Estée Lauder Infinite Sky Review (Dominique Ropion) 2021 + Luxury Collection draw

October 31, 2021October 31, 2021

Between Earth and Moon, the infinite sky… – Sky ©Pixabay, Infinite Sky bottle ©Estée Lauder, all edited by Emmanuelle Varron for Estée Lauder Infinite Sky©

Estée Lauder is an institution in the United States; it is a brand that has a positive but “vintage” image in France, with many customers still thinking only of the classics such as Youth Dew, Cinnabar, White Linen or Private Collection. I grew up surrounded by these scents, especially Cinnabar that my mother gave me as a little girl in its concrete version, which was a real gem. And while the image had somewhat rejuvenated with the creation of the Aerin brand, Estée Lauder was lagging a bit behind the other prestige brands that have launched in recent years their own “private” collections. However, since the early summer rumors that Estée Lauder would follow in the footsteps of its competitors, and many of us were wondering if this would be “another exclusive collection that will raise-again-prices!” ”

Estée Lauder Parfums de Luxe Collection 40 ml bottles display at the Paris BHV Department Store. © Emmanuelle

Estée Lauder recently unveiled its collection of eight “parfums deluxe” collection (luxury perfumes) with 40 ml and 100 ml bottles, surprisingly at prices only a little higher than the mainstream ones (respectively $ 95 and $ 190). The brand chose eight of the most renowned perfumers, asking each of them to create an Eau de parfum representing a moment of the day where sensations and raw materials would harmonize in a very sensual spirit. But only three ingredients are publicly revealed, to give free rein to the mystery and the imagination:

Tender Light by Shyamala Maisondieu (China tea, bergamot, iris),
Sensuous Stars by Amandine Clerc-Marie (plum, iris, lavender),
Dream Dusk by Clément Gavarry (cherry blossoms, blackcurrant berries, geranium,
Radiant Mirage by Quentin Bisch (Sambac jasmine, sandalwood, patchouli),
Desert Eden by Anne Flipo (sandalwood, rose absolu, incense),
Blushing Sands by Jean-Marc Chaillan (vetiver, pink pepper, musk),
Paradise Moon, by Rodrigo Flores-Roux (osmanthus, cistus, leather),
Infinite Sky, by Dominique Ropion (Sichuan pepper, leatherwood, vanilla).

The long, fluted bottle is said to be inspired by Youth Dew’s, a “vintage” trend already on the market with Chloé Atelier des Fleurs collection, Gucci Mémoire d´une Odeur and Le Galion brand. It’s pleasant to the touch, pretty, with a rather sensual roundness but that some men may find too feminine; and that would be a shame, since this collection is gender fluid, reinforcing the Company’s desire for true niche perfumery.

Estee Lauder Infinite Sky – ©Estée Lauder.

Estée Lauder Infinite Sky was my favorite (I liked others, but this won me over immediately). It is a fragrance that is at the same time easy to describe in its entirety: imagine a blazing sunset. Estée Lauder Infinite Sky reminds me of a summer evening in Paris in August (when the city is practically empty), with an intense and hot sun that slowly fades to give way to a luminous full moon in a cloudless sky and full of stars. I stroll along the banks of the Seine, admiring the tawny light illuminating Notre-Dame de Paris, the Pont-Neuf, the Louvre, and further on the Orsay Museum. The creation of Master Perfumer Dominique Ropion is more complex to describe in terms of its evolution on the skin since only three notes are revealed: Sichuan pepper, vanilla and leatherwood. At the first spritz I perceive an aldehyde opening, very quickly giving way to a very spicy facet navigating in watery and fresh notes. There is of course the Sichuan pepper, the raw material featured in the Estée Lauder Infinite Sky institutional visual, but not only. I perceive something more animal, like a cumin which would have been mastered in its usual wildness. This spicy facet stays on the skin for a long time, captivating and intense.

Master perfumer Dominique Ropion’s quote on Estée Lauder Infinite Sky – background picture ©Estée Lauder, edited by Emmanuelle Varron©

Slowly, Estée Lauder Infinite Sky gets balmy. First, there is a woody and balsamic thrust that plays a role in the middle, like a step to be taken, essential to reach the goal, and which here reminds me of guaiac wood. Then the fragrance warms up, gradually. The balsamic note is still present but much more resinous, almost incense-like, but without any smoky facet … as can be myrrh. Bewitching! After half an hour, the skin remains white-hot, offering itself to the delights of a sober and woody vanilla that does not play on gluttony, and blends wonderfully with the pepper-cumin duo that never disappeared, like a touch of urban exoticism, both adventurous and sophisticated. It then becomes difficult to identify the other raw materials that accompany this hot and bright cocktail. Infinite Sky uses leatherwood, known for its notes close to tobacco, which are indeed very present on my skin, especially on the drydown. I also perceive a floral facet that is both tangy and sunny which reminds me of orange blossom. And above all, an intense amber coating, bringing a darker and more mysterious side without weighing down the composition.

This famous melting pot of ingredients reminds me of a snooker table where all the balls bump into each other, without ever going beyond the frame, and especially not in silence. Estée Lauder has found a more scientific name for it, since behind this collection of luxury fragrances, hides its new ScentCapture Fragrance Extender technology, which ensures the fragrance will last for 12 hours on a single spray. Something to make your head spin!

Richard Linklater Before Sunset movie poster.

Drawing a parallel between my olfactory sensations and a work of art, I immediately think of Richard Linklater Before Sunset, the second (Parisian) episode of the magnificent “Before” trilogy which tells of the romantic relationship between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) over 20 years, shot on this schedule. A late summer in Paris, almost scorching, where two former lovers meet again after 10 years of silence. A reunion that is both spicy and warm, where their two worlds meet again. Time seems to stand still for them… but going too quickly. And their attraction grows again as the night begins to fall, raising the outcome the viewer hopes for. Estée Lauder Infinite Sky tells a bit of the same story, that of a perfume that takes center stage in a spicy-vanilla duality that never weakens, reinforced by bewitching warm and balmy facets, which hold until the end of the night.

Official notes: Sichuan pepper, Madagascar vanilla, leatherwood.
Perceived notes: aldehydes, cumin, guaiac wood, myrrh, orange blossom, amber.

Disclaimer: “Merci” to Estée Lauder Galeries Lafayette Haussmann corner in Paris for the Infinite Sky sample provided for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Emmanuelle Varron, Senior contributor

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