Diptyque Eau de Lierre : Perfume Review

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Ivy

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

The newest fragrance from Diptyque, Eau de Lierre, convinced me that I have a while longer to wait for an intense green perfume as well for a Diptyque fragrance that can be compared in its originality to Eau Lente and Virgilio. Jardin Clos was disappointingly pale, Do Son was pretty, but not particularly outstanding. Tam Dao is probably my favorite out of the recent offerings; however, as much as I like its dry sandalwood accord, it is difficult to call it distinctive.

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Eau de Lierre is sheer, transparent and weightless. It reminds me of Andrée Putman Préparation Parfumée and Philosykos. It has the same peppery driftwood note that appears in Andrée Putman Préparation Parfumée, which is accented by the delicate greenness noticeable in Philosykos. However, while Andre Putnam Preparation elegantly unfolds into a composition marked by the melancholy simplicity, Eau de Lierre does not move beyond its initial gauzy prettiness. Then, like the evanescent spring beauty of cherry blossoms, Eau de Lierre vanishes leaving a musky trace behind.

Admittedly, I by far prefer the more vivid exploration of green notes in Chanel No. 19, Balmain Vent Vert (original), Balmain Ivoire and Diptyque’s own green perfection, Virgilio to anything that can be found in this new Diptyque fragrance. On the other hand, for those who like the subtlety of Diptyque Ofresia and Philosykos, the translucent green touch of Eau de Lierre might be perfect. And yet, I cannot but hope that the next Diptyque will break with their recent trend for subtle and pretty.

Eau de Lierre’s official launch is supposed to take place in May. Other Diptyque fragrances are availalbe at Aedes, Bigelow Chemists, Fourseasonsproducts, as well as Diptyque boutiques in Paris, London, Boston, and San Francisco.

Photo: Ivy, from iamtonyang.com/

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36 Comments

  • Robin: You know I like (perhaps even prefer) wispy things, but this fails to hold my interest after 10 minutes have passed. I would agree that Do Son was not particularly distinctive, but it is a pretty and very wearable scent, and IMHO much better than Lierre. Tam Dao is another matter entirely, and I would stay and argue with you about whether it is distinctive or not but it is dinner time 🙂 March 22, 2006 at 6:29pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: R, I guess I am just in a mood for something that makes a statement from Diptyque. I keep going back to their older scents, realizing how much I miss the original stance of Virgilio and even Opone (which I actually got tired of after I used up 2 packages of soap). Nothing from Diptyque over the past couple of years captures my attention for long enough. March 22, 2006 at 7:04pm Reply

  • Håkan Nellmar: Ack! Strangely enough, being an orientals kind of guy, Eau de Lierre is what I have been looking forward to the most this year. It doesn’t sound very promising though. I’ll try it and give Virgilio another go.

    Thanks for the review. March 23, 2006 at 6:51am Reply

  • michelle: Do Son IS lovely and very wearable – it’s one of those no-brainers – I know I will smell pretty in it. Tam Dao can be cloying at times, but I do enjoy it. Ofresia is fun because it is so fresh-from-the-meadow with a touch of green. I wouldn’t call it subtle, though, because it has such an alive quality – I find it stands out and keeps grabbing my attention. It’s one of the few scents that tricks me into wondering where the vase of fresh flowers is. I like Philosykos, but find it more dry and sombre than my fave, Premier Figuier. Philosykos also strikes me as more masculine than feminine. Preparation Parfumee I keep just to sniff… but I’ve never worn it for an entire day. It’s a touch more preparation than perfume to my nose – like a botanical study – and though I find it interesting, I’m not sure I find it pretty. Will try the Eau de Lierre just to see what it does… but I agree with you – it would be nice to see something less fresh and transparent and non-offensive and something more edgy and interesting – from this and other houses. I’ve long thought that this fresh-fruity-transparent-innocent trend is a counterbalance to we are and what we are doing in society at large. March 23, 2006 at 11:59am Reply

  • violetnoir: Diptyque’s offerings have been a bit disappointing as of late. But I am glad you mentioned Philosykos. It’s my favorite Diptyque. I need to dig it out and wear it. :):)

    Hugs! March 23, 2006 at 12:10pm Reply

  • Marina: Not a fan of Andrée Putman Préparation Parfumée and not a fan of Philosykos. I kind of suspecting just reading the list of notes in Eau de Lierre that it won’t be my type of scent and your review confirms it even further. *erases Eau de Lierre from the wishlist* March 23, 2006 at 9:16am Reply

  • Katie: V, I’m afraid I’m much like you, in that I tend to want my green scents to live life a little bit fiercely, and this unfortunately sounds like something that may leave me wanting. Thanks for the review. March 23, 2006 at 10:51am Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Håkan, yes, I love orientals too and I love greens. This was one of my anticipated releases, if only because I love green fragrances by Diptyque. Oh well… We still have Virgilio. March 23, 2006 at 8:17pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: We must be the only two people who are completely unmoved by Philosykos. Although it is very pleasant, I found that I prefer it as a smell around me rather than a personal fragrance. March 23, 2006 at 8:20pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Katie, if it even lasted better, I would have been at least said that it is a nice spring fragrance. Well, than again I am tired of subtle, even though I still like other whispy things by Giacobetti and Annick Goutal. March 23, 2006 at 8:22pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Michelle, yes, cannot agree more–all of those are lovely fragrances (I wear and enjoy Tam Dao and Do Son), but sometimes I wonder why I have to encounter yet another “no-brainer” fragrance from a niche line. Their clientele is much more open to daring and unusual fragrances, and I would hope that they might continue to come up with compositions that are indeed different and unusual. I could think of two fragrances from the first minute I tried Eau de Lierre, so to me that is not a good sign. March 23, 2006 at 8:26pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: R, they have been pretty, but yes, overall I wished for more. Glad that you retrieved your Philosykos. It is just the time to wear it! March 23, 2006 at 8:27pm Reply

  • biagio: do son it’s a very romantic and easy to wear tuberose even for a man i also owns l’eau ,l’eau trois and l’autre and imho i think diptyque is one of my most beloved brand in the perfumery world i love the linearness of their creation ,sadly i didnt smell eau de lierre because it’s still not available in italy and i didnt see the hour to do it ,diptyque it’s the house who convinced me to collect and love perfumes so i will buy sooner or later the entire collection ,for what concerns philosykos i like it but i would classify it as the morning version of premiere figuier extreme that i also own and prefer March 24, 2006 at 9:44am Reply

  • Constance: V,
    I’ve been dying to try the AP PP and this review re-sparks that interest. Thanks 🙂 March 24, 2006 at 3:10pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Biagio, I liked the early Diptyque fragrances, because they were very original and different from the rest. However, lately I have been missing the same originality. Granted, I still like Do Son and Tam Dao, but I really wish for another unconventional composition. If you try Eau de Lierre, please let me know your impressions. March 25, 2006 at 1:12am Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Constance, I like it very much. I wore it the other day, because Eau de Lierre reminded me of it, and I was glad that I revisited. March 25, 2006 at 1:13am Reply

  • Nick: Dear V,

    Have not been my “post a comment” self in a while, but I do visit you every day!
    I just wanted to ask you about Hermes Caleche. Is the word on the street that it has undergone an irrepairable re-orchestration at some point or is it still in (or close to) its original state? I assume that the Soi de Parfum is a new addition, but how are the EDT and parfum doing? Kind Regards, March 26, 2006 at 11:30pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Nick, pleasure to hear from you, as always! I recently went through a trauma with No.19 smelling differently from the vintage version I have, and I experienced the same thing with Caleche. I find that SdP and EDT are lacking the warmth of iris that balanced the entire composition beautifully in its original variant. What I end up with is vetiver. Aldehydes at first and then vetiver. The parfum is better, but it is somehow paler than the vintage parfum I have. I would select the parfum though. It is closer to what Caleche used to be–elegant, refined, restrained, and yet devastatingly sensual. If you compare, please let me know your impressions. Might write something more on Caleche soon. It is really among my favourites. March 26, 2006 at 11:40pm Reply

  • Nick: Thanks V, I’m going to set to set to work on Caleche soon! I’ll start on the parfum. Of the SdP and EDT, which should I visit first? March 27, 2006 at 12:07am Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Sounds like a great plan! Go with the SdP. I still find it heavier on iris than the EDT. Iris is what maintains the harmony here, in my opinion. March 27, 2006 at 12:45am Reply

  • Nick: Perfect. March 27, 2006 at 12:46am Reply

  • marchlion: V, I keep delaying commenting thinking I’ll get back to the boutique for a Diptyque sniff. Sigh…. you can add me to your (very short) list of people who are completely unmoved by Philosykos. Dare I ask you how you feel about L’Eau Trois? It’s okay, I can take it. 🙂 March 27, 2006 at 12:49pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Nick, I am looking forward to your thoughts! March 28, 2006 at 1:15am Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: March, I tried L’Eau Trois at some point, I am quite sure of it. However, for some reason, I cannot recall it in my mind at all. Do you like it?

    Please let me know your thoughts on Eau de Lierre if you get a chance to try it. March 28, 2006 at 1:17am Reply

  • marchlion: I wish I had a bigger sample of Trois, I would send it, I would love your opinion. It is a green, resin-y incense. I think it is spectacular, a viewpoint that is hardly universal. I find it extremely pleasant and comforting. It strikes me as the sort of thing you would like. I hope to try the Lierre next week. My work is interfering with my perfume! March 28, 2006 at 9:07pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: March, I just found a sample of L’Eau Trois, and you are 100% right. I do like it very much. Its scent is reminiscent of Orthodox church around Christmas–incense and pine tree branches. I shall have wear it longer and then write something proper in its tribute. Thank you for being my inspiration! 🙂 March 28, 2006 at 9:18pm Reply

  • marchlion: I am so glad you found it! On MUA there are comments about an awful hay-barn aspect, which baffles me. To me there is nothing remotely animalic about it. I got a lovely picture in my mind when you mentioned Orthodox Christmas, I hadn’t even thought of that. I am still trying to decide if I think I can get away with it when the weather is warmer. Probably not. March 29, 2006 at 9:03am Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: March, I do not get hay barn out of it. You are right, I think that it would make a very pleasant summer incense. There are only a few of incense based fragrances that work well in warm weather. March 29, 2006 at 8:49pm Reply

  • biagio: l’eau trois it’s simply a wonderful summer incensey fragrance even if you smell incense in it it’s not the typical catholic ancient churches smell but something greener ,unburned incense if i could express a word for the sesation it gives me, im waiting forward for a trois review of yours March 30, 2006 at 4:36pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Biagio, I also love unburned incense (without the charcoal edge), because it is very bright and uplifting. It might just be my summer incense fragrance this year. March 30, 2006 at 4:45pm Reply

  • scentgirl: Hi All! Thank you for posting these reviews. I am so excited for the new scent Eau du Liere. Where did you smell it? I looked for it but heard it wasn’t out until May. Please tell me where I can get a sneak peak! Thanks! April 17, 2006 at 12:06pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: It is going to be available in May. I am sure that most of the locations where Diptyque is sold are going to carry it. April 20, 2006 at 1:19pm Reply

  • scentgirl: Thanks for the info!! Did you go to Paris to preview it? I am dying to smell it!! Any suggestions? April 20, 2006 at 1:55pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Aedes has a tester already, so you might like to stop by there, if you are in NYC. It is a pretty green fragrance. April 20, 2006 at 2:05pm Reply

  • scentgirl: Thanks!! April 20, 2006 at 2:21pm Reply

  • Diana: Although I agree with most of your dscription, you didn’t mention one important aspect: Eau de Lierre is the perfect scent for lovers of ivy! It is really pure ivy and it evokes cool, quiet old houses heavily overgrown with it. Therefore I love it 🙂 October 30, 2011 at 5:27am Reply

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