Sylvaine Delacourte Helicriss (Sylvaine Delacourte) 2016 ~New Fragrance Review + Solar Eclipse 2017 Draw

ednacarlastradioto.com (Helios and Selene)

In October 2016 Sylvaine Delacourte, former Director of Fragrance Evaluation and Development for Guerlain, launched her eponymous perfumery, Sylvaine Delacourte. Her first offering,  La Collection Muscs, presents five elegant, fresh interpretations of musk. Celebrating today’s solar eclipse in the USA, I am particularly drawn to Helicriss, a perfume that contrasts the sweet, bright, dry qualities of Helichrysum, manifested as Helios the sun, against the silvery, dark, musky shadows of Selene, the moon.

Unknown Artist 

My first impression of Helicriss shines as a vibrant sunny day. For a short time I bask in the discreet and effervescent-sweet aspects of bergamot spiced with a dash of cinnamon and an herbal nuance of rosemary. This Italianate opening soon warms as rays of the dusty, honeyed-straw of Helichrysum – the Immortelle flower – fill the summer air.  At about five minutes a shadow, a penumbra of scent, begins to cover the Immortelle blend; a silver twilight of musk, patchouli and frankincense obscure the bright face of the sun.

Clytie by Frederic, Lord Leighton

At the very moment when the sunny top notes disappear and the inner shadow seems to prevail, a corona of tangy grapefruit, lemon and the same honeyed Immortelle, combine to create a gossamer halo around the musky, fragrant umbra.  While the corona of a total solar eclipse can only be seen for a few minutes at most, the bright citrus and floral aura surrounding the musk of Helicriss lasts for hours. Eventually the sun of Helicriss is born again, slightly darker and more serious, lingering for several more hours as a breath of Helichrysum, rich Tonka bean and of course, white musk.

Photo: Gail 's porch at 10:30 PST;  the solar  eclipse creating elliptic shadows on the chair through the leaves

August 21, 2017’s total eclipse appeared here in the Pacific Northwest, following a path through the state of Oregon.

ednacarlastradioto.com (Helios and Selene)

I was wearing Sylvaine Delacourte Helicriss to celebrate the rare embrace of Helios and Selene, the disappearance and the return of the sun.

Notes: Bergamot, cinnamon, rosemary, grapefruit, lemon, Tonka bean, Immortelle, patchouli, frankincense and musk.

I would like to thank Indigo Perfumery  for the beautiful La Collection Muscs discovery kit.  My opinions are my own.

~Gail Gross,  Editor

Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief  

Please read Robert Herrmann’s review of Sylvaine Delacourte Florentina here.

Helicriss tableau courtesy of Indigo Perfumery

Thanks to the generosity of Indigo Perfumery we have one 100ml bottle of Helicriss for one registered reader  in the, USA. Be sure to register or your comment will not count. To be eligible let us know what you liked about Gail's review and if you have a favorite fragrance from La Collection Muscs. Also please tell us where you live in the US and  if you saw the total eclipse of the sun on August 21st. Draw closes August 25, 2017

Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebon @azarsmith7 @indigoperfumery and @sylvainedelacourte

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

 

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19 comments

  • fazalcheema says:

    This review for Helicriss is approp. timed since it is sunny scent and today was Total Eclipse. Moreover, Gail wore this while watching eclipse. I have not tried any from Muscs collection and I didn’t watch total eclipse. I am in US.

  • Aaron Luke says:

    I Ann really intrigued by this fragrance. The review was also amzing, but, he combination of citruses, spices and immortal surroundig the Helicriss sound so delectable. I really want to win this bad boy.

  • Steve A. says:

    This is one of those rare occurrences (kind of like the eclipse) where I actually have a sample of the fragrance being reviewed. I’d love this full bottle. I have all the Muscs collection samples and Helicriss is my favorite. US

  • BostonScentGuy says:

    I don’t know this line, but do love immortelle (it can go very wrong as a note, but I truly love the smell of the actual flower in person). I’ve been on the lookout for this line, though, and though the musc collection sounded great! I love Gail’s using an immortelle-themed perfume in the context of the eclipse! In the right setting (i.e. El Attarine, in my opinion), helichrysum can indeed give this wonderful glowing aura. That final drydown of immortelle, tonka, and white musk sounds great! I did not see the eclipse, sadly, but have enjoyed seeing it being debriefed on social media. Thanks for the draw! I’m in the US.

  • ntabassum92 says:

    Awesome review combining current events with a wonderful perfume! I really like Lilylang from the collection. I am in CA atm, so did not see the total eclipse – but I appreciated the weaker sun!

  • Diana D says:

    I really enjoyed your review in using the eclipse as your comparison. I particularly liked this quote –

    ” While the corona of a total solar eclipse can only be seen for a few minutes at most, the bright citrus and floral aura surrounding the musk of Helicriss lasts for hours.”

    The fragrance sounds beautiful! I am not familiar with this fragrance house, so I’d be especially interested in trying it.

    I live in New York, so the eclipse was not that visible here. But I did watch the live coverage on MSNBC.

  • Patty P says:

    I didn’t see the eclipse, but I love the note of the immortelle flower. From this must collection I have enjoyed wearing the Smeraldo. 🙂
    u.s.a.

  • Corte says:

    I missed the eclipse as I was working but saw so many great shots on Instagram. I live in Delaware. I am a fan of Florentina and have not tried Helicriss. I think immortelle is beautiful when done correctly. I loved the art too

  • roxhas1cat says:

    So much new talented, this line must be phenomenal with Sylvainw’s Guerlain background. I lloved the photo of Gail’s porch, super cool. A Corona of grapefruit, great comparison. I live in the Portland/Vancouver metro area. I thought a 99% eclipse would be cool, after seeing the full eclipse on tv, I realized I should have fought the traffic and driven south, oh well. I have not yet smelled this line. Thanks for the review.

  • Tom Schroeder says:

    In Gail’s review I particularly like the contrasts between the bright opening with bergamot and light herbal and spice notes with Helichrysum contrasted against a heart of musk, patchouli and frankincense notes. The eclipse provides a great visualization of how this unfolds, albeit given that the actual eclipse occurs much faster. Though yesterday’s eclipse was partial where I live (about 75% here in San Jose, California), I really enjoyed watching this rare occurrence. Such a beautiful world we live in. I am not familiar with La Collection Muscs yet, but eagerly look forward to getting my nose on them, especially given the high regard I have for Guerlain and Sylvaine’s influence.

  • Vahagn says:

    Gail’s review is very nice! Thank you!!! I like happy and sunny fragrances, and I think I’ll like this perfume, because Gail’s described it as sunny perfume.
    I’d tried some of Sylvaine Delacourte fragarnces- beautyful. not so niche- close to luxe perfumes, but with very good quality ingredientes. Unfortunatly, thay seems to me more faminine.
    USA, DE

  • NiceVULady says:

    I’ve enjoyed reading about the juxtaposition of the sun and moon elements in this fragrance. This sounds nuanced and interesting. I was right on the totality path in Charleston, SC, but unfortunately in my part of the city, the sky was completely overcast and we were deluged with rain. I got two glimpses when the eclipse was about a third of the way begun. I don’t own any of La Collection Muscs, so this would be a first. Thanks for the draw. I live on the south eastern coast of the USA

  • Callie888 says:

    It sounds like a wonderful bright fragrance perfect for the end of summer. I haveytried this like before but I would love to try this one. I did not get to see the eclipse since I was working. I’m in the US thanks!

  • Dana U says:

    I enjoyed the comparison of this fragrance with experiencing the eclipse. Experiencing the eclipse in Cleveland, Ohio, was not terribly dramatic, but we will be in the direct line for the next one! The citrus and musk notes sound very appealing to me and I would love to smell this. Thank you for the review and to Indigo Perfumery for the generous draw.

  • girasole638 says:

    This fragrance sounds lovely! I’m always a fan of cinnamon and tonka and have a few favorite immortelle fragrances (Annick Goutal’s Sables and L de Lolita Lempicka come to mind), but this one sounds sunnier and quite a different use of the note. I particularly loved the description of the ‘corona of tangy grapefruit, lemon and the same honeyed Immortelle’ that ‘combine to create a gossamer halo around the musky, fragrant umbra’. Fantastic! I haven’t smelled any of La Collection Muscs, but I did go eclipse-watching on Monday. Unfortunately I don’t live in the path of totality (I’m in New York), but I that didn’t stop me from watching! Thank you for the draw!

  • doveskylark says:

    As I read Gail’s review, I kept thinking about how much fun it is to pick perfumes for life events (like an eclipse). I also loved learning about helichyrysum. I have never heard of that before. The perfume reviews on this website have taught me so much about the natural world. I haven’t tried anything from this line, but Dovana sounds lovely.
    I was traveling abroad so I couldn’t see the eclipse.
    I live in the USA.

  • RoseMacaroon says:

    I live in the SF Bay area where we reliably have clouds, or fog/mist + clouds, til early afternoon so didn’t get to see it at all. I am completely digging the idea of the perfume and the eclipse as parallels, or descriptive of each other. The notes really do sound nice, but it’s the whole bent of the review that is making me lust after a sniff! Thank you so much for the draw, I have no exposure to this line so also would love to change that.
    (In the US, as mentioned! )

  • Patrick Echevarria says:

    Didn’t get to see nor appreciate the eclipse from my side of the US but appreciate how Gail’s review associated and wore this for the eclipse event recently. The fragrance seems wonderful with citruses and spices playing side by side with the honeyed immortelle….Haven’t tried any from the La Collection Musc but would sore love to! San Diego

  • hofken says:

    I liked the poetic imagery of Gail’s review and how she wore Helicriss to “celebrate the rare embrace of Helios and Selene, the disappearance and the return of the sun.” I have not yet had the pleasure of wearing a fragrance from La Collection Muscs. I live in the US and didn’t get a chance to see the total eclipse of the sun.