L'Orchidee Terrible

Oh lord, I love this beautiful weirdo, but I have to avoid using it as I only have a tiny bit left in the bottle and that will be the end of it, since it was discontinued years ago. This perfume is an aldehyde BEAST and it fizzes, sparkles and crackles right out of the bottle with a metallic, ginger ale-like POW. If you've ever rubbed raw silk against silk, it's smooth to the touch but catches and almost vibrates against the other piece of fabric when they touch. This perfume is like that - sweet and feminine, but literally vibrating with energy which, once sprayed on skin, then settles like ripples in a pool. The drydown is still aldehydic but gentler - a fizzy white floral musk with a touch of honeyed sweetness. It's mostly clean, but with an edge of dirt and I'm sure some notes that aren't listed. A wee bit of oakmoss maybe, or patchouli. Hard to tell because it's just an undertone. Absolutely lovely and unique. But weird. I can see why some people don't get it. By the way, if you want a more polished, refined and complex version of this, I recommend Roja Dove's "A Midsummer's Dream". Which is classier, has a more interesting arc, and is far more subtle... but still packs a similar aldehydes-sweet-dirty punch. I don't really know of any other perfumes that fit into the same category. In case the "book" description disappears from the internet, here it is: 'A stunning portrait of Paris in the fashionable 50's, Audrey Blavot's L'Orchidée Terrible tells the story of Honey Martine, a young girl from England who, while on holiday with her family in Paris, is discovered by a fashion designer and thrust into the glamorous world of haute couture. Her mantra “I'll try anything once” leads Honey from one adventure to the next and stirs in her an insatiable lust for trouble. Although the true identity of Audrey Blavot has never been revealed it is rumored that she was, herself, a model or designer of the era. A post address in the 8th Arrondissement is published in each of her books but no one has ever been seen coming or going from the residence. Fans now leave orchids on the doorstep as a tribute to the elusive author.'

Clean, dirty, soft, loud and weirdly wonderful! My favorite kind of “soapy”, clean with some funk. It’s sort of harsh initially, but in a good way, and it seems to be on purpose. Unique fragrance and my new favorite from IA. Too bad it’s been discontinued. I think maybe this fragrance was misunderstood. Love at first sniff for me.

I just ADORE this lovely scent- and it is very out of character for me! I am saving to add this to my growing Imaginary Authors collection. Thank you Josh!

Dislike the opening but LOVE the drydown.. so I'm really torn about this.

This was one of the hardest Imaginary Authors fragrances for me to review. It took me a few hours to figure out WHY I was having such a tough time reviewing it: I knew I appreciated L'Orchidee Terrible, but I wouldn't personally wear it, and that's been my experience with quite a few fragrances. However, L'Orchidee Terrible is an aldehyde-based fragrance, and I know I don't really care for aldehydes. So I actively avoid them. Hence, my knowledge of aldehyde-based fragrances is comparatively limited, and I felt less prepared to write about one. However, I think I can provide some insight on this scent. Straight off the bat, you're going to notice that most Fragranticans who have tried L'Orchidee Terrible have disliked it. I think these people, like me, purchased the entire sampler set from Imaginary Authors, and they were not seeking something like this. Out of everything IA makes, this is definitely one of the most "niche" fragrances: it will not have broad appeal and will only suit select tastes. The aldehydes in this fragrance are incredibly strong. They're a mixture of the "classic" perfume scent and a certain chemical fizziness that's often related to more modern perfumery. The orchid and lily-of-the-valley (listed as "muguet" in the official notes) are also there, a soft, somewhat clean-smelling floral. Honey adds a touch of sweetness. There's a very nice texture to this perfume, like soft bed sheets or a fluffy coat; I think the satin and musk notes add to this impression. It's incredibly feminine, to the point that I--champion of the "Ignore the Marketing and Wear What You Want" club--cannot imagine a man spritzing this on. As the day wears on, L'Orchidee Terrible slowly changes in to something powdery and sweet, then a pleasant musk with floral overtones. It's incredibly potent stuff: it lasted for over 12 hours on my skin and stayed on my wrists in full force after a shower. One or two spritzes will be enough for most people, given the powerful projection. If you do not like aldehydes or powdery florals, you will not enjoy this. But L'Orchidee Terrible fits the imagined author and her story to an absolute tee. It is the sort of fragrance mysterious models from the 1950s would keep on their vanities. If you like classic scents like Chanel No5, L'Orchidee Terrible may be right up your alley. PS: The bottle for this one is probably my favorite from Imaginary Authors. I love the surrealism!