Hello Posse, Very excited to be with you all today. Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies bringing you a fragrance that isn’t super new but it is new to me. I love Pierre Guillaume’s general aesthetic in all his ranges and the Phaedon fragrances that I’ve tried so far seem to be a little different to his usual fare…..
Pluie de Soliel by Pierre Guillaume for Phaedon 2011
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Bergamot, lemon, freesia, strawberry, pineapple, sandalwood, musk
The fruity opening for Phaedon’s Plui de Soliel is so OTT that it makes me laugh out loud, well the first time I sprayed it did. Now it makes me smile broadly, I can’t believe how
much I like this massive overdose of fruit. This is canned fruit in sweet syrup, glace fruit, dried fruit, everything but fresh fruit. They are fun, silly, neon bright fruits like candy carbonated fizz. Though you can tell the nod to strawberry and citrus it in no way resembles the fruit, totally synthetic feeling. Somehow though this crazy fruit melange works and makes me smile with sheer carefree joy.
The heart is a lot like having a citrus/pineapple cheese cake with almond meal and biscuit base (Photo Stolen KraftRecipes). Creamy, milky, pineapple, and this fun biscuity/almond-ish back beat that nothing in the notes prepared me for. It could be a creamy, nutty, synth sandalwood? I get no sandalwood or freesia to my nose from Phaedon’s Plui de Soliel but that could be my wonky skin or nose. I really enjoy the heart where the fireworks have calmed down and I can just relax into the fruitiness. I know, it’s hard to believe I just wrote that sentence but it’s true, I really like Phaedon’s Plui de Soliel.
I can understand why some reviewers think this too close to modern mainstream perfumery, it is pretty close to quite a few designer and celebuscents, Phaedon’s Plui de Soliel is cooler, feels more expensive and the high octane fizz is not headache inducing, actually I find it calming, and whatever the creamy part is anchors the rest beautifully. The blending feels seamelss and there is none of the brutal clunkiness or heavy handedness that you can find in cheaper versions of what we have here.
After 5 hours I am left with a very soft pineapple and clean musk, it’s nearly gone but stays at a very low hum for another couple of hours. Only those who get you really, really close will be able to smell you. What they smell though will make them want you even more.
Further reading: Scent For Thought and Sherapop’s Sillage
LuckyScent has $125/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/ml
Have you tried Phaedon’s Plui de Soliel? Are you one with the haters or did you find it fun, carefree and flirty? Can a fruity floral be wearable for you? Do you have one you love?
Portia xx
PS. I couldn’t let an opportunity for a pic of Pierre Guillaume go by. Feast your eyes.
Photo Stolen Franjipani.cz
HA HA HA Poodle you are a riot. Every man looks like PG with your eyes closed.
Yes, that note list reads like a week in hell. When I put it on though PdS is strangely compelling.
Portia xx
Those notes sound awful but we do like a lot of similar scents so who knows, I might like it somehow.
PG was a nice little photo to wake up to today. Very easy on the eyes. Oh, and here comes the hubband…and here’s me crashing back to reality…
When will the Frederic Malle perfumers’ portraits look like that? I’d like to know.
HA HA HA HA!! When they use PG I suppose LeatherMountain.
Portia xx
Funny, I thought of Pulp too when I read this – OTT fruitiness! Will try to get a sniff of this from LuckyScent. I like pineapple, although the only pineapple fragrance I have is AP Ananas Fizz.
I have yet to try Ananas Fizz TaraC. I thought there was pineapple in Anyway by JHaG and Bombay Bling by NVC but they are other fruits, I think I’m beginning to like these fruity florals though.
Portia xx
Haven’t tried any of the Phaedon scents at all – just, you know, Too many frags, too little time (and money for samples, unfortunately, since I can’t access these for free). I do love pineapple cheesecake, though… and Pierre IS extremely handsome…
Mals86,
Eat the Pineapple Cheesecake, Google PG and spray yourself in Silences.
That way you get all the best bits of the experience, you get to wear Silences and you don’t need to find the Phaedon.
Portia xx
Your review reminded me of Byredo’s Pulp, which made me laugh out loud at its OTT fruitiness. I will have to get a sample of this now, even though the notes sound like nothing I would usually like.
Yes jirish,
There is a definite correlation. They are cousins. Fingers crossed you like Plui de Soliel too.
Portia xx
I was just going to write the equivalent of what Spiker said! I was all ‘whaaat? – this sounds like a hot mess’ but you make it sound so delightfully gigglelicious! xoxoxoA
100% delightfully gigglelicous! Spot on Musette, as always.
This is summer fun,
Portia xx
The notes don’t appeal to me at all, but your description is so charming I’m sorely tempted. I’m always looking for a summer scent.
ME TOO Spiker.
I thought these notes would have me waddling for the hills.
I am completely overcome with love though.
Portia x
I like Histoires de Parfums 1804 (thanks for the swap, Lisa D), which to me smells like realistic, albeit somewhat floral, pineapple. (Or PINEAPPLE. The first time I sprayed it, I was a little surprised by its volume.) Gucci by Gucci, which I got after reading Patty’s review, is also really nice, although I find myself relieved when the guava settles down. PdS sounds like the sort of polarizing perfume that’s fun to try. And I bet everything smells sexier if one has a photo of M. Guillaume in front of one. xxx
Hi Laurel! Glad you like the 1804 – it is, as you say, a fairly big pineapple. Not really what comes to mind when I think of George Sand, though. 🙂
Yes LaurelS,
Plui de Soliel has been totally fun to try. I have been laughing with Cookie Queen because though this is nothing like I think I want to smell,. I keep spritzing and LOVING it.
Portia xx
I love Pierre! He must be one of the most handsome perfumers in the business. I rather like his fragrances too – my particular favourite is Ilang Ivohibe which is surprising as it is so not what I would normally go for. He must weave some sort of magic spell and makes me fall for it; it’s sort of sunshiny lime sweetened with vanilla and dusted with tropical white flowers. I have this feeling I would fall for Plui as well.
Jillie,
We are both sucked in by his seamless blending and light touch with excess.
Yes he is handsome but the frags stand alone, outstanding.
Portia xx
Hi Portia! I love this perfume. Like you the first time I tried it I laughed and bought a bottle straight away. Perfect for a carefree summer day.
Sandra Xo
Hey there Sandra,
WOW! We are scent twins on this one. Excellent!
I can’t believe how much I love it, so much of what it includes is on my stay away from list, yet here the pieces all fit together so perfectly. For me anyway: and clearly for you too.
Portia xx