Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau

I have been anxiously awaiting my sample of Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau (which translates to Skin Games), and it finally arrived the other day. Created by Christopher Sheldrake, I must admit that my expectations were high; mostly because I love so many Lutens fragrances already.

Notes according to Luckyscent:
Bread note, spices, licorice, apricot, immortelle, sandalwood, woody notes, amber

On opening, I get a distinct rush of verdant forest mingled with a bright candied fruit note, which is absolutely stunning... for a moment. Then, the overwhelming sugary maple syrup effect of the Immortelle eats all in its path. At first, it is a pleasant sweetness, but quickly, I am longing for the note to be removed so that some of the others may come out to play. Here is where the scent stays on me for about twenty minutes.

As the dry down progresses, a sensual skin-musk is being born from the treacly wreckage, and it starts to take on another personality. The longer it sits on my skin, the more pleasant it becomes, and several hours later, I can tease out the woods and amber just a  bit.

In the end, Jeux de Peau is a fragrance I would not buy; it is simply not for me. Something about my body chemistry and the way I interpret fragrance does not agree with wearing maple syrup. I do however, very much enjoy eating it.

Jeux de Peau is available at Luckyscent.com among other places, for $120 for a 50ml bottle.