My snowflake tree begins to bloom in late May. Although I’ll never experience snow in my part of the world, its burgeoning blossoms herald in the cooler, comfortable days ahead. Interestingly, despite being called a snowflake tree, it thrives primarily in subtropical and tropical climates. This plant is in the same genus as the poinsettia, and the plants are similar in many ways. While I don’t detect any notable scent from my trees, others have reported a fragrance reminiscent of toasted coconut. Each year, I like to celebrate its blooming by pairing it with a fragrance or two. This year, I’ve chosen the aptly named Totally White from Parle Moi de Parfum.
Totally White is one of my favourite fragrances from Parle Moi de Parfum. I feel that the house has lost some of its momentum recently. They certainly burst upon the scene like a steam engine a decade ago with scents such as Papyrus Oud, Woody Perfecto, and, of course, Totally White. In a separate post, I may discuss their more recent offerings (Looking for Vanilla, Comète Paradis, etc), but none of them left much of a mark, so I might skip them to keep the tone positive. Suffice to say, the steam engine has run out of a little steam. Today is all about Totally White, which feels like a crisp morning walk through a spring garden.
There’s a stillness to the scent, suggesting that the pollinators may not have fully awakened yet. I picture myself in the garden in the very early morning before the business of the day has taken hold. The pace feels slow. The brand lists the following notes:
Top notes: hawthorn
Heart notes: lilac, syringa
Base notes: wisteria
Totally White isn’t overly indolic. It doesn’t feature any heady florals, such as tuberose or gardenia. Instead, it’s clean and soapy with prominent lilac and wisteria accords. The lilac in this scent lacks the almond nuances typically associated with the flower; instead, it has a slightly creamy, dewy, green quality. I am reminded of the dewy Après l’Ondée by Guerlain, which has a similar after-the-rain feel. However, that scent feels more somber in tone than Totally White. It’s much more layered and brooding than Totally White, too. In the Parle Moi de Parfum, the dark clouds have parted, the sky is blue, and dewy raindrops rest on the flower petals. Life feels simple and easy.
As the wisteria accord creeps into the picture, Totally White takes on an almost dreamy, watercolor quality. Whenever I think of wisteria, I picture the dramatic vines cascading down as if from a fairytale. Michel Almairac effectively captures this imagery as the floral notes blend in Totally White. I can easily imagine myself in the mystical garden of an enchanted castle. The wisteria feels nicely balanced against the other florals. It’s not too spicy, but it does have the subtle grape qualities that wisteria is known for.
The perfume has an ethereal quality that evokes the scent of lily of the valley, yet it doesn’t have the dirtier undertones of the classic Diorissimo. Depending on your preferences, you might consider Totally White a little too pure and pristine. Perhaps, one could criticise it for lacking a sinister side. Indeed, it’s more Snow White than the Evil Queen. Still, I can’t help but praise the fragrance. Given its name, it was never going to offer up an animalic component.
Totally White has an almost drinkable quality, possibly due to its petrichor effect. If I were served this fragrance in a glass, I would surely enjoy it—like a lilac tonic, if you will. It’s this petrichor aspect that prompts me to compare it to En Passant. Both fragrances occupy a similar scent space. When I first sprayed Totally White years ago, it immediately reminded me of Olivia Giacobetti’s perfume. However, after reflecting and wearing the two scents side by side, I’ve noticed quite a few differences. En Passant is much more watery and features a bread-or wheat-like core, while Totally White has a sunnier disposition and comes across as cleaner and soapier.
Totally White never feels limpid or pale. Indeed, even though I’m pairing it with my white snowflake tree, I picture purple, blue, green, and white colours as the composition unfolds on my skin. And, surprisingly, given its name, the fragrance holds its shape and form quite well for 6-8 hours on the skin. Furthermore, at least for me, Almairac does a good job of preventing the scent from veering into the realm of functional fragrance. Some may beg to differ, as they may associate the scent of lilac with cleaning products. Bear that in mind, if you decide to test the fragrance, especially if you don’t like lilac. I thoroughly enjoyed wearing my Totally White sample. If I ever bought a bottle of this fairytale floral, I might even live happily ever after.
Have you tried Totally White? Do you have any favourites from Parle Moi de Parfum? I own a bottle of Wake Up World. But as I alluded to in my opening remarks, in a classic case of I like your old stuff better than your new stuff, I haven’t enjoyed many of their recent releases.
Note: All images are my own. Sample purchased by me.
Here are a few more photos of my snowflake tree.
Fascinating shapes of the petals – they seem to radiate outward like fireworks. I don’t think I tried this one. My favorite from them was Orris Tattoo, which always made me think of IKEA’s yellow birch color.
Absolutely, Nose Prose. I appreciate them so much more since they bloom for such a short period each year. Orris Tattoo is a good one. I remember enjoying it, too. I’ll have to revisit it and see if I get the same association.
Fabulous images!! Tks for sharing! I remember Totally White as one of the nicest from the house. Very easy to wear! Great review!
Thanks very much, Tetê. Yes, that’s a good way to describe it – very easy to wear. I’m glad you like it, too.
I adore your snowflake tree photos, Daniel. Every time I see them, I can’t help but yearn for one in my own garden. While it’s highly unlikely that it would survive in this climate, its beauty is undeniable.
I’m quite familiar with all the notes present in nature for Totally White/126. In fact, I used to have both lilacs and mock-orange in my garden. I still have misteria growing over a large arbor that leads into the garden, and there was a large flowering hawthorn in my old neighborhood. All these floral components would seem quite easy to incorporate into a fragrance, if the recipe is done correctly. I’m going to have to give this one a try. I haven’t sampled much from Parle Noi de Parfum, but one of my favorites was Gardens of India/79.
Thanks very much, Flaconneur. I wish you could have one in your garden. It’s ironic that the snowflake tree wouldn’t survive the snowy winters, though. Ah, I hope you can sample Totally White. If you’re a fan of En Passant or the Guerlain I referenced you might enjoy it. I’ll be intrigued to see what you make of it, especially given you are familiar, and certainly more familiar with the floral components than I am.