Frederic Malle just released a new perfume. Well, mid-last year. But it only just landed here in Australia. Interestingly, Uncut Gem has received mixed reviews. I’m yet to try it. However, it’s always an event when the storied French house releases something new. And this new perfume, Uncut Gem, is by Maurice Roucel, so I’m looking forward to getting my nose on it. In the interim, I decided to look back at a few of the brand’s other perfumes in today’s mini-reviews. Below are my thoughts on Music For a While and Synthetic Jungle.
Frederic Malle – Music For a While – Weird Lavender – 3/10.
I’m a fan of Carlos Benaim and the house of Frederic Malle, but Music For a While is not amongst their finest work. The lavender, accompanied by a sulphurous pineapple, hits all the wrong notes. The opening verse features an odd choir of fruity notes, which fail to harmonise with the other accords and elements. The disparate components never click. The lavender and anise sing from wildly different hymn sheets from the candy-like fruits. It doesn’t seem like a lot of rehearsal went into this production.
Though, it gets worse. The crescendo of sweet notes in the base, vanilla, sugar, and caramel smells like the perfume equivalent of a cringe-worthy pop song that you’re too embarrassed to tell your friends you enjoy. Then, Malle and Benaim introduce their sledgehammer patchouli trademark, which feels out of tune with the sugary sweetness of the other base notes. Almost like heavy metal meets top 40? Sadly, Music For a While doesn’t sing to me and is unlikely to ever feature on my spraylist.
Frederic Malle – Synthetic Jungle – Malle Goes Green – 8/10.
Synthetic Jungle, by Anne Flipo, is the brand’s greenest release. For mine, it’s not their most outstanding perfume ever, but it’s certainly something you should sample if you love green scents. Despite the name, it smells much more natural than Music For a While.
Synthetic Jungle is very green. The opening blast of galbanum and herbal notes is bracing and sharp. If I were to compare it to anything in the Frederic Malle range, it would be a cross between Rose & Cuir and French Lover. However, it’s less woody than French Lover and much greener than Rose, so it’s different enough from both scents to fill a void in their collection. But, other perfume references come to mind, with Synthetic Jungle’s green floral backbone a definite nod to 70’s green classics such as Chanel No.19 and Estee Lauder’s Private Collection.
The floral heart of jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, hyacinth, and ylang-ylang is loud and long-lasting. But, despite being loud, the floral component still has a fresh, steamy quality to it. Perhaps more evocative of a greenhouse or florist rather than a jungle. Possibly, the name is a little misleading. The mosses and patchouli in the base hold everything together, ensuring the tenacity of the green dampness of the top holds till the end.
Have you tried these two perfumes? What’s your least favourite, Frederic Malle?
Note: Bottle images from Google. All other images are my own.