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Post by Willa Zheng

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When it comes to personal fragrance, I don’t think perfume body oils get enough love. They condition your hair, give your skin a healthy fresh-from-vacation glow, and smell ah-mazing for hours. A good quality perfume body oil will outlast any cologne, and most EDP’s.

And that’s the one I’m going to introduce to you today – Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Ultra-Nourishing Oil, nosed by none other than superstar perfumer, Francis Kurkdjian.

Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Ultra-Nourishing Oil

Photo Stolen Escentual

Fragrantica gives these featured accords for the fragrance:
Top: Mandarin orange, grapefruit, cumin
Heart: Fig leaf, fig
Base: Fig nectar, cedar, musk

Now, the deal with body oil fragrances is they’re pretty linear. What you smell from the first spray is generally what you’re still smelling 5hrs later. No hidden unexpected notes. I know that some connoisseurs enjoy the three-stage transformative experience à la Serge Lutens, I personally prefer honest, linear fragrances that can hit the mark from the get go.

So what does Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier smell like? Is it fruity and florally? Yes and yes, but in a classy, expensive and French kind of way. Fleur de Figuier is not a green fig that recalls Diptyque Philosykos, nor a sweet milky one like L’artisan Premier Figuier. If you’re after a photorealistic, heavy lactonic and green fig fragrance, look to those houses. Fleur de Figuier is the sweet juicy inside of a fig, combined with sweet juicy mandarin and some grapefruit so it doesn’t become too saccharine. It’s the fruity floral fragrance for the fruity-floral loving gal (and older woman) who doesn’t want to smell so mass market generic.

Photo Stolen Roger & Gallet

Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Ultra-Nourishing Oil is a dry oil so you can put clothes on right afterwards, and you’re not going to feel sticky or greasy. It’s made from a mixture of fruit oils and sweet almond oil. 96% natural origin ingredients, apparently. Sweet almond oil is thin and light, so it’s not as nourishing as other cult oils on the market but you shouldn’t use it primarily as a skincare product. This oil is so perfume concentrated, you’re going to knock your nose out.
Instead, treat it as a perfume body oil, another way to deliver fine fragrance to your person. I tend to do two sprays on each arm and get juicy sweet scent wafting throughout the whole day. And even picking up the bottle is nice because Roger & Gallet is a proud French company that cares about how its products are presented. This oil comes in an attractive, quality glass bottle with a solid clear Perspex lid. Very dignified.

Roger & Gallet does other fragranced body oils in its line. Even if you’re not a fruity floral person, I recommend giving the other dry oils a go. You might just get converted.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Further reading: Fluff & Fripperies and Make Up For Dolls
Escentual has £25/100ml

Now, do you have a favourite perfume body oil?
Willa Zheng x