White Rice

I believe the surest alternative to experience d'Annam's creation is to take a plunge into a bag of uncooked jasmine rice and let the perfumed starches meld with your skin. White Rice exudes a subtle sophistication that’s understated and precise. The rice accord opens big without being overbearing, setting the stage for jasmine and orris to linger. The tonka bean and white musk are delicate but serve to restrain the florals from reigning soapy or predictable– as so many jasmine fragrances can be. This eau parfum is lovely and intelligent— appropriate for work but also a first date. I’d wear this to a wedding and a funeral— it’s gorgeous and unique without trying to be the center of attention. My only qualm is that I wished the rice was a little stronger and stuck around a little longer. The way the rice is framed in this fragrance is so addictive and comforting. I feel like I’m in the home of Sejima or Kusama— creative, clean, chaotic, but considered. As much as this is, in fact, a “White Rice” perfume, it’d probably be more accurate to call this concoction “Jasmine Rice” or “Fragrant Rice”. I’m caught between the sensation of the uncooked rice itself and the powdery fragrances topically applied to the grains. I like the ambiguity; I like that I’m left wanting more. The kernel of this fragrance is undoubtedly Southeast Asian diaspora. You can sense a longing tied to a childhood memory-- a memory of “home” frozen in time and space. I doubt European houses could find their way to the boldness and self-effacing dialectic inherent to Eastern cultures that shows up in this fragrance. White Rice is iconic and diminutive at once. It beckons attention through achievable perfection but engineers smallness to avoid criticism. As a sexual and ethnic minority, it’s such a mind fuck to experience a harmony with my inner and outer worlds– and from a spirit in a glass bottle nonetheless. This was my first blind buy. Right out of the package, I honestly couldn’t smell a thing. After letting the bottle rest a few days, I was so surprised how much I loved this and how flattering the floral sillage felt. (And what a relief!) It’s an incredible fragrance to layer with others, but is no less stunning on its own. I checked d'Annam's website recently, wanting to imbibe on the other fragrances in this collection— to no surprise, everything is sold out. Luckyscent advertises that there will be a restock in May— I really hope so; after being so impressed with White Rice, I’m itching to try out Pho Breakfast. I’m also seriously considering buying a second bottle because I don’t know what I’ll do when this one runs out. I will be keeping a close eye on this humble Vietnamese NYC-based house.

White Rice is an olfactory cousin to Glossier You and Sonic Flower. All are beautiful musky iris fragrances with enough differences to result in unique wear experiences. White Rice has, to me, the perfect amount of sweetness (similar to Sonic Flower, but less than GYou). The use of orris differentiates White Rice as the more refined and less sharp fragrance of the three aforementioned. The orris doesn't overpower the wear. In fact, nothing is overpowering. The notes harmoniously work together. The lactonic accord adds smoothness and comfort to White Rice that **cannot be matched!** by the cousins. The creaminess doesn't take it in a gourmand direction, but softens the notes, particularly the iris. Comparatively, I applaud this fragrance for what it has and what it doesn't have (pepper notes, like GYou). Although Glossier You and White Rice are interchangeably my top choices, it's only so due to price points. GYou is more reasonable, which gives it an edge. However, White Rice is the smoothest and most lovely wear, which gives it an edge. It comes down to money vs experience and at any time one may be more important to me. I invested in a bottle of GYou, but after I'm finished, I may switch to White Rice. For what it's worth, Sonic Flower is my least favorite because its sharp iris note.

Interestingly, I started with a 1ml dabber decant of White Rice and absolutely loved it. The projection and longevity are definitely poor, but the starchiness and muskiness are so cozy that it makes up for it. When I recently tried a 5ml spray decant from the same site to see if I wanted to commit to a full bottle, though, I immediately noticed the Father Figure comparisons and synthetic notes others had complained about--almost no starchiness, just generic musk with some floral notes. I wondered if the difference was due to heat exposure during shipping, but after a week resting in a cool, dark spot, the 5ml spray still smells different than the dabber when I compare them side-by-side. I've never noticed this kind of difference when moving from a dabber to a spray with other fragrances. I still love White Rice, so I'm planning to try a rollerball decant next to see if that format preserves the starchy top notes.

I am in love with this perfume. I was on a mission to find my signature scent, and as someone who grew up with rice as a staple in my diet I was determined to find a distinctly ricey scent without much disruption. I almost did not want to believe the marketing until I sampled it in a perfumery in London. It's fragrant, starchy and powdery like rice. Yet, despite the warmth the starchiness gives, the smell evokes the colour lilac in my mind? It's like a bag of raw, uncooked rice that's exemplified by the other notes instead of overwhelmed. I believe the Orris is what evokes the colour lilac to me, but it is wonderful, delicate and a fantastic signature scent. If you want a scent that is bold and long lasting, this is not for you but it is everything I was looking for. She also layers wonderfully with other perfumes!

Stunning and ethereal. On first spray, it's like sticking your nose into a bag of uncooked rice: powdery, starchy, effortlessly light. But as it dries down, more of a woody, creamy sweetness starts to bloom. The tonka really shines on my skin, and I sometimes forget I'm wearing this until I get a waft of something sweet, warm, and cozy, and realize it's me. The powderiness sticks around the whole time, but it's much more muted after about 15-20 minutes of wear. I wouldn't say this is blind buy safe but if you love a rice note or a powdery iris/orris, it's absolutely worth a sample.