Etat Libre D'Orange : Putain des Palaces

"Sheer sensuous fantasy. The powdered top note evokes a woman who dresses for seduction - a soft trail of lipstick, the rustling of lace. The intimate ritual of a femme fatale who sees right through the fragile armour of men. Her sophistication is intriguing, as is the commerce she makes of her body. Under the bitter-sweet touch of almond, like a secret that unfolds, comes a hint of supple leather, fluid and flexible, that introduces what is to come: a boudoir, fingers that tighten on a leatherette sofa and the palpable presence of raw desire. Doesn't every woman have the fantasy of being a temptress in a hotel bar, of yielding to desire in the intimacy of a lift or of giving way to sensuality in silk sheet luxury?"

The above paragraph provoked much hilarity amongst my friends when I showed it to them after they had declared that this fragrance was "very you" when I asked them their opinion on it. Whilst I'm not about to reveal some Belle de Jour moments from my past, this scent is the type that I usually go for in the night, a heavier scent than the day, to provide a contrast.

I bought this fragrance a few months ago, but haven't got around to blogging about it. I'm not sure why, since I really like it. For years I tended to use the same fragrances, but when I saw this on Escentual I was intrigued, as I hadn't come across the brand before.

The brand was launched in 2006 by Etienne de Swardt. The brand drafted its own 'Declaration of Independence', which includes the following statements:

"Perfume is dead, long live perfume! We emotionally declare the birth of a newly liberated territory: the Free State of Orange. A land of olfactory liberality, free from every taboo, where insubordination and olfactory eroticism reign supreme!" So, from the outset the company has made it its business to be different from the rest of the brands on the perfume block.

Initially I wasn't quite sure which scent to go for, so I opted for the fantastic Etat Libre D'Orange Sample set from Escentual. For £24.95 you can purchase a Discovery set, which has 21 different samples from the range. You also get a voucher code for £24.95 which can be redeemed against the cost of a full size bottle of perfume. So essentialy, if you purchase the full size scent you get the sample set for free. I love this idea, which Escentual have extended to cover a range of other brands, including Cartier and Made in Italy.

After much deliberation I opted for this scent with its notes of rose absolute; violet; leather; lily of the valley; tangerine; ginger; rice powder; amber, and 'animal notes'.

If you are interested in trying this brand, you can get the Discovery Set from Escentual.