Paris*L.A. by What We Do Is Secret / A Lab on Fire
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7.5 / 10 80 Ratings
According to EssenceVitae Research Team A perfume by What We Do Is Secret / A Lab on Fire for women and men, released in 2014. Furthermore The scent is sweet-gourmand. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Fragrance Pyramid

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
7.580 Ratings
Longevity
7.367 Ratings
Sillage
6.966 Ratings
Bottle
6.874 Ratings
Value for money
6.412 Ratings
Submitted by Franfan20, last update on 09.08.2022.

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Reviews

3 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Aura

1 Review
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Aura
Aura
Top Review 18  
I smell a comp(l)ott!
You've probably done it before: One gets his eyes blindfolded and the other feeds him something. The first one has to find out what it was. Can you do it at home, or, a little more seriously, do you want to experience this sensory experience in a dark restaurant? There one has also the higher security that the feeder does not allow himself any disgusting joke (spoon with cinnamon, rinsing tab, sausage water etc.),...
But it gets funny one way or another with banana or date, grape or cherry, white wine or red wine: one taps taste-wise completely in the... yeah, in the dark. Exciting experience for everyone like me, who have imagined something about their taste buds. Humiliating, but exciting.

Nevertheless, even if we are somehow always blind when testing perfumes and have to trust in what is indicated in the pyramid: Sackra, I'm not so plemplem that I can't tell Coke from lime, butter cookies or burnt milk!?! And there is none of this at all... in the chest tone of deepest conviction I therefore announce to you that Paris*L.A. smells of nothing else but:
1. the good, old, hot BIG RED cinnamon gum (the first 3 minutes, then after:)
2. homemade, typical musty APFELKOMPOTT with sugar, cinnamon sticks, vanilla pod and some lemon peel, just like Grandma always liked it.

I can understand that you can somehow talk your way into this Cola-Limette thing, but once the apple compote is understood... right?
That doesn't really sound more modest now, but I do have cola herb in the garden, Haribo cola bottles in the evil drawer and Coca Cola in the fridge and... really not, no. It just seems so.
And I don't smell the burnt milk of Mrs. Holle at all (with what did you soften the cloth in front of your nose, is it perhaps because of that? ;o)).

So, apart from that: yes, it is a gourmand and quite sweet, but not pinki-glitzi-sweet, but with a slight acidity. You have to do it that way when you're cooking, it makes sense. Nevertheless not a tangy fresh summer fragrance, but rather an autumn... no, no cuddler, no flatterer, no spice bomb, very difficult. Falling fruit, if I'm honest. I'll stick with it.

In the base (reached after approx. 1 hour) a very thin vanilla milk butter biscuit also falls into my compote. That's when the scent becomes most wearable, I think. If you can even talk about portable with apple compote...

I'm quitting. But "The Dress" was really black-blue then...
13 Comments
2.5
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
3
Scent
Drseid

819 Reviews
Drseid
Drseid
2  
So Sweet It Is SCARY!...
Paris*L.A. opens with an over-sugared, slightly creamy key lime pie accord before transitioning to its early heart. As the composition moves to its early heart the key lime pie stays extremely sweet as an even sweeter cotton candy accord joins in as co-star. As the composition moves through the heart section the key lime pie slowly fades and eventually disappears, leaving the super-sweet cotton candy as sole star, adding in supporting almond. During the late dry-down the almond-laced sugary sweet cotton candy remains, now infused by relatively clean musk through the finish. Projection is excellent, as is longevity at nearly 12 hours on skin.

There is not much to say about this stuff except that it smells absolutely awful. It is no secret that I dislike most gourmands, but I think I can still appreciate compositions that are skillfully done, and this one just isn't. The best part of the composition is the opening five seconds, as the key lime pie accord is tolerably sweet when not reinforced by the other sweeteners to come (but only just). Once the cotton candy joins in it is a very quick "game over" for this sickeningly sweet confection based concoction. The marketing material released to help sell the composition says that one of the goals was to recreate a Coca Cola accord (I guess this is supposed to be L.A.?), but the Coke is nowhere to be found, leaving only the sugary almond-laced cotton candy confection that must be what the perfumer considers a recreation of a macaron (the other goal of recreating the smell of Paris?). If this is indeed the second goal of the perfumer, the outcome is so synthetic smelling it is completely unbelievable. I am afraid with Paris*L.A. we have a strong contender to make many "Worst Perfumes Released in 2014" lists and I know it will make an appearance on mine. The bottom line is the wholly unsuccessful $110 per 60ml Paris*L.A. represents a new low for the relatively disappointing A Lab On Fire house, earning it an "outrageously bad" 1 to 1.5 stars out of 5 rating and an "avoid at all costs" recommendation unless you love your compositions even sweeter than you can imagine in your wildest dreams (or worst nightmares, in my case). Terrible!
0 Comments
5
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
5
Longevity
9
Scent
OGBuysblind

21 Reviews
OGBuysblind
OGBuysblind
2  
Yum!....Something New and Delicious
This is a great new gourmand offering from A Lab on Fire. It opens with a spicy top that smells like a combination of Red Hots and Coke. At first it seems layered over a light vanilla note, but then a deliciously rich, buttery almond accord appears and takes the vanilla along with it. I had a hard time believing the perfumer was going to pull this off successfully, but the "macaroon" in Paris*L.A. is fantastic. I actually get a little hungry smelling this. It takes you right to the heart of the dessert, and you can easily imagine all the ingredients as they're being prepared together in a bowl. Almonds, butter, sugar, and egg whites presented in a small, chewy little cakes--they're all there in just the right proportions and seem composed by a skilled, graceful hand. What I really enjoy about Paris*L.A. besides the fun, unique notes that are presented, is the fact that it's smooth and wearable. There's nothing clumsy or "blob-like" about this. It doesn't become overbearing, as gourmands often do. Uncompromisingly sweet in what it presents--Coca-Cola and Macaroons--Paris*L.A. manages to avoid becoming cloying because it is never too heavy. In fact there's almost a fresh, fizzy quality to the entire fragrance that keeps it afloat and buoyant. I suppose this is the Coca Cola in play, and it does a wonderful job of balancing the macaroon.

As far as masculine vs. feminine, this seems very much unisex to my nose and I'd have a hard time labeling it one or the other. I consider this a casual, day or nighttime fragrance. It's fun and has a playful, carefree nature. Projection is solid--it gets out there, but it's not crazy. Longevity is around 6 hours. Overall, Paris*L.A. feels like a very modern take on an unabashed gourmand, and it should find plenty of happy fans as word about it starts to spread.

Hats off to the perfumer, Laurent Le Guernec, who did an excellent job with this, and to A Lab On Fire, a company that's created quite a diverse lineup by releasing unique fragrances with a stylistically modern appeal. Paris*L.A. sits right at the top of that lis
1 Comment

Statements

1 short view on the fragrance
ItchynoseItchynose 4 years ago
6.5
Scent
Fizzy cola bottles and lime flavored macarons. Sweet, sour and metallic with a bit of bite from the ginger and coriander.
0 Comments

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Lily Roux

Hello! I'm Lily Roux, a passionate perfumer with over 20 years of experience crafting unique scents. I specialize in creating personalized perfume impressions tailored to your desires. This site is where I'll be sharing my love for perfumes and everything fascinating about them. Welcome aboard, and let's embark on a fragrant journey together!

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