The Perfume Library

La myrrhe

7.4

Serge Lutens · 1995

Fresh · Floral · Sweet

Serge Lutens La myrrhe is a unisex scent in which myrrh, amber and sandalwood form a resinous warmth, lifted by aniseed and aldehydes. La myrrhe lasts well and projects at a moderate level. Most voters pick fall and winter, with spring not far behind and summer rarely chosen. It suits evenings and nights out best, though it also works for leisure. Feminine and masculine votes are close, so it sits in the middle on gender. Myrrh, amber and sandalwood lay a sweet, woody, resinous base. Aniseed adds a spicy edge, while aldehydes and musk lighten the weight and give the scent a fresh, soft side. A floral note stays in the background.

Bois de Violette

7.8

Serge Lutens · 1992

Fresh · Floral · Green

Serge Lutens Bois de Violette pairs violet, cedar and cardamom into a fresh, green and powdery scent. It runs as one piece rather than in stages: the floral, powdery side of violet is held in check by dry cedar, while cardamom adds a light spicy sweetness. Fresh and green tones come forward, and the weight stays on the woody and spicy side. Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate. Most voters pick fall and spring, and it suits leisure time and evenings. Though unisex, voters lean towards reading it as feminine. Profumum Roma Luci dell'Est and Penhaligon's Violetta have a close profile.

Santal de Mysore

7.6

Serge Lutens · 1997

Sweet · Spicy · Woody

Serge Lutens Santal de Mysore is a sweet, woody and resinous unisex scent that pairs sandalwood with spices, benzoin and styrax. The notes read as a single whole: sandalwood sits at the centre, while caraway and spices add a dry, gently warm edge. Benzoin and styrax soften it towards a resinous sweetness, and the animal accord adds depth in the background. Most voters pick fall and winter, and evening and night out lead the occasions. Longevity is rated strong and sillage good. Masculine and feminine votes sit close together, so it wears comfortably on either. Karl Lagerfeld KL (Eau de Toilette) and Sospiro Deep Ocean Amber have a close profile.

Un lys

7.6

Serge Lutens · 1994

Fresh · Floral · Green

Serge Lutens Un lys is a fresh, floral unisex scent built around lily, vanilla and musk. The green, powdery side of the lily sits at the centre. Vanilla pulls it towards something creamy and sweet, while musk leaves a faintly animal warmth underneath. A touch of spice keeps the freshness from turning flat. Longevity is rated strong and sillage good. Most voters pick spring, fall and summer, and lean towards evenings and nights out, then leisure time. Nearly half of voters read it as feminine, though it is sold as unisex. Rogue Jasmin Antique and Jo Malone Iris & White Musk have a close profile.

Encens et lavande

7.5

Serge Lutens · 1996

Fresh · Floral · Green

Serge Lutens Encens et lavande pairs frankincense, vanilla and lavender into a fresh, smoky and faintly sweet unisex scent. Voters rate its longevity and sillage as moderate. It is recommended most for fall and spring, and for leisure and evening wear. Masculine leads the character votes, though feminine is close behind, so it sits comfortably on either side. Frankincense gives it a resinous, smoky backbone, while lavender adds a fresh, green and floral lift. Vanilla softens the edges and adds a light sweetness, with spicy and woody tones staying in the background. Essenzialmente Laura Incenso delle Chiese di Roma and Hekate Albulaan have a close profile.

Veilleur de Nuit

8.0

Serge Lutens · 2016

Floral · Sweet · Gourmand

Serge Lutens Veilleur de Nuit is a unisex scent that pairs a sweet floral core with animalic warmth and a distinctly gourmand side. Tuberose and dark chocolate come forward together, while civet, castoreum and musk add an animalic, creamy depth and vetiver stays in the background as a dry, earthy edge. The overall impression is a spicy, powdery, resinous oriental with a gourmand streak: heavy, sweet and warm. It has been discontinued. Longevity and sillage are both rated good. Most voters pick fall and winter, and the occasions that lead are evenings and nights out. Masculine and feminine votes are level, so it doesn't lean clearly to either side. Initio Absolute Aphrodisiac and Zara Femme (2013) have a close profile.

Bois oriental

7.8

Serge Lutens · 1992

Fruity · Sweet · Gourmand

Serge Lutens Bois oriental is a sweet, spicy unisex scent that suits fall and winter evenings best. Its longevity is rated strong and its sillage good. Most voters pick fall and winter, and evening and night out lead the occasions, though leisure and daily wear are not far behind. Votes split evenly between masculine and feminine, so it sits comfortably on either. A fruity, gourmand sweetness runs through it. Honey and beeswax give that sweetness a soft, waxy texture, while spices and cedarwood add a dry, faintly smoky woodiness. Amber and musk gather it all into a warm, resinous base.

Bois et fruits

7.7

Serge Lutens · 1992

Fresh · Fruity · Sweet

Serge Lutens Bois et Fruits is a unisex scent that sets fig, plum, peach and apricot against cedarwood. The fruits lead: fig, plum, peach and apricot give a sweet, gourmand warmth. Cedarwood grounds that sweetness in a dry, woody base, while spicy, resinous and powdery touches add an oriental feel. The notes don't unfold in stages; the scent reads as a single whole from start to finish. Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate. Most voters pick fall and winter, and it leans towards evening and daily wear. Though unisex, voters read it as somewhat more feminine.

Perceive (Eau de Parfum)

6.5

Avon · 2000

Fresh · Floral · Fruity

Eau de Parfum

Avon Perceive Eau de Parfum is a fresh, floral and fruity scent with a feminine character that suits daytime wear. White pepper and yellow freesia open with a spicy yet airy lift. In the heart, carnation, ylang-ylang, plum and pear turn into a floral, fruity texture. Vanilla, musk and sandalwood sweeten the base and settle it into a powdery, creamy finish. Its longevity and sillage are moderate. Most voters pick spring and summer, and it leans towards daytime, office and leisure wear. Half of voters find it feminine. It shares a close profile with Nicolaï Musc Intense and Jil Sander Sun (Eau de Toilette).

Mandarine-mandarin

6.6

Serge Lutens · 2006

Citrus · Floral · Fruity

Serge Lutens Mandarine-mandarin is a unisex scent in which orange and mandarin are softened by spice and amber, setting citrus on a sweet, smoky base; it has been discontinued. It opens with nutmeg and orange, and the heart keeps the citrus going with orange zest, tea and mandarin orange. The base of labdanum, dog rose, tonka bean and amber sweetens and warms it, while the accords add floral, spicy, woody and smoky shades beside the citrus. Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate. Most voters pick autumn and winter, and it leans towards evenings and leisure time. It doesn't settle clearly as masculine or feminine, with votes tilting slightly feminine.

El Attarine

7.5

Serge Lutens · 2008

Fruity · Sweet · Gourmand

Serge Lutens El Attarine is a unisex scent that pairs the spicy warmth of saffron and cumin with the sweetness of dried fruits; it has been discontinued. The notes read as a single whole rather than a top, heart and base: saffron, spices, dried fruits, cumin and everlasting flower. Fruity and sweet accords pull it toward gourmand, the spicy and woody side balances that, and resinous, smoky and faintly animal tones give it an oriental weight. Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate. Most voters pick fall and winter, and it leans toward evenings and nights out. Masculine and feminine votes are almost level, so it sits squarely in unisex territory.

Gris clair... (2019)

7.3

Serge Lutens · 2019

Fresh · Floral · Green

Serge Lutens Gris clair... (2019) is a unisex scent that sets a fresh, green side against a sweet, spicy and woody base. Lavender and iris lead, while amber and tonka bean soften and sweeten the blend; frankincense and dry woods add a spicy, woody dryness. The notes read as one whole, with the fresh, floral side kept in balance by the sweetness. Longevity and sillage are moderate. Most voters recommend spring, fall and summer, and it leans towards daily wear, leisure and the office. It reads somewhat more masculine to voters, though it is unisex. Its profile is close to Serge Lutens Gris clair... (2006) and Penhaligon's Lavandula.

Sidi Bel-Abbès

8.6

Serge Lutens · 2015

Spicy · Woody · Oriental

Serge Lutens Sidi Bel-Abbès is a unisex scent built on honey, Russian leather and tobacco, reading leathery, smoky and spicy. Voters lean towards fall and winter, with spring next and summer well behind. They find it suited to evenings and nights out, and also to leisure time. Longevity and sillage are both rated good. Most voters call it masculine, though a fair number see it as feminine. The notes have no top, heart and base split and read as one whole: honey carries a soft sweetness throughout, while Russian leather and tobacco pull it towards a smoky, leathery ground. Woody, resinous and powdery accords round out the spicy picture. Serge Lutens Chergui (Eau de Parfum) and Serge Lutens Fumerie turque have a close profile.

Tocadilly

7.5

Rochas · 1997

Fresh · Citrus · Floral

Rochas Tocadilly is a fresh, floral women's fragrance that leans towards spring and summer and suits daily wear; it has been discontinued. Its longevity and sillage are moderate, so it stays fairly close to the skin. Most voters recommend it for spring and summer, with leisure, daily wear and the office named most often. Most votes call it feminine, and some see it as modern. Cucumber and lilac open it fresh and green. The heart holds jasmine, hyacinth, green notes and coconut, whose sweetness softens the floral side. Sandalwood leaves a woody, powdery base. Kilian Beyond Love Prohibited and Michael Kors Glam Jasmine have a close profile.

Un bois sépia

6.7

Serge Lutens · 2008

Fresh · Aquatic · Green

Serge Lutens Un bois sépia is a unisex scent where opoponax, sandalwood and patchouli meet in a woody, resinous line. The scent runs as one piece from start to finish. Opoponax and sandalwood bring a sweetish, spicy warmth; patchouli and vetiver add an earthy, smoky depth, while cypress leaves a green, fresh touch. The woody and oriental side dominates, and the aquatic and fresh accords stay in the background. Longevity and sillage are rated moderate. Most voters pick fall, followed by spring, and it leans towards nights out and evenings. It reads somewhat masculine, though a fair share of voters call it feminine. Profumum Roma Patchouly and Profumum Roma Vet_G16 have a close profile.

Bourreau des Fleurs

8.3

Serge Lutens · 2017

Floral · Sweet · Spicy

Serge Lutens Bourreau des Fleurs is a sweet, spicy and smoky unisex scent that most voters pick for evenings and nights out; it has been discontinued. Voters also find it suitable for leisure time and night outings. Longevity is rated strong and sillage good. Character votes split almost evenly between masculine and feminine, so it sits close to both. Liquorice, charred wood and immortelle build a sweet floral backbone. Spicy, resinous and earthy tones sit on top, with a smoky, woody warmth coming forward. The notes have no top, heart and base split; it reads as one whole.

Cannibale

7.4

Serge Lutens · 2015

Sweet · Spicy · Woody

L'Haleine des Dieux

7.7

Serge Lutens · 2015

Floral · Green · Sweet

Cracheuse de Flammes

6.6

Serge Lutens · 2015

Fresh · Floral · Fruity

Bois et musc

7.8

Serge Lutens · 2005

Sweet · Spicy · Woody

Serge Lutens Bois et musc is a unisex scent built on saffron, coconut and musk, with cedarwood and beeswax adding a warm, woody depth. Longevity is rated good and sillage moderate, so it stays close rather than filling a room. Most voters pick fall and winter, with spring not far behind. It leans towards night out and evening wear, though daily use suits it too. Feminine and masculine votes run close, so it sits somewhere between the two. Sweet, spicy and woody accords read together. Saffron brings spiced warmth and coconut a soft sweetness, while cedarwood lays a dry, woody base. Beeswax and musk carry it towards a powdery, animal and oriental tone. The notes come across as one blend rather than separate layers.

Barbicaja

7.8

Spoturno · 2025

Fresh · Floral · Aquatic

Spoturno Barbicaja is a fresh, floral unisex scent that sets a green, aquatic lightness on a sweet, woody base. Barbicaja's longevity and sillage are both rated as good, though the number of votes is small, so that reading is tentative. Voters lean towards leisure time most, with daily wear, business, evening and nights out close behind. It doesn't tie itself to one gender and reads as unisex. It opens with lily of the valley, hyacinth, freesia and green notes, which give a cool, dewy floral feel. In the heart, tuberose, apricot and orange blossom sweeten it. Vetiver, cedarwood, patchouli and vanilla carry the base, drying down warm, spicy and woody.

Renard Constrictor

7.1

Serge Lutens · 2015

Floral · Fruity · Sweet

Alphée

7.8

Spoturno · 2025

Fresh · Citrus · Floral

Spoturno Alphée is a unisex fragrance that pairs fresh citrus with a green, spicy streak. Most voters pick it for leisure, work and everyday wear, while evening and night-out use sit further behind. Its longevity is rated good and its sillage moderate, so it is noticed up close without filling the room. Bergamot, myrtle and bitter orange give the opening a fresh citrus lift. At the heart, nutmeg, neroli and coriander add a spicy, floral touch. Vetiver and musk settle it onto a soft, woody base. Dunhill Century and Creed Original Vetiver have a close profile.

L'Âme du Phénix

7.2

Spoturno · 2025

Fresh · Citrus · Floral

Spoturno L'Âme du Phénix is a men's fragrance that sets a fresh, citrusy opening on a warm base of spice, tobacco and leather. Longevity and sillage are both rated good, though the number of votes is small, so this is only a rough guide. Voters split evenly between leisure, business, evening and night-out wear. There are no season votes, so it would be wrong to tie it to one time of year. Lavender, pink pepper and grapefruit open cool with a slight bite. In the heart, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon bring the spice forward, with cedarwood adding a woody line. The base of tobacco, patchouli, labdanum, vanilla and leather leaves a smoky, mildly sweet warmth. Its profile is close to Michalsky Berlin III for Men and Basile Uomo.