J’s image of Badar Parfums Estelle
Badar Parfums is a new French house that beautifully combines the rich history of French haute perfumery with the intricate nuances of Arab perfumery, creating a captivating blend of tradition and modernity. Estelle, the first release from Badar is composed by Flair perfumer Margaux LE PAIH-GUÉRIN, you can read her brilliant young perfumer interview here.
Margaux LE PAIH-GUÉRIN of Flair photo by Tanguy Sergheraert 09-2023
Badar Parfums Estelle is a stunning way to launch this new house, capturing that contemporary French feel that references the past and present of perfumery, while giving us a delicious rich white musk that speaks to Arabian perfumery traditions.
J’s Collage of Sophia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette IMDb
Sophia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette kept popping in to my head while wearing Estelle. That delicious and sensual powdery honeyed feel Badar Parfums Estelle conjures the rich make-up and opulent clothing of the film, while the contemporary soundtrack mixed with period imagery shares that blurring of times capturing the past and present simultaneously, but its one shot in particular coming to mind. A short shot of shoes being tried on; just behind the action just off centre is a pair of purple Converse. It’s a completely jarring image in the film, taking you out of the past while also giving you a contemporary relatable context for how this young queen is feeling. This was extra B-Roll shots, filmed by Sophia’s brother Roman, which she liked so much she kept in the film, even though continuity wise it breaks the timelines, but conceptually gives us a beautiful bridge from the past to the contemporary. Margaux LE PAIH-GUÉRIN does something similar here for me with that nod to the golden age of perfumery with the opulent resinous amber, while wrapping Estelle in a very contemporary gourmand feel.
Screen Grab by J of Sophia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette IMDb
Powdery candied plums have this delicious sensuality with an elegant coolness from heliotrope and musks creating a soft and delicate aura. Slowly, that beautiful deep richness of plum transitions into a darkly sweet intensity reminiscent of organic wild honey. Warm resinous floral tonalities surround a caramelised golden gooey honey glow that feels like the suns warmth has been trapped in Estelle’s amber essence. The heliotrope conjures sugared almonds, but here they’re coated in a soft powder rather than their usual smooth shell, as if that smooth feeling has melted into a sensation fluffy luxury. Badar Parfums Estelle’s textures ooze with sensuality as if soft powdery clouds are caressing your nose with enveloping you in a caramel honeyed aroma. It’s almost like powdered pollen lightly applied to your skin, with some dark facets making the golden light shine brighter. This soft powdery pollen effect gives Estelle a touch of a vintage feel, the heliotrope too makes me think of Guerlain’s classic “blue” perfumes Après L’Ondee and L’Heure Bleue but rather than wallowing in the ennui of the past, Badar Parfums Estelle glows with the brightness of the future, letting its plummy, honey fun side shine bright.
J’s image of Badar Parfums Estelle
There’s a labdanum absolute I’ve bought called “Honey Sweet”, Estelle reminds me of it, as the darker facets it holds that are rolled back letting this delicious resin shine with a darker, fig like honeyed feel haunted by echoes of red wine, its gentle purr is softer that the usual labdanum, capturing that slight animalic sexuality that haunts honey. Soft smoky facets thicken up the feel of the powdery pollen fur that you’re wearing, letting dark woody undertones hint at leather accents, giving a few subtle edges to this powdery elegance. Again I’m reminded of scenes from Sophie Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. All that powdery skin and opulence with a contemporary elegance, all the parts before her fall, the fun and food all those scenes of happiness surrounded by her friends and lovers, Badar Parfums Estelle has that feel of golden happiness.
Vanilla ups the powdery feel bringing in hints of soft blonde woods; imagine soft shavings floating in the air, slowly landing in the powdery pollen glow. The darker elements again play with darkness and light, giving the plum a place to stew in the heart as subtle smoky nuances grow beneath the glow, with that plumminess teasing out a new fleshy sensuality. White musks and molecules give Estelle a voluptuous feel; adding soft layers to be stripped back to reveal all these subtle powdery woody gourmand delights. Badar Parfums Estelle is a honeyed powdery new gold dream with its soft smoky darkness wrapping you in a vintage allure. This is gorgeous to wear! Margaux LE PAIH-GUÉRIN is very skilled at composing delicious perfumes. Let them eat candied plum, dripping in caramel and golden honey.
The creative director behind Badar is also a perfumer; I own a few perfumes by him and I’m very excited to see how his creative collaborations with other noses will develop in the future. This is a house to watch!
Notes: Heliotrope, Candied plum, honey, cistus essence, benzoin absolute, pyrogenic styrax essence, modern woods, white musks, guaiac wood essence, cypriol essence, vanilla, caramel, ambroxan.
Disclosure: Badar Parfums Estelle was sent to J for review, thoughts and nose are his own.
-Senior Editor J Wearescentient, artist & olfactive writer.
Badar Parfums Estelle courtesy of the brand
Thanks to the generosity of Badar Parfums we have a 50 ml bottle of Estelle for a registered reader in the EU or USA. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on J’s review and where you live. Draw closes 7/16/2024
Please read Margaux LE PAIH-GUÉRIN essay in her own words in our Young Perfumer Series here.
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