Lubin Black Jade Eau de Parfum by Lubin, Fragrance Review

10

Great

I adore Lubin fragrances. All of them has their story and unique smell. Black Jade is very special one. It reminds me Versailles, Marie Antoinette. When I was inside of this unbelievable place I was feeling myself as a princess. I was with mom and my sister. And we didn’t want to go with my sister there, we thought that we would lose time. But it’s not truth. Now I’m always going in my thoug...read morehts to Versailles, to this magic place. And this perfume reminds me this place and France and all of these romantic things. Notes of this perfume is following Galbanum, bergamot, cardamom, rose, jasmine, incense, cinnamon, Indian sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean, amber. Story of this perfume connected with great Marie Antoinette, the infamous young queen of France -- initially loved by the people for her charm and beauty, she became an international symbol of decadent luxury. Naturally her court had a royal perfumer, Jean-Louis Fargeon, and, naturally, he created an opulent, no-expenses-spared fragrance exclusively for her. Inspired by her rose-filled garden at Le Petit Trianon, this mysterious concoction was kept in a black jade flask which the queen kept with her at all times. Luckily for us, the perfumer had a young apprentice, Pierre Lubin, who paid closer attention to the formula for this elixir than perhaps he should have. Known in the House of Lubin for years as “jardin secret”, the formula has been newly revived with the help of one of Marie’s black jade bottles that had been hidden away by a confidante. Fittingly, it is now known as Black Jade. As deliciously extravagant as you would expect from a queen notorious for her lavish tastes. This was a tribute to her beloved garden, so of course there are flowers, but this is no simple, country garden. These are flowers for royalty. Lush, satiny roses and frilly jasmine are embroidered with cardamom and cinnamon and exotic incense, then layered over a velvety base of patchouli, tonka bean, vanilla and amber. The opening is surprisingly cool and spicy, then as the floral heart opens and the roses bloom, it becomes warm and enticing and compelling. Black Jade thus contains rose, jasmine, and bergamot, Marie-Antoinette's signature notes. The name for the new fragrance, Black Jade, was inspired by the lore that the queen carried the fragrance with her in a black jade bottle at all times, even when she was imprisoned in the Temple Tower of Paris. It was only before her beheading that she confided it to the Marquise de Tourzel, whose descendants are reportedly still in possession of the original flacon. Just after the French Revolution, Pierre François Lubin founded his Perfume House, at rue Sainte Anne in Paris. He provided perfumed ribbons, ball masks and rice powders to the “Incroyables” and “Merveilleuses”. His most famous creation however was the “Eau Vivifiante” later called “Eau de Lubin”. The fragrance soon won him the favour of the Imperial court. And so began Lubin’s renown thanks to Empress Joséphine and Pauline Bonaparte, Princess Borghèse. When the Bourbon monarchy was restored, the perfumer dedicated his fragrances to Queen Marie-Amélie. Thanks to these gentle ladies, the crowned heads of Europe began to trust Lubin. Among his documents are proudly displayed the Coats of Arms of France, the King of England, and the Russian Tsar. He also added the American Eagle to his list, as he was the first perfume maker to conquer the New World in 1830. From the banks of the Mississippi to the palaces of India, his fragrances would soon be famous the world over. Designer Lubin has 15 perfumes in our fragrance base. Lubin is an old perfume house. The earliest edition was created in 1934 and the newest is from 2012. Lubin fragrances were made in collaboration with perfumers Delphine Thierry, Thomas Fontaine, Henri Giboulet, Olivia Giacobetti, Lucien Ferrero and Roger Broudoux.

gonchar_maria | 41 reviews

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