Matière Première – Metal Lavender – Amber To The Max

I’ve had Metal Lavender from Aurélien Guichard’s Matière Première on my mind for some weeks. But not only on my mind, but also on my skin. My god, it’s hard to get rid of—like most other scents in this line, this stuff sticks, and sticks. I say that somewhat lightheartedly; a couple of good twenty-minute showers will definitely wash it off. However, if you’re looking for a scent that lasts, Metal Lavender certainly delivers on longevity. Unfortunately, the perfume itself doesn’t quite meet my expectations for a fine fragrance.

You don’t even have to spray Metal Lavender to know you’re in for a rocky ride. Just being near the nozzle brings tears to my eyes. I’m sure the sales assistant thought I had been cutting onions before entering the perfume section when they approached me while I was examining the bottle. This has to be one of the worst lavender scents I’ve ever encountered. Against my better judgment, I sprayed Metal Lavender on my skin. It truly lives up to its name, as the first spray unleashes a heavy wave of amberwoods. You could probably spray this stuff at an incoming asteroid and disintegrate it into thin air; it’s that powerful.

Only a hint of lavender peeks through, mostly muffled under the woody amber material. This brand builds its reputation (it’s in their name!!!) on only using the finest materials, but then goes and does something like Metal Lavender. Guichard cultivates his lavender for this scent in the prime fields of Provence. Great! He must have an amberwood orchard somewhere nearby to call upon too. He has a penchant for using those synthetic materials in the perfumes from this line. Not all of them, though. For instance, I didn’t detect them in Vanilla Powder, Falcon Leather, or Encens Suave, but scents like Radical Rose and some of the woodier fragrances certainly featured significant amounts.

I understand why brands use these materials. The buying public seems to love them. Long-lasting scents provide value for money, so these products fly off the shelves. As I wiped the tears from my eyes, the sales assistant mentioned that Matière Première was one of their best-selling brands, if not the top seller. Clearly, there’s gold in them thar hills. They don’t mention amberwoods in their note pyramid. But, I tell you, if you go down in the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise. It’ll be no picnic if you spray Metal Lavender, but super ambers in disguise.

You could commend the brand for creating a scent that truly reflects its name. Those amber molecules skew the soft, herbal lavender notes in an almost unrecognisable metallic direction. It’s strange, but it just doesn’t smell natural enough. When I reach for a lavender scent, I want a calming, soothing scent experience. Instead, Metal Lavender conjures images of sterile labs and stainless steel benches. While that may sound innocuous and harmless, I would not oppose banning Metal Lavender under the Geneva Protocol.

Has anyone else tried this? On a brighter note, I bought some lavender at the nursery to take my mind off Metal Lavender, and it’s doing well. The lavender photos are mine, while the photo of the Metallic Lavender bottle is provided by the brand.

This final photo illustrates how Metal Lavender comes across as a perfume. It appears dull and grey, as if the lavender has been stymied. It’s not the finest lavender in all the lands.