Essence du Sérail

L'Essence Du Serail has a bright, powdery and firmed start but remains delicate. Ylang-ylang and bergamot, as well as orange blossom, are directly identified. It takes a musky turn after few hours, the quality is here. I see a real beauty and depth to this scent, it is clear that the blend is of a very high standard. I wear it every day and love wearing it at night. It goes with everything and any occasion. This unique and fabulous blend makes people I meet ask me all the time what this perfume is.

This is something strange, forbidden, possibly poisonous, but you can't help sniffing it. The whole SLM series are like a formula of dust + something, and in Essence it is dust + orange blossom and plum. Petrol, a damp cellar? The name is possibly a word play on that? Absolutely addictive. The base breaks down a bit and that is understandable as this is a small house that probably can't afford the best raw materials like Chanel and Guerlain can.

The review right below mine? alphairone - So well written! Very JHAG. I feel like I sprayed Liquid Illusion, then Musc Invisible, added Mmmm... changed my mind and sprayed Oil Fiction, and realized... I could just buy a bottle of this. That being said, it’s rather interesting. And a little confusing. Add - the dry down is so good!

In the bottle smells good! Unfortunately on my skin it smells like a vintage shop. I can totally understand the appeal for others but it just didn't work on me. It is truly a unique scent

This is my second sampling from Sous le Manteau and it is convincing me that this house is far too feminine-leaning for my taste. Essence du Sérail is a bit of a floral bomb: a mess of sickly rose and jasmine which immediately makes me feel out of place, as an Fougère-and-Amber-loving male. I'm the interloper in the seraglio. I was never meant to be here!

Sous le Manteau opens with a vertiginous effect: LSD florals of ylang-ylang and orange blossom and sweet, overripe drupes, as if being stoned in the face by these very stone fruits. There's also something I can almost taste. In this acid-trip cottage garden there are complimentary smarties candies in a roll, "floral flavors." This makes Cacharel Lou Lou feel like a cake walk, geez louise. It sustains a shrill caterwaul like banshee, revealing every jagged edge a perfume could ever embody all the way to the middle of its development, when it finally calms down somewhat into a more merciful nag champa via Victorian heliotrope affair, but with some sharp outlines still showing through. This is truly puzzling, as I know Nathalie to have made some very attractive works, but perhaps I am just not the intended audience for such a gregarious and outrageous fruity-floral Molotov cocktail.

My favorite from this line so far! It’s very different from al the fragrances I own, it’s almost vintage but in a modern way. I do see a clear connection with the other fragrances from this line because they all have a powdery feel to them, but in their own unique way. It really feels like a clothing collection that is well curated but resembles a clear brand vision. The fragrance opens bright and sweet but immediately has a certain depth to it. Its very sandalwood heavy but also creamy, dry and powdery. It reminds me of a rich aunt wearing lots of jewelry, nice shoes, a stola/scarf and she smells expensive!! I get mostly Ylang ylang, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Plum and vanilla.

This reminds me of something from my childhood. Perhaps a candle of some sort. I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t think this is FBW.

Beautiful, perfect for a beautiful winter night