In places where it gets cold and snows I expect green, sappy, spring-ish fragrances are very welcome during autumn into winter.
Well, here – where the road into the village just flooded for the fifth or sixth time this rainy season (with associated internet warnings to avoid our crossroads due to flooding), the lawn is a sponge, the wild primroses and the helebores are blooming which is just wrong, wrong, wrong – it is difficult to understand why I bought two green samples. Flummoxing.
Seriously, it happened. Maybe someone else was buying for me.
I don’t need to smell damp and green. Clearly, the wider world is doing that for me.
But that’s where we are today (at the tail end of the latest storm, Elin): wet, green, windy. We need to send this to Australia, which I understand is having a heatwave.
But green samples.
I got The Zoo Fig My Love – because it’s Christophe Laudamiel, of the most beloved Theo Fennell Scent – and Eris Perfumes Green Spell — because I’m still working my way through this house (see here for Portia’s take on this).
Fig My Love (2016). I was grazing through The Zoo’s offer on the Sainte Cellier site here and chose this because 1) I love figs and fig fragrances and 2) the name. Simple pleasures. There’s a lot to explore in The Zoo, Laudamiel’s recent playground. Vague notes include fig leaf and flesh, fig ‘tree’, milky sap – and maybe a bit of citrus and pepper. Who knows. I love me a fig fragrance, as I said — in particular, Diptyque Philosykos (which is a very different animal). As to Fig My Love, not so much. This is green wet sap to the max, with a sharp citrus kick and some serious pepper. It smells good but not good on me. If you’re a green fragrance lover this is seriously worth a look (particularly because it’s Monsieur Laudamiel).
Green Spell (2021). This is more Antoine Lie for Eris. Really like what he did with this brand. Plus, the name reminded me of Green Witch from Roxana Illuminated. Notes include mandarin, black currant, galbanum, violet leaf, narcissus, tomato leaf accord, fig leaf accord, vetiver, ambroxan and musk. While still being sappy green, this is much drier than FmL and much much better on my chemistry. It reminds me of something … some things … the beautiful but long gone Gaubin-Daude green thing (forgotten the name), something Annick Goutal long gone that I wore. I’m sorry, I don’t have to will today to look things up. In any case, this is basically a wonderful kitchen garden on me. Extremely enjoyable.
Both fragrances are pretty long-lasting (still smellable in the evening when sprayed in early afternoon).
Truth is, however, I’m better served at the moment wearing dry, woody, spicy things to counter-act our insane weather. Arabie here I come.
Fig My Love is £125 for 60ml and Green Spell is same price for 50ml (both EdP).
Either of these yours? Are you interested? Do you want some of our rain?
Pics: Pexels and mine
These both sound lovely! It’s dry here, I’d go for a damp scent … oh those Gobin Daudes. Wish I had a bottle or three. AG did some really green scents back in the day, I think ivy, tomato leaf, a very green honeysuckle.
I would send you a bit of our humidity if I could. I keep returning to Un Matin d’Orage. It’s one of those things I wish I had bought even if I didn’t do much more than smell it from the bottle or on paper.
I own Green Spell, which I purchased when it first came out in 2021. It has mellowed over the last couple of years and the tomato note that first captured my heart is gone, there is now a green pepper impression that is most prominent and not so appealing. I can’t speak to Fig My Love yet, it is still on my to-try list, but Rhubarb My Love and Smile & Shine are phenomenal. Sadly, it appears the Zoo fragrances are no longer available in the US.
Hey Cinnamon,
Happy Monday! I also enjoy a fig scent. My fav is L’Artisan Premiere Figuere Extreme. I think Olivia Giacobetti did this as well as Philosykos? Someone correct me if I’m misremembering. Anyway, Fig my Love sounds too peppery to me, but I’d have to test it to really know. I totally agree that Eris Green Spell is a good one! Portia and I both contributed to the crowd-sourced funding of that one. Anyone else?? Galbanum and narcissus are notes I really enjoy year round. I hope it dries out soon in your area. Otherwise hip waders might be the best holiday gift. Happy Hannukah!
FmL is sappy and peppery. Definitely too damp for here right now. Thank you with regard to weather. Fingers very crossed. It’s gotten very boring. I don’t own a proper pair of wellies. Happy Hannukah to you as well. Really enjoying the candles this year.
Buy Muck boots post retirement. Best dirty dog walking boots I found. Actually stable yard boots but better than any welly & last forever
Not sure I need these but thanks for jogging my memory of Green Witch and the Goutal (was it Ninfeo Mio?)
No, I don’t feel the need for more of either of these. It did make me curious about more Zoos but (see Alityke’s comment below) they may be on their way out. Yes, that Goutal. I actually have a decant so I don’t know why I couldn’t manage to check it.
I loved Ninfeo Mio, but failed to get a bottle! Poor decision!
I did a split close to when it came out. Not sure how I’m going to feel when it’s gone.
OOOH Cinnamon,
Green is my jam. LOVED Green Spell and would probably adore FmL.
No thanks, keep your rain. We are having some very hot days but after being in Europe winter for 5 weeks I’m loving the heat. Sweating like a farm hand but…
Portia xx
Oh, that makes sense on the heat. It hasn’t been as cold here (except for a bit under a week) vs Northern Europe. It’s always great to travel but nice to come home too …
I adore green scents, fig scents not so much.
Eris Green Spell should have been a shoo-in but….. nope. I got some grassy meadow then, poof gone. Nothing, disappeared, MIA, gone walkabout, whatever. I did try it when it was much warmer weather, maybe it will wear better in the cold on me. Will dig it out & try again.
Not tried FML cos … well fig. I was taken aback when I got Brooke’s email to say Christophe is winding up The Zoo & she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to restock. If we want to try The Zoo in the UK we have to get ordering now
Grassy meadow. I saw something about Laudamiel working on another brand (can’t recall which one) so not that surprised The Zoo is going good-bye. Do you like Diptyque Philosykos?
Apparently Laudamiel is going to spend some time working on Regulatory stuff. I think that’s what the email said. He & Pia have worked on lobbying regarding regs really hard already. I can imagine how much energy it takes. I’m sure he’ll still be doing freelance work.
Philosykos isn’t for me. Neither is Prem Fig. I wonder if I’m anosmic to a fig aroma chemicals? Figs don’t taste of anything to me
I never understood why perfumers think figs smell/taste like coconut. My ex adored Prem Fig but it was a major undertaking for me to wear it due to that note. I have dwarf fig trees and can attest to the fact that in real life, figs do not smell or taste of coconut.
Perhaps it’s hard to get a fig fruit smell that lasts? But, no, clearly, figs do not smell of coconut. Still, I love Philosykos.
It’s a puzzle. Fig fruit has a mild, immediately forgettable odor. They don’t smell sweet, strong or tropical and the leaves don’t smell like coconut, either. When I split up with the ex, the first thing I did was to sell that Prem Fig. UGH.
I’ll pass on the rain and the green scents, thanks. I’m having my usual winter love affair with vanilla and amber. Today is MPG Ambre Tibet.
I’m still a bit confused as to why I chose those two (the third sample has nothing to do with green). It’s mild again here but due to get a bit colder and stay dry (please). I think I might actually go with Ambre Sultan today.