Le Jardin Retrouvé - the relaunch of the first niche Maison de Parfum (part I)

Dear perfume lovers, 

  I have great news for you! What would you say if I told you that the iconic perfume house Le Jardin Retrouvé has just been relaunched?

  First, let me tell you the story of Le Jardin Retrouvé. According to the official website,

Le Jardin Retrouvé was the first ever niche Maison de Parfum, created in 1975 by acclaimed perfumer Yuri Gutsatz. The man who made « Niche Perfumery » what it is today, he rejected the constraints of the marketing-driven perfume industry in pursuit of creative freedom and the finest ingredients. In 2016, his son and his family reinvented Le Jardin Retrouvé, while preserving Yuri’s delicate formulas.

  Isn’t that wonderful? In my opinion, any perfume should only be created if the perfumer puts a piece of his soul among the ingredients. Perfume should be emotion, memories,love, even sadness or grief, it is not supposed to express only happines, but it has to make you knees weak and your heart tremble when you smell it. 

  The amazing people who brought Le Jardin Retrouvé back to life are Michel Gutsatz (Yuri’s son) and Clara Feder. I appreciate them because in a world dominated by huge companies who often forget about quality and originality, choosing to launch the so called mass pleasers, perfumes that are meant to be liked by as many people as possible, but at the same time easily forgotten, they chose to be different and relaunched Le Jardin Retrouvé and at the same time, kept Yuri Gutsatz’s formulas intact, and also a FAIR price for these wonderful perfumes.

  What I also find very interesting is the concept of these perfumes. They don’t come in the usual bottles that we are used to see, but in the so called Le Nécessaire, in wich the precious perfume is sealed and protected in an aluminum bottle. Two empty, delicately printed glass bottles give you the freedom to enjoy your favorite perfumes anywhere you like.

  I had the chance to try all the seven perfumes and I will like to share my thoughts about them, in this post, and in another one that it is scheduled for the next couple of weeks. 

  Because I believe in the beauty of diversity, I would like to share with you the thoughts of a few fellow perfume lovers who have had the chance to try Le Jardin Retrouvé perfumes.

Jessica de Herdt said: 

I discovered Le Jardin Retrouvé thanks to an amazing presentation and visit of their lab... I love the whole family history and I could feel the love and passion for authentic perfumes when Michel and Clara explained the relaunch of these beautiful perfumes. I honestly love the whole line overall but I select the Sandalwood Sacré because I was so surprised to detect a completely different sandalwood perfum : this is not the usual rich and creamy sandalwood but a very elegant and fresh interpretation which lingers very long on the skin. It is a warm, sensual perfume which dances on the skin thanks to the high quality ingredients: sandalwood, patchouli, oak moss, musk, coriander, petitgrain, and orange blossom. I am completely hooked!

Olia Drozdovskaia said: 

From among the three samples I received, I really like Tubereuse Trianon. In fact, it's the only one I have decided to give a proper wear ( Cuir de Russie and Citron Boboli... proved to smell too much masculine to me). As a white florals lover I appreciate the delicate and natural smell of this very Tubereuse perfume. It's not a power bomb, it has quite soft sillage, but when applied generously lasts quite long. I believe it would be perfect for spring time. All in all, it's worth a full bottle for the ones that love natural, delicate smell of white florals.

As for my thoughts...

ROSE TROCADÉRO EAU DE PARFUM 

  To me, roses symbolize childhood. Of course, roses also stand for love, passion and seduction, but in my memories, roses kind of play a different role. Maybe it is because I had grown up used to see their petals smiling in the sun, next to the window of my room, or maybe it is the image of my grandmother plucking the most beautiful ones for me to put them in my room... I do not know for sure, but I can certainly tell that the smell of roses makes me feel carefree. 

  In Rose Trocadero I have found the conforting smell of my happy memories. The roses from this perfume are bright pink, with dewy petals and bees flying around them. This perfume is in no way mischievous, as some rose centered perfume may be, but it is pure and joyful, like the smile of a child. I can sense just a hint of a fruity accord, but the perfume does not become childish at all. In my opinion, it suits a woman who does not forget to smile, even in the saddest days, because she knows that the people arround her need a smile in their life, even more than she does. I love how natural Rose Trocadero smells. It is one of my favourites from the line.

VERVEINE D'ÉTÉ EAU DE PARFUM

   I consider myself a summer person. The sun makes me feel complete, I love to spend my days at the sea and I dream that one day I will live in a beach house, with a hammock to spend my free time in, while reading my favourite book. If I could choose a smell for this dream, I would pick something refreshing, zesty but yet somehow complicated. Verveine D’Ete manages to be exactly what I imagine. It is the kind of perfume that I would love to smell around me, rather than on myself because on my skin it becomes abit masculine, but this doesn not affect it’s beauty. The vetiver and the citrusy notes stand out for me, and they make this perfume sparkle just like water drops in the sun! 

To be continued...