ÉCLAT 727

How it Smells

ÉCLAT 727 opens with a sharply rendered neroli. It's not a photorealistic orange blossom; rather, a suggestion of one, like a watercolor painting rapidly drying on cheap paper. The pepper is present, a ground, dusty sneeze of spice, though the cardamom hides, shy and underdeveloped. The heart strives for elegance, the iris a powdery ghost amidst a stronger, somewhat medicinal geranium note. Mate adds a leafy dryness, a touch of the herbal, but overall this phase leans soapy and slightly synthetic. The base is a disappointment - a muted cedar, a whisper of patchouli, and an amber that smells more like a generic, sweet wood accord with a plasticky drydown. It deviates from its inspiration in that it lacks the original's creamy depth; it's a thinner, sharper interpretation.

Projection Power

Longevity hovers around four hours on my skin, becoming a skin scent by the third. Projection is weak; at most, it extends half an arm's length for the first hour, then retreats. I wore it to the office, where it remained largely unnoticed. Tested at the gym, it disappeared within the first thirty minutes of light cardio.

Bottom Line

If ÉCLAT 727 were a character, it would be the nervous intern trying to emulate the sophisticated CEO, wearing an ill-fitting suit and clutching a fake leather briefcase, desperately hoping no one notices the cracks in his facade.