New Fragrance Review: A Lab on Fire Paris*LA by Laurent Le Guernec + A Rom Com Starring Zooey Deschanel Draw

a lab on fire

A Lab on Fire, the small niche company from Brooklyn, New York has attracted some amazing perfumers and the Company’s founder Carlos Kusubayashi gives free reign to them all. The nose behind their latest scent  Paris * LA,  is Laurent Le Guernec, who is best known for Sara Jessica Parker Lovely and his work for Bond No 9. M. Le Guernac really pushes the gourmand envelope with Paris * LA; it is unlike any fragrance he has created and any perfume I have smelled.

zooey deschanel funny face

We Just Love Zooey Deschanel

 Paris * LA is like dating Manic Pixie Dream Girl Zooey Deschanel.   It’s the perfume equivalent of a Rom-Com screen montage of Miss Zany Meets Cute Guy and their wacky adventures.  This is a good thing, because Zooey Deschanel is absolutely irresistible, and so is Paris*LA.

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Photo: A Lab on Fire Paris L.A

The idea behind this release from A Lab on Fire is a love letter of sorts, after all.  It’s meant as a mash note from Paris to Los Angeles, with the cola accord meant to stand-in for La-La Land, and the almond tinge of the macaroon note to represent the City of Light.  Two types of sweetness, playfully regarding each other, with I suppose the coriander and thyme in the heart notes being stunt doubles for “working through issues.”

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Zooey Deschanel from the TV Series The New Girl

The Irresistible Cuteness starts right away with a zingy key lime note set beside a cola accord and zesty ginger.  This opening is for the rom-com scene where Zooey invites you over for dinner, only to surprise you by serving dessert first!  It’s a tropical pie made from Mexican Coke, silly!  But Zooey knows you were expecting a proper meal, so she quickly prepares a salad – but Oh No! There’s no lettuce, so she raids the spice drawer and makes you a salad of coriander seeds and sprigs of thyme, but only has imported French macaroons for croutons!

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Zooey as Jess in The New Girl cooking for Nick

Somehow, it’s…delicious!  Weird and jarring, yes, but by now you’re seriously questioning why no one thought to put delicious almond cookies in a bed of savory spices on the downtown bistro’s small plates menu.  (“I know, right?” chimes in Zooey from the kitchen, who’s dressed smartly in a polka dot apron, neon-green combat boots and fishnets.)  And after that salad is served, Paris*LA settles into a slightly sweet and grass-stained groove that continues along, not changing or developing much, until you rightly begin to wonder where this new relationship is really going.  Is Zooey really into you as a person, or does she just enjoy having a partner for diving into park fountains, or making cupcake liners out of wet weeds.

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Zooey Deschanel and Ryan Kwanten "Valentine's Day" Episode

But somehow, you just don’t care.  Your only desire is to stay in the moment, an endless candy-colored horizon of fizzy Coke and French almond cookies dusted with baked seafood spices.  It shouldn’t work – you’re no good for each other!  But let the world think what it wants!  This is love without limits, without all that heavy, ponderous, and BORING baggage.  Paris*LA is a flamboyantly silly, goofy and cavity-inducing sweet new addition to the A Lab on Fire line, and all I want in this world is another date with it.

Notes: Key lime, Ginger, Cola accord, Neroli petals, Coriander seeds, Thyme, Macaron accord, Amber, Musk

–Steve Johnson, Contributor

Disclosure: I received my samples from Twisted Lily. My opinions (obviously) are my own

a lab on fire parisla

Thanks to Eric and Stamatis of Twisted Lily we have a draw for 3 samples of Paris*LA for three USA readers. To be eligible, please leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Steve's review, why you would like to try Paris*LA., if you have a favorite Lab on Fire perfume and your favorite Zooey Deschanel movie or television show. Draw ends 11/22/2014

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize wil be just spilled perfume

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14 comments

  • Neil L says:

    I enjoyed this very much, especially since I’m a fan on comedy, and especially Zoe D. I liked how he personified the fragrance and perfectly brought it to life through Zoe. Definitely like gourmands and have not heard of this yet so I would love to try Paris*LA. My favorite Lab on Fire scent is What We Do In Paris Is Secret. Fav Zoe D movie, and the one where I was introduced to her kooky talents was “Failure to Launch.” Horrible movie, yes, but she steals the show. It’s only worth watching just to watch her parts. I live in the U.S. Thanks!

  • Sun Mi says:

    I am intrigued simply by the line that “Le Guernac really pushes the gourmand envelope with Paris * LA; it is unlike any fragrance he has created and any perfume I have smelled.” It seems very difficult to create a fragrance that unique these days. It’s also impossible to imagine what key lime, cola and ginger would smell like together. 🙂 I’ve never tried a Lab on Fire perfume, though there are several on my sample list. My favorite Zooey Deschanel movie … I guess I would have to say 500 Days of Summer, but its hard because I kind of hate that movie too. It’s hard to describe my feelings for that movie, but its the only one that really affects me, so that has to be my pic. Thanks so much for the draw – I’m in the US.

  • fazal cheema says:

    I am intrigued not only by the cola accord but also by the unexpected directions the fragrance keeps taking..it is kind of quirky, just like Zooey Deschanel. My favorite A Lab on Fire creation is What We Do in Paris is Secret and my fav. Zooey show is of course The New Girl. I am in the US

  • ring thing says:

    Very fun review, especially enjoyed the Zooeyesque comments scattered throughout. I’m always intrigued by a spice scent and ginger is a favorite note, plus who can resist Mexican cola and macaroons? I really liked the first two seasons of New Girl but then they ruined Schmidt and I lost interest, although Zooey remains adorable. Girl rocks some black tights. Thanks to all for the draw.

  • Connie says:

    I really like WWDIPIS, but have to admit that I’m a bit cautious as I’m not a fan of Zooey ‘Manic Pixie’ Deschanel. Still, sounds like fun. I’m in the US.

  • Steve A says:

    I enjoyed the use of a romantic-comedy as the method to write about this paricular scent. I want to try this for the cola of course. The only other A Lab on Fire fragrance I tried has been What We Do in Paris is Secret. And I do like it. USA

  • Amelia J. says:

    I’ve been dying to sniff this as I’m so intrigued by the cola accord. I like your description of a ‘tropical pie made with Mexican Coke.” I also LOVE Zooey, so I think this was a cute way to address the scent.

  • April says:

    This was a really fun review. Cola accord! So cool. I really like Zooey, too – especially (500) Days of Summer. I’m in the USA.

  • jiminy says:

    I liked the scene with Zooey described within the review! Very funny and clever approach. 🙂

    I would like to experience the cola accord first-hand. My favorite ALoF fragrance is L’Anonyme, which is a part of my collection. Speaking off, it has been a while since I’ve worn it…

    My favorite Zooey movie is 500 days of Summer.

    I am in the US. Thanks to E&S from Twisted Lily and to CFB (you all are awesome) for the draw.

  • Patty P. says:

    Great “gourmandy” notes, I want to try this. I enjoyed the lightheartedness of the review. 🙂 USA

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    I enjoyed Steve’s review and his comparison with Zooey Deschanel. I love her and would like to try Paris*LA if it’s as weird, sweet and irrisistible as she is. I have not yet had the pleasure of wearing a Lab on Fire perfume and my favorite Zooey Deschanel television show is New Girl.

  • mim says:

    I liked how Steve gave this scent a personality! it made it easier to envision. Really want to try Paris * LA for the cola. Thank you for the review and draw. I haven’t tried any A Lab On Fire scents yet but am intrigued.
    USA

  • Holly F. says:

    This is a fun review! I get how the cuteness factor is comparable to Zooey Deschanel. So far, my fave is What We Do In Paris Is Secret. I like Zooey Deschanle in Elf, and I’m in the U.S.

  • Cynthia says:

    My favorite line of this review is “Your only desire is to stay in the moment, an endless candy-colored horizon of fizzy Coke and French almond cookies dusted with baked seafood spices. It shouldn’t work – you’re no good for each other! ” Seeing this description I can only, “Say What???” It sounds a bit kooky, just like the character she plays on “New Girl”, probably my favorite of her works. I have not tried any scents from this line. In US.