite!). If you imagine locking Iris Silver Mist out of her steel blade armoury and forcing her to adopt wood instead of metal you'd get something close to La Pausa. This is a bit of an embarrassing admission though as La Pausa smells strongly of pure irones (the only fragrant molecules in iris butter) with some vetiver for support - one of the simplest irises I have smelled. Rather than smelling like lipstick per se, this is the very texture of a human lip transformed into perfume form - the smoothness and plushness of some comforting angel made from intertwined tree roots and paradise soil, listening patiently to your worries from far below the earth. It's Gaia-like, caressing, powdery and pure. It is still very much of the temperate-graveyard-on-a-foggy-spring-day persuasion, but perhaps a wedding occurred on these grounds a couple of weeks ago. I mean to say the austerity and severity is here but the outlook is less bleak, less hopeless. This is luxury, buttery-smooth calligraphic melancholy. It's the dove grey dessert with no sugar at all, the wet cobblestone, the library. I suppose my only critique (if I can even call it that) is that La Pausa EDP to me smells less like a careful or deft composition and more like a mere presentation of one of the world's most beautiful fragrant materials in unadorned, naked splendour. I think it goes without saying that if you like iris (indeed, actual iris i.e. irones) - you will like this.

This is for the EDP. The batch code dates it from June 2017. On my skin this perfume performs in two movements. The initial spray brings out a rather sharpish vegetal aspect. I'm assuming this is the famous high quality iris that Chanel uses in their exclusifs line. My first impression was of tomato leaf, celery, and carrot rising in the scent of warm, powdery earth. It wasn't what I'd expected but I was immediately hooked because the deeper I'd breathe it in, the more I could detect the varying tones playing in my nose. It reminded me of hearing Stravinsky for the first time - unexpected, a bit jarring but still on the edge of my seat anticipating the next movement. On second hearing my musical sense had evolved and I heard the symphonics that brought me joy! It's hard to keep my nose away from my wrist after I've applied it now. The second movement - oh, that lovely dry down! How wonderful it was to awaken after spraying it on before going to bed, uncovering and being met with what now my senses registered as a rare, noble and beautiful iris, resplendent in it's powdery realm, attended by a touch of violet - a rarified violet that whispered but still reminded me that even an untrained nose like mine knows quality when I encounter it. I felt centered and serene. This dry down was as sublime as a Beethoven sonata - and just as beautiful! I'll be enjoying La Pausa during this springtime Easter/Passover week as the blossoms come forth and add their visual harmonies. Thank you, Mr. Polges, for this marvelous creation!

I just realized that after all these years, I’ve never written a proper review for La Pausa. I’ve mentioned it briefly when discussing Sycomore EdP/EdT, but it deserves its own space. Interestingly, the EdP and EdT of La Pausa feel very different—so much so that I often think of the EdP as a sort of counterpart to Sycomore (or, if you like, Sycomore pour femme). Compared to the earlier EdT, the EdP subtly shifts its character: the leather note is softened, while vetiver is boosted, giving the fragrance a stronger woody backbone. These adjustments make La Pausa EdP feel more unisex and distinctly different from its once-close cousin Bel Respiro . Longevity is also markedly improved—the EdP lasts much longer on the skin. What’s even more fascinating is a little experiment I stumbled upon today: about five years ago, I decanted 5ml from a 200ml EdP bottle. Recently, I noticed that this small decant now smells noticeably different from the original bottle. My guess is that it’s a result of aging. Over time, La Pausa EdP develops an almost Guerlain Vetiver (vintage version) –like quality, with a herbal, earthy nuance that adds depth and complexity to its structure. In short, La Pausa EdP is not just a refined woody-floral; it’s a fragrance that evolves beautifully over time, revealing layers you might never expect. Rating: 7.5-8/10 (for both EdP and EdT)