NO.12 BOUSVAL MAISON LOUIS MARIE

Sicilian Bergamot, White Cardamom, Italian Orange

Eucalyptus, White Ginger Lily, Petitgrain, Oakmoss, Heliotrope

Cedar, Amber, Myrrh, Musk

Powdery, Older/Mature, Citrus, Slightly Oriental, Spicy, Green, Sweet-ish Floral, Amber-y. 

The fragrance opens up with strong citrus notes, then mellows out to sweet floral, spicy, green, and ambery notes. The powderiness reminds me of babies (a fragranced baby powder,) but because it smells so much older/adult-like, I think motherly would be the best description.

The brand describes the fragrance as such:

Bousval is named after our mother’s hometown: there, she'd walk her four collies during warm summer evenings, spending most of her time camping outside, catching fish, and picking fresh vegetables at the pond next to her home. Inspired by her enchanted summers, this scent has nuances of Valencia Oranges are joined with Italian Bergamot and bold White Cardamom. A signature heart of Ginger Flower is complimented with Eucalyptus and earthy notes of Oakmoss. Undertones of rich, sultry woods add to misted Musk for a modern aroma.

Not only did they capture memories of their mother, but the brand was also able to evoke the same imagery from me (not my mother specifically because she doesn't wear perfume.)

The citrus notes remind me of summer, sunshine, and warmth. The herbaceous green notes are reminiscent of grass and foliage. The white ginger lily, which the web says smells fresh and sweet like tuberose, evokes memories of someone tending to their flower garden. There's a slight mintiness to the floral and musk, which I'm guessing is the eucalyptus. It's earthy, musky, and slightly spicy too.

It's a woman in her late 20s-40s that lives in a small cottage surrounded by her vegetable and flower garden. She'll go around picking fruits/foraging and collecting wildflowers for flower arrangements with her sunhat. She goes back home for some tea with spices, like masala chai. She stokes the fire, smoke wafts up, and the embers crackle. (This sounds v cottage core.)

I think this fragrance is okay. It's almost every fragrance family: powdery, floral, fresh, woody, and oriental. While on the topic of fragrance families, that's just what the perfume smells like to me. No one else on Fragrantica finds it oriental-like or powdery. It's a unique scent that I keep sniffing. 

The sillage isn't the best, nor is the longevity. Someone sitting across from you at the table won't smell it. My mom doesn't like the perfume because it's very masculine, but I think it's pretty unisex to feminine leaning. I've had it on for less than 5 hours, and most of the scent has faded. It fades into a really soft, amber, and floral. I sprayed it at night, went to bed, and there was a beautiful, faint smell on my wrists in the morning. 

If I were to rate it out of 10, it would score around 6.5. I wouldn't purchase a bottle or a candle because it doesn't suit me, but this fragrance has some enjoyable qualities.