Boxeuses

This was just added to my pretty extensive SL collection. It sounded lovely and dark. I think this is a much lighter softer version of FDB and Daim B. It has a bit of the Cuir Maresque but not much. My first whiff was a light benzoin and tar along with birch (LEATHER), and it has the typical SL woods with a medicinal lightly oudish top note. It became more honeyed with a bit of dark plummy, crushed fall fruit vegetation scent over time (30 minutes)--though very, very subdued. I think the first blast of this fragrance (I always transfer to a glass atomizer) is less functional and wearable--and a whole lot more interesting. While I'm glad to have, I do need to dab more liberally. I prefer his other fragrances that have more punch (like FDB or DB). Any of the Bois line is better than this is, but this is less fruity (i.e. dark stewed fruits--not the horrid modern berry fruits), but I think it is true to the notes--just short-lived and low sillage. Not bad, but if one is spending the money, it's a bit much for a fleeting close skin scent.

Woody leather with an accord of plum which gives it a little sweetness. I love leather fragrances and this is the first perfume I like licorice note used in it. The fragrance is rather smooth than sharp. I've tested it in autumn and it "sounds" perfect on my skin when it rains.

Wow, this is these are best leather and plum notes I have smelled so far... So smooth and beautiful. I wish I knew how to get a full bottle of this

Revisiting this one after some time and I realize again why I like it. Earthy, but subtle. Nicely blended.

At first, Boxeuses smells surprisingly bland, but after a few minutes the scent starts to develop, taking on an odd, slightly spicy, iris note. It’s fruity, powdery, a little metallic, and a little doughy. To me, this first stage it isn’t evocative of leather, but rather orris, anise, ionones, and fruits. It takes at least a half hour for the sillage to develop, but when it does, it’s sharp and “perfumey” in the sense of many old-fashioned compositions. At this point the iris/leather, spice, and fruit are gone, and it smells like a generic version of a vintage perfume. The transformation that occurs over the course of a few hours is nothing short of amazing, but I'm not all that impressed by either phase. I’m left scratching my head about this one, wondering why it gets so many rave reviews.

Pure, clean white wood and a brand new leather jacket. The plum faintly appears later, but I don't think I could have detected it unless I knew what I was looking for. If there is licorice in here, it is so well-blended in that it just amps up the wood and leather. Normally, I hate all licorice- I dislike some violet scents because they smell too much like licorice, but I love this. The wood and leather make it a little masculine, and though I think it smells wonderful on me, I would love to smell it on a man, because I bet it's amazing.

A minimalist leather scent that will satisfy those looking for discretion in this genre. The central subtle leather note is surrounded by plum, licorice, cedar and musk. The sweet unisex scent has moderate sillage and good longevity. It is pleasant, slight smoky, animalic and all together restrained and subtle. On the flip side hard core leathery animalic scent lovers will truly be left to wonder why these notes are so muted. Enjoy!

To me, this is Feminite du Bois wrapped up in a fruity leather opening which dries down to the most delightful liturgical incense skin scent and finally a sweet pruney smudge. Androgenous and slightly gothic. I'd either wear a TON or spray it on a wrapper/necker. Cold weather. --This, I realize, is what I WISHED for from Guerlain LPRN Black Perfecto.

this one starts with a soft plum and licorice. sometimes fruit notes don't work on me, but i find this to be a gorgeous plum. i get hints of a slightly smoky leather after a few minutes and then it dries down to a balanced plum/leather. i prefer this to plum japonais and i only find them similar at first, before the leather comes out.

Lovely, fruity, sweet, woody, creamy perfume. I took delivery of this confection today. It doesn't blow my socks off like some of my other SL perfumes but it is lovely, perfect for summer. It doesn't have the stamina of Ambre Sultan or Arabie however it's still a well balanced and engaging fragrance.

Full out leather and plum. Not a sweet leather smell, but a leather smell like that of an old chair. Very spicy too. Prefer other SL scents.

a sweet leather and nothing more. poor performance.

I truly wanted to love Boxeuses, and the notes are typically good ones, but unfortunately it was a dud. Leather and plum, two of my favorite notes, are utterly absent on my skin. In trying to decipher what exactly was the screaming ashy-sour-peppery-sagey-caraway-but-not note, I checked other reviews online and many remarked smelling labdanum. Looks like I found a new doom note as this resin utterly dominates Boxeuses and pummels the other notes into oblivion even throughout the long dry down. I smell like someone doused in Axe cooking curry. *sigh* Glad I was patient and only bought a decant rather than going through the trouble of trying to obtain this Europe-only blend.

I have a solid version (sample) of this one. It is fruity and nothing else. I cannot smell any leathery or woody notes, and yes this is a very light perfume, almost fleeting. I am surprised, because most of the Serge Lutens that I have tested till now are good on both longevity and projection. Not impressed.

Smells like exactly like walking thorugh a home remodelling storefull of displays of fixtures and cabinets and carpet samples. Off-gassing carpet or new car smell with vinyl seats. Turns more "perfumey" as it wears on and becomes plum with vinyl Smells more like an L'Etat Libre D'Orange perfume

Just got my generous sample from ...The Perfumed Court Been wanting to try this fragrance since an amazing review given by "PERFUME SHRINE".... She wrote ... "Boxeuses goes straight for the jugular, playing on the familiar, original codes of the Lutensian universe: violet-tinged woods, plummy fruits, somptuous spices..." So here are my initial impressions... I get alot of initial WOOD notes and Leather notes.. but its pretty linear....and rather quiet Wears pretty close to the skin... Incensy and ...."Powdery" which I read somewhere it's going to be a return Fragrance Trend for 2011. There's a piquant touch to it perhaps its the Licorice.... The much ballyhooed and talked about fruity Plum notes showed up very subtle and much later as the fragrance adapted to my skin. Shame!....I really expected much more EXOTICISM! "Perfume Shrine" called it...A Love-Child of a Cuir de Russie type and Rochas Femme. I frown a bit to comparing this fragrance to the standard.. of CUIR Fragrances like CUIR de RUSSIE and TABAC BLOND... Believe me ....I have converted with Religious Fervor to the Fragrance CULT that is SERGE LUTENS... sooo it's almost HERESY to say ..... "Why settle for "Tributes" or Vague Copies .. when you can afford the real deal." This not a Lutens favorite and I won't regret it........

When this first came out one of my fragrant friends commented positively on it, and its been on my radar ever since. But I have to say, if you aren't a gourmand lover the opening is frightful. But yet... there exists this woody, smoky anchor that makes you think hmm. I put this on and forgot about it, having got caught up making dinner for myself and four parrots. Out of nowhere I was hit by this lovely, fruity-woodsy accord and did a double take. This gourmand turns into something rich and exciting. When worn on the décolleté (heat rises), it just soars. I am no fan of licorice and I"ll tolerate leather, but here both are done with a very chic hand. In perusing the reviews below I suspect something is happening worth calling out. I know of myself that my chemistry amplifies greens and woodies, and thus, Boxeuses wears smoky and woody on me. I tend to make rank any and all sweet notes, and since those are largely missing here I think that's why it works. This may be the key to how well you'll enjoy it yourself.

I fell in love with Daim Blond until the musc so could this be a good alternative? I have to say im a little scared of plum due to its use in Mon Parfum Cheri by Annick goutal which was so sickly! Any advice? Edit: I have now tried the solid perfume sample of this and though its not the same as Daim Blond it is a really nice fruity leather. I mainly get leather which is silky and a little oily but still light enough to be feminine. The plums add a nice sweetness which makes it similar to DB. I think im going to have to buy a bottle as this is such a nice combination! Edit II: So my bottle of B just arrived and i excitedly applied it to my wrist, sadly all i can smell is plum and not the same plum as in the wax sample, its a bit sharp. I so far i smell no wood or leather either but hopefully they will appear. I was concerned that the solid perfume sample wouldnt smell the same as the liquid, i guess ive learnt an important lesson here; not all wax sample smell the same as the liquid perfume.

Could have been called Daim Blond 2 or soft Daim Blond. Not that Boxeuses has less "body" but it feels more airy and less wintery than Daim Blond. Both have that fruity/leather theme: DB with apricot and B with plum. DB has more spice going on and is creamier. I find B to be more blended than DB, but it's just those contrasts in DB that make it so interesting. Very good, if Daim Blond hadn't so successfully walked that path before. It's not the first time Serge Lutens revisits past themes, let's not forget he opened his Palais Royal store with 4 variations on Féminité du Bois. There are many sister fragrances in the line: Arabie/El Attarine, Iris Silver Mist/Bas de Soie, Fleurs d'Oranger/Fleurs de Citronier... Often giving the choice between a brighter or darker version.

Sweet, woody, powdery opening. A blend of something camphorous over a tart-sweet base. The tartness *smells* like it comes from the leather! After checking the notes I'm guessing that this is the plum. After the first few minutes where there are many competing notes it smooths out into a soft spiciness with a gentle hint of soft leather. About a half hour in seems to actually intensify and get spicier. The rest of the dry down is very subtle and close to the skin, still spicy with a hint of tangy leather- low longevity and sillage. I have to agree with other commenters that this is a pretty run-of-the-mill fragrance for the house. Pleasant and agreeable.