Reviews of L'Occitan by L'Occitane
My signature scent for nearly 20 years until I got into fragrances and increased my collection.
Natural, distinct notes, and classic profile. Longevity could be a bit better but just a beauty.
Natural, distinct notes, and classic profile. Longevity could be a bit better but just a beauty.
Having only tried this & Eaux de Beaux from this house, this is definitely my favorite. And I love Eau de Beaux. I only have about 1/2 an ounce, so I cherish every wearing, but I could bath in this stuff daily!
The cinnamon is not prominent at all, so for those who are cinnamon averse, you may not be able to sense it. (At least on my skin chemistry)
The pepper is prominent, but in no way do I, or other around me, get 'the sneezies'. It is very polite indeed.
A creamy, spicy, & woody lavender type fragrance, that may be slightly linear, but in no way gets tiresome(for me, or those around me).
I don't get any sweetness, even though tonka is listed in the base. Thank goodness, and the absence of vanilla is quite welcome. Any sweetness from adding vanilla would've ruined this for me.
My nose tells me pine, even though I don't smell it. I guess you could say it has a piney aura to it?
My wife said, "It smells like you're trying to attract someone". I took it as a compliment, whether passive aggressive or not...
9/10 - Would rank higher if the transitions were more clearly separated from Top-->Mid-->Base
The cinnamon is not prominent at all, so for those who are cinnamon averse, you may not be able to sense it. (At least on my skin chemistry)
The pepper is prominent, but in no way do I, or other around me, get 'the sneezies'. It is very polite indeed.
A creamy, spicy, & woody lavender type fragrance, that may be slightly linear, but in no way gets tiresome(for me, or those around me).
I don't get any sweetness, even though tonka is listed in the base. Thank goodness, and the absence of vanilla is quite welcome. Any sweetness from adding vanilla would've ruined this for me.
My nose tells me pine, even though I don't smell it. I guess you could say it has a piney aura to it?
My wife said, "It smells like you're trying to attract someone". I took it as a compliment, whether passive aggressive or not...
9/10 - Would rank higher if the transitions were more clearly separated from Top-->Mid-->Base
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Requested and received for Christmas, on the basis that this is a versatile year-round scent that can readily fill in the gap when I can't make a decision on what to wear.
After a few goes, the bottle has opened up and now smells how I recall it from many testings in L'occitane outlets - that is, lavender-heavy, supported by spices for a warm feel and somewhat classical edge. Not too much going on, but there doesn't need to be. When I first started visiting their shops, L'occitane had this, Cade, Baux, and Vetyver as their regular men's line, and it struck me at that time that everyone should own at least one of these, for a different experience to the regular designers but much better value. This range has now halved, which is a shame, but L'occitan the scent remains a high quality lavender and useful mainstay. Recommended.
After a few goes, the bottle has opened up and now smells how I recall it from many testings in L'occitane outlets - that is, lavender-heavy, supported by spices for a warm feel and somewhat classical edge. Not too much going on, but there doesn't need to be. When I first started visiting their shops, L'occitane had this, Cade, Baux, and Vetyver as their regular men's line, and it struck me at that time that everyone should own at least one of these, for a different experience to the regular designers but much better value. This range has now halved, which is a shame, but L'occitan the scent remains a high quality lavender and useful mainstay. Recommended.
This one's for me! Lavander barbershop, good performance, just so old school but still "nichey", readily available and affordable, with little ambrox, norlimbanol or IsoE in sight! Haleluia!
But wait.... Lots of black pepper and I mean a massive plonk, after awhile it's all I smell and sadly it won't do. Damn.. close but no cigar, oh well.
But wait.... Lots of black pepper and I mean a massive plonk, after awhile it's all I smell and sadly it won't do. Damn.. close but no cigar, oh well.
I can't believe there's no herb in this. It smells like a liquor, like absinthe or chartreuse. Beautiful.
This is the one that started me on my search for a peppery-focused scent. I came across L'Occitan at the L'Occitane store in the Detroit DTW airport. Gave it a spray and thought, "Hmm. That's nice." Later realized after research that it is the pepper that I'm drawn to. The pepper in this one comes through very nicely and is mixed with other notes to present a very pleasant scent. Only drawbacks are just okay longevity and sillage. If you can get it on the cheap and carry around a refresher, go for it.
Dreadful stuff.
Starts of thankfully non descript and slightly fresh but morphs into an 80s cheap feminine perfume. Cloying, gets up my nose. Wash off job.
Some people may call this fougere barber shop, I call it a Road Traffic Accident of modern art.
Fragrance: 4/10
Projection: 7/10
Longevity: 7/10
Starts of thankfully non descript and slightly fresh but morphs into an 80s cheap feminine perfume. Cloying, gets up my nose. Wash off job.
Some people may call this fougere barber shop, I call it a Road Traffic Accident of modern art.
Fragrance: 4/10
Projection: 7/10
Longevity: 7/10
I was gifted the shower gel version of this and loved it, so bought the EDT. The EDT has a sharper More bitter opening but it mellows down eventually. Alit if lavender fragrances are just that i.e. just lavender that can come across as a bit like air freshener, but the burnt woods and pepper in this give it a depth and make it a more subtle, complex and wearable accord.
I find it works well in Spring and Autumn when heavy winter fragrances are too much, and summer scents lack depth. All in all it's a clean and classy office-safe scent that's versatile enough to use without too much thought.
I find it works well in Spring and Autumn when heavy winter fragrances are too much, and summer scents lack depth. All in all it's a clean and classy office-safe scent that's versatile enough to use without too much thought.
Less is more sometimes, and L'Occitan Eau de Toilette by L'Occitane en Provence (2005) is a perfect example of this. Anyone who has ever walked past their shops found in upscale shopping malls and high streets will tell of the botanical allure wafting from the front door, which pulls you right in to have a peek. Part of that huge bouquet of "welcome" is this scent: a simple lavender, pepper, and spice fougère which smells very 19th century considering it's release date, and does little else to dress up these three key points besides render them onto an appropriate fougère base. The lavender is relaxing while the pepper is a piquant eye-opener, making the wearer do some mental gymnastics between calm and alert, creating a stillness and poise that epitomizes the gentlemanly demeanor this scent seeks to create. The overall vibe of L'Occitane itself is an old-world hand-crafted simplicity, as the company itself was founded in 1976 by Olivier Baussan as a distiller of lavender and eventually soapmaker. The name for L'Occitane refers to the women of Occitania, an region during the Middle Ages spanning southern France, north-eastern Spain and northern Italy; the Occitan dialect is still spoken as a second language in some areas of this region in modern times, and Baussan sought to tap into this historical allure. Modern L'Occitane operates much like an apothecary-themed cosmetic shop, giving competition to the likes of Aveda, The Body Shop, Bath and Body Works, Lush, Kiehl's, The Art of Shaving, and others.
L'Occitan Eau de Toilette directly links back to the house's early days as a lavender peddler in France, and opens with a very clean round French lavender like found in Pour Un Homme de Caron (1934) or Canoe by Dana (1936), just without any of the vanilla to pillow it out. Instead, the aforementioned black pepper takes L'Occitan Eau de Toilette in a direction much like a traditional men's toilet water, of the ilk that someone like ED Pinaud, or Houbigant would produce, adding in some nutmeg and cinnamon in the middle phase. The spices in the middle are subtle, and meant to give an earthy anchor to the lavender/pepper top instead of rounding it, so they play very quietly under the top notes, "browining" everything into a clearly masculine train of thought without being cloying or heavy as spice can often be. The base of tonka, musk, cedar, sandalwood, and oakmoss follows last, and makes for a "fern-like" fougère accord through-and-through, simple, efficient, and enjoyable. L'Occitan Eau de Toilette will not appeal to people who dislike prominent lavender, and the black pepper is pretty dry, giving this some similarity to Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet (1902) but with a one-for-one note swap between the pine of Blenheim and the lavender of L'Occitane, plus a heavier woods edge that makes L'Occitan sit closer to something like Diptyque Tam Dao (2003) at times. I'd say this is a great morning eye-opener and should be used with the accompanying body wash, but what you do with it is up to you in the end. Longevity is in the eight hour range, and sillage is respectable thanks to that assertive pepper note, so no performance issues here.
L'Occitane en Provence makes some great reasonable products for a guy looking for something a little more homespun than a major designer label, but not wanting the full obscure artisinal perfumer experience, without the awkward kitsch of niche boutiques like Lush, the uppity condescension of ultra-luxe brands like Creed or even the "steampunk chic" wet shaving establishments like The Art of Shaving, with their gilded handles that cleverly hide the fact that they use some permutation of a standard Gillette blade. There's no such thing as an "honest brand" really, but the purity of purpose and plain-spoken chemist-style presentation of L'Occitan Eau de Toilette in it's amber glass pill bottle just seems right. The smell is plain, simple, elegant lavender fougère that won't cost you a kidney to buy, and performs leagues beyond what the designers offer in the same category, giving it a niche quality without the niche price. A few other ones like Eau des Bavx (2006), and Eau de Cade (2014) also strike of this niche quality, staying fairly within the classic masculine perfumery realm, with better-than-usual ingredients, but L'Occitane Eau de Toilette just stands as the best, most versatile, and classic flagship/entrypoint for the house to my nose, and worth a sniff to anyone that really loves these old lavender beasts still roaming the wilds. All historical backdrops aside, the house did a really nice job here, and made this super easy to wear. L'Occitan Eau de Toilette is the signature scent for the guy that finds beauty in a good plain cheese pizza, simple folk tune, or cup of black coffee.
L'Occitan Eau de Toilette directly links back to the house's early days as a lavender peddler in France, and opens with a very clean round French lavender like found in Pour Un Homme de Caron (1934) or Canoe by Dana (1936), just without any of the vanilla to pillow it out. Instead, the aforementioned black pepper takes L'Occitan Eau de Toilette in a direction much like a traditional men's toilet water, of the ilk that someone like ED Pinaud, or Houbigant would produce, adding in some nutmeg and cinnamon in the middle phase. The spices in the middle are subtle, and meant to give an earthy anchor to the lavender/pepper top instead of rounding it, so they play very quietly under the top notes, "browining" everything into a clearly masculine train of thought without being cloying or heavy as spice can often be. The base of tonka, musk, cedar, sandalwood, and oakmoss follows last, and makes for a "fern-like" fougère accord through-and-through, simple, efficient, and enjoyable. L'Occitan Eau de Toilette will not appeal to people who dislike prominent lavender, and the black pepper is pretty dry, giving this some similarity to Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet (1902) but with a one-for-one note swap between the pine of Blenheim and the lavender of L'Occitane, plus a heavier woods edge that makes L'Occitan sit closer to something like Diptyque Tam Dao (2003) at times. I'd say this is a great morning eye-opener and should be used with the accompanying body wash, but what you do with it is up to you in the end. Longevity is in the eight hour range, and sillage is respectable thanks to that assertive pepper note, so no performance issues here.
L'Occitane en Provence makes some great reasonable products for a guy looking for something a little more homespun than a major designer label, but not wanting the full obscure artisinal perfumer experience, without the awkward kitsch of niche boutiques like Lush, the uppity condescension of ultra-luxe brands like Creed or even the "steampunk chic" wet shaving establishments like The Art of Shaving, with their gilded handles that cleverly hide the fact that they use some permutation of a standard Gillette blade. There's no such thing as an "honest brand" really, but the purity of purpose and plain-spoken chemist-style presentation of L'Occitan Eau de Toilette in it's amber glass pill bottle just seems right. The smell is plain, simple, elegant lavender fougère that won't cost you a kidney to buy, and performs leagues beyond what the designers offer in the same category, giving it a niche quality without the niche price. A few other ones like Eau des Bavx (2006), and Eau de Cade (2014) also strike of this niche quality, staying fairly within the classic masculine perfumery realm, with better-than-usual ingredients, but L'Occitane Eau de Toilette just stands as the best, most versatile, and classic flagship/entrypoint for the house to my nose, and worth a sniff to anyone that really loves these old lavender beasts still roaming the wilds. All historical backdrops aside, the house did a really nice job here, and made this super easy to wear. L'Occitan Eau de Toilette is the signature scent for the guy that finds beauty in a good plain cheese pizza, simple folk tune, or cup of black coffee.
Really nice, basic fragrance from L'Occitane. With Eau de L'Occitan pour Homme, you will get a straightforward spicy bright scent, thanks to the healthy dose of black pepper in the head and nutmeg in the heart, mixed with cinnamon. Lavender acts as a deft "background" against which the spicy onslaught stands, adding its own spicy qualities to the melange.
The overall effect is a classy scent that feels natural and polished. Lasts for an impressively long time, staying linear and predictable. Highly recommended!
The overall effect is a classy scent that feels natural and polished. Lasts for an impressively long time, staying linear and predictable. Highly recommended!
A very straightforward masculine smelling lavender mixed with pepper, and a little woods and then very light smooth dry-down.
Continues to be one of my favorites in my collection and stands up to the Creed's as far as quality of natural ingredients and the lack of any artificial or headache inducing aroma-chemicals....
Has a very nice, "almost" Creed like dry-down that is very smooth and maybe more tonka bean/vanilla than ambergris but a similar soft and clean smell.
Don't go near it if you don't like lavender...and if you don't know, as always try before you buy, as people have all kinds of different associations with lavendar.
By far the most wearable of the L'occitane line for me.
Continues to be one of my favorites in my collection and stands up to the Creed's as far as quality of natural ingredients and the lack of any artificial or headache inducing aroma-chemicals....
Has a very nice, "almost" Creed like dry-down that is very smooth and maybe more tonka bean/vanilla than ambergris but a similar soft and clean smell.
Don't go near it if you don't like lavender...and if you don't know, as always try before you buy, as people have all kinds of different associations with lavendar.
By far the most wearable of the L'occitane line for me.
A peppery fragrance that feels fresh. I actually enjoy the shower gel more than the EDT, but If I don't over spray on the EDT, it is also highly enjoyable. As mentioned by others, I get pepper, not burnt woods. Eau des Baux and 4 Voleurs are my favorite in the L'Occitane men's line, but L'Occitane is also a nice daytime fragrance.
A beautiful, masculine lavender, paired with soft woods and shaped by black pepper. Straight forward, beginning to end, this fragrance is gorgeous. Most people will think "old school" or "barbershop" when it comes to lavender. L'Occitan IMO, is a more modern interpretation of lavender, layering it over a soft woods and shaping it's lilting softness with a touch of sharper black pepper. The lavender is very authentic and natural smelling, and there's very little of the sweetened barbershop element. With the deft use of woods and pepper, L'Occitan also avoids the avant-garde lavender direction of a JPG LeMale formulation. One could say it's a perfectly executed twist on an identifiable theme. Clean, light, masculine and appealing to most people. Excellent performance and great value for a fragrance of this quality. An easy Thumbs Up.
Superb shower fresh scent mixed with lavender and pepper. Great daytime fragrance. I usually wear this one to the office.
Incredible fragrance of crisp black pepper with lavender and cedar woods. "It just smells great". That comfort fragrance for me. Longevity, for me is all day, with moderate projection.
One of the few scents that I always go back to. It just smells so fabulously fresh, natural and actually makes me feel alive. One of the best buys I've ever made, nature in a bottle, and another bonus is that its not expensive either.
Background: Though I joined Basenotes circa 2002, I didn't use my account in recent years and had to re-register now. So, though no history is shown for me at Basenotes now, in fact I am a perfume aficionado of some 15 years.
Buying a bottle of L'Occitan is why I re-registered at Basenotes: after wearing it the first time, I felt compelled to post a simple review of it.
Mine is a classic case of buying before trying; so that's my fault. But my impressions of wearing L'Occitan would be the same either way.
On my skin, after noting some similarity to Molinard II only on application, L'Occitan quickly evolved into something much more austere. At first it was very nice, probably having some of the notes mentioned by other reviewers here.
But in the final drydown, which arrived quickly and lasted until the next day, the dominant note was a rancid synthetic molecule smell. Once I caught it, everything else about this perfume was eclipsed, and I could not un-smell it.
I am not strictly opposed to aromachem in creative perfumery. In my opinion, however, like all factors, it must be used artfully and most of all not draw attention to itself.
Like new pop music made for people who never heard any precedent, L'Occitan is an example of a perfume marketed by a company that knows they can get away with it. Sell 'em and tell 'em anything... they won't know the difference.
Pragmatically, if people are happy with the result, then great. But I happen to know the difference. The south of France, Provence, Grasse... L'Occitan ain't it.
I will be tossing the bottle I bought. Hey, I got it at a deep discount. Live and learn!
Buying a bottle of L'Occitan is why I re-registered at Basenotes: after wearing it the first time, I felt compelled to post a simple review of it.
Mine is a classic case of buying before trying; so that's my fault. But my impressions of wearing L'Occitan would be the same either way.
On my skin, after noting some similarity to Molinard II only on application, L'Occitan quickly evolved into something much more austere. At first it was very nice, probably having some of the notes mentioned by other reviewers here.
But in the final drydown, which arrived quickly and lasted until the next day, the dominant note was a rancid synthetic molecule smell. Once I caught it, everything else about this perfume was eclipsed, and I could not un-smell it.
I am not strictly opposed to aromachem in creative perfumery. In my opinion, however, like all factors, it must be used artfully and most of all not draw attention to itself.
Like new pop music made for people who never heard any precedent, L'Occitan is an example of a perfume marketed by a company that knows they can get away with it. Sell 'em and tell 'em anything... they won't know the difference.
Pragmatically, if people are happy with the result, then great. But I happen to know the difference. The south of France, Provence, Grasse... L'Occitan ain't it.
I will be tossing the bottle I bought. Hey, I got it at a deep discount. Live and learn!
This fragrance is a simple peppery lavender with woody notes. The lavender used is of a high quality and smells good but the scent overall I found boring.
The longevity and projection are average, I get about five hours.
To sum up a simple good quality fragrance that could do with more notes just to make it more interesting.
The longevity and projection are average, I get about five hours.
To sum up a simple good quality fragrance that could do with more notes just to make it more interesting.
Excellent combination of bergamot/cedar, aromatic lavender, piquant/mild spices, musk and vetiver. The opening is lemony, aromatic and peppery before the aroma starts sliding towards an irresistible sort of muskiness. Absolutely to die for, impeccable, a simple and immensely distinguished fragrance that is easily affordable and versatile. The L'Occitan's dry down is woody/boise, vetiver veined, balmy-lemony and musky. Is not necessary to spend a lot of money to smell always distinguished and clean. Fantastic also the bath/shower lotion that I've tryed on skin. Recommended.
This. fragrance. is. incredible. The lavender is crisp and and refreshing and the wood note is the perfect combination. The combination on a man's skin is not to be believed. The lavender isn't perfumey or feminine, but more of a true outdoors scent, and the wood note is much like what you'd think a driftwood fire on the beach at night would smell like. Together, it's perfect. The sillage is exactly what it needs to be -- if you're about a foot or so away, you smell it, but it doesn't leave a lingering trail.
I bought this for my husband two years ago, and no kidding, I could follow him around all day smelling this and wanting to growl. It's that kind of understated sexy. It's also unmistakable once you've smelled it; I've only smelled it twice otherwise, and both men seemed startled I pegged it so quickly. Let's just say: these weren't men who were my type at all, but they certainly smelled it.
It's a far cry from the horrible, horrible synthetics and gag-awful Axe smellalikes that are being marketed today. My nose is very good, yet so much of what's put out now -- even high end fragrances -- are not at all unique. This is. It's a little on the retro side, I'd think, which is fine by me. Very classy, very masculine, classic and most of all, quality and real.
I'd heard rumors that L'Occitane is discontinuing this, and I can't tell you how much I hope that's not true.
I bought this for my husband two years ago, and no kidding, I could follow him around all day smelling this and wanting to growl. It's that kind of understated sexy. It's also unmistakable once you've smelled it; I've only smelled it twice otherwise, and both men seemed startled I pegged it so quickly. Let's just say: these weren't men who were my type at all, but they certainly smelled it.
It's a far cry from the horrible, horrible synthetics and gag-awful Axe smellalikes that are being marketed today. My nose is very good, yet so much of what's put out now -- even high end fragrances -- are not at all unique. This is. It's a little on the retro side, I'd think, which is fine by me. Very classy, very masculine, classic and most of all, quality and real.
I'd heard rumors that L'Occitane is discontinuing this, and I can't tell you how much I hope that's not true.
Started the hobby six months ago. Have bought many fragrances both niche and otherwise. This is my first review. Best buy by far. Strong black pepper opening followed by a very masculine lavender drydown. Great bang for the buck. Period.
Seldom does it happen that a fragrance will sweep my mind away to somewhere calmer and more beautiful but that's what happens with this. A totally accidental find for me and my first Lavender dominated scent.
I've always steered clear of Lavender. I associated it with old ladies for some reason (nothing wrong with old ladies of course but I'm not in the market to smell like my, as it turns out, wrongful association of one).
Some words already mentioned in previous reviews here are spot on: airy, fresh, romantic, natural, classy, addictive, soothing.
Never one to follow the crowd, far from sweeping me away to Provence, this has a watery quality too it that reminds me of clear blue water and clean air with a beautiful white sandy beach thrown into the bargain. In a peculiar way, I'm also reminded of the Chlorine from municipal swimming pools and, as if that weren't odd enough, in this bottle it's actually a good thing! Probably just my odd associations but this is gorgeous.
It makes we want to lie down, close my eyes and get lost in stunning places. What a find for me. I was in the market for something vaguely different from Cartier or perhaps finally give Boucheron a try but I'm glad I went for this.
Spray it on and get swept away in the calm, soothing tranquillity that it will enfold you with....and perhaps others too ;-)
With each breath out comes the delight of another breath in.
I've always steered clear of Lavender. I associated it with old ladies for some reason (nothing wrong with old ladies of course but I'm not in the market to smell like my, as it turns out, wrongful association of one).
Some words already mentioned in previous reviews here are spot on: airy, fresh, romantic, natural, classy, addictive, soothing.
Never one to follow the crowd, far from sweeping me away to Provence, this has a watery quality too it that reminds me of clear blue water and clean air with a beautiful white sandy beach thrown into the bargain. In a peculiar way, I'm also reminded of the Chlorine from municipal swimming pools and, as if that weren't odd enough, in this bottle it's actually a good thing! Probably just my odd associations but this is gorgeous.
It makes we want to lie down, close my eyes and get lost in stunning places. What a find for me. I was in the market for something vaguely different from Cartier or perhaps finally give Boucheron a try but I'm glad I went for this.
Spray it on and get swept away in the calm, soothing tranquillity that it will enfold you with....and perhaps others too ;-)
With each breath out comes the delight of another breath in.