Le perce-vent

I tried Le Perce-Vent finally after months of anticipation. I knew it was going to be on the fresher side as opposed to the typical Serge Lutens style so I didn't have high hopes. I had also been smudging/fumigating sage earlier that day and was pleased to find out the fragrance also features sage with musk and snowdrop/galanthus (this note is missing from English product knowledge but is included in the French Serge Lutens training, for some reason). I sprayed it on and once a while got this lovely fresh ethereal smokey yet clean incense vibe that feels quite modern. I would compare this to fragrances like New Look by Francis Kurkdjian for Dior Collection Privée, Citizen X by Ex Nihilo, and L'Orpheline also by Serge Lutens. This fragrance makes me feel as if I have woken up in a field of galanthus flowers during a snowy winters day along with a few clouds of smoke from sage incense, and I have no recollection of how I got there, a blank slate, tabula rasa in Latin. I was surprised by how long it lasted also, tried it on during the early afternoon and could smell it until I was going to bed. Please update the notes! Official notes: Sage Galanthus/Snowdrop Musk

SL's answer to the slew of laundry musk perfumes such as Acne Studios, 724, etc. This one is frosty and aloof. No florals here. It's pretty brutal if oversprayed, but used cautiously it's an aldehydic blanket of musky snow. It would fit perfectly into the Eaux line, I don't get why it's in the collection noire. So they can charge more for it I guess. I definitely wouldn't pay even half the retail price for this perfume, despite liking it. Update after several wears: I really love this now, I think it's massively underrated. It is similar to those other laundry musks, but this one has a frosty magic that's unlike any other scent I've come across, even other serge lutens scents. It lacks the sweetness of a lot of his other ethereal musks too, which is a welcome departure in my book. It's perfect for when you're out and about busy in hot weather, and it lasts forever.

Le perce-vent opens with a crisp, aldehydic breeze of minty herbs and freshly laundered linen. This quickly settles into a subdued, powdery white musk skin scent that lingers beautifully. I love how I continue to catch soft whiffs of it throughout the day. It’s a quiet yet quite lovely fragrance that initially leans towards a masculine barbershop style, but is ultimately comforting and absolutely huggable in the dry down. I’m a hardcore and unapologetic Serge Lutens fan. The first perfume I ever purchased was Féminité du Bois (then under the Shiseido brand) in 1992, and I’ve owned and worn it ever since. There’s something about Le perce-vent that reminds me of Serge Lutens” reformation of Féminité du Bois ...It’s almost like a musky love child of FdB and L’Orpheline. Whatever it is — I’m obsessed.

High-octane breeze bottled. Think effervescent aldehydes fizzing like champagne bubbles, crisp clean musk that doesn’t whisper but asserts and a rogue herbal sage note that keeps things cheeky and unpredictable. It’s modern, luminous, and unlike anything else crowding the fragrance aisle. The kind of clean that makes heads turn. Polished, electric, and just a little bit wild. If freshness had a personality - sharp, smart, sparkly and unapologetically original - this would be it.

A beautiful, clean powdery composition, gently laid over a spicy-woody base. This blend of notes makes it a powdery unisex scent. My first encounter with this fragrance brought physical relaxation and a heightened sense of calm and comfort. Sillage and longevity are quite good. Even as it settles into a skin scent, it remains beautifully and subtly perceptible. Still, it’s a pleasure to reapply and surround yourself with this crystal-clear aura of serenity.