L'Eau de L'Artisan (1993)
by L'Artisan Parfumeur

L’Artisan Parfumeur faced a common, yet challenging conundrum with this scent: how do you do a “modern” riff on the traditional eau de Cologne? Their answer, unfortunately, was to start with a soft focus, lemon based version of the conventional citrus and herb blend, then spike it with a mere dash of some fruity aquatic aromachemical that smells an awful lot like Calone. This idea was probably hackneyed even in 1993, and by now it’s been cheapened beyond all redemption by shampoo and body spray associations. The intensely green drydown is pleasant enough, but to pay niche perfume prices for something this commonplace seems absurd.

For an idea of what could be done with citrus and herbs in 1993, go find Eau de Rochas Homme, which still manages to smell delightfully original. For a refreshing green citrus scent, try Heeley's outstanding Verveine or Annick Goutal's Eau du Sud, and if it's a grassy meadow that you want, search out Sisley's Eau de Campagne or a bottle of Diptyque's defunct Virgilio.

25th June, 2011.

The moment I put this on my skin I said to myself WOW. Wow for 2 reasons.. 1 because it smells extremely similar to a cheapy that I own called Eau Maximum by Nickel. And, 2 because it doesn't strike me as a L'Artisan scent.

To simplify this one.. It smells like Eau Maximum with Hani Mori's (edt) lemon top note. If ya know H.M., then you know the lemon drop top note I'm referring to.

Is L'Eau de "'Artisan enjoyable? Most definitely.. one of the better niche fresh fragrances easily, but it's not unique to my nose, and isn't worth the price at all. The juice inside the bottle is worth 30 bucks at best.. not because it smells cheap, because it doesn't really, but because I as a designer and cheapy specialist know where to find similar scents, and I personally have no need for this in my arsenal.

But before I finish up and tell you folks this useless information, let me dissect L'Eau de L'Artisan a little bit. What I get is a big lemony opening, the reminded me of the lemon note found in H.M. EDT, as it dries a little bit it becomes slightly herbal, with a sweet basil note mixing in with the lemon, but the lemon still dominates the opening. The lemon in this is quite candy-like, making it seem very synthetic. As it dries, it just gets greener, slightly mossy, and a hay note in the end, but the lemon is the star player here.

5th January, 2011.

Here is a question for the reader: have you ever gone out for a nice meal in Paris? If so, you know it goes like this: you dress up in your finest, you order your meal and wait for a very long time, you see the best meal of your life set before you, and in seven bites it is gone.

This is how a Giacobetti fragrance wears: too awesome and too short lived. I've now sampled enough of Olivia's fragrances to state with confidence that she is one of the best noses out there, but for heaven's sake, why isn't anyone giving her a budget to work with for longer lasting concentrations???

L'eau is plain brilliant. Mint and Basil- yum. How refreshing. makes you want to get up and move, sing, kiss someone, tell a joke. A very uplifting fragrance.

Sigh. My only wish is that Ms. Giacobetti will open her own restaurant someday.

14th September, 2010.

The top is lemondroppy green and the bottom is a fruity musk. Somewhere in between there was some magic brewing, and had it stopped and lingered there I would've had some serious "big purchasing" to consider, but it didn't last. It's light, but not the type of disappearing-act light that has become a trademark of the niche fresh fragrances. Overall, it's nice with about 20 minutes of fantastic.

24th July, 2010.

Light inoffensive floral (synthetic) muskyness. Dries down to a slightly feminine base. Way overpriced, but if you got the budget and want to complete your L'Artisan collection: why not.

10th July, 2010.

A very pleasant clean fragrance. Bright lemons and dry hay. Straightforward and great for when you don't care what you're wearing.

25th May, 2010.