All too often we salute the brash and loud but more often it is the delicate and soft which leave the deeper impression. What is said loudly, and to many, is probably not as impactful as the words whispered into a single ear. Even in perfume it is often the powerhouse notes which everyone recognizes and categorizes a fragrance by. As I wore the latest creation by Alexandra Balahoutis for her Strange Invisible Perfumes line called Likewise I was reminded that perfume can also whisper and in that olfactory susurrus be completely unforgettable. 

Ms. Balahoutis named her perfume after a “shy yet amorous reply to a declaration of love or devotion.” As a brief that actually describes Likewise pretty well as it has a shy unobtrusive quality about it but there is also a depth to this wallflower. As always Ms. Balahoutis’ devotion to making all natural botanical perfumes adds sense of purpose and emotion to all of her perfumes. In Likewise the necessity to turn some of perfumery’s biggest extroverts into team players shows how precise she has become in her use of these all natural raw materials. Likewise is a perfume which I think would fall apart if there was one of the notes in it missing as it has a quiet intricacy maybe only found in the best botanical perfumes. 

Likewise begins with grapefruit, ginger and neroli. The grapefruit and neroli are kept in balance with the ginger and this group of notes create an unusually tentative beginning like the perfume is having trouble getting its ideas out. In the heart those ideas begin to coalesce around a floral core of rose and jasmine with a pinch of ambrette. The base is where Likewise should begin to raise its voice but vetiver, black copal, and vanilla manage to control their exuberance and instead swirl together to create a woody sweet resinous accord. Likewise has average longevity and average sillage. 

I have mentioned recently how much the raw materials used in all natural perfumes seem to impart an extra level of complexity to the perfumes which contain them. It seems as if they contain a vitality that those synthesized in a laboratory do not. There are other perfumes which whisper instead of scream but Likewise whispers with a creative accent that many of those other mixed media fragrances cannot imitate. It makes wearing Likewise a much more emotional experience for me as it feels like it is also a more personal experience.  If Likewise is meant to capture a moment of quiet emotion it does that beautifully. So beautifully it makes me want to proclaim that beauty loudly but instead I will honor the inspiration. So as Likewise speaks to me my answer is…..”likewise”

. Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by Strange Invisible Perfumes.

–Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

Thanks to Strange Invisible Perfumes we have a generous sample of Likewise , which is only available at the  SIP Boutique in Venice, CA to giveaway to one US reader. To be eligible leave a comment on your favorite Strange Invisible Perfumes fragrance or what  your reaction would be if you said I love to your beloved and they answered Likewise. The draw will close on June 4, 2013.

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