L'Insoumis

I'm leaving this (too long) review in the hopes that someone new to enjoying men's fragrances might be encouraged in two ways (and in truth, perhaps that someone experienced might be reminded and encouraged as well): First, art is in the eye (or as here, the nose) of the beholder. The subjective taste of another is just as valid and no more than your own. What we bring to the moment is unique to us--which is the most wonderful part of the experience. And though we can share commonalities of experience (indeed there is surely beauty there as well), what we take away is as unique as we are ourselves. I share this here with you that you would be defended against pressures of conformation and subjugation in your fragrance journey. I would encourage you to appreciate the expressed experiences herein without allowing them as the word of God or authoritative in any way. True art to me is the appreciation itself, which you are in danger of being robbed of when giving too great deference to others' opinions... At least that's my opinion! Secondly, I absolutely love this fragrance! I would rank it as highly as any designer I've smelled in decades of appreciating fragrances. Given its relatively low price at US discounters I would say it is a "must buy". But more accurately stated, it's a "must buy" TO ME. Enjoy what you enjoy. Life truly passes us like a vapor. This is my favorite Lalique by a good measure. So I strongly suggest you try it yourselves! I will leave you with the less important more specifics... TO ME: I love and often wear both Aventus and Sauvage, as well as some of their clones and "inspired by's". I get absolutely no similarity to any of these here. I do get some similarly in the dry down to Straight to Heaven, however, which also occasionally wear on cold days. Though even at dry down the difference here is sufficient that I feel comfortable enjoying this one in warmer days. The bergamot is there early, the lavender late, and the most prominent and lasting are the basil/sage/rum/woods/vetiver/oak moss and patchouli... And they are absolutely stunning! That harmony is, to me, unique! Unlike the vast majority of fragrances I smell, here I can easily identify every note. True they are well blended and compliment one another in the harmony the fragrance is. But each note can also clearly be picked out from the orchestra here, at least by me, and that is rare and enjoyable, again, at least to me. Projection is moderate for the first 2-3 hours. Longevity is medium at 5-6 hours. Nevertheless to me this is a wonderful work of affordable art and a 10/10! Of course, I hope that you too will so enjoy this fragrance, that we might in a way enjoy something together. But whether you do or not is more than fine, it's wonderful! Be you! Enjoy what you enjoy! And don't let anything anyone else says ever rob you of a second of it!

When I blind bought it and sprayed on me for the first time I blown away! This thing opens like a vintage pine soaps or olive soaps from the past, green and soapy! Imagine Paco Rabanne PH but more tamed more modernized. Luckily the dry down is much more modern. It reminds me perfumed wet wipes from the past (Manex wet wipes from Greece). Imagine Sauvage dry down but with tons of basil and some coconuty sweetness! (minus the ambroxane) It stays close to the skin, very shy behavior, not screaming at all, so nobody will call you "cologne guy" wearing this. Nothing like the screamer Sauvage (especially 2015 formulation). Not a must buy, nothing special here, don't blind buy it. But if you are a die hard fougere fan and on a search for something suitable for office wear or for a warmer months you could pull the trigger. So, is it "Rebellious"? Yeah I can see the name in the opening (who wants to smell like 70s in 2022 right?) or we could say it for the contrast between opening and dry down. Because it's so mature at the beginning and so modern at the end. EDIT: After wearing it almost for two years, want to give an advice in case of reading anybody from the company. This fragrance is such a wasted opportunity to create something groundbreaking, with such an high quality ingredients BUT they've chosen the worst formulation/blending way could possibly they can choose! Probably they've tried to achieve many things at once. As a result of "semi gourmand" (base) and "semi fougere" (top and mid) type of confusing scent! Really, the Art Director who approved this formulation shouldn't touch any other fragrance project... That sweet "cookie" or "petit-beurre biscuit" smell of the drydown really annoyes me (the gourmand part), probably it comes from combination of coconut and some other sweet aromachemicals. Yes, the mentholy, foresty, piney (fougere) part is there, which I like, but only for the first twenty minutes/half an hour and the rest is "petit-beurre biscuit soaked in a coconut water" smell in the drydown and ruins all the composition! The best way to go was to create one straightforward foggy mossy damp forest fougere as Lalique advertising it (the original flacon), one gourmand type of winter flanker and one freshie for summer like the Encre Noire trilogy. Was that so difficult Lalique?

Unsurprisingly, Lalique is the best affordable perfume brand on the planet, especially if you purchase their perfumes at fragrance discounters. This is always my first thought when I discover something new from them, and I regret not buying it when it was launched. There is no competition here, and rarely can anyone, designer or niche, produce such high-quality and artistic bottles as they do. TOP NOTES For me, the opening is made around all the mentioned top notes, along with the reminder that Dior Sauvage is hanging somewhere in the background. Don’t get discouraged since the ambroxan is nowhere near as potent as in Dior’s much more popular fragrance. It is here from the start until the finish, but much more understated. Of the three, the slightly sweet coconutty and lactonic rum gives the opening a certain warmth with zesty bergamot and an herbal tinge of basil. HEART NOTES The transition is remarkably smooth, with aromatic lavender and clary sage emerging as the focal point. I don’t know why, but sage reminded me of the one found in Kouros Silver. Along with the aromatics, the classic aroma intensifies with the peppery structure underneath. All of this exudes a refined balance of softness and spice, and the part where I get reminded of the classic aftershave cream. BASE NOTES Thank God the base is not just the vetiver(Iso E Super version), the same one used in the Encre Noire line. There would be no chance of me saying this is a masterpiece if it were. Let’s be honest; in most cases, Clearwood is a fancier name for ambroxan. I don’t mind, and I also don’t care that the patchouli and oakmoss are cleaned-up editions of the old-school notes made so that the average wearer can wear something from the past while not noticing 100% what they are smelling. OVERALL This was not the first time I have been positively shocked by affordable fragrances that punch well above their price point this year. What can I say besides that with an open mind, you are definitely in for a treat and a signature-worthy fragrance you might cherish for your entire life. Read the full review at scentgrail (.) com

Modern, smooth, tranquil, masculine. Inoffensive. Fairly linear throughout. Reminds me of the drydowns of Drakkar Noir, Gucci by Gucci PH2, etc. The drydown and light yet smooth/masculine nature is what 'got' me to get this frag. Not groundbreaking or a must-buy but still very nice to have and wear when you just want to smell nice. Versatile for anywhere really. I feel earthy/fresh/freshspicy fragrances fare better in environments where people are close together but dont want to be bombarded with strong or exotic scents - perfect for the office and other casual or formal events. If you have wifi and can read this review (like I couldnt - forcing me to impulse buy this)- check prices and availability and get yourself a good deal. I spent over twice what you can buy this for online which is my only regret. UPDATE: So thiss is what Basil smells like.. I suppose. The scent is alluring at a normal spritz-level. When you spray more to really decipher what it is all about, you might pick up on something particularly unique (not bad or good, depends on your take on).. Basil! I notice that this is also in Calvin Klein's 'Truth' ..so apparently the note is at least somewhat alluring to me. I spent an equivalent $100USD on this bottle in the Gulf region but I would not pay more than half of that for a future bottle If I choose to do so. I do NOT regret buying this though, I still find myself spraying this on generously and enjoying it and am happy, in these hot periods of the year, that I am not blowing people out of the water with something overbearing.

In my initial testing of L'Insoumis I didn't get the barbershop vibe much and was very surprised to see other reviewers mention 90's fougeres style, which I couldn't get at all at that time, it was mostly cedarwood and dusty sage. Perhaps I did not wait for the middle notes and the heavenly dry down and my nose tricked by other scents. Well I still liked it evne then. Trusting Lalique and their amazing unique creations I got a full bottle, and what a good decision that was. I love it. To make things much better, this is indeed built on a woody shaving foam accord, coumarin-lavender-moss and sage bomb! The sage oil, which is a musty, slightly herbal-dirty oil, gives a distinct musty feeling at first. A slight tinge of lactonic, coconut, rum gives warmth. This effect might be achieved by an overdose of Coumarin or variation of it too. I get a lot of creamy, Virginia/Texas cedarwood note overall. It's like something you might get by layering Drakkar Noir by Azzaro Visit with a finishing touch of CdG Wonderwood. There could be nutmeg here along with sandalwood and vetiver, pepper...all making this very masculine and a bit more mature. It's a unique take on the 90's sandalwood-moss heavy barbershop scents, modernized. Perfect for office and daily use. Also it can work in all seasons, except very hot summer days but even then it wouldn't choke you. For the price point this is an excellent blend, talk about value for money.

Oh wow. I bought this earlier in the year and have been sitting on it thinking it was a fall scent. Tried it this morning on a whim and am seriously regretting not opening it earlier. I know in these reviews everything gets compared to the heavy-hitters- Sauvage, Aventus, etc. I try not to do that unless it's legitimate, and in this case it's legitimate. This opens up like a smoother, more aromatic version of Sauvage - if Sauvage is a rebellious James Dean, this opens more like what Sauvage would have been had Tom Ford released it - with a healthy underlying dose of patch (along with mint and sage - together they're the trio of my favorite fragrance greens :) and without the ambroxan megaphone, less the rebellious punk and more the refined rogue. Instead of Sauvage's metallic screech you get rum - when combined with those aromatics also makes for a pretty loud opening, but more like a combination of smells you could actually encounter. The drydown is much more subdued but it is distinctly "birchy" which immediately makes me think, of course of Aventus, because that birch is perhaps my favorite component of that fragrance - but that aromatic "salad" persists through to the drydown, pairing very nicely with the "birch" and with hints of the rum and lavender supplying some sweetness it gives you a few hours of a glorious skin scent. I've said it before, and I'll happily repeat myself, Lalique strikes again.

I don't think is boring at all, and as Lalique fan, I would say is not a disappointment but a nice new experience. I just bought this one as long as I found it available online and I am wearing it today for the 1st time. I got compliments right away at work, and I was even asked what was I wearing, since people around the office know I wear a different frag everyday, and this one got good reviews. Is more of half of the day gone and I can still smell it on me without sniffing my wrist or chest, it has evolved nicely I can really smell the lavender now which is the least rated ingredient on top, the moss and vetiver have come out more noticeable. I would not put this one as a winter fragrance only, but totally for the fall and spring as well, I would give it a try in the summer to see how it performs on hot weather. I know is was release in Fall-Winter season, but the fragrance has quite some notes that makes it suitable for summer as well, but will see then. And only two persons (me included) wearing it in the Fragrantica community as noted,,, it make me feel exclusive.. lol

"Compliments, refined, masculine and Youthful" This is how I would describe L'Insoumis in an abbreviated fashion. Currently testing this one out this week. I am very excited about this release. It has a nice modern/masculine aura. L'Insoumis feels very modern and yet it has a classic fougere vibe. It is refined and sophisticated, while still being virile and playful. It has great projection. I received a random compliment out shopping, which is a good sign. You will feel confident wearing this scent. It has a hint of classic/masculine style, maybe Tom Ford Beau de Jour-esque. And also combining a more mass appealing Sauvage Parfum aspect. However, it remains completely it's own fragrance. It only echoes or nods at some other very stylish fragrances. Infact, I think it improves on them. It mellows out the overly formal tones in Beau de Jour and it adds depth and fougere characteristics to Sauvage Parfum. I am still trying this one out, but for now it is my new favorite. I will give it a rating and update after more wearings. This is just my initial impressions.

An instant yes to Lalique Insoumis, eventhough you smell like a very chemical candy or soda from the first spray. Then, I get a licorice scent with a slight booziness to it, but it does not stay there, because it moves slightly more to warm woodiness, vetiver and lavender. I have all Lalique perfumes for men, so in comparison to them, there is a slight resemblance to Lalique White, but that has a very strong white pepper component, and if Insoumis has anything peppery, it's just a fraction. French word insoumis means rebelious or unsubdued in English, and I guess it may probably target the early 20's, and that may even reflect the price. Rebel? Yes, to me, it's a niche. It's not mainstream. It's far from the generic sweet ones of the usual big names, although there is a sweetness to it as well, just different. Agewise, I would say it is an all-rounder. Easy to have on a date, but it does not yell "sex", and easy to wear everywhere for casual meetings. I would not wear it in office or to anything of importance.

Nose Note #788 All the Lalique fragrances that I've put my hands on really satisfied me, and this is no expection. To me this is next to Ombre Noire which is one of my most favourite scents ever. L'Insoumis is complex, very sophisticated, very masculine. Rumy and aromatic. I don't have anything similar to this. I guess conceptually Ombre Noire is close. Straight to Heaven By Kilian is nothing like this, it's much more about rum and raisins, so in a sense it's more simple and less sophisticated, you could even say vulgar, just like I'd say Angel's Share is in a way vulgar, it's an intrusive scent. L'Insoumis is stronger than average, but it's not offensive at all. It's just almost perfect to my taste. An unexpected gem for me. I guess it's just me, because I've seen zero hype around this, but craft-wise, I'd say this is as much genius as Terre d'Hermes is, for example. I'd say if you like Boss Bottled EDT, PdM Layton, Lalique Ombre Noire, you'll like this. 9.8/10, another entry in the hall of fame

Like most of Lalique fragrances, this is insane in terms of quality for the money. It has a very unique smell that I cannot compare to anything else. The bottle looks and feels much nicer than the photos. It has a clean and sharp woody dry down which is very delightful. If you are looking for a nice manly fragrance which also smells modern then this is a very strong candidate. @walterkondor85, I know a disappointment in Lalique line: Lalique white; it's not near any of the other ones. To me this is a year around fragrance and if you don't spray crazy, it's office safe. If you like this and seeking a stronger and longer lasting version of it at the same price or cheaper then give Gentle Elsatys by Reyane Tradition a try. It's an EDP and to my nose very similar to L'Insoumis. It's a lot stronger though. For some reasons, fragrantica doesn't have it listed. Even their own website doesn't have it listed but you can buy it easily.

This one starts out so sweet to my taste, and then gradually the sweetness mellows down with time, but still present till the dry down, and this is where I love the scent at this stage. I think that the rum is responsible for this sweetness, and I think it is at the base (not a top note as mentioned in the pyramid). I am not interested so much to this fragrance, (as I said it is so sweet at the opening), if the sweetness was subdued than that, may be I would love and buy it, by the way the drydown is the best part for me, and this part reminds me of ombre noir (which is my favorite Lalique, followed by Hommage a L'Homme). Edit : After testing it more, I do realize that it is not sweet as I said before, but it is mainly fresh lavender scent. Update : I do like the opening phase the most opposed to what I said before( as it's too sweet for me), and not in love with middle or drydown phases which are dry without any sweetness

An interesting, unique, artful fragrance from Lalique. Fougere touches, but unique. The "coconut accord" people refer to is more of a "lemon pie with cinnamon accord" to me. Lol. But it is a dominant accord. A fragrance deserving of more respect. I know it is overwhelmingly subjective, but to have this rated below a 4.00 on Fragrantica suggest broken noses. I mean Ralph Lauren Polo Green and Chanel No. 5 are rated below 4.0 here. That's all the evidence for bozo noses needed. And this has absolutely no similarity to Farenheit. Nor does it have much similarity to Drakkar Noir, TF Fougere D'Argent, or Nishane B-612 beyond general Fougere touches through lavender. And I just voted off similarities to Creed Royal Oud and Dior Dune Pour Homme. How could anyone think L'Insoumis smells like Dune or Royal Oud? Consideration for rating this should start no lower than 4.20. It's in my signature favorites collection now.

This is one of those fragrances that smells different in different weather. If worn in the warm weather, it can come off as muddled and a bit musty. I understand the reviewers who are saying this. I tried it in August once and put it right back on the shelf. However, on a cold fall day, L’Insoumis is amazing. It’s actually a warm fragrance at heart, so it becomes a bit cloying in the heat. There is a perfect amount of sweetness tempered by the aromatic basil, sage and lavender. The slight booziness gives the ‘rebel’ vibe, perhaps, though not ‘bad boy’ at all. Maybe it’s the 40 year old rebel that uses the copier at work for personal reasons from time to time, or ‘borrows’ sticky-note pads from the office associate’s desk. Longevity is average so I doubt it will project much in the winter, but I love this on fall days. Another great one from the king of bang-for-your-buck houses!

This fragrance is breathtaking for me. It doesn't really smell like any other fragrance I've come by, although from the outset there is a comforting familiarity. I think it is the combination of the basil and rum that sets an uplifting and centering mood. The basil borders on an anise note rather than peppery, and it overlaps with the rum rather than standing apart. The quality seems on par with Hommage a l'homme Voyageur as does the strength. I would put the fragrance intensity as lower than Encre Noire though. While there is some projection, it is not the same level as Encre Noire. The rum note lingers well into the drydown, outliving the basil note. The drydown moves a little more into a soapy barbershop territory, but there are no hard edges. It is very smooth. The only warning I would offer is not to overspray. This scent is best enjoyed for its subtleties.

I’ve worn this a few times via sample. First 5 minutes- unimpressed. Generic, light. 5 min - 3 hours- amazing! Love the basil/sage/vetiver combo. Serious, deep, classy and addicting. Fantastic! 3+ hours- Ambroxan. Could this “clearwood molecule” be the alias for the increasingly ubiquitous ambroxan? There is validity in the comparisons of this to Sauvage, Bvlgari Atlantiqve, etc... the problem I see with ambroxan is that, given it’s consistent, synthetic, and strong signature, it smells exactly the same whenever it’s used. Unlike, say, vetiver- real or synthetic- which can very from perfume to perfume, ambroxan is always ambroxan. So, the emerging dominance of the big A ruins the drydown for me, as it becomes boring and one dimensional here. Still, I love the fragrance up until that point. Full bottle worthy? Not sure yet, though I am leaning toward it.

One word - AWESOME! Been a big fan of Lalique fragrances for a while now and like all Laliques I own - this was also a blind buy after reading positive reviews here and I'm glad I made the purchase. The first blast makes it seems like a normal fragrance...After a few minutes, it changes completely. At that moment, if I close my eyes - I feel like I'm sitting in a pine forest (probably leaning against an ancient tree which is covered with moss). There is a waterfall close by - which I can hear intermittently. The breeze is gently blowing - making the leaves rustle at times. And I'm completely relaxed. I feel at ease. Yes - that's completely true. This is a high quality fragrance and if it was from a niche house, would be priced 3-4 times this price. Loving it so far and have got a few compliments too (Not that I care about them).

Beautiful juice in this bottle, which is not a surprise considering the house. It vaguely reminds me of K EDP by Dolce and Gabbana, though more going on, somehow lighter, a bit more mysterious, and unfortunately not as long lasting. It's a very green woody scent, and though it doesn't smell like Lalique's Pour Homme line, it feels like a cousin to that line in that it's original, extremely well-crafted, and not necessarily made for mass appeal. If you were to smell L'insoumis and Lalique Pour Homme (any version) side by side, it's easy to pick up the similarities coming from the house. I have layered it with the aforementioned K EDP for enhanced performance, and though K does take center stage, I can still pick up some of the unique touches from L'insoumis. As always, bang for your buck from Lalique is just insane!

Underrated clean and smooth masculine scent - what many people would categorize as 'barber shop' scent. Easily worth the price of $30-ish USD. This is one of those fragrances any man would like and one women would get for men on Fathers Day. Innoffensive but pleasing - a modern take on something classic and not a copy or variation of what is trending, which I appreciate. Projection is moderate, longevity is moderate at best. The quality of this juice seemed to be on par with Kenneth Cole or Calvin Klein offerings which is to say - average if not slightly below. Still, for the price you cannot complain. The Atomizer sprays at low volume so several sprays is warranted when wearing this. The bottle is lovely and a nice artsy addition to any collection.

Aromatic freshness with its own individual character and very enjoyable. The opening is fresh with the basil, light rum and bergamot, has a subtly sweet and spicy phase, the dry down is woody with a beautiful dry mossy aura. Definitely has elegance and class, a refined choice for office and smart casual wear. Projects a pleasant woody vibe and earthy, shrubby forest fauna. Longevity is good, while projection could be better, but gives a lovely fragrant trail. Also, gets compliments. Somewhat in the same league as Guerlain homme, another favourite, though, GH gives a cooler vibe outdoors in hot weather. Overall an interesting scent, addictive to me at times; very happy to have it, a keeper. Good quality ingredients with the renown Lalique value.