L'Antimatière (2006)
by LesNez

I really wanted to like this, and I agree you get nothing for the first half hou,r but after that, still all I smelled were faint florals and a plastic-like note. I guess it didn't come out on me, too bad because I loved the idea.

11th January, 2012.

An absolute GENIUS of a fragrance ! ~ Luv it , luv it , LUV IT !!!
This has surely got to be THE master of "Skin-Scents" !? If I were able to chose how I'd want my own skin to smell naturally, this would be it !
It's therefore my immediate go-to fragrance whenever I'm not particularly in the mood to be too overtly scented (or just can't make up my mind ;o) and just want to have "naturally" good smelling skin. As it's not exactly a very "perfume" perfume type scent. And more bound to elicit a compliment such as : "you smell good" as apposed to : "the fragrance you wearing smells good".

I think it's one of the best "skin-musk" scent on the market ! And also one of the best pure plain unadorned representations of the scent of natural true authentic ambergris. (At least it certainly smells very closely redolent of my genuine whale "hair-ball" ambergris tincture.)
Though barely perceptible at times, it's nevertheless still incredibly tenacious, lasting easily a good 12hrs or more on my skin. Though very light at first, it does unusually increase in potency as it progresses, becoming much stronger towards the heart and drydown of the scent. It never however becomes loud or heavy, preferring to stay close to the skin throughout.
An accomplished minimalist fragrance, though certainly not for everyone.
It's unusual character and definitive musky "animalic" nature bound to make it one of those dividing "luv-it" or "hate-it" type scents. You'll either "get-it" and enjoy it's innovative concept, or just won't nor even understand those who might. It's lack of immediate scent is due mostly to the missing usual top-notes. The scent only beginning to "bloom" on the skin about 30 to 45 min after first being spray. ~ It's a brave perfumer who composes & releases a fragrance lacking in all top-notes. (Seeing as these are usually what most base their immediate impressions of a scent upon). ...
I especially suggest therefore that sampling first would be most wise. This is not a scent to risk a "blind buy" on, that's for sure ! ...

In the light of all these reasons, I think the quirky naming of L'Antimatière's (i.e. Antimatter) is particularly witty and actually most fitting. And also especially as it will serve too as an interesting particularity. As L'antimatière is composed of mostly a cocktail of just various musks and little else. It therefore will work perfectly as a sort of musk anosmia detector. ~ So if you happen to be one of those who thinks L'antimatière smells like just a quick burst of alcohol followed by no scent at all. Unable to smell pretty much anything throughout the entire life of the scent. (Although do remember to wait that "30/45min buffer" I mentioned earlier, before coming to an erroneous conclusion). Then it's quite probable that you're one of the approx' ±3% unfortunate musk anosmics.
~ How cool is that !?

26th September, 2011.

Intriguing name + intriguing concept + experimental fragrance + talented perfumer...what you'd expect? I was ready for a big disappointment but I had (somehow) to change my mind.

L'Antimatiere opens with an almost disturbing blast of pure alcohol (maybe due to the lack of top notes) that quickly evolves in a bizarre mash-up between a sort of "unscented lipstick" note and slightly sweet sawdust. In this phase the fragrance is barely perceptible yet not very pleasant. After an hour or so, something starts to change and you realize that ambergis is clearly playing its main role giving the fragrance a sense. This is the best part where L'Antimatiere claims your attention with its subtle yet quite fascinating charme. This effect is going to last for many hours as this composition is barely perceptible but very tenacious.

Overall L'Antimatiere is more of a smell than a proper fragrance. It reminds me of the good smell of unscented skin that only some people have. Subtile, almost undetectable but unique and fascinating. Now, my point is this: who would spend money on a pricey fragrance just to smell pleasantly unscented?

I can't say I don't like this composition but this experiment, IMO, it's only partially successful.

Lasting Power: more than 8 hrs

Sillage: Well, while someone says this fragrance stays close to the skin I more believe L'Antimatiere to have a "bizarre" sillage. You think nobody will notice, instead everybody thinks "you-smell-good-even-when-you-don't-wear-a-perfume".

Smell: 3.5/5

Overall: I Like it but I'm fine owning a copule of samples. No full bottle worth.

9th June, 2011.

Isabelle Doyen's L’Antimatière has commendable volume and persistence – subliminal, yet (after a few musky peek-a-boos), incontrovertible. My dissatisfaction is with the odour itself, which is somewhere between powdered chalk and confectioner’s sugar. While it could be of interest for those seeking an ambergris experience, L’Antimatière does, unfortunately, smell like being trapped in an item of Tupperware.

8th June, 2011.

This really is a fascinating fragrance.
I ordered a sample set from Les Nez and tried this one first of all as I had read a lot about it. When I first sprayed I felt a little confused, I was not sure if I could smell it or my mind was playing emperor’s new clothes kings of tricks on me.
And this effect seems to last the lifetime of the perfume, which is really long. It’s over 24hrs later and its scent is still weaving in and out of my consciousness.
Several people have said this has a "clean" smell but I don’t get that at all. I do detect something musky now and then which occasionally got really strong. After about 5-6 hours it seemed to rise to a loud crescendo of musk that would make me hesitate to wear it to work. But the overwhelming scent over time is of something warm and human. The scent of a lover who stayed in bed until late in the morning, not clean but with a real animalic smell. Right now I am getting some slightly marine smells, like the breeze off the warm sea; I suppose that must be the ambergris. And occasionally there is a slightly citrus kind of smell, not a sharp citrus but maybe more of a lemon verbena kind of undertone.
What is remarkable about this is its elusive nature, it’s here, it’s gone, and it’s loud then soft. Sometimes so powerful it should be worn with caution and then I was not sure I was wearing it at all. It’s very long lasting and 24 hours later I don’t want to try another of the samples as I want to see how this progresses. It is certainly the most interesting perfume I have tried so far, and I think if you are fascinated by scent you should certainly try this one.
Les Nez have a really good sample service, you can buy a set of 4 for a very reasonable price from their website. Sadly although I asked if they would be so kind as to include a small sample of their newest creation the turtle, all I got was a paper strip which had been sprayed with it. It smells intriguing but now I have to figure out a way to get my hands on a real sample.

16th January, 2011.

OK if someone gave me a bottle or it was going cheap, Id wear it and it has definitely got something. No top notes, and a very vague but pleasant drydown though reminiscent of Marc O Polo Midsummer which Im sure is a 10th of the price (and stronger).
However on top of this scent I did get a vey pleasant laundry smell wafting around every now and again. It got me smelling my shirt, but no it must have been this scent. I get the Molecule 01 comparison which too is more interesting than buyable.

2nd February, 2010.