“A poor man’s jasmine” is ylang-ylang‘s unfair moniker, but to me, it’s like comparing apples and oranges. Ylang-ylang essence, obtained from the fragrant flowers of the Cananga odorata tree, shares some facets with jasmine, but it’s even more dramatic. The icy cold top notes of wintergreen are contrasted with the apricot jam sweetness in the heart, and the whole smells more luscious than a flower is allowed to be.
Enter Diptyque Eau Moheli, which not only promises to give us a new ylang-ylang interpretation, but also features a refined new version of this classical perfume material. Several years ago, Givaudan, a company that manufactures fragrances as well as many of the raw materials used in flavor and fragrance blends, started a project on the island of Mohéli in the Comoros. The quality of commercial ylang-ylang oil has declined over the years, and the idea behind Moheli’s project was to regenerate the production of ylang-ylang. The result was a high-grade essence, with nothing poor about it.
The opening of Eau Moheli didn’t disappoint. The ylang-ylang part was gorgeous, the gingery top notes that playfully liven up the effervescence of wintergreen were beautiful, and it was a sunny, joyful perfume. The drydown of Eau Moheli was the only part I wish were different. After the initial exuberance, the perfume mellows down to a soft, barely there patchouli and musk far too quickly.
As a feminine floral, Eau Moheli is pretty but tame, but if appropriated by a man, it becomes much more interesting. Some aspects of it–the gingery fizz, the crunch of leafy notes, the soft spice of pink pepper–are androgynous enough, but the best part comes when ylang-ylang unfolds all of its sweet, lush layers. Supported by vetiver and earthy woods, it make for a perfect boutonniere.
Eau Moheli was created by perfumer Olivier Péscheux, who is also responsible for Lanvin’s Arpège Pour Homme. Arpège Pour Homme makes jasmine and iris manly–quite a feat!–and Eau Moheli manages the same for ylang-ylang. Still, a man should be comfortable with floral notes to pull it off, but it’s not too much of a stretch. It has a bright, smiling character, flirty even, and I love how intriguing this blossom smells on a man.
It lasts well enough, but the mild character of Eau Moheli means that it won’t make much of a statement–this seems to be a familiar pattern with the latest Diptyque perfumes. While I now think of their fragrances as fresh colognes and wear them as such, I still wish that the house returned to the weird and gorgeous things like L’Autre and L’Ombre dans L’Eau.
Those of us who love ylang-ylang are in good company though. Perfumer Ernest Beaux was also passionate about this note–his contemporaries remember that he was downright obsessed with finding the perfect grade. In Chanel No 5, ylang-ylang is just as important as rose and jasmine, while in No 22 it is set against a rich blend of other white flowers. It makes me wonder how Beaux would interpret Eau Moheli?
Diptyque Eau Moheli Eau de Toilette features notes of pink pepper, ylang-ylang, patchouli, ginger, vetiver, benzoin and incense. Available in 100 ml Eau de Toilette and 20 ml roll-on bottles.
88 Comments
rosarita: Diptyque is a house that I’m just now getting around to and ylang is a note I’m exploring a bit along with other white flowers. This perfume sounds rather wan; do you have recommendations of some richer ylangs to try? July 22, 2013 at 8:04am
Victoria: There is a lot of it in Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds and also in J’Adore Absolu. Another fragrance I would recommend trying is Estée Lauder Amber Ylang Ylang. It’s sultry and rich, a perfect ylang-ylang showcase. July 22, 2013 at 12:06pm
Austenfan: Doesn’t Goutal’s Passion have a lot of Ylang Ylang? It does have a “mothbally” opening. July 22, 2013 at 12:17pm
Victoria: I don’t remember off the top of my head, to be honest. But I recall thinking that Passion seemed like a big ball of white flowers to me. July 22, 2013 at 12:21pm
rosarita: Thanks so much! July 23, 2013 at 12:11am
Jillie: I’m so glad that you’ve explained the difference between ylang and jasmine – I’ve never found the two to be at all similar and to my nose ylang smells much more luxurious and glamorous. It’s ylang that I always associate with the concept of “perfume”.
Sometimes I put ylang in water in my candle diffuser to fragrance the house, and have even added a few drops to some oil to use as a perfume for me.
My lucky sister has ylang growing around her house in Australa! July 22, 2013 at 8:27am
leathermountain: That is lucky!
A drop in the bath is also lovely. July 22, 2013 at 9:06am
Jillie: In the bath … that’s a brilliant idea. I can’t think why I hadn’t tried that before. Thank you. And of course I should have typed Australia; I blame my error on the awful muggy heat we have here in the UK at the moment. In fact, it’s almost like Australia! July 22, 2013 at 10:39am
Leathermountain: The first time I put ylang in the bath I asked myself why I’d never thought to do it before! 🙂 July 22, 2013 at 5:57pm
Victoria: Mmmm, an idea of ylang-ylang bath sounds wonderful. I originally wanted to say, “an escape to the tropics,” but we’ve been having a heat wave for the past week or so (and most European homes have no A/Cs), so I’m living in the tropics now. 🙂 July 22, 2013 at 12:12pm
solanace: It’s like the snow. Better on the mind’s eye! 🙂 July 22, 2013 at 2:49pm
Victoria: As a pure fantasy, yes, but as someone born and raised in the northern lands, I love the snow. 🙂 July 22, 2013 at 3:21pm
solanace: You love the snow! That’s great, people from snowy countries I’ve met always seem to be tired of it, much like me with our sunny sun! (I’ve seen snow less than five times in my life, so, of course, I roll over it, slide, eat it, make balls…) July 23, 2013 at 4:53am
Victoria: But then again, I haven’t lived anywhere where it snows heavily for years. If I were in Canada or Russia, I’m sure I would have changed my mind. July 23, 2013 at 9:31am
Victoria: Andy mentioned that the Botanical Gardens in Pennsylvania where he lives have a big ylang-ylang plant and that when it smells, the scent is unbelievable. I have only experienced ylang-ylang essences and dried flowers, so I can only imagine how gorgeous the blooming ylang must be.
I love your ideas on using ylang-ylang essence. I usually just smell it on a blotter, but I will try it in a diffuser tonight. Thank you. July 22, 2013 at 12:08pm
Andy: Yes, Longwood Gardens used to have a small ylang-ylang tree in their conservatory, though it seems that they had used it mostly as a feature for their “Making Scents” exhibit a few years ago, because I haven’t seen it there since (though there are always nice smelling things at Longwood otherwise). 🙁
I remember it well though, it smelled incredible! I haven’t found a distilled ylang-ylang essence yet that has smelled quite like the live flowers though. If you smelled the live flowers next to a ylang-ylang oil, especially those from the lesser grade distillations (like III), you would be hard pressed to find many similarities, because the real flowers smell quite different. The blossoms are redolent of green bananas, lightly sweet rubber, and a hint of dry spices. Not at all cloying or heavy, but absolutely intoxicating. In light of that memory, do you know of any ylang-ylang perfumes that might smell something like this? July 22, 2013 at 9:12pm
Victoria: If you added vanilla to this mix, the old Ylang Vanille from Guerlain would have be it, but it’s now discontinued. I do recommend you to try Eau Moheli. While ylang mellows down after a while, the floral musk lingers nicely. And yes, it has plenty of the green banana notes.
I take it that Le Labo’s Ylang wasn’t quite the flower you remembered from the gardens? July 23, 2013 at 9:26am
Andy: If the green banana notes are there, then I will have to try Eau Moheli. In fact, I gladly try any ylang perfume now, just in search of that original impression of those flowers.
No, Le Labo’s Ylang did not conjure my memory of the ylang-ylang flowers, but I still thought it was gorgeous. In the floral bouquet, I got mostly rose and gardenia. July 23, 2013 at 10:41am
Victoria: I mentioned Goutal’s Songes to solanace, but if you haven’t smelled it, I also recommend it to you. You might enjoy its heady ylang notes. July 23, 2013 at 3:00pm
Cornelia Blimber: There is an ylang ylang plant in the Butterfly Garden (Vlindertuin) in Artis, the Amsterdam Zoo.
The smell is wonderful. August 2, 2013 at 9:00am
Victoria: I’m going to check it out! I was told that there is one in the gardens around Brussels, but I haven’t tracked it down yet. August 2, 2013 at 11:35am
Eric: I haven’t tried Eau Moheli, but lately Diptyque’s parade of simple colognes tires me out. I only wear their older perfumes like Oyedo, Philosykos, Opone. July 22, 2013 at 8:30am
sara: wasn’t opone discontinued? i’m still searching for something similar. July 22, 2013 at 11:09am
Victoria: I liked Duelle and their new Eau de Parfum variations on “classical” scents, but overall, I also hope that they will throw in some unusual scents into their lineup. July 22, 2013 at 12:09pm
Daisy: I miss the unusualness of their older scents too. They were so distinct and evocative!
I tried this a few weeks ago and loved the opening. If only it lasted longer. July 22, 2013 at 7:47pm
Victoria: Well, who knows, maybe, they will reformulate it as the Eau de Parfum and up the gorgeous top. July 23, 2013 at 9:24am
The Blue Squid: I am always excited to try the new Diptyques, and I love the pretty black-and-white line drawings on the labels. The roll-ons make ace little gifts. It’s a shame, though, how some of their newer perfumes bland out a bit. I like the original L’Eau and L’Ombre dans L’Eau the best and also l’Eau des Hesperides, which has to be one of the weirdest, but nicest colognes I have ever wrapped my sniffing apparatus around. July 22, 2013 at 8:37am
Victoria: That description is all I need to revisit l’Eau des Hesperides as soon as I get a chance. 🙂 I missed it in my Diptyque explorations. July 22, 2013 at 12:10pm
Lucas: Sounds good to me. I like somy creamy ylang-ylang in my perfume once in a while. July 22, 2013 at 8:44am
Victoria: I hope that it works well on you, Lucas! It has such a delicious, uplifting start. July 22, 2013 at 12:11pm
leathermountain: I had a very similar response to Eau Moheli. I wore it for my birthday party in May.
I love the treatment of ylang. It’s unmistakably ylang but also somehow delicate or elegant or some related quality that is a bit unexpected with this flower. The guests who arrived on time were treated to an extra special greeting.
The drydown felt a bit ‘generic perfume’ — would that be a fair statement about faint patchouli and musk? I didn’t know what I was smelling, but I wasn’t enthusiastic about wearing it all day. However, I was enthusiastic about the all-day celebration. The latecomers missed the ylang show, but someone brought a bottle of Bulgari Black as a birthday present, so everyone had some fun with perfume.
I’ll check Moheli again, smelling for that ginger you mention. It does sound like a great complement/counterpoint to ylang.
I’ve been admiring and then ultimately disappointed with a ginger powerhouse, Undergreen’s Gold. The top is an ode to ginger ale, but the bottom is too much like real ginger ale for my taste. Seems like ginger is a great sprinter but no marathonist. July 22, 2013 at 9:05am
Victoria: 🙂 At least, sounds like you had fun with it all.
As for ginger perfume, have you tried Eau de Sisley 3? I’ve just smelled it a couple of months ago, when a kind friend shared her bottle with me. It’s addictive and exhilarating. I also like Origins Ginger Essence. July 22, 2013 at 12:15pm
Leathermountain: I smelled the Sisley 3 today and it is lovely. Thanks for pointing me that way.
Now I’m testing Fracas parfum, and it smells very ylang to me. Maybe tuberose is the poor woman’s ylang ylang. 🙂 July 22, 2013 at 5:05pm
Victoria: Fracas has plenty of ylang-ylang too! And tuberose also has a cool, green note, but much less sharp and less biting than ylang-ylang.
Glad that you liked Eau de Sisley! July 22, 2013 at 5:12pm
Cornelia Blimber: ”Five o’Clock au Gingembre” is a promising name! (i never smelled it). July 23, 2013 at 6:06am
Victoria: I like it very much, but it’s more of a dry or candied ginger to me, rather than fresh. A rich take on ginger, as it were. July 23, 2013 at 9:35am
Annikky: This sounds very familiar. I tried Eau Moheli on paper first and liked it a lot (more than I expected) – it just smelled so good and summery and very appropriate for the current Brussels weather.
Then I tried it on skin and still liked it a lot – for the first 30 minutes. By then, most of the gorgeousness was gone and I was left with something vaguely nice-smelling. Not sure I love it enough to re-apply every hour, although in this weather it’s actually tempting.
I’ve been wearing L’Ombre a lot this summer, in both concentrations, and one of those will probably be my first FB of Diptyque. While I agree that the latest releases are slightly too pleasant, I appreciate their non-crazy prices and generous sample policy. July 22, 2013 at 9:47am
Victoria: In this weather, it’s really tempting to reapply, I completely agree with you. The cooling, fizzy wintergreen top note actually makes me feel refreshed (and few things do these days!) I like the idea of small bottles too. Those roll-ons are perfect for travel and can be easily stuffed into the 1oz ziplock bags you’re required to fly with.
Have you tried Oyedo, by the way? If you like citrus and fizzy scents, it’s another great option. July 22, 2013 at 12:19pm
Annikky: I thought I had a sample of Oyedo, but it turned out to be Olene (not something I need right now :)). As I’m generally not drawn to citruses – not that I don’t like them, I just tend to like other things even more -, I’ve realised that I don’t really have any cologne-type fragrances. The closest I have on hand right now is L’Occitane The Vert au Jasmin and some samples, but samples are slightly inadequate when you want to spray like there is no tomorrow.
I tried Roger & Gallet’s Bois d’Orange a couple of days ago and loved it, but right now I might need something even lighter and fresher. Must check out Oyedo, thanks! July 23, 2013 at 4:45am
Austenfan: The Different Company’s Bergamote is a wonderful fizzy citrus. Very uplifting and refreshing. July 23, 2013 at 7:26am
Victoria: I second The Different Company suggestion by Austenfan. Also, try Hermes Eau de Pamplemousse Rose and L’Artisan L’Eau de L’Artisan. Atelier Cologne Bois Blonds is not a fresh citrus per se, but it’s fantastic and refreshing in this heat. Incense is even more uplifting for me when it’s hot than citrus. July 23, 2013 at 9:30am
Annikky: Well, went shopping today, kind of panicked (heatwave tomorrow! nothing to wear!) and ended up buying Bergamote. Clearly I have no mind of my own. But it really is a great citrus and I’m very happy with it. I also bought Sel de Vetiver for my boyfriend, mostly because I couldn’t choose between the two, and a heap of books. This is what I call a successful day, but I better stay in for some time now. August 1, 2013 at 12:39pm
Victoria: Sounds like a successful shopping mission! Now, what books did you buy? 🙂 August 1, 2013 at 12:46pm
Annikky: I bought the latest (and unfortunately the last) Banks and the latest Gaiman, Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (has been on my to-buy list for years), Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Sience, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Heinlein and Philip K Dick are the main gaps in my SF education, so I’m starting to address that) and the rather wittily named How Can One Not Be Interested in Belgian History. I wanted a cookbook as well, but was running out of time and couldn’t make a decision.
And the earlier flippant comment was meant as a thank-you to you and Austenfan 🙂 August 2, 2013 at 5:29am
Victoria: I’m very happy to hear that you found something to keep yourself cool and fresh. And what an excellent book selection! I’m envious. 🙂 August 2, 2013 at 7:22am
Figuier: So it looks like Diptyque are continuing their recent strategy of ‘front-loading’ their perfumes. The rapid and bland dry-down sounds much like my experience of the Eaux – Tarocco et al – which are so pretty up top, but quickly segue into utterly forgettable sweet musky bases.
Such a pity – I love the idea of a high-quality yet light-hearted ylang-centric perfume. And I’d love to smell the Givaudan essence by itself… July 22, 2013 at 10:10am
Victoria: Tarocco was not my favorite either, mostly because, as you say, it started great and then drydown to something bland. I understand that the fizzy, bright orange can’t stay this way for hours, but the plasticky, sweet musk ruined the perfume for me.
Eau Moheli, thankfully, is not like that. The drydown is pleasant enough. July 22, 2013 at 12:27pm
Austenfan: I will definitely try this one. I like most of the Diptyques although I have a preference for their older and “weirder” scents. L’Autre and Virgilio being a case in point.
This seems to me like the Ylang-Ylang version of Do Son. Which is nice enough but no Fracas.
I know it is hot, but although I normally don’t like heat it somehow seems more welcome this year. I do feel sorry for my dog. She is elderly and is really having a hard time. July 22, 2013 at 12:21pm
Victoria: Yes, your comparison with Do Son is spot on. It’s a lighthearted treatment of ylang-ylang. You’ve also reminded me of Virgilio, which is like a tossed salad with basil and black pepper. It’s such a clever perfume, and while it’s odd, it’s still wearable.
I’ve reprogrammed myself to enjoy rain and overcast skies, so the heat wave is a rude shock to my system. Our apartment gets a lot of light, which during fall/winter is a boon. But on days like this, it feels like an oven. I sympathize with your dog very much.
On the other hand, plenty of sunlight all day long is a boon for my photography sessions. I use only natural light in my photos, so it means that I have more time for practice. July 22, 2013 at 12:34pm
Hannah: Someone that I talk to online is from the Philippines and I think she said something once about ylang ylang oil production there declining due to trade agreements?
My favorite perfume with ylang ylang is Manoumalia. July 22, 2013 at 12:42pm
Victoria: Thank you for mentioning Manoumalia, which is a great example of ylang-ylang. The story of Moheli’s ylang is very inspiring actually. It’s not just the Philippines where the production of ylang-ylang has suffered. For years, this material was adulterated, cut, mixed, you name it, both due to the pressures on crops from trade patterns, urbanization, disease, etc. Givaudan worked with the farmers at Moheli to preserve their traditional methods and to also upgrade the tools and stills the producers use. The material itself is one of the most beautiful ylang-ylangs I’ve smelled lately, and I hope that it will be featured in more perfumes. July 22, 2013 at 3:19pm
maggiecat: I LOVED the opening notes of this perfume, but found the drydown disappointing – rather masculine, I thought, and a bit…plastic-y? At least it seemed so on me. I love ylang-ylang and had high hopes for this one – but I guess I’ll have to keep looking! July 22, 2013 at 2:25pm
Victoria: Sounds like my experience. Maybe, that’s why I found that on guys it smelled more interesting.
I also love ylang-ylang note in Serge Lutens A La Nuit and Guerlain Lys Soleia. July 22, 2013 at 3:20pm
Carla: Sorry this is not related to your post, but I hope you can visit Liquides in the Marais soon, Victoria. I had a wonderful visit there. Marie was the best counter person I’ve met yet. (I don’t like the term SA but can’t come up with something better.) I really liked their Fortis perfume. For some reason it made me think of De Profundis. Tumultu was, as I recall, incense and fleur d’oranger, and I found it more harmonious than Seville a l’Aube. Sancti was cold stone and incense, a favorite theme of mine. I think Fortis was my favorite because it had the most interesting development and the other two were not so strong. While we were there we met the owner, I think his name was David, and got to smell a candle he’s working on. A reporter and photog popped in too, so I hope this shop gets the publicity it deserves.
Wonderful experience, can’t wait to go again next year, watching for their perfumes in smaller sizes soon. It was a special moment in Paris for my husband and me. July 22, 2013 at 4:44pm
Victoria: Thank you so much, Carla! Liquides has been on my list for a while, and now it has jumped to the very top. I love the Marais, and I take every opportunity to visit. It’s one of the best neighborhoods in Paris for perfume and other scented things. July 22, 2013 at 5:15pm
Carla: After sampling at perfumeries, tea shops and candle shops, as well as tasting each other’s glaces Berthillon, I suggested trying different flavors at a chocolaterie to my husband and he demurred, he was worn out! July 22, 2013 at 5:19pm
Carla: And I have to add, I was so excited about Liquides’ perfumes – so new and exclusive, and lovely – I found myself presenting my arms to the SA at the Nicolai shop so he could try! He thought they were “elegant” which means he was so baffled by me he didn’t know what to say, I guess! July 22, 2013 at 6:58pm
Victoria: 🙂 This is so funny! July 23, 2013 at 9:23am
Victoria: Kudos to him for holding up for so long! 🙂 Sounds like you had a fun adventure though. July 23, 2013 at 9:17am
Amer: You know what? Over and over again I realize how good I am at anticipating trends. It is a wonder the perfume industry hasn’t discovered me yet… ;P
This year I felt it was time to diverge from my usual path of woods and balsams and I really felt I needed a big (BIIIG) unapologetic floral. I tested many of the big guns that were made with men in mind but they always left me somewhat wanting. Not brave enough, not flamboyant enough or not performing well enough. I did find one I really liked but it was too expensive to allow for the abuse I had in mind. So, I resorted in creating my dream frag for myself. The result is an Ylang-Cologne mutation with expensive florals like jasmine and rose used only as accents on a milky wood base. The result is reminiscent of sunscreen somehow, very close to Lys Fume but contrasted by coriander, angelica and incense, which keeps the base interesting. The performance is actually quite good, especially if you consider it is something that was made on a whim.
Before this venture I didn’t even like Ylang oils and I would readily dismiss any perfume that featured it as a prominent note. Now I am curious to see what Diptyque made of it. I guess I should have learned by now to never say never. July 22, 2013 at 5:30pm
Victoria: Hey, you should look for a position at one of the trend forecasting agencies. It would be better than what many of them do. If I hear yet another trend presentation on how the coming year is about “wellness, self-confidence and sustainability,” I might start laughing out loud. July 23, 2013 at 9:20am
Amer: Huh? I didn’t know that such agencies existed. Sounds like the Philip Dick novel “The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch”. Anyway, it might sound pompous but the thing is I follow my instinct which usually leads me to seek out products that aren’t readily available in the market. Then, usually one or two years later I realize that the market is suddenly flooded by what was unavailable when I was looking for it. Perhaps I should look for such a position after all 😉 July 23, 2013 at 10:45am
Victoria: There are so many of them! Some specialize in fashion, others in beauty, yet others in flavors. I like reading the reports, even though some of them seem a bit hard to believe. And when does “wellness and self-confidence” ever go out of fashion? July 23, 2013 at 3:02pm
Amer: next year the trend is going to be death and the macabre… told you, never say never 🙂
Where do you find these reports? July 23, 2013 at 11:07pm
Victoria: Through my work. Various agencies often present to perfumers and marketing people. I suppose that it is meant to be inspiring. July 24, 2013 at 3:31am
Vanessa: I tried this in Paris recently, drawn by the promise of a prominent ylang-ylang note – admittedly only on card. I thought the opening very bright and cheering, but agree that it became rather generic in its later stages. For the full effect I should have tried it on skin really, ylangoholic that I am. 😉 July 22, 2013 at 6:17pm
Daisy: I love the term “ylangholic” 🙂 July 22, 2013 at 7:49pm
Victoria: Definitely try it on skin! The start is just exquisite. I haven’t realized until recently how much I love ylang, but I can’t seem to get enough of it. July 23, 2013 at 9:22am
Lavanya: I remember when I first smelled Ylang Ylang essence (I think it was Ylang Ylang extra eo), I was struck by the ‘winter green-ness’ and thought it would make a lovely complement to tuberose absolute in a tuberose perfume (since tuberose absolute doesn’t have much of the mentholic character that the flower has)..
sorry to hear that the drydown is so lackluster. July 22, 2013 at 11:28pm
Victoria: Some tuberose absolutes do, but it really depends on the grade, processing, etc. Ylang, however, is known for its vibrant wintergreen, cooling top notes. July 23, 2013 at 9:27am
Lavanya: Yeah I sniffed an aged tuberose absolute at Mandy Aftel’s studio which had a wonderful wintergreen note and captured the flower fairly well- sweetness and all. But the Indian tuberose absolute I have is very sweet and dense (with almost a condensed milk quality.. like Beyond Love), a little green but not too ‘mentholic’ (it has been a while must resniff). What determines whether or not this note is present? July 23, 2013 at 10:28am
Victoria: It depends on how it’s processed, more than anything else. There are so many sophisticated methods today that capture the scent of tuberose really well, but unfortunately, many of them are very expensive. For instance, the grade of tuberose that goes into Carnal Flower is superb, and that’s one of the reasons this perfume is so pricey. July 23, 2013 at 2:54pm
solanace: Diptyque is not me, but I agree it is perfect for gifting. Everything is so tasteful, the labes are exquisite and the whole ‘rive gauche’ vibe is really cool. As a plus, the subdued scents are likely to please more people than the lutensian bombs I enjoy. I’ll not try this one (unless I can do it for free), since I already anticipate I’ll not fall for it. Wish Goutal would make an Ylang.
Ylang Ylang is one of my favorite EO. A few drops of it take my coconut body oil away from kitchen sink realm…) I fell for Ylang in Gold the first time I tried it. So creamy and yummy, I thought I needed a big decant, at least. But then I tried it again, and it annoyed me with all that sweetness. Now I’m craving it again. Today it”s so cold I’m pretty sure it will feel delicious. (It even snowed on 35 hilly towns on the South! This had not happened in decades!) July 23, 2013 at 5:26am
Victoria: Ylang in Gold is definitely too sweet for my tastes. I couldn’t really warm up to it.
The idea of coconut oil with ylang ylang sounds wonderful, and it would be a great fit. I mix oil with rose essence often, and coconut is such a grateful recipient of all these rich floral notes. Thank you for another interesting suggestion.
Have you tried Goutal’s Songes? It has a lot of ylang. July 23, 2013 at 9:34am
solanace: I’ll search for the ylang in Songes, tomorrow morning. It might be my favorite Goutal, and this little exercise will be most pleasing. 🙂 July 23, 2013 at 3:35pm
Victoria: Please let me know how you find it! 🙂 July 23, 2013 at 5:53pm
Belle: Hello Victoria! It’s funny, I live in a tropical country where there is said to a lot of ylang-ylang plantations, but I’ve never smelled any form of it yet! But I’m still looking! I also have Jasmine in my front yard. I’ve smelled LUSH’s supposedly extremely indolic Lust, but it just smells exactly like sambac to me. It’s seen as a flower of innocence here, no any sort of sensuality, so maybe it’s more of a cultural perspective. July 23, 2013 at 6:35am
Victoria: How interesting, Belle! Jasmine sambac is more indolic than other types of jasmine, so sounds like Lush did it well. But as for the associations, I agree with you, it’s a cultural thing. In the west, most white flowers are seen as the femme fatale material, whereas in Asia or India where they are as common as apple trees in Europe, it’s different. July 23, 2013 at 9:38am
Nancy A.: Diptique seems to be somewhat uninspired of late. The EDT collection was pretty good, but nothing exceptional. When I first tested Eau Moheli, the drydown faded away and left a poor impression. Your characterization is on point that the original fragrances some very unique currently lack the appeal that went before. July 23, 2013 at 10:31am
Victoria: I liked Duelle and Volutes the most out of the latest, but they also have that mild character. And I really fell hard for the EDP version of L’Ombre dans L’Eau, but it’s really a variation on an existing theme, so it probably doesn’t count. July 23, 2013 at 2:59pm
Merlin: I have Philosykos and the refill set of L’ombre Dans L’eau, and I have sampled the LdL Edp which was also very nice – albeit a variation on the theme!
I got these from people visiting from overseas, or traveling overseas since Diptyque is not sold where I live.
I also had them procure samples for me – quite a number of them – but I found most of those to be wan. It seems that the UK stores do not always have samples of the older Diptyques so I probably have not tried the best. And, while Volutes was nice it didn’t quite blow my socks off:) July 23, 2013 at 5:49pm
Victoria: I agree. Plus, Volutes seemed to be in same vein as Duelle, so not clear why they launched both in such rapid succession. July 24, 2013 at 3:36am
Leathermountain: I was recently inspired by a wearing of L’Ombre dans L’Eau EdP, after feeling underwhelmed by the EdT. But the awesome-Diptyque-prices factor gets diminished. What percentage of the retail price pays for the materials in the EdP, or in Carnal Flower, for example, I wonder. July 23, 2013 at 10:30pm
Victoria: I don’t know about these two brands, but when it comes to big designer products, about 5 percent, if not less. July 24, 2013 at 3:33am
Merlin: I would consider the Edp if it was the same price or even somewhat more than the regular Edts but the price gap is just so big. Diptyque no longer seems a high quality well-priced product, but rather as though it has jumped on the bandwagon! Of course the fact that they only come in 75mls is probably the real problem: a bottle of Serge is around the same price… July 24, 2013 at 6:21pm
Emma M: I’ve always thought of ylang as a note that I like, but not a favourite. Now I’m starting to think it has stealthily crept up on me. I had no idea that it was so prominent in No 5 and No 22 (which are probably my favourites from Chanel). I also remember reading somewhere that ylang is an important note in Nahema, is this also true?
I will have to give Eau Moheli a try; in general I get on well with Diptyque – I like Tam Dao, Philosykos and L’Eau. Volutes I wore a lot this past winter precisely because it was pretty but undemanding! July 24, 2013 at 5:28pm
Victoria: I should one day post a list of notes I thought I disliked! Ylang was one of them, and I have no idea why I didn’t care for it, especially since at that point I have never even smelled it pure. But like you, I’ve discovered that I loved many ylang rich perfumes. Then again, it all depends how a note is used, because it’s possible to frame the material in such a way that it wouldn’t even be recognizable but nevertheless give an interesting nuance.
There is plenty of ylang ylang in Nahema, and it also figures in Chamade. July 24, 2013 at 6:00pm
JulienFromDijon: Funny, cause I’m quite smitten by the top notes.
That’s a wonderful raw ingredient in one of its best grade, I think. There’s one Patou re-edition with such meringue-like aerial froufrou that I so love. Like light going through a yellow cloud, but I digress…
You remind me of Lurin way of notation, when he granted only 3 stars for perfume that stuck to close to the original ingredient (like rose perfumes).
I could snatch a bottle just for the opening tune of Eau Moheli. I’ll make further tries, I think you spot it by saying it would be less dull on a man.
By the way, L’Occitane also has a “repairing shampo of 5 essential oil” that smell mostly of Ylang-ylang then of an ambery ground. Given that it’s a rare ingredient nowaday to smell in the raw, you might give it a try. December 9, 2014 at 1:14am