Moroccan Getaway, Jul et Mad Secrets du Paradis Rouge

Honeymoon should be a special time for all newlyweds. It should be a time only for them, when they can enjoy the time spent with each other. It’s a time to become even more affectionate about the person you love. Honeymoon destinations should be special places, perhaps some exotic & unique locations that could be refered to as little paradise. Since honeymoon is (or should be) a one in a lifetime experience it must be memorable, so that the couple goes back to these moments for many years of their marriage. If a honeymoon becomes an inspiration for a perfume there is no possibility that it will be a bad one. On the contrary, you can expect something great from it.

When I found out that our favorite couple of niche perfumery: Madalina Stoica-Blanchard and Julien Blanchard will launch a new perfume this year and that it’s inspired by their wedding trip to Morocco, I was very excited to check it out. Those are the origins of Secrets du Paradis Rouge. This new perfume starts with a magnificent orange blossom accord. It truly smells like a feast of tiny white flowers that overflow with happiness. The smell is very pretty – rich and lush in its aroma. It’s entwined with an aromatic juiciness of mandarin, orange & their tart peels.

First whiff of this Jul et Mad is very alluring but it’s just a beginning of the captivating story. Once neroli settles down on your skin it becomes warm as the sunlight on a beautiful day. As this bouquet of white flowers continues to bloom, the composition becomes spicy in a very mild way when clove note joins the composition. Its presence is noticeable thanks to a distinctive sweetness entwined with tingly spicy sensation. This spiciness has some sparkling effect to it. When the fragrance spends a little more time on my skin I notice how Secrets du Paradis Rouge evolves.

Lighter neroli accord gradually turns into heavier and more saturated aroma of orange blossom absolute. At this point the new proposal from Jul et Mad unveils a seductive hue of beeswax. Once it lifts up to the top of the composition it adds this incredibly pleasurable charm to the composition. My nose perceives it more as if white petals of orange blossoms were surrounded by the mesmerizing liquid gold of honey. The waxy part is also noticeable but honey is what I seem to smell predominantly. What I love about this part of Secrets du Paradis Rouge is that it becomes carnal in a very sophisticated & elegant way and that honey doesn’t become animalic in the composition.

It is 2-3 hours later when precious Damascus rose joins the perfume. It attracts attention with its bright pink petals and its heart that effuses a beautiful scent. Rose is very stylish in here, bringing a lot of glamour as it enters the stage. It might not be very strong note because it’s neroli & orange blossom duet that are main actors of Jul et Mad Secrets du Paradis Rouge. Yet it’s strong enough to peek through. Not to mention that this Damask rose fits perfectly in the structure of the scent and is well-balanced with other ingredients. It smells delightful in every possible way.

After a while the perfume start to show more of its notes that were hidden until now. First of these notes is almond, which adds a milky, cream-like facet that smells bittersweet from the very moment I notice it. Secrets du Paradis Rouge will start to veer a little bit towards a gourmand family. Almond made my mouth water already but when tonka joined the composition it started to get addictive. This perfume is emanating some inner warmth that is hard to explain. Tonka is a little spicy in a cuddly, cashmere-like way. Later vanilla appears – it has a sensual character, being slightly reminiscent of delicious pudding and of something darker at the same time! There is also something powdery to it.

The drydown casts a magic spell on me with its undeniable refinement. It starts with a continued scent of vanilla and tonka that minute after minute becomes a bit more balmy, revealing a precious benzoin accord. It’s lighter at the start and it becomes more dense and heavy in a balsamic way shortly. It’s blended together with a shiny amber that provides extra luminosity. New Jul et Mad also has some patchouli in the drydown – it smells woody and a little bit earthy, in my opinion it adds depth to the composition as well as more dimension. Fluffy musk is like a whipped cream here.

Final touch that frames the entire being of Secrets du Paradis Rouge is Timbersilk. This molecule patented by IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances) is characterized by a woody scent profile that is smooth and velvety, with some qualities of amber and cedar. This description says it all as it really smells this way. It’s a gentle woody facet that co-exists harmoniously with gentle spiciness of tonka and cloves and with a magnificent neroli & orange blossom that are still present after so many hours.

When I first samples Secrets du Paradis Rouge by Jul et Mad I instantly got the association that thanks to the richness of orange blossom and thanks to the sweetness of almond and other ingredients, this perfume smells like a turkish delight. Just like this sweet melts deliciously in your mouth, this perfume melts deliciously on your skin. It’s addictive without calories! And it’s gorgeous. This perfume is another collaboration of Julien and Madalina with perfumer Luca Maffei. This extrait de parfum easily lasts for 12 hours and has a very good sillage. It comes in a 50 ml bottle (luxury coffret or simple box) and as a 5 ml Love Dose mini to try it out. It’s a must try for winter.