Pierre Guillaume has been fascinating me with his Huitieme Art Parfums line from the beginning. In these perfumes he chooses a unique natural raw material and using only a few ingredients seeks to create a special synergy which is freed of the traditional pyramid. This can lead to the often critically used term that these fragrances are linear. In the strictest version of that term I would have to agree. I’ve always found the best of the Huitieme Art Parfums as studies in the possibilities of the central ingredient and the newest and tenth member of the Huitieme Art Parfums family, Poudre de Riz is an excellent example of what I am talking about.

Poudre de Riz was inspired by a line from a 1908 novel by French author Henri Barbusse called L’Enfer (The Inferno). In this novel an unnamed protagonist spends all of his time in a guest house spying on the inhabitants of the adjacent room through a hole between the rooms. One of the episodes is of a married woman, Amy, who first enters the room with a man not her husband. Their passion is observed by our protagonist and the pain the impending arrival of Amy’s husband causes is also seen. When Amy’s husband arrives she has bathed and made herself up in an attempt to hide the lack of passion she feels for her husband hoping he will be distracted by the superficial and not see through to the reality underneath. Our observer can evidently smell the room next door because as Amy faces her husband he writes; “The air in the closed room was heavy with a mixture of odours- soap, face powder, the pungent scent of cologne.” M. Guillaume expertly captures the three distinct accords described in that sentence. A bit of soapiness, a rose scented powder, and a bit of woody cologne all experienced in one rush together.

The first thing I notice when I spray on Poudre de Riz is the powder and that powder is infused with a lush rose petal raw material from Robertet based on Damascena rose. It takes the power of the rose and softens it into something dusty and granular. Underneath there is a smell of fresh washed skin which still retains a bit of the odor of the floral, coconut, and vanilla aspect of the fine bathing product. Over the top there is a mix of benzoin, tolu, and sandalwood which evokes the cologne from the inspiration. Poudre de Riz also has a wonderful density of being smelled in a small room where the windows are closed and the room is heavy with the steam from the bathroom.

Poudre de Riz has exceptional longevity and average sillage.

Poudre de Riz is an accord of accords as the powder, soap and cologne all create something different than either of them would by themselves. It is simultaneously rosy, vanillic, and woody. I think those who are not fond of powdery or soapy in their perfumes are going to find Poudre de Riz a tale best left untold on their skin. If you like the idea of a collision of forces to create something beautifully different from that impact then Poudre de Riz should be on your list to try.

Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by Osswald NYC.

Thanks to our friends at Osswald NYC we have one carded 2mL sample of Poudre de Riz to giveaway. To be eligible please leave comment naming your favorite Huitieme Art Parfums or your favorite Pierre Guillaume fragrance. We will draw one winner on September 20, 2012.

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

-Mark Behnke, Managing Editor