Very few scents of recent vintage from Penhaligon’s have impressed me. And indeed, Solaris doesn’t have me doing cartwheels of joy either. However, it’s a feel-good fragrance (never a bad thing) radiating good vibes, sunshine, and vitality. Penhaligon’s came up with the perfect name. The tropical-themed perfume contains a lot of white flowers, but it makes me think of the brightness of yellow blooms.
Initially, some fragrance databases credited Quentin Bisch with this composition. However, his designs typically shout from the rooftop, containing a lumber yard of abrasive woody base notes. The hallmarks of Solaris are softness and restraint. And the creamy finish of sandalwood and light vanilla retains a level of smoothness. Surely, this couldn’t be Bisch’s work.
Indeed, I was right to be suspicious, as some further research shows that Solaris is, in fact, an Alienor Massenet perfume. And if you Google her name and Solaris, you’ll come across an interesting interview she did with Forbes discussing the creation of the fragrance.
I’m pretty impressed with Solaris because, for a “solar” themed perfume, it doesn’t descend into the usual perfumed cliches associated with the sub-genre. Cleverly, the florals of jasmine, tiare, and ylang-ylang accentuate the creamy aspects of each without becoming too screechy. There’s little to no trace of the customary coconut crassness or gunky salty marine nastiness. But, the masterstroke and my favourite part of the perfume is the joyous union of lemon and tart blackcurrant. Their combined effects are redolent of an afternoon sprawled out in a hammock, drinking a juicy cocktail and watching the sunset over the horizon.
Solaris lasts for about 5-6 hours on my skin before fading. For mine, it’s more appealing than some of the more expensive Tom Ford “Soleil” series perfumes. Solaris still isn’t cheap, but the 30ml options are available for £80 or around $145AUD. Indeed, it’s worthy of a sample and a tip of my sun hat.
Which scents make you think of the sun/sunshine?
Note: All images are my own, other than the bottle image (Google). Tested from a sample I purchased.
Below are some more images that make me think of Solaris.
