When I woke up this morning, my nose searched for this scent: Fleur de Peau by Diptyque. I had to slip this one into my writing schedule this week because I wanted to wear it today. I think I am unconsciously longing for this perfume because I’ve smelled it everywhere lately. The one time I remember clearly was when I rode the bike around Paris last week (yes, when I made this YouTube vlog: A sunny day in Paris) a girl passed me, also on her Vélib, and I smelled the whiff of Fleur de Peau. This fragrance has an enormous and distinct sillage for me. I think I am sensitive to one of the ingredients in this perfume. Thankfully, it is the ingredient that I love.
Fleur de Peau started with powerful musky notes that remind me of ambrette seed, which also has a similar odor profile to whisky, IMO.
There’s a nice contrast between the dry, animalic musk and the sweet, fruity aspect on the top. The musks are multifaceted, dry but powdered, soft, and moist. The sweetness on the top balanced it gracefully, making the texture lighter and brighter.
The sweet opening evokes happiness from being comfortable; I imagine a baby wrapped in a blanket, sleeping peacefully in her mom’s arms. There’s a harmony of citruses, fruits, aromatics, and spices on top, creating a relaxed yet cheerful feeling. The citruses remind me of grapefruit and mandarin, juicy and watery, with a zesty aldehydic facet. There’s a green note of pear that adds to the fruity-berry notes, amplifying its crisp texture and watery character.
The excitement doesn’t stop there. Underneath the citruses and fruits, aromatic notes gradually appear, exhaling warm anisic tonality. It creates a beautiful cocoon around the top notes. Although it lingers on the skin for a short period, it leaves a memorable remark.
In the heart of Fleur de Peau, the iris seduces us with its finesse.
This beautiful ingredient is so rich in texture. Iris’ natural green facet imparts depth, and its buttery texture amplifies the moist sensation. Underneath, a silhouette of carrot seeds enhances this delicate powdery sensation with its sweetness, spicy and salty tonalities. It gives more excitement and soul in the heart of Fleur de Peau. Besides, Fleur de Peau’s floralcy also reminds me of orange blossom and rose–the vibrant honeyed and a light spicy facet, sheer but blooming.
Fleur de Peau lasts for a long time on my skin, leaving a floral musky scent after 12 hours. It doesn’t have a significant evolution from the beginning to the end, which I totally don’t mind because I really enjoy the musky and powdery smell.
Fleur de Peau is heavenly for people who love iris and musky fragrances.
One of the best musks fragrances out there, in my opinion. It is a comforting scent for me, but I know it is something else for some people; hence, I guess it is not a safe fragrance for a blind buy. Anyway, it is always better to try wearing the perfume before buying it because they act differently depends on your body chemistry. I purchased a small decant of Fleur de Peau before purchasing the full bottle.
Fleur de Peau is created by Olivier Pescheux in 2018, in celebration of Diptyque’s 50th anniversary. At the same time, he also created Tempo, a modern chypre fragrance that I also adore. I wrote about Tempo last time; you can check my post here.
If you have smelled Fleur de Peau before, would you tell me whether you like it or hate it in the comment below? It will be interesting to see a different perspective as I have heard some people feel totally the opposite of what I am feeling towards this perfume.
See you in my next post!
Cheers,
Gia.
