Opus Oils Les Bohemes Flapper and Bootleg

Les Bohemes by Opus Oils is a collection of soliflores inspired by the 1920s speakeasies. These are mixed media fragrances (containing natural and some synthetic ingredients) and they are designed to layer well together.

On paper, Flapper and I should not get on. Flapper is a big, sweet, blowsy floral, and my idea of purgatory is a room that smells of Fracas. There's something about the way that Flapper develops on the skin that leaves me with my nose pressed to my wrist though. It starts with a creamy lemon, a little ginger, then the hypnotic floral heart develops - datura and jasmine flowers. Datura is interesting as a floral - it has the headiness of tuberose but to my nose is much less animalic and more wearable. On my skin, it's sensual without being carnal - more Diana than Venus.

Bootleg is a great vetiver - it's earthy, dark, a little bit salty. It wears very closely to the skin (the listed notes of vetiver, patchouli, amber, tobacco and coffee are all quite basso) and layers well under Flapper to give a smoky earth base to the soaring floral Flapper.

Les Bohemes are available in alcohol or oil; I bought them in oil as it tends to last longer on my dryish skin. They are also available in EDP sprays and a variety of bath and body products.

I love Opus Oils - I like the subversive, decadent, try-anything-at-least-a-dozen-times sensibility. The website is at www.opusoils.com and although they are based in the US they do ship to the UK at a very reasonable price for small items like the fragrances (email for a quote.)