J’s image of Electimuss London Cupid’s Kiss.

Cupid’s Kiss is the newest offering from the renowned Electimuss London, composed by the talented perfumer Julian Rasquinet, (who earlier this year became a Senior Perfumer at CPL Aromas). This beautiful scent takes us on a luxurious journey through the complex emotions of love, while showing off some stunning materials. He gives us love with all its bumps and hurdles; life isn’t like the movies, because true love is a beautiful adventure that unfolds gradually. While Cupid’s arrow may awaken your heart, it is the enchanting power of Cupid’s Kiss that nurtures and blossoms true love over time.

Perfumer Julien Rasquinet and The Reunion of Cupid and Psyche by Jean Pierre Saint Ours.

In archery, there’s a term that beginners quickly become familiar with – the archer’s kiss. It’s that sharp sting you feel when the string snaps against your arm due to improper bow arm positioning. You soon realise the importance of a bracer, a leather guard that offers some protection, although you can still feel the impact as you strive to perfect your technique. The archer’s kiss is like a sudden electric shock, disrupting your focus much like the moment when Cupid’s arrow strikes and love makes its mark. However, just like in archery, getting love right the first time isn’t always a guarantee. As Electimuss say in the press release, “whichever form of love we consider, one thing is certain; it is complicated.” It’s true, whilst we think that love is instant, as Cupid’s arrow hits you: his kiss, well that’s something that takes its time to evolve, but its effects are long lasting, taking you on this journey where you get the rough with the smooch as two distinct elements tango slowly turning into one elegant sensation after a long dry down. Like deep love, Electimuss London Cupid’s Kiss takes its time to fully develop, but its journey and the bond it forms are deep.

Archery Early 1980s- via Wikipedia

Electimuss London Cupid’s Kiss fires its opening shots with a beautiful bright barrage of a spicy fruity pink pepper with a fresh bergamot dripping from where the sharp arrows hit you. It’s got this rather clever duality where two distinct elements are vying for attention, it’s like two personalities meeting and working out the dance they’re about to do. One side shimmers with a metallic mineralic essence from immortelle, surrounded by gentle woods, while a generous amount of pink pepper adds a dry, sandy sensation. The other side is soft, creamy and alluring thanks to the orris LMR that gives a powdery cacao kiss whispering of a peach sweetness. Slowly the orris starts to lean into the more floral aspects of its partner immortelle, letting it crack a little sweet smile.

The two elements in Cupid’s Kiss move back and forth, working out their groove, finding their own rhythm, letting their elements rise up and down like waves. That delicious chocolate orris flows over peppery spices each taking the lead at various points. As you delve deeper, you encounter powerful textured suede that manages to be both tough and sensual. It’s a rugged spice embraced by a musky orris woody smoothness, as if the suede and spice are coming together in a passionate tango. As the base notes slowly emerges a musky and smoky quality rises, while a creamy soft sandalwood incense smoke delicately wraps around the fragrance. Just like a pearl, love takes time to form. It starts with a little irritation, like a grain of sand in an oyster’s soft insides. That lingering thought of someone you can’t shake, it’s a sign that you truly care and love them. Over time, these opposing elements come together to create something beautiful, just like the juxtaposition of forces that form a pearl.

Oyster and Pearls via Wikipedia

The deep dry down of Electimuss London Cupid’s Kiss is where love is formed as everything melds into a soft creamy woody haze that’s almost Zen like with a gentle resinous smoke from labdanum, that spicy pink pepper’s sharpness turns almost guaiac wood like adding to the gentle smokiness with a slight earthy feel, picking out facets of immortelle more spiced earthy side. While it’s sweeter facets give a subtle candied maple syrup whisper, like it’s lightly glazed. But it’s the orris and oud suede with creamy sandalwood that steals the show. The orris’ more chocolate facets have faded, giving more of a smooth creaminess intensified by the sandalwood with the warm spiced smoke just lingering over the top, like a think layer of silk over this creamy flesh, immortelles subtle funk is edged forward with a softly sensual animalic feel from the oud.

Triumphant Cupid by Caravaggio

It makes me think of white oud, which has this beautiful suede leather feel and Julian Rasquinet is cleverly amplifying these elements with peppery spices giving that sexy texture of suede’s soft nap being slowly rubbed over the orris and sandalwood skin. It’s not overtly animalic, rather gives that furry cosiness in this dreamy abstract way. True love is where you destroy part of yourself, giving over yourself to become one with another. The perfume achieves this deep love at the end of this rather epic journey and this scene of sensual suede love lingers on your skin for hours afterwards. Cupid’s Kiss has formed this beautiful creamy smooth pearl from that first peppery yet smooth opening, as two become one.

Notes: Pepper pink C02 LMR, Bergamot Oil, Orris resinoid LMR, Immortelle abs Balkans LMR, Labdanum resinoid LMR, Oud oil LMR, Sandalwood Oil New Caledonia LMR, Suede accord.

J Wearescentient, Senior Contributor, artist and olfactive writer.

Disclaimer: Electimuss London Cupid’s Kiss was kindly sent to me for review; nose and opinions are my own.

J’s image of Electimuss London’s Cupid’s Kiss

Thanks to Electimuss London we have a 100ml bottle of Cupid’s Kiss for one registered reader in the UK, EU and USA. Please be sure to register! To be eligible for the draw, please tell us where you live, what appeals to you about J’s review of Electimuss London Cupid’s Kiss, where you live and when Cupid’s arrow has struck you. Draw closes 4/6/2024.

Enjoy Julien Rasquinet’s path to becoming a perfumer in our Young Perfumer Series and to have your comment count twice please select a quote from his essay and add that to your comment. You can read it here.

Please read Karl’s review of Aquila Absolute and Vanilla Edesia and his Esxence 2023 report here. Electimuss London Cupid Kiss was a favorite in Lauryn’s 2024 Esxence overview

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