Jusbox No Rules Review  (Antoine Lie) + Punk Rock Draw

Listening to scratchy 45’s on a record player turned up all the way ©Julia Gorton

Punk songs open with a blast – an abrupt, visceral sock of guitar and drum. Energy jolts through you from that first chord and wakes you out of complacency or ennui. It’s the music of my youth and it has staked its claim in my soul. Even in later years as I spent my days in swanky corporate offices in cold glass towers the soundtrack in my head was rebellious, loud and subversive. “The Man” couldn’t take that away from the teenager still living inside me.

Siouxsie and the Banshees live in London via tumblr 

Jusbox No Rules is a fragrance that delivers that punk shot of adrenaline on the first spray. It is bright and loud like an explosion of aldehydes and cold air. Lurking in the background is a slightly sickly sweet note that reminds me of nitrous oxide. It doesn’t last long but it’s there and adds to the adrenaline rush as I experience intense somatic memories of being in the dentist’s chair. The coldness lingers, taking on a metallic note like the squeaking and vibrations of electric guitar strings played hard and fast. This perfume is reaching right in to touch the teenager inside of me.

Punk Icons: Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, Richard Hell, Joe Strummer, Johnny Rotten collage by Marianne©

Jusbox has finally introduced its line of extraordinary fragrances in America. In 2016 the Italian brother and sister team of Andrea and Chiara Valdo launched Jusbox, pouring their love and knowledge of perfume and music into every bottle.

Chiara and Andrea Valdo of Jusbox photo Hernando ©

The brand name is even a clever play on the smash-up of perfume and music, “jus” and “jukebox”. The eleven fragrances in their line represent different genres of modern music from early folk rock to acid house music. The music motif is carried throughout the packaging, website and bottling. What easily could have gone gimmicky stays clever and well-designed in Jusbox’s hands. 

Photo by Hernando © December Bloomingdales 59th Street

The bottles come in one size, 78ml as a reference to 78 rpm records. The beautiful, heavy glass bottle is crowned with a mini LP (the silhouette is reminiscent of the square vintage Balmain bottles capped with a disc shape) and packaged in a box designed like a CD box set. My favorite feature on their website is that every fragrance has its own Spotify playlist (I’m listening to the Jusbox No Rules punk playlist as I write this review!). 

The Ramones in Liverpool, 1977 © Ian Dixon

As cool as all the trappings are, the real rockstars of the Jusbox line are the perfumes themselves. The Valdos’ parents were both in the luxury perfume business in Milan and the brother and sister grew up knowing the importance of quality. This is evidenced by the perfumers that have worked on the line such as Antoine Lie, Julien Rasquinet, and Dominique Ropion.  Antoine Lie signed Jusbox No Rules. When I smell it my nose tells my brain to remember a few of his creations like Etat Libre d’Orange Je Suis Un Homme, and both Ma Bete and Night Flower by Eris Parfums. M. Lie left his fragrant fingerprints for us to find, whorls of sparkly notes curling into birch, spice, and leather notes.

1970’s animal punk chic, NYC © Julia Gorton

The heart of Jusbox No Rules surprised me with well spiced lavender. It’s very English feeling and a little quirky coming on after the metallic sensations. Andrea Valdo explained to me that the lavender in No Rules is disrupted and deconstructed; he wanted to convey idea of something so properly English torn up a bit à la the Sex Pistols and Conservative Britain. While enjoying this lavender interlude a strange note emerged. What is it? It’s so familiar? Wow, it’s the smell of the paint on an old band T-shirt, the kind I’ve had for over twenty years and the acrylic paint of the design is cracking. How can that not put a smile on your face?

Debbie Harry of Blondie

Just as the energetic, raw punk era only lasted a few years before it mellowed into the melancholic, hypnotic era of post-punk Jusbox No Rules doesn’t end abruptly like an early punk song, but fades into a leathery, musky skin scent. No Rules comes on like the Buzzcocks but leaves you like the Psychedelic Furs. Notes: Aldehydic accord, Ether, Saffron, Lavender, Vinyl, Cinnamon, Leather, Birch bark, Musk

 

CBGB’s men’s room recreated for Metropolitan Museum of Art

Disclaimer: Jusbox kindly supplied a bottle of No Rules for review. The opinions are my own.

Marianne Butler, Sr. Contributor

Follow us on Instagram: @cafleurebon  @spritzi_mcgillacutty  @jusboxperfumes  @official_europerfumes

Jusbox No Rules, 78ml bottle, now available at Bloomingdale’s

Thanks to the generosity of Europerfumes, the US distributor, we have a 78 ml bottle of Jusbox No Rules for a registered reader in the USA. To be eligible you must be a registered reader. Please tell us what you enjoyed about Marianne’s review of Jusbox No Rules and if  there is another  Jusbox perfume that might appeal to you. What is your favorite vinyl record or album?  Draw closes January 6. 2019

Editor's Note:Jusbox No Rules won a CaFleureBon award for the best perfume you never heard of. Now you have-M.C

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like ÇaFleureBon and use our Blog feed…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

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36 comments

  • fazalcheema says:

    This looks like it is true to punk rock, starting with vinyl before turning into musky leather. leather def. defines the fashion style of punk rocks. Antoine Lie has created perfumes in the similar vein before so he looks like a great choice for this music-inspired project. I dont have a particular favorite record but I do like some songs by Sex Pistol. I am in US.

  • I loved this review. I just picture punk and more oily gasoline and cigarettes. This would be interesting. I never heard of this house and love the record caps!!!! Oooh oooh oooh Ropion!!!! Live N Loud. Bring on the oud. Beat Cafe sounds fantastic, too! When I think of LPs, I think Black Sabbath Sold Our Soul for Rock and Roll. I’m in USA.

  • Interesting concept and I love the bottles and size, 78ml. My favorite lp is Led Zeppelin IV. USA

  • Monica Beaton says:

    Interesting story/review Marianne. Another fabulous independent perfumer doing interesting things! I was never really into punk – I grew up in a house of Chopin, Schubert, and Bach, but my favourite LP was and still is The Beatles White Album. Imagine a series of fragrances based on that. I live in Australia.

  • This truly sounds fascinating. I love the idea of pairing music and scent together. I wasn’t much of a fan of punk, but classic rock was more my speed. Loved The Eagles greatest hits. Thanks for the review and the draw. I’m in the USA

  • Nice review. I like the concept and the bottles; l’ve tried a few of them and they smelled pretty good. My favourites from what i’ve tested were “live n loud” that to my nose smells pretty close to scent intense from Costume National, and “14 hour dream”. Thanks for the draw, i am in Oakland USA.

  • This is definitely interesting to me. Love punk/ New wave music. I can certainly understand how music can influence a fragrance. The Ramones, The Smiths, Queen. Living in NYC CBGB was the place. Love the idea behind this brand. Hope to try it .

  • Thanks for another great review, Marianne! The art of perfume and music combined sounds interesting. I like the concept of this house. I’m interested to sample two other perfumes from Jusbox-. Feather Supreme (Floral Chypre) & Use Abuse (Florienta)l. I have no particular punk rock fave but I like Siouxie and the Banshee and My Chemical Romance. Thanks for this opportunity. – CA, USA

  • This is absolutely amazing. Great review, and what a website! When Marianne mentioned the punk playlist for No Rules, I went straight to it, and what a fantastic playlist it is! I am in an a cappella group that performs only punk and new wave songs, and we sing 6 of the songs on that playlist! I’ll be getting my hands on this fragrance one way or another. It’s a total flashback to 80s punk style.

    I remain a huge Clash fan, and my favorite vinyl album is still London Calling. But the mention of the Psychedelic Furs at the end of this review brought me back to “Love My Way,” another old favorite song.

    When I was exploring that super cool website, I ran across Feel’n’ Chill, which is accompanied by a really laid-back playlist, including Bob Marley’s “Jammin’.” That fragrance sounds like it could be perfect for summer relaxation. I’d love to try that one, too.

    I’m in Chicago, USA.

  • doveskylark says:

    I completely get the smell of acrylic paint on a t-shirt. And nitrous oxide! oh yes, good memories of getting high at the dentist when I was 8 or 9 years old, the dentist playing old school r and b in the background (guess it wasn’t old school back then). I checked the website and I would like to sample Green Bubble; well, I like that kind of green for sure. I used to listen to Broken English by Marianne Faithful and at he age of 12 remember being shote day the lyrics to “Why D’ya Do It,”
    I live in the USA.

  • Love those record caps on these. I like the name of house and it’s word play too. I read about all the other in the line and would love to get some 14hour Dream. Too many outstanding vinyl albums in my life to choose just one now. US

  • The fragrance sounds pretty avant-garde and experimental. Like a fougere but with some unorthodox notes.
    Another from this house I’d like to try is Green Bubble.
    My favorite album is Yes’ Close to the Edge. Genesis’ Lamb Lies Down on Broadway almost sounds like a different album on vinyl.

    I’m in IL in the US. Thanks for the draw

  • BostonScentGuy says:

    Love the aesthetic, and glad to hear that the scents speak for themselves in addition to the visual trappings! I love the sound of the mix of natural and odd/manmade scents…nitrous oxide…birch…sickly sweetness….sounds great! I also love Marianne’s description of the spiced lavender heart and connecting it to Brit punk. My favorite vinyl album is Grizzly Bear’s Shields for contemporary; Revolver would be my classic pop rock choice! Thanks for the draw–I’m in the US.

  • I have been wondering about jusbox since I saw it on Cafleurebon Instagram. I really loved this review and punk rock. Black powder sounds excellent too! Love nirvana and cobain

  • the bottle is cute! Sounds like a great one to try. A liitle different is good. Thanks for the chance. I live in the US.

  • I need to check out the whole Jusbox line now. Any review that brings up the Buzzcocks is aces in my book! And I love love love the photos of several of my punk idols! Also, isn’t asking folks to name their favorite vinyl record a bit like asking them to name their favorite child?! If I stick with punk, it’ll have to be The Clash’s Combat Rock and London Calling, Ramones self-titled, and Iggy Pop Lust for Life and The Idiot (you can’t make me choose!). I’m in the U.S.

  • What a interesting and beautiful review!
    Especially I like illustrations!
    I think sounds very interesting- “disrupted and deconstructed” lavander!!
    Unfortunately, I have never tested any JusBox perfume.
    US

  • Wow – thank you sooo much for the trip down memory lane – so many great bands and what a great time in music…..used to enjoy buying new records and especially covered vinyl. There was an awesome shop in the village that had the best records, imports, etc. These were really great times in my younger days – I have lots of fond memories of the best times. Favorite vinyl? hard to really pick – Sex Pistols, XTC, Clash, Buzzcocks were a fave – can’t pick 🙂

  • Gabriel Garcia says:

    Wonderful era, to be, then we went crazy about the rawness and crazy haircuts and the whole experience was great, the scent is interesting to try, And the electric raw excitement of the vinyl is a great idea.
    Favorite bands, b52’s, clash, Ramones hey!

  • Its great when the correct person writes the right review, someone who has the past experiences that the fragrance can evoke, and then have the power to transmit that feeling into words.
    Really liked the concept of the whole house and the fact that big perfumer are working for them. I like Ramones and Sex Pistols but unfortunately have no experience with Jusbox so I would love to win the draw.
    Thanks you guys. @USA

  • In my youth I spent all of my hard earned money on one thing, music. I was a huge fan a punk and went to tons of shows. If this fragrance really has a note that will remind me of an old concert t-shirt, I’m sold! This line sounds truly intriguing and I would definitely love to get my hands on a few bottles. Although my favorite vinyl is definitely not a punk band these days, if I had to pick one it would probably be London Calling

  • I love that this…is a fragrance that delivers that punk shot of adrenaline on the first spray. It is bright and loud like an explosion of aldehydes and cold air. What an interesting fragrance. Feather supreme is also appealing. I don’t listen to vinyl records unfortunately.
    I live in California.

  • I absolutely love the bottle presentation!! This sounds like such a great perfume line. The notes sound so edgy with leather and vinyl. I looked at their website and I really like the description of Micro Love. My favorite LP is Duran Duran’s Rio.

    I live in the USA

  • Now we have! I love the soft dry down. I like aldehilic notes, so this would be good. So many favorite LPs, I can’t choose just one. I would like to try feather supreme by M. Ropion. Thank you for the draw

  • I love the vinyl 78 mini record tops on the bottles. Wow is this a creative offering from this house. My favorite LP is Miles Davis “In A Silent Way” This album is amazing and my favorite music to relax to. Feather Supreme and Micro Love sounds appealing to me. I live in CA, USA.

  • I’m not familiar with Jusbox perfumes, but I like description of this perfume. It is interesting to try lavender-leather combination with spices.
    I find bottles very simple and lovely.
    US

  • I love the concept and presentation of this perfume. Punk Rock takes me back to my college days, so fun! I love perfume reviews that mention similarities to real-world artifacts, like the smell of paint on an old band t-shirt! Great review. I checked out the Jusbox site, too, and would be interested in a review of (and sample of!) Feather Supreme or Use Abuse. My favorite vinyl album is Patti Smith Horses. I live in WI, USA.

  • Ivan.napoleon says:

    It really appeals the name and the color
    My vinil definetely Boney rivers ir babylon
    Id love to try this one it would be my first bottle From this house
    Miami Florida Thanks

  • First time hearing of this House. Pretty cool concept. Like to get a chance to try this fragrance and others from this House one day.
    Thanks U.S

  • -Registered

    -“Just as the energetic, raw punk era only lasted a few years before it mellowed into the melancholic, hypnotic era of post-punk Jusbox No Rules doesn’t end abruptly like an early punk song, but fades into a leathery, musky skin scent. No Rules comes on like the Buzzcocks but leaves you like the Psychedelic Furs.” if I had not already clicked through from here to the site last week on their ad that summation would have had me doing so with a quickness!

    -Though all the Jusbox (LOVE That name!) are exciting and intriguing to this musicologist perfumista Beat Café, Live & Loud and Micro Love all entice me. That 75 USD Collection Box (4 x 7.8 mL travel sprays) would already be mine if it included Live & Loud (rather than Use Abuse) and Feather Supreme (over 14 Hour Dream)!!

    -My favorite vinyl record is from the above pictured Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees. In 1983-84 the band and the Chandos String Quartet recorded “The Thorn” a 4 song EP of classy and classical remixes of early punk-heavy standards, It had a clear picture disc 12″ pressing with the rose encircling the titles etc. THAT was a record. I sold mine long ago…but still cherish my vinyl copy of “A Classic Case: The LSO Play the Music of Jethro Tull” just great to unwind

    EVERY SINGLE CHEESY ASPECT OF THIS BRAND MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE AWESOME AND COOL!! well done

    smell swell & be well,
    GP xox

    PS: Michelyn, this WAS the best brand I never heard of until I clicked on their ad here in the margin! Keep these cool new Houses a-comin!

  • Grandiflora says:

    What I enjoyed most about Marianne’s review of Jusbox No Rules is the mention of the small details that were put into this perfume, like how “the bottles come in one size, 78ml as a reference to 78 rpm records.” That’s awesome! My favorite record is Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. My mother gave me hers from when she was a teen, and I cherish it! I would love to try out No Rules, but after checking out the full Jusbox line up, I think Beat Cafe appeals to me more. I’m in the U.S.

  • I love the avant garde sound of this scent! Nice follow through with the packaging, too. I’m in the US.

  • I liked the sound of this scent when Michelyn mentioned it as her little -known fragrance and Marianne’s review has me even more intrigued. I loved the band t-short allusion – definitely sounds like a quirky scent. I think Beat Cafe And Black Powder from the house also sound interesting. As others have pointed out, the size of the bottle is also a cool nod to their vinyl inspirations. My favorite vinyl record was a copy of Tommy Roe’s Sweet Pea that my mom had in her jukebox growing up. I’m in the US – many thanks for the review and draw!

  • Dubaiscents says:

    I love so many scents by Antoine Lie that I was immediately drawn to the one. It is great to know this brand is available in the US now. I have been admiring the bottles since they were first released and all of them sound so unique and avant-garde. Thank you for the draw! I remember signing along to Cher’s Gypsies Tramps and Thieves from my parents extensive LP collection when I was little. I’m in the US.

  • Great review and I completely love this concept! I am so in love with the packaging. My favorite vinyl record was Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Prince’s Purple Rain. Thanks so much for the draw and I live in the US! 🙂

  • Good luck to everyone in the draw!

    And for everyone who said they are interested in Live n’ Loud: I agree! It’s my second favorite from this line!

    Happy New Year to all, Marianne / Spritzi