When I find myself reaching day after day for a sample vial of perfume, revelling in its scent yet almost afraid that I will one day spritz the sample vial and find it empty; when I feel uplifted with just a sniff of the fragrance that stays on me almost all day, changing its scent throughout the day so it never quite smells the same from morning to night.
When I come across a scent like this, I want the full size bottle, dammit! 😛
The one that has me feeling this way is the new Diptyque l’Eau du Trente-Quatre or the new Water 34 fragrance. This is a new scent that is a fresh interpretation of the mainstay, 34 Boulevard Saint Germain. I usually gravitate towards heavier, spicier, woody scents but I can’t quite explain why I am so taken with the freshness of this one.
The L’Eau du Trente-Quatre is a 2013 version of the 34 scent and is supposed to be a lighter version, almost made for warmer temperatures, if you ask me. In our hot, tropical weather Water 34 is almost perfect.
It spritzes out very lovely fresh citrus notes described as lemon, verbena, bitter orange and grapefruit. It is so refreshing, as if your senses just took a cool shower. I love the fresh notes that don’t smell too citrusy if you know my meaning. I love the smell of lemons and oranges but I don’t particularly want to walk around smelling like I doused myself in lemonade. I risk smelling like I fell into a vat of dishwashing liquid.
Yet, behind the fresh citrus notes hides a hint of mellow spice represented by lavender and cinnamon, that I think is what attracts me. Remember I said I love spicy scents? Well L’Eau du Trente-Quatre on me settles down to a slightly warmer scent with that hint of spice in the air and a touch of green offered by the birch tree leaf. It smells almost as if I have just taken a fresh shower!
It doesn’t smell soapy, if that’s what you’re wondering, but it does make me feel refreshed, as if I have just walked out of a shower (Have you been counting how many times I’ve used the word “shower”? 😛 ). It smells… for want of a better word, clean. Yet, there is a lingering powdery, spicy almost musky note that takes me well into the day, developed from the floral geranium and tuberose and resting on a base of cedarwood, patchouli and some incense, enveloping me in its scent. Despite it being an eau de toilette, it lasts me well into a full day. That’s just over 8 hours usually, and I still get the little hint here and there by the time I get home.
Its so complex and I. LOVE. IT! 😀 I just want to keep sniffing myself over and over every time I spritz it on. That didn’t come out right, did it? 😛
I think this is a great scent for when the weather is warming up (or when its hot as it is here) because it gives that wonderful fresh feeling without ever being cloying. I’ve worked out that most sweet, floral or gourmand scents aren’t my thing except some exceptions, and so I have also realised that many women’s scents don’t quite hit that spot for me.
Diptyque on the other hand, seems to fit the niche that my body chemistry and nose gravitates towards. Their scents are for both men and women without segregating them so a man could quite easily wear the same scent I do but yet, could smell quite different due to our different body chemistries. I do find that L’Eau du Trente-Quatre seems a little feminine, but my judgment may be clouded by the fact that I am the one wearing it. Absolutely nothing to stop a man who loves this scent from picking it up as well, and the rather masculine full size packaging does make it a little easier too.
I also personally think that L’Eau du Trente-Quatre is a scent that is potentially a little easier for most people to wear. Not every scent in Diptyque hits the spot because I do find them a little more unique and more niche than most, but this one has a little more mass appeal, I think.
I don’t plan to finish up this sample vial I have. I plan to save it to tote around when I travel, for a comforting, familiar scent. i tried, but the vial is not refillable so icant use it as a travel atomizer. But to fulfil my love for Water 34, I will be picking up the full size bottle. When you fall in love this hard, its worth it 🙂
Here’s something else that I wanted to share with you that I’m truly taken with – the Hourglass Home Diffuser. None of those reed things that collect dust and easily topple over when I’m not careful (yes, I speak from experience). This comes in a few different popular home scents but what I was really taken with, was that it came in 34 Boulevard Saint Germain! EEEKKKSSS! Now I can get my home to smell of this. So naturally, this has gone on my wishlist. Birthday maybe? I better start dropping hints LOL 😛
Fragrances are such personal things that I hesitate to tell you to try this one but if you do have a Diptyque counter near you, do take a sniff and have a little spray on your skin. Then, tell me if it captivates you as much as it has me 🙂
Have you smelled this new Diptyque L’eau du Trente-Quatre? Do you have a scent that you’ve fallen in love from just a sample?
As I’ve said above, I’ve found that Diptyque scents suit me, my skin and my personality better than other more feminine brands/scents so I’m planning to learn a little more about the perfumes they have and see what else I like. If you can’t pronounce it, just ask for Water 34 so the people at Diptyque know you want this version and not the original 34 Boulevard Saint Germain 🙂
Paris B
Diptyque L’Eau du Trente-Quatre (Water 34) Eau de Toilette Price: RM369/50ml; RM469/100ml Availability: Ken’s Apothecary at Empire Shopping Gallery and Bangsar Village 2, Diptyque pop up store at Bangsar Village 2, Diptyque store at Pavilion KL and counter at Isetan KLCC
Awww, I do love your fragrance posts. When a fragrance works, it just does. It’s one of those things that I fail to explain (I’m just not eloquent). I’ll hop over to try this later today just for the fun of it 🙂 I love spicier scents in winter. Almost like it is enveloping you in a cocoon of warmth. It’s delicious!
Thanks for the affirmation. I can never do fragrance posts the way the experts do it coz I can never identify anything, just whether I like it or what it reminds me of. I think that’s ultimately what fragrance is all about – how it smells on us and how we like it. Its the most personal of all beauty items I find.
eee i love diptyque fragrance 🙂 I have a sample vial of a 34 but i don’t remember which one. I do like the sound of this one though! 🙂
I found the original 34 a little masculine. Nice, but a bit masculine. This one is a bit more feminine and lighter. If you manage to get a sample, it’ll be nice to know how you like it!
I’ll have to check it out at Mecca. I’m not really a fan of spicy scents but I’m definitely keen on giving this a whiff 😛
As for falling in love with fragrance samples, I’m oddly the other way round! As in I fall in love with the sample but when I finally get the full-sized bottle, I don’t love it as much as I did the sample! Weird right? 😛
I think its a nice balance of sweet and spicy. If you’ve smelled it, I’d love to know how you liked it 🙂 Now you have me worried, Tine! What if I don’t like the full size as much as I loved the sample?! OMG 😛
I love how you explain fragrances because it is quite difficult to articulate it to someone since it is a personal thing. Quite intrigue by this scent and I will try to get a whiff of this the next time I go to Pavilion KL or Isetan KLCC 🙂
Thank you Victoria. Half the time, I’m not sure anyone understands what I’m getting at because as you have said, its such a personal thing! Do take a sniff. Its free anyway to sniff 😉
I bought this in 100ml when it came out here a few months ago! Nice, but it doesn’t last on me. It’s a shame. I am really puzzled. Fragrance never seems to last on me!
Aww maybe what you need is a Eau de Parfum? But then I do find that some scents disappear more quickly than others which is sometimes a bummer but that’s probably what travel sprays are made for 😉
Another way to ask for this perfume is to ask for the ‘white cap’ version LOL I agree this scent comes across as multi faceted.
Would u prefer the original black cap version, that’s spicier!
Ooh good idea about the white cap! 😀 I found the black cap version a bit too masculine which might be why this one appeals to me 😀
You’ve got me intrigued. I love citrusy scents. My first love for my citrusy scent was Lancome’s Aromatonic. It was discontinued and became a love hate affair between me and Lancome. I refused to touch any more Lancome products for years after the discontinuation of this product. Yes, don’t you just hate it when “your” scent became discontinued?
There isn’t a lot of citrus in there Lisa, don’t get your hopes up haha! I used to be a huge fan of Lancome’s Miracle till it was discontinued then I never went back to them again for scents 😛 These days, I gravitate more to niche perfume brands. My nose prefers their more complex, less ‘commercial’ scents 😉
Ooh, I think I sniffed this but Philosykos distracted me away 🙂
That diffuser is awesome! I too have knocked over my reed diffuser before, so I want this! But argh, the price tag is a bit daunting. I might have to settle for the candle instead.
I know lots of people love Philosykos and I know I keep wanting to try it but I fear fig is just too sweet for me. I shall have to take a sniff some time though, just to remind myself 🙂 I too am crying inside over the cost of the diffuser. I think it looks so amazing! I’d love for my house to smell of Water 34! Shall proceed to drop a lot of hints haha! 😉
Being a mango lover, recently I just got myself 3 bottles of Jo Loves mango collection.
My favourite is A Shot Of Oud Over Mango. It started with scent of peeling a ripe mango and follow by an addictive scent of oud wood. Overall the scent is very sexy and intriguing!
Try send an email to the customer service and request some samples 🙂
I have been told that I can get some samples sent of Jo Loves so I might try asking soon! Thanks for the suggestion and recommendation. I have generally found Jo Malone a little too sweet in general for my tastes but then, I’m open 😉