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Diptyque, Considering Philosykos + L'Ombre dans L'Eau

post #1 of 31
10/6/11 at 12:20pm
Thread Starter 
Hi, I had a question about two scents by Diptyque. I've had success in the past with many Diptyques. My absolute favorite is Do Son, which is admittedly "feminine" I suppose, but always garners compliments on me, as well as Eau Duelle and Tam Dao (which I found serious longevity issues with).

My main question is about Philosykos, I loveeee fig scents and heard this is one of the best, unfortunately I sort of have to blind-buy unless I'm in Manhattan because where I live there aren't many retailers offering niche fragrances. So my question is what experiences you guys who like fig scents have had with Philosykos. I have Diptyque's Figuier candle, is the scent similar? How is longevity?

Also any input on L'Ombre dans L'Eau would be appreciated also. I know this one also falls on the femme side, but like I mentioned that's not an issue for me as long as it's not too "perfumey", punch-you-in-the-face, rich-older-woman smelling. The notes of rose and black current sound great.
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post #2 of 31
10/6/11 at 12:30pm
Neither strikes me as feminine, to the contrary. I don't remember the candle, but Philosykos smells very natural and like a fig (fruit + the big greenness of the leaf). If you like fig scents, you can't go wrong. Decent longevity on me.

L'ombre dans l'eau is a personal favorite. It is perhaps the opposite of perfumey (whatever you mean by that, powdery? civety?). It's a strong green and vegetal blast, indeed, a blast in your face. Some people detect also some rose in it, but I don't. It is very persistent. (The shower gel is persistent too- I use it frequently, perfect after the gym). Some people hate it. I encourage you to try it, but it's definitely not a blind buy.

cacio
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post #3 of 31
10/6/11 at 12:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kilim_pillow View Post

So my question is what experiences you guys who like fig scents have had with Philosykos. evity?

Also any input on L'Ombre dans L'Eau would be appreciated also.

Have both and love both. No problem with longevity with either.
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post #4 of 31
10/6/11 at 12:50pm
Thread Starter 
Sorry, I know "perfumey" is very vague on a fragrance forum, but I tend to think of "perfumey" as meaning heady, like if you could see fragrance, I think of perfumey as meaning you'd see a cloudy aura around the person. I think of everything I've ever smelled by Serge Lutens as "perfumey".
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post #5 of 31
10/6/11 at 12:55pm
Philosykos doesn't, but l'ombre dans l'eau certainly creates a cloudy area around you, but it's the cloudy area you'd get if you emerged from a mile long hike through thick, very green plants. Whether you think of that as perfumey is more a matter of definition.

cacio
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post #6 of 31
10/6/11 at 12:58pm
I would think any place you'd order a bottle of Philosykos from would send you a sample of L'Ombre dans L'Eau upon request. They'll probably send a whole slew of Diptyque samples. That's been my experience.

L'Ombre has a cassis presence -- think unsweetened black currants. It may not be as sure a bet for fig-lover you as I think the Philosykos would be.
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post #7 of 31
10/6/11 at 1:03pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks so much for all the input.
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post #8 of 31
10/6/11 at 2:03pm
Can't go wrong with Philosykos, as far as fig scents go, it's very wearable on a guy.
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post #9 of 31
10/6/11 at 2:05pm
A blind buy is tough for these but they are excellent perfumes to blnd buy if you must.
The fig one isn't a fruity fig. It's the fig and the tree too.
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post #10 of 31
10/6/11 at 2:23pm
Philosykos is a great fig fragrance, one of the best. It is similar to their fig candle and also similar to L'Artisan's Premier Figuier - they were both done by the great Olivia Giacobetti. L'Ombre dans L'Eau is very loud, vivid and clean smelling. Almost nose stinging. It's like a giant, sour, green rose wrapped up in a vinyl sheet, I can't think of any other fragrance that it compares to, except perhaps Annick Goutal's Folavril. Once you've smelled it, you never forget it. I have the soaps.
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post #11 of 31
10/6/11 at 2:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

A blind buy is tough for these but they are excellent perfumes to blnd buy if you must.
The fig one isn't a fruity fig. It's the fig and the tree too.

Agreed, out of all the fig scents I've encountered, Philosykos is the most, how shall I put it - 'unadulterated'.
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post #12 of 31
10/6/11 at 5:52pm
In my honest opinion, it is absolutely the best fig scent and absolutely worth purchasing if you like fig. I've sampled many and found Diptyque to be the most rewarding. They also have other products available in this scent like, shower gel and body lotion. The shower gel is nice you want to layer the scent.
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post #13 of 31
10/6/11 at 8:00pm
I highly recommend L'Ombre dans L'Eau - it's my favorite Diptyque by far.
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post #14 of 31
10/6/11 at 8:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

I highly recommend L'Ombre dans L'Eau - it's my favorite Diptyque by far.

For me as well. My husband likes it too.
To me it is very evocative of the smell of a freshly-picked tomato-- that smell you get when the tomato is pulled freshly off the stem.
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post #15 of 31
10/6/11 at 10:06pm
L'ombre Dans L'eau is my favorite from this house. I don't see it feminine at all, unisex - yes.
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post #16 of 31
10/6/11 at 10:14pm
For a green leaves and stems scent with a touch of rose, you can't beat L' Ombre Dans L' Eau. Not feminine at all really. Phylosykos is a very pleasant green wood fig fragrance. I almost like it as much as Miller Bertaux Green, Green for tart fig greenness.
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post #17 of 31
10/6/11 at 11:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

I highly recommend L'Ombre dans L'Eau - it's my favorite Diptyque by far.

same here
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post #18 of 31
10/7/11 at 12:40am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all of your input, I contacted Diptyque and will be getting samples of Philosykos and L'ombre. Also, my initial characterization of L'ombre as feminine was based on some reviews as well as Lucky Scent's classifying it on the femme side of the scale, I'm interested now to try it as so many of you have noted that you don't find it to be feminine. Thanks again, guys!
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post #19 of 31
10/7/11 at 2:01am
Check out Molinard Fleurs de Figuier as well. I like it more than Philosykos and you can get it for much less. Hermes Un Jardin en Mediterranee is also a nice fig scent, drier than Philosykos.
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post #20 of 31
10/7/11 at 2:56am
Why dont you order samples from luckyscent or anywhere?

I say this not because you may dislike the two, but because the others are just as good if not better IMO.
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post #21 of 31
10/7/11 at 10:45am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

Why dont you order samples from luckyscent or anywhere?

I say this not because you may dislike the two, but because the others are just as good if not better IMO.


In all honesty, I'm just cheap and lazy and didn't want to pay x__x. There are so many fragrances I'd like to try that I'd end up spending quite a bit if I were to start filling a LuckyScent basket with samples, cuz paying for shipping on $3-$6 worth of (just two) samples would seem dumb, so I'd end up probably wanting to order a decent amount while I'm at it, which is money that could be going to an actual bottle of something!

Also, Nordstrom just started carrying Diptyqye on their website (not in-store as of yet) so it's a plus that I can charge it to my Norstrom card, which in my mind isn't like spending "real money"... which obviously is delusional and reductive thinking, but hey.
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post #22 of 31
10/7/11 at 11:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hednic View Post

Have both and love both. No problem with longevity with either.

Same here.

Philosykos is very natural and fresh, not a longevity monster, but you'll get the best longevity among fig based frags.
L'Ombre dans L'Eau is pure joy, a green and natural fragrance, with blackcurrant leaves and rose, very classy. No problems with longevity, and you'll leave a beautiful sillage just behind you.
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post #23 of 31
10/7/11 at 12:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kilim_pillow View Post

Thanks for all of your input, I contacted Diptyque and will be getting samples of Philosykos and L'ombre. Also, my initial characterization of L'ombre as feminine was based on some reviews as well as Lucky Scent's classifying it on the femme side of the scale, I'm interested now to try it as so many of you have noted that you don't find it to be feminine. Thanks again, guys!

Any tip on how to get samples from them? i'd love to try Un Jardin Close and Eau Lente!
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post #24 of 31
10/7/11 at 1:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kilim_pillow View Post

In all honesty, I'm just cheap and lazy and didn't want to pay x__x. There are so many fragrances I'd like to try that I'd end up spending quite a bit if I were to start filling a LuckyScent basket with samples, cuz paying for shipping on $3-$6 worth of (just two) samples would seem dumb, so I'd end up probably wanting to order a decent amount while I'm at it, which is money that could be going to an actual bottle of something!

Also, Nordstrom just started carrying Diptyqye on their website (not in-store as of yet) so it's a plus that I can charge it to my Norstrom card, which in my mind isn't like spending "real money"... which obviously is delusional and reductive thinking, but hey.

Lol ok. I agree. To get your money's worth on postage you'd end up getting a bunch of samples.
Maybe the best way would be order what you really want to smell.
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post #25 of 31
10/7/11 at 2:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Postumo View Post

Any tip on how to get samples from them? i'd love to try Un Jardin Close and Eau Lente!

I just contacted the customer service email address on their website and explained that I wanted to get a few samples and they got back to me and said that it's customary for them to offer two samples per client and that I should just specify which two I wanted and provide my mailing address and they'd send them out. I was pleasantly surprised at how simple it was!
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post #26 of 31
10/7/11 at 7:35pm
L'Ombre dans L'Eau is my top pick from Diptyque. As long as you don't overspray it, it has class in spades...
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post #27 of 31
10/15/11 at 9:07pm
Thread Starter 
Well, I finally got my samples from Diptyque, L'Ombre is great, maybe not for me, after it stops developing on me it's just all rose, and I love rose, but it's just not what I want to smell like, the opening is delicious current and rose, it's very evocative for me, it makes me recall something from my childhood.

Philosykos smells great, I love fig and it's just great, bright opening and then a creamy dry down, HOWEVER, huge disappointment for longevity, completely GONE in about 3 hours, its as if I never even applied it. Incredibly sad, but I can't imagine spending the money on a full bottle for something that last so little time. I'm sad about that.
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post #28 of 31
10/15/11 at 9:36pm
I just bought Philosykos yesterday and am quite pleased. It's a light fig fragrance, definitely unsweetened. Better than Marc Jacobs for Men in my opinion. If you want a stronger or sweeter fig, perhaps you should try L'Artisans Premier Figuier (Extreme)?
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post #29 of 31
10/16/11 at 7:36am
Ah, the wisdom of always sampling and avoiding the blind buy. These are two scents definitely worth knowing. Glad you're now of the "I know them" club.
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post #30 of 31
10/16/11 at 8:40am
Kilim, I hear you. Of the line, these are the only two I've considered owning. I eventually splurged and bought Philosykos, and love it, but am really dissipointed with the longevity and sillage too. good thing it's the 100ml bottle because I'm going to have to respray this one often!

L'ombre is my favorite from the line, I find it has HUGE sillage and longevity. I was in a store and amongst many many bottles being sprayed, as soon as someone tested this on, across the room my nose perked up and I knew which one they'd sprayed... I quite like it, but then again I love currents, and jammy roses, it's actually the lush green that I find a little 'grating' on my nose, just a bit harsh.

Still, give them a few chances before moving on. I will say this, i do find Dyptique's frags a little 'dry', sort of all woody and spicey but they sometimes strike me as a little raspy.
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post #31 of 31
10/16/11 at 9:44am
Diptyque aren't always long lasting... But there are many circumstances when this is ok, eg before or after the gym, when going out shopping. And one can always enjoy bath and body products. I haven't tried it, but I have seen the Philosykos shower gel in a store.

cacio
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