Reviews of Daim Blond (2004)
by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

Serge Lutens Daim Blond

Notes: Iris Pallida, apricot kernel, cardamom from Ceylon, musk, heliotrope, hawthorn (from luckyscent.com)

Daim Blond is an oriental leather scent--very modern, soft, almost edible and really unlike many leathers which tend to be a dry green-gray chypre type of fragrance. Accompanying the leather accord, DB starts with balanced boozy sweetness from apricot fruit, soft, buttery florals and an almond note. The apricot-leather combination is evocative of other leathery fragrances which use osmanthus flower (Parfums d'Empire Osmanthus Interdite, The Different Company Osmanthus), but the accord in DB is deeper and more mellow while maintaining delicacy and weightlessness. In the mid notes, DB becomes more woody and nutty, with a saltiness that gives an impression of popcorn and salted cashews. As this salty accord develops, it becomes increasingly like the sensual salty skin scent which occurs after fresh sweat dries. The salty, buttery and nutty notes persist into the base, which is composed of sweet musk and Iso E Super. Overall, DB has moderate sillage and longevity, and is somewhat linear in development--as such I suggest sampling for a while before buying, in case DB's linear nature becomes boring. Its softness makes it suitable for men or women. Generally, though, Daim Blond is a very enjoyable fragrance that charms with subtleness and grace.

A joy for the senses. A rhapsody written on one and only theme approached successfully or not by so many composers in the past . However, I believe this version is written by Mozart. The theme is leather. But not any leather. The perfumer tried to define exactly the kind of leather he wanted and I think he succeeds in that. Instead of the usual old leather note, he presents one of a soft, artfully processed and luxurious . The blending is so perfect, it is almost impossible to accurately define the alternation of the notes and while the leather is so obvious from the opening the result is not linear at all. Top notes are ethereal, you instantly believe they will fade out in seconds, but instead they develop into a more powerful and long floral heart. So pleasant, so calm, so easy to combine with every outfit, casual or formal any time of the day. Simply Great!

Leather is one of the hardest-to-nail accords, and even harder to appreciate imo. Preconceived ideas about what each leather types should smell like often interfere with the process of appreciating leather-inspired scents. That's why someone who is visualising a biker's leather jacket and expecting to smell its scent is likely to have a tough time appreciating a scent more reminiscent of other types of leather. Similarly if you sample DAIM BLOND expecting a distinct suede or leather accord, you'd be in for a disappointment. But as I understand it, this was never meant to be a leather scent. It was meant to impart to its wearer a sense of luxury with its velvety smooth yet luxurious take on fine leather, very much along the lines of Heeley's Cuir Pleine Fleur or Chanel's Cuir de Russie. and if you could somehow appreciate this idea I'm pretty sure Daim Blond would fit you like a pair of the softest suede gloves.

as i'm fairly sensitive to overbearing scents, i'm thrilled this one settles in as nicely as it does. to me it indeed smells like fresh apricot pits in a rich suede coin purse, and with it on, i find myself constantly checking my wrist to see what it's up to. certainly not the most masculine, it does nice things on my skin and have been told as much by a pretty girl or two. which is nice.

For the last couple of years, I found it very difficult to understand Daim Blond. Looking back now, I was probably expecting something typically Luten-esque, while hoping for a leather fragrance that worked exceedingly well with my skin chemistry. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as heavy as many of the previous Serge Lutens creations, and nor was it the leather scent that I was looking for (but since then, I’ve now concluded that prominent leather scents rarely work on my skin). Also, the reviews on various websites didn’t help matters either – they largely confirmed what I, at the time, considered to be a disappointing release.

For quite a while, Daim Blond remained one of the ‘also-rans’ from this house but I, occasionally, found myself compelled to test it from time to time. Indeed the apricot kernel, iris and leather notes were no less inviting but still not quite full bottle-worthy. And then something happened without any warning – its enigma suddenly dissipated and, after a long struggle trying to understanding it, its true nature finally revealed itself to me…

The problem is that Daim Blond is widely misunderstood and, as a result, has received too many lukewarm reviews over the years. Perceiving this creation as a dominant leather scent will only court disappointment. It isn’t really a take on leather but actually a take on suede and this is an important fact that should be acknowledged. In addition, based on the notes, I will go out on a limb here and proclaim that it is not a dominant suede scent either. Although its softness is partly due to the suede note, many tend to overlook the fact that musk is one of its main notes. Based on how it performs out of the bottle, I would say that it is, essentially, a fruity-musk scent with a hint of suede. I believe that if the wearer approaches Daim Blond in this way, they will fully appreciate it for what it is.

I still consider it too soft to wear in public and find its sillage to be too subtle for such occasions (but, then again, I’ve never been terribly enthusiastic about musk scents). However, after further musings, I’ve come to the conclusion that it would be an excellent fragrance to wear either during intimate moments or as a bedtime scent. Many have sung the praises of Musc Ravageur and consider it to be very much appropriate for the aforementioned situations – I consider Daim Blond to be a superior alternative (and with far better longevity). While Musc Ravageur half-convincingly hints at naughty quickies in a nearby cul-de-sac, Daim Blond conjures up vivid images of tender (and yet profound) love-making between freshly laid silk sheets. For me, it’s sexy but in a completely different way. But, then again, this all comes down to personal taste.

So, with this in mind, I urge you to approach Daim Blond once again – both from a completely different perspective and without the prejudice formed by previous reviews.

[Original submission date: 30 July 2008]

Like every other Serge Lutens scent that I've tried on, Daim Blond is rich, luxurious and brilliantly conceived. Unlike some of the others it is also relatively understated and soft-spoken. It’s central feature is a gentle suede and osmanthus accord that suggests both a fine lady’s glove and a bowl of dried apricots. Its structure places Daim Blond beside such fruity leathers as Armani’s Cuir Améthyste and Parfum d’Empire’s Cuir Ottoman, among which it is the smoothest and most delicately balanced. My only real complaint is that, like many others in the Lutens line, it ends off with a drydown sweet enough to be oppressive. A little less syrup and I’d have liked it that much better.

Soap and apricots. Its very smooth and air freshner like. Had this come from a "lesser" house you wouldn't see so many positive reviews.

What is there not to like here? I 've read people complain about the apricot. If you read the list of notes it says "apricot stone" which to me means the pit of the apricot, something like bitter alomond. Yes it is sweet, but there is a bitter almond note in the heart. Apricot per se? I don't think so. Other than that I really can't imagine how Sheldrake managed to liquefy a pair of suede gloves, infused with the subtle perfume the owner (probably a woman) was wearing. Having said that i don't mean that it is a fragrance unwearable by men. On the contrary. It feels like the loot from a passionate love affair. That's the kind of feminine presence it brings with it. Unbelievable composition. Extremely comfortable to wear and makes you feel comfortable wearing it. For leather lovers together with Montale Aoud Cuir d' Arabie and Nostalgia it forms a Holy Triad of different but exquisitely evocative leather scents. Big thumbs up.

Gorgeous, very well-done suede. Not leather, suede. There's a big difference in the two scents. Daim Blond is pure luxury, elegant and refined. I think this is the perfect office scent. It's not my type of fragrance, but I appreciate the brilliance of it. I highly recommend anyone new to the world of fragrance sample this first as a starter to the Luten's line. Serge is famous for taking risks, and more timid people might be turned off and stay away from the whole line if they start on a riskier fragrance. This is beautifully done light apricot and suede, and I would be shocked if anyone had an extreme reaction to it. But I must say this IS light stuff. If you like a more powerful fragrance this won't be for you. I find this is quiet elegance in a bottle.

I don't think this is like Cuir Ottoman either. This gorgeous. No idea what hawthorne smells like but it must be good, because I can smell more than just apricot and suede - the only things in this I can pick out as names. I'm blown away by this as I can't categorize it into any typical scent group. Projects like none other. Smooth and soft, and yet it projects this character so largely.

I don't think this is like Cuir Ottoman at all.

It's a vivacious (I hate that word) fruity blend of apricots and a very light suede/leather. Works much better on my girlfriend than on me though. She gets tons of compliments when she wears this. On me, it gets transparent the same way SL's Five o'Clock au Gingembre does. Personally, I prefer Cuir Ottoman over this. It's also fruity, but the leather is much more tenacious and present, with a slight dirtiness I appreciate.

A sweet, slightly gristly opening that I don't identify as any fruit in particular -- nor do I want to, because I don't want to be thinking 'apricot' every time I spray this -- then fades to that beautiful suede. Simply luminous.

But! Sillage is poor, longevity is poor, though I think part of its charm is its subtlety (or weakness -- whatever you want to call it). Not that I don't find it annoying, you know, but I wonder if I would love this so much if it lasted longer on my skin. Probably something about its ephemeral quality makes it more enchanting to me, like it's a scent I'm constantly chasing after.

An achingly sophisticated apricot wrapped in powdery new suede opens this scent and lasts almost unchanged for hours with fair, but not offensive sillage. The scent keeps softening towards the dry-down and the very warm and creamy skin-scent that's left afterwards contains a fun surprise: the unmistakable hint of Cremosa Chupa Chups.

One of the very few leather fragrances I can wear and almost enjoy, but, even so, my nose doesn’t get the remarkable fragrance that most people get. I get a little hawthorn in the opening and some iris smoothness from the heart accord, but basically my total experience with Daim Blond is a soft, full, neutral suede. The suede is mild and far removed from the disagreeable note that I receive from most leathers. The fact that it presents a very refined suede note rather than leather is apparently why I can enjoy it. I am not really thrilled by the smell of Daim Blond, but I get oh-so-many compliments when I wear it, presenting me with a personal conundrum and demanding of me more introspection concerning my value structure than I care to expend.

This is an exquisite fragrance! I adore the smell of leather, iris and heliotrope, so this was
always going to get me interested. Daim Blond is soft, buttery, sensual and SMOOTH. Not a sillage monster
in any way - just subtle and quietly beautiful.

It`s wonderful. Crisp, fruity leather with gentle animal presence. Bitter-almondy apricot stones and heliotrope playing along with sugared musks and spices. Slightly medicinal hawthorn wraps this terrific scent together.

Lasting power is okay, sillage too. Most definitely unisex.

Tasty stuff.

Incredibly different. Opens up with the hawthorne blast but settles smoothly. The leather is not fierce or obvious. It is very fine and soft like lovely Argentinian leather worn further down between a gaucho's thighs.

So charming... It is very earthy and lively. Well blended layers of flowers apricot and musk is staying very near to skin and seductive at the same time. It is a love at first sight for me. The only drawback could be the strong apricot which made the dear tresor boring for me after several use. but now all thumbs of mine are up.

Apricots, cardamon, and leather. Smells like fall-- leaves turning color, spices for baking persimmons and parsnips, soft leather boots. Sweet like pumpkin kadu from an Afghan restaurant. Sadly, it fades pretty quickly.

This really does smell like white suede! I LIKE IT!!! It is rather on the femme side of the unisex scale, but that doesn't bother me. On my skin it doesn't turn too sweet. Not that turning sweet is a problem for me. Good for summer nights IMO. This is the only SL frag. that I own a full bottle of.

Utterly sour, too sweet - a huge misunderstanding really. Although the scent spans a wide range of different notes (from the lowest frequencies of leather up to the highest ones of citrus and apricot) I couldn't help but notice a huge gap between those relatively 'fine' layers. The result: thin, chaotic, confusing olfactory. Furthermore, this is probably the only fragrance on the market that makes me sick. I sorry, but there's no poetic license to this statement - it literally makes me sick. Dry down is a nightmare. I expected so much more.

A lot like Chypre Rouge with a heady medicinal note. A little sweet with apricot and the iris does not smell like iris at all. Leather? Maybe but the whole thing just collapses before I get to that. Too much for me.

A bit boring really -- don't get much leather unless a very sweet suede compensates. It's not unpleasant, just too sweet with not much else happening.

Kaern

Daim Blond does come across as very feminine smelling on a strip or from the bottle, but in fact it works very well on my skin.

This is an amazing fragrance but waaay too light! Not much to add about the smell itself that hasn´t already been covered by earlier reviewers - other than that it is a very evocative scent - dreamlike and mesmerizing. When experiencing it I imagine a large piece of the finest suede delicatly sprinkled with jasmine flowers and ripe, fuzzy apricots. The end result is just fantastic, tender and completely unlike perfume as we are used to it. It is the olfactory representation of an idealized
scent of human skin - musky but clean and inviting. One of many Lutens fragrances that are the testament of the resident genius in this house.

The leather and iris alike were far too subtle for my tastes and the apricot too sweet and strong -- even the cardamom was overpowered by the fruity notes. Neutral rating.

Daim Blond is the leather of desire. Sensual skin on skin. If you are going to sample this one, you must - I repeat, MUST wear it on your skin! No sterile white paper ribbons please. I don't wear leather fragrances, but DB is the best you'll find in quality. Highly wearable, modern, close wearing and just plain sexy! This magnificent potion seems to melt and combine itself with human DNA when activated by body heat. Let me take it one step further by suggesting you sample this one along with your partner, then as PLURAN would say:

GET TO IT! (I doubt you'll be disappointed!)

8 hours after applying Daim Blond to my left shoulder, I still pick up the cardamom-dusted apricot suede on my skin, and it is irresistible. A fresh as opposed to dried apricot, similar to yellow plum, it reminds me of the scent sought so avariciously by the main character of Patrick Suskind's novel. It has impressive staying power, too, at least on my "fair deer" skin. I will grant leather lovers that this note is much lighter here than in Tabac Blond, where it intoxicates in ambient smoke and spice soaked in rich, sweet wine. But Daim Blond is far more wearable, subtle and modern. A fast favorite.

On my skin, this fragrance is very feminine. I attribute this to the prominent fruit (apricot, subtle cherry) note. Also, the spice (cardamom) and flower (iris) notes are soft rather than sharp and strong. While I detect no musk, there is a hint of leather, which is on the sweet side, which may be due to the honey-scent of the hawthorn top-note.

I would enjoy this fragrance on a woman, but, since I prefer masculine scents, will not continue to wear it myself.

I was looking for a warm weather scent that was subtle but notable, warm but sophisticated.

Daim Blond is my first brush with Lunten's and it was notably more wearable than the other Luten's I tested that day.

I often wear suede shirts in the evening and have always loved that scent. Daim Blond is buttery soft suede and apricots. The other notes are less notable other than the musk which lingers .

While I bought it thinking it was a scent I could wear anywhere I have become less convinced. It is not a summer day but rather a warm day of rain.

Now, having recently purchased M7 Fresh.... anytime, anywhere... warm, casual, wearable, sophisticated.

A very pure light leather scent. Smells exactly like a apricot, leather and iris. I agree with Elf in that I see this fragrance on a Scandinavian blonde. This one will not be for everyone - its a light headed niche scent for sure. Little earthiness here, but it is still very magnetic like most Lutens fragrances.

suede and apricots. very odd

An angel of opulence. She is a paradox, a fair, dark haired beauty with an inner light that shines so bright as she dances off my skin. An intensity bursts forth immediately, the minty-herbal fresh notes of Hawthorn and Cardamom tantalizes. I then notice the bouquet of iris she's holding effortlessly despite her leaps and spins, her dance calling forth a Spring day. A symbol of her earthbound element, the Apricot Stone--wooden, with an undercurrent of fruit she wears around her neck. Her dress is the ultimate paradox, the colors of blue and white of clear skies warmed by a shimmer of yellow, not of suede cloth, but something magical, impossible to make by any human means. It's the frozen chill of leather captured from Winter's last cool breath, somehow made miraculously bearing only the weight and gauge of a sheath of gossamer silk. Her dance is insistent, until her dance ends like the smell of a faint drizzle of Spring rain.

It was a massive surprise; the first note that hit my nose was an old fashioned antiseptic "Dettol" full strength! Then it settled and the gorgeous butter/leather came curling out. Beautiful but probably not going to be a repeat purchase. The smell of freshly baked bread comes out at odd moments. The florals arrive very late especially heliotrope but stay for a decent while.Divine, as is all SL perfumes
but I think I will stay with Fumerie Turque for bit longer.

first some sweetness, then mothballs. mothballs and cedar for a good while, enough mothballiness that i wondered if my coworkers thought i had taken my clothing out of storage this morning.
later on, it turned to something similar to but sweeter than the different company's sel de vetiver. i would swear this scent's notes were fruit, cedar/mothballs, and sweet vetiver. not bad, but not really likeable.

Wow, it seems that people either love or hate this scent. On me, the apricot is not that defined. What I smell is a light leather that does not overwhelm, a hint of spicy cardamom, and a refined iris scent. For me it's unbelievably sensuous and not too sweet.

A subtle, multi-faceted, yet never in-you-face leather scent. Very classy,sheer, elegant. More ephemeral than many of the SL line, I see it worn by a Scandinavian blonde.

Apricot, heliotrope, leather. What's that? Shampoo! Rubber! Oh, they're gone now. The strange notes receded, serving to put a realistic bitter edge on the leather. Most of the time Daim Blond is apricot leather. In the end, it is apricot alone. Pleasant, a bit masculine. My biggest complaint is that it doesn't smell strong enough long enough.

I agree with purplebird's review below. It's a decent scent but I find it underwhelming. Unlike all the other Lutens I've tried, this one doesn't leave a lasting impression IMO. For me, it lacks sillage and longevity. In fact, once the fruity topnotes fade I can barely detect it at all. It's too bad that it doesn't last long enough on my skin for me to experience the leather drydown (even Dzing! lasts longer than this). For the price, I was expecting a funky leather scent that would stand out from others in the same category. I guess I'll still wear it on days when I don't feel like wearing any scent at all. However, I won't replace my bottle when it's finished.

"Inspired by suede so fine, so soft, so barely perceptible to the touch, like skin on skin, an aura and sensation that intertwine to become one and the same." - Serge Lutens promo for Daim Blond

So barely perceptible to the nose. To become one and the same. Serge Lutens has succeeded on all accounts.

Daim Blond has a funky name ("Damn, Blonde!"). It smells a bit funky too. Opening with a blast of uber sweet ripe apricots with the slightest hint of leather, I felt I was smacked in the face with a sock full of rotting melted candies. The apricot dominates all the notes - theres the slightest hint of leather (which sadly dies as the scent progresses), iris and hawthorn, but its hard to make out the notes because of the strong apricot note. This is strong sweet stuff, and if worn during intense summers, can make you thirsty. Longevity is poor too.

As a leather fragrance, Daim Blond fails miserably. You can barely smell any leather here. If you want a buttery leather, look no further than the majest Royal English Leather by Creed. As a general fragrance, it is mildly interesting (if you like super sweet fragrances, that is). However, as part of the more expensive and exlusive serge lutens line, I really cant recommend this. Its too simplistic with no evolution, doesnt achieve what it aspires too, and Daim Expensive.

So refined, so beauty, so transparent (but no simple), completely unisex..

This is the best fragance I've ever smell.

Daim Blonde is a mysterious fragrance that captures pale suede--which is what it is named for. The drydown stays close to the skin, with a fragile, brittle aroma that is at the edge of interesting and not what I want to wear. It is a fragrance that needs to be tried over time to develop a love for it.

Somewhat surprised by the unenthusiastic reviews so far. This is sensational: not a powerhouse, but ineffably classy and ingeniously constructed. The apricot, almost candied, is deliciously alluring, and the soft leather it encases, lends it tremendous smoothness. The fruit and leather accords simultaneously balance each other and create a powerful, unusual dynamic. Fairly linear, not wildly Lutens-esque, and really quite beautiful.

I do love the opening, it's very soft and creamy with hints of animalic leather, like blond suede indeed. But it also has a sweet fruit note and it dries to an almost soapy fruity/floral, very generic, with none of that lovely suede softness.

its nice but its a little too light for my tastes, really doesnt announce your presence, and it stays very close to the skin on the drydown. I always thought I smelled a bit of cedar on the drydown which is not one of my favourite woods. overall I give this a thumbs up from an objective perspective.

Typical Lutens sledgehammer oriental that left no impression of any kind. I've worn it four times now and can't remember a thing about it aside from seeming like something they'd put out. That speaks volumes.

The firsts Lutens I ever smelled. It has a wonderful dry-down on me, but has an odd burst of cherry cough-syrup at first that while not unpleasant, is a bit odd. It can pop back up on me as I wear it. As I wrote, it's not unpleasant (I find it compelling, myself), but you might want to get a sample of it before committing.

A surprisingly mellow and somewhat fruity leather - very easy to wear and very comforting. Love the buttery suede notes in the opening.

absolutely WOW!! soft, sexy, sensual suede/leather notes that blend with musk right into my skin and smell like i am exuding my own natural aroma! the part that makes it so nice is that the leather notes are soft...so many leather oriented scents go a bit strong..definitely the type of scent that i call a 'snuggle scent'..it makes you want to snuggle up to whomever is wearing it and breathe it in!
like another reviewer wrote..reminiscent of donna karan fuel...but more refined!

I'm not head over heels with Daim Blonde yet, but it's growing on me. As a rule, most leather scents don't really do it for me; I don't mind a minor flourish of leather in a fragrance if it's done in an interesting way, but when it comprises the main story - well, something about that is off-putting. Of course, Daim Blonde is about suede, which is not all that much like leather in scent; actual suede is not nearly as highly scented as leather, largely - I think - because it's not tanned and finished like leather is. In fact, I think suede actually is brushed, untanned leather; I'd look that up but I'm too lazy! Anyway, back to the fragrance - the somewhat elusive qualities of what suede, one of very fine grade, actually does smell like are illustrated here in a way that provokes thought, at the very least. I like the way iris kind of headlines the composition, as it is itself an elusive note, soft yet with a sharpness, powdery and nearly sweet but also earthy like dew-soaked dirt. It's this and that, just as suede is raw and animalic but also plush and purely luxurious. Subtle, very subtle. The entire compositon comes together seamlessly beyond the iris, such that I can hardly pick out precisely what I'm smelling. I consider this a "me" scent, something I wear purely because I know how fine it is even if it's so enitrely subtle that those who detect it on me don't give it a thought. In that regard, it's like an extremely, extremely expensive round of hair salon highlights, the kind that are so meticulously executed that they look natural and effortless, as if your hair color really does look that way on its own. You can't tell where the natural leaves off and the craftsmanship comes in; Daim Blonde is like that to me.

A very soft and smooth fragrance, the leather is very subtle and the floral notes tend to predominate, nonetheless, a great scent.

I am in love....but I am partial to leather scents and Suede is the proper word....soft smooth...almost velvet like in texture....supple, sensual as only good suede can be. I love the tinge of apricot and the iris si so soft....a perfect mixture on my skin. My favorite of the export range!

Bewitching scent. Very gentle leather. Not the harsh and pungent Cuir Mauresque-ish or the over-the-top Bandit-ish. Simple, elegant, first rate.

New from Serge Lutens, it is inspired by a suede so fine, so soft, so barely perceptible to the touch, like skin on skin, an aura and sensation that intertwine to become one and the same. Combine Pallida iris from Tuscany, spicy apricot kernel and Ceylon cardamom, the clean accents of a fresh musk, a sprinkling of heliotrope and crystal clear hawthorn. All this is a delicate reminder of the finest leather. There are fragrances whose richness and character demand a different, stronger expression with higher concentration in order to truly imbue the heart with scent…for these fragrances Serge Lutens introduces a new collection: Eaux de Parfum Haute Concentration. The first creation of this new line, Daim Blond asserts its irresistible charm in a luminous fragrant trail and is adorned in new colours: a black box with a black label.