DRIES VAN NOTEN
Sur Ma Peau
2022
PERFUMER
QUENTIN BISCH
Bergamot
Mandarin
Vetiver
Orange Blossom
Vanilla bean
benzoin
Tonka Bean
“I wanted a big contrast between two strong sensations: bursting freshness versus pure, sensual addiction. In Sur Ma Peau, the warm facet of vanilla meets the sensual texture of tonka under a burst of citrus. Bergamot, full of zest, with a tear of benzoin, a precious resin sourced responsibly in the mountains of Laos, play against one another: as benzoin melts on the skin, it’s illuminated by the extreme backlight of citrus.”
— Quentin Bisch
Sur Ma Peau as an interesting Dries van Notes and arguably better than most of the EDP collection. It’s also priced much better, although unfortunately this one only comes in a 200ml.
The first time I sprayed this, I wasn’t really actively paying attention to what I was smelling. It was refreshing, at times vanillic, but mostly bright and I found it leaning traditionally feminine quite far.
The second time around, I paid more attention and was surprised to get a strong sort of sweatiness from the opening. There is at the time of writing 1 Fragrantica review and that also mentioned an ‘animalic note’. To me, it’s closest to cumin, but it’s fresher, more floral or vegetal, like a spicy rhubarb maybe. However, it’s kept in check with the balance of the soft, vanillic sweetness.
Yet, despite those two facets, it remains fresh. The mandarin is quite prominent to me, albeit more watery than full on thick mandarin and there’s a green, stemmy floral to my nose. Orange blossom is on one hand clearly noticeable, but I haven’t smelled one this… tangy, fierce. Neroli can get a bit animalic, so perhaps this is the first time I’m consciously looking at orange blossom in this manner.
On this wear, I also didn’t find it leaning particularly feminine (nor masculine). I wasn’t overly impressed with the Dries van Noten EDP line at all, but this EDT has kept me on my toes and I’ll need to revisit it at some point in the future, as well as trying its companion, Orange Smoke.
