Soie Malaquais

At the risk of over-hyping this perfume...it is an otherworldly fragrance. Ethereal. Mysterious. Elegant. This is my favourite perfume and it has become my signature scent (my poor bank account...). Soie Malaquais is a light atmospheric gourmand. At first there is the bright opening of earl grey tea. Then it is followed by the rich scent of dark chocolate; smooth and slightly bitter. Threads of incense weave through it, adding a smoky, meditative warmth. Beneath that lies something papery and nostalgic, like the faint scent of old books. Wearing it feels like the sensation of being wrapped in silk while drifting through a pool of ink. It is soft, dark, and luxurious. Once the fragrance settles into the skin, Soie Malaquais begins to resemble a Mont Blanc dessert or even Kurikinton paired with a cup of tea. The soft citrus still lingers but a tannic gourmand aroma emerges. Many perfumes blur together into a single indistinct sweetness or floral haze. This one does not. The notes reveal themselves clearly enough that you can recognize them individually, yet they blend together with remarkable harmony. It feels like listening to a symphony where every instrument can be heard but none overwhelms the others. To be 100% honest, what first drew me to this fragrance was the bottle. I gambled and blind-bought this. Thankfully I got lucky. I made an impulse purchase because the bottle design was nostalgic and I was willing to use up a fragrance I didn’t like if it meant that I could reuse the bottle. Specifically, the deep burgundy glass looks like something you might find in an old apothecary. It reminded me of a vintage medicine bottle filled with a secret elixir. The porcelain base reminded me of the vases my Portuguese grandmother kept in her home. So, in that sense, the brand absolutely succeeded in appealing to my sense of nostalgia. The design spoke to me instantly, and I cannot pretend I wasn’t influenced by it. Their marketing worked perfectly. It was love at first sight and marriage at first sniff. Despite my luck, here is a warning for everyone else: DO NOT BLIND BUY THIS FRAGRANCE. Get the discovery set first, and if you like it, use the discount that comes with the discovery set to get a full bottle. You know how some people have a gene that makes cilantro taste like soap? Well, I’m convinced that there’s also a gene that some people have that can make blackcurrants smell like cat piss. I repeat: test before you buy!!! You might fall into the small group of people who hate how Soie Malaquais smells. Please keep in mind you’re kind of getting ripped-off by the bottle as well. The juice is only held in the top half. The bottom half is merely decorative. But the refills are 200ml (double the amount) for the same price. At least the refills make things (slightly) more practical. Of course, there is another unavoidable downside: this perfume is very expensive. If you fall in love with it, you should be prepared to save up for it. And unfortunately for anyone hoping otherwise, there really isn’t anything quite like it. Some perfumes have obvious relatives or affordable dupes. This one does not. Soie Malaquais stands completely alone. It has no siblings and no cousins in the perfume world. Don’t even bother recommending Peace & Love by Lataffa as a dupe. So if you smell it and love it, be warned: your wallet may suffer.

A very very beautiful fragrance of the highest quality and is blended so goddamn well, on a tester strip it's nice but lacks depth and balance, but on my skin its a whole 'nother beast, it transcended into an immediate top 10, dare i say top 5 contender among my favourite fragrances!. I really struggle to describe exactly what this scent profile is like which is rare for a fragrance bit in this case it's a good thing, apart from the opening which has a jammy rose, sparkling fresh citrus and black currant, on my skin they all blend beautifully into a uniform smell that is 'Soie Malaquais', which is something incredibly soft and elegant, fruity but in a way that doesn't make you picture a specific fruit (if that makes sense), unique, refined, attention grabbing but not imperative or demanding; it has traces of some effervescent citruses that lend it a nice sparkling texture after every waft, with a little gourmand ever so slightly present dark chocholate-ish feeling I get on my skin minus any bitterness, its very off(I mean 'off' as interesting/intriguing), but in a really refreshing way tbh. And it remains like this throughout the rest of the wearing at least for me, I really can't do it enough justice trying to describe it 😭😂, like even the 'Silk' note, it sounds weird when you see it and haven't smelt it, but it somehow makes perfect sense once you do smell it if that makes sense?, so do definitely test it as we all smell things differently!. As for wearability, this reads very much a cold weather leaning fragrances but you might be able to get away with it on a cold summer evening, its very much an elegant fragrance that makes you special without occupying the airspace of the entire room, on the topic of that, on my skin it's a medium projecting fragrance, with it slowly becoming a skin scent after 5 or 6 hours which is nice, it leaves a very nice scent trail and intimate bubble that adds to the intrigue (overall longevity is a good 9 hours on my skin too, with traces of it still being on my skin at the 10-11 hour mark!!) This is unisex leaning feminine to me, however I can very much see how people would immediately rule this out as a woman's fragrance, which if it was the opening alone I would agree with, however the dry downs subtedly and balanced notes with its silky-expensive smelling nuance makes it leans more unisex, so if you're a guy and you enjoy this dont be afraid to rock it, since I for sure am 💯. In conclusion, not sure if it's the recency bias, but this is an undervalued about gem in my opinion (I only personally heard about it a few months ago for the first time), and it really is one of the most unique/particular scents I've smelt so far, the perfumery alone is so well done, so I believe Marie Salamagne deserves a round of applause for creating this, im most certainly getting a full bottle for myself in the near future (the bottle is beautiful too which is a plus). Incredible artistry and Divinely balanced. 9.8/10

I'll start off by saying I like this scent. And yes, the bottle is nice. To me, this is a no perfume perfume. It just smells like someone who is clean, showered and put together. Like maybe they just shampooed their hair, out on lotion and steamed their freshly clean clothes. Not that it literally smells like shampoo, lotion or laundry, but you get the idea. If I smelled this on someone I would never think it was a perfume. It's very minimalist. I get the chestnut and silk notes for sure, but not much of anything else. Certainly no blackcurrant, which I would notice because I typically can't stand blackcurrant notes. The chestnut actually registers more as hazelnut to me, but maybe that's the combination of the chestnut and cacao notes. Hazelnut is a scent I enjoy a lot. In fact this scent reminds me of those little hazelnut-scented conditioners L'Oreal used to include with their demi-permanent hair dyes. I've always wanted a scent to replicate that because it's absolute heaven to me. This perfume is not a dupe for that, but it certainly is reminiscent. Now the elephant in the room is the price. The bottle is beautiful, for sure, but $520AUD for this is just not worth it. Especially when to me, this is such a simple and minimalist scent, and a very soft one at that, which doesn't last long at all. The scent itself is an all-occasions mass-appealing easy reach, and for that reason, it doesn't make sense to spend over $500 for this. It's nice, but it's not some otherworldly type of scent that's going to make you smell unique. I think you're mostly paying for the brand and the bottle. If you can afford that and it's worth it to you, then go for it. To the comment below about this not having a soul, I agree that it's extremely simplistic, but I do get a certain persona from it. It brings to mind someone who appreciates art and fashion, and probably studied one of those at university before going on to work in the fashion industry. Someone who is chic and expensive, and who would spend $200 on a plain black top just because they appreciate the quality, craftsmanship and brand heritage. They don't care that no one else knows, because they can feel the difference. It's a very textural scent, and while some may find it overly simple, I wouldn't say it lacks soul, it's just not complex enough for the price.

I love being a hater and will jump at every opportunity to dogpile on a viral fragrance because 99.9% of the time, people convince themselves it’s amazing because they boast a hefty price tag. Expensive must equal amazing, am I right? Okay that rant over. I come here with my tail tucked betwix my legs, and turn to this fragrance with the utmost repentance. It’s so good. Too good. It gets better the longer it sits on your skin. It’s intoxicating. I have more than 6 brain cells and know that the price of a fragrance does not mean it has to last forever and survive nuclear warfare. I don’t know where that deluded expectation came from, but I digress. It sits closer to skin after many hours, and getting whiffs of my wrists throughout the day brings me so much joy. It smells familiar, like a time and place and person, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It is mature, classy, confident, yet still mysterious to me. Well blended to the point where you can’t even pin point truly what you’re smelling. You can get general concepts of it, but overall it’s so GD well done it cannot be replicated. I blazed through a 2mL sample in 2.5 days, and I’m waiting for my travel size to come in. I’m being brave in 2026 and not buying full bottles because I have enough in my current collection to outlive the next 4-5 generations. I do wish I had a full bottle because it’s so beautiful, but it’s not needed for someone with plenty full bottles already. Cannot recommend this one enough! At least sample it. Everyone needs to smell this beaut at least once in their lifetime!

This perfume to me is very beautiful. Many say it’s such an old lady sweet scent but I like it regardless, though I absolutely get what they mean. There’s something old in the composition, as if it’s something that’s been around for decades, reformulated multiple times, given new looks and bottles and having a dizzying array of adverts and starlets that had endorsed it. A classic without trying. One would think that the inclusion of both black currant and bergamot would give it lift and a bright-sour opening but it surprisingly doesn’t. What you get is a very vanilla-leaning chestnut and a dusting of a sweetened cocoa with the hidden rose at its most confectionary and lotion-like. It’s the fictional gourmand-type of vintage fragrance where everything is sweet but you dare not call it edible. The inclusion of a chestnut reminds me of MM’s By the Fireplace and Commodity’s Milk and though both render the gourmand aspect a lot creamier and milkier to fill out its body, Soie Malaquais is decidedly more syrupy and glazed in its approach, with the underlying fruits from earlier possibly adding to the wetness of the syrupy glaze rather than being the contrasting flavors thrown on top of a cloying dessert. I would definitely buy a full bottle but I must do so with strategy in mind because it is quite a hefty price all things considered, but out of all the roses in their current collection, this one stands on its own as a unique sampling of the three, not necessarily similar to anything in the market, though obviously rooted in some sort of memory.

I have really been slapped across the face by how much I love this. Soie Malaquais is different from anything I own and even made me reflect on my tastes, that's how good it is. It's silky smooth, not at all bitter as some reviews suggested (so I think it does change based on skin chemistry) and the bottle is gorgeous. The fruits in this really shine on me, supported by a plush bed of mild, creamy cocoa. It's not sticky or sugary, and neither is the chestnut which, to my nose, is only there to lend warmth to an already very solid base. It's comfort in a bottle, like soft fabric rather than a typical sweet gourmand: it doesn't just smell good, it FEELS good. I don't see any occasion or season I couldn't wear this in, and that to me makes it a strong contender for a signature. It's unique compared to what is trending right now, yet it maintains a certain mass appeal if only more people got to try it, meaning it will raise brows but for the right reasons. Soie Malaquais not only paints a beautiful picture with its bottle design, it actually translates all those ideas into a wearable piece of art that survives real life scrutiny. It stands on its own without trying hard, and you don't need to "get it" to like it. I appreciate that in a perfume. Nothing offensive about it except the price tag. Sillage and longevity are nothing to write home about, I will say. I prefer perfumes that whisper, so I don't mind. Soie Malaquais portrays understated beauty in the same way a finely brushed mohair sweater does. To me it's a masterpiece, 10/10.

Update: So I’ve worn it the last few days and I do agree with the comment below that this has a shampoo smell. It does, to be honest... but hear me out. The only other scent I have that smells like shampoo (or at least people associate it with one) is Fleur Narcotique. Let me tell you - they are not the same shampoo. 😂 Whilst Fleur Narcotique, to me, smells like the air in the bathroom after you’ve showered with a nice floral shampoo (airy, floral, clean, gentle), this one is different. This one is more like you’ve used a shower gel that has a shampoo smell - fruity, floral, and clean (to a certain degree) - but you’ve also used one of those rich, cocoa, nutty luxurious hair masks. Then you step out of the shower, still wet, and both scents dance beautifully, radiating from your body. It’s not your basic shampoo smell (at least not to my nose). There’s a certain contrast between the clean, fruity-floral shampoo smell and the warmer, nutty, cocoa, woody smell. They never mix perfectly together, and that’s exactly what makes it so interesting. (There’s something very Quentin Bisch about it and the way he likes to use contrast.) It’s not your typical clean, white musk, floral shampoo type of scent. It’s more sensual in a way... if a shampoo can even be sensual. As a man, I absolutely love wearing it. It makes me feel clean but sexy at the same time, which is a surprisingly addictive combination. It’s not musky clean or laundry clean. It’s rich shampoo clean... and yes, I know that sounds ridiculous until you smell it. 😂

As an aside: I am an older woman who has sampled and/or owned literally HUNDREDS of fragrances in my lifetime. Only ONE other fragrance captured me like Soie Malaquais. That was By Killian "Incense Oud." Soie Malaquais is a beautiful, glorious, transcendent fragrance. The opening is like nothing I've ever experienced in a perfume. I imagine the lovely opening is just the combination of black currants, chocolate, bergamot and rose. Within minutes, the fragrance morphs with the slightest emergence of dry, slightly roasted chestnuts. Then it's back to the chocolate, some rose, whatever makes the perfume "silky" smooth and fruity black currants. As I think about it, I DO sense cashmere, or cashmir wood, or cashmeran as the fragrance morphs and develops. And the price point? I'm struggling to justify purchasing any 100ml perfume at almost $400 USD. Entire thing seems insane. But the perfume IS other-worldly. And the BOTTLE design. EDITED TO ADD: Couldn't get the fragrance out of my mind. You only live once. Purchased a full 100ml bottle Neiman Marcus @ $395 USD. And I've been gate-keeping the fragrance 'cause it's so expensive. But WOW...when I apply it...the fragrance is heavenly!

I really wasn’t expecting it but Soie Malaquais has stolen my heart. I really only got a sample because I loved the bottle - but it turns out l love the fragrance even more. It starts with a beautiful fresh, fruity opening with the blackcurrant and bergamot notes to the fore. The cacao then comes in strongly for a while with a smooth white chocolatey note which I thought would be a little too gourmand for me, but then it quickly of softens into the most beautiful creamy, warm, dry down with the chestnut adding a very subtle nuttiness and the blackcurrant note remaining throughout to keep it fresh and interesting. The longevity is really good on me at around 8 hours and although the projection isn’t huge it’s definitely a compliment getter for people who get close to you. This is an unusual and really lovely fragrance and I love it even more as I go through my sample so I've ordered a full bottle. And of course the bottle is absolutely beautiful so I would still almost buy it for that bottle alone ... Paris. A red silk dress. Dancing alone in the deserted Cour Napoléon courtyard in front of the glass pyramids of the Louvre at sunset, day dreaming and singing softly to yourself.

Ok, I know this has been hyped so much, but...yes, it really is that freakin’ good, and I usually don’t even like “chocolate” scents. Damn. It’s like...designer Nutella?? Or like the most expensive, quality chocolate truffles you can imagine, wrapped in silk. It’s also nutty and warm and cozy. But it’s not cheap, sugary, or cloying at all, it is very much a chic, elegant, refined fragrance. Somehow they managed to capture the scent of how silk feels - smooth, cool to the touch. If you can smell textures in fragrances, I think you’ll love this. I can’t even think of anything else that might be close. It is probably the single most expensive fragrance I’ve ever bought, but in terms of sheer uniqueness and beauty, I think the value is there. Oh, and the gorgeous bottle, I just can’t even. I love Delft porcelain and this bottle reminds me of that. It is also super good quality glass, it’s actually kinda heavy and has heft to it. This beauty will have pride of place on my fall/winter fragrance tray.

I’m a dessert person, but I find most gourmands sickly sweet. This fragrance was the first to have that bittersweet richness I was yearning for. Nutty, mildly-spiced cocoa. Not saccharine milk chocolate, but more of that expensive semi-sweet chocolate that comes wrapped in wax parchment. It smells expensive. (As it should, if you’re popping three-hundo on a bottle). Warm, enveloping, heady. A dark floral current makes me imagine burgundy, velvet-petaled roses. The chestnut dwells on the skin, even after the cacao and silk has left the party. Longevity: ~8h, but a silky, dark nuttiness that lingers for over 24h on fabric. (I can't believe I just typed "silky, dark nuttiness"). Mental Snapshot: You’re on your fifth date. It’s at their mum’s sprawling Tudor manor in the countryside. (She’s gone for the weekend). You’re going to get frisky before the fireplace, but you’re still on your best behaviour. The couch you’re cosied up on cost more than your car. tl;dr: Michelin-star gourmand 🌰🍫

I confess this one was not on my radar although I had seen Youtubers (including my fragrance guru Demi Rawling) praising this very much...the price point was too much for me.And then I got a free sample with an other scent I had bought and at the first sniff I was literally moved to tears it was so beautiful and unique for me.After the bergamot faded (very quickly) I got this slightly syrupy blackcurrant and the warm and so smooth chestnut-silk mix, perfectly blended, the cocoa adding depth and something dark and alluring.I don`t get much rose (maybe a hint) and there`s in my opinion something vanillic there too.But for me it is not so much about the notes but the feelings this beautiful fragrance evokes...Wearing this I feel enveloped in a very warm and sensual embrace,at the same time soothing.It ́s the embrace from your soul mate, the one in whose arms you feel comforted and cherished,but also very sexy and desired.It simply pulls my heartstrings every single time I wear it...

Yeah, from now on, I'm NEVER, EVER, EVER allowed to sample perfumes this expensive (that, unfortunately, also don't show up on discounter sites much). I saw the bottle online and said, "Yeah I'm going to own that one day. Hopefully it smells good." then I saw the price tag and was like "Nevermind. Hopefully it's horrible." lmao (Un)fortunately, this is one of the most beautiful scents I've ever had the pleasure of smelling. Rich, expensive, sophisticated, and sensual. The silk note is so inexplicable, one of those "you've just gotta smell it" things but it seriously is so evocative in the actual mix once this starts drying down. THIS is top notch perfumery. It's absolutely divine. Perfectly balanced, mature, yet playful. Comfy and relatively safe in terms of what it demands of you, yet so so unique when you compare it to the current market landscape for fragrances. I am a FOOL I am a CLOWN and yes, next time I have a couple drinks, unfortunately I will purchase it.

Very beautiful perfume wth bergamot opening (I don’t smell black currant note in the opening which is sad as it’s one of my favourite notes) and then after about 15 minutes the chestnut and cacao notes come in. I do think this fragrance is too light for my liking and it doesn’t last very long on the skin. Otherwise I would definitely add this to my “love and want” list. I also tried the Peace and Love perfume that’s supposed to be inspired by Soie Malaquais and was hoping it would be stronger but unfortunately it was missing all the beautiful notes like silk, chestnut and cacao. It was very similar at the opening but not so much at the dry down. But the dry down is the most beautiful in SM, in my opinion. I believe it’s the chestnut note! I would definitely purchase this if there was an intense flanker or if it goes on great discount. I have added it on my wish list already.

This is grown womans business. And I dont mean like it smells “mature” this just isn’t for a little girl. Its momma slipping into her silk nightgown after cleaning up the kitchen to give her husband some loving at night hunny. Sweet, smooth, almost smells like it has a touch of that expensive hair product in it, but not too much. Just smells like a beautiful woman who knows exactly what she’s about. I do not feel like this is a like it or love it, personally. There’s nothing divisive about it I think you’ll either love or maybe just think eh. because of the hefty price tag, I would say sample to be sure. I almost regret purchasing a 5 ml because I think I need to own a full bottle at some point in my life. The only downside is I go a little nose blind to it, as the dry down is quite soft. I love her nonetheless though.

This is, without a doubt, the most beautiful perfume I have ever smelled. The notes unfold like magic—never overly complex, yet undeniably unique. It has an effortless elegance, a quiet confidence that makes it irresistibly sexy. Like the most captivating woman in the room—strikingly beautiful, effortlessly intelligent, and genuinely approachable—it draws people in without trying too hard. What makes it even more special is the way it blends some of my favorite scents: the deep, luscious tang of black currant, the smooth, indulgent feel of silk, and the rich, velvety warmth of chestnut. The result is a fragrance that feels both refined and sensual, perfect for a date or a night out with other women. It ensures you stand out, not by being overpowering, but by leaving just enough mystery to keep them wanting more.I’m

It's so good that I have to battle how much I feel like a grubby, inferior weirdo unfit to wear it. Most of my fragrance obsessions have textural components and this is no different. The silk is so forward it almost wears like a layer of cool cloth against the skin, a chiffon scarf that smells like chocolate bonbons. From the first spray, it's soft and ever-present and comforting and lasts for hours and hours. Fleur du Mal, her textile sister also from DvN, also lasts forever but in the way you can smell like a friend's sweaty car for a whole day after a road trip. This stays creamy and decadent and genuinely perfect for 8 solid hours. I'm mad that it's perfect, I'm mad that it's worth the cost, I'm mad that the bottle is gorgeous, I'm just... Mad. It's so damn good. At least make the refills cheaper, man!

Soie Malaquais isn’t your everyday grab and go, it’s more your “I made an effort” scent. The blackcurrant hits first: rich, syrupy, and deep, almost like a liqueur. It’s dark, a little tart, and just sweet enough to feel indulgent. Then the cacao drifts in - dry and powdery, like the dust on a high end truffle, not some sugar bomb. The chestnut adds a warm, slightly smoky depth that rounds the scent out, it feels really smooth and sophisticated. It’s silky, moody, and quietly dramatic - the kind of thing you’d wear for a night out when you want to smell polished without shouting about it. Luxe, confident, and just mysterious enough to make people lean in.

love, love, love it. definitely one of my favourite scents ever. silky, a bit fruity, nutty, a slight hint of rose; it all connects in such a unique blend, it touches your receptors in such soft and delicate way. after a while it leaves a floral tinge on your clothes, all my shirts smell so clean after spraying this fragrance. i would also say it can be a safe blind buy, however, the price is definitely pretty high. when i’m outside, during cold weather, and i feel the scent on my skin it genuinely warms me up, brings a feeling of comfort and joy. the bottle... omg, it is so chique and elegant, definitely highlights the perfume stand. 10/10 recommend

My eternal search for signature scent finally started to get closer to the goal. Soie Malaquais elevates this business to a different lever or even dimension. Is it hyped? Yes. Do I hate hype? Yes. Do I hate this fragrance? To the contrary, I just can't get enough of it. I normally don't like dry downs of majority of scents, but this cacao note makes me sniff my pulse over and over again. Previous review by @Futonbean could be mine. Someone please stop me from buying this gorgeous bottle! PS. I own the bottle and I also bought Peace&Love from Lattafa, and it's gorgeous. Read my review on it before you decide to spend 350 USD + on your perfume.