ETAT LIBRE D’ORANGE
STORY OF YOUR LIFE
2024
cistus
davana
benzoin
laurel
orange blossom absolute
brioche accord
rum
cocoa
patchouli
vanilla infusion
vanilla absolute
amber wood
orcanox
‘Some of us have known it, others have yet to experience it, but we are all waiting or looking for it. It will come. “I often have this strange, penetrating dream,” we whisper in the warm, enveloping caramel arms of and the sweet, ripe fruitiness of . There is a vague but strong hope, nurtured alone on a blanket of yesteryear, when the hope, the dream, becomes reality, when the meeting takes place, at last, and everything makes sense. This is a home, a haven, a shelter. Words fail us, but our souls speak to each other in complete transparency. Our ancient hearts find their way back together. I already know you, we say. From our first morning of buttered bread and orange blossom, savored in laurels of yesterday. We soar, intoxicated, high on rum, infused with vanilla and cocoa. Full of that body, the feeling we want to devour. On the pillow, we leave our signature, the bare skin effect of orcanox, the undress of amber woods and patchouli. We’ll meet again tonight, tomorrow or in another life. True love is eternal beginning again.’ – Twisted Lily
Story Of Your Life is a bit of an odd one for Etat Libre D’Orange, because of how not odd it is. Definitely the type of gourmand that is following the 2023-2024 hype and trends, which I find a bit sad to see coming from a house as eccentric as Etat Libre D’Orange often is. And it’s a bit late on the trend too, making this fragrance cozy and comfortable enough, but ultimately generic and underwhelming.
Quickly into the wear you realize, that Story Of Your Life isn’t going to go in an interesting direction. Fine, parked that. But frankly, it doesn’t really ‘hit the spot’ as a more basic gourmand for me either. I don’t get a strong sense of ‘brioche’, of buttered bread, or pastry that I was hoping for given the notes and description. It has the roasted, popcorn-esque airy vibe, which goes more woody, than remaining gourmand. Like it wants to be gourmand really bad, but up close, there’s a harsher woodier aspect. It’s 50% of the way there for me and there are many better options.
I even get a bit of suede or leather from Story Of Your Life; reminding me of cashmeran. It’s not so prominent that it takes away any of the coziness, but it does distract a bit from it. Furthermore, there is a ‘perfume-y’ side to this composition in the opening. It doesn’t straight up mirror (edible) real life items, it smells like a perfume, and it adds a slightly more feminine leaning tinge in comparison to a lot of these types of pastry / chocolate / coffee gourmands. This fades after a while. On first wear, I can’t say I got the ‘bare skin’ effect to any degree and the booziness is understated.
That being said, if you like the scent, it seems well-constructed and while I was underwhelmed a bit by the opening, at least it holds up for the entire wear, which is not a given with a lot of sugary sweet gourmands. It’s mostly linear and for me, but you keep the mix of somewhat gourmand, sugary, woods for many hours. Longevity is great and it doesn’t become a straight up sugar or vanilla skin scent. The texture is nothing to write home about for me, but it doesn’t get harsher as it goes on.
It’s not a bad or unpleasant scent. It feels like a one trick pony, at the level of a Fugazzi Vanilla Haze, maybe a D’Orsay Tonka Hysteria at best. Not on par with the somewhat similar feeling Kilian Old Fashioned for me and for pastry, I’ll pick Versatile Croissant Cafe for example or Teo Cabanel Cafe Cabanel for lactonic. I may be a bit harsh on it, because perhaps most importantly, Story Of Your Life doesn’t feel like an Etat Libre D’Orange with conviction. You’re better than that Etat Libre D’Orange.
