Reviews of Iris 39 (2006)
by Le Labo

This is liquid elegance and bottled opulence. Its masterfully crafted beauty haunts me—it comes calling, clear in my mind’s nose, even when I’m not wearing a drop. It’s classy, youthfully sophisticated, glamorous, and gorgeous. Although it tends more toward the feminine (floral with an initial touch of that makeup smell that I adore so much in iris frags), I think a youngish (20s & 30s) guy could easily wear this because of it’s clean, soapy, and earthy quality. It’s also “perfumey” in that it’s like walking into the first-floor cosmetics and perfume department of Neiman Marcus and getting a light waft of the intermingling high-end perfumes. On me, it’s quite potent and long-lasting, and the iris note is not only present but also prominent throughout the entire accord. Additionally, I noticed that the composition includes civet, which is traditionally animal-derived. However, when I email the co-owner of the company, he personally emailed back and said that not only is he vegan, but so are all of the Le Labo perfumes (i.e., the civet is synthesized). That sealed the deal for me. If you have even a minuscule of interest in iris frags, you must at least sample Le Labo’s Iris 39. I find that I have the perfect chemistry for it, but others may not, so try before you buy.

This is a very fine, pure, earthy-rooty iris, made interesting by a whipcrack peppery top note. Austere and impressively bracing, Iris 39 is the first Le Labo scent to hold my attention.

Love it but would wear it untill I am 50. Earthy, bitter, sweet and very musky! So musky that you can see it in the bottle. Thick oil that looks like they might turn to solids after a while. Very pure. Has some lime and ginger with civet. A kool down to earth mature scent.

With notes of Iris, Lime, Patchouli, Rose, Ylang-ylang, Musk, Violet, Ginger, Cardamom, and Civet, it is quite powerful and perhaps most suited to evenings and cooler weather. But I love it! Really chic, and just a little bit dirty. Kind of French in that way. I found it intoxicating from the first. It is really a very rich scent. With time, it dries down to a much softer accord in which the iris, violet, and lime become more pronounced -- or at least less obscured by the heavier base notes. Just couldn't let it get away from me.