Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris, photo by The Perfumed Dahlia
It ain’t easy smelling clean.
In fact, smelling “clean” requires a disconcerting amount of time, money, and effort. Starting from the top: any scent of scalp sebum is removed with (scented) shampoo. Any makeup or accumulated oils from the day are scrubbed from face and ears with specialized (and often scented) cleansers and toners. After using (scented) soaps, body washes, or oils in a bath or shower, bacterial activity near sweat glands is neutralized with (scented) deodorants. By the way, using “unscented” products just means they don’t have an obvious scent, not that they are free of fragrance chemicals. Even fragrance-free products may contain ingredients that carry an odor, despite their lack of fragrance chemicals.
Bathtub, photo by Taisila Stupak via Unsplash
The point is this—after all that body odor removal, it isn’t necessarily a “clean” scent of skin that remains. There’s the residual scent of flowers, fruits, or resins from cleansers and the talc smell of deodorant, mingling with clothing that likely retains an odor from (scented) detergents. With multi-fragranced people out in the world acquiring other scents throughout the day, it’s surprisingly difficult to remember the smell of skin untouched by sunscreen, body odor, perfume, or even a recent meal. What does clean skin even smell like?
Iris photo by Michelyn
Even though it is the dried root of the iris, the smell of iris/orris comes across as very clean and fresh. Some people say it smells like violets, suede, powdery makeup, or fresh-baked bread. As Spanish perfumer Ramon Monegal wrote, “It is the most unclassifiable, elegant, beautiful, expensive ingredient there is. The root must be dried for three years before its precious essence can be extracted. But it does not last as much as it costs and making it last is almost… impossible!”
Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris ends up smelling very much like clean, soft skin and it is unexpectedly sensual. Like so many exclusive things that are a combination of expensive and difficult to come by, Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris delivers the suggestion of bare, naked, unscented skin. The effect is both tender and elegant—a quiet luxury. At first, Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris has that buttery, violet-y quality that the iris/orris note often adds to fragrance. On skin, it subtly evolves from that classic iris/orris to a soft and unobtrusive, undefinably “clean” scent. From the violet and/or mimosa, gently floral-leaning opening, Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris becomes more akin to dewdrops as it wears. The unripe raspberry pulls at it first, then the ylang-ylang—both very gently mixing with the buttery iris/orris to add a fresher, aldehydic feel. Like these other notes, the cedar is so balanced within the composition that it just adds structure without calling attention to itself. The blend is delicate and thoughtful. Its projection of clean, soft skin is light but present throughout the day.
Bygone Era photo by Les Anderson via Unsplash
It turns out that smelling clean is achievable, and Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris makes the experience ageless, timeless, and genderless. The Ramon Monegal bottle design is hefty, with a lid that flips open on a hinge and clicks closed—modern, but also reminiscent of a 1950s-era table lighter. The sprayer distributes a perfect dose of fragrance for a full day, and the faceted glass of the bottle catches the light to change the fragrance within from golden to a lighter yellow. Uncomplicated, crisp, and cool, the Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris fragrance itself is elegant and understated. Deceptively simple, Impossibly Iris transcends time and gender in the same manner as the bottle design. Anyone can wear it, because underneath it all, we have bare skin.
Notes: Italian iris cocrete, Egyptian cassie absolute, raspberry, Comoran ylang-ylang, Egyptian jasmine absolute and Virginian cedarwood.
Disclaimer: A bottle of Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris was generously provided for this review by Eden Square, U.S. distributors of Ramon Monegal perfumes. My opinions are my own.
Dalya Azaria, Senior Contributor
Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris, photo by The Perfumed Dahlia
Thanks to the generosity of Ramon Monegal we have a 50 ml bottle of Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris for one registered reader in the U.S. or EU ONLY. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what appeals to you about Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris based on Dalya’s review, whether you have a favorite Ramon Monegal fragrance, and where you live. Draw closes 3/4/2021
Editor’s Note: Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris was a 2014 Fragrance Foundation Finalist for Best Indie Perfume
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