Joy Jean Patou

The aldehydes arrive first with a champagne-like sparkle, immediately accompanied by a rosy peach fuzziness that's unexpectedly tactile and slightly honeyed. Green notes cut through like a knife, sharp enough to prevent the composition from becoming cloying before it's even begun.

As the aldehydes dissipate, the full floral brigade emerges—jasmine and lily of the valley marry with that creamy orris to create an almost powdery, slightly retro quality, whilst the underlying orchid adds waxy sensuality. This is when the composition feels most complete, most intentionally composed, a perfect balance between sweetness and that emerging animalic warmth beneath.

The musk and civet bloom into prominence, wrapping the remaining florals in a distinctly skin-like, intimate embrace that feels almost uncomfortable in its proximity. Sandalwood adds creamy persistence, but the fragrance becomes increasingly whisper-quiet and increasingly personal—more felt than smelled, a faint animalic powder clinging to clothes and hair.