Luctor et Emergo (1998)
by People of the Labyrinths

For some reason, Luctor et Emergo generates feelings of near hysteria on certain fragrance blogs/boards so it was with a bit of trepidation that I reached for it at Aedes in NYC to try. I had no idea what to expect and upon spraying, was shocked that Luctor et Emergo is basically a girlish almond and cherry blossom scent. It was pleasant enough (I would take this over the intense Pierre Frapin fragrances any day) but I am still puzzled that a grown women would want to smell like this. Maybe for some people, Luctor et Emergo conjures up happier days of eating grandma's homemade cherry pie. Maybe it is the gratuitously weird name that bears no relation to the actual scent. Maybe it is the peculiar beaker bottles that draw one to POTL in general. In any event, Luctor et Emergo was a bit like the "Emperor with no clothes on" to me. Not much there once all was revealed.

From what I've been able to glean online, here are Luctor et Emergo's notes: sweet incense, vanilla, woods, cherry, almonds, marzipan, fresh grasses and white florals.

I WISH I could get mostly Play-Doh out of this fragrance. Alas, and maybe because I work in a hospital, all I can smell is the benzoin drenched cotton bandages that we use to pack penetrating wounds and drained abscesses! I have tried it many times, hoping to get a whiff of whatever inspires the fanatical cult following this fragrance enjoys, but to no avail. Over time, the bandage smell becomes a little less prominent, and I once briefly enjoyed hints of Play-Doh, cherry and almond, but that's as far as it ever went. In just a few minutes POOF! the pleasing notes were gone, and it was back to the hospital for me. No thanks.

I’m giving away my age but I have no idea what play dough smells like, so I can’t attest to that comparison. I do know what Luctor et Emergo smells like, though, and I find it hardly worth knowing. This is just a powerful, cheap smelling, fruity / almondy … I can’t say “mess” because it isn’t that – it’s quite acceptably structured, purposely balanced … monstrosity? No, it’s not that bad… gourmand! That’s it! …powerful, cheap smelling, fruity / almondy gourmand. There’s something about it that is totally off-putting in its gross sweet, fruity, marzipan way. It’s too vanillany It’s too … It’s too HERE! …Have to wash it off now – it has given me a headache.

This scent is at once grassy, resinous and comforting. It is like sitting in a clearing having a picnic of sweet almond cakes at a Pagan gathering. Drying out to a milky skin scent, it is soft yet complex...not too floral, powdery, or sweet, almost like not wearing perfume at all, but only smelling like a delightful time. This scent is perfect for times when you will be close to people and don't want your fragrance to really speak out loud; it is a mysterious whisper.

"Luctor Et Emergo" is a fascinating, provocative scent that will leave the wearer with a profound sense of deja vu--"Where have I smelled this before?" you'll ponder "Why is this so nostalgic and comforting?" Some will only smell the salty creaminess of playdoh that unfurls with an almond-cherry opening; however, this striking sensation only lasts for a short time before LeE develops into something far more complex. At that point, it'll remind you more of old libraries, primary school stages, construction paper projects and holiday celebrations (and to some, the smell of cheery-sweet pipe-smoke in old yachting clubs) than lumps of kiddie-dough. You'll suddenly feel contemplative and calm...

This is the smell of stories set in old estates, castles and wooden ships; salty, sweet, incense-smoky, creamy--overall, the velvety nature of LeE will leave a wearer in a heightened state of awareness, without ever really invoking fruit, wood or mineral. Accept that LeE is an "experience" scent, aching to share a legendary story and you'll have an easier ride.

However, all legends aside, "Luctor et Emergo's" robustly eccentric nature doesn't make it any less accessible(and wearable)to both men and women. Luctor et Emergo is a comforting memory for all and appropriate for all occasions and times of day; it's subtle enough for the office but interesting enough to enfold you during an evening out. The essence of dreams and a perfect companion for an evening under the stars--be it midsummer or winter--drink in one gust of this spicy, woodsy potion and suddenly you're Alice, falling down the rabbit hole to Wonderland.

"Curiouser and curiouser..."

Indeed, but all emotional adventures with "Luctor et Emergo" lead safely back to home.

Oh, ho! Play-Doh! I love it. This is a comforting fragrance. When I was a child, I used to make clown noses out of Play-Doh so that I could wear them and smell that wonderful aroma. Luctor et Emergo captures that elusive scent, which I had been seeking ever since. Sweet and salty, like bread dough and plastic at the same time. This substance has tempted every child to taste it. It would always be disappointing flavorwise, but the sniffing would continue on and on.
This perfume carries that essence, re-created by substances I can only guess: almond, cinnamon, vanilla, white florals. It is soft and needs body heat to activate. I am grateful that I no longer have to walk around with a blob of red or blue Play-Doh clampted to my nose to smell this hypnotic scent.