Les Zazous

Hmm...I will try to describe what I get from this beauty: a creamy, balmy rose in a bed of honeyed lavender, very comforting and close to the skin. Sillage is not very big but good, lasting power very good on my hair and neck. The lavender here is never dominating which I like (I m not a fan of lavender in my perfumes normally) but it gives a very cosy sleepy touch to the rose. Later the woody ambery note appears and is a compliment to the the sleeping rose in its lavender padded bed:) It s such a cuddly perfume, very very nicely put together. I love the soft veil which wafts along every time I move my head. For me one of the best Mecheri's. A close second to Iris D'Argent,Loukhoum Eau Poudree,Genie des BOis and Bois de Santal. I don't know where Fragrantica got the notes from but these are the notes from the website of Keiko herself: fresh aromatic chord,rose, lavender,sandalwood,balms,vetiver,ambery notes

A bright tie complements a dark suit. Although usually averse to floral notes, I took a punt on this fragrance after enjoying the delights of Oliban from the same house. In both cases, the perfumer succeeds in placing the rose accord at the service of the main attraction, so that the resinous heart of the fragrance is allowed to shine while the rose provides the perfect complement. After a bracing lavender opening, Les Zazous plays out a graceful pas de deux between the bolder, dryer woody notes and that soft and subtle Spectre de la Rose. Lovely!

Marvelous honey and warm balsamic fragrance, which sparkles around you! It is so elegant and in the same time playful and classic! Pure honey love. You cannot distinguish the notes one from another, but the mix they create is glorious! Warm, rich, deep, honey feeling which does its charming in subtle, but unforgettable way. I can ware it during day or in the evening. It has its own glowing power, different in both day or night. :-) I highly reccomend this fragrance for women who love the luxurious and rich honey notes. theboldnose.wordpress.com

I can see where people are coming from with the chergui comparisons, but I find this one much more wearable than chergui in that its not as sweet and resinous, more herbal powdery. It is a beautiful use of the note lavender, which does not overpower the fragrance at all but lends a comforting touch to the whole melody of notes. It's not as heavy as Chergui but longevity is good. It has an aromatic vibe about it and I'm loving it.

I find it totally sexy - just like Chergui - but not as often portable.

I donned Keiko Mecheri Les Zazous this morning as a way of masking Brecourt Eau Mondain, which was starting to annoy me. To my surprise, I never reviewed Les Zazous, though I've worn it a few times. This creation is markedly superior in quality to the Brecourt, as is everything in the Keiko Mecheri line. Sometimes niche is just a label and does not really connote quality. In the case of Keiko Mecheri, the label truly applies, for the ingredients and composition are at a much more refined level than the vast majority of designer-esque liquids being poured into fancy bottles and fobbed off for often much higher prices than these reasonably priced creations. (I realize that Brecourt is budget niche, in terms of pricing, but in style it's strictly designer.) In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the Keiko Mecheri line offers one of the best values in niche perfumery today. Les Zazous is a masculine-leaning fresh and aromatic and very slightly oriental unisex composition with discernibly natural notes and layers of scent--rather like a chunk of mica which can be peeled off one thin level at a time. Some reviewers have compared this to well-known sweet oriental niche perfumes such as Serge Lutens Chergui, but it seems to me really to be sui generis. I do believe that Les Zazous is more aromatic than oriental, although the lavender is not overwhelming. The style reminds me a bit of Caron Le Troisième Homme, although the scent is very distinct. Let's just say that I believe that Les Zazous might appeal to wearers who appreciate the style of Caron Le Troisième Homme. Smells good and wears well. Thank you again, Keiko Mecheri!!!!!

"Les Zazous" is an excellent amber fragrance. I don't see any resemblence to Cherqui or any other perfume I've tried so far, this is very unique and should be tried by everyone who enjoys amber. When I first applied I was a bit concerned about lavander, never been a fan, but in "Les Zazous" it plays it's part perfectly, this gives the much needed sharpness in the all-trough warmness and creamyness of amber/sandalwood combo that dominates this perfume. Even though rose is not the most prominent note, I still get enough of it in the heart part, it plays together with the creamy sandalwood, I also get loads of resins, it does not get too herbal and bitter as it sometimes happens, the amber and sandalwood balances everything out perfectly. It has a moderate silage around 5 hours in, then it turns to a skin scent and lingers much, much longer being mostly a very sweet and shy amber. Worth a try.

Miam! Baby Chergui...a bit of lavender who dissapears in a thick balmy and powdery base à la Lutens, a very warm and sweet pipe tobacco. Again this brand show a very better level of composition when it's Yann Vasnier. Delicious

Wearing Les Zazous is like seeing Paris and then being content at home on the farm because you've internalized the fabulousness that I suppose Paris is meant to offer. Keiko Mecheri celebrates the exoticism of the known and elevates lavender to a place in perfumery typically reserved for incense, labdanum and the other great botanical resins. She focusses our attention on lavender's woody-resinous-floral aspects instead of its cool cleanliness. In a manner similar to the fougère where coumarin transforms lavender into something unexpected, Mecheri uses woods and woody spices to mold lavender into a nouveau power frag like the masculine beasts of the 1980s. It's a wonderful trick and while it makes me liken les Zazous to a number of other perfumes (to follow) it makes for a distinctive, but instantly comfortable fragrance. Les Zazous notably steers clear of the aquatacism and sweet aromatics common to many contempo macho fragrances. It is a classic woody floral to my nose, with rose and lavender combining to form a lovely dusty-powdery density. The sweet resinous woods are tied to the florals by a honeyed tobacco note. Tobacco makes an excellent bridge between floral and woody tones (as in Lauder's Beautiful and ELDO's Jasmin et Cigarettes) and Mecheri plays it flawlessly. This is a masculine fragrance in the same way that Guerlain Habit Rouge, Lancome Sagamore and de Nicolai's New York and Pour Homme are masculine fragrances. They manage to pass some boyish test of apparent masculinity while never relinquishing an ounce of prettiness. They are tempered by their tests of gender and have a matter of fact beauty. This fragrance does make me reflect on others, but it doesn't suffer by comparison. If you can see A Taste of Heaven (by Kilian) as a concise lavender and Caron Troisième Homme as a more intricate play on the note, think of Les Zazous as running a little further afield, but in the same direction. Combining lavender with incense and tobacco and vanilla gives the perfume a wide harmonious range that feels intrinsically at ease. It is large and gregarious, but neither loud nor rude. It feels (and I mean this as a sincere compliment) like a lavender version of the original early 1980s Chanel Antaeus. I love the allusion to the Algerian dancers, but my masculine point of comparison for Les Zazous is a stout club chair. The comfort doesn't come from any pliability of the materials, it's the result of firmness and proper angles. The same goes for les Zazous. It's got spine and shape and it's as pretty as all getout.

Keiko Mecheri celebrates the exoticism of the known and elevates lavender to a place in perfumery typically reserved for incense, labdanum and the other great botanical resins. She focusses our attention on lavender's woody-resinous-floral aspects instead of its cool cleanliness. In a manner similar to the fougère where coumarin transforms lavender into something unexpected, Mecheri uses woods and woody spices to mold lavender into a nouveau power frag like the masculine beasts of the 1980s. It's a wonderful trick and while it makes me liken les Zazous to a number of other perfumes (to follow) it makes for a distinctive, but instantly comfortable fragrance. Les Zazous notably steers clear of the aquatacism and sweet aromatics common to many contempo macho fragrances. It is a classic woody floral. The sweet resinous woods are tied to the florals by a honeyed tobacco note. Tobacco makes an excellent bridge between floral and woody tones (as in Lauder's Beautiful and ELDO's Jasmin et Cigarettes) and Vasnier plays it flawlessly. This is a masculine fragrance in the same way that Guerlain Habit Rouge, Lancome Sagamore and de Nicolai's New York and Pour Homme are masculine fragrances. They manage to pass some boyish test of apparent masculinity while never relinquishing an ounce of prettiness. They are tempered by their tests of gender and have a matter of fact beauty. This fragrance does make me reflect on others, but it doesn't suffer by comparison. If you can see A Taste of Heaven (by Kilian) as a concise lavender and Caron Troisièmme Homme as a more intricate play on the note, think of Les Zazous as running a little further afield, but in the same direction. Combining lavender with incense and tobacco and vanilla gives the perfume a wide harmonious range that feels intrinsically at ease. It is large and gregarious, but neither loud nor rude. It feels (and I mean this as a sincere compliment) like a lavender version of the original early 1980s Chanel Antaeus. from scenthurdle.com

A very generous stranger gifted a full bottle to me and in doing so, forced me to reconsider my opinion about lavender. I was not a big fan. But because Zazous is so beautifully blended, I cannot tell where the comfort of the vanilla, (ever-so-subtle) rose, resins, and sandalwood ends, and the intrigue of the lavender and vetiver begins. Nothing overpowers. The result is a subdued, comfortable amber that is beautiful choice for warmer months. LZ is a contemplative perfume. Black bottle with faceted cap. Not sure how the newest version fares... Close to the body; good longevity - about 6 hours.

Les Zazous has the same Rose vibe I get from PMCs Ambre Gris except the volume is turned way down, the comparison is like the neighbors can here the music blaring from across the street, to dinner music, and LZ is leaning ever so slightly masculine. I actually like it better than AG and find it a lot more versatile. Keiko Mecheri has become one of my favorite houses after being completely blown away after a blind buy with Oliban. Another round of applause for Keiko Mecheri!!!! 10/10

I hate this one and adore Chergui, so it's definitely not the same :)! (my problem with Les Zazous is some note.. everything announced in pyramide normally works for me.. but altogether - no way for me, though, of course, could be amazing for someone else. Probably it's lavender, which I normally like, but somehow NOT in Les Zazous)

This has the sexiest drydown ever! Apparently now i must try Chergui as I haven't as of yet...