July 18, 2011
Serge Lutens Vitriol d’Oeillet Review: The Return of Floral Grandeur + 5ml Mini flacon Draw
The perfumes of Serge Lutens and I have a twice a year love affair. My absentee lover beckons; this scented encounter fills me with impatience, lust, and the desire to fall in love again. Although my scented lover sometimes disappoints, bewilders, even irritates me, our perfume history has been more pleasure than not. And when it is painful I still return.
I can smell the scented signals from a distance, and I place touches of M.Lutens fragrances here and there on my skin while I wait; I read each new press release of an upcoming Serge Lutens like an oracle. Once I try each new creation, I am attracted to the most complex, the fragrances with a little more sensuality, femininity and mystery. Many are puzzles I cannot always solve. (His last two compositions Boxeuses et Jeux de Peau"), pleased me immensely.
My first image when I encountered Vitriol d'Oeillet was being immersed in an atmosphere of the 18th century, that of the Romantics. The magic of this fragrance, like the great poets of the time, can make me weep and laugh; songs of innocence (William Blake) tinged with seduction.
Vitriol d'Oeillet… It suits the décor of its totally beautiful boutique located in the gardens of the Palais Royal…dark, mysterious, extremely elegant and hedonistic.
And it is very aptly named, with, a little note of humor, a reference to the vitriol. The floral of the earth that is between heaven and hell…sulfurous acid infuses the spicy oriental.
For the first few seconds on the skin, the carnation bouquet explodes as if freshly cut at dawn, yet it is imbued with all the mystery of the night lingering in the opening The notes swirl and beckon around the carnation enhanced by the spice of cloves, cooled by violets. Ethereal, then oriental until a double peppery note (pink and Cayenne) piques the senses; for a moment you shy away but surrender to its heat and wander into the realm of the wanton and surreal.
The duality- the carnation in the button hole of an English gentlemen, and carnation between the teeth of a femme fatale. Serge Lutens revives floral grandeur (as he did with beautiful "Tuberouse Criminelle") but Vitriol d’Oeillet has a touch of the animalic lurking behind its sophisticated appearance. Perhaps a step into the night side, where its always three o’clock in the morning , the witching hour and danger is in the air.
Vitriol d’Oeillet is sold exclusively at the Salons du Palais Royal (Paris) since the beginning of June and will be available worldwide on 1 September.
Editor's Note this is for comparison only, it will be Vittriol d'Oeillet, in its flacon featured above
Emmanuelle Varron, Senior Editor
Art Direction and translation by Michelyn Camen, EIC
For those not lucky enough to discover “Vitriol d'Oeillet” in Paris, we offer CaFleureBon readers a chance to experience this changeling carnation courtesy of www.sergelutens.com. Please enter a comment about your favorite Serge Lutens fragrance and if you are attracted to the dark side or the bright side of perfumery in general and you are eligible to win a miniature 5ml. Draw ends July 21 2011
Felicia
That is one of my three favorites it was under shiseido brand and debuted in 1992 before M Lutens went on his own
To my nose and skin Bois et fruits I’d quite similar
@Patty : You’re right about the Romantic movement. It began at the end of the XVIIIth century, but more in Germany and UK than France. We had other problems to care about, at that time !
Vitriol d’Oeillet is rather linked to the darker side of the French Romantics, symbolized by Charles Beaudelaire, in the XIXth century second
@To all : It is great to read so many love words towards M. Lutens work. I have now 102 perfume bottles at home, and 15 (and two shelves) are dedicated to his creations. My first one was Ambre Sultan, my favorite one depends on the weather or my mood. I am an absolute fan of Tubereuse Crminelle, Santal de Mysore ans Five O’Clock Thé au Gingembre. And I love being on the dark side…
@emmanuelle @patty the great period of english romaticism was 18th century, i am sorry for the confusion as I believe emmanuelle meant that or I mis translated. I had alot of french to translate.. but it matches the fragrance. baudelaire is often a pretext in perfumery.. and he was quite dark and morbid IMHO
Plus Byron was better looking and a poet , Blake was a visionary and a genius
My favorite SL’s perfume (and the only one I own so far) is Jeux de Peau. As to the sides… I’m probably more on a bright side, I think. But with short visits to the other one.
I do enjoy my sample of Jeux de Peau, and I would love to try 5 O’Clock au Gingembre. one day….I do love a well made gourmand!
I tend to love darker, or should I say more subtle and deep perfumes….but I love glimpses of bright now and then…it is fun to highlight the various moods, or use perfumes to either reinforce moods or to change them.
Thank you for offering this intriguing and special draw!
I adore Daim Blond probably most of all. But I also love Bois et Fruits, Chergui, Rose de Nuit, Iris Silver Mist is a masterpiece, and of course, Feminite du Bois. In summer Nuit de Cellophane. And anytime, Bois de Violette. I guess I like dark and light aspects of this artist. I live the nuit and the bois the best. I’d love this draw.
Though I do appreciate the bright side of life, I’m generally drawn to the dark side when it comes to art, music, and perfume. An amazing feat that certain special perfumes accomplish is to bring out both moods, the dark and the light, and different nuances in between, from top notes to drydown. Vitriol d’Oeillet sounds like it makes this magic happen. I would be thrilled to have the chance to be included in the draw! Thanks for the opportunity to try this beauty. Oh, and my current favorite SL is tough to choose- I’d probably go with Miel de Bois, but that may change as the seasons do.
Daim Blond smells warm and wonderful on me. I have been thinking of sampling A La Nuit as I am longing for a strong jasmine scent. I would say that I am drawn to the light, bright side!
I think Un Lys just became a favorite, though I’m not sure I can label it The Favorite quite yet! I like the dark side… Always.
This not only was a beautifully written and very evocative review, but the illustrations tell a story in themselves. I wasn’t sure I wanted to try Vitriol d’Oillet before I read this, but now I’m sure I do. It was the portrait of Lord Byron that got me.
Encens et Lavande is my favorite Lutens. I can almost see the smoke of the incense swirling about me when I wear it. The dark side is what most attracts me, although I prefer to think of it as deep rather than dark.
I haven’t tried all of Juletns fragranses but I dream about a bell jar of Bois de Violette. I fell immediately in love with it first time i tried it and i only wear it – from my small decant – on those days that feel… special.
The dark always attracts me in scents, but i prefer to wear brights in clothes
My favorite Lutens is Fumerie Turque, I love it and I think it leans toward the dark side a little bit.
I adore the dark side of perfume… always the rich, heavy, earthier ones for me. Occasionally something light will creep in- a mimosa at the right time of year etc…. a favorite if I’m just naming one is Santal de Mysore.
Kathryn I am sure Emmanuelle will love your praise Byron gets me every time and thanks for the nod to the art
I do my best
Mmmm sounds dreamy! Dark scents are beautiful especially when you find their sparkles.
My favourite SL has to be Filles en Aiguilles, for conjuring up a warm Christmas feeling alongside a fresh walk in the woods. x
I love lots of SL fragrances. Feminite du Bois is on top of that list.
I love the dark side, the darker the better.
My favourite SL is probably Fleurs d’Oranger and I think I am generally attracted to the light side of perfume, although that may be my summertime self speaking. I do, however, adore the scent of carnaations and pinks and am intrigued to find how they are treated in perfumes
My favorite SL is Bois de Violette. In general I think I’m more drawn to the light side of perfume, I’m really curious about this one though!
Have not tried enough SL to have a fave but I do really like Santal de Mysore Eau de Parfum and Fleur D’Oranger Eau de Parfum. Will look forward to this release.
fille en aiguilles, hands down.
closely followed by vetiver oriental.
and ambre sultan.
dark side for me, obviously.
Beautfully written review. It celebrates the seductive and mysterious powers of perfume . Classical romanticism.
I prefer neither the light nor dark side of perfumery rather the use of a bright chtpre scent to herald the delightful interplay of the art of love and flirtation.
My favorite Serge Lutens is Daim Blonde.
I would love to win this draw.
thank you
Wonderful piece! Serge Lutens was the first line that sparked my passion for unique fragrances, and my favorite from the house is Fourreau Noir. Before discovering this non-export I rarely, if ever, wore lavender scents and could never seem to find one that was me (though Encens et Lavande was my go-to when I wanted the purp, there was something else I needed). For me it’s smoky, lavender deliciousness is equally perfect for bedtime comfort or a date night where anything could happen. My second favorite Serge is Un Lys, so I guess you could say I flutter back and forth between the dark and the light…and thoroughly enjoy the journey!
Favorite SL: Iris Silver Mist. It always smells a little different than I remembered. Preference for dark or light isn’t really predictable.
SL Favorite: El Attarine
And Dark for sure!
My favorite Serge Lutens is Sarrasins. In regard to a preference of light or dark, I prefer Dark. Through and through.
My favorite Lutens is Chergui. My taste is all over the place too but I have more woody orientals than anything else so I’ll say seek the dark scents more than the lighter ones…unless it warm outside, like it is 90% of the time in SoCal.
I have converted with Religious Fervor to the Fragrance CULT that is SERGE LUTENS…
I read OTHERfragrance blogs that this would be a Powdery CARNATION fragrance…
I imagined it …..to be a very modern take on the classic BELLODGIA by CARON
which I love for its in your face CARNATION notes….
softened by VANILLA, MUSK and CLOVE.
Boy was I pleasantly wrong.
This fragrance is really spicy. !!!!
PINK PEPPER… PEPPER… PIMENTO(PAPRIKA) are ingredients listed
and they are the are the strongest notes that hit my nose first
they then remain there tingling
much the way Jalapenos peppers tingle
the lips and tongue
This sounds ..terrible,unless you happen to like that kind of FIERY sensation
SERGE LUTENS manages to soften this fiery concotion
with CARNATION FLOWERS and a hint of CLOVE
The NUTMEG is a hidden note .. I could not detect.
The fragrance that it brings to mind for its similar
unique spiciness
If i could suggest such a thing…
AMBRE GRIS by BALMAIN
Both are spicy……and peppery and very masculine in
an upfront manner.
however, Vitriol turns into a light powdery spicy fragrance
which then develops into yes…
a sharp woody scent
and back again ….
A juxtoposition of scents…I know.
a most unusual feat in of itself .
that in the end .. is very unisex !!!
Bravo SERGE!!and CaFleureBon
You won me over again….with your complexity!