Ego Facto (Paris) was founded by Pierre Aulas, who is described on the Ego Facto website as a “free spirit and olfactory expert.” Aulas feels he is a “conductor” working with “virtuosos” (perfumers) in the creation of the Ego Facto fragrances. Aulas says: “Ego Facto is my tribute to self affirmation, to the acceptance of one’s own contradictions. It is a declaration of freedom.” I’m ‘translating’ that to mean Aulas develops perfumes that appeal to him — he doesn’t have to worry about pleasing a corporate board, focus groups, or design teams. I assume the Ego Facto perfumes smell just like Monsieur Aulas wants them to smell.
Piège à Filles (Girl Trap)
(citrus, heliotrope, almond, cumin, orange blossom, tobacco, musk, vetiver)
Piège à Filles smells like a distorted, old-fashioned barbershop powder; the scents of heliotrope, orange blossom, scorched almond and cumin mix to create a “difficult” accord. In short order, Piège à Filles goes from the aroma of a sweet, hazy-with-talc barbershop to the rough smell of a funky, musk-scented shepherd’s hut. Piège à Filles is an intriguing perfume; its cumin-induced “dissonance” repels and attracts me. If you dislike “gamey” musk and (or) cumin-rich scents, don’t bother with Piège à Filles. During its strange development, this perfume will make you scratch your head; if your hair and scalp are unwashed — all the better to blend with Piège à Filles!
Piège à Filles smells like a true Eau de Parfum; it has very good lasting power and can be worn by women, but I can’t imagine anyone wearing this powerful perfume in warm weather.
Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart)
(Chablis accord, ginger, citrus leather, tobacco, patchouli)
Sacré Coeur has a “chablis” (grape) opening with hints of citrus and mildest ginger — there is also a “fresh” accord, veering close to, but never entering, ozone territory. Sacré Coeur’s grape note deepens (going from “fresh” grape juice to candied grape skins) during the dry down and is joined by a “rice-milk” accord. Leather and tobacco aren’t noticeable, at least on my skin, but clean patchouli makes an appearance during the extreme dry down.
Sacré Coeur is a unisex, summery fragrance; it has so-so lasting power. Your reaction to “grape scent” will determine if you like or dislike this fragrance. I was…amused.
Jamais le Dimanche (Never on Sunday)
(citrus, ozone, incense, marijuana accord, balsamic accord)
According to the Ego Facto website (which is in need of a good English translator/editor), Jamais le Dimanche “brings opposites together…’divine’ incense and ‘evanescent’ marijuana.” Jamais le Dimanche opens with nostril-wounding, fumy alcohol mixed with stale, musty (and unidentifiable) ‘citrus’. This fragrance is a throw-back to ozone-heavy department store men’s fragrances of the 90s; it smells ‘dated.’
During Jamais le Dimanche's mid-development, (what must be) “incense” blends with (what must be) “marijuana” to produce a wan ‘wood’ aroma. The fragrance is simple and smells watery and cheap. Never on Sunday? As far as I’m concerned, never on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday either! If you like this type of sport/ozonic scent, go to Macy’s and buy one (of many) for half Jamais le Dimanche’s price.
Ego Facto Sacré Coeur, Piège à Filles and Jamais le Dimanche are available in 50 ml Eau de Parfum for $90; they were developed by perfumers Laurent Bruyère, Anne Flipo and Alberto Morillas respectively. For buying information see the listing for Ego Facto under Perfume Houses.
Great review, as always, Kevin. I was going to order the Ego Facto samples from Luckyscent this month, but this is giving me second thoughts. I don’t do cumin, and I *definitely* don’t do sport/ozone scents. (And I’m convinced there is no such thing as someone who really likes sport scents, just people who don’t know any better.)
Miss K: HA!
Thanks for the reviews. Robins review of Poopoo Pidoo really got me excited to try it, and I read the descriptions of others with a mild fascination.
From your reviews, they all sound extremely unwearable to me. I’ll have to test Piege a Filles as I’m a barbershop and cumin fan – but living in Miami, this one sounds like it wouldn’t behave in our warm weather.
My wallet sighs a breath of relief.
Mike: wearing it in the humidity just might kill you!
Wow, thanks Kevin for the review. I was surprised that the reviews were mostly unfavorable because Poo Poo Pidoo sounded so yummy. I have to say that the advertising is so funny. I especially like the one for “Girl Trap.”
Minnie: I’ve never tried the PPP … it may be great!
Hi Kevin! I had decided to bypass this line, but Piège à Filles sounds like something I’d like to try, since I am becoming a connoisseur of odd skank (for lack of a better phrase).
Strange development? Gamey musk? Heliotrope? Sign me up. I’m ordering a sample.
The others: not so much. I don’t want to smell like grapes, but I guess I’d be curious to sniff Sacré Coeur just for the novelty. Maybe Chandler Burr can pair it with Manischewitz Concord Grape wine for a Seder-Sniffa dinner.
LOL! Seder-Sniffa!
I had to read on (always do with Kevin) for the MJ accord. I’d hate to be in a traffic stop with the state troopers with that one on, but I guess it would be OK because of its tame drydown. whew! Thanks, Kevin!
Suzanne: you’re welcome!
Joe: maybe! Let me know what you think of the barbershop cumin if you try it.
I got the Luckyscent sample pack because I wanted to try these (and they were throwing in a Lutens, too). I’ve worn several and don’t have an opinion yet…they haven’t made me stand up and take notice yet in either a good or bad way.
(on the other hand, I’m having a difficult “nose” week and haven’t been able to smell much of what I’m wearing beyond top notes…and so I keep layering stuff on and am no doubt a walking perfume bomb to others)
I got the Lucky Scent sample pack pf Ego Facto also. I like a few of them, but I’m not sure if I want to buy a FB of any. However, I intend to retest them. I also got the sample pack of the Ineke fragrances and liked almost all of them, but most especially the Field Notes from Paris, which I think I will order. The sample pack was very nicely presented. Also, I do think I get a better idea of the fragrance from spray samples rather than the dab-ons sent by Lucky Scent. But maybe that’s just me.
I feel the same way about spray vs. dab. Have you all heard of “The Perfumed Court” website. They send decant packs and some are larger sizes with a spray bottle. I haven’t ordered anything from there but I was wondering if anyone else had because I’m interested to know whether it is worth it or not.
I think it’s usually worth it. I’m amazed sometimes at how different something can smell sprayed vs. dabbed. It does cost a little more, but then if you’re already spending money, might as well get what you really want.
All our respective wallets tremble at the very mention of TPC.
I tend to just get the cheapest sample available, since I don’t want to spend much $ on something I don’t like. If I *do* like a sample, I’ll give it a good run, but unless I’m madly in love with it, no question, then I sometimes will order a second, spray sample to give it a real test before buying.
Hi Minnie,
I have already ordered 3 times from the perfumed court, all together 21 samples, and they all arrived safe and sound, in about 10 days, which is really good, since I live in Hungary. Very nice service.
Let me know if you have any specific questions
Stay away…you’ll go broke! Seriously, I love TPC and I’ve never had a customer service pbm. My pbm is spending too much, but that’s not their issue.
Ditto on the dab vs spray. I get a much better perfume experience (phrase?) with a spray.
Ami & Suzanne:
Good to know that the service is good. Hungary, wow! The thing is that while I live in a metropolitan enough area to smell luxury fragrances (I’m 15 min from a Nordstrom and 30 from a Neiman Marcus & Saks), I don’t know where to find those niche perfumes like The Different Company or Serge Lutens that everyone here always talks about. So ordering samples is probably the only way. I am tempted to order the sample-pack for The Different Company that TPC offers.
Minnie
it is funny, I have just placed 2 days ago the TDC sample set in my wish list on the perfume court. but I’m still pondering to buy it actually, since I already have bois d’iris and rose poivree samples and a bottle of sublime balkiss. i shoud not be greedy, hehe, and the rest would be merely for educational purposes. i’m totally satisfied with the above 3.
LOVE the Perfumed Court…. Like everyone else, my wallet trembles, but only because I’ve discovered so many things that I love from trying 1.5-2.5 ml of the sample…. This doesn’t always lead to a FB purchase, but thanks to larger decants, I can have a decent selection of wonderful-smelling things for a reasonable price (I like wearing different stuff all the time, so the decants work well for me). Give it a shot – you won’t regret it!
Oh, I was curious about the Ineke! Good to know that you liked them!
I’ll definitely have to retest the Ego Factos when my sense of smell is in better shape.
The Ineke’s are quite nice. my daughter is lemming a bottle of After My Own Heart –which is a nice lilac scent….she likes it even better than IPdF Lilla which is my favorite go-to lilac. Field Notes wasn’t fabulous on me but great on the CEO….looks like order time.
Oooh, lilac! I’ll have to put that on the “to try” list (but what *isn’t* on that list now?).
WHOA! You got the CEO to try something?!? The family that sniffs together, stays together!
he’s a pretty good sport if he doesn’t have to go anywhere while wafting potentially girlie fumes. Having a bowl of ice cream in the other hand doesn’t hurt either.
Yep, Field Notes sounded like a great man-frag… good on you for getting your CEO to try it! (There’s no way I’ll be able to get my CEO to give up his Acqua di Gio until the bottle’s empty. He’s Just That Cost-Efficient. Doesn’t believe in multiple scents. Thinks I’m crazy.)
I got my Ineke sample set yesterday too and liked pretty much all of them — my favorite so far is Evening Edged in Gold. All the scents are well-done and I think the sample set is a good deal for anyone interested in this line.
Chasa: dangerous!
Am I the only one a little freaked out by the Ken+Barbie dolls?
I love the way they are used in this series of photos, actually. Not sure why, but there is something about photos of Barbie that are inherently interesting to me.
Nope, I find them creepy too. I can see where some might find them funny, but I don’t.
The photos remind me very much of some artist’s work that I’ve seen before but can’t put my finger on. I don’t mind them and actually find them kind of fun. Beats the usual perfume imagery of orgasmic, mostly-nude anorexics (men and women).
I go back and forth on that – I thought the Poopoo Pidou one was funny, but the one with Ken and the feet… just too weird, IMO.
That model for Jamais le Dimanche up there: you could cut your finger on his cheekbones. I just want to look at him. At his FACE, natch, don’t read too much into that…
SweetLife: it takes more than Ken and Barbie to freak me out!
Love your imagery Kevin—always sort of infiltrates my brain for the rest of the day. Now I’ll be bombarded with images of the Swiss Alps, greasy sheep and hearing “Grandfather, Grandfather!” in my head. Thank goodness you didn’t mention goat cheese…..oh darn…now that’s in my head too.
oh, Poopoo Pidoo is interesting, even nice…..these others…oy!
One of my favorite books….
yup, scenic movie too. Oh, Boo—I wonder if N might like Kenneth Oppel’s trilogy ( Sunwing, Silverwing, Firewing) {warning: some violence}
Thanks for the very entertaining reviews! I just got a sample of Poopoo Pidoo from this line in the mail yesterday and rather liked it. I don’t think I’ll be trying any of these though (although I’m kind of curious about “Girl Trap”
)
Your review is elegant Kevin, unlike the sound of these perfumes.
I think I will give them a miss! Packaging isn’t much to look at but I love the photographs, thanks for including,
George Sand Devotee: yes, I like the photos too.
I’m most curious about Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart), bt I have trouble imagining the grape/Chablis accord. I went after Fresh Citron de Vigne expecting something like delicious green grapes and didn’t find the product teribly grape-ey at all except for an odd “fizzy” note. Is it anything like Citron de Vigne? Does it have a blueberry note like Moon Sparkle?
Aborae: smells more like purple grapes than white…some depth…and if you strain and get your imagination revved up you COULD detect a ‘berry’ note.
Hi all – been lurking here for months but am new to posting! I just got my sample pack of all 5 Ego Factos last week too. Totally agree with Kevin on Dimanche – pheeeuuuw. I’d go so far as to label it a clean/light smelling skunk urine (not that I really know but…). The Piege a Filles was actually nice on me – kind of a Bulgari Black type. Prends Garde (not in Kevin’s review) eventually turned nice but for the first hour or two it was all jasmine, 24/7. The other 2 were ok but nothing striking. Also received a free sample of the new Serge Luten Santal de Mysore w/purchase. It was limited, though, so not sure if they’re still running that special…..
TT: how did you like the Lutens? Did you detect a drop of REAL mysore sandalwood as the company claims is there?
ooops – didn’t mean ‘new’ Serge Lutens. I’m still learning…
Great review Kevin. I do like grape, but when you say” candied grape skins”, I get a little nervous. Is it terribly sweet?
Dolly: for my tastes, it’s “mid-sweet”…not “too too”
I tired a couple of these, one of which was Dimanche. Hated that one, was “meh”” on the Prends Garde a Trois. It was nice, just not a big deal…
I’m shy to say, Kevin, that I’m a newbie and probably wouldn’t know real Mysore from synthetic as this point! It is, however, one of the most gorgeous sandalwoods that I have encountered and I am not generally a huge fan.
I did buy the sample set and find this particular scent delightful. Heliotrope and almond predominate. The cumin and musk are hard to pick out–just sharp enough to keep the scent honest. Perhaps better on a woman than a man?
MOB: you must be a MUSK killer then! HA!
I’m SO late to the party, but wanted to say how much I always enjoy your reviews Kevin! These fragrances don’t sound like something that I would be interested in [whew – thankfully. The must try list is out of control – ha], but I will say they sure are interesting. At least the ‘usual suspects’ are largely absent from the notes and they were obviously going for something creative & different.
R.D.: thanks..they were trying to keep us slightly off balance I think…success in a few of them….
Good review, Kevin! I’ve now been able to narrow down my “must try” list to PPPD and Sacré Coeur. I do love grape, flamboyantly synthetic or warm and natural, so Sacré Coeur is really intriguing. I haven’t been sniffing samples for most of this week (the flu does not encourage me to sniff much of *anything* without feeling like I’m on a rollercoaster) but my nose and tummy are on the mend today and I discovered I do *not* like La Prarie’s Silver Rain. Yay. One more pricy frag I don’t need.
Speaking of lovely sandalwood, I just got a bottle of Sali Oguri’s Persephone, which has the most lovely sandalwood drydown. It’s gorgeous stuff, particularly for this time of year, with mostly pomegranate with some chocolate, flowers, and a dark and sexy sandalwood drydown. Apparently Sali used a very pricy Indian sandalwood oil and it shows in the frag. Very lovely if you want a more gourmand take on that note.
Absolute Scent: glad you are on the mend. I sort of like grape too! I’ve never smelled a SO scent, sad to say.