No.12 Bousval

Ive been looking for a fragrance that would work well in all seasons, one that is unisex, and one that smells skin-like and effortless. I was recommended this fragrance two days ago by a Sephora employee and I sprayed it on my wrist to see how it wore for the day. During my time trying it out, I couldn't help but continue to reach for my wrist to smell it. It's effortlessly beautiful, slightly mysterious, naturally alluring, and has the slight masculine edge that I was looking for. I just bought the fragrance today at Sephora and told the employee how much I loved it when I was trying it on. The opening of this scent is sharp and a little harder to work with but it blends into a softer crispiness with slight fresh powder and an overall expensive and spa-like scent. I feel classy when I wear it. I'm used to wearing scents that are a little bold and controversial (I'm talking Angel by Mugler), this scent might not be everyone's favorite but there is something familiar and comforting about it, too.

The opening of No. 12 Bousval strikes me as herbaceous with a mild yet persistent citrus accord. I expected the cardamom to register as spicy from the get-go, but instead it settles nicely to blend with the herbal emanation to beautiful effect. The oakmoss and heliotrope seem to balance well here, which is remarkable because each can be overwhelming at times in other fragrances, to my nose. The woody resin presence emerged for me in about two hours, and I expected the top notes to fly away, but instead, the herb/citrus/wood/resin all seemed faintly present throughout its duration. For me this is unisex, but it may skew too masculine for devotees of a fruity floral. A subtle but persistent presence for me for 16+ hours. It's a gorgeous fragrance that I will wear on days when I crave something beautiful without bombast.

J'ADORE THIS HOUSE!!!!!!! I first discovered this house in 2020. I purchased No. 4 as my travel scent for my 40th birthday trip to Africa. A few years later I bought No.12 perfume oil for my trip to Australia earlier this year and I love it so much. It is a citrus / amber perfection of a blend. I mixed this with TF Solei Blanc and they really complement each other very well. It takes me from vacation mode to eternal holiday in a resort, a beach, a country club, or cobble stone street in a historical neighborhood in some riviera. I live my travel fantasy when I combine these two tonics. I am reading some of the reviews below regarding the dry down and longevity, but this oil mixed with my body chemistry keeps my flame burning. I will repurchase this again, and again, and again...... FOLLOW ME ON IG @MoctezumaC

This is so not what I typically go for but somehow I ended up with a sample in my Sephora order, and wow. I went through the sample in 2 days and now have a full bottle of the perfume oil. Everyone needs a "zen" scent in their collection - the palate cleanser for the days that you just want to smell clean and natural. It's like a refined essential oil, aromatic enough to smell earthy but still soapy. It smells to me like a high-end spa. The performance is great and tends to get stronger throughout the day (with body heat as it's an oil). It reminds me of Jo Malone's Grapefruit a bit with the clean citrus vibes that I get from it. It also works really well alone, but layers amazingly with Le Labo's Rose 31 or Diptyque Eau Capitale. Beautiful.

The first time I sprayed this, I also watched A Star is Born 1976 for the first time the same night. Now every time I smell it, all I can think about is a sexy, rugged, shirtless Kris Kristofferson. Not a bad memory to have... Regardless of this preconception, I believe that this is a very unisex, slightly more masc scent. Strong citrus in the opening that mellows down to calming eucalyptus and musk, some of the citrus sticks around. I agree that it smells like shampoo/conditioner you would find in an upscale hotel or spa. It doesn't project much but when it comes to this scent that's perfect for me, it's like my little hidden secret :)

I love this scent. It's so well balanced, fresh, clean, and I love the oakmoss and citrus combination. On the drydown, when the oakmoss came out, it reminded me of Mitsouko for a while, only the 100x milder version. Being a huge Mitsouko fan who can rarely find an excuse to wear such a strong preference, this is the perfect office-safe solution. Longevity isn't that long, 2-4 hours at most, but that's fine, and that's exactly what I want from it. Amazing price point for the complexity of fragrance.

I love this perfume so much, especially as a perfume oil rollerball. It's a lovely everyday fragrance with an intimate sillage and decent longevity that remains understated, but works well layered with other scents. I like to layer it with more synthetic/deeper scents like Lipstick Fever by Juliette has a Gun, as I find the juxtaposition of the fresh and natural notes of Bousval with a more "nighttime" scent adds a complexity I quite like. My every day scent for the last two years.

Very aromatic overall. Green and a bit bitter. A good one to have on in high heat. Refreshing and herbal. Definitely clean vibe. Wears very close to the skin. Almost smells like a high end spa or country club in the dry down. Very pleasant especially in the dry down. The opening is a bit sharp but it softens on the skin and becomes more rounded. I like to wear it to workout.. just for me to smell.. smells much nicer as it warms up on the skin.

I was looking for a signature scent that was unisex and “cool” smelling. Was using Myth by Ellis Brooklyn before, if that gives you any idea what “good” is in my mind. This is my new go to! Woodsy, citrusy, hints of florals. If you’ve smelled Grass by Demeter, it’s ever so vaguely similar. Also, the perfume oil has good wear fyi i know the reviews say it’s weak but that has just not been my experience. :)

Writing about the perfume oil - I love this, it's refreshing and comforting, other reviews talking about it being like a calming spa are spot on. I've worn it to sleep as well and love getting whiffs of it from my pillow. I found it very soothing for when I had bad period cramps, because of the eucalyptus and ginger lily combo!

I love the rollerball oil perfume on a super-hot summer day layered over a bracing citrus-- usually Santa Maria Novella Acqua di Sicilia or Guerlain Acqua Allegoria Bergamote Calabria. There is something about the warm woody spiciness over the brisk, slightly bitter citrus that cuts perfectly through the NYC heat and humidity.

I love this scent. I don't really know how to describe it- it's like how I would want the complimentary shampoo and conditioner at a fancy hotel to smell. Fresh, a little green, herbal maybe? It's lovely.

an expensive spa, this is the sauna and the scent in the waiting room as well. relaxing and comforting, yet energetic

Smells like a spa and very relaxing.

she's like the mother of no.09

I pulled out my travel size of the EDP today to reacquaint myself. I'd completely forgotten why I like this. It's truly elegant, but definitely unisex, and masculine-leaning in my opinion. I can appreciate why someone would like the brisk, almost herbal quality of Bousval in warmer months, to cut through the thick air, but I find it to be potent, so I save it for cold weather. In the fall and through the holidays I love sweet, spicy and cozy fragrances, but once I start packing away the holiday decorations, cleaning/organizing, and swearing off alcohol and sugar for at least 30 days, I want a different scent profile from my fragrance. I guess that's why I decided to bring this one out of its unintended retirement. There is a bitterness to it upon first spray. It's a no nonsense kind of freshness, like a bar of hand milled French soap. The dry down is definitely better for me (more musky and comforting), but I find that if I spray it on my clothes it doesn't make that transformation, so I would recommend spraying on skin. I would not say that this is an everyday fragrance for me, but it is undeniably classy, so I will always want to reach for it from time to time.

Woody, fresh, and bar-soap-esque. Elegantly naturalistic. The smooth warmth of the woody accord creates a very natural feeling base to support the crisp, soapy, aromatic heart notes. There's something a bit 'summer camp' about this fragrance to me. Like cabin logs, sun-warm skin, summer fields, grass stains, and messily braided hair that still smells like shampoo when you finally take the braids out days later. This isn't the kind of fragrance I generally gravitate to, but I can't help but appreciate the brand's commitment to idyllic, picturesque naturalism.

This scent is great, but comes out very differently on my skin than as described by the other commenters. I get a lot of cardamom and petitgrain layered on top of a strong myrrh and cedar base. The musk and amber definitely add a good amount of warmth and creaminess to the scent as well. However I'm not smelling any citrus at all and the florals are really nonexistent. This is totally fine by me because I really enjoy these kinds of scents, but it does smell totally different on me than it does on paper.

Sharp fresh spicy opening, remains aromatic throughout. Vetiver is the most prominent, along with the bergamot and amber. This is super sexy and the most masculine leaning fragrance from this house in my opinion. Mossy greens, spicy aromatics, and ambery woods is the best way to describe this fragrance. The eucalyptus and citrus create a spa-like quality that's perfect for after a shower. I've only tried the sample paper so I'm not sure if I love this on me or would prefer it on others.

To me, this is an expensive spa and very invigorating. At first it's atmospheric, with some woodiness and orange, but after 1-2 hours, those notes disappear and the eucalyptus becomes the star with some light florals in the background. I LOVE eucalyptus, so I wish the entire perfume just smelled like the middle, but I'm happy with what I got. It's definitely intimate and unisex, and I got it for $75 CAD during a sale, but I wouldn't buy it at full price.

This one is light on me, which is ideal for working from home. I agree with the other reviewer that it has no staying power, but somehow that's what I'm looking for on some days when I want a scent, but not much. Interested to see how it plays in other seasons.

wow this is very nice. citrusy opening, but its green heavy floral; fresh spicy like a rose bush or smt. its not overly sweet which i like a lot. the scent settles into floral and musk and even though i like more masc scents i would wear this tbh.

A nice, daytime citrus scent. Not too tart but citrus enough to smell fresh, as citrus scents usually go. Best used during warm weather. Shame it doesn't last long as I'd want it to. Use it for a couple hours then it's gone.

This one comes off aromatic and woodsie. I get the bergamot, cardamom eucalyptus and cedar the most. Almost a spa aromatic type experience similar to Black Jade by Lubin. Does not last or project very much unfortunately.

It's ok, but ot smells old-lady too me. It doesn't have any edge for me, no surprise. I liked it initially better, but then it started to bore me and I hardly put it on anymore.

Bright, fresh and intoxicating. I would love this on a man, but doesn't work for me, though I love unisex scents. Makes me feel like I'm wearing aftershave.

This is a great daytime scent. It does remind me of a lighter/fresher version of Allure. Very good longevity as I can smell it on my clothes for hours.

Really surprised to see iris isn't listed as a note. I'm getting earthy, spicy, rooty iris, almost parchment-like. Cool, dry, and powdery.

Bousval; a uniquely delicate balance of citrus, spice, and distant camphor. Intimate sillage so one can be generous in application. 7/10

I get a lot of the cardamom and eucalyptus straight out of the bottle. It's rather sunscreen-y on first spray. Once it has a chance to settle, the ginger lily, citrus, and myrrh come out to play with some heliotrope, oakmoss, and petitgrain supporting. The amber and musk give warmth and creaminess without being too present, and the cedar feels like an appropriately distant base for this pyramid to sit on. One of the few fragrances I've smelled where I feel like I do actually smell all of the notes to some extent. My first impression was that it smelled like walking into a Lush store. I agree with other commenters that it feels like a nice spa, maybe in a tropical place with the doors open letting a nice sea breeze through. To me, though, that makes it better off as a room diffuser scent or bed spray. I appreciate the serenity (and the warmth makes it feel more luxurious), but I don't love it on me as a perfume. It skews a little masculine in my opinion, and while I am not afraid to wear masculine scents, it's more just atmospheric for me. Nice enough scent, but not as a perfume for me. 6.5/10.

I didn't like this perfume very much. It started milky and muddled. The citrus notes were mostly an acidic overlay on the more somber and soft tones below. I didn't get cardamom at all, which is really why I got this to try. When the top notes died out, maybe 30 min in, I liked the perfume more. The light florals, sharp eucalyptus and spicy bottom tones were a lovely combination. I wish the entire scent experience here was just the middle bits of the perfume. Because, when that middle died out, which was maybe in the next 2-3 hours, I didn't like the perfume again. I think, perhaps, it was just too many prominent bottom notes at once. Cedar, myrrh, musk, and amber each call for their own space at the baseline of a perfume, and they seem to compete more for dominance than to align with each other well in this blend. I will say, if you're interested in trying/buying this scent, it has great staying power. I put it on around 8 am one morning and I still smelled it the next morning!

Based on the listed notes I should like this one the most from the Maison Louis Marie sample set, but there's a little dirty oakmoss and/or polleny heliotrope that give me a little pause. Hoping a skin test will soften these elements out a little. Finally got a chance to skin test this today. It's a gingery citrus mixed with heliotrope that unfortunately smells more like soap than a perfume to me. The heliotrope is strong in this to my nose, almond powder and nose-tickling pollen. I do have spring allergies right now so perhaps I'm just extra sensitive at the moment but my December test yielded the same results. For a soft gingery hot weather friendly scent, I think I'll stick to Hermes Jardin Apres la Mousson.

Quite woodsy. On me, the cardamom and base notes are most prominent. The citrus comes and goes. I get the camp cabin vibe mentioned by another reviewer. No. 12 certainly has an old-school aspect to it, and I understand the grandpa comments. But I am also getting some cola vibes- like the medicinal soda bars from drug stores of days gone by. I do not get the "enchanted summers" or "modern aroma" from the copy in the tester card. There is nothing magical or contemporary about this scent. It's grounded in reality, with vintage sensibilities. The copy also mentions a pond and catching fish- I don't smell anything even remotely related to water, coolness, or aquatic notes. This fragrance is warm and dry.

This is a Dyptique Tamdao or a lighter version of Abbott Sequoia plus citrus in my opinion, and sadly I don’t like both of them, so I wasn’t enjoy this perfume too - those three perfumes share a same warm sandalwood base - which make me feel suffocating (although I usually like woody perfumes). Tried in winter but still couldn’t stand it, but I think this one is more interesting with citrus notes. If you like Tamdao or Sequoia you can try it.

First impression: smells like my mom's daily perfume in the 80s- Gloria Vanderbilt (the one with the swan on the bottle). Mind you, I am having a terrible time with nasal congestion from allergies and my sense is very depleted. If this is what it smells like on me to others, I wouldn't wear it again. Too basic. I had my teen smell me and they said it "smells common".

This smells like hotel shampoo. I’m not loving the eucalyptus or the cardamom but the bergamot is really nice. It’s super generic and I wouldn’t spend more than $15 on it.

i got the smell of cardamom (christmas vibes) and eucalyptus, sadly almost no citrus smell at all. the cedar base was very strong and a bit too overpowering for my taste.

I love the opening - fresh, citrusy, and aromatic. The drydown is a bit funny; it smells like camphor and sweat. Neither like nor dislike from me.

To me this smelled like fancy loo cleaner:( not a horrible smell but not enjoyable, the citrus notes were too "clean bathroom" for me.

A beautiful tart citrus opening that made my heart flutter. Within 30 minutes morphs into some sour woody aromachemical. Pass.

I liked it at first, there's some good cedar scents and it's almost powdery and floral on my skin. Reminds me of something my Nana would keep around and felt very nostalgic. However, it gives me constant, splitting headaches that get worse every time I get a sniff (along with it being hard to get off). Definitely not going to buy it. I keep my oil samples buried in a drawer.

Smells like perfume, and also like an indian restaurant, maybe the little mints that they give out at the end. Quite herbally and spicy. Like walking past a bush in a walled garden. Definitely citrus there too, but I wouldn't describe it as a citrussy scent, rather that its a cirtrussy wrapping paper around a minty, herbally bush.

I really liked Bousval when tested on a slip of paper. The citrus and cardamom are lovely. However, after an hour on my skin that loveliness dissipates and I'm left smelling like moth balls. Super disappointing, but such is life!

Too herbal and green for me. It also has a very bitter citrus scent that I’m not a fan of. I don’t get cardamom, cedar, or amber, but I do get eucalyptus, oakmoss, and lily. Has minimal sillage and lasts about 5 hours.

For some reason this reminds me of Mitsouko or a very dated, powder heavy perfume. I bought it thinking I had tried it and thought it smelled like Windsor by D.R Harris, but I was so so wrong.

I can only smell one thing: bar soap. Honey and some floral bar soap. It smells good and clean, but I personally don’t want to smell like this when I reach for a perfume, or ever, actually.

To me, this is a sharp, screechy rosy floral. The woods don't come in until much later, and it also has poor longevity.

Is this the same as the oil? I have a sample of this and the oil. I love the perfume. I’ve never given this line much thought, as I’ve received a bunch of No. 4 samples. I’ve grown to like No. 4, but it took a few samples to like it. I wasn’t expecting much from this, but I enjoyed it the first time I wore it. However, I’ve only worn it once, so there isn’t much I can say about it right now. I’m surprised by the low rating, though. I’m excited to try the perfume again, and then try it with the oil. I’ll update then.

Beautiful frag with a lot of notes. Maybe that says something about the blend, but it's kind of an olfactory exercise. Ginger, cedar, cardamom and petitgrain all prominent at the outset, and maybe it's just a sympathetic scent created by the intersection of these, since it's not listed in the notes, but I really get anise or licorice as well. I like this one a lot - it's not terribly woodsy, like others of the collection, It just seems really wintery and wearable.

The problem with this one is that the top notes are divine, but the perfume gets less and less enjoyable with dry down / wear length. It starts off so strong and just ends up disappointing. The powdery characteristic this scent has starts to really poke through. You're left with a perfume that ultimately smells a bit like a bar of soap. It's a shame they can't make those top notes into the base notes, because I'd love to smell like that all day.