Arpege

Arpege by Lanvin is a feminine-leaning eau de parfum from 1927 in the designer price tier. It opens with aldehydes, bergamot and honeysuckle, moves into rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang and iris and dries down to sandalwood, vetiver, vanilla and white musk. Expect around 9 hours of wear, and it projects strongly.

Notes, explained

Opening

Aldehydes Fizzy, soapy, slightly waxy. The 'sparkle' at the top of Chanel No. 5.
Bergamot Sharp citrus with a faint bitter edge. The opening of about half of all men's fragrances.
Honeysuckle Sweet, nectar-like and slightly green. Summer hedgerow.

Heart

Rose Can be jammy, green, peppery or soapy depending on the type. Not one smell.
Jasmine Heady, sweet and slightly animal underneath. Rarely subtle.
Ylang-Ylang Banana-custard floral. Rich, tropical and slightly rubbery.
Iris Cool, powdery, slightly carroty and expensive. The luxury note.

Dry-down

Sandalwood Creamy, milky wood. Soft and almost edible.
Vetiver Dry, earthy, smoky grass root. Smells like soil and citrus peel.
Vanilla Sweet, creamy and warm. The most comforting note in perfumery.
White Musk Clean, soft, laundry-like. The 'smells like nothing but better' note.

Smells like this

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