Tackling the Classics: Jicky by Guerlain

For the last of the lavender series I am focusing on one of the monumental classics of the perfume industry and also one of the few fougere scents that has been marketed to women and is frequently loved by men: Jicky by Guerlain. Whenever anyone says they want a lavender perfume, Jicky is almost always one of the first ones recommended.

So I have worn this classic the last few years and I will start with a warning: Jicky is a mercurial creature. Jicky can be the most relaxing cozy musky lavender vanilla scent and then well on the bad days it can be a monstrosity of musky indoles that lasts for about an hour luckily it will calm down but that first hour when it is bad is hard. I suppose Jicky is the classic example for me of perfumes with a bad note that smell good eventually they are the ultimate "Wait for it!" of scents but the payoff is always sublime the calming down of the beginning becoming something absurdly relaxed and lush. For me Jicky is a somewhat voluptious scent it is curvy and easy, I find it amusing that the imagery Guerlain uses for this scent is frequently a rather erudite modern woman which I suppose at the time of creation it might have fit that image more, but as times have changed Jicky has suddenly bloomed into a more lush scent, it is about as lush as a lavender scent can be.

The opening features Guerlain's signature candied bergamot note with lavender right beside it and right beside those too is the indolic musk on the good days it remains a dirty musk that will eventually be tempered by the lavender, vanilla, and tonka on bad days it takes over and you hope your colleagues don't notice that is why I frequently wear it on the weekends. Once everyone finds their place in the scent it becomes a lovely lush tranquil scent, the lavender is consistently present but the temperament of it is never harsh. There are accompanying notes but really essentially this scent is a song of bergamot, lavender, musk, vanilla, and sandalwood.

Try if like: Kiehl's Musk, Shalimar, Pour Un Homme de Caron.

Jicky image from http://theblacknarcissus.com/2012/11/16/jicky-by-guerlain-1889/

dress image from http://indulgy.com/post/N5Kq8ww451/late-s-evening-gown#/do/page/1