De Profundis

funerary tears of joy. misty haze hangs over pastoral mum meadows, angelic auspice of humility found in asteraceae. ficin-stained fingers twiddling pensively under fig trees. verdant stems as ampullae for unction. agapeistic reliquary of agate, shielding mauve bulbs matching pew poppyheads. "where there is sorrow there is holy ground," declared oscar wilde in his letters from prison. a flower pushing past frostbitten topsoil—at last: fertile land! de profundis nods to both wilde and the impassioned cries of psalm 130. contrary to popular opinion on the fragrance and its namesake, de profundis is far from nihilistic or dreadful. mournful, heartbroken, and wistful? undoubtedly. yet the suffering is not without meaning. translated to "out of the depths," in latin, de profundis embodies the experience of persevering through pain, using it to emerge anew; molted and abluted. while certainly austere, the tenderness of downy chrysanthemum and sweet violet breathe life into once-barren grounds. winter turns to spring, and the fragrance opens with dewdrops and damp soil, unmistakably cold and solemn. violet leaf gently reigns throughout the opening, lending an ozonic and watery quality that violet flowers themselves lack, along with a fougère-like lavender. white snow reflects light in all directions, slowly melting to reveal white lilies and wildflowers scattered in the grass. the mineralic qualities of violet leaf and peat enhance the subtly spiced greenness of chrysanthemum, soft and tea-like, sometimes reminiscent of hay. what soon follows is a ray of sunshine casting a warm glow over a meadow of sweet powdered violets, reminding me of choward's mints and valentine candy hearts—sentimental and safe no matter past heartache. the fragrant bouquet of flowers contained within the glass flacon twirls in perpetual motion: lighter notes of lily and rose take turns dancing at the top, while chrysanthemum and warm carnation wash over each other like waves on a bed of violet. lilies lie cold and creamy, fresh out of a funeral home lobby, fitting right in with the dew, powder, and greenness of the rest of the composition; though managing to retain the delightful iconic, spicy creaminess the flower is known for. the rose is green and thorny, making me feel as though touching my wrist could prick my finger. fresh figs fall from spindly trees, oozing white sap, their honeyed pink pulp insides eager to be eaten. somewhere between berries, peaches, and grass, the ripe mediterranean delight pops is subtle but noticeable, offering decadent juiciness. a hint of incense permeates the base, yet not smoky or dense; rather, it is the uplifting scent of frankincense and myrrh combined. pure resins burning and bubbling, flooding the air with their balmy smell. such beauty, all surrounded by slate tombstones and raindrops! such beauty, all surrounded by flowers and fruit! de profundis is not only light in the darkness, it is light because of the darkness! it is because of the winter that spring is such cause for celebration. "as long as i'm alive, so is my death," says oncle serge. the american listing for de profundis describes it as a "satirical nod to death," while the french site states it is "a joyous stroll through the cemetery. the latter description could not be more accurate in conveying the mood of the satin-smooth chrysanthemum nectar, showing astutely keen awareness of the emotional depth of the fragrance and its inspirations. the indigo juice in the classic lutens bell jar indeed matches the aura of the scent itself: as delicate as bird bones yet as intense as a wounded glare, not totally dark nor light. as the scent progresses further, hours into the dry-down, the creaminess is amplified and the flowers begin to wilt, becoming more indolic as the edges of their petals curl. a tea-party on a wine-colored velvet blanket. songs for de profundis: the privilege by parenthetical girls, a system of pulleys by rise and fall of a decade, decay by twice a man.

Flowers in the cold rain, blooming where time freezes. An elegy for Wilde. This De profundis completely abandoned the fullness that SL was proud of in the past, and abandoned the rich elements and layers. Perfumers try to illustrate the picture of the scent they want to express with a simple structure. De profundis' emotional delivery was successful. This success is inseparable from the mysterious color of the liquid. Lots of pigments. It is more emotional than rational. I think it can be used as a reference, how SL designs perfume atmosphere. De profundis is a great example that implies a point worth exploring - how does De profundis present the situation? Wilde, who likes to read poetry should be familiar, the name of the perfume is very interesting, De profundis, is a long letter written by the writer Wilde in prison. It is not difficult to imagine that the content of De profundis should be more spiritual. At this time, Wilde in the shadow of death. In 1905, De profundis was published after Wilde's death. De profundis is not Gothic. I thought this perfume would be as complex and melancholy as its name and story, but De profundis is so clear. A small amethyst, a teardrop that fell in the cold winter, hangs on the bare branches. De profundis is far away from the hustle and bustle of the world. I have known De profundis for a long time. I had already smelled De profundis before I knew violets, the properties of this raw material. I bought a book. On a certain page, there is a chapter on De profundis. Just because of that. I am determined to find it. The chrysanthemums are clean and cool, the broken violets and carnations are rolled up, and the smell is twisted into a trickle, flowing in the heart. Having been in contact with other violets, I know better that De profundis' violet practices are different from the violets I have smelled and collected. So far, it seems that no one is similar to it and cannot be replaced. The violets of De profundis are cool, thin, translucent and clean. The fine powder forms the base, and the violet leaves are as sharp as metal. In the darkness, a little bit of emerald green is faintly visible. Violet, or... methyl ionone has woody properties. De profundis highlights the fragility and pallor of the violet, and by placing these features in passages that I can identify, I begin to understand De profundis. Pale moon, dark night. Float on the blue-purple water, relax, and let the soul sink, sink deeper, into a lightless place. Closing your eyes, silence surrounds your body. In an instant, all consciousness was lost. A wisp of incense burns, the lamp that symbolizes life goes out. A handful of damp soil, buried under the ruined chamomile petals. It turns out that death is also beautiful. Open De profundis in my memory. The attitude is solitary and extraordinary. Now I feel more serene and subtle, refreshing. Three years later, I have changed, but De profundis is still De profundis. The sad romance of De profundis is restrained. The expression is tactful, but without losing the charm. That's its charm.

I have reacquainted myself with Serge Lutens perfume house after disliking some of his florals in the past . Some were too hard hitting with complex resinous, spices and edgy notes for faint heartened me. However ,in the last two months , I have amassed 7 bottles (and counting ) from his simpler and more linear range . I just couldn’t get enough of his tamer floral scents. Proof there is a market for everyone . SL De Profundis’s name grabbed me , together with the outstanding but rather dark and grim reviews. I wanted to feel the experience this fragrance evoked in others . ( After trying on both my husband and myself , we didn’t get any melancholic elements from the scent ) Serge Lutens rarely provides a list of notes so it’s a bit of a guessing game to what De Profundis contains. With the help of various other fragrance platforms, the following could be a broader list :- Chrysanthemum , dahlia, violets, lilies, peony, chamomile, hay, incense , woods , green notes , ISO E Super and earthy notes On my skin, it opens to a cool, delicate bouquet of flowers - possibly the florals mentioned like the Lilies, violets, even light roses and lilacs .it is smothered by a very potent incense /spicy note ( could it be the sharpness/ bitterness from the chrysanthemums? )which I’m not fond of . It has a chilly feel to the fragrance which could possibly be the super floralizer and the green notes . There is also a very subtle, wet earth aroma mixed in . Chrysanthemums are the core base of this fragrance . The incense is rather sweet , not church like smoke and very predominant for an hour . There is also a lot of soapiness underlying the mix but it’s very pleasant . At arms length , this fragrance is also quite powdery but when I dig my nose into the scent , it’s artistry comes alive . I smell the entire forest on my skin . 💓 As the scent progresses , it becomes woodier . White woods, hay and possibly creamy vanilla with a hint of soap . This is a very subtle part of the fragrance journey . I feel De Profundis is effortlessly elegant, spellbinding and captivating . On my skin , it’s quite potent and longevity is over 7 hours . This is not a diva like floral or even a pure floral . As one reviewer mentioned - the fragrance also envelops the whole meadow and adjoining forest , from the earth to the green stems to the suede, buttery woods . ( how beautiful 💓) I am so glad I got a decant . Just saving up for the full bottle when I next go to Paris . Overall , I have to say once the incense / astringent notes subsided I found this fragrance stunning and very wearable compared to a lot of reviewers comments . That’s a lot coming from faint hearted me . My hubbie and I, both agreed that De Profundis’s subtle elegance and powdery florals made this scent appropriate for any occasion .

Reviewers has connected Christopher Sheldrake's De Profundis to the omonimous letter that Oscar Wilde wrote during his imprisonment in the Reading Gaol. Please, note that he was there because found guilty of gross indecency (that was the legal term used) and NOT sodomy. The Real Court would have never attached that word to an artist of Wilde's caliber, while still recognized his culpability. The title of the letetr was chosen by the journalist Rober Ross (one of Wilde's lover) entrusted with the letter's manuscript. There, Wilde reflects on his life as an artist and religion, while the theme of death seems minor. But if we look at Psalm 130, then we may find Serge Luten's inspiration for De Profundis: Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. .... But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. The Psalm seems saying that when facing death, we hope for a merciful God who will forgive all our sins (including sodomy). Lutens wrote: "When death steals into our midst, its breath flutters through the black crepe of mourning, nips at funeral wreaths and crucifixes, and ripples through the gladiola, chrysanthemums and dahlias. If they end up in garlands in the Holy Land or the Galapagos Islands or on flower floats at the Annual Nice Carnival, so much the better! What if the hearse were taking the deceased, surrounded by abundant flourish, to a final resting place in France, and leading altar boys, priest, undertaker, beadle and gravediggers to some sort of celebration where they could indulge gleefully in vice? Now that would be divine! This is ironic take on death (and religion?): we can indulge in sins becuase at the end of our life we will be forgiven. Hence the chrisanthemum, the flower of death, turns into a bouquet of other flowers like those depicted in the cover of BUR editor cover of De Profundis. The scent opens up with a huge dose of galbanum accompanied by a note of soil tincture. A dewy, cold-green-spice chrysanthemums is the center of the show until it turns into trembling, damp, fragile violets which announce rebirth. Carnations, a little bit of hyacint (still noticable), a muguet accord, and some ionones from iris complete the transformation of the crysantemum (death) to spring (rebirth). All accompanied by wiff of incense. My top three Luntes! follow me on IG @alexolympia6

Our psyches are strange things, aren’t they? How it is we associate things like some pretty, principally neutral, evocative little flowers to emotions ranging from elation to melancholy must get engraved into our subconscious so early on we cannot come close to perceiving or fathoming the sudden emotional bias. Or, are neurochemicals at work here, triggering something deeply built-in to the evolutionarily ancient parts of our brains. De Profundis encourages us to consider an alternate interpretation of what we “know”. If you haven’t already, read the Lutens press brief for the perfume; it’s one of the more beautiful pieces of (purple) prose from the brand. Chrysanthemum is the star of this bouquet, supposedly, flanked by hyacinths, carnations, violets, muguet, and irises via orris. It’s an achingly gorgeous bouquet. There is a density and a complexity that brings an emotional weight, like a knot in the pit of your stomach. De Profundis pulls incredible notes of all types together in a perfectly balanced and seamless union. Vivid colors of white and purple, fleshy, sweet, sharp but well-rounded galbanum notes, unctuous, musty, cold, a bit peppery, a touch citrusy, a bit chalky and starchy, and ever so slightly earthy. There’s so much to this perfume that you can’t really corroborate any of these florals are actually there when you put your mind to it. If we could twist Serge’s arm, he would probably say that’s correct. As to the note of earthiness, I find the most striking part of this perfume working to execute the brief: wetness. I don’t believe calones or dihydromyrcenol are here as there isn’t anything ozonic or salty that I am picking up - who knows with this massive amalgam - but there is something wet, like you are smelling these flowers after a beautiful spring rain. There’s life here, not death. In all of their heavy fleshiness, these blooms have energy and vitality. They ask, “why should I make you weep? Sit with me, and wonder at the beauty.” Incense comes through in the dry down to bring forth not feelings of sadness, happiness, or even spirituality, but contentedness. What is, is, and what will be, will be. “From the depths” indeed. The depths of this perfume are limitless. Stunning work.

Wow, this is beautiful. Don't expect this to be your typical floral fragrance, though. It’s green, earthy, and bittersweet, with a mood and presence all its own. It's not mass-appealing, but if you love the smell of nature, you're not gonna need it to be. This is the kind of scent you wear for yourself, not others. It’s unapologetically artistic. The chrysanthemum accord takes center stage, and I get why it divides people. It doesn’t smell like your average bouquet; it’s leafy, bitter, and herbal, almost more plant than flower. But it’s beautifully balanced. I know this might sound a little nerdy, but I swear I’m picking up on a good amount of Methyl Ionone Gamma here, which gives the violet note more presence than people give it credit for. It adds this soft, powdery, slightly sweet vibe that complements the green bitterness really well. It smoothes out the harsh edges of the chrysanthemum without taking over. There’s also a wet soil note lingering in the background that sounds weird on paper but fits surprisingly well. The greenery and chrysanthemum sort of camouflage it, turning what could’ve been an off-putting dirtiness into something that just feels natural, like walking through a garden after rain. Performance-wise, it’s pretty subtle. I get around 5-6 hours with fairly weak projection, but honestly, I'm okay with that. This fragrance isn’t trying to be loud or attention-seeking at all. It feels meditative and peaceful. The name “De Profundis” suggests sadness, but I actually find this uplifting in a way. The dewy green notes and violet add an unexpected brightness that just makes me feel better when I wear it. This isn't one of those addictive scents that makes you constantly sniff your wrist. It’s more about the vibe and the atmosphere it's creating. This is the definition of a niche fragrance. It's obvious from the first spray that this wasn't made to turn heads or get compliments. It’s poetic without being pretentious. And sometimes, that’s all you really need. Scent (on skin): 6.5/10 Scent (sillage): 7/10 Projection: 3.5/10 Longevity: 4.5/10 Value: 4.5/10 Originality: 9/10 Mass appeal: 3.5/10 Versatility: 7.5/10

After many months of searching, I finally managed to get my hands on the bel jar version of De Profundis. The first time I have tried this perfume was from the Grate Ciel bottle. It was a peculiar one at first. Maybe because it seemed to me that it is not as evocative of a Cemetery, and the whole idea of Damnation. It felt rather floral and cheerful. More like a daylight stroll in a cemetery during spring when all nature is in bloom. Later on, I have heard about the rumors regarding the reformulation and decided to dig deeper. Eventually got a Vapo tout Noire and the scent was exactly as the Grate Ciel version. Still a lovely perfume, but not what I wanted. So the search for the bell jar began. Now that I finally scored one and did side-by-side comparisons, I can definitely say that the rumors are true regarding the reformulation, and the struggle to find a bell jar is well worth it. I am not a reformulation conspiracist, however, De Profundis has been changed after being moved from the bell jar. The Bell jar version features prominent notes and accords of green, earth, incense, and then florals, mainly chrysanthemum. I cannot identify the violet nor the plum blossom in this one. It definitely feels morose, melancholic, cold. That chrysanthemum note that pops behind the green-earthy-incensy landscape almost tries to cheer up the atmosphere, like a slight glimpse of hope. It feels like an acceptance of death, an acceptance of sorrow. I still think Iris Silver Mist is colder and sadder. Iris Silver Mist is sorrow that has not been accepted yet. Only tears, whereas De Profundis feels like a smile and embrace after the realization of death and the end. In comparison, I find the Vapo tout Noir version, as well as the subsequent Grate Ciel, to be more about the florals, less about the soil, cold incense, and grass. The Violet is amped up to the point where I find it to take over the Chrysanthemum, and the plum blossom is also perceivable. It does not evoke as strong a feeling to me as the bell jar version, although I still believe it is beautiful. Just too happy, more mainstream, and less poetic than the original.

I feel like my fragrance vocabulary is too elementary to be able to describe my thoughts on this fragrance, but I will try. The bitter opening very quickly subdues into a soft and moist green accord with a floral slant. People often describe green fragrances as rainforest-floor-like and I have a hard time reconciling the thought of that smell with a fragrance smell. De Profundis is not that. There’s a smoothness to it that reminds me of the feeling I detect in Comme Des Garcon’s Amazingreen, but that’s where the comparison ends. The soil tincture note I thought would have been off putting however I don’t detect what smells like a forest floor, rather a grounding earthiness. Nothing sombre or melancholy about this fragrance so far. The chrysanthemum is apparent at the beginning but slowly subsides into a wonderful floral aspect combined with the violet. The incense is barely a whisper. Just enough to enhance the hauntingly beautiful feel of this fragrance based on the brief. However, as the fragrance develops, the incense makes itself softly known in a way I can’t describe. I’ve typically shied from incense notes as they are usually bound to heavy ambers. A few hours in and there is a wonderful ebb and flow between chrysanthemum, incense and a soft green waft. So complex and takes you on a bit of a journey. De Profundis is in a league of its own. At one point a waft subtly reminded me of the greenness of Corsica Furiosa by Parfum’s d’Empire, but chalk and cheese. Frederic Malle’s Synthetic Jungle is not even in the same ballpark. I think I’ve also seen it compared to Durga by DS & Durga, but apart from the chrysanthemum note there is not much in common. If you put the brief aside, this is a magical perfume. Spectacularly complex and well blended. And when you consider the brief in conjunction with the perfume, it is a pure work of art that conjures deep contemplation and an element of contentment for life itself. Very wearable. An absolute masterpiece and I don’t say that lightly.

he bad thing about the Gratteciel is that we cannot see the colour of the juice which is a paramount experience in smelling a Lutens. In this case, the juice is purple bright and as a matter of fact, the scent evokes more the timid violet for me than the mournful and doulful chrysanthemum. De Profundis opens on my skin with a fragile, haunting and delicate bouquet of flowers. There is chrysanthemum with violets, green notes, white lilies and sweet, wet earth. Lurking at the edges are the peonies, chamomile flowers, incense and green notes. The chrysanthemums are the core base but, at this stage, the top notes really smell (in order) like white lilies, violets, delicate, light roses, and purple lilacs. The incense is interesting because it doesn’t feel like churchy smoke but, rather, more like something sweet. Perhaps, myrrh with its lighter touch. The violet accord is the same used in Vitriol d'Oeillet; it is powdery enought and very sweet, but here the sweetness is balanced by the moist soil accord. De Profundis is, at the start, a slightly cool fragrance; it’s almost chilly in its delicacy. As time passes, however, the floral aroma becomes stronger, more robust, almost as if the flowers have fully bloomed in the sunlight. The dew has evaporated, the petals unfurled, and the meadow floor comes to life with earthy softness, light smoke, and every bit of green around. The peony and dahlia combination adds some warmth to the dryness of the chrysanthemum and to the coolness of the lily notes. As the incense recedes, the bouquet feels even sweeter. De Profundis is not a bouquet of flowers but, rather, the whole meadow and adjoining forest — from the earth to the green stems to the suede, buttery woods. It’s a discreet, unobtrusive, but haunting scent, and I think a very wearable one, too. It is introverted, haunting, slightly melancholy, cool fragrance that is always elegant. It truly evokes purple twilight and Spring flowers. IG @alexolympia6

De Profundis makes me feel a certain kind of way. I can not explain it. I spent a few days with a sample from Grate Ceil bottle, and if it's true what they say about the bell jar, I do not want to experience it, ever. Not for the lack of beauty that De Profundis is, but for the sheer devastation that it carries underneath it all. On the day of receiving the sample in the mail, I woke up in pretty good spirits, which is rare since I suffer from depression and anxiety. In the early afternoon, I decided to use one spray on my forearm, but that was uneventful. I could not smell anything at all, at which point I was relieved, considering the price point. Late afternoon comes, curiosity gets the better of me. I shower and spray a single spray on my neck. And everything starts rolling downhill from there... I am nowhere near skilled enough when it comes to words to be able to describe my experience with this perfume. I wish I was... Does it smell like death? God, no. Does it smell like a cemetery? I don't happen to think it does. I spent a lot of time in a cemetery back in Europe, carrying chrysanthemums and arranging them on my grandfather's grave. They never smelt like this, and De Profundis is far from being a soliflore of a chrysanthemum flower. There is so much going on at once; it is warm and it is cold, it gets pretty and it turns ugly, it's sheer happiness and utter devastation, all at once. And it is this complete mess of unknown that started to bring me down that afternoon, until I hit a complete bottom and stopped talking and caring, and observing and listening. I just wallowed in this once-in-a-lifetime work of art until it wore off some 8 hours later and I was finally able to sleep. The next morning, I sprayed again.

De Profundis opens with photo-realistic chrysanthemums, green, slightly spicy and musty. To me, it doesn't smells like the white, small varieties for tea, but the lively, colourful, big ones in the gardens. Violet gradually increases its volume, and dominates after about 1 hour. The clean, dewy, earthy aroma of soil tincture contrasts with the delicate, slightly powdery violet, rendering the scent a crystalline quality, which actually matches the transparent purple juice quite well. The incense is very discreet, only to complement the sweetness of violet. There is also a metallic clang of aldehyde, bringing in an intriguing dissonance, albeit barely discernable. The violet eventually recedes into an abstract floral scent after about 4 hours, which, combined with the greenness of chrysanthemum, conjures up a vivid image of florist shop. The smooth woody base and a plum-like tartness also become more detectable afterwards, leaving an envelopping trail on the skin. Despite the backstory and the cutural reference of chrysanthemum, De Profundis doesn't feel painfully melancholic to me, as the flowers in it feel alive to me. It's like the first blossoms of early spring, the fragile petals unfurling above the grey dead land of the past winter. Although De Profundis feels ethereal and sits close to skin, it's not that fleeting and the longevity is around 10 hours on me. Putting personal experiences aside, I think De Profundis is a quite interesting fragrance of chrysanthemum and violet. It's a very beautiful fragrance with subtle dissonances, introspective but relatively wearable among Serge Lutens portofolio. I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.

The opening to this fragrance, you instantly get depressed, feeling dark. A smooth smell of Chrysanthemums aka mums. Mums are commonly used for flowers for funeral precessions, and it’s pretty spot on. They’re beautiful flowers that smell very nice but can bring back some harsh memories if you’ve spent more time to be desired at funerals. Wearing this throughout the day, for the most part, you’ll smell the flowery mum note. Violet is there but no where near like Le Labo’s Iris 39. A little bit of a greenery note as well. It’s very odd, I have not noticed yet, but others are saying that there’s a soil bottom note to this fragrance that really is the cherry on top of this whole fragrance. Basically a whole wake and then to the end where you’re dropped down forever, never to be seen again. Props to Serge Lutens. This fragrance also reminds me of the TV show, Six Feet Under. Go figure. Fantastic show and would definitely recommend. Might have to rewatch it due to this fragrance. I’m in fear of wearing this specific fragrance to bed. I just feel like dreams could visualize scents and build a small visual around them. As if you were to attend your own funeral, watching yourself there. Who would come to visit? Who would show that they cared about you wishing you were still here? What would you be dressed in? If you want to have an interesting scent to try, and also cherish life at the same time, try it. It’s not for everyone, but it’s definitely for someone. I personally love it, but can’t wear it too often. Also the longevity is alright, nothing to die for. (Heh) It really makes you think, much more than any other fragrance has made me thought.

De Profundis is one of those perfumes that, upon applying it, tempts me to take my arm and just sweep everything else off of my dresser (but I won't do that, it's just a fun image that popped into my head)! I must guard this sample, because it will be a while before I can bring one home (definitely worth the price). If this is supposed to make me think of somber reflection in a graveyard, then yes it does that. However, it has something in it that I find uplifting, too. I can't wait to visit. I will bring a few bottles of wine, some flowers, and various fun things to snack on, and find a shady place to sit near tombstones, so I can absorb the stillness, finality and coolness of the place. It makes me hope that some wandering spirits will sit by me, for wine and conversation (I'll bring extra glasses. I do this! Whenever I stay at a "haunted" hotel, I always leave a glass of wine out for the spirit-person), and will tell me a bit about their lives. If this is supposed to remind me of a graveyard, then I want this to always perfume the air in my tomb. I want opera music playing, and I want lots of funny sayings carved in Latin on the walls in the room where my coffin/urn will be. Sayings like: "I hear you knocking but you can't come in," etc. Wearing De Profundis actually lifts my spirits. It makes me want to be happy, to rejoice. I can't even describe how it smells, it is just other-worldly to me. It projects a soft aura, but doesn't slap me in the face. This is a work of art, truly. I must give a nod to Miss Picky, whose review is most excellent.

In spite of all its funereal associations, De Profundis emits glimmers of hope through its wet, leafy plaintiveness. Grief and joy are two sides of the same great token of life, one needing the other, to constitute strong emotion, both healing blockages, albeit in very different circumstances. The scent of dewy, cold-green-spice chrysanthemums and damp, trembling violets, they represent to me the fragility, the tenuousness of life, yet they also grow forth from firm ground. Walking on this firm ground, we move forward in time for as long as we can, even as we may say our sorrowful goodbyes, not only to those whom we've lost, but to our own youth and times that may have seemed more simple. We face the profound (!) with grace, like the new shoots of springtime, the green and new, even as we age and reflect. The cycle persists, and it's realized we are a part of it. The soil is made up of the organic matter of all that was born, lived, and died. Trees reach up to the heavens, seeming invincible and immortal, yet they, too, will meet their demise one day. The wafts of incense smoke, markers of devotion, representing our unique awareness as humans of our own mortality, and we hope and we pray, for no end to consciousness, even as the truth of impermanence creeps in with each season. This may seem like just another well-executed blue and green earthy floral to some, but this one hits hard for me. Yet there is such comfort in wearing it, and it's a reminder to honor loss, grief and sorrow, while celebrating the gift that is life to begin with.

My daddy passed in July and a review of this perfume caught my attention. In trying to transform my grief to beauty I ordered a sample. It is a deep mid summer night perfume. Not what I expected at all. My world changed on the first spray. The comfort of a thousand soft petals descended like multicoloured harp notes in the mist. An opening of pure delight and comfort. Soft and abundant as the tear drops that fall with every loss. It turned my experience of death into a glamours film. As the perfume dies down ( a few hours later) I get an elusive whiff of earthy soil laced with what I can only describe as blood. Like the dark brooding feminine searching for light in the moon. This should be repulsive but it is not! I search for it by breathing deeply and no it is just heavenly flowers. I check again and there it is. An undercurrent of the grief flowing in the veins. Like when you smile and say Im fine but your heart has shattered into a hundred purple fragments. That moment when with a list of busy things to do you stop and inhale the scent of a flower into the centre of your heart and that second expands beyond the drudgery of a day to something eternal. And you smile. De Profundis is the smile. I feel so good when I wear it. Like a person who has understood the pain and shadows of life therefore can shine the light of life even brighter. The harp notes ascend again beyond the mundane. Even with the sample, this has, become my all time favourite perfume..................I want the Purple Bell Jar!

Just an update on my previous review, I just had to say , living in Australia which is such a new country , we don’t have the customs of using specific flowers like chrysanthemums and lilies for funerals . Maybe it is used , but I haven’t been party to any funerals that have . The ones I have been to , we displayed the individual’s favourite flowers instead . With regards to cemeteries, I haven’t visited any. I also haven’t delved deep into the meaning of the fragrance by Serge Lutens perfume house . Hence , the feeling of the fragrance didn’t evoke any melancholic or nostalgic connotations when I used the scent . Our memories are formed by all our senses so I totally understand what De Profundis represents to everyone , individually . I have read nearly every review and what experience and memory it evoked. So personal and beautiful 🙏. I just wanted to put it out there , that I found this fragrance, to me , on a whole to be a predominately soapy floral. Like one reviewer commented , it smelt like an Edwardian luxury soap and I get that . Elegantly pretty and powdery with nuances of earth, wood and spices adorning the fragrances at various times . However , I am now wondering what emotions I would evoke if smelt by others whilst I’m wearing it . Hmm , would they then view my presence differently . Cold , sombre , unapproachable ? I wear my perfumes for myself so I really don’t care but it’s just food for thought 🧐. I might just test it out with family , friends and the public .

De Profundis is more of an experience, a mood than a traditional "perfume" to scent ones self, or to wear to attract the opposite sex. How to describe this. In terms of notes, scents...? I was treated to a rather puzzling, & brisk opening, that smelled to me like the Mums in the fall. Slightly astringent, strongly floral & green, along with the impression of cold air. The brisk scent of Fall Mums retreats, and in its wake, there is left a veil of violet, which I can surprisingly enjoy for the first time in a perfume. Here, it is used with tasteful restraint, to impart a sense of a "veil" over the entire composition. Indeed like a widows veil. A soft chiffon or silk textured deep haze is cast, but within lies a trail of smoke leading to the altar. The last, violet impression of smoke, the memory of it lingering in the church long vacated by all warm bodies, all but you. Alone with your thoughts, senses overcast by the veil of mourning. Incense, the last petals of the flowers from the service, forgotten on the floor. The stones now cold, the incense now but ash, the candles do not burn. Only your memories. There are many reviews here I think I fall in line with. This perfume is deep & moody, violet & hazy. It evokes my memories of the church yards in fall, full of mums, cold air & the perfect, reflective loneliness that only the graveyard can offer. This perfume is a poem for the nose. Simply. A melancholy, beautiful, deeply reflective poem in scent.

A masterclass in perfumery. Before I got my nose on this, I was quite skeptical of how good it’d be because floral-forward fragrances are either a hit or a miss for me 50/50. However, the presence of dark green soil & incense notes in this really had me intrigued. Between this, Iris Silver Mist, and Fille en Aguilles, I was ready to jump on them as soon as I found a good deal online. Lo and behold, I found a bottle on Mercari for a pretty decent deal. It isn’t the bell jar but I liked the tall black bottles better anyway. A lot of people (mainly goths) describing this as an austere, ghostly, gothic type of fragrance, I find this quite perfect to wear in a beautiful, sunny, breezy spring day. The green, stemmy notes wrap around the perfectly blended chrysanthemum, with just a whisper of earthiness, but not enough for it to be a main characteristic of the fragrance. It then dries down to a very sophisticated violet still hidden among a pile of dewy leaves. At first I thought the drydown smelled very similar to La Religeuse also from Serge Lutens, but with more wears, it blows La Religeuse out of the water with that extra green note. It also pairs beautifully with something like Arso from Profumum Roma and Tam Dao EDP from Diptyque. It stands on it’s own for sure, but layered with other masterpieces makes this one magical. Highly recommended for someone who can rock the vibes. Of my 100+ bottles, this sits firmly in the Top 10.

Just amazing and wonderful. A beautiful dewy green chrysanthemum and plum fragrance. I dont pick up on the soil notes, and the powderiness is kept minimal. The incense is unlit (which i prefer, i dont really like smoke in my perfume) and the plum isnt sweet. Its more watery and crisp, without smelling too fresh and sharp. The greenness is dewy and young/fresh. Its not rotten, damp, moldy or sickening at all. I dont see the funeral comparison mainly because im not familiar with western funerals. In turkey we plant cypresses, roses and fragrant white irises on top of the casket, which is why those scents remind me more of funerals. The soil notes is also not detectable to my nose so i think that also takes away from the funeral vibes The scent as a whole is cold and ‘misty’, but never sharp or fresh. Its herbal and green, almost like an old fashioned apothecary. Very unique and very beautiful. There arent a lot of chrysanthemum perfumes out there, and this isnt really a soliflore pure chrysanthemum scent. But it does evoke the feelings chrysanthemums bring me and it definitely plays a major role here. Its not bitter but it somehow manages to be medicinal (in the best ways). Signature scent worthy and i dont really see it being offensive to anyone. 10/10 perfume but not suitable for hot sunny days. Perfect for fall and winter

I finally got a sample of this ethereal and magical scent. Now to try and find something different to say that all the other reviewers didn't. It's hard. It is a soft, cold, cloudy day perfume. The nicest chrysanthemum fragrance I've tried. It does not smell like a funeral. It smells like the fall mums that you plant in your garden. You get the living green notes as well as the flowers. On me the violet is non-existent. It isn't really sad. It's soft and quiet. Like standing outside in a garden on a gray fall day and thinking silently. Nothing moves or stirs. Everything just "is". I'm afraid that if I keep smelling it I will come to need this for the dark half of the year. Most "spring" fragrances can be worn year round with little effort. Not de Profundis. It needs the cold and gray weather. It would clash with bright sunlight and warmth. Spring energy isn't what this is about. If you are lucky enough to get this you will happily find that it is soft enough to wear to work without alerting the whole office or classroom. People will have to get closer to you to get a good whiff of it. They will probably ask you what it is. I don't think this would be a good blind buy. Get a sample first to see if you agree with it and it agrees with you.