Etat Libre d'Orange: where to start? 7 perfumes to discover the house

Etat Libre d'Orange is the niche house that does not take itself too seriously. Names that make you smile, unexpected pairings of notes, and perfumes that smell like nothing else. In our catalogue the house has around fifteen perfumes with offers, all of them eaux de parfum.

The hard part is choosing. We picked seven perfumes for seven moods. The notes we mention are the ones on our product pages, nothing more.

The gourmand: Divin'Enfant

Divin'Enfant (2006) brings together orange blossom, marshmallow, coffee and tobacco. Soft, sweet and a little smoky, it smells of sweets and morning coffee at once. A good place to start if you love comforting perfumes. See Divin'Enfant.

Leather and incense: Rien

Rien (2006) means "nothing" in French, which it is far from. Our page lists two notes, leather and frankincense. It is dark and smoky, for people who like perfumes with character. Best kept for evenings and cold days. See Rien.

Warm and spicy: Like This

Like This (2007) pairs ginger with pumpkin. Just two notes, for a warm, soft, lightly spiced perfume. It smells of autumn, wool jumpers and Sunday cooking. See Like This.

Clean musk: She Was an Anomaly

She Was an Anomaly opens with green tangerine. The heart pairs iris with a fresh white floral accord. The base brings musk, sandalwood and amberfix. A skin scent, soft and bright, perfect for every day. See She Was an Anomaly.

The fresh one: You or Someone Like You

You or Someone Like You (2017) combines mint, grapefruit and rose. Fresh, green and clean, it is the house's perfume for spring, summer and the office. The rose stays light, almost transparent. See You or Someone Like You.

Sparkling spice: Remarkable People

Remarkable People (2015) opens with grapefruit, a champagne accord and cardamom. The heart blends jasmine, curry and black pepper. The base lays down labdanum, sandalwood and lorenox. Fizzy at first, then warm and spicy, it surprises from start to finish. See Remarkable People.

The soapy one: Exit the King

Exit the King opens with Timut pepper, a soap foam accord and pink pepper. The heart brings jasmine, rose and a lily of the valley accord. The base blends patchouli, moss, a sandalwood accord and orcanox. A clean, floral perfume with character from the pepper and moss. See Exit the King.

Which one to choose?

In short:

• You love gourmand scents: Divin'Enfant.
• You want dark and smoky: Rien.
• You want warmth for autumn: Like This.
• You want a skin scent for every day: She Was an Anomaly.
• You want freshness: You or Someone Like You.
• You love spice and surprises: Remarkable People.
• You adore the smell of clean: Exit the King.

With Etat Libre d'Orange, a perfume can puzzle you on paper and make perfect sense on skin. Test it, give it a few hours, then compare the shops on the product page and set a price alert to hear when it drops.