Lalique pour Homme Eau de Parfum (1997)

by: Dr. Marlen Elliot Harrison

This is another in a series of bargain fragrance reviews, scents that may be found online or at discount stores for US $25 or less. Leave a comment below for your chance to receive a sample, shipped anywhere in the world, free!

Summary: Lalique’s first “men’s scent” is arguably its finest—a symphony of vanilla and woods accented with lavender, iris, amber and patchouli. While this scent seemed to cater to a more mature gentleman upon its release, a re-visit almost 20 years later illustrates the timelessness and approachability of Roucel’s composition.

Perfumer: Maurice Roucel

Try this if you like: Lavender and vanilla combos; woody aromas; not-too-sweet ambery vanillas; aromatic woods.

Pros & Cons: A cool bottle, a not too-idiosyncratic aroma, fantastic longevity, and an amazing price—what’s not to love? Definitely one of many vanilla-lavender-amber aromas in the genre and as such, seems a bit familiar. The opening can be a little challenging as the herbal lavender/rosemary and citrus notes relax. Although it contains vanilla, this is not a gourmand or confectionery vanilla, rather it is a dry, ambery vanilla. Many reviewers find major differences between the EDP and EDT with the EDT offering more citrus and the EDP offering more woods. Additionally, some reviewers find this to be more appropriate for older gentlemen.

Notes: “Bergamot, Rosemary, Mandarin, Lavender, Orris, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Cedar, Amber, Vanilla.” Lalique-Parfums.com. (Note: other sites also include grapefruit and jasmine.)

Reminds me of: Lolita Lempicka L, Gucci Envy for Men, Mauboussin Homme, Mont Blanc Presence Femme, Chanel Pour Monsieur Concentrèe, Colors for Men by Benetton.

Designer’s Description: “A renowned name during the Art Deco movement, Lalique has continued to create exquisite crystal pieces for modern times. In 1926, Rene Lalique began manufacturing satin-finished vases, bowls, and statuettes. Today, his fine tradition endures with themes ranging from classical forms to ultramodern designs. This first Lalique masculine fragrance embodies elegance and timelessness. An olfactory composition, combining fresh top notes with chic, comfortable dry down notes. Top and base are linked by floral, woody transparent heart notes.”—NeimanMarcus.com

Lalique Pour Homme Collector's Editions: Panthère, 2004; Skorpios, 2010

Number of times tested: 220+ times over the last 20 years.

Number of sprays applied for this review: Two sprays to the back of my hand from a 2011 EDP bottle I purchased.

Fragrance strength: Eau de Parfum

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex) While all the key players are present from the start, there is still an interesting progression of notes from citrus and herbs, to dry vanilla, to mossy woods.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) Always impressive; I get around 8-10 hours from only two sprays.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) Though I’ve worn this one quite a bit, no one has ever inquired or commented. This leads me to believe that the sillage is reserved here.

Note about the packaging: A simple squared glass bottle with curving lines and a lion’s head in frosted relief at the back that has a gold cap that looks like a cog. The bottle is housed in a silver and gold paper box. There is no difference in appearance between the EDT and EDP.

Where can I buy it? 100 ml EDP spray testers are as low as $22 USD on Ebay.

The Bottom Line: I had been working at Nordstrom for Fendi when Lalique pour Homme launched in ’97, just a year before the sadly missed Gucci Envy for Men and just a few years after the still notorious Le Male and A*men. I dare say that Roucel kicked off a trend with LPH, a re-visit to the classic woody fougères of the past with scents such as Pi, Must Homme, Allure Homme, Nemo, S.T. Dupont, etc. all launching within the subsequent years. For a time, it seemed every men’s release was some variation of woods, lavender and vanilla/amber. As someone who counts vanilla and sandalwood as two favorite notes, I was thrilled. However, some scents have stayed in my collection longer than others.

Must de Cartier for Men, Pi by Givenchy and Lalique pour Homme. Those are my three “masculine vanilla” staples. Must offers ginger and cinnamon while Pi’s vanilla is accented with almond and benzoin. By comparison, Lalique’s vanilla is dustier, more citrusy, and very very woody; I appreciate the lemony freshness at top that eventually gives way to the more herbal heart set against the vanillic woods and mosses. Lalique is far less sweet or gourmand than the other two; perhaps this aspect of LPH is what leads some reviewers to suggest the scent as being suitable for an older gentleman?

Quick note: Be careful when shopping as there are actually three fragrances named Lalique pour Homme! This first scent is Le Lion while the other two are Le Faune (2000) and Equus (2001); the packaging fails to provide the animal names so one must check the animal image on box/bottle. They are all three very different scents and composed by different perfumers.

Now, I am going to offer an observation that will no doubt cause some discussion. To me, LPH (especially in EDP form) feels like it could have been the male counterpart to Guerlain’s Shalimar … that is, if we buy into the socially constructed notions of gender and scent. I also thought of a Shalimar pour Homme when first experiencing de Nicolaï’s New York. But I digress. If you haven’t already figured out who Maurice Roucel (left) is and why he has earned his rock start status in the international world of perfumery, LPH is a safe and affordable place to start. Now, Monsieur Roucel, oh how I would love a pure parfum version of LPH ….

Image of Maurice Roucel: Guillaume Luisetti