Blue Encens by Comme des Garçons | Illustration by The Perfume Magpie

The weather has been really freaky here. Peaches and apricots are nearly finished and blackberries are in full bloom; all the indications of summer are everywhere. But it snowed. The last Sunday of May, we were having a paella party at my friend’s casita on the foot of the mountain, enjoying the view, fresh air, lovely food, plenty of wine & beer and the conversations with friends. Then the storm clouds gathered over the valley. The lightning started flashing criss-cross the sky and tearing it apart, the thunder ripping through the air, the rain coming down in sheets and the hailstones bouncing off the ground… It turned so cold and by the time we got back to our village, the olive groves were covered with the thin layer of snow. Who would have expected that!

Ray of Light | Photo by The Perfume Magpie

As I walked into my bedroom after having a hot shower to warm up, I noticed the silver and blue packet sitting on my dresser and it looked just like the stormy sky outside. It was a sample of Blue Encens by Comme des Garçons I’d been meaning to try. I hadn’t done it so only because of my prejudice against the word “blue”.

I like blue as a colour. In fact, it’s one of my favourite colours to wear and I got all shades of blue hanging in my wardrobe. Just when the word “blue” associated with perfume, it tends to mean Aquatic perfumes or Sport fragrances and I get a bit sceptical… Somehow, “cheap”, “generic” and “boring” jump into my mind. I know it’s a prejudice against “blue” fragrances but, please tell me, have you come across anything mainstream from this category that you actually enjoy wearing?

Mountain in the Evening Light | Photo by The Perfume Magpie

Two sprays on my wrist, I wanted to apologies to Comme des Garçons. Blue Encens is actually a unique and delightful incense fragrance. The opening is spicy with cardamom and pepper and, yes, incense. Mind you, it’s not one of those smoky and heavy incense; it’s airy and kind of fresh. There’s a slight, somewhat pungent note lurking on the background and I guess it’s cinnamon. It’s not unpleasant and it adds to the lightness of this fragrance. After a while, the sharp spiciness subsides and it becomes herbal and “bluish” incense; it’s cool, radiant and icy, like an alpine meadow surrounded by permanent snow or glacier. The drydown is very different to the opening; it’s soft with a touch of amber. It lasted on my skin for 5 hours.

Blue Encens is smooth and sexy in androgynous way. I like the divergent qualities which this fragrance brings out.  It’s quite wearable and pleasurable.

The Notes : Crisp aromatic Artemisia, frozen spices (Indian cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon), mystical incense, mineral amber crystals (Official notes according to Comme des Garçons Website)

According to Fragrantica, Blue Encens is a Unisex, Aromatic Spicy fragrance and it is available in 100ml Eau de Parfum, £80.00. It was launched in 2013 and the fragrance was created by Evelyne Boulanger.

Disclosure: Review is based on a sample I received from Comme des Garçons.

Androgynous | Photo borrowed from Tush Magazine