Jeux de Peau

Jeux de Peau from Serge Lutens, composed by Christopher Sheldrake. Undisputedly my all-time favorite gourmand perfume. Not a fragrance family I gravitate toward, but there is a handful of them that manage to offer that savory/gourmand olfactory experience while remaining mature, cleverly done, sophisticated, unique, and complex enough so I never get bored wearing them, or should I say, get a sugar crash. This one goes far beyond the savory theme rendered so well that I will go to say that is the most complex Serge Lutens perfume on my skin, and I have tried and owned almost all. Linearity is a foreign concept here. This brings me to the name itself, which in French means "skin games." I often questioned the choice of words, thinking of a plethora of more suitable titles, yet now I see how the pun was placed and agree that it is an aptly chosen name. The major theme of the perfume is the smell inside of a French Boulangerie, aka Bakery. Think of freshly baked bread and warm croissants. And it spans further to wheat, flour, yeast, butter, and warm milk. All of that is encompassed in this composition and rendered to perfection. The aroma of barley and bread is among my favorites. I don't eat a lot, but I sure love the smell. I searched high and low, sampled many compositions that promised to deliver that olfactory experience, and stopped at Jeux de Peau. Not only does it present that "vision" accurately, but somehow stretches that accord throughout the life of the perfume such that it never loses its identity but builds on it and adds intricate nuances. As mentioned, this perfume offers a slightly different experience of my skin each time and seems to depend on how much I apply or my body temperature. Smelling it close or in the air will also unveil slightly different facets. I like to term this type of olfactory structure as "prismatic" or "in spades," where the structure, or the main thread, is consistent, but different nuances emerge under certain conditions and at different times without a set progression. As opposed to the classical top-heart-base linear build and evolution. Consequently, Jeaux de Peau is constantly playing games on my skin. It feels like having breakfast in the same bakery shop every morning, yet each day the game of flavors and circumstances are slightly different. The bread/barley accord dominates. It is the canvas that Sheldrake built and on which he strikes various elements at different times. The opening is a tour-de-force in terms of facets unveiled simultaneously. I pick up the anise, even some artemisia that calls back Douce Amère, a delightfully savory and crispy saltiness, and faint herbal nuances. Shortly after, the bread accord holds its ground for a while with only the salty facet playing along, in crescendo, at times. Later, the soft herbaceous elements get through with the everlasting flower and the fruity osmanthus. Then, it transitions from bread and butter (main course) to the dessert served as croissants with apricot jam and steaming warm milk on the side. I love the way Osmanthus announces the apricot accord, in an almost logical fashion, just as the buttery texture introduces the milky one later. The latter makes me think of Dries van Noten from Frederic Malle and how the milk acord is showcased there through a heavy use of Sulfurol. It makes me wonder if Sheldrake decided to opt for a similar material in this case, however, it feels more poised and carefully dosed to the point where the "meaty" and "nutty" qualities are omitted. Finally, the sandalwood base becomes ever more tangible as the hours go by, and still, I would never think of it as a woody, let alone sandalwood perfume. The material is put to great use but never claims its presence with enough authority. It feels like the tabletop or the wooden cutting boards were made of it but no more than that. One last thing I want to mention is that the sweetness never feels overbearing, jovial, or excessive, as some have mentioned. I believe the perfume is brilliantly balanced and that the herbaceous, and most importantly, the salty facets, help to keep the sweetness in check at all times. I would say it feels more savory than sweet. Therefore, people who don't like their perfumes excessively sweet (I sure don't) should still sample Jeux de Peau. Especially if you enjoy the smell of wheat/bread, the idea of smelling like a Boulangerie, or just curious to try something utterly unique and evocative that bears all the trademarks of why this house is donned by many as the "parent of niche perfumery" as it came to be. IG:@memory.of.scents

It seems everyone has a personal story with Jeux de Peau, and I'm sorry to say that I am no different! For years, I tiptoed around acquiring a sample, I found the price to be outrageous, honestly. But, something eventually brought me to my knees and I purchased a decant along with three other Lutenses. I was originally drawn to the decadent notes pyramid, but over time I even became obsessed with the satisfying gradient on the "main accords" section. These colors pleased me to no end. When the envelope arrived, I was about a week out from my trip to San Antonio. I was split between pursuing different art forms and I told myself, "by the time I get back from Texas, I'll know what I want to do next." It's by no surprise that the second I stepped on my first layover flight that I knew what I wanted to do. Anyways, around 11:00 that night I rolled into bed at the airbnb, tired from a day of travel, with Jeux de Peau all over my zip up from my local brewery. So Jeux de Peau reminds me of a lot of things. It reminds me of when I fell in love with music, when I found Emmylou Harris, and when I first played my classical guitar and never wanted to put it down. It reminds me of the violet color of twilight Texas skies, the warm and dry April breeze, and the type of zen only achieved during flying at night. It opens with pulpy milk and dries down to an almost savory sandalwood. Upon first spray, it does give the impression of wheat in its golden and tall form, mixed in a giant pot of milk, doughy and starchy. Shortly after, spices trickle in and permeate the recipe, the bakers are mixing all the dry ingredients in. The final stage is nothing less than perfection. A dawn's rays on your face, a warm hug from someone you've missed for so long, and an excuse to wear the sunflower-yellow dress in your closet. Smelling this on your skin, your jacket, your blouse is heavenly. The various loaves and pastries of this batch are cooling on the counter, angelic choir overhead. I can't forget about Jeux de Peau and at this point, I'll be mumbling it when I'm old and can no longer find the right words. It is so special to me and one day that bell jar will be mine, resting next to my guitar picks and capo. I will dab it on my wrists and collar before meeting those I love and before letting my voice be heard in a major key. I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham... you get it.

An amazingly three dimensional fragrance, Jeux de Peau is laitonic, coumarin-creamy, coconutty and unlike anything I've ever experienced - a full-bodied gourmand sensory overload: it smells intoxicating, delectable and delicious with a warm, woody foundation - I think what fascinates me about this is it delights the senses - all of them, especially taste and smell. Tantalising. Almost edible. Serge Lutens is famous for niche quality natural ingredients and Jeux de Peau is a prime example - it smells vividly natural and realistic. First got this about five years ago, and really liked it so I started carrying a 12ml travel spray so I could reapply as desired. While working on a film set up the coast it leaked absolutely everywhere so for the next three days it was all I could smell. In addition to indelibly imprinting Jeux de Peau on my mind - so much so that just thinking of it makes my mouth water - the effect on other people was remarkable - I've never had such an overwhelmingly positive response from so many different people. Bit confused by the name "Jeux de peau" which literally translated is "skin games" or "leather games" - and could be an allusion to the "Jeu de Paume". which refers to both the traditional game of tennis as played by the kings of France, where it was played (a royal tennis court) as well as to a contemporary venue in the Tuileries where tennis was once played. Considering how utterly intoxicating this is, perhaps the "skin games" in question are the intimate kind. Jeux de Peau is extremely, deliciously, sexy and so unique it transcends the conventions of traditional gender-based perfumery. Whatever it means, it is an exquisitely beautiful fragrance that is a real pleasure for the wearer and for everyone around them.

This is one of my favorite sexy-comforting scents. I pulled it out yesterday as temps in Cali are starting to normalize for "fall" here. And while we're not yet into sweater-weather I can see it coming! In Jeux de Peau, notes are blended harmoniously and the woodsy-smooth sandalwood with buttery and toasted aspects of wheat, apricot and osthmanthus are perfect in these more moderate temps. At first spritz there is a butter-popcorn, warm toast impression lasting several minutes but the heart transitions into buttery sandalwood with a bit of a bite. It enhances the wood aspects of the sandalwood smoothing and amplifying them at the same time. This perfume works well in heat, with sandalwood and osthmanthus creating a lighter clean and fruited aspect. Spice notes, while present do not turn it into a Shalimar or Coco. There's just a nice, low key thrum. On skin JdP becomes a somewhat sweet--but not overly gourmand scent--and never veers into fruity-licious or honey-sweet saccharine despite imortelle adding a dollop of bitter maple syrup. It's brightened with the osthmanthus's sunny lift to the apricot and imortelle and wards away cloying aspects. This could easily become a signature scent, and I think is fairly unisex, possibly a slight lean to the "more feminine" but the sandalwood is grounding for all. The overall effect is: sun-warmed skin, radiating a golden light, and skin, and when you hug someone that is simultaneously sexy (sandalwood and apricot/osthmanthus) and comforting (milk, wheat, imortelle) if that makes sense. It is the perfect fall-into-winter scent, extending languorous sunnier days while watching leaves turn and blow. I highly recommend. I have a back-up to my back-up, so if someone is interested in a bottle pm me.

This is one of my favorite sexy-comforting scents. I pulled it out yesterday as temps in Cali are starting to normalize for "fall" here. And while we're not yet into sweater-weather I can see it coming! In Jeux de Peau, notes are blended harmoniously and the woodsy-smooth sandalwood with buttery and toasted aspects of wheat, apricot and osthmanthus are perfect in these more moderate temps. At first spritz there is a butter-popcorn, warm toast impression lasting several minutes but the heart transitions into buttery sandalwood with a bit of a bite. It enhances the wood aspects of the sandalwood smoothing and amplifying them at the same time. This perfume works well in heat, with sandalwood and osthmanthus creating a lighter clean and fruited aspect. Spice notes, while present do not turn it into a Shalimar or Coco. There's just a nice, low key thrum. On skin JdP becomes a somewhat sweet--but not overly gourmand scent--and never veers into fruity-licious or honey-sweet saccharine despite imortelle adding a dollop of bitter maple syrup. It's brightened with the osthmanthus's sunny lift to the apricot and imortelle and wards away cloying aspects. This could easily become a signature scent, and I think is fairly unisex, possibly a slight lean to the "more feminine" but the sandalwood is grounding for all. The overall effect is: sun-warmed skin, radiating a golden light, and when you hug someone that is simultaneously sexy (sandalwood and apricot/osthmanthus) and comforting (milk, wheat, imortelle) if that makes sense. It is the perfect fall-into-winter scent, extending languorous sunnier days while watching leaves turn and blow. I highly recommend. I have a back-up to my back-up, so if someone is interested in a bottle pm me.

gosh, I love this smell and find myself avoiding buying it because of the marketing. It's a paris only smell, which means it comes in a bottle that is not an atomizer or spray. And when I ask the sales associate about it, they expect you to buy your own bottle to decant the smell into. It's a big bottle, don't get me wrong, but to pay that much for a stopper that does not seal well and could easily spill or leak AND I need to get my own spray bottle? Absolutely ridiculous for 265 euros (in store, it's more online) s'il vous plait. Which is a pity, because the smell is incredible. There's a hint of licorice that mercifully fades to amber and opens. It smells like butter and bread, with a milky texture that is soft on the nose. the bakery descriptions are apt. A very intimate experience that feels a little feral, like something hibernating in a bottle. This is a winter smell, something I have been keen to try. Also I'm not a gourmand girly, but this is a wonderful smell that evolves throughout the day. Long lasting of several hours, but towards the end it devolves to a basic amber in the last couple hours. You'll get several hours of the creamy, wheaty, somewhat baked treat vibes. It's not overly sweet though, with a earthyness to it I can't quite place. But this would be my first venture into a skin smell. As I said, something intimate dwells in the bottle. There marketing team needs to pull their heads out of their behinds and make the darn spray bottles. It's like, do you want money or do you want to pretend to be elusive and elitist because your bottle is cumbersome and pretentious? It's a shame and mistake for the brand as it still seems unknown despite their plethora of intriguing and unique "paris only scents".

An undeniable and oddly unchallenging love for me. Being a gourmand, this is something I'd usually be hesitant of and perhaps not try but this is a gourmand with a twist. What smells comfort you? Do you enjoy walking past the warm doorways to a bakery, where the smell of freshly baked bread wafts out? If so... this scent is for you. While not entirely or perfectly capturing that idea that I most likely just concocted by my own devices, it captures something that many might not particularly enjoy. Many won't, but more probably will. Like many votes and plebiscites we might have seen in our day... the margin between 'yes' and 'no' may be very narrow. The woods are warm, the wheat is yeasty and milky. The flowers are white, luscious and creamy. The spices are soft and quite near non-existent, depending on your skin type. Fruits and mildly alcoholic aromas waft gently, suggesting something of a traditional 'down home' bakery. Coconut, which I usually abhor, is soft and milky also. Quite remarkable how immortelle is something that can work with the most noir of fragrances, but can also elevate the sweetest (or, in this case, the lack thereof. Traditional sweetness, at least) fragrances. Peppery, to the the point of a soft tickle in the back of the nose. Perhaps not there in aroma, but in texture or feeling Quite an unusually standard scent that manages to be unlike anything I've ever smelt in a fragrance. I detect muskiness, but that may just be me. Remarkable, beautiful and perhaps my first proper 'love' from the Serge selection (save Arabie and Muscs Koublai Khan)

Currently having a torrid internal debate with myself because I’m nearing the end of my bottle of Jeux de Peau. I’ve bought so much perfume over the past year. So much. I had been able to get my perfume buying compulsion way down for several years. Then the Covid lockdown & isolation happened and I ramped up out of control. I do not need another bottle for at least 5 years but I know I’ll miss Jeux de Peau. It is my favorite weekend fragrance during Fall & Winter. It’s a relaxing weekend sweater fragrance for me. So cozy. Reminds me of baking bread, muffins and making soup. Jeux de Peau literally smells like wood, wheat and hay. At the start there might be a little fruit but it dries down to a wheaty wood. I picture an autumn harvest scene, complete with bales of hay and brisk hikes in the forest. I can also see how others might smell breakfast; sort of a granola, muesli and marmalade toast spread with an April Cornell table cloth. It’s not especially sweet, it’s a barely sweetened scent that’s mostly about Sandalwood and immortelle (which I normally hate). It has a rough texture which adds to the wheat effect. After all these years of not eating carbs this becomes especially addictive and comforting! Gah, I’ll probably end up buying it again in the next month or so. I’m just mad because it used to be part of the less expensive range and now it’s a bell jar. There are a few other wheaty wood scents out there but this is the best. A MASTERPIECE. (however definitely NOT a blind buy. odd and offbeat like most Lutens) 10/10

I purchased this on a business trip in Paris. It was my last day there and I wanted to get a fragrance before I leave France. Was smelling everything around the department store and ended up at Serge Lutens. The lady asked me what scents I like and I told her green, fresh fragrance, nothing sweet or strong vanilla. Not a fan of gourmands. She showed me many scents but nothing really appealed to me. I guess it was out of frustration that somehow she showed me this. With the first whiff, I was hooked! Contrary to what I usually like, this smelled like warmth and comfort to me, and so unique. She told me the inspiration of the fragrance and then it reminded me of caramel popcorn. To me the fragrance smelled milky and sweet but not in a cloying way. It’s not an aggressive and sticky sweetness, it’s just a familiar and comforting, like a mother’s hug kind of sweetness. Calming is how it makes me feel. The scent is very linear in my opinion and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact I love that it stays the same. It smells on me a little bit woody behind all the wheat and creaminess. It lasts a long time (about 8-10 hours) on my skin which is very rare cause I find most fragrances fade on me. To me this is more of a close proximity scent. I absolutely adore this scent! It’s very unique, comforting and warm. Since this fragrance, I have been more open to trying scents that are not usually in my “preference”, because sometimes you might find something that will surprise yourself. 9/10

Oh, I am so confused. At first, I've smelled some fruit, don't know which one, blended with wood. It was weird. Then, the milk note came out, very similar to milk note in L'Artisan Amour Nocturne, which I love. And the fruit disappeared in a second, thank god. And then the wheat came in. But something is so strange here, I do agree that wheat comes out a bit industrial, or burnt maybe. But at one point, it definitely smells like an old bakery. Which is yummy. But it does not smell too sweet (at least on me, but woody notes always dominate on my skin), it actually is very realistic. Bakery smells so nice from a distance, but if you come inside and go back, into the kitchen, there is really strong yeast smell, which is not so nice anymore, it burns your nostrils and the warmth makes you sleepy and a little nauseous until you get used to it. And I think this is it. Everything in here is so european, so familiar. This is why I get shocked at the rare moments when I can sense coconut, it is so random. And I don't really understand sandalwood, it makes everything bitter and weird. But I think weird is right. I am so repulsed by something in it, but cannot stop sniffing myself at the same time. Which I find intriguing. This is an artistic masterpiece, no doubts.

Jeux de Peau was love at first breath. I discovered it years ago and carried it with me in my mind long before I ever owned it, always meaning to return for it, always waiting for the right moment. When that moment finally came, Serge Lutens was no longer readily available in the U.S. and this one was hard to come by. My husband ordered it from France, and it arrived in the iconic bell-shaped bottle. While the bottle is undeniably beautiful from an aesthetic standpoint, it isn’t very practical for everyday use. I personally prefer a spray, so I decanted it into a spray bottle. I do wish Serge Lutens offered the option of purchasing either the bell jar or a spray bottle. That said, the fragrance itself is absolutely exquisite. Jeux de Peau is soft yet persistent, comforting but unforgettable. It truly shines on cold, winter days something I don’t get many of where I live but even so, I find myself wearing it year-round. Still, there’s something magical about how it unfolds in chilly air; it feels warmer, deeper, and even more beautiful. Without question, this is a beautiful, unique composition: intimate on the skin, gently nostalgic, and endlessly comforting.

Weird & wonderful Jeux de Peau. Starts out bready & homely smelling, followed by sweeter apricot danish pastry with a hint of immortelle. The middle & base notes are lovely, really creamy woods with a little floral (osmanthus?) coming through & an occasional whiff of apricot (I need to huff on my arm to catch it). These are the main accords to me, but there's more going on here that a better nose than mine could identify. As it progresses it's surprisingly easy to wear - smooth, warm & comforting. I can see the similarity with Santal Majuscule, & based on notes alone I expected to prefer Santal Maj - but I don't! I much prefer this with its strange (for a perfume) opening, oddly cohesive complexity, & above all the gentle milky soft creaminess that I don't really get in SM. Longevity & silage are great, it easily lasts all day but without ever being overbearing. JdP is so aptly named, but it's one to wear for your own pleasure & too unusual to be a crowd pleaser. May be not to everyones taste, but it certainly is mine. Interesting, different, & never boring! Slightly addictive, & a really clever perfume (imo) - that quickly grows on you. I love it :)

I’ve been in this hobby for a good while Almost every phenomenon that happened in the industry I’ve been aware of or even lived some of it in my lifetime but one phenomenon I wasn’t aware of because of the scarcity of the products and the ignorance of my surroundings it was the serge lutens phenomenon How unfortunate I was to not be able to delve into this rabbit hole that kept going for a while until they became more mainstream lately especially when the last bottles were changed But thank god I’ve had a chance to buy a vintage formulation of this juice and I can happily say it’s one of the greatest gourmand fragrances that I smelled ever The idea is magnificent So is the product itself Smelling like bread or let be more precise "milk bread" is a dream that can only be achieved by legendary love of craft and dedication I’m not sure how good are the latest formulation in the bell jars but I’m sure mine will be used in special occasions One more advice if you find a vintage bottle of serge lutens no matter what the fragrance is just buy it I’m sure it will be worth it

Jeux de Peau is really good. But it’s also a weird scent. I wouldn’t expect this to be anything else but a Serge Luten perfume. It’s very gourmand but it’s not overly sweet. The licorice note is prominent throughout the opening. I pick up the croissant with apricot compote, and wearing this I feared that I would be gorging myself with bread slathered with butter and cinnamon. But at times I pick up something burnt. And a little rancid. It only lasts for a moment, and when I return for another scent sniff, JdP turns back to the milky buttery goodness in a matter of seconds. That’s the weird part. The drydown is less of a seesaw ride, and I mostly pick up a foodie kind of Amber combined with sandalwood. Longevity is good but this scent stays close (not a deal breaker for me). I don’t think this will be appealing to a mass audience, but my best friend loves this and her taste is a little more mainstream, think Poison and Angel. I think it’s brilliant. I think it’s the definition of niche perfume. If you are a collector, this deserves consideration.

I'm really, really, REALLY upset I let this one go (and it was the paper label bottle, too)! I kept a small sample for myself and am kicking myself. A few years ago I wasn't all that impressed, because it was really similar to Santal Majuscule, which I already own. The opening is a beautiful, bakery-like, rising bread with honey scent. The syrupy sandalwood base is identical to Santal Majuscule, with that signature Serge Lutens sweet DNA running through it. If you've smelled Santal Maj, Jeux de Peau is like the airier and lighter and more gourmand, delicate version. The biggest different is the opening. The opening of JdP is just magical, but the dry downs are similar enough. JdP when dry is again more delicate, and smells more like a perfume interpretation of yeasty, honeyed, buttery bread (i.e., not photorealistic) on a sweet sandalwood base. Santal Maj has a boozy rose note instead and is more powerful. They smell quite similar but have different vibes. IMO it's worth it to have both. I'll pick up a bell jar the next time I'm in Paris!

As a fan of gourmand fragrances, I was trying to find Jeux de Peau for a while but was not lucky. Eventually, I got an alert and grabbed one. Whilst it was not in our SL's regular bottles and a Bell bottle, it's still a find. The scent as the name indicates does play games on your skin but in a good way. Edible, comforting and warm. Just like mum's embrace, Sunday mornings with warm bread, apricot jam, milk! And wait....butter popcorn! Sounds crazy....right? But this is perhaps the best example of wheat and milk notes I have tried. The middle notes start dancing in a few minutes- coconut and immortelle. Could not smell liquorice which I don't mind. And as I was sniffing my wrists like anything, wooden notes, apricot? And Osmanthus take over... It was a blind buy purely based on notes, reviews and intuition 😊 In short, it's intimate, mysterious and above all kind of edible in a nice way! P.S: A couple of hours have passed and I can no longer feel its lactonic but a deep smoky scent with a nutty feel. Still loving it

“Don’t forget to buy the bread”. A childhood memory which Serge Lutens has passed on in “Jeux de peau", the gentle warmth of freshly-baked bread rising up from the basement window. The perfect feast of golden barley, wheat and dried fruit. I want to hate it but I don't, I love it. At first it soo reminds me of indie perfumes that are intended to smell like food stuffs: bread obviously, butter, milk, baked goods in general. And there is a similarity between those cheap indie fragrances and the initial burst of bread accord here. I wanted to believe that even if I liked this, I could get it from some cheaper source. But then it starts to mellow out and relax down into the skin and by then, it's obvious, nothing can compare to it. This is such an innocent, memorable fragrance that transports you to your childhood and the comfort of your mother. This is an example of why I originally fell in love with Serge Lutens and why I will continue to consider his creations the pinnacle of art in perfumery. 9/10

COMFORT SCENT WITH A BACKBONE To me Jeux de Peau is reminiscent of a toddler's cereal by Nestle called "Nestum Wheat and Honey". I smell toasted wheat, and comforting warm milk with sprinkled sugar. I'm missing the bread quality some mention, as I don't smell any yeast here. If this fragrance consisted of only the notes before mentioned, I wouldn't find it wearable, but licorice adds a backbone to this corky, unusual composition and compliments its rounded soft edges, while sandalwood renders it elegance. I also smell apricot (love) and some coconut, which I usually don't like, but in my view, it serves as a support to this fragrance, as do immortelle and spices. I just can't stop smelling my wrist! This is the fragrance I have been reaching for most often during the colder months. I'm inlove with it and with the genius of Christopher Sheldrake <3 LONGEVITY: 6-8 hrs on skin, 48 hrs on fabric PROJECTION: Arms length for 3-4 hrs, later sits close to the skin VERSATILITY: Day to Night

Opens with a strong milky, buttery, bread and an underlining burnt sugary scent (almost a bit boozy). Similar to a croissant, if you baked some sugar on it. Dry down causes the milk, sweetness, and butter smells to fade and leaves behind a very spicy, fresh bread. Reminiscent of a round, spicy, artisan bread with a heavy crust to it and a bit of flour on top. It smells like a bakery, but not one full of cookies and pie. It's rather difficult to find a bread-like scent that isn't parading itself in sweetness, drenched in vanilla, or drowning in either cinnamon, coffee, or chocolate. If you aren't after a certain famed apple pie or gourmands claiming bread that are truly just drenched in vanilla, this will be pleasing. It's much more my flavor. Down side of this one would probably be the sillage. It's somewhere between intimate and moderate. Delicious smelling to the user, but perhaps those around you won't be noticing. Despite that, it does last about 8 hours.

Guys I lost my mind over your reviews! the bell bottle with my name engraved is on its way from France to Italy (from Lutens official eshop). It is a crazy blind buy, but I could not resist after reading all your intriguing and magnificent reviews on this masterpiece. Update will follow..... UPDATE: evocative and mesmerising. Every Lutens fragrance is a journey and this is bizzarre and addictive. Like a guy you fancy but you don't want to admit. I am hooked and the more I use it the more I love it. This concept works for all Lutens fragrances. I have one info about the bell jar purchase: I used the name engraving service and I loved it. The only problem is that there is not a spray, so to wear it properly you have to decant it. I panicked a bit and honestly I would have likely paid more money to have the puffer available. I used a sterile medical syringe and decanted in 10 ml glass container, but somehow disappointed.

On my first full wear I am confident of 2 things: 1. I love it. 2. I will rarely wear it. How can I be sure of those two things? Well, this is not for the mass market. It isn't one that people are going to smell and appreciate. Even for fragrance fans it is distinctly weird. Even if you aren't looking for compliments (I'm not) this is one that may get some criticism by those around you because it is so different and not what people are used to smelling. Is it a gourmand? Not really. It has some gourmand notes, but it doesn't smell like a food as much as it does and idea or maybe a memory of food. The gourmand notes move to the back as it enters the dry down and the sandalwood takes over. It is gorgeous, it is wearable, it is weird (in the best possible way) and it is artistic. It's the kind of scent I will wear when I want to relax on a cold, rainy day. I'm a becoming a huge fan of Serge Lutens and this one is a gem.

This perfume has such a rich smell and texture that it conjures up autumnal colours like plum, russet, brandy, burnished orange and toasted wheat. This perfume is rich, dark and toasty warm. It's very comforting too. In my limited smell references, there's a similarity to Bvlgari The Rouge in the sweet woody milky oriental notes. At first smell I thought Jeux de Peau was unusual, but strangely it has grown on me, and I'm not usually a gourmand lover. I think this is a clever reflection of nature in a gourmand fragrance. Rather than reminding me of breakfast this makes me think of late afternoon. The sort of supper you might enjoy coming home to after a productive day in the great outdoors. A simple home-baked loaf, thickly sliced and buttered, served with some apricot or maybe plum conserves. I love it but because it is so rich I reserve this one for relaxing at home. Blissful.

Oh, Jeux de Peau... the one, the only. Arguably one of the first gourmands, the gourmand that ruins all other fragrances in this category for me. I can not in good faith rate any other gourmand as "love" because of Jeux de Peau. One of probably 2 bottles that I actually almost finished, and I sure did buy a vintage backup for an exuberant price on ebay. This to me smells like French bakery when it opens at 6 am. Fresh buttery croissants with apricot jam. It manages to be barely sweet somehow. Subtle milky notes here are lovely, not sour or nauseating like in so many other lactonics. The scent is cuddly, tender, gentle. This is probably my second favorite perfume of all times (after De Profundis, bottle of which I will never finish because it's not an every day fragrance). I have not tested the modern version, but the rumor is that it too underwent a reformulation.

Oedipus complex in a bottle, the fantasy of a mother. I love a oddball gourmand and this fits the bill. The listed notes are accurate but the licorice and apricot are fairly subtle. Milk is in a secondary role compared to bread and wheat. I got a sample because people said it was similar to Fleur Cachée by Anatole Lebreton. I can see a resemblance, and if you like this one but can't stomach the price it could be worth a try. But Jeaux de Peau has a much more domestic vibe, the spices are much more subtle and vanilla is in a supporting role. A crowdpleaser, I think, despite being "weird." But not at all suitable for work. Leans very feminine despite the unisex note list. Very compelling, likely an attention-getter if that's what you're into, but I won't buy a full bottle because I have Fleur Cachée which is a much better value and has a more "adventurous" feel.

This is a bakery selling coconut bread in a sandalwood forest. Jeux de Peau has a very interesting makeup - the notes in the note pyramid aren't what you'd find in the usual top-mid-base structure. Up top you get baked bread with prominent coconut and some licorice thrown in as well - one feels that the listed top and mid notes actually meld with each other. In about 3-4 hours, the gorgeous sandalwood note starts emerging as the main component and takes over completely by the 6-7 hour mark, stretching till the very end. Performance is excellent - on skin, the longevity is 10+ hours. On clothes it's far, far more - the smell of the residual sandalwood will pretty much stay on the clothes till you wash them. While the ratings don't suggest this, for me the projection is fantastic too - more than a couple of meters for at least the first 4-5 hours.

Does anyone with a bell jar bottle want to sell me a decant? Please dm if so. Needs to be shipped to mainland UK please 💛 Okay to the scent. This is my ultimate love! I’ve gone through my stash of the bottles by the end of 2020. If I’m not mistaken Jeux de Peau (slim bottles) was or has been discontinued for quite a few years. Although I stumbled across a bell jar on SL website. I’m slightly put off buying it as I worry they changed formulation hence looking for a decant from a bell jar or some advice if anyone can compare old Jeux de Peau (c 2015) to the current bell jar formulation. I love the old Jeux de Peau so much words can’t describe it! It suits cashmere jumper weather and can be both cozy and sexy (not sure many agree with the latter, I’m sure it’s down to how we differently perceive milk with a pinch of salt).

Bread and vanilla-milk and musk and apricots and caramel and that salt-and-hay sex smell of immortelle. This baby is gourmand in just the most evocative and unexpected way. It's angelic and obscene and utterly beautiful. It gives the impression that I am producing the scent rather than wearing it. I know I'm not the first person to wax poetic over it, but I simply cannot get enough of it. Mercy, but this is an Oedipal complex in a bottle and I am right here for it. It’s quiet, but luscious and just otherworldly sexy. If you want to make somebody fall in love with you and then eat you up and still be hungry for more, you want to wear this. In fact, I think no matter what you want, if you smell like Jeux de Peau, you have a pretty good chance of getting it.

A little bakery-like to begin with. Bready, biscuity, with spices. And a little milk. Then settles into predominantly cedar on my skin. Cedar and other aromatic woods, combined with an old English church interior aroma. Not my favourite of places, but I do love that deep history imbued in old furniture, found in such places, along with the resins and spices of incense. Another place this perfume reminds me of is a cabinet maker's workshop or a saw mill. The freshly sawn wood smell it emanates, along with the older furniture of antiquity in homes and certain church pews. I love all aromas. Hence a huge perfume collection. Woody ones are up there for me. Something inspiring and seductive at the same time. This one does it for me. Expensive though.

I really agree with Saatwik’s review. I smell the sandalwood and bread and a hint of the coconut. I don’t get warm bread from this necessarily but it is so yummy with a hint of a spice to it, which is probably the anise. I work from home and love wearing this around the house, but I don’t think this can’t be worn out for day to day. I wouldn’t wear this for special occasion really. I bought a partial bottle off eBay blind, but I will probably try to track down another bottle once it’s finished. This one is special. For the record I don’t get any kind of popcorn note that some people mention, just spicy sweet bready sandalwood. I sprayed once to my collarbone today and another to my wrists and it’s been wafting up for a few hours :)

Sam Adams Shock Top Twisted Pretzel Wheat. In the autumn I get a strong craving for this beer- its flavor is so round and full it’s almost like actually eating something- some filling, salty, carb heavy bite. A really rich soft pretzel, or maybe buttery popcorn with nutritional yeast on top (seriously, I’m not a health food person but this is an amazing combo). So, imagine my surprise when I found this comes in a fragrance! Super salty, bread-y richness that turns into milky caramel after a couple of hours. Such a comforting, satisfying fragrance to spray on after a bath and before getting into clean sheets. I would consider this a gourmand plus- it’s not like a delicate little dessert taste, it’s like a rich buttery pastry.

Jeux de Peau opens with a pleasant and grounding accord of yeasty wheat and warm milk, setting the stage for a truly soulful fragrance experience. As the scent develops, it reveals a heart of immortelle flower—a calming note with a distinct white tobacco character. The sweetness of coconut and the edge of licorice provide a necessary balance to the composition, which eventually settles into a rich, spicy base of amber, sandalwood, and apricot. It’s an intriguing journey from start to finish. Fans of this classically beautiful, gender-neutral scent will likely find Le Persona Whispering Kiss to be very similar in spirit. This one is very hard to find in the states. I was fortunate to find a notable decant service.

Ha ha, did someone below mention that the first notes smelled just like Jelly Belly butter popcorn jellybeans? These notes go away very fast and become a soft, camphorous, milky, woody, scent balanced by very light fruit and spices. Quite lovely and unlike anything else I've ever encountered. I blind bought four Serge Luten's including Un Bois Vanille, Bas de Soie, Feminite du Bois online for a good price and three out of four are great, interesting, unique. The Un Bois Vanille is not good, due to overwhelming coconut and weak vanilla. Can't wait to get Une Fille de Berlin, a spicy rose oriental which I accidently found out goes great layered with Vaniglia del Madagascar by I Profumi de Firenze.

I was so close to a blind buy, but I abstained and finally managed to get a sample. There is something very strange about this fragrance, but it may be only on my skin ... at first I feel a very spicy smell (Remindes me a little bit of Hypnotic Poison Eau the Parfum), probably the mix of sandalwood and licorice, or perhaps is the slightly medicinal facet that I feel in perfumes that contain immortelle. After that it becomes a truly foody fragrance, something I have never experienced until now. I can detect the wheat notes, the milky sandalwood and the spicy licorice. I'm not detecting the coconut and unfortunately the smell remains quite linear... So sorry because the performances are great!

One of the first Serge Lutens fragrances I bought, I realise looking at the notes on here that it's technically another woody fragrance that I like. I say "technically" because I actually experience as a fairly fresh fragrance, not citrus nor aquatic, but somehow just very clean. Also, while it's brimming with organic notes, there is something chemical about it, in a very good way. Think of that very specific, enticing smell of new cellophane wrapped around a bouquet of flowers. It's another I think of as season and occasion neutral, though I notice I wear it more in the summer during the day, but it's a go-to option for evening glam all year round.

So yeasty and doughy and interesting. Sometimes buttery popcorn. Slightly fruity undertone is kind of weird. Not an easy fragrance to wear. But I love it! Smells like a salty ball of fresh dough on a flour dusted table with baked apricot pastries in the background and sometimes it is more buttery than that. The name seems apt as it melts and blends into skin over time and fades away after an appropriate duration, your trip to the boulangerie. It's still detectable right next to your skin for a long time. I can imagine it as a metaphor for the natural skin scent of an overweight (but happy!) baker. One of the least versatile fragrances that I love !

Reminds me of the smell of pancakes. Not quite that, but definitely similar. It probably is supposed to smell like bread, which is probably true, if it weren't for me being hungry for pancakes. It also smells quite salty as well. The only thing that would make it better for me would be if it had vanilla in it, but I think that may take away from its uniqueness. I am addicted to this! I just wish it had better sillage.. edit: Definitely smells like a bunch of warm, salty bread that just came out of the oven at a baker's shop. I imagine hearing the crunch and feeling the crispness of the outside of the bread when breaking it apart before eating it.

The smell of your lover's skin early in the morning, freshly baked croissants and apricot jam from your local cafe, the scent of a mother holding her newborn child close to breastfeed. This is so intimate, so innocent and human, yet there's something so inherently erotic about it that I just can't pinpoint. It evokes images of simpler days when people would spend their days in the village, raking hay, eating bread and milk for breakfast, and expect children within weeks of their marriage. I've never smelled something that made me so confused before. This is so pure and comforting yet somehow inappropriate. I highly recommend it.

Smells just like caramel popcorn/freshly baked bread. Like a bakery that sells gourmet popcorn on the side. The most comforting scent ever while making my mouth water. Too bad the 50ml bottles are discontinued. If you have the chance, it is a must try from this house. Projection isn't too great; however, it really shouldn't be. It's a personal scent. Longevity doesn't seem to be that bad though, especially on clothes. I get around 6-8 hours. Highly recommended. If anyone likes this one, might want to try Carner Barcelona's Palo Santo. It doesn't smell similar at all, but it conjures up the same comforting, creamy vibe.

Wow..this perfume is cozy,sweet,and makes me feel protected.. Interesting as you meet the liquorice notes and spices. My first impression was strange, I've never heard anything like that. The opening is the part that remembers the baked bread, but after a while it evolves and feel less spicy and sweet and soft... this perfume gives me security,serenity and sweetness. Is a very special and fantastic parfum, magical harmony between the notes, Serge Lutens has created something truly extraordinary to me...... that's all I needed. Thanks Serge Lutens. Sillage: 6.5/10 Longevity: 7./10 Scent: 9./10 Overall: 9./10

If you like anise or immortelle this is a treat. It's unusual, not to say quirky, but skilfully done. I'm a fan of all the notes, but they have to be put together right and this is masterful, really. True niche perfumery, no one else will be wearing it, and best in winter, so you get the proper balance of those notes coming off. I don't get coconut or milk as a first response; what comes off is anise, hay, and a dry woody sweetness, reminiscent of rural Southern France. A lot of people might find this too quirky to wear; regardless, Lutens is a genius. I'll be wearing it often this winter. *love*

I have both Santal Majuscule and Jeux de Peau and I don't really get the comparison (I do kinda get Rima XI though, though I'd prefer Jeux de Peau to it every day of the week). OK Jeux de Peau- where do I start. Jeux de Peau is a sexy, tatted pastry chef whose shift just ended and they meet you for a drink. They run some cool-ass Bushwick bakery, where they burn Palo Santo in the kitchen as they bake fresh croissants. Jeux de Peau is what they smell like at the end of that magical shift. Edgy fresh croissants, with remnants of Palo Santo. EDIT: the dry down on this was so unpleasant on me :(

A small update to my previous review. I got a sample of modern Jeux de Peau, from a bell jar. I am very happy to report that modern perfume and the original one are almost identical. Older seems to be slightly heavier on the licorice, and is a bit sharper in the opening, with slightly shorter longevity. New one is just heavenly from start to finish. If I had to chose between two, I'd go with modern version, but this is most likely due to the age of my vintage bottle. And truly, the difference is negligible. I am so happy they preserved this gorgeous and unique scent profile.

This is good, I remember it was a love at first sniff for me. Too bad my husband doesn’t like it but oh well I’m wearing it today since it was a rough morning and this is very warm and comforting. It is nowhere near as woody and rich as Un Bois Vanille, which is too dense for my taste. The coconut here is much more subtle. Normally I can’t stand coconut in fragrance, plus the apricot is heavier. Also it smells like apricot NOT the sickly smell I get from osmanthus. In todays wearing the wheat and lactonic qualities are not as strong which is perfectly fine with me.

When I read the notes and saw milk and wheat I thought that sounded disgusting, but after finding out this is the favorite scent of a friend, I had to actually give it a sniff. Lesson learned. Don't let the weird notes put you off trying this- it's soft, sweet warm and lovely! Very cozy. If you associate scent with colors this is a soft baby blue :) I think if you like freesia, you will like this. Random association, but if you've ever had sahlep (a delicious sweet, spicy, warm milk dessert drink) this smells like what it tastes like.

I also own Santal Majuscule and Adam Levine for women. Sorry but there is only a very vague resemblance. I wouldnt have bothered acquiring it if it was so similar. Yes, you get the sandalwood up front then it sweetens a little to suddenly resemble the smell of fresh baked bread. I steered clear of this for a long time because of the food comments. Thankfully this stage is very brief. For the rest of its timeline its more like lightly spicey osmanthus. Its very lovely. Low level sillage but the longevity is above average.

My favorite SL Fragrance. The open is fresh buttery croissants. This quickly melts into a sweet spicy concoction that reads like a musk on me...but far more interesting because if you pay attention you can dissect all the different spicy golden facets. This is the smell of the first few months of motherhood. I get the same “smelling my baby’s head” rush I get from musc raveguer. (Also this should definitely be in the 4’s, wth fragrantica) FWIW I purchased a new bottle and can confirm it’s identical to my old sample <3

Unusual and interesting gourmand scent with a playful name (Skin Games). It is indeed a hide and seek game on your skin opening with a realistic bread note (wheat, milk) and then moving to other kitchen smells (spices, fruits, coconut) with some immortelle and licorice. The perfume settles on a bed of ambery wood. The unisex scent has moderate sillage and good longevity. A very nostalgic scent, this will take you back to the smells of childhood and of family gatherings around the kitchen. Incredibly well done. Enjoy!

Intoxicating, stunning. I usually roll my eyes at fragrance reviewers who claim they exclaimed at first sniff but I really said “oh my god” after I sprayed. It’s gourmand without being dessert— more like a buttery breakfast croissant or bread basket. There’s a layer of dried, smoky herbs that almost smells like incense beneath the wheat. I sampled this for the osmanthus but am not really picking it up, though I’m going to buy a full bottle for everything else.

One of Lutens's last masterpieces, with which he was allowed to bless us. At least I haven't liked that much his offerings after 2011. A couple of deviations, of course. Jeux de peau is brilliantly pleasant, balanced and comforting. The sour lactonic and buttery wood meets deliciously toasty aromas, where you can easily smell roasted sesame seeds, popcorn and oven-warm bread, just for example. Two sprays are enough to make me happy on a hell of a day.

This smells like baked goodies only at the beginning and at the dry down it’s a purified clean sweeter sandalwood. It’s very nice but it think I will have to spray it on my husband and see how it smells on him, i think it might sound nicer on a men than women. Although I do enjoy sniffing on my wrists, something is very addictive in it. This is truly unisex fragrance. I like my perfume smell true to feminine side.