Balmain by Balmain (1998) {Perfume Short (Review)}
The perfume starts with the olfactory equivalent of the sound made by the crack of a whip, an impression based on the use of black pepper, the dry facets of oakmoss and blackcurrant. Gentler fruitier and floral tonalities then mingle with the sharper notes while a musk and ambergris trail seems to subtly waft throughout the perfume like an indecent proposition signaled rather than uttered.
The warmth of the perfume is dry, hay-like, crackling like a bonfire before it lets out more the coolness and restrained freshness of galbanum and other green notes. The blackcurrant is quite pronounced and smells almost wine-like and a bit urine-y and musky. The initial stage of the dry-down is woodsy and pungent, smelling akin to an impression of licorice with its dark aromatic overtones.
Although initially Balmain seems to lack a bit of depth in the dry-down prompting one to think it would be more satisfying to experience it in a pure parfum version (cf. Balmain La Môme too) and to conjure up the specter of commercialism, it makes this up by offering remarkable understated longevity and an exquisite, subtle, and soft vegetable amber dry-down transforming it into a skin perfume after a few hours and into the next day.
This is a perfume for people who appreciate dryness and spiciness and are seeking fragrances with almost nil gourmand and dessert-y references in them. Distinctively a perfume meant for the femme rather than the girl.
Top notes are bergamot, galbanum, black pepper, blackcurrant; heart notes are jasmine, violet, rose, and orris; base notes are patchouli, oakmoss, sandalwood, vetiver.
(Images from Balmain and Images de Parfum)
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Comments
I'm so happy to see a review of one of my favorite scents. This seems to have slipped under the radar of a lot of people. I sing its praises at MUA and POL whenever I can. Your review is so well written.
Posted by: guerligirl | November 30, 2007
It is a wonderful perfume. I was smelling it next to other famous perfumes later on during the day and was struck anew by its qualities. It is subtle and lasting. Just wonderful.
Thank you for your kind words.
Posted by: Marie-Helene | December 1, 2007
Can someone please let me know where I can purchase this fragrance(La-Mome)
Thank you so much,
Faye
Posted by: Faye | January 16, 2008