NEW FRAGRANCE REVIEW: En Voyage Lorelei and L’Hombre: The Name Game + Reader’s Choice Draw

Shelley Waddington has gone into her fragrant paint box yet again, and created two new wonderful works of perfumed art. Only this time, she asked her fans from around the world to name these new creations. When I first heard she was doing a sheer aquatic floral and a dark masculine amber fragrance I was skeptical, to say the least; so I signed up for samples and threw out a couple of names out, off the top of my head. What arrived in my mailbox the next week (quite literally) blew me away!


Two very plain samples arrived with descriptions and notes printed on cards with an email address for responding with possible names after sniffing the perfumes.  Shelley notified me, after all submissions were entered, that she had chosen the names Lorelei (for the floral) and L’Hombre (for the masculine). They are available as of today (21 April 2012) on her website. After such masterful releases as Makeda (the given name of and inspired by the Queen of Sheba), Poete de Carmel (award winning) and Go Ask Alice…I should have never doubted her! Here are two very classic perfume structures presented with style and panache.


L’Hombre was the one I reached for first. While sniffing it, I touched the vial lid’s dipstick inadvertently on the tip of my nose. Less than one drop of this heady masculine elixir surrounded and haunted me until I went back and dabbed it on more fully. This name is a contraction of “l’homme” (the man) and “ombre” (shadow) and the name is quite fitting.  What the perfumer was trying to do was create a scent that was boozy (but not too much) while capturing the spicy and sexy qualities of a mysterious yet “earthy” guy.


This stunning manscent opens opulently with notes of a fine aged malt scotch, subtly blended spices and just enough citrus to keep it from being overly heavy or too alcoholic. It imparts an almost vaporous glow of warmth all around you (similar to that which one feels after sipping a fine scotch).  This scent just makes you feel “rich”. As the heart notes open, it becomes even more luxurious. Dark coffee adds a slight gourmand aspect yet it is paired with smooth and slightly smoky incense. The drydown is a superb blend of mineral ambers, vetiver from Haiti, tree moss and musk. This combination adds a sensual animalic (but not overly sweaty or musty) aroma softened by dry greens.

 

This takes the often unpleasant edge off black oudh wood, that many find too sharp or medicinal, while incorporating its exotic aura perfectly. The whole composition is “polished with a high patina of rich sandalwood and aged patchouli”, but this only adds an intriguing oriental flair to its beauty.  Composed of equal parts of dark, masculine, sexy and extremely well balanced; L’Hombre is the olfactory equivalent of a tall dashing handsome stranger all guys secretly want to be…and now, thanks to Ms. Waddington, we can! Sillage: very good. Longevity: excellent.


Lorelei is the name of a rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine River. It is also the name of a water spirit said to haunt that river. She was betrayed by her love and so seduces men sweetly to their end in a watery grave with promises of her charms in a heavenly song. Sylvia Plath, Mendelssohn, Gershwin, and Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” have all celebrated her; as have the Irish band the Pogues, who immortalized her in song.


This perfume was nothing like I expected it to be and is much more than the sum of its parts. The only listed notes are: wisteria, lilac, violet, daffodil, jonquil and lily. It is described as “the essence of eternal youth…in a bouquet of spring flowers” by the perfumer. My skin “eats” light spring floral notes for breakfast (magnolia, honeysuckle and the like) but this fragrance actually lasts!  Imagine each of these floral notes as a single strand of perfumed silk. Each one is light and ephemeral on its own, and could easily be snapped. Woven and twisted together though, they are stronger than steel.

 

Without any lotuses, water lily or “marine notes”, Shelley has captured the sheer nature of these flowers and through a light-handed mix produced a “watery” feeling. Wisteria blows in the breeze while sweet violets laugh. Daffodils and jonquils add a verdant floral edge, as creamy lilies round this out. Softer and silky at first, this becomes something well rounded and utterly elegant to wear and experience. Sillage: good. Longevity: very good.

 

Disclosure: These reviewed are based on samples sent to me by En Voyage for “the Name Game” contest. I would like to thank Shelley for her willingness to incorporate her fans and their input into her work. Brava, my dear, BRAVA!!

Thanks to Shelley Waddington we have one mini (spray or bottle) of each of these new fragrances to give away. Leave a comment naming which one you would prefer and we will draw one winner for each. The draw will take place via random.org on April 25, 2012.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilt perfume.

-John Reasinger, Editor

Senior Editor’s Note: The 6th semi-annual SF Sniff is happening on April 21st, concurrent with the launch of Shelley's new scents. To commemorate, she has created sample packs of each scent to give away to attendees that includes a coupon for entry into a contest for a prize bottle. The SF Sniffers are the first to receive these new scents. We are very honored and happy to sniff them! We are most grateful for Shelley's generosity and hard work putting these together for us. Please leave a comment if you need more information and I’ll get back to you. –Tama Blough

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53 comments

  • Ooh yes please. L’Hombre sounds delicious, and definitely the one I’d prefer. ~ (Thank you !)

  • My choice would be L’Hombre. I love the creative use of the blending of the name as well as the ingredients that it appears have had magic worked upon them! I love the sound of the drydown, the Haitian Vetiver most alluring with the moss and musk.Nice touch I bet! Lovely review as well , thank you.

  • L’Hombre sounds sounds tempting on many levels and I would wear it even though I am not a guy. I wish I was able to go on the sniff.

  • Defenitely l’Hombre is my choice.it sounds like the perfect man scent and I’m realy curious to try it.

  • What a wonderful opportunity! I love the name Lorelei and the notes sound beautiful! Would love to try it.

  • Yet another wonderful article and review John!

    I would love to test Lorelei.

    Thanks for the draw!

  • John, I’m so honored and absolutely blown away by your kind words.

    For those who may not yet know, John’s name submission, L’Hombre, was the one we selected to represent our new perfume. It was a true fit on every level and reflected his complete understanding of the fragrance.

    Congratulations and thank you!

  • Both of these fragrances sound wonderful, and I love both the names (congratulations to John and Donna!). Lorelei sounds like just my kind of fragrance, as I adore watery florals.

  • I was lucky enough to get samples of both in the name game and I would be hard pushed to choose between the two, the ‘mens’ fragrance I would have no hesitation in wearing at all but I think if I was buying a FB it would be Lorelei, it is hauntingly beautiful.

  • Both are intriguing I would prefer Lorelei, I love the myth behind the fragrance too!! Thank you

  • noetic owl says:

    Fantastic review,John and your description of both was spot on as I have sampled both l”hombre and Lorelei (so no need to enter me in the draw 🙂 ) I also applaud you for a great choice in name. These are fantastic scents and I would wear both at different times of the year.

  • Great review. I think both sound fantastic.
    Hard choice. Lorelei probably. Nope. L’hombre would be my final choice.

    So hard to pick. Thank you to the creator and the writer. 😉

  • Shelley’s fragrances are beautiful, my choice of the 2 new ones would be L’Hombre, the notes are fabulous. What great reviews. Thanks for the wonderful draw.

  • Thanks for the article! I would love to try Lorelei as it is one of my favourite names for a girl.
    Thanks!

  • I would love to try Lorelei. I will be getting one of these to give to my old pal, Lorelei, for her birthday next month.

  • Anna in Edinburgh says:

    Lorelei has seduced me from the description alone so include me in the Shelley Waddington draw, please.

  • I would love to try Lorelei, please enter me in the draw. The name of the scent is beautiful.

  • I would love to try Lorelei! Thanks so much for the draw – both scents sound fabulous 🙂

  • I’d love to try Lorelei! I always long for floral perfums in Spring. It sounds lovely.

    Thank you!

  • Ah, so hard to choose! Lorelei is the best name for a fragrance, ever, as far as I am concerned. I have devoured the ballads of Lorelei (and other similarly troublesome spirits) when I was a teen.

    But for the list of notes, actually, L’Hombre sounds a bit more my style — I love me some dark perfume…

    But sometimes it is good to try something you’re not sure about, so should I be a lucky winner, I would go for Lorelei.

  • It was such fun to participate and both names chosen are fantastic. I’d love to win Lorelei! Thanks so much.

  • First, let me give a shout out to Ms. Waddington’s perfumes. I was testing my sample of Poete de Carmel the other day, and two strangers within ten minutes asked the name of my perfume. And that NEVER happens for me. I would pick Lorelei, should I be the lucky winner.

  • I would love to try L’Hombre! It had me at the Scotch opening…and the rest of the notes too! Cofee, vetiver, woods, patchouli…yowza.

  • Cynthia, your shout out makes my day! Thank you so much for sharing that sweet story!

  • Linda Kloss says:

    I have Lorelei. It is my favorite perfume of my entire life, and I’m old. I am now addicted to Shelley Waddington’s Envoyage line and have most of the scents. I love Shelley.