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The Best of État Libre d'Orange

post #1 of 56
6/14/12 at 9:01am
Thread Starter 
I bought a set of samples(25) of État Libre d'Orange and now I'm trying to find out on which of the lot I am going to spend my voucher. So far I did not find the ultimate pleasant surprise, so for those who also tried this house's collection my question: what would be your 'État Libre d'Orange' choice?

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post #2 of 56
6/14/12 at 9:23am
Out of those I've tried, I'd probably say Fat Electrician, but must admit I find all of these scents underwhelming. I don't see Like This listed (though the titles are a bit small in the graphic), but that one seems to be the most liked among ELdO's scents. I personally didn't like it at all, but some find the pumpkin smell distinctively interesting. I'd be interested to know, among ELdO fans, which one of these gets the most votes.
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post #3 of 56
6/14/12 at 9:27am
Of the ones I tried, liked Rien.
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post #4 of 56
6/14/12 at 9:32am
I love Eloge du Traitre ; it has some similarity with Yatagan and reminds me the smell of a very nice italian aperitivo (Campari)...
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post #5 of 56
6/14/12 at 9:38am
For me:

Tom of Finland
Delicious Closet Queen
Jasmin et Cigarette
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post #6 of 56
6/14/12 at 9:38am
I always try to skip their marketings and focus on the juices. As a matter of fact I now own 8 full bottles including:

Tom Of Finland (great lemony saffron but you have to be fine with powdery notes)
Eloge Du Traitre (sort of a love son between Yatagan and CDG Laurel)
Rien (most bitter and animalic leather ever. One of the most unapologetic fragrances around)
Je Suis Un Homme (great old-school understated masculine with a modern twist)
Fat Electrician (sweet vetiver)
Antiheros (lavender soap)
Archive 69 (camphraceous resins)
Delicious Closet Queen (wrong purchase)


I thoroughly enjoy all of the above fragrances with the only possible exception of Delicious Close Queen which was an impulse buy because of a 70% sale on the whole range at LaFayette in Berlin.

Other good fragrances in their range include Charogne (if you like turned indolic flowers), Noel Au Balcon (gingerbread), Rossy De Palma (uncomfortable and low-cut rose) and Like This (an overlooked masterpiece IMO).

People also praise Jasmine and Cigarettes but unfortunately I'm not amongst the biggest fans of jasmine.
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post #7 of 56
6/14/12 at 11:06am
Thread Starter 
Thanks everybody for your feedback so far!
barclaydetolly, I dropped Fat Electrician; I find it not special enough to buy.
Hednic, I keep Rien as a possibillity.
Avecesar, Eloge du Traitre is certainly a candidate: I find it nice, but maybe it is too close to Yatagan(which I have and love)
Primrose, from these three I like Jasmin et Cigarette the most.
Alfarom, I read your reviews with pleasure; they are pleasantly written and a big help!
I will keep you informed about my final choice!
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post #8 of 56
6/14/12 at 11:16am
I like many of them, but my favorite is Jasmin et Cigarette.
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post #9 of 56
6/14/12 at 11:46am
Hi there. I had the same experience 6 months ago and opted for Charogne but it's definitely a cold weather bomb of inedible indolic white flowers with a rich edible gourmand vanilla. Just super rich and luxurious but bad in a good way underneath.

I also enjoyed Noel au Balcon, Delicious Closet Queen and Putain des Palaces but these are all quite rich feminines to me. Eloge du Traitre came close to being "my" incense until I discovered Bois D'Encens and Avignon.
Rien is fantastic leather. Pure leather, nothing softening it, no citrus, no fruit or flowers just hard faced tarry leather. Lovely! I shall buy when I've used all my 4 samples.

The rest I found just Meh including SM
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post #10 of 56
6/14/12 at 12:06pm
I've been trying to ignore their marketing because it really rubs me the wrong way, the one that caught my eye is Like This, which is quite good. It's really kind of different than anything I've tried, it's warm and comforting, to me it's like they bottled Thanksgiving. The pumpkin is what made me interested in the first place, I'll be purchasing a bottle soon. I haven't tried any others yet though.
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post #11 of 56
6/14/12 at 12:06pm
Thank you for your kind words, Trauerkraut.

Whatever you choose is fine but, if I can give you one more advice, don't overlook this line which is created by some of the most talented perfumers around including Antoine Maisondieu (worked for Comme Des Garcons, Armani, Gucci, Lanvin, Acqua Di Parma), Christine Nagel (worked for Dior, Cartier, Chopard, Fendi, Guerlain, Jo Malone, Lalique and Lancome among others), Antoine Lie (Armani, Comme Des Garcons, Davidhoff and many others), Nathalie Feisthauer (Amouage, Hermes, Therry Mugler, Cartier, Yoji Yamamoto)...

Their marketing campaigns can be sometime silly but their fragrances are anything but....
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post #12 of 56
6/14/12 at 6:29pm
I like Tom of Finland, Charogne, Nombrill Immense.

When I first sprayed Rien it reminded me of Kouros. Rien is a blast of animalic, aldehyde, pepper and incense. Not a fan of it.

Like This is nice but more on the uni/fem side.

I still have yet to smell the others i.e Fat Electrician.....
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post #13 of 56
6/14/12 at 6:52pm
I like the house a lot, so it's hard to choose one.

Probably the smoothest and easiest to wear, despite the name, is Tom of Finland, a smooth, lemony, saffrony suede.

If instead you've always loved animalics and things like Kouros, Muscs Koublai Khan, and the like, then it's hard to beat Rien, an uncompromising, naked, animalic leather; it's a little subdued when you first spray, but then it blooms on the skin in all its (nearly perennial) power. Spray lightly.
And finally, if instead you are attracted by traditional old style masculines, I'd say Je suis un homme, woody resiny herbal.

cacio
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post #14 of 56
6/14/12 at 7:51pm
I loved Rien the first time I sampled. I getting a bottle for this fall. Hate SM and Jas. and Cig is not bad, but not me. Charogne is different, and wearable if you spray and walk through.
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post #15 of 56
6/14/12 at 10:05pm
Why buy any of them if you didn't like them that much? Isn't that the point of sampling first?

Pass that voucher over here and I'll get Je Suis Un Homme!
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post #16 of 56
6/15/12 at 6:05am
Thread Starter 
Thanks once again gentlemen for your helpful remarks!
Petrujjic, I find Jasmin et Cigarette very intriguing for the 'ashtray' smell that made me turn down Tea for Two is here combined with a wonderful jasmine, which makes it very likeable. It might be slightly too feminine for my likes though.
Alityke, from your suggestions I like Éloge du Traître the most.
Starshipvelcro, at this very moment I have on my left hand Tilda Swinton Like This and on my right hand Bijou Romantique: I like the latter the most! Both are feminine!
Alfarom, I like the Pop Art -like approach of this house...R&R-perfume, who needs more? Thanks once again for your input!
Volley2, from your suggestions Nombril Immense is my choice: soft patchouli with a little freshness, I like it!
Cacio, Tom of Finland is not special enough for me; I will keep Rien as a possibillity.
Stevolution, S.M. nor Charogne will be my choice, Rien and J&C stay good suggestions.
Kagey, I will not buy any of them if I don't find a suitable candidate. However my voucher is certainly not spent on Je Suis un Homme: I find it not special enough!
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post #17 of 56
6/15/12 at 8:37am
many great options in that house , but RIEN deserves all my admiration.

@Trauerkraut, to me nose, the ashtray side of Jasmin et Cigarette (great scent btw) is not very pronounced but rather a faint companion.
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post #18 of 56
6/15/12 at 9:05am
My eyes arent good enough to read those small titles, but my favorite ELDO's are:

Rien
Eloge du Traitre
Je suis un Homme
Fat Electrician
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post #19 of 56
6/15/12 at 5:03pm
Fa Electrician : a nutty Vetiver
Je suis un Homme: lemony stark leather
Rien: something else
Jasmin et Cigarette : jasmine buds (buds because not potent and indolic) in an ashtray. Full bottle worthy
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post #20 of 56
6/17/12 at 12:22am
Thread Starter 
Yesterday I wore Nombril Immense: nice soft patchouli, but not better than Borneo 1834 or Patchouli Patch, the two patchoulis that I have already...so although I like it my choice will not be Nombril Immense. Today I try Antihéros, a soapy lavender: I like this one better than Caron pour un Homme(which I gave away for being somewhat boring), so maybe Antihéros will be my future funeral scent!
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post #21 of 56
6/17/12 at 12:38am
Eloge du Traitre
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post #22 of 56
6/17/12 at 12:40am
Thanks for keeping us updated, Trauerkraut. What did you think of Secretions Magnifiques? I'm wearing it at the moment and noticing that it's very different on skin from on a card. Surely you can't accuse this one of being not special enough or too much like xyz...?
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post #23 of 56
6/17/12 at 12:54am
I'll take that sample of Secretions Magnifiques off your hands once you're done with it!
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post #24 of 56
6/18/12 at 8:47am
Thread Starter 
Today I wore Archives 69: it smells like a perfume store smells on a busy saturday afternoon, nice but predominantly female, about the same as yesterday's Antihéros which I also find slightly too feminine. Two candidates less!
Tomorrow it will be RIEN day...!
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post #25 of 56
6/18/12 at 8:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trauerkraut View Post

Tomorrow it will be RIEN day...!

Go VERY light on the trigger, this stuff is killer. Ask Hedonist (who usually applies no less than 20 sprays of anything else).
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post #26 of 56
6/18/12 at 8:58am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

Go VERY light on the trigger, this stuff is killer. Ask Hedonist (who usually applies no less than 20 sprays of anything else).

;-)! ...it's a three-quarters filled 2ml sample: I will use it all...!(as I did with the other ones)
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post #27 of 56
6/18/12 at 9:20am
Thread Starter 
Oh Alfarom, a question: you speak in your 'Fils de Dieu' review of 'Fils De Dieu, Du Riz et Des Agrumes (aka Philippine Houseboy)'. Does this mean that 'Fils de Dieu' and Philippine Houseboy are the same? (I got two different samples of them both??)
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post #28 of 56
6/18/12 at 9:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trauerkraut View Post

;-)! ...it's a three-quarters filled 2ml sample: I will use it all...!(as I did with the other ones)

I hope you're not going at the office tomorrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trauerkraut View Post

Oh Alfarom, a question: you speak in your 'Fils de Dieu' review of 'Fils De Dieu, Du Riz et Des Agrumes (aka Philippine Houseboy)'. Does this mean that 'Fils de Dieu' and Philipine Houseboy are the same? (I got two different samples of them both??)

As far as I know, Yes!
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post #29 of 56
6/18/12 at 9:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dollars&scents View Post

Eloge du Traitre

This is the only one I've had a chance to try so far, and I really like it.
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post #30 of 56
6/18/12 at 10:16am
Absolutely love Tom of Finland, Rien is decent but seems short-lived, same for Fat Electrician. Not experienced any others.
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post #31 of 56
6/18/12 at 11:49am
I don't know all of them. I love Fat Electrician.
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post #32 of 56
6/19/12 at 9:34am
Thread Starter 
Well...this was the 'Rien' day: a killer indeed! Unfortunately not my kind of killer: I took Alfarom's advice and went VERY light on the trigger; nevertheless the leather kept on dominating the atmosphere all day long. I showered it off as soon as I was home and sprayed myself with Éloge du Traître...which will not be my choice either: too Yatagan! Two more possibillities less! Tomorrow I will make my final choice: exciting!
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post #33 of 56
6/19/12 at 12:27pm
At this point I guess your not an ELDO type of guy
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post #34 of 56
6/20/12 at 3:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by alfarom View Post

At this point I guess your not an ELDO type of guy

I guess you're right!
I've smelled them all and wore a couple, but I did not find the positive shocking surprise I was looking for.
There are some nice ones, some smell too female for my likes, one smelled like a fragrance I already have(Éloge du Traître = Yatagan), and the rest did not escape from mediocrity. So I decided to spend my voucher on one of the nicer ones: Je Suis Un Homme.
Thank you all for your nice and helpful contributions!
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post #35 of 56
6/20/12 at 6:02am
I'm late to this thread, but would like to contribute my two cents:
I also got the sample pack and decided on redeeming the voucher on Noël Au Balcon, a delicious Christmassy spice concoction Ã* la Burberry London or Ambre Narguilé, with an added bonus of candle wax.
Others I love: the ultra strange and alluring Charogne (floral cinnamon bubblegum with a hint of melting plastic), Fat Electrician (caramel-burnt vetiver) and Like This (orange-coloured sweetness).
Haven't tried Fils de Dieu, which is indeed the one formerly known as Philippine Houseboy. Something tells me I may like this one, being crazy about Southeast Asian food as I am.
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post #36 of 56
6/20/12 at 6:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trauerkraut View Post

So I decided too spend my voucher on one of the nicer ones: Je Suis Un Homme.
Thank you all for your nice and helpful contributions!

Good choice! Enjoy it!!!
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post #37 of 56
6/20/12 at 9:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trauerkraut View Post

I guess you're right!
I've smelled them all and wore a couple, but I did not find the positive shocking surprise I was looking for.
There are some nice ones, some smell too female for my likes, one smelled like a fragrance I already have(Éloge du Traître = Yatagan), and the rest did not escape from mediocrity. So I decided to spend my voucher on one of the nicer ones: Je Suis Un Homme.
Thank you all for your nice and helpful contributions!

Yep, I knew that's the one you'd choose.
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post #38 of 56
6/20/12 at 10:17am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kagey View Post

Yep, I knew that's the one you'd choose.

You were right! I hoped to find a potential 5 star surprise, but it did not seem to be there, so I took the one that suited me best.
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post #39 of 56
6/20/12 at 11:29am
ELdO fragrances are unusual. I'm ambivalent about the promo material. Not sure it helps.

I think Alfarom is right, you either like the ELdO style or you don't. I guess that's true of all houses in a way but ELdO tend to be one of the more polarizing
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post #40 of 56
6/20/12 at 12:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alityke View Post

ELdO fragrances are unusual. I'm ambivalent about the promo material. Not sure it helps.

Well, stay tuned - apparently they're changing the promo material. The images are no longer on their website.
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post #41 of 56
6/20/12 at 12:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alityke View Post

ELdO fragrances are unusual. I'm ambivalent about the promo material. Not sure it helps.
I think Alfarom is right, you either like the ELdO style or you don't. I guess that's true of all houses in a way but ELdO tend to be one of the more polarizing

...I like the style! Unfortunately the product does not match it's design. When you start a new concept, you should do that all the way: Pop Art packaging, advertisement, marketing for Pop-Art product. ELdO sells 'normal' product. The only really different fragrance of ELdO is Sécrétions Magnifiques...the rest could be sold by any perfume house. Pity!
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post #42 of 56
6/21/12 at 7:09am
Is SM that different really? Its a marine floral, lots of houses do marine florals, they just don't tell you they smell of bodily secretions
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post #43 of 56
6/21/12 at 8:58am
Ali:

have you ever smelled SM? If not, you can check the seveal threads on it. There are flowers somewhere in there, but you have to concentrate to smell them.

But I agree with you that all marine florals are dreadful, even when they are not as exaggerated as SM. Even Le Labo Neroli, subtler than most, becomes unbearable to my nose in the drydown.

cacio
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post #44 of 56
6/21/12 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alityke View Post

Is SM that different really? Its a marine floral, lots of houses do marine florals, they just don't tell you they smell of bodily secretions

Yes, it really is different - unlike any perfume I've smelled. And cacio's right about the flowers. To me, they smell like cartoon flowers.
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post #45 of 56
9/1/12 at 6:58am
There is nothing like Rien. Rien just rules:
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post #46 of 56
1/2/13 at 6:16am
I'm in the exact same position as OP and am currently working my way through the samples. Tom of Finland, Eloge du Traitre, Je Suis une Homme and Fat Electrician are in the running so far and I'm sampling Rien now. I too have failed to hit on a five star mind-blower yet but there's still time to revisit a few more before I cash in my voucher.

Oh and I too can vouch for the repugnance of Secretions Magnifique! Salt, metal and flowery semen. Not pleasant at all.
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post #47 of 56
1/2/13 at 6:56am
The Afternoon of a Faun and Malaise of the 70's (originally to be called Sex Pistols) are 2 new ones you may like.
Rien is as hard as nails -- I admire it but don't wear.
V&T is nice -- Bendelerious is fabulous and fun, but feminine -- I enjoyed wearing Je Suis un Homme.Rossy de Palma is one of the best 'roses' I know
There are some very good fragrances in the line, but are easily dismissed, which in part is of their own making due to the gimmicky nature of the marketing.
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post #48 of 56
1/2/13 at 8:37am
I really admire this line. I find several of their scents to be an actual pleasure to wear. Eloge du Traitre may be my favorite (and I do find it to have more interesting chypre-like topnotes than Yatagan and so actually easier to wear regularly) but I also really like Like This and Jasmine et Cigaratte. Eloge du Traitre layered with Rossy di Palma is maybe my favorite rose scent.
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post #49 of 56
1/2/13 at 9:07am
Malaise of the 1970s is indeed also sold as Sex Pistols, and in the latter guise is available for £4.99 for 50ml EDP from The Fragrance Shop (UK chain). I own it, naturally.
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post #50 of 56
1/2/13 at 9:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by voodoodanny View Post

Malaise of the 1970s is indeed also sold as Sex Pistols, and in the latter guise is available for £4.99 for 50ml EDP from The Fragrance Shop (UK chain).

Say what?
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post #51 of 56
1/2/13 at 9:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jojo Lapin X View Post

Say what?

Yessir!

http://www.thefragranceshop.co.uk/pr...ray-14197.aspx
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post #52 of 56
1/2/13 at 9:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by voodoodanny View Post

Yessir!

http://www.thefragranceshop.co.uk/pr...ray-14197.aspx

I'm at a loss for words-- maybe it was pulled and revamped? You might have the equivalent of God Save the Queen on EMI. I'd hang on to it.
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post #53 of 56
1/2/13 at 9:48am
I'm about a third of the way down my bottle. They still have it so I might just get another and leave it sealed. I sampled Malaise of the 1970's yesterday and as you might imagine, my eyes lit up when I sniffed a VERY familiar smell!
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post #54 of 56
1/2/13 at 10:16am
I have to ask, what do you mean by voucher? I thought the coffrets were just either samples or 10mL bottles?
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post #55 of 56
1/2/13 at 2:04pm
Certain retailers offer the full set of 1.5ml samples of all 25 (as was) ELdO fragrances for £25, which includes a voucher for £25 off a full size bottle purchase. I got one for Christmas! It's not a cofret or a presentation box or anything, just a bag of individually bagged samples with a little fold-out info card in each one.
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post #56 of 56
1/2/13 at 4:59pm
Only have tried Sex Pistols (not good) and Rien (not bad but not for the price they're asking for a bottle).
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