I know you're probably thinking that I fell off the sample wagon and have been wearing nothing but Iris Poudre since my last post. But it's not true! I have been sampling some other perfumes, both new and old, some of which I'll talk about in the coming weeks, including Carnal Flower (that one warrants a second post), Weil Zibelene, and Guerlain Chamade.But today I'd like to focus on what is currently my second-favorite Guerlain, Parure. The notes in Parure are:
Top: bergamot
Heart: plum, lilac, rose, jasmine
Base: woods, oak moss, spices
The Guerlain site says Jean-Paul Guerlain created Parure, a "necklace of luxurious scents," for a woman who loved jewelry. If Parure were a jewel I think it might be a ruby, because that's the birth stone for July, and Parure has a beautiful radiance that reminds me of a gorgeous summer day. Or it may possibly be a yellow diamond, lit up like the sun. Parure also makes me think of sunny California in a bygone era like the 1940s or 1950s, the light reflecting off the hills and the glamour that was Hollywood in those decades. Nothing like the watered down pink fruit juice that typically represents it today.
The opening is a golden bergamot, shot through with sweet ripe fruit. The sweetness softens with the entry of the floral notes, as the fruit disappears. The woods and spices in the base intensify the sweetness slightly, giving it a soft incense quality with vanilla undertones. For people who dislike the sharper edge of some chypres, I think Parure is one they would find easy to wear.
*photo from Guerlain
