Maison Sybarite Amber Gaze with its awards in 2020 via Maison Sybarite©
The Color of a Queen, is this—
The Color of a Sun
At setting—this and Amber. ~ Emily Dickinson
It has come to my attention of late that amber fragrances (beloved over the centuries) seem to be taking a different turn: several are more translucent than their previous labdanum- and styrax-heavy perfumed predecessors.
Maison Sybarite Amber Gaze photo Maison Sybarite©
The new house Maison Sybarite has chosen Master Perfumer Antoine Lie to create a water-based eau de parfum which bridges the aesthetics of contemporary and historical amber-themed perfumes while removing the usual heft one has come to expect from them. He has composed four of the five fragrances that Maison Sybarite have released, and Amber Gaze is among his luxuriously rich offerings. It was recently recognized by Refinery29 in their Beauty Innovator Awards 2020 as its Best Fragrance and here on CaFleureBon as a top ten perfume of 2020.
Antoine Lie courtesy Antoine Lie©
Monsieur Lie is a fascinating perfumer on many levels – not least because of his versatile talent, which he employs while treading the tightrope between edgily outrageous and quirky to more traditionally beautiful fragrances. His Etat Libre d’Orange fragrances – Divin’Enfant, Vierges et Toreros, Rossy de Palma Eau de Protection and Secretions Magnifiques exemplify the marriage of an approach/avoidance theme which is often found in his work; it’s further illustrated in his controversial collaboration with Barbara Herman’s Eris Parfums. This contrasts his exquisitely classical perfumes for Puredistance (Black, Gold, White, Warszawa, Aenotus), celestial Kenzo Parfum d’Été, and lyrical fragrances for Les Indemodables. I was fortunate to receive samples of the Maison Sybarite line recently – and each of Mssr. Lie’s perfumes are elegant, evocative and wearable. They are remarkable for their tenacity and longevity; another plus is the fact that water-based perfumes are far easier to mail worldwide than alcohol-based ones due to safety restrictions regarding ‘inflammable materials’.
Amber Gaze photo courtesy Maison Sybarite©
In Maison Sybarite Amber Gaze, Antoine Lie has created a culinary floral amber, a prime example of weightless volupté. The ageless sensuality of amber lifts its baroque velvet veil and reveals a gauzier, more diaphanous visage. Our initial impression is one of floral gaiety; jasmine and tuberose smell creamy rather than indolic – and the violet tones are freshly verdant. Felicitous florals masquerade as muses, and this portion of the aromatic journey is one I could enjoy over and over again, it’s so joyous. Enter the pâtissier: the piquant warmth of nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom impart notes of spicy intrigue accented by pink pepper. Vanilla wouldn’t dream of missing the party as she enters on tiptoe, trailing a woody component behind her which presages the sandalwood to follow. This sweet woodiness is amplified by labdanum’s piney resinous balsamic tones, wine-tinted, subtly floral and delicately reminiscent of leather (in this particular rendering). Aged patchouli contributes a downy earthiness; tolu hints at cinnamon, flowers, caramel and vanilla. Amber Gaze bestows the downy comfort of a featherbed wreathed in blossoms and spice, one that has lain in a sandalwood traveling trunk. You shake it out and envelop yourself in it with a satisfied sigh. There is never a sense of overstatement – rather, the comfort of culinary gourmandise and a beautiful bouquet embedded in precious wood. A sustained tenderness which feels airy and substantive.
Notes: jasmin, tuberose, violet, cardamom, pink pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, labdanum, sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli, tolu
Samples generously provided by Indigo Perfumery – many thanks. They are gorgeous. My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Senior and Natural Perfumery Editor
Maison Sybarite Amber Gaze photo Maison Sybarite©
Thanks to the generosity of Maison Sybarite, ÇaFleureBon has a 75 ml bottle of Amber Gaze for one registered reader residing in the USA, UK, and EU. To be eligible for the draw, please leave a comment about what aspect of Ida’s review inspired your interest in this fragrance, and let us know where you live. Draw closes 1/17/2021
Note: Editor dana sandu chose Maison Sybarite Amber Gaze as a Best 2020 as well. In addition, Maison Sybarite 720 was dana’s favorite winter perfume for 2020
Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebon @idameister @maison.sybarite @antoinelieolfactiveexperience
This is our Privacy and Draw Rules Policy.
We announce the winners only on our site and on our Facebook page, so like Çafleurebon and use our blog feed… or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.