At least once a day I stand in front of my perfume cupboard and ponder what to wear. Should it be one of the small, fancy bottles of extrait? Maybe an Eau de Toilette that I have pushed to the back and forgotten? How “dressed” do I want to be? When I can’t make a decision quickly, more often than not I reach for Iris 39 by Le Labo.
I love the smell of iris but have trouble with some iris-dominated scents. Hermes Hiris, for instance, turns to dirty hair smell on me before long. Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist, which I love wildly, also betrays me about half the time I wear it. It turns to dirty hair, too. The Different Company Bois d’Iris is lovely while the “bois” — mostly cedar, I think — burns along, but soon the scent soon turns to candied violets on my skin and the fun is gone. Iris 39 has never soured or hair-greased or sweetened on me. It stays earthy, a rich chypre with ginger, lime, and cardamom. It’s easier to wear than an old cashmere cardigan.
I discovered Iris 39 when I was in New York almost a year ago. On my way out of Barney’s after a spritzing binge at the fragrance counter and the newly-opened Le Labo room, a makeup artist at the Shiseido counter stopped me. “What are you wearing?” he said. “You smell divine!” I was wearing everything from Frederic Malle Carnal Flower to Molinard Nirmala. He sniffed his way up and down my arms and said, “There! That’s it!” It was Iris 39.
Eddie Roschi, one of Le Labo’s founders, had helped me that day. He’d described Iris 39 as “elegant”, and the Le Labo website does, too. But I don’t really think of it as elegant, at least not in the traditional way. It doesn’t smell like I imagine a soignée Park Avenue lady to smell, but more like Jane Birkin, or even her daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, might smell. It is earthy, spicy, womanly, and modern. It appreciates Louboutin pumps but wears old cowboy boots just as easily.
Frank Voelkl created Iris 39 in 2006. He also created Colette 3 As 4, an iris scent that is fresh and bracing where Iris 39 smells just dug from the garden. Most recently, he’s the nose behind Sarah Jessica Parker Covet. Le Labo’s website lists Iris 39’s notes as iris, lime, patchouli, rose, ylang ylang, musk, violet, ginger, cardamom, and civet. Of these notes, iris, lime, ginger, and cardamom dominate, and patchouli and musk ground the scent. Bo Jade, the Le Labo assistant who compounded the scent for my bottle, said that Iris 39 has more patchouli than Le Labo Patchouli 24, but I don’t find the patchouli intrusive at all. Of the 29 ingredients that aren’t listed, I definitely pick out the warm, close-to-the-skin buzz of oakmoss and a little bit of sandalwood.
I think Iris 39 has been given short shrift by reviewers of the Le Labo line-up. Everyone seems to want to talk about Le Labo’s Patchouli (which smells like smoke custard on me), or the Labdanum, or the hard-to-get Aldehyde and Tuberose scents. This is all well and fine, but don’t let it dissuade you from trying Iris 39. If you like the earthy originality of Iris Silver Mist but it turns funky on you or you don’t have a connection in Paris to score a bottle, Iris 39 might be just the ticket.
A 50 ml bottle of Le Labo Iris 39 Eau de Parfum is $125. For buying information, see the listing for Le Labo under Perfume Houses.
What a great review! I'm always excited to hear about new fragrances I might not have otherwise tried! I appreciate your honesty in that some scents don't smell good on you. I have that problem with anything jasmine, after about an hour, it just smells dirty.
I'm glad you liked the review! I like hearing about new fragrances, too, although I'm going to need a sugar daddy if I keep this up.
Too bad about jasmine. I like a nice indolic jasmine, but when it decides it doesn't like you, what can you do?
Thank you for sharing some of this with me (I know the Le Labo scents are “no' fo' the thrrrrufty”, as my Scottish grandpa would have brogued.) I don't think it smells as rich on me as it probably does on you (no citrus notes for my skin to seize hold of) but it's an interesting take. Can't say I've loved the Le Labo Patch either, but I've just fallen for Rose 31 – not too summery, though. Ambrette 9 is perfect-o for warmer weather, and I love the boozy and yet sheer unqiueness of it, it's such a gentle and radiant fragrance, but I can't get over the fact that it costs about $3.5 per ml for about 15 minutes of lasting power. I know it was created for babies and mamas, but I think even MJ thinks the lasting power is too short – she carries the atomizer around quite a bit, as if she might need it again.
What do you think about Covet, by the way? I'm finding Volkl to be a really interesting perfumer….
You don't get that lime, woven with the ginger? It's not as piquant as bergamot, but I smell it. I really need to get my hands on samples of Rose and Ambrette, as well as Labdunum, because I was too perfumed-up when I tried them to appreciate them fully. But as you point out, I can't buy any bottles unless I'm willing to forgo heat for the winter.
Your story about MJ is so funny! I hope you're taking photos. It sounds like she is quite serious about her perfume.
I've only smelled a strip in a magazine, but tomorrow I'm going downtown to try to score a few samples, and I'll definitely smell Covet then.
I just like it that he's named Frank. It seems fitting somehow.
How does this compare to Dior Homme and Chanel no. 19, which to me are the two best iris fragrances ?
I was hoping to see you review this fragrance!
I also got spritzed with this at Barney's, and for the first couple of hours, it was spicy, earthy bliss. Following that, the aldehydes in it turned to hot tin and burning plastic on me, and I had to wash it off–exfoliate it off, actually, since it was sticking to my skin tenaciously. Sadly, my body amplifies certain metallic-smelling aldehydes (C-11 and C-13, I have learned) to the point of inducing nausea in myself and others.
Glad it worked out for you, though! Your description is lovely.
I am so glad someone reviewed this finally! This perfume has sent me on an Iris kick, and I'm eager to smell the recently reviewed Prada Iris (although I'm sure they are totally different). My bottle broke on my way home from New York, and without a second thought I forked over the money for a new one. One of my best purchases this year – it is just plain addictive.
I haven't tried Dior Homme yet (I'm ashamed to say–I have to remedy that soon!. Iris 39 is worlds away from Chanel No. 19, which is more aldehydic and ladylike, in my mind. Where No. 19 has that wonderful grassy leather smell, Iris 39 is spicier and dirtier.
Hot tin and burning plastic! How horrible! I'm so sorry it turned bad on you. Can you wear Iris Silver Mist?
I'm so glad to find another fan! It is amazing how different scents can be that purport to be iris-based. Iris seems to be amazingly versatile, smelling pretty, earthy, dirty, or just plain weird. Gotta love it.
Ah well, you win a few and you lose a few. At least it can be washed off!
I have not tried Iris Silver Mist, but Robin's description of it as having a “metallic buzz” sets off my tinny aldehyde alarm. I'll try it if for some reason I run into it in Paris, but I'm not going to seek it out!
Good point. Too bad perfume doesn't have listings for the aldehydes that you mention–it sure would make sampling easier for you.
I decided to break into my sample of this, because of this article.
Disclaimer: Most iris notes bother me (Dior Homme is too makeup bag; Hiris is too powdery) but Iris 39 I could love. Very nice and I got a compliment on it the first ferw minutes when I arrived in the office. Always nice, isn't it?
Yes, had never paid attention to Voekl until this scent (and well, I'm interested in smelling Covet) because frankly I hate Kenneth Cole scents and he's done a few of them I see…
I get just a little lime (not lime-y buy any means) and absolutely NO ginger. But I can see how this has more patchouli than P24 does. I get that!
My LL faves are def Rose 31 and Neroli 36…I might be adding Iris 39 to the list!
No ginger! I get lots of ginger and cardamom. Skin chemistry really is a wildcard. I'm glad this iris works for you, though. I still need to spend more time digging around in the Le Labo lineup.
Couldn't agree more! Iris with its methylionone components has many facets. In the hand of capable perfumers it apparently helps to create an attractive, sometimes voluptous body which can be dressed in many ways. On an axis from dry to sweet, I am familiar with these well-made “dresses”: the chilly Iris Gris (Fath, Osmotheque), the unadulterated rooty and mysterious Iris Siver Mist (Lutens), the young, fresh and herby, yet lovely (Bretagne!) Homme de Coeur (Divine), more in the middle the elegant lady-like Hiris (Hermes), the already warm and soft, flowery and well-rounded Bois d'Iris (TDC) (too bad, iris flowers do not have this smell!) and more on the other end, the stately, lush and opulent shimmering beauty Iris Poudre (Malle) and finally, the cocooning and addictive Iris 39 (Le Labo). They all share that attractive Iris core. Who wouldn’t like to step right in? I must admit I like them all and do not encounter any “dirty” nuances.
So beautifully expressed! And you obviously know quite a lot about perfume and iris. Your comment makes me want to put a little of each of these iris scents on right now. I'll never be able to spritz on Iris 39 now without thinking of your wonderful “cocooning and addictive” description.
Amazing and insanely beautiful iris fragrance, recently have had the luck to receive a sample of this. I often have the problem with niche that they are too simplified and linear and do not last long, even TC I would prefer to be more criminal, however, contrary to some other opinions, I find Iris 39 to be slightly aggressive, very deep and leaning towards heady, having contrast with the animalic notes I love and adding other florals I also really love, can definitely detect the violet as others have stated too but still Iris dominant, very clean but captivating and mesmerizing, lasts and lasts too, great sillage. I want to try wearing this one day but probably not in minus 10 degree weather and then I think will pull the trigger on ordering this. I love florals but faceted florals and I find that I tend to wear florals in the spring and summer.
I love the moss in Iris 39, and I love its ginger, too. I’m glad you found it! It’s a wonderful springtime fragrance.
Well, I received a sample of it (among others) thanks to a really kind member at basenotes I love that it smells sort of dirty to me, earthy dirty but yet definitely an iris, my sort of a flower fume, agree about the moss and ginger, this was instant love, will play with it over the weekend. Are there other Le Labos you like Angela? Thinking of ordering a few of the 5mls too from the company if there are other good ones to consider. Thought of Labdanum because my love of animalic notes, could be good in cold weather. I have no idea how good the jasmine and neroli are but might be worth considering. I would like some nice flowers for the spring.
I really like some of the city-specific Le Labos, but I’m not sure how easy (or hard) it is to get samples of them. The Gaiac Wood, Vanilla, and Aldehydes fragrances are wonderful, I think. I haven’t tried Neroli and jasmine for so long I can’t comment!
Thank you, those must be hard to get, I also heard that the Tuberose was really nice. They are interesting fumes, I do think they make nice ones.
I just discovered Iris 39 from a le labo discovery set , and was happy to find your review, Angela. I didn’t expect it to be my fave from the discovery and upon first sniffs, it certainly wasn’t- did not impress me right out the bottle, but then something happened, and I kept smelling on self and thought, what is that? surely, it’s not the Iris 39..but it was! I have read so many reviews where it’s described as “soapy” but I don’t get that at all! no, it’s the opposite of soapy to me- beautifully naturally dirty- just such a beautiful combo of notes that lead you down a path of transition as it settles on your skin- and the journey is the best part! To those who were not impressed upon first sniff, I dare you to keep it around, continue to test on your skin and just see what happens- You may find yourself ordering a full bottle- even though you’ve blown your fume budget for the month, like I was compelled to do! Thanks for the lovely review, Angela!
Soapy, huh? I don’t get soap at all from Iris 39. It really is beautiful! I’ve had my bottle over three years now, and I’ve noticed that the ginger grows stronger over time. Enjoy it!
Do you think this will be weird on a man?
I’d love to smell Iris 39 on a man, but that doesn’t mean all men share my flexibility with perfume. I’d say that if you feel comfortable in Dior Homme, you’d feel comfortable in Iris 39.
Thanks for the feedback Angela.
I like Dior Homme a lot and I became a huge Le Labo fan lately. Its very likely that I’ll add Iris to my collection.