Kiki Voile d'Extrait

I have come a long way concerning my affinity toward lavender as a perfume material and note. My original aversion had sprung from my affliction with classical men’s fougeres and barbershop scents. Luckily, I later discovered how beautiful lavender smells in nature, and then stumbled upon the “sweet/oriental lavender” DNA, with Jicky by Guerlain possibly paving the way - Musc Ravageur (big lavender for me), Eau Noire, Music for a While, Zeybek, MEM, and naturally, Vero’s own spin on the genre, Kiki. If you are familiar with the Oriental lavender perfumes mentioned, Kiki stands closer to perfumes like Music for a While, Jicky, and MEM. It has that vintage elegance and refinement of the Guerlain, the natural quality and diversity of colors found in Bogue, and the playful character of the Malle. However, it feels more modern than Jicky, while it bears no fangs or feels over intrusive like MEM, and it avoids the obnoxious sweetness of Benaim’s creation. It is surprisingly straightforward for a Vero perfume. It displays a big, hazy, effervescent, powdery lavender bouquet (a grizzled purple hue), only carefully augmented at the edges by the juiciness of the fruits and the medicinal, sweet, resinous, and smoky facets of the resins (mostly myrrh). I pick up the patchouli faintly and only in the late dry-down, and for me, that is the gist of the fragrance. It is not linear, as it starts with a juicy, zesty punch and slowly transitions to a temple-like, resinous incense experience. There is that classical French perfumery DNA that runs through it, that familiar “powdery-velvety” quality that so many people today label as dated and grandma-like, yet pulled out of that well by the resins and the fruity accords. It’s a buzzing and fun perfume; there’s nothing stuffy about it. Regarding its modern resurrected version under Campomarzio, similar to Onda, I find Kiki to have changed the most. It lost some of its grace and refinement and seems to have been adapted to a more modern palate. The lavender is no longer at the center of attention but fights hard with the passionfruit and the myrrh to keep its head above water. It is more fruity, and the myrrh is very prominent from the get-go (and quite medicinal). The modern version is still beautiful; I might even prefer it slightly over the original, as it exhibits more colors and the passionfruit shines better. It sits closer to Frederic Malle’s Music for a While, without the ethyl maltol screechy sweetness, better-quality materials, and poise. IG:@memory.of.scents

I had been wanting to do a kiki review for some time but I wanted to experience it more in time to understand it better, since, in general, Vero's fragrances are complex and old-fashioned. Kiki is a very French fragrance, blunt, with personality. A citrus-fruity start gives way to a floral body of a very rich "Provence" lavender, as it evolves it begins to be sweetened as if you began to eat a lavender candy, it is not cloying, rather a vaporous aroma of the mixture remains in the skin with a musk residue that lasts and lasts ..... Awesome !!! Kiki seems simple, but the nuances and quality surpass what we are accustomed to smell regularly out there. The old school this time triumphs with an aroma that has convinced me. Rating: 9.2

Glorious top notes of lavender and caramel that makes my mouth water. There's also a lovely tart freshness in there (probably the passionfruit), but already five minutes into application it settles into a subdued, powdery floral. There's a slight dusty feel in the mid notes, but it quickly settles, and you are left with the lavender and caramel again - only a lot more subdued. It's a very cozy and comforting scent. Definitely a feel good fragrance, perfect for snuggling on the couch with your loved one(s). Low sillage, but good lasting power.

love this one a really masterpiece of the last years .a psychedelic lavender

The bitter herbal lavender here is matched with caramel, unusual and stunning actually. I used to find lavender hard to like and a tad boring due to it's long association with sleep aids and colognes. However Serge Lutens' Forreau Noir which turns sweet creamy tonka and almonds with lavender into a sumptuous gourmand beauty, taught me to be more open-minded and less jaded. Kiki Vd'E is another fine example of how to be creative with lavender and make it a subliminal example too! The musk is more apparent in the Vd'E than the EDP and the passion fruit played down but still noticeable. I get an earthy patchouli in the drydown of the Vd'E but not in the EDP.