Givenchy Ysatis Iris
Givenchy released Ysatis Iris as a limited edition with little fanfare during last year’s holiday season at the end of 2004. It bears little relation to its “parent,” Ysatis. Where Ysatis is a rich, sweet woody scent, Ysatis Iris takes a lighter, airier apporach.
It opens up with a decidedly fruity blast of berries, almost like marionberries (a type of blackberry.) Then the florals begin to roll out. I smell what must be a jasmine note, the most transparent of tuberose, and a small bouquet of other soft flowers. They wear so gently and aqueously, that I think the biggest fans of the original Ysatis would be bored spitless.
And I would be, too, were it not for the way it dries. Ohhhhhh, how shamelessly I adore the dry down. As the fruitier edges and white florals begin to taper, I notice a delicately placed violet leaf. Moreover, the iris finally begins to assert itself. Mixing into the last of the fruity-floral elements, the iris on display here approaches what I think must have been an attempt to capture the smell of the iris bloom rather than the root. The attempt ultimately fails, but that’s all right. It’s a lovely smelling failure. Vanilla is placed way down deep at the bottom of Ysatis Iris. It’s not the sort of vanilla that you instantly recognize and wave hello to. It’s here for a sweetly melodic effect, and probably wears on my skin during the whole wear, but I just don’t notice ’til the end.
Do not ask me how, but the way those bottom notes of iris, vanilla, and violet leaf interact with the dying flowery trills somehow recreates the smell of baby heads on me. Baby heads! Who doesn’t love the smell of baby heads? If you’re one of those rare folks who do not, then clearly you have a cold, cold heart, and there’s simply nothing to be done for you. That wonderfully mysterious aroma like the tops of baby heads is the most lingering smell on me. Needless to say, it’s delightful to have that smell conviniently located in a bottle. Just… baby heads. Sigh. I won’t pretend Ysatis Iris is some great masterpiece, but… have I mentioned the baby heads? Baby heads, baby heads, baby heads, baby heads. Swoon. I am in love.
Top image of Ysatis Iris bottle from imaginationperfumery.com. Second image entitled Flowerpond by Oscar Flores-Fiol, from oyetu.com. He’s also an Oregon resident, and one of the warmest human beings you could ever meet, in addition to being a fine artist. He also has the distinction of being one of the few people I’ve ever met who can get away with a cheery greeting of “Aloha” outside of Hawaii and not sound pretentious.
January 4th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
Baby heads, baby heads, baby heads, baby heads!!! I want a bottled smell of baby heads! aaah *mad woman rushes to google Ysatis Iris*
January 4th, 2006 at 1:11 pm
Ok, guess I’ll have to try it too!
January 4th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
Baby heads and the smell of the iris flower?!?!?! Ask Robin how often I have whined for these… and violet?!?!? Excuse me, I have to go find some right now.
January 4th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
Bought! That took, what, 90 seconds? FYI they have a bunch on eBay.
January 4th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
It doesn’t get the smell of a REAL iris flower quite right, honestly. Close but no cigar, as they say. Irises (homegrown, not florist) always smell so sweet, but ever so vaguely of manky sticks of butter to me, and there’s no manky butter really. I still like it though.
January 4th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
What a perfect comment — yes, there IS something a little “off” about the smell of a fresh iris… I’ve always thought of it as a spicy smell, but maybe it’s rancid — to my nose the funky note improves it, keeps it from being cloying. I find the smell of iris flower intoxicating. Even if this only hints at it, it’s better than the current crop of iris frags… I will attempt to “improve” it with a skanky base note (got plenty o’ THOSE lying around)
January 4th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
dear me. So I infer that baby heads is/are a type of flower, but not really knowing that, it’s quite funnny to read you swooning about baby heads! Great review.
January 4th, 2006 at 6:58 pm
Oh, no, another lemming born… but with the smell of baby head!
January 4th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
I love the fact that you give Givenchy fragrances the attention they deserve! Thanks to you I have rediscovered Pi, developed love for Amarige and now I am craving the Harvest Edition, which is great. I adore the original Ysatis, and Iris version is on my list of fragrance to try asap. Thank you for a beautiful review!
January 5th, 2006 at 9:22 am
Your description reminds me of a baby head quality in apres l’ondee and the spin on that perfume in l’eau d’hiver. It’s that sweetness that is somehow dull. Maybe it’s related to the anosmic making feature of violet. Maybe the perfumers have planted something that just triggers oxytocin in women when they smell it the same way that they feel when smelling their bebes?
Loved the review.
Cait
January 5th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
Kuri - nope, you’re right. ACTUAL baby heads. Which does sound a bit macabre I guess :D
Patty, will email you later ;)
Victoria, I actually sent a little vial of Pi along your way because it was still on your wishlist at mua, but there is another relavent vial in there, too.
Cait, interesting theory… I don’t know what or why I get the baby heads here at all. There’s really nothing “powdery” about it for example, which sometimes triggers a baby comparison, so perhaps you’re onto something here, heh.
January 6th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Can’t resist (did I email you this story already? sorry): I read an interview once with Christopher Brosius when he was still Mr. Demeter. He was asked which scent was most requested that Demeter hadn’t done yet. He responded that women were always asking for the smell of a baby’s head. You could tell he thought the whole idea was peculiar… and I thought it was just me.
January 7th, 2006 at 10:45 pm
This sounds great, I’ll have a look around eBay.
January 8th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
March, I’ve never heard that story before. How funny - he of the peculiar smells not understanding the charm and appeal of baby heads. Hopefully someone might persuade him to try it out, though.
V, good luck with the eBay - hopefully you can find it on the cheap!