Perfume Review: Jolie Laide Masculin Féminin (Heather Kaufman) + Night Flowers Drag Kings and Queens Draw

Night flowers © Damien Frost, courtesy of Merrell Publishers.

 Samanfah Wilson on Berwick Street Night flowers © Damien Frost, courtesy of Merrell Publishers.

Heather Kaufman of  San Fransico's Jolie Laide (a French expression which refers to an unconventional beauty literally means “pretty ugly” or “ugly pretty”) uses this clever turn of phrase to describe the raw materials used in the line: “our perfume combines natural scents that are both luscious and odd, coming together in a way that allows each individual to explore their complexities within.” A student of Mandy Aftel, Heather has both the technical education and fine nose for creating expressive natural perfumes with names and stories which would honor her mentor.

© Damien Frost, courtesy of Merrell Publishers.night flowers

© Damien Frost, courtesy of Merrell Publishers.

Masculin Féminin is a floral tobacco with hints of fruit, ironically reminding me of drag kings, queens and cognac- all in for a night's show. Jasmine is the king of essential oils and it's here the feminine wiles of jasmine are stripped away, and his royal majesty is on display. White cognac adds shaded on beards and a tobacco note which seals the deal.  Allowing one to explore their inner complexities, bottled, is Masculin Féminin, a gender melting homage to “hopeless romantic affairs” may have been the aroma of Annie Hindle, a popular New York City male impersonator or “drag king” circa 1867.

Gene Avery, Storme DeLarverie, Dore Orr and Tobi Marsh at the Jewel Box Revue vintage

Gene Avery,Drag King Storme DeLarverie, Dore Orr and Tobi Marsh at the Jewel Box Revue 

We're in a gentleman's club where the only women on display are the men. (Drag kings are more likely to join troupes such as Storme DeLarverie and the kings at Jewel Box Revue in the 50's and 60's and were alongside the drag queens who historically rioted at Stonewall.)

damien-frost-night-flowers-london-drag-queens- maxi more

Maxi More © Damien Frost, courtesy of Merrell Publishers.

This clean sexy masculine note slowly starts to shift to something more neutral, a balance of what one might consider masculine and what is feminine as mate gives it's beautiful soapy note; a removal of artifice and gender lines and we see  beneath the glories of the florals is a cup of tea innocent and unassuming. Roobios tea lifted by mandarin is a lasting impression and maintains through the dry down, although all fresh and flit by now is more proper and dusted, but the perfume never leans too far into either gender category, which leaves it, as its namesake, completely unisex… or perhaps this is the first pansexual perfume.

Notes: mate, roobios, jasmine sambac, white cognac, red mandarin

-Einsof, Natural Perfume Editor

(my sample was provided by Jolie Laide for review)

Night flowers © Damien Frosf Merrell Publishers.

Night flowers © Damien Frosf Merrell Publishers.

Art Direction: Michelyn Camen

Editor’s Note Some photos are from the recently published book (April 2016) by photographer Damien Frost of the Underground London Alternative Scene "Night Flowers From Avant-Drag to Extreme Couture" 

jolie laide heather kaufman masculin et feminin

Thanks to Heather Kaufmann of Jolie Laide we have a draw for a registered reader  USA, reader of 15 ml of Masculin Féminin  To be eligible please leave a comment with  what you enjoyed about Einsof’s review,  if you wear fragrances marketed to a different gender and if you are familiar with the photography of Damien Frost. Draw closes 7/7/2016

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

 

 

 

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12 comments

  • ron payne says:

    Love the Damien Frost photography. Fragrances may be aimed at a specific gender, but that is just marketing–why should I have not worn Opium for decades simply because I am male? Unisex fragrances were a start (though a neutered one of sorts), but U.S. fragrance buyers have been woefully parochial regarding the male/female designation. Wear what you love; classification be damned.

  • fazalcheema says:

    I am intrigued because Heather is a student of Mandy Aftel. It is a floral tobacco and true to the brand philosophy, this seems like a perfume of contrasts. Damien Frost is a name I have def. heard in popular culture but I am not familiar with his work. I wear all perfumes irrespective of the gender. Thanks for the draw. i am in the US/

  • Patty P. says:

    I wear any fragrances I like. Not always sure who they are marketed to at all. I wish perfume was just made and sold without marketing to gender with ads and bottle shape. Anyway, I’d love this because it has all the promise of being something unique. First time I’m aware of seeing a photo by Damien Frost. 🙂 usa

  • SniffR says:

    I wasn’t familiar with Damien Frost’s photography, but I am glad for the introduction! I am fascinated by drag by/of all genders. Great pic of the Jewel Box Revue. Drag has probably been around for most of human history. I wear whatever scents appeal to me, doesn’t matter who they are marketed to. I’m a woman and I enjoy Prada Luna Rossa, YSL Homme (all flavors), Guerlain L’Instant for Men, many of the Amouages for men and others. I love that Annick Goutal put the same fragrances in 2 different bottles; I prefer the square “male” ones when given a choice, like for Mandragore. I love woods and resins that are considered masculine, and I also love big floral scents that are traditionally interpreted as feminine. Since Masculin Feminin embraces our dual nature, according to Einsof, I would be honored to wear it. I am in the USA.

  • Steve A says:

    Not heard of Damien Frost until today. I’ll look up some more photos later. Personally I wear unisex marketed fragrance, and some marketed to ladies as well as classic masculines. This would be a great one to try I’m sure. The notes listed are certainly unique and few. I enjoyed finding out the meaning of Jolle Laide. USA

  • Erin says:

    Many of my favorite notes are more masculine than feminine: vetiver, nagarmotha, firs, and cedar. I loved the description of the fragrance as “pansexual” intriguing, indeed!
    I’m in the USA.

  • Maureen Ruf says:

    Have not heard of Damien Frost …will google. I like vetiver in fragrances, a traditionally male fragance. I would like to try this. I am in the USA.

  • Diana Devlin says:

    I wasn’t familiar with this fragrance house nor Damien Frost’s photography, but I found the photos you showed to be breathtaking!
    I often do wear men’s fragrances that belong to my boyfriend. I find some of them so refreshing, particularly Thierry Mugler’s cologne. I also just recently discovered Theirry Mugler’s AMen Angel. While it doesn’t smell good on my boyfriend, on me, it smells incredibly gourmand. I’d love to win this 15 ml bottle. The notes sound incredibly interesting.
    I live in the U.S.

  • Lori L says:

    Knowing that Heather was a student of Mandy Aftel’s, I know it will be awesome! Damian Frost is incredible!!! I love fragrances not because they are marketed to one gender or the other, but because they smell good and they move me. I feel that all fragrance should be unisex, so that it can be all inclusive and can be free for both genders to wear. I’m “all-in” on a pansexual fragrance!!!

  • Wayne Hollander says:

    It tickles me that even as we attempt to blur the lines – eliminate them – between what is “masculine” and “feminine” in general, as well as in fragrance, we still can’t help but gender certain scents. The reviewer here does a really nice job in this regard – “…a removal of artifice and gender lines and we see beneath the glories of the florals is a cup of tea innocent and unassuming.” Loved the visuals and must follow up on Frost’s work.
    I am roundly dismissed by perfumistas because I *do* gender-sort my passion…..I *do* pursue masculine branded fragrance, because I DO prefer aromas that are marketed as “masculine” even though I DO understand it’s a marketing trick! ….but I am also open to unisex fragrance, and……….I have a love for “Paris,” which I came across many years ago. Love to get my hands and nose on this one, and thanks for the chance!

  • Alduin says:

    I love unisex scents, and I always get very excited to find a true unisex scent… Sometimes they’re too feminine but most often they’re too masculine, so my collection has very few unisex scents… Those I have though, I love. I love the idea behind this, so so much.