There are some perfumes that sing of female emancipation, of confidence, cool and the power of the go-getter. They are high brow at all circumstances, they are professional yet elegant, the mark of a successful woman in all areas. They have class, sophistication, refinement and a je ne sais quoi that sets them apart and makes them the object of admiration.
Madame X by Ava Luxe is not one of them.
Instead it recalls all the carnal knowledge that has a primitive root in out psyche, the call of the wild, the chase, female surrender, complete abandonment in the open arms of hell. Like an erotic adventure in a distant bruised past it has the rare ability to entice with the memory of the basest and lowest one has ever been to and actually had fun out of it. To call something sexy is a cliché and we do not condone clichés at Perfume Shrine, at least to the measure that is within our abilities. Madame X has none of the mysterious aura of a femme fatale nor the coolness of her calculating demeanour. She is no Bridget Gregory /Wendy Kroy from "The Last Seduction", as played by Linda Fiorentino, cool as a cucumber and only acting vulnerable in order to get her case made, improvising with the same black goal all along.
Madame X is a vulnerable woman, all open for the plucking, a little mature, a little pained and you have to approach her with the fervour and candour of a considerate lover, that for reasons of his own would be willing to explore the possibilities of reaching God.
Her trail of soft, deep, sensual labdanum in all its erotic permutations blooms on the skin, coupled with the slight fresh pepperiness of coriander. The initial impression it made mingled the spicy jolt and sweet richness of Cinnabar combined with the depth and raunch of amber, vanilla, sandalwood and the civet accord of Obsession. I do love both of those perfumes so the association was not simply interesting but positively mesmerising. The leather is so soft it almost makes one shed a tear of longing, while the lasting power is good although the volume at which this gem projects is low and discreet.
The viscous consistency of a drop of parfum upon my skin held the fascination of the imaginary prototype virgin in Grenouille’s pursuit for perfection. I can be brazen and say that it has captured my heart and draws its strings as we speak. Were I a man I would fall deeply in love with the mature person that would only spontaneously raise her legs for a reason only she herself knows, allowing me to harvest her most precious essence: Madame X.
Madame X is described as a "sheer ambery veil of labdanum and leather that wears close to the skin but lingers through the night" by its creator and comes in Parfum and Eau de Parfum concentrations.
Official Notes: Coriander, Acacia Farnesiana, Freshly cut hay, Jasmine, Rose, Labdanum, Leather, Incense, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Civet, Ambergris, Castoreum, Sandalwood Mysore, Precious Musks, Vanilla
You can purchase samples or order directly from the Ava Luxe site here:
Ava Luxe index page
I know I for one am eager to explore more of her creations.
Pic of Charlotte Rambling originally upoaded on POL. "Last tango in Paris" comes from Brando fan-site.