The French Connection

Doesn't have anything to do w/the post, I just like iconic images

There is a customer at work I'm friendly with-an older gentleman who is almost always outside during my breaks. Couple of weeks ago we got to talking, his son was going to France for a business trip, he was bringing him back 5 cartons of cigarettes because they're much cheaper and a light bulb went off in my head:

Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire
Hello! $80 USD for a 1.7 oz. and $3. for the car ride to get to the perfume store. I tried to give Joe more money as a tip for arranging this for me but he wouldn't accept it. His son will be going to France again, he travels all over. I'm making a mental list for the next trip!~

As for the juice....this is different, compared to other Guerlains. I have not really sniffed the original LPRN, only once in the store and it screamed berries to me so I promptly put it back on the shelf. Now there are no more of the original available to compare it to. I own LPRN2 and it's a different animal compared to 2012. LPRN2 is a marshmallow-y oriental, gourmand comfort scent. Nice in small doses during chilly days.

LPRN 2012 is, well, it's as if Miss Dior Chere (from 2005) and Coco Mademoiselle merged their eggs together and maybe Givenchy PI or Rochas Man (or some yummy man's fragrance, maybe a paternity test is in order here) provided the sperm, this would be the result. Yes, there are berries and cherries (on the sour side, too) but the large dose of modern musk, with bergamot, a bit of patchouli and a hint of iris here and there,  plus a spot of tea, all of that drying down onto and into vanilla turns this into a masterpiece.. What is the "modern musk"  note that I'm smelling here? I can't decipher the ingredient list. Gosh, I wish I could note pick better.

Did I say masterpiece? Yup. A modern masterpiece, as in mastering the current trend of fruity-florals and making it into an actual perfume. LPRN 2012 is a perfume, not sugar water, it's got a sophisticated edge. Don't ask me what notes give it the edge, I can't tell between the sour berries, musk, iris and all, somehow they blend into a perfume, they work. I never thought I'd actually like something with sour cherry notes but I like this.

 LPRN 2012 doesn't share many notes with Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle just patchouli, rose, tonka, vanilla and bergamot. She shares even less notes with Miss Dior Cherie, only cherry, patchouli and rose. But while wearing LPRN 12 I couldn't help thinking of Coco M and MDC, they all kind of remind me of each other.

 This isn't a "comfort" scent, I don't get the classification as an Oriental Vanilla, the vanilla doesn't stand out enough to me. LPRN 12 is something you might actually wear for a dressy occasion. It's got that perfumeness that makes you stand up straighter, makes you feel a few pounds lighter and like you're all decked out. I don't like to make age suggestions about perfumes, but LPRN 12 is a bit on the youthful side. But I'd say a trendy woman of any age can pull this off, no problem. (am I putting my foot in mouth here?)

Would I buy this at $135 USD*? Well, uh, I'd have to say no. Not at this time. Since I already have Chanel Coco Mad and Miss Dior I don't need another similar scent. I did procure this with the intention of selling it, but after a day of smelling it on myself I had to keep it. Plus it has a back story: my friend's son got it in France by my request,  and now every time I see Joe he sniffs around to see if I'm wearing it. I was wearing it the next time I saw him, he could smell it and said it smelled beautiful.  Then he thought I should ask my female co-workers what they thought of it. Um, no thank you. But for $80 it's a keeper : )

 By the way, it's amazing how your feelings about a scent will change when you're forced to wear it, no scrubbing. I got this while I was at work and sneaked a spritz as soon as I could, which was around 3pm. First impression was too much berries, too sour, too ugh. I didn't feel like scrubbing and the only other perfumes in my possession were samples of Madonna and La Prairie Platinum and I wasn't in the mood for either so I just dealt with it. By the end of the day (8pm) LPRN 12 had taken such a turn I found it quite likeable and enjoyable. Loveable. There aren't many Guerlains that I don't like, only Champs Elyesses and Secret Intention come to mind.

I have no idea when this will be available in the US. I asked the Guerlain woman at Saks and she didn't think it was going to be released here. Is that possible? It is kind of odd that it was launched in March and it still isn't here yet.

Limonene, Courmarin, ethyl hexyl methoxycinnamate, Geraniol, Citronellol, Linalool Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Butylene Glyco butylene glycol dicaprylate dicaprate gerinalol Geraniol Citral

*My guesstimate at what the price will be when this arrives in the US. My LPRN 2 was $135 in 2011. Wild guess....