Premier Figuier

This is one of the most calming scents I've worn. It is so peaceful it affects my mood in ways that few fragrances do. This is green, very green, in the softest, most natural way you can imagine. Photorealistic fig tree, not only the smell of leaves, but also their flesh. There is a subtle milkiness that creates the image of tearing apart a green leave and seeing the milky latex drip from it. Whithout smelling dirty or soily, I can almost picture a fine layer of dirt being wipped off the leave as water trickles down during a light rain. A very visual fragrance. PF mimics so closely a natural smell that as a consequence, it is disconnected from any scent I relate to humans. It doesn't smell like a perfume. To me theres no connection to gender nor age, there is no sex appeal, no attractiveness, no seduction. This is not cute nor tough. I find this to be the strenght of this scent. It is the perfect family friendly scent, something every member of the family could wear. (I've never thought of fragrances as a product for kids, but if my kids ever wanted to wear something, this would be it, because it does not step into the "attractive person" territory, it has zero allure to it. Not that it doesn't smell good, it just isn't trying to be attractive. The same way a tree is not trying to smell attractive but still smells good.) Sometimes scents lean feminine or masculine depending on the person wearing it. Not this one, this one stays true to its natue, a tree, it smells like a tree, green goodness in the best way possible. It is not only unisex, it is sexless. And it is the fact that it is not trying to be attractive, that makes it so calming, comforting. I like to wear this on lazy weekend mornings. When I decide to take it slow, relax, I plan nothing all morning. Emotional cleanse after a tough week. This is the perfect scent to wear with sweats since it's so casual. PF helps me get in a relaxed mood to enjoy my morning, have a light breakfast, read in the couch. Some scents can feel a little abrasive first thing in the morning, specially some cirtus openings. PF is soft, so it becomes an interesting mixure of fresh but cozy, simply perfect. Projection lasts an impressive 45 min, then it becomes a skin scent for about 2, maybe 3 hrs if you're lucky. If I spray it after sleeping in, by 2pm when I have to get ready to go out to the world and pretend I'm a functional human being PF has completely worn off and I can just wear my actual SOTD. Usualy I ignore fragrances that last less than 4hrs, but this one works for me on this schedule and the joy it brings me makes it worth it IMO. Now, Philosykos. Smelling them side by side they are exactly the same exept for one thing. Philosykos has more of a woody note in the back, gives it a little edge, the greeness feels just a tiny bit screechy (at least compared to PF, by itself it doesn't feel like that.) IMO this makes it feel a tad more realistic. PF has the coconut note that rounds everything up, softens it. This slight extra creaminess fits very well what I like about the fragrance, its relaxing nature, the peacefullnes. Makes the scent friendlier. That is why I prefer PF over Philosykos.

Premier Figuier is the original fig-dominant perfume, and it is a rare L'Artisan Parfumeur scent that has been readily available for almost three decades. L'Artisan has a reputation for creating hard-to-find masterpieces - for instance, I would love a full bottle of Timbuktu and Dzing!, and after smelling this modern classic, I can add it to the list. Diptique Philosykos is the definitive fig scent as far as I'm concerned, and it is no surprise that it is quite similar to this, its predecessor, as Olivia Giacobetti is the nose behind both. PF is a realistic fig tree scent, green, jammy, lactonic and woody at various intervals. PF is softer, slightly more coconutty and less woody than Philosykos, but it is hard to choose a favourite. PF opens with green fig leaf, fresh and realistic, reminiscent of summers in the countryside in the south of France. The fig becomes jammy and fleshy as it develops, very close to the juicy flesh of a ripe fig plucked straight from the tree. The lactonic notes emerge early on, complementing the fig beautifully. Almond milk, smooth, creamy and slightly nutty - but not the gourmand marzipan note more commonly used in perfumery - gives this effect. Coconut follows, adding a tropical edge to the lactonic accord. It is more prominent than expected. As it dries down, a honeyed amber accord emerges, rich but delicate, enhancing the fig with a nectar-like quality. Soft woody notes creep in, less sharp than in Philosykos, instead soft and blurry, almost like an Impressionist rendering of the entire fig tree. It fades to a transparent coconut skin scent, with remnants of the fig remaining until final fade. Sillage and longevity are moderate. It is unisex, being more green than sweetly fruity. A restorative, deeply comforting spring/summer perfume, this is a perfectly-balanced, masterfully-composed fig scent. A true modern classic, PF pioneered the fig trend in perfumery, as well as being a beautiful, wearable and evocative scent. The original, and best. 5/5.

Premier Figuier by L'Artisan Parfumeur is a cornerstone of modern perfumery. Launched in 1994, it was the first perfume to celebrate the fig tree in its entirety, not just the fruit. Wearing Premier Figuier is like taking a walk in a Mediterranean garden at midday, when the sun warms the leaves and the scent of the sap is more intense. The onset is a blast of trampled fig leaves. It is green, almost pungent and "milky". The note of asafoetida (often called "devil's incense") adds an unusual, almost mineral and earthy touch, which prevents the fragrance from becoming too sweet or banal. Here the fragrance softens. Almond milk and fig create a velvety texture. It is not a sugary fig from a pastry shop, but the fresh, fleshy pulp of the freshly picked fruit. The sandalwood begins to make itself felt, giving a woody and reassuring structure. The finish is dominated by coconut, which never veers towards the "cheap sunscreen" effect, but maintains a natural and airy profile. Dried fruits and lime create an interesting contrast: one warms, the other refreshes, leaving a clean and sunny memory on the skin. The "nose" behind this fragrance is Olivia Giacobetti, the queen of olfactory minimalism. It is she who literally invented the "cool" genre in perfumery. If you love this style but are looking for something more intense and less sunny, Giacobetti herself subsequently created Philosykos for Diptyque, which is the more woody and dry "brother" of Premier Figuier. Premier Figuier is considered the perfume that started the trend of green and fruity fragrances of the 90s, breaking away from the opulent and heavy perfumes of the previous decade. It is an evocative and nostalgic perfume. Ideal for those who love nature and are looking for a fragrance that does not "scream", but that whispers freshness and cleanliness. It's the perfect purchase if you're looking for a summer scent that stands out from classic citrus or marine scents.

Opens with an ambiguous lactonic note with a whiff of grass and clean twigs. Nothing artificial at all, not even a hint of the alcohol scent that usually accompanies freshly sprayed perfume. The lactonic note quickly grows in strength and nuttiness, becoming more clearly coconut, bordering on desiccated coconut. Wafts of this are absolutely lovely at this stage, though it has a sour green smell close up. Already it becomes apparent that, despite having doused myself in nearly an entire sample vial, this scent won’t be sticking around for long. In fact it almost becomes pointless in continuing any evaluation after 15 minutes as even up close it’s fading away into nothing. I’m already contemplating what to put on next and there’s nothing left to wash away. Will try the remainder of the sample on clothes to see if it lasts longer but I can’t imagine I’ll purchase more. Edit: I tried this again over coconut oil hoping to make it last longer. It really enhanced the asafoetida in the opening, which I happen to like so no complaints there. That fattiness mixed with luscious lactonic fresh green stems, coconut that’s milky and nutty... Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to help much with longevity. Such a shame because I do love this. Edit again: I will layer with coconut oil and all the scent-boosting molecules; this is worth a full bottle or 3 or 5...

I always love a good fig scent, and Premier Figuier is a great one: green, light, calm, just very harmonious. It's exuberant and bright but not very sweet; natural and lifelike but not too woody; fresh and green but not at all "sporty". Kind of perfect, at least for my taste, in other words. I don't get much coconut; to my nose this is all about the milky greenness of the fig leaf and an echo of the sweet fruit itself, and the other notes just serve to enhance those aspects. The same is true for Premier Figuier Extrême, but that one's a lot woodier and a bit heavier or even stickier as well. I love both of them, but I think I prefer this greener, airier version. Like many voters have indicated, it's indeed very like Philosykos, but a little brighter and more substantial, I think. If you're a fig lover like me, I don't think it would be overkill to have both in your collection (and that's where I'll probably end up one day in the not too distant future when my decants are finished). The only downside is it's one of those scents I don't notice much during the day, except for in the opening and when I sniff my wrists.

My favorite green fig. I've gone back and forth between this and Philosykos EDP and this remains my favorite. Philosykos on my skin never gets past the really bitter green, grassy quality before almost completely fading. I do enjoy green perfumes but on my skin Philosykos just feels like I mowed the lawn or something. Premier Figuier has the beautiful greenness you'd expect from fig, but this tree definitely also has ripe figs on it, whereas Philosykos reads as more leafy green to me. I particularly enjoy the sandalwood and asafoetida in this blend. It gives the drydown a very slight sweet spice to ground the green and blend it with the slight fruity fig present. This fragrance is heaven, unfortunately longevity is just not there for this green freshie. I mostly spray it at home out of the shower or before bed because I doubt it'd last for a serious outing. I haven't tried the extrême version but I fear the beautiful scent blend I love in PF just can't get stronger without altering the scent profile noticeably to highlight notes with better lasting power.

Received a sample as part of the sample set by L'Artisan Parfumeur. I tested it for a day, another day and the next one too, emptying the tester vial, and decided to order a bottle. I could shower in this stuff! Actually, I do, because I keep spraying it on. I'm addicted. And I should have bought the 100ml bottle instead of the 50ml... So, what is it that gets me so excited? The perfume opens very green, like cut grass and leaves and bark, very refreshing. After that, the fig starts to come along with a hint of fruitiness and the creamy coconut comes into play, completing the cocktail. The scent feels soothing for me and I think it is a perfect summer scent for days in the park or to the office. Although I absolutely love the notes, I'm disappointed with the poor longevity (even for an EDT). After 2-3 hours the fig becomes less clear but is still there close to the skin. Sillage is soft to moderate. To me, this is a gourmand, and makes me wonder what a cool sweet fig & creamy coconut milkshake would taste like. I should try and make one!

Whilst I agree that Premier Figuier by L'Artisan Parfumeur shares many similarities with Philosykos by Diptyque, I’d argue the most appropriate fit is Dune Homme by Dior. The fig note is definitely prominent, but it’s less of a photorealistic capturing of a fig tree and more a representation of what you smell and feel under a fig tree on a sunny day. A really beautiful sense of place and indeed, time. It’s also capturing the feel of those 90s and 00s fragrances that provided a sharper green note in amongst a milky, also lactonic sandlewood-almond envelope. Add asafoetida in the opening, as well as dried fruits in the dry down and you get a real 90s feel for this fragrance that is modernised to perfection. Truely unisex, Premier Figuier is a perfect fresh perfume, for any season, for anybody, but will be loved by those who remember the 90s with nostalgia.

I really love this one and am extremely upset I only have a 50 ml (the 100 was sold out!). It was a blind buy because I love living on the edge. I am not fond of green fragrances; every single one I've smelled has come off "sour" to me, as if the perfume has turned, but this? This is lovely. This is so good. It's like snapping the branch off a fig tree, it's so realistic, as if the whole tree's been blended up and stuffed it into a bottle. Premier Figuier opens up as a clean, photorealistic fig branch without much sweetness. Then, the coconut and fig fruit start kicking in, sweetening things up just a touch. It's milky the way white sap from broken branch is milky. Absolutely stunning, I think I'm a L'Artisan Parfumeur convert now. I'm trying to spend less money but I desperately want to try their entire line now.

The masterpieces are always the hardest to describe. My nostalgia for this scent will never dissipate. After the house of Serge Luten—L'Artisan and specifically Premier Figuier and later, the Extreme version—was one of my early scent obsessions. I fell in love with the dry, complex fig note combined with coconut that smelled so very natural on my skin. Heaven. Unfortunately I never got the longevity that others experienced but that’s never been a deal breaker for me. I’ve had this in my collection for over two decades, it’s the “fig” that started them all. A classic that needs to be experienced, and the bottle that was responsible for my lifelong fig obsession. My review is based on a bottle that is the older version, 15+ years.

Olivia Giacobetti understands what makes fig tick. She clearly has a love affair with it. She took it on for Dipyque with Philosykos in 1996 and it was a lovely piece of work. Premier Figuier appeared a couple of years earlier for L’Artisan Parfumeur and although it has fairly close ties with its cousin it seems to me to possess greater luminosity and elan. The sandalwood, in particular, is beautifully realised and the coconut and dried fruity notes in the base give the coda a nice lilt. If I had to choose I’d opt for PF (although I own and wear both) even though longevity is a tad lighter. A truly magical fragrance. I love it!

So I am reviewing the EDT version. This is an oddly satisfying fragrance. Lately, I have been having trouble wearing really sweet or strong scents. Sadly they make me nauseous. This is a perfect reprieve because it’s pleasantly bitter. I couldn’t agree more with the other reviewer's beautiful descriptions of green, vegetal, clean scent. I would also say that it smells like Castile soap on my skin. Then it turns into a fuzzy and light coconut scent. I smell really clean without smelling artificial or cloyingly sweet. What a pleasant surprise. The fig in this is reminiscent of the leaf rather than the fruit.

This is much much better than the extreme and better than philosykos. Plus, the name says it all, the first fig tree fragrance! And it deserves respect. The opening is very very green, but then the juice dries down into a creamy almond milk scent. It works very well on me, i can smell it all day long and people around me too. I disagree with the longevity and sillage votes here. The extreme version has a strong powdery note and a grandma soap smell which i don’t like at all. This original juice is much much better for me. Review based on an original 100ml new bottle bought at l’artisan website.

This is most sensual green, vegetal scent I know. Sensual and vegetal? Isn't it a contradiction? Well, in this case, it's not. This fig scent is extremly natural, evokes the moment when a fig is broken from the branch of the tree and a drop of moisture arises. The scent of an ancient, prolifical vegetation, which is mellowed by the coconut and almond milk. These fragile notes are held together by the woods. Innocent and sensual like the garden of Eden. The Song of Songs goes like this: "the lush foliage is our canopied bed, the cedars are the beams of our bedroom chamber"

I am enthralled by this. Compared to Philosykos (same nose, later iteration), it is very similar in concept, but slightly more bittersweet, with a more complex sour note at the base. Diptyque's fig is perhaps a little cleaner, brighter, more linear, while this one is darker, shifting, and more wet. Let's say, philosykos plays all its cards at once (and fades quickly), premier figuier plays its hand slowly, and carefully. The fig fades quickly to a nutty, dewy base, and overall I find it just such a lush, calming scent. Wonderful perfume for summer and and hot days.

Ordered a sample of this last year along with several others for testing, and this was the one that I found weirdly addictive. So unlike other scents, it captures a both green freshness and sweet warmth - like sunlight filtering through leaves on a hot summer day. Sometimes I'm in the mood for that "freshness" being citrus notes, sometimes I prefer the freshness to be more green, and this is definitely the latter. I haven't tried the other fig fragrances that others have mentioned, so I can't offer comparisons, but this is a really nicely done fragrance.

This perfume is absolutely beautiful, very green, fresh fig leafs with a lactonic quality to it. The problem is that it lasts no more than an hour on me, and all I'm left with is a very (very) faint powdery sandalwood. It really is one of my favourite summer scents but for the longevity I don't think it's worth the buy. I also tried Premier Figuier Extrême, and while it does last a bit longer, it's more on the nutty/woody/coconut side and lacks some of the sharp green bitterness of Premier Figuier, which imo makes it a little less interesting.

Lovely stuff, fresh without being harsh, exciting to the nose, with the milky smoothness of a freshly opened coconut. I too would like to bathe in this! I'm very sad that it only lasts 1-2 hours although I might try using the range, to increase the longevity. I'm not a fruity fig fan but this isn't fruit, this is green, surely one of the best ever. Love it. Update: even better on a very cold morning in winter. The green fig is extra-creamy, and lasts a lot longer - 5 hours on me. Give it a try on a January morning! :)

To me this beats Philosykos everyday of the week. This has the same leafy green photorealistic fig leaf smell and freshness of the Diptyque but it adds the coco nutty smoothness, the jammy fresh fig, creamy almond, and sweet fruits. The freshness is there but so is all the other notes that round this out and create a Mediterranean holiday you’re looking for. A man or woman can easily pull this off and just smell fresh and breezy. Fantastic! Skip the Diptyque botany class and go to this little gem. It’s just better.

Premier Figuier is a love for me, both old bottle and new bottle, although I had a few years between them. I also have the solid perfume and love that as well. It starts off very true to the milky sappiness of the fig tree, then turns sweet and delicious on me — I love the soft sandalwood. It’s one of the rare fragrances that I like from the first spritz, rather than needing it to all calm down a bit. For now, this is my choice of fragrance most days, year round, although I wouldn’t call it a signature scent.