Histoire d'Orangers

The more I wear Histoire d'Orangers, the more I love it. At first, I felt it didn't compare well to my memory of Seville a l'Aube, and I allowed myself to be swayed by reviews comparing Histoire d'Orangers to high end hand soap. But then I finally got my hands on another bottle of Seville a l'Aube. It's true, Histoire d'Orangers isn't as complex as its discontinued big sister, but the family resemblance is definitely there. Spritzed into the decolletage, it carries the family legacy well and escapes any soapiness. The wax is there, it just isn't as prominent, and the honey and incense are far weaker, but I don't find this to be a bad thing. Seville a l'Aube can be too sexy and heavy for daytime wear around the house, and at auction site prices it's too expensive for lunch and shopping. Histoire d'Orangers gives me the lovely orange blossom fragrance I want for daily wear. It's beautiful. When I wear it I'm reminded a bit of early spring when the first wafts of orange blossom begin to fill the air of my town, before they take on the decaying scent of spent blooms. I doubt I'll ever stick to just one signature fragrance, especially since Seville a l'Aube is discontinued, but Histoire d'Orangers would be on my short list if I were to choose a signature. Of the newer iterations of LAP, it does a good job, whereas my new bottles of Premier Figuier and L'Eau de Ambre Extreme are weak and disappointing. Even the Tea For Two I bought a year ago (since discontinued again) is less lovely than the clear bottle I bought recently in order to compare. I'm a LAP fan, and I find Histoire d'Orangers to rate well above the other new iterations I've tried in the past few months.

The perfumes you love the most are hardest to write about. I grew up on an orange farm so to me this is very nostalgic. An expansive mix of sweet orange blossom and ambroxan is enlivened by the dry cooling effect of white tea and neroli. White musk supports the clean feel of these notes without coming across as too soapy. Orange blossom is the star of the show but it’s ambroxan that does most of the heavy lifting, and white tea tannin is ultimately what sets this bottle apart from other white floral colognes. Overall it’s very fresh, clean, transparent and mildly sweet. It falls squarely unisex but I think some men may find it too delicate. I get 4 - 6 hours from it but I live in a warm climate and use about 8 sprays. The compliments keep flooding in. I wholeheartedly believe that everyone should own a white floral cologne because they work in any season and for any occasion - they are the ultimate dumb reach. While others can smell like dryer sheets or air freshener, this one smells expensive and just a touch unusual. It is both exceptional and affordable, it could be a safe blind buy if you’re familiar with the notes. I don’t think I’ll ever be without a bottle.

For me, Histoire d'Orangers is best appreciated when not sniffed directly off the inner wrist. I purchased a 10 ml travel size as a tester as I was looking for a musk/orange blossom fragrance but had nowhere to smell it in person. I really didn't like it at first, it smelled harsh, like nail varnish remover and slightly animalic around the edges. It also disappeared of my wrist in no time. I then tried spraying it on the nape of my neck and between the breasts, and oh my, what a revelation, I keep catching heavenly little whiffs of it throughout the day. Very beautiful. I've now purchased a full bottle. Am curious about Sur L'Herbe now. I've owned Neroli Portofino, which I like a lot (bright and citrussy rather than floral, but unfortunately very little longevity), and Mugler Cologne (which I don't like at all).

White florals for me, are a literal crap shoot. Too much sweetness or aldehyde and I’m transported to a porta potty in August. This is most of them, unfortunately. The other hazard is too much musk or amber and I’m in grandma’s closet. Not a bad place, not what I’m going for. But I love them or rather, love the ideal they represent. This one is perfection. It’s green enough on first spray that there’s no heaviness. It dries to that lovely perfection and lingers there, all day. This is white petals brushing past your cheeks and slipping through your fingertips. Heartachingly, beautifully feminine. It is so fresh and so delicate yet heady, as white florals ought to be. I think I’m a legit L’AP fangirl after this one.

I’m clearly in my l’artisan era because this the fourth home run for me with them as of late. This is what I had hoped for from Lutens Fleur D’Oranger. Simple, yet also sophisticated and elegant, a breezy, effortless realistic orange blossom. The white tea gently accents, tempering the natural soapiness. Makes me want to put on a big hat and break out the vinho verde, but also has enough basenote warmth that it works year round. Has a touch of malitol sweetness in the background. I’ve read the other reviews mentioning that this is animalic and I concur this is correct. The ambroxan here smells animalic and lived in, like smelling someone’s beautifully perfumed clothing.