Sylvaine Delacourte
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The first spray delivers a bright shock of mint oil cutting through orange peel bitterness, the lime adding a slightly soapy-clean brightness that borders on cologne-like crispness. The curly mint asserts itself with an almost menthol-adjacent coolness, whilst the citrus oils spray their terpenic, zesty sharpness in every direction. It's bracing, herbal, and deliberately sharp-edged.
As the galbanum emerges, the composition takes an earthy, green turn—that distinctive latex-rubber quality mingling with the fading citrus creates something almost unisex-pharmacy-like, a vegetal bitterness that grounds the initial brightness. The mint recedes into a softer, more aromatic haze, allowing the green heart to dominate with its slightly soapy, resinous character. The vanilla begins its slow creep upward, first as a suggestion, then as a promise.
The sandalwood and vanilla absolute finally claim their territory, creating a creamy, slightly spicy-sweet base that feels worlds away from the opening. Benzoin adds a resinous, almost incense-like warmth that prevents the vanilla from turning too saccharine, whilst lingering traces of green galbanum keep things from becoming overtly gourmand. What remains is a soft, skin-close veil of woody vanilla with an almost medicinal edge—comforting yet never quite fully tame.
Valkyrie is a study in contrasts, where fierce citrus weaponry meets the soft surrender of vanilla and benzoin. The opening strike comes from that curly mint—not garden-variety spearmint, but the sharper, more aggressive American variety—tangling with the resinous bitterness of Calabrian orange and the electric brightness of Brazilian lime. It's an aromatic assault that feels deliberately unsettling, almost disorienting in its intensity. But this is no simple citrus aromatic. The Persian galbanum at the heart adds a green, latex-like earthiness that prevents the composition from veering into cologne territory, whilst the base reveals Delacourte's true intention: that creamy, almost gourmand combination of bourbon vanilla absolute, sandalwood, and benzoin creates a skin-like warmth that completely transforms the fragrance's trajectory. This is for someone who wants their scent to tell a story of duality—the warrior who removes their armour to reveal something unexpectedly tender. It's the olfactory equivalent of discovering that the intimidating person in black leather has a collection of vintage poetry books. Wear it when you need to feel both fierce and grounded, when the day demands sharp edges but you want something comforting waiting beneath. The 'spicy' accord dominates not through conventional pepper or clove, but through that interplay of aromatic mint, bitter citrus oils, and resinous galbanum—a green, vegetal spiciness that reads as almost medicinal before the sweet base softens everything into something surprisingly sensual.
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3.7/5 (124)