FRAGRANCE | Comforting "strangeness" in Baptême du Feu by Serge Lutens

Yes, Christmas was over a month ago and we're probably all back to our old slaving selves by now. Yet it's what came to mind when I first sprayed Baptême du Feu by Serge Lutens. Gingerbread cookies. The warmth and comfort of it. Never mind that gingerbread cookies are typically absent in Filipino Christmas celebrations. I'm just reminded of Christmas, that's all.

There's a soft citrus that accompanies the spicy-sweet ginger and cinnamon combo in the opening. It doesn't stay long, however, leaving the gingerbread accord to weave its magic untethered. And what wonderful magic it is! I adore how comforting this smells. There's a certain fruitiness to it, and a light powdery feel, too.

This beautiful purplish liquid offers moderate to strong projection in its first 2 hours or so, depending on how heavy-handed you are with the sprayer. It mellows thereafter, becoming less spicy, allowing its woody notes to be a bit more noticeable. But that gingerbread scent lingers, refusing to throw in the towel unto the very end. Baptême du Feu is a long-lasting fragrance albeit it stays closer to the skin after a few hours. But I still catch whiffs of it even late into the afternoon, presumably with a little heat.

Baptême du Feu is a love for me. I think it's strange by mainstream standards, or maybe because it's not a gourmand that I come across with often. Most gourmands I've tried are typically sweet. Although this one still has a certain sweetness to it, Baptême du Feu is all spiced up--and that's what makes it stand out for me. Definitely not a safe blind buy but worth a try.