Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Lancome Tresor in Love: fragrance review

If the original* Trésor was a bustling, buxom lady clad in salmon-toned satin overalls that couldn’t really conceal her generous contours, Trésor in Love is its anorexic descendant, still happy to be in pastel-shaded frou-frou clothes but without an inch of herself being pinchable where the clothing ends and flesh (and bone) emerges. [*For our purposes we're referring to the original as the 1990 creation on which this new one is a flanker, although in the brand's archives there is a vintage one by the same name]



Taking a very straightforward composition of minimalism (very short list of molecules) and hyperbole (just four of them taking 80% of the finished formula) composed by Sophia Grojsman in 1990, this modern spin on the original is devoid of either characteristic. Instead in Trésor in Love there is a “feminine”, pretty yet lanky take on peachiness juiced on florist roses, extended on a less musky but more synthetic cedar-like drydown. In short, a passingly pleasant fragrance that does not differentiate itself significantly from hundreds of others. Even Lancôme themselves have a “pretty” with a bit more character in their (quite fetching and spring-like) Miracle So Magic offering. Perfumers Dominique Ropion and Veronique Nyberg collaborated on an uncaracteristic of the former's style composition that probably hints at the restraints of the current mainstream market more than any aesthetic choice.


Those who like the original Trésor will find familiar themes with the cozy reminiscence of a well-worn slipper, but will prefer their previous love-affair for its merits of plutonium-challenging in regards to sustainability and endurance sillage and longevity; this modern shoe ("a younger and fresher interpretation" the press release promised) is frayed at the ends. Those who did not, are not likely to be gob-smacked by the new flanker, although they do have chances of making the apricot-y rosiness their own at last if what scared them was only the above mentioned properties. Trésor in Love like its anorexic formula, is rather scarce to make out after a while and at a distance. I predict it will prove popular in our non-perfume-y times!
What I really liked was the bottle, a tall sprayer clone of the original 1990 Trésor, but with a small black “frou frou” rose on the collar, like those reserved for extraits: Cute!

Lancome Trésor In Love notes: Nectarine, bergamot, peach and sour pear, Turkish rose, jasmine, cedar.


The fragrance is available in 30, 50 and 75 ml flacons and is available at major department stores since the end of March 2010.

Backstage photos from the shooting of the advertisements featuring Elettra Weidemann under the direction of Mario Testino.

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous14:47

    I could honestly never abide Tresor, which for some reason was overdosed by everyone I knew and worked with, making it a painful and longstanding memory of mine, isn't that a shame. But what can one do. I hope that this new fragrance isn't copied so much since you say it smells a lot like the previous one or otherwise i might want to cut off my nose or something, lol.
    Aline

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous17:07

    Somehow I have never managed to smell Tresor, probably because I was still wearing drugstore perfume when it came out, and then underwent several years of scent withdrawal (induced by young-family penury). I've also heard that currently-available Tresor doesn't smell like its zaftig original self; don't know if I should even bother to smell it now - much less Tresor In Love.

    (But that bottle is extremely cute.)

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  3. A,

    it's true that the 90s Tresor was extremely popular to the point of saturation (I recall large segments of my female entourage wearing nothing but: it soon became a bad thing). Cue in to the new flanker and I really don't think it will be much copied, because this "theme" has already been exhausted through the trickle-down effect (body products, home products, hygiene products etc imitating the central accord).
    You're rather safe ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mals,

    hello honey!
    I certainly understand your situation. It's true that the current has been thinned, so it's an exercise in disappointment, but the old did pronounce itself as a zaftig woman (exactly right!). The new one is fine if someone vaguely likes that peachy rosiness but wants a very diluted version.
    Can't argue on the bottle: it IS cute!

    Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hmmm, I like minimalism, but generally when conceived as such from the outset. (You, JCEllena...)

    OTOH, it was a gentle formula that was my first "daring" reach into the world of perfume. I am glad they are out there, especially when they are pleasant. There must be plenty of people would be happy to find themselves a place at that particular bar. :)

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  6. tis a bit sweet for me in it's traditional form- I will give this a spray because the bottle is very charming!

    ReplyDelete
  7. S,

    there is minimalism and there is shampoo-budget ;-)

    The original was very tender in the way that certain big aunts can be affectionate sometimes IMO. Rather much but they always mean well. And if they tone it down, you're glad they came in for a visit.

    And yeah, that bar can be popular.

    ReplyDelete
  8. K,

    I also find it quite sweet. This one is also sweet, but in a thinned-out way, very diluee!

    ReplyDelete
  9. All the versions of the HP scent have been long-lasting in my experience (the Elixir especially is totally radioactive in its endurance!)

    ReplyDelete

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