Description
Website Luckyscent.com marks the tenth anniversary of its existence with the Decennial exclusive collection of four fragrances dedicated to the city of Los Angeles. Each of the four fragrances reflects a part of this city.
Lys du Desert symbolizes the natural environment of the city, which would consist only of sand and desert lilies was there not human intervention. It opens with a brief wave of green freshness, followed by fresh green lily and rose, wrapped in dry desert notes of cistrose, orris root, ambergris and dried cedar. The composition is signed by Andy Tauer.
The fragrances are available as 75 ml Eau de Parfum.
Lys du Desert was launched in 2012.
TheSkull – :
Opens with potent ambergris and boozy woods which gives way to a clean powdery lily, backed by the still potent ambergris. There’s something about the clean and powdery floral mixed with the dirty musky ambergris that feels unsettling instead of a nice contrast, and I’m not sure why. Maybe if the lily had been a fresher, greener one like Lys Mediterrane, it would have paired better with the salty dirtiness of ambergris. Not the scent for me. Mild dislike.
paula – :
Again.. Knize Ten meets LADDM.
belkiska – :
Unless Lucky Scent messed up, I see a Knize Ten connection here…
Edit 1
It’s Knize Ten until it does down into a typical Tauer base ala LADDM. Super stoked. Two of my faves in one.
pubochka – :
-Come on, it’s getting late.
-Gimme a couple of minutes. I wanna savour this dazzling mixture a little longer.
-What dazzling mixture?
-The one created by sand, sunscreen, iodine, sweat and brine…
-Are you nuts? It’s been a week since we’ve returned from the island! We’re in the middle of the city!
-Then why do I smell it?
-Because I’m wearing it!
Most Greeks and everyone who has spent a single summer day in a crowded Greek beach, will know exactly what I’m talking about…
digorec77 – :
Just to crystallize exactly what is going on here, Lys du Desert is a culmination of two fragrances for me and was probably created with their popularity in mind.
I’m a keen lover of dance music, specifically Drum n Bass and this sort of thing reminds me of the remix culture in dance music. The art of refreshing or more aptly in this case, sometimes an artist has two tracks that adhere to a very particular sound. Then then make a mash up of these two tracks which then becomes its own entity. This is exactly what has happened here.
hmmmmm…I wonder if you can tell from the name?
Yes it’s …L’air du Desert Marocain crossed with another Tauer perfume L’eau D’epices. This mixture effectively creates the smell of Creed Royal English Leather or Knize Ten.
And I’ve only just (this minute as I write this) noticed the perfumer responsible is Andy Tauer….How silly of me for not realizing!
Kind of destroys the idea that Luckyscent really worked hard to create a perfume to ‘Represent LA’. I know a lot of these briefs are meaningless when you like the fragrance (and I do) but I kinda enjoy the romantic idea that perfumery is art and as such the artists actually try to give their craft some meaning.
Quite simply the top notes are a spicy waft of creamy warm spices of LDDM then it turns into the sweet ambergris of L’eau D’epices. Then the drydown sort of seesaws between them becoming an exact mixture of those two elements, heavy intoxicating amber then slightly floral and light breeziness.
I’ll be honest…It’s wonderful.
I wasn’t quite convinced by L’eau epices but this reigns that accord back a little and becomes more like Tauers other creations.
Real quality, Good subtle sillage, strong but not intrusive and expected longevity. If you like Tauer and the two aforementioned scents then you can’t go wrong with this one.
ReahLiaigue – :
I smelled Lys du Désert when it was first released and not long after I first sampled Orange Star. The similarities seemed apparent. The salty, umami ambergris note in Orange Star radiates from Lys du Désert as well. The two also share a mid-range sweetness, not sugary, not resinous. Mmmmm… Candied Skin™. The real point of comparison, though, is the mood. Both have a tidal quality, ebbing and flowing almost imperceptibly.
The first scent of each is thick and enveloping. It’s blanketing, and fills your nose and upper respiratory tract the way a drop of oil on paper infuses and becomes part of the paper’s structure. Both Lys and Orange Star play a bit of hide and seek. They seem to disappear or fade about 15 minutes after I apply them. Soon, whiffs of the perfume return, strong in scent but elusive in location. Is it still on my wrist? Is it just behind me? Is it somewhere else in the room? Or has it, as with the oil on paper, somehow become a part of my respiratory tract and my sense of it is internal?
The other shoe dropped for me when I smelled Lys du Désert again after having tried Noontide Petals. Lys du Désert is the bridge from Orange Star to Noontide Petals, and makes perfect sense. Imagine the musky rose of Noontide Petals without aldehyde ‘wings’. Without the lift from the aldehydes, Lys du Désert doesn’t sing with quite the angelic range (read: castrati soprani) of Noontide Petals. Not one whit less beautiful, desert Lily is more of an Earth Angel.
LuckyScent were lucky indeed to get this fragrance. I don’t mean any disrespect in pointing out the similarities of these perfumes. Art deserves to be discussed in terms of an artist’s body of work, and a perfume resembling its immediate predecessor as well as the one that would eventually follow it is the sign of a creative mind bubbling away. And though Andy Tauer doesn’t seem the type to spike the ball after a touchdown, three winners in a row is nothing to sneeze at.
I’m not a perfumer, and I’m not versed in the construction of perfume. I can’t speak to the simplicity or complexity of the construction of any of these perfumes. But as a perfume wearer, I recognize that the the legibility of these perfumes enhances the experience of wearing them. Clarity and intelligibility don’t often equate with effortlessness, and the chance to see how an artist works with ideas he’s honed to their essentials is a pleasure.
zsd038elipseskism – :
It’s brilliant,how did he create the desert feel.
Only fro the reviews I understood its Andy T. Creation,I have only sampled Zeta so I have no reference.
I am transported to Eilat,a city in the Desert of Israel,memories of a Yoga retreat,
very dry air and a sweetness of flowers,
I like it,although I could where it only in winter when I
want to feel the heat of the desert,
In summer it will be to sweet for me.
Lovely but not a bottle for me,thank you for the experience .
leptMisppiops – :
I knew nothing about the back story or concept creation of this fragrance when I reviewed Lys du Desert.
I always test fragrances blind – literally – usually wearing a first class Qantas mask. I don’t want to be influenced by marketing hype, hue, bottle, brand, story etc. I like to rely solely on my nose and the story it tells me.
First impressions – I was transported to the Middle East, rather than to an LA desert.
Top notes are edible and moreish. Praline and almond halva, cherry cough syrup and vanilla. I also get turkish delight dusted with powder tempered by something warm and dry —cedar! Very different from other reviewer’s impressions.
I love bergamot, but I wasn’t get this note loud and clearly. It was lost in my memories of Moroccan dinner parties. Perhaps masquerading as orange blossom water, hence the halva connection above.
But don’t get me wrong – this is not a fruity, gourmand, sweet fragrance at all.
Lys du Desert is dry, warm and woody with a hint of floral. It is not big and bold, but more a wall-flower fragrance (actually desert flower), which intrigues me as I want to smell more.
As the scent opens up, the journey is gentle and follows a linear path. As it wears on, a musty silk underwear drawer smell I associate with grandma comes through (amber and powder) as does the dry cedar. I find this cozy and comforting.
On my skin, Lys du Desert doesn’t last long. On the tester card, possibly 48 hours. Which is a bummer. Under normal circumstances I would advise against purchasing a scent that lacks longevity. But as I liked the opening so much, I let this rule fly out the window and bought a bottle anyway.
Perfume spraydown: Arid, dusty and softly spoken. Like a silent cowgirl on the range. This fragrance has all the makings of a 9/10. But because of poor longevity and the fact I need to top this baby up every couple of hours, it’s a 6.5/10 from me.
dqp627speagoessenda – :
Andy Tauer this, Andy Tauer that…Lys du desert was a hit and this is the remix. Im not saying that im buying into the hype but i understand. Im not gonna lie to you, most of the notes in the beginning will smell like uncharted territory for some. I can honestly say that my initial reaction was “wow” but in a good way.
dimawpro – :
The same review you read below was from me. I only forgot to log in my account.
Here it is again, this time under my account name…
Lys du Desert Decennial review:
I have no idea what a desert smells like but this beautiful sample given to me by a very kind perfumista outside Fragrantica is a magical journey to my nose.
Upon initial spray, the first wave already Wowed me and my female friend. We were looking at each other, smiling as we both agreed that this has to be better later on as how good it was at first. The green freshness is smooth, no sting of any unwanted note. A beautiful aroma that is strong yet soft, airy, floating, like a serene soul circling around my
radius. A charmer that keeps on bringing my nose to were it settles on my skin.
It smells expensive, luxurious and very natural. This first wave lasted for 5 minutes and as the heart of the fragrance steps in, there enters L’Air Marocain in all its splendour & to some it may smell light but to me, it has a strong projection that is wonderful.
I said to myself,why have I not bought this bottle for $100.00 when it was offered to me by an Ebay seller. Simply because i dont have this sample yet. Now that its gone, i have to be contented with this tiny sample and how lucky the buyer should be now.
The duration of this journey went on to be from heart to base, somewhat linear on my skin, just keeps on going in its softest character. There goes the rosé so lovely with the greens, the mild cedar and maybe some sweetness from the ambergris. It is really a feminine scent yet a little smokiness may enchant a man with class and regal to wear this mild mannered masterpiece that is Decennial.
I was truly marvelled with this perfume as my tiny sample will soon be saying goodbye.
I can only quote little Kirsten Dunst, with her line from the movie Interview with the Vampire:
“I want some More….”.
Hailnora – :
This is my favorite for the “Decennial” series, If you are looking for a toned down “L’air du desert Marocain” Look no further this is a great skin scent, I use it for work, home, or between the sheets (0)(0) in the fall/winter
9/10
SmoodoDiedKep – :
Lys Du Desert is amazing! It is shocking how much it actually smells like the desert. I can’t speak for the smell of Maghreb, but I did live in SoCal awhile and this reminds me of walks in the dusty hills behind Pasadena with the yuccas and powdery yellow clouds poufing up from the ground around every step in the incredible heat. I haven’t been back in awhile and on first whiff of this stuff it transported me right back there. I would have never remembered this smell if it wasn’t for smelling Lys Du Desert.
Smells of dry hot sweetness, of plants so hearty to bake in the heat you smell them like a sage smudge burning. Then there is a muskiness in there, the smell of your own skin baking in the sun as sweat drips down your neck, yet it is all so beautiful. Those incredible few plants that can live there despite the heat, you can smell that and you can smell the blaze of the sun and you can smell yourself in it all. I have the other Decennials but this one is so incredible for me that I just can’t get past it to enjoy the others. Fantastic stuff!
sanek.yura – :
This is yet another masterpiece from the Tauer line. It reminds me of my favorite Tauer, No. 2 but it is a warm, buttery version. I am gravitating towards the cedar freshness but there is something vanilla-like that keeps it contained. This fragrance would be worn when I put on my “glad rags” and step out for a night on the town. Well since a night on the town is out of the question, I will enjoy this when trying to make a good first impression, to lull myself to sleep, or to work proudly sporting my thoughts on my sleeve,
“Eat your hearts out!”
Thank you to my secret swap pal for gifting me a large decant of this fabulous beauty. This is yet another one of Tauer’s Finest!
cri162speagoessenda – :
Yesterday I started getting to know Lys du desert. At first it is dry … That is certain. L’air du desert Marocain is stronger and more lemon/verbena in the opening. Lys stays dry, drier. Do I even have something here except dryness ? Yes, a gentle breeze of something green. Like others have said before me, a soft flowery scent comes forward. Gentle, not a loud voice. This perfume does not sing, it whispers.
In another review, I read the comment that this scent may have been the starting point for another product of Andy Tauer’s creations. I am tempted to agree. I, too, am looking for just a little bit more emphasis of I don’t know exactly what.
The dry down is very pretty. Harmonious and round. Some vanilla, something reassuring. Easy to live with. This is not a loud perfume, one does not get tired of it.
Finally, the remains of the dry down are like a fine soap. Spray on some more, make it really yours … a skin scent.