Today, I tackle six more Floraïku perfumes; for an introduction to the line, see yesterday's Part I.

Sound of a Ricochet (vanilla, tonka bean, sandalwood) "A red dragonfly under the burning sky, the sound of a ricochet." 

What a great name: Sound of a Ricochet. I expected something sharp, startling, so I was surprised at the warm notes listed for this scent. This is a cuddly, wool-y scent, with creamy vanilla and tonka bean (and cashmeran if I'm not mistaken). This one feels more like a "Shadowing" scent than either of the Shadowing perfumes I reviewed yesterday (Between Two Trees or Sleeping on the Roof). Sound of a Ricochet is a nice aroma, but there are hundreds of comfy tonka bean perfumes out there for a third of the price...or less.  

The Moon and I (mate, matcha, cedar) "In this world of dreams, the moon and I contemplating night flowers."

This one starts off by smelling like hard candy made from original-formula Listerine. After that weird opening, I detect interesting medicinal, green-herbal and malted notes. The therapeutic vibe leads to a gasoline-like scent. The mix of jarring and comforting notes is novel to say the least and The Moon & I is the most original of the collection. I like it but it disappears quickly. 

My Love Has the Color of the Night (gaiac, patchouli, vetiver) "My love has the color of the night; a firefly in the swimming pool's light."

Now this fragrance smells expensive (as rich woods often do); it's a lovely mix of smoky, intense, incense-y notes — "wood-shavings" of cedar/gaiac. Smelling this is like encountering a fresh box of the most costly church incense. The dry down smells of beautiful balms.

One Umbrella for Two (black currant, genmaicha, cedar) "Our eyes raise to the sky, no rain, one umbrella for two." 

One Umbrella for Two presents toasted brioche with berry jam and this berry smells real...tangy-sweet-juicy-ripe. I assume the "brioche" I'm smelling is what Floraïku describes as genmaicha (this note also comes close to smelling like toasted coconut). One Umbrella for Two is perhaps the most fun/carefree of the Floraïku scents and if you love dessert gourmands, it's worth a try. The perfume dries down to sheer fruit and cedar. As with others in the line, there's no connection between the perfume name and poem and the fragrance.  

I Am Coming Home (ginger, white tea, cardamom) "Shivering lights far away, tonight, I am coming home." 

I Am Coming Home is a tea scent that's almost a dead ringer for (but not nearly as good as) Goutal Paris Duel (100 ml Eau de Parfum/$202); we're done here.

My Shadow on the Wall (violet leaf, mimosa, sandalwood) "Pale summer moon, oh silence, my shadow on the wall."

My Shadow on the Wall opens with an interesting combination of violet leaf and mimosa that self-destructs in seconds, leaving a sheer suede aroma in its wake. One of two things is happening here: 1. I'm anosmic to a fragrance note or there's a note that produces major "nose fatigue" as I sniff it or 2. this is a terribly formulated, discordant mess. What I get on the air during the course of the day is a sour violet leaf/leather with gigantic puffs of off-putting, harsh "mimosa." For me, this is the worst of the collection that I've encountered.

After sampling 11 Floraïku "perfumes," I won't search for the ones I missed. And: TOO BAD. The Floraïku art direction, visuals and ideas, are striking. But perfume-wise, everything seems 'rushed' (too many perfumes released and created way too fast). And making connections between perfume names and poems and what's in the bottle? Lazy and meaningless. The Shadowing concept is plain silly. Did anyone even test the Shadowing scents with the other perfumes in the collection? I think not, because when you do, Frankenstein monsters are produced or fragrances become victims of the Shadowing monsters and disappear. From recent experience, the more pricey a perfume collection, the bigger the disappointment and the lazier the craftsmanship. And a final warning: test these on SKIN, not on paper strips, for the real experience. Did anyone at Floraïku wear these before their release? As I wended my way through the collection, I had to wonder. 

Floraïku Eaux de Parfum are $350 for 60 ml (a 50 ml bottle and 10 ml travel spray); the fragrances are available in 60 ml refills ($206) and 10 ml travel sprays ($76). An 11-scent sampler containing 1.5 ml sprays is $35 (and the $35 can be applied to your first bottle order).  

Possibly of interest