L'Ombre dans L'Eau (1983)
by Diptyque

I truly believe that 75% of Diptyque's 'fragrances' shouldn't be sprayed onto skin at all. They are much too strident close up and would be better employed as room smells. I make an exception with L'Ombre -- it's slightly more subdued making personal use enjoyable. I also usually steer clear of intensely green scents as a general rule. However, the combination here of the green and rose notes is blindingly beautiful.

17th October, 2011.

Unisex???

Reminds me very much of Un Jardin en Mediterranee. Begins with a leafy fig-like blast; skip forward ten minutes and it's a rosier, more feminine, version of Jardin's Dry down. It's hard to call it unisex. But then again, I've heard Kouros and N* 5 be called unisex, ...why bother choosing carefully some obsolete terminology.

30th September, 2011.

So enchanting. The best rose perfume Ive ever smelled. Ive been looking for a wonderful floral green perfume to replace the sadly reformulated Lauren. I think this is it. L'Ombre dan L'Eau opens with gorgeous tart and sharp green notes, and I mean green. Think of the scent of wet soil and grass after a hurricane and then think of the most beautiful rose bush drenched after the downpour.

Even though it opens rather astringent and sharp. It dries down to a beautiful rose scent that retains its earthy greeness.

I imagine layering this with Keihls musk oil for an amazing combo for the senses.

29th August, 2011.

When I first spray L'Ombre dans L'Eau I get a really promising and exciting blast of greenness- like I'm walking by the Riverside on a sunny day & suddenly find I'm in a spot of deep tree shade and I've got to bush-bash my way through a rough patch of tall, overgrown weeds and brambles with a stick, getting wet green stains on the bottom of my jeans. I like it.

This phase lasts exactly a minute. Then a revolting, shrill, fizzy sweet blackcurrent note drills it's way directly to the migraine centre of my brain...and basically keeps drilling until I wash it off...I appreciate that the green and earthy elements remain in play, but for me they are just a meaningless jarring background to the blinding, screaming laser beam of synthetic blackcurrent fizz. If there is rose I can't smell it.

I am very much with Foetidus on this one, I get relentless 'pinkpurple' and a nasty sweetness, although for me it's fizzy rather than syrupy. Maybe there's one particular note that I react to really badly.....perhaps Angelica as Sherapop says in her review...whatever it is I'd love to know so I can avoid it in future. I did give it a good try and had more than one go at wearing it.

I may be an untrained nose and this may be my first review, however I can confidently say that for me L'Ombre dans L'Eau is a traumatic experience.

22nd August, 2011.

I truly love the green earthy smell of this fragrance. It reminds me of running through my grandmother's garden as a youngster. I can't wait to finally purchase my 100ml bottle this month! Come on college grant money!

12nd August, 2011.

I like this scent. It has a lovely opening in the style of Eau de Lierre -- namely, crunchy green leaves. I find that very appealing. Then, a delicate green rose note appears. It is translucent, not sweet, almost sappy in style. Very vital and appealing. The rose note deepens but never becomes heavy, and it has good longevity. Finally, the dry-down is slightly dusky and salty and wears very well. A completely unisex scent, in my opinion.

1st August, 2011.