Skin On Skin by L’Artisan Parfumeur 2013

Heya POSSEEEEEEE PEEEPS! Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies with one of the much hyped and chatted about Explosions d’Emotions set released this season by L’Artisan Parfumeur: Skin on Skin. I’m in early this week because Patty has something EXTRA SPECIAL for you later, no I’m not telling.

Skin On Skin

by Bertrand Duchaufour for L’Artisan Parfumeur 2013

Skin on Skin L`Artisan Parfumeur FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Iris, suede, leather, saffron, whisky, lavender, rose, musks, skin effects

This seems to be my favourite of the three releases, I found Deleria too overbearing for day to day wearing though it is interesting and an excellent version of fruity floral, Amour Nocturne is beautiful and I loved it instantly and was sorely tempted by it on repeated wears (caramel, orchid and gunpowder are a killer combination) but in the end I found myself returning again and again to Skin on Skin. Iris/saffron pop out at me first slightly tempered by soft leather, it’s cool and vegetal, green and waxy with an astringency that reminds me of brand new patent leather shoes.

After the initial WOW everything seems to meld together beautifully giving me a dense wash of bouquet with the leather holding up the back end. Dense wash is the best way for me to describe Skin on Skin because there is plenty of air between the notes and they are never in your face, even with lots of spritzes but the sillage is excellent and when you sit for a minute you tend to radiate calmly but insistently. The notes play as a combination and though I have each one picked here it’s more fun to enjoy the ride and float because the ride is a slow progression from the opening to dry down, linear is an unfair assessment because though everything is there Skin on Skin just changes each notes volume throughout. Then it gradually fades to dusky softness that never really reaches a skin scent before it disappears.

On my skin I get around 5-6 hours which is good for the notoriously short lived L’Artisans, but bad if you want to change your frag at lunchtime.

Further reading: Candy Perfume Boy and Perfume Shrine
Parfum1 has $280/100ml
Libertine Parfumerie has $280/100ml (Australia only)
Surrender To Chance starts at $6.75/ml

You want more fragrant conversation? Drop on over to Australian Perfume Junkies, there’s always something fun happening there too.

What are your thoughts on the new line, packaging and price point?
Portia xx

  • Portia says:

    Ann,
    Always nice to see you. I love Bertrand Duchaufour’s work and am a bit of a L’Artisan fan girl too so it was with great excitement I read of the coming of these three. Skin pn Skin is totally wearable
    Portia xx

  • Ann says:

    Portia, darling, you have completely returned these to my radar as in the crush of new releases they just whizzed past me. They all look nice, but you make Skin one sound the most appealing. Thanks!

  • Sherri says:

    Yes, Portia, we are on the same page with this one. Iris-leather with a musky drydown, very sensual–definitely from the same family as TdB, Cuir de Nacre, and one of the L’artisan Mon Numeros–“8”, I think. The only things I dislike are the big 120 mls. bottles and the $270 or whatever price tag. If it came in a 50 mls bottle (same packaging, mind you, I think it’s very elegant) for about $150, I’d have bought it immediately. Love hearing your impressions, as always!

    • Portia says:

      Hey Sherri,
      Yes, a 50ml would have been excellent or a 3 pack of 30ml each and I would own them all. It would also have been a super great Stocking Filler. One day when I rule the world….
      Honestly though I think these are not so much for the perfumista, even though they are awesome fragrances, I think this is a fabulous gift size for giving and they look so cool and classy that I bet MANY partners have bought then for gifts.
      Portia xx

  • AnnieA says:

    I am sad the dry oils are gone…

  • Musette says:

    the name threw me so I walked right past it, alas. Now you tell me (NOW?!!!) that it’s leather and iris? Sigh. As the Terminator says “I’ll be back”. Well, ‘back’ as in, I’ll be back to Barneys, unless I have a sample here (sigh. this is definitely a First World Problem! LOL!). I love the new bottles but I’m not sure if I love them because they’re gorgeous (though they are) or is it’s just because they’re new and shiny and I’m a magpie. Either way, I love them. I did try Deliria, which smells like Smarties.

    xoxoxoxo(and more xoxoxoxo) A

    • Portia says:

      Heya Musette,
      Lucky you that Deliria smelled like Smarties. I do get your reference but it was KOOKY. I really liked the way it headed but found myself spending too much time following the growth story of my perfume and not enough doing my work.
      There was something of the very grown up celebuscent in Deliria for me and not in a good way. It had a very nice fresh baked biscuit accord in the dry down on me, I think. I can’t remember which was which that may have been Amour Nocturn, GAHHHH, my memory declines ever faster.
      Yes, the bottles are lovely with their metal looking dentist door plates, very cool.
      Portia xx

  • solanace says:

    Your description sounds very appealing, Portia! I’ve been enjoying iris more and more, and will try this one on the first opportunity!

    • Portia says:

      Hi there Solanace,
      This is a very easy iris to love, not too cool or confrontational. Unusual but extremely affable Skin on Skin is fast becoming a favourite and I am enjoying the bottle immensely also. Great size and weight.
      Portia xx

  • Janice says:

    I’m curious to try all three of these but especially this one because of the iris/leather combination. Have you tried Ann Gerard Cuir de Nacre (also by Duchaufour, I think), which is a soft iris and leather… any similarity?

    I also have a decant of Laboratorio Olfattivo Daimiris (iris, leather, saffon, rum), which starts out harsh—like gasoline fumes or a really sharp-smelling magic marker—and dries down to something wonderful. Iris and leather is a great combination.

    • Portia says:

      Hi there Janice,
      I have no memory of trying either but you have certainly sparked my interest. Last year I was very interested in trying the Ann Gerard frags,. I wonder why I didn’t?
      Duchaufour has worked in this pallet before Candy Perfume Boy reminded me of Traversee du Bosphore also by L`Artisan Parfumeur. I keep forgetting to get my bottle out and wear them side by side.
      Serge Lutens Daim Blond also works some of the same territory and so does Bottega Veneta, the original but both are only hints.
      Portia xx