The Paul & Joe line has two fragrances, both introduced in 2003: Blanc, a fresh floral created by Jean Claude Ellena, and Bleu, a warmer oriental by Pierre Bourdon. Today I am trying Blanc, which features notes of hawthorn, angelica, almond, sweet pea, freesia, lily, rose, musk, heliotrope and cloud of milk.

Blanc opens with a touch of citrus, and quickly settles into a soft blend of angelica and hawthorn. There is a tinge of almond that lingers into the dry down, which is otherwise well-blended floral notes — every so often I catch a whisper of freesia or sweet pea — over a light, milky vanillic base. It is a transparent fragrance, only mildly sweet, and there is the vaguest hint of powder…

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