Love After Rain K.M.

This was a journey for me. Didn’t like it on paper, initially foggy and dense on skin....and then it gently bloomed and has continued to over the following few hours through the slowly resolving mist. I’m currently quite enamoured. Very ladylike but not prissy or prim. Has continued to gently waft and draw me in. Not as close to think for me as it is for others. I doubt this will be a crowd pleaser, but I’m enjoying it very much

It was released in Japan today, so I rushed to D’Orsay’s Aoyama flagship store to test it on skin. My impression is that this is a lovely, feminine leaning, powdery iris perfume. The opening has carroty iris, cucumber-like violet leaf and sweet, earthy aromas that evoke the image of a baby carrot picked from the garden after a light sprinkling of summer rain — hence the name “Love after Rain”, I suppose. It also makes sense that it was released in Japan at this time of year, as it is the end of iris season and the start of the tsuyu (rainy) season. That petrichor opening is fairly fleeting, and the aroma soon evolves into classic powdery iris, dusky violet notes and a soapy sweetness — reminiscent of vintage cosmetics, or old fashioned talcum powder. I don’t get much woods or moss. In fact, the aroma seems fairly linear after the first 15 minutes. The projection and sillage are intimate, and the aroma stays close to the skin, like being wrapped in a soft lilac-coloured cashmere pashmina. Gentle, inoffensive and a little “ladylike” — this is perfect for the Japanese market. I also anticipate it will be hailed as the next “clean, your skin but better, garden fairy” scent by TikTok influencers. 🙄 This reminds me a lot of the carroty iris in Sonic Flower (opening), the powderiness of Fleur de Peau (middle) and the soapiness of 1957 (dry down). As I have all of the above it’s a little redundant in my collection. Personally, I’ll stick with E.Q.—it’s a far more compelling iris experience for me.