I’m sure that there isn’t a single participant of these Saturday posts who is not familiar with L’Artisan Parfumeur. Moreover, I have no doubts that most of us have at least one (or ten?) perfumes from this brand in our collection. But when was the last time you tried anything new from them?
Saturday Question #120:
What Was The Last New L’Artisan Perfume You’ve Tried?
And a bonus question: is there any perfume from the brand that you would like to try?
My Answer
Yesterday, while scrolling through Instagram posts, I came across a sponsored ad for L’Artisan’s Sale: “Make the most of unmissable offers and treat yourself to a new summer scent”
I do not need a new summer scent, but I got curious and tapped on the link. While 20-25% off isn’t a bad discount, by now I have most of L’Artisan Perfumes that I tried and liked, so none of the perfumes that I’m familiar with tempted me. But going through the Sale selection, I realized that I didn’t know half or more of the offered perfumes. And that brought up this question.
The last perfume from L’Artisan Parfumeur that I’ve tried was Noir Exquis launched in … 2015 (!). What I find strange: I liked it. Not to buy a bottle (at least not until I finish my small decant), but I liked it. And yet, in the last 6+ years I haven’t tried a single new perfume from the brand. I think I lost my interest since Puig had acquired the brand.
Am I interested in their new perfumes? I won’t refuse testing everything I missed somewhere at a store. But I don’t think I will be paying for their samples any time soon. The only perfume that stood out for me when I read about it was something with “banana” in the name. So, that would be the first one I reach for in that hypothetical store.
How about you?
Undina's Looking Glass 
Gosh – hard to remember. I finally stopped being interested altogether once Brexit happened as this meant major difficulties and expense ordering from France. Many years before that I had discovered the L’Artisan shop in London, which was such a delight to visit; when that closed I was happy to order by mail (and loved the quirky little free gifts). But quality and philosophy definitely changed later, so when Brexit came along I was already losing my love for L’AP. I still fondly remember La Haie Fleurie du Hameau!
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It’s a sad story. I wonder how many other (probably more important) aspects of life have changed with that “divorce”?
I used to try this brand at Barney’s. It closed. One more large department store in SF used to carry some perfumes from the brand, but they didn’t like it, and since I haven’t been to it in a while, I don’t know if they still carry the brand.
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I honestly don’t remember!
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:( Their loss.
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The only full bottle of L’AP I own is Jour de Fete & I thought I’d sold it on until I did a stock take!
L’AP isn’t easy to get in the UK now. I live in the Pennines, so a day city shopping needs to be planned like an invasion, the dog arranged to be cared for & travel checked & booked in advance. My idea of hell!
Quick answer not tried anything new from them ever
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It got harder to shop here as well. Parking at SF plus gas would cost 3-4 samples + delivery, so I should be really motivated to go there.
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I have so much love for this brand, the original niche pioneer, dear Undina. Bana Banana (2019) is fantastic stuff. Hope the new Perfumer’s Vegetable Garden collection is launched in South Africa soon.
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I’ll wait for your reviews :)
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There’s no store that carries L’artisan near me. I won a bottle of Jour de fete back in 2014, and I love it. Last year I bought a few from a discount site-D’zing!, Safran Troublement, and I was given Fleur di Lianne, L’eau de L’artisan and L’ete en douce. But those weren’t really new-just new to me. I was hoping to find some at Winners when Puig took over-no such luck where I live. I really liked the older packaging. The vegetable based fragrances are interesting but the new price point is painful, and I don’t care for the new bottles.
As a scented aside, I opened an Aqua di Parma room diffuser and it smells so good. Like clean fresh air and a touch of basil.
I hope everyone has a really nice weekend complete with good fragrances, coffee, pets-all the good things in life :)
Best regards,
Carole
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Thank you for reminding me that I love Saffran Troublant but never got a bottle!! Hope you have a nice weekend too .
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Brigitte, I think it was Hajusuuri’s love for ST that inspired me to get a bottle. It’s really beautiful. I might wear that today-it’s hot here, but I’ve got to go to work for a few hours, and so i’ll be in an air conditioned building for most of the day.
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Mine is mocking me to wear it!
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Carole, I think it works great in the heat too!
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I also preferred their old packaging. And I wish I bought the old Dzing when it was available.
I like the idea of diffusers, but I can’t bring myself to spending the amount you have to spend on good ones, and I don’t want cheap ones :) So far, I had one (a gift, mostly for the diffuser itself, from my favorite designer). I might buy the one with flowers (don’t remember the brand name) – but again, because I like how it looks.
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I think it might have been Couleur Vanille? But the last one I actually purchased was Noir Exquis. No one near me carries it so it’s very hard to sample. I would like to try the L’Orient collection, but again, nearly impossible to sample. The new vegetable series really doesn’t interest me.
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I still might go for NE – the price is right in some discounters.
I can’t bring myself to paying for samples from this brand. But if they come to a store somewhere around, I would still give them a try, even the strange vegetable ones.
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I haven’t tried anything new from them since forever, there aren’t any stockists here and besides, they only come in 100 ml bottles now I think. No dice. If I had the chance I’d like to try Mandarina Corsica and Bana Banana, but they’re not exactly new anymore. I’m quite happy with the four or five that I already own.
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I also don’t like that they don’t have 50 ml bottles any more. But they started making 10 ml travel sprays for some of their perfumes. So, maybe one day they will appear at Sephora or Nordstrom…
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Bana Banana, the one you mention, was probably the last I tried. I liked it enough to write a post on it, although not enough to add it to my collection.
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I remember your post from a couple of years ago, but I still haven’t got a chance to smell it. I would have if it weren’t for pandemic.
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Most recent: Mont de Narcisse. But I’d like to try the new Mémoire de Roses, and the Potager collection.
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You’re much more advanced than I am with the brand! I barely heard those names! :)
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I have quite a few L’Artisan fragrances, but mostly older ones. A favorite is Oeillet Sauvage: https://scentsandsensibilities.co/2017/10/13/fragrance-friday-carnation-lily-lily-rose/. I got interested in some of their newer scents when Mont de Narcisse came out, because I adore narcissus.
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I ordered a little sample of Bana Banana when it launched because I was curious whether a banana perfume would smell like a body spray from Claire’s. I honestly don’t remember whether it lasted long enough to make a real impression beyond the initial hit of banana. I think I also tried Noir Exquis. The last one I cared about was 2012’s Seville a l’Aube – probably should have bought a bottle.
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A couple of times I told myself that I should have bought that bottle as well, but then I remind myself that I haven’t even finished the decant I have… I should find and wear it before it spoils.
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I haven’t tried any L’Artisan in years. I would be interesting in trying their new ‘garden’ scents but haven’t been interested enough to actually order any samples.
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Isn’t it sad? I still remember times when a new L’Artisan or Lutens was an event…
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Ha, same as you Undina, noir exquis, though I could remember coffee and that it smell just way too sweet and gourmand. I gave up on them after that… I still have and love Safran Troublant and original Vanilla.
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It was a good “starter brand,” and I’m sad that they lost what they had… I know, it’s life, everything changed. But it’s a pity when an icon stops being such.
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I came to it very late, so I’ve only tried a few and none of them are new: Premier Figuier Extreme, Mûre et Musc, and Voleur de Roses. Been trying to get my nose on Tea for Two for a while with no luck.
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I really disliked Tea for Two. Very harsh to my nose, like really cheap teabags. So don’t sweat not finding it
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Good to know! No FOMO then.
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Yea for two is my most favorite perfume from this brand, but I haven’t tried the most recent reformation. I can’t believe it is good – bu who knows?
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Maybe I shouldn’t be chasing discontinued perfumes I’ve never smelled. :)
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I did get a decant of Iris de Gris from L’Artisan as I was super curious about it and I’m enjoying it very much
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Interesting… coming from you, it’s a recommendation. I should try it.
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OHHH! L’Artisan fan here. I try to get a sniff of everything that gets released here in Oz. I think Puig understands the brand better than the last lot who owned it, they are doing fab things with Penhaligon’s too.
Couleur Vanille is high on my To Buy List. I liked Mont de Narcisse and am very excited to try the new Iris and Vetiver.
There hasn’t been a lot of releases in the last couple of years but fingers crossed these new offerings are yum.
Portia xx
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I remembered that you liked the brand, but I didn’t know you still were a fan. I look forward to reading your reviews :)
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I feel “advanced” for once! Saks Fifth Avenue in NY carries the brand, although I do miss the stand-alone boutique at Henri Bendel. That said, the last one I tried two weeks ago (and bought, so not a large sample) was Ode a l’Oudh, a pretty nice musky mildly-oudy vanilla. Before that, I bought Obscuratio 25.
I wonder if the boutique near the Louvre is still there?
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One more reason to visit New York! :)
I remembered that I have a sample of Obscuratio from you. Will find and try it!
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Like several people above, I have absolutely no idea, though it might even have been that Mediterranean-smelling one. Just took a look at the complete list on Basenotes and I still don’t know which one I mean(!). Cote d’Amour, maybe?? No, can’t be that as it is quite old. Caligna then?? As a fan of Corsica, I am now curious to try one I spied on there, namely Mandarina Corsica.
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Can’t help you there: all new names are a blur, can’t remember many of those that I tried – let alone those that I didn’t :)
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