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Editions M.R. Acide & C. O. Bigelow Lemon Body Lotion ~ fragrance & body product review

Posted by Jessica on 8 November 2018 8 Comments

In my last review I paired a neroli fragrance and body lotion. This week, I'm turning my attention to lemon, that commonplace citrus whose scent has become (unfairly!) linked with household cleaning products. I recently purchased some organic lemon essential oil to use in a class and once I'd opened it, I couldn't stop sniffing it. So bright, so radiant, so satisfying! Here, then, are two very different products with lemon-centered scents that have entered my current rotation.

Acide is a contemporary interpretation of a classic Eau de Cologne, developed by perfumer Will Inrig for French menswear brand Éditions M.R. Its composition includes notes of lemon, bergamot, bitter orange, cognac, lavender, valerian, patchouli, oakmoss and coumarin, and it's described as "[f]resh and fleeting...a tart lemon balanced with rare naturals of the best quality, accompanied by light florals and woods. This cologne is a memory without nostalgia and modernity without fantasy that unfolds in the bottle."

Acide's promotional copy occasionally approaches Prix Eau Faux territory (e.g., valerian gives "an atmospheric ambiance through its sensual, carnal and herbal note that intrigues, repels but ultimately compels"), which is too bad, because it potentially distracts from a very appealing fragrance. Acide uses natural Sicilian lemon oil as well as a Givaudan synthetic named Lemonile to craft a lemon note that's sharp yet sparkling, like the rind and juice of the fruit combined. The supporting ingredients of bergamot and neroli round things out. 

Acide also has a subtle floral note in its heart, thanks to a good dose of lavender absolute. The coumarin, with its soft almond-y quality, adds something harder to define. Many citrus fragrances can feel somewhat thin or one-dimensional, but Acide works in enough heart notes and base notes (including the softly woody patchouli and oakmoss) to add depth and longevity to its astringent citrus theme. Speaking of longevity, I was pleasantly shocked by Acide's persistence on my skin. I can't think of any other Eau de Cologne or citrus fragrance that holds up this well and lasts through an entire workday on me. The dry down is still lemon-y, but not "just" lemon, thanks to Acide's skillful composition.

I'm no expert on men's fashion, but Acide seems like a good match for Éditions M.R.'s casual take on classic menswear — i.e., lots of slouchy overcoats, pleated trousers, and cashmere turtlenecks, plus a few minimalist leather accessories for good measure. My only reservation about reviewing Acide, which occurred to me after I'd already sampled the fragrance, is that it's a limited edition only available (for now?) at the Éditions M.R flagship in Paris, alongside those modern-retro fashion items.

Now that I feel guilty about recommending a fragrance most of us can't actually obtain, I'll balance out this review with something more accessible. I'm a longtime shopper at the C.O. Bigelow flagship in Manhattan's Greenwich Village and I've become a loyal fan of Bigelow's namesake line of toiletries as well as the more esoteric brands they carry.

Bigelow's Body Lotion is a lightweight, quickly-absorbed formula that's perfect for daily use, and the Lemon scent (also available in body wash, hand wash, hand cream, and other products) is one of my favorites from the collection. The tartness in C. O. Bigelow's lemon scent is balanced by a slightly creamy aspect, so that it reminds me more of lemon meringue pie filling than an actual lemon. However, it's still citrus-forward and not a gourmand blend, so it would layer well under any kind of Eau de Cologne. Its fragrance feels clean and cheery when the lotion is being applied but doesn't linger strongly enough to interfere with other scents, whether they might be lemon-inspired or otherwise.

Éditions M.R. Acide is available as 100 ml Eau de Cologne (€120) and is currently exclusive to the brand's flagship boutique, located at 10 Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, Paris XI.

C.O. Bigelow Lemon Body Lotion ($14 for 295 ml) is available through the C.O. Bigelow website.

Note: top image is lemon [cropped] by Matt Madd at flickr; some rights reserved.

Possibly of interest

Serge Lutens Des Clous pour une Pelure ~ fragrance review
Atelier Des Ors Riviera Lazuli & Pomelo Riviera ~ fragrance reviews
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Sharkskin ~ fragrance review

Filed Under: perfume talk, scented body products
Tagged With: citrus, classic cologne, co bigelow, cream or lotion, editions mr, lemon, will inrig

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8 Comments

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  1. Sapphire says:
    8 November 2018 at 6:30 pm

    I might have to pick up a little of the CO Bigelow sometime at BBW.

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    • Jessica says:
      8 November 2018 at 6:32 pm

      I like the hand cream, too! They also have a Lemon edt but it’s nothing too exciting.

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  2. galbanumgal says:
    8 November 2018 at 9:46 pm

    Haven’t tried the Bigelow body lotion, but the lemon hand wash is my absolute favorite, and it’s actually somewhat moisturizing. Not a fan of the packaging, though–I’ve retained my much chicer pump dispenser of Claus Porto’s Citron Verbena, and I refill it with the Bigelow. The Porto is fabulous, but don’t want to spend $30 every time I need a refill.

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    • Jessica says:
      8 November 2018 at 9:53 pm

      Claus Porto’s packaging is the best! Nice “hack.” ;)

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  3. Koyel says:
    8 November 2018 at 11:03 pm

    These sound lovely! I wonder if I will be able to avoid the cleaning product association :)

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    • Jessica says:
      9 November 2018 at 3:59 pm

      It’s only culturally conditioned, and we can try to shed it!! lol.

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  4. Laura says:
    9 November 2018 at 4:07 pm

    The Bigelow lotion sounds like it would pair wonderfully with Shalimar Eau Legere. To me, Legere smells like a creamy lemon custard tart. Yum!

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  5. Katrina says:
    10 November 2018 at 11:30 am

    I read about Acide and was intrigued and now I think I will have to make a trip over to the shop when I am in Paris next month!

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