L’Occitane launched La Collection de Grasse in summer 2014 with four fragrances. (Read my review of Thé Vert & Bigarade, one of the four fragrances.) The range currently features ten scents, and Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc is the latest addition.
Top notes: blackcurrant, citrus notes
Middle notes: iris, ylang-ylang, peach
Base notes: iris, cedar, white musk
Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Eau de Toilette (75ml, £52) is a fruity floral that features the blue Iris pallida from the Grasse region in France and the white Iris florentina from the Mediterranean. (It is the rhizomes of the iris plants (the orris roots) that are used for perfumery, not the flowers. Read more about them here and here.)
Blackcurrant, iris, and white musk are the more predominant notes in the composition. The blackcurrant note lingers subtly almost throughout the wear and provides a hint of freshness. The orris roots have both floral and earthy tones, and the earthy tones work well with the white musk to create a rounded and grounded feel. This combination forms the character of the scent.
The fragrance doesn’t develop a lot during the course of wear, and the drydown is mainly musky and not particularly woody.
Unlike many other fruity-floral fragrances, Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc has a quiet, earthy and understated character, which I find appealing. It is never heavy during any stage of wear but it does have a good staying power. It is a subtle and sophisticated scent that is suitable for all seasons.
The Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc range also includes:
– Perfumed Soap (75g, £4.50)
– Shower Gel (250ml, £15)
– Body Milk (250ml, £20)
– Hand Cream (30ml, £8)
The Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Hand Cream is part of the new La Collection de Grasse Hand Cream range, which also features Jasmin & Bergamote and Néroli & Orchidée Hand Creams (30ml, £8).
They have a fairly light creamy consistency, which is similar to that of the limited-edition Marvellous Flowers and Magical Leaves Hand Creams released for holiday 2012. (They are all considerably less dense than the brand’s Shea Butter Hand Cream.) All three of them contain shea butter, coconut oil and sunflower seed oil.
They are absorbed very easily and leave no greasy residue. However, my issue with them is that they sink into the skin so well that there is virtually no feel of moisture or emolliency on my hands, and I personally don’t find them to be hydrating enough. (Even though the Marvellous Flowers and Magical Leaves Hand Creams (my own purchases) have a similar consistency, they are noticeably more moisturizing for me.)
Jasmin & Bergamote Hand Cream has a leafy and mossy fragrance (which is likely to be from the lemon leaves in the fragrance composition). Néroli & Orchidée Hand Cream has a mainly neroli-based scent, and Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Hand Cream has a subtle earthy and musky fragrance (which is fairly true to the fragrance of the eau de toilette). Fragrance-wise, Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Hand Cream appeals to me the most.
(The products featured in this article are provided by L’Occitane.)
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