Salome

It was 2016 when I entered @lessenteurs in London just by coincidence; the lady attendant there - of whom I am sorry to say I cannot recall the name - made me aware of Papillon Perfumes. I almost cried for the joice and, long stroy short, I exited the shop with a bottle of Anubis in one hand, and one of Salome in the other. Here we talk about the latter. The two pics here show the two facets of Salome: the animalic fur (the musk) and the beautiful florals, because an animalic musk (at least in perfumery) should exist to sustain the florals (and not on its own). Salome is the scent of arousal in the air; it is the exchange of glances in a ballroom. It is clothes rushily pushed aside. Culmination. And then repose with river of salty sweat flowing abundantly over two naked bodies. It is not filfty nor dirty; it is sexy. it is, as Liz Moore says, "the scent of Salome's swest after her dance". I will attempt a note break-down with no pretension of exhustion nor of correctness (I am not a trained perfumer): this is Salome action in my mind, but the real action is taking place in the base where the spicy patchouli, quietly smoky styrax, leathery birch, and vanilla begin to stir. Now Salome emanates the musky warmth of post-sex skin. I am in love with Salome! Turkish rose, Jasmine, Carnation, Oakmoss, Castoreum, Civet, Hyraceum, Styrax, Tobacco, Orange Blossom, Patchouli, Sweet Hay, Bitter Red Orange, Bergamot, Cumin, Clove bud, Birch tar, and Vanilla. to which I will add some synthetic musks. It is the hyracem that plays an important role here with its animalic unctuos facets and leather and urinous undertones. Salome opens on my skin with a dark velvety dense rose, impollinated with a good dose of cloves; then there shoul be Egyptian jasmine (2016 batch) and a touch of bergamot; all the conconction is wrapped up in strands of hay. A light gauzy oakmoss lurks in the background. A good touch of cumin will make me think of sweat skin. An then the revelation. Soon arrives a convoy of musks and animalics. From the dark red rose to the dark brown fur: that is Salome's voyage. It is rich, sweet, spicy, floral, and musky; but above all, is alive! The scent becomes muskier and the animalic stronger: after the seduction of the opening, we have this arousal phase; we are impatient to score! This is Salome action in my mind, but the real action is taking place in the base where the spicy patchouli, quietly smoky styrax, leathery birch, and vanilla begin to stir. Now Salome emanates the musky warmth of post-sex skin. I am in love with Salome! Follow me on IG @alexolympia6

TLDR. This is hubba hubba date night cologne. Because I put this on and it makes me want to jump on my wife. Wow I am digging this. To my nose it is alternating between a very old fashioned fragrance and dirty sex appeal. I am not the first to say it, so here we go. This does not remind me of vaginas. You want vaginas, of the unwashed variety, in your parfum? Try Baz from The Spirit of Dubai. If you do, you won’t thank me. This is a warning not a recommendation. I am getting late 1970s formulations of right guard sprayed on stinky pits in order to freshen up. I haven’t smelled this smell in damn near 45 years. Hard as it is to believe this is a good thing because it reminds me of my wife and her pheromones. I spray this on and a 70s era porno soundtrack clicks on lol. As it dries down a cumin note is becoming evident. I generally hate cumin but so far here it works. It is not the star of the show, just one of many supporting characters. This goes in a different direction than modern popular perfumery and I am here for it. Funny thing I can’t decide if this is unisex or sex specific. There is something masculine here but there is also a feminine edge as well. Perhaps this is the mark of a truly unisex fragrance. Not something that has been focused grouped to death in order to appeal to the masses but a product that has both masculine and feminine qualities. Two other fragrances that remind me of sex are le lion and 1740. Le lion is soft. There is a sensuality to it. 1740 smells like you have been partying with The Rolling Stones. You don’t remember what but something definitely happened last night and it burns when you pee. Then there is this. This is the same lady as le lion but tonight she is deciding leather or latex. Because she wants to play a little rough. Anyway, if I ever get invited to an orgy I know what to put on lol. 9 hours in and let’s just say this is a challenging scent to wear because much like Nandor it does not relent. I know I showered today but I smell feet and sack. I smell like Jahan for crying out loud lol. I have used the line once before for comedic effect. But in this instance I believe there might actually be bits of real panther in salome. This is one of those perfumes that will humble an over sprayer. I will give my nose a nice floral rest for the next few days then come back and try one shot to the base of the neck and see what develops. 24 hours later it is now a complex vanilla skin scent. The are some florals spices, powder and musk. Quite nice, polite even...

Just got this in today 03/31/2026. Wow this one is great. Beast mode, let it dry down for 15-20 before you rank it. I love the bottle design, it's simple and elegant similiar to Roja Dove This is one of the very special ones you can smell off yourself This one radiates off your skin, with very high Quality Ingredients. To me a get a dark beautiful sweet very rich and sexy Jasmine mixed with the Bitter Orange and Mandarin, mixed to perfection. This one is blended very well, with just the right amount of animalics, honestly you don't smell them mat all, just a great blend which creates a very unique smell unlike anything I have ever put my nose on, a smell that has got me hooked and wanting more from this house. I pick up a slight faint Coco Cola accord with a Freshly Squeezed Cold Orange juice, which I think really makes this one smell good, very happy with this purchase. The Jasmine in this must be Sambac, because this has to be one of the best Very Rich luxurious mix of Opulent Jasmine that has ever been made. You really can't go wrong with this release. I do not see anyone not liking this. would love to buy more bottles from anyone that is selling them. I have not seen any bad review of this fragrance yet. To me this one is addicting, I keep wanting to smell it more. I kept smelling this one, walking outside and then in the grocery store, thinking, if I can smell this off myself other people have to be smelling this and probably did, but no one said anything, it's just depends really, you have to be in the right setting, office work type environment, is where you will likely get most of your compliments. Very few fragrances have the ability to be smelled of the person wearing them but this one you can do just that which makes it in my opinion much more valuable than many others on the market. It's definitely one of the Gems out there that most have not had their nose on. I thought I was going to return this one, you have to be patient give this one a chance, go outside, go for a walk, maybe the gust of wind will help you enjoy it. Salome is sticking to my skin and it's an absolute pleasure to smell. Spend a little more, save up if you have to, and get something realy nice, or sample first. Only seeking beast mode masterpieces 10/10, and Papillon has done just that with Salome. Definite masterpiece here. 10/10 For me, looking to try other offerings from this house, with Bengal Rouge in Mind.

Salome was released by Papillion Artisan Perfumes in 2015; it can be purchased online for ~$200/50 mL. It also happens to be a nearly-note-for-note modernization of Bal-a-Versailles by Jean Deprez, which was released in 1962 (but aimed to invoke 17th Century French bacchanalia during the reign of Louis XIV); vintage bottles from the 1960s can be had online for ~$60/30 mL; that is, roughly half the price per unit volume. Both fragrances are nearly identical. Both are master classes in olfactory ribaldry. Both invoke vignettes of sweaty mornings in bed with a long-familiar lover: when there was no opportunity to shower, your teeth were unbrushed; you both went off-script; the sheets are a mess; the mattress is soaked; neither of you can find your underwear; you're both late for work; and you couldn't care less because it was the best sex you've ever had. There's nothing glamorous about those memories, but they're the ones you savor. Decades later, if you catch a whiff of this scent, you'll shake your head and giggle. Salome by Papillon: It's unrepentantly androgynous. It's unrepentantly old-fashioned. It caters unrepentantly to the wearer's basest instincts. Because Papillon don't judge and spontaneous sex never gets old. And what's the matter--when it's time to get down--are you really scared of a little urine? Salome could be the most dangerous perfume on the market if it weren't for the fairly easy accessibility of Bal-a-Versailles on the secondary sales websites (for literally half the price and sans the IFRA restrictions). Do yourself a favor and snag a vintage bottle of B-a-V while it's still available at these prices. Or better yet--snag a bottle of each. Because Papillon definitely deserves its flowers, too, for bringing Salome into this market. In an era typified by harmless blue freshies, saccharine club scents, and sterile "niche" syrups by PDM... In an era where OF accounts and triple digit body counts are ubiquitous and mundane; where we all know the lyrics to W.A.P; where sex is just another commodity to be traded in public view... It takes genuine guts to issue a fragrance that pulls you in close, shoves a hot little hand in your pocket, and gasps in your ear, "my bussle's undone and I'm soaking wet; now take me into the cloakroom and f*** me like it's 1689." You know you want it. Easy 9/10.

I was recommended this fragrance when looking for a skanky, dirty musk and it did not disappoint! If you love that dirty, skanky, sexy, intoxicating, animalic musk, then this is for you (I'm going for the queen of adjectives here, smutty, freaky, adventurous, spicy and can't forget SAVAGE)!) I despise leather notes in fragrances but I can't really detect it in this one. For those who dislike animalic musks, this will likely come across as fecal to you, so I'm saving you the hit to your wallet if that doesn't get your bedroom mojo poppin'. In terms of projection, far and wide; in terms of sillage, eternal. I had this on for 23 hours and it was still projecting fairly strongly when I went to sleep 16 hours later. When I woke up, I sniffed my wrists and it was still easily detectable. After my shower, I could still faintly smell it on my wrists, so it's pretty nuclear and damn good value for money. Definitely a unisex fragrance, and as a female, I intend to rock it day or night, summer evenings, winter days/nights, and everything inbetween. I don't quite get the "reminds me of Bal a Versailles" association. I own Bal a Versailles as well and yes, it's dirty but more like L'Heure Bleue. Salome is more similar to Musc Ravageur, Unspoken Musk, and Sacred Scarab and Civet by Zoologist. This definitely evokes one of those "How YOU doin?" 😉😉moments by Joey from Friends, and that's the fragrance speaking to you, not the person wearing it LOL. This fragrance is the type that undresses you with its eyes, and unabashedly teases you with flirtatious remarks. After it has finished toying with you, it pursues you aggressively with bold, explicit advances. It doesn't give a fuck—it wants what it wants. Those carnal desires are what drive the beast within! As the receiver of the attention, you'll have a firm understanding of the difference between attraction and forevermore, and the latter isn't up for consideration. In the words of Saving Abel 🎵I'm not in love, but the sex is good🎵 NOTE: As the wearer of the fragrance, sit back, say nothing, do nothing, relax and enjoy yourself, and let the fragrance do the talking. Quiet confidence and Salome are your secret weapons 😍 10/10 for me.