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Sunday, February 12, 2017

Diptyque Philosykos: fragrance review

For reasons not very difficult to parse Diptyque's Philosykos is one of my favorite summer perfumes and any time I want to be eased into a warm weather reverie that comes replete with siestas under a generously shady tree and the smell of its dusty foliage and warm, solidly dependable bark, I reach out my hand for it. The idea of spraying Philosykos on one's self is of course synonymous with the elation conferred upon thee on a hot summer's day. But one trip to rainy Ulm, Germany, convinced me of the unsung merits of Diptyque's iconic fragrance at times of melancholy as well.

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Right when the weather was gloomy over the muddy Danube, when the downcast skies of lead threatened with more rain and more desperation of the particular kind that an endless Sunday afternoon cooped up in a small room spells out, I reached in my handbag for olfactory solace. Restricted from airport travel regulations my stash regretably had to remain back home: frustration! But a couple of trusty solids had piggybacked themselves, stacked upon each other. Among them Philosykos, the lover of figs.

And lo and behold, an ordinary yet scenic scenery, like that in mount Pelion which inspired it, unfolded beneath my eyes upon it melting on my wrists. A stone-built cottage with grey-taupe stone roof tiles shimmering in the scorching August sun. A tiny cistern with a bucket going down for watering and the cicadas singing incessantly in the still of noon. The sweetish mix of dust, earth, milky coconut odour off the barks, crackling and oozing fragrant resin, and two small children running down the slope to the boardwalk towards the sea. "Wait for me Alexander! Just wait!"

It's home away from home.

6 comments:

  1. Love Philosykos!
    Always reminds me of my childhood in Sonoma- the fig trees especially in late Summer, but also the dusty vineyards, olive groves, sylvan glens of cypress & oak trees. Just wish it was a bit stronger and longer lasting. The solid is definitely the way to go.

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    1. Thanks Bibi for evoking that gorgeous summer reverie.
      I think the solid is still rather subtle but it last satisfactorily for me.

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  2. Love to eat figs!!!!

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  3. fig trees have an ancient magic all their own...philosykos is beautiful, and very true to the actual scent of fig trees. i've tried wearing perfumes that i associate with a certain mood or season when in a decidedly opposite place, and i always end up washing it off. it doesn't feel right for me, somehow. i'm happy that it does work for you! i do have a couple of perfumes though that are always soothing to me; ones rich in balmy, incense-y, resinous scents. and rose absolute for sadness...

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    Replies
    1. Well...it doesn't always work. It depends on the scent and the day. Some do work in opposing ways and it needs some experimentation to find which and when (Pleasures is beautiful in the winter as is Poivre Samarcande)
      And yeah for finding soothing and uplifting scents; priceless really.

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