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While reading a magazine I discovered an article about Santal Massoïa, the newest creation of Jean Claude Ellena, my favorite perfumer. This new fragrance is part of the Hermessence collection and, as I called out: “I must have this one!”, my darling must have picked up on it!

The idea of combining the milky notes of sandal-wood, that I am absolutely crazy about, and the dry, almost smoky scent of the Massoïa bark left me more than curious.

And, of course, the possibility to combine that unisex perfume to any outfit, be it a masculine hat or waistcoat that you wear to an ultra feminine dress, or to envelope yourself with a hint of red fruit like that raspberry from Jeanne from Lanvin.

This simple description alone left me totally intrigued…

What a fabulous surprise was that perfect orange box with my name on it lying under the Christmas tree!

The pleasure of unwrapping it: not too fast, savoring the moment, discovering all the details of the perfect box, putting it gently aside. And then, finally, I was holding the object of desire in my hands. But oh! What if I were disappointed?

First the voluptuous beige fabric covering the flacon, then the simple bottle with its cream colored suede cap that is velvety to the touch.

But with if Jean Claude Ellena, with his conviction to realize himself without thinking about whether or not his creations will appeal to the large public, would not satisfy my expectation?

Anyway, let’s try it! So I am spraying just ever so little on the wrist from about 15 cm distance and then I am waiting for a couple of minutes. I breathe in and – yes! – this perfume holds what it promises: I immediately recognize the subtle milky, wooden note of my beloved sandal. Almost smoky and so delicate like the natural scent of the skin.

Masculine or feminine? Really, one cannot tell! The milky note of the fig tree in combination with that of violet reinforces the seductive contrast between the sweet and the characterful.

A bit regrettable though: the way my darling was received at the House of Hermés, the temple of luxury he was so much looking forward to discover.

Why the reception was so much focused on the sales aspect of the encounter instead of giving advice, escapes me:  ”What size do you want? You better go right for the 100 ml, the other sizes are just too small. “

Well, perhaps one could have first presented and explained the perfume to Monsieur who didn’t actually know it, in order for him to confirm his choice? Then the different bottle sizes could have been shown and the decision for which one to opt left with him.

Personally, and I do love fragrances, I prefer them in smaller flacons, because I like to change frequently. With the smaller ones I feel less guilty when the bottles are not getting empty fast enough. And frankly, I would have been enchanted to receive several small perfumes that he would have lovingly chosen to correspond to my every mood…

Anyway, my biggest regret was that the gift box did not include even the smallest little tester of another perfume. What a pity, would I have perhaps madly fallen for this one, too!

Dear Mister Ellena, please continue to let me dream of your fabulous fragrances, but perhaps not at Hermessence, because I know that there are distribution channels where the reception is a lot more personalized!

This article is brought to you by Sandra Guedj, founder and director of « les eXperts », the interim agency in the domain of luxury, fashion and beauty.