Monday, November 11, 2024

Scent Saturday: Frapin’s L’Humaniste Is A Lavishly Attractive Summer Fragrance

Share This Post

Many fragrances are cursed with one-dimensional reputations. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; Profumum Roma’s Arso, for example, is a straightforward autumn campfire scent that couldn’t possibly improve through mere complication. However, if a fragrance’s tagline doesn’t directly appeal to a consumer, they can end up dismissing wonderful compositions that they’d otherwise love. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who have missed out on fragrances like Dior Fahrenheit and Zoologist Bat simply because they’d been given a simplified, unappealing description of their scent profiles.

Something similar happened with me regarding Frapin’s L’Humaniste. It’s often labeled a ‘gin and tonic’ fragrance, and as someone who still often doesn’t get along with gin, I had no inclination to give it a try. The perfume’s strong reputation eventually pushed me to try it despite misgivings. A year later, I can confidently say that there’s far, far more going on with this fragrance than its cocktail inspiration.

L’Humaniste notes

Top: Lemon oil, bergamot oil, Cardamome, Pink berries, Black pepper
Heart: Juniper berries, Nutmeg, Thyme, Peony
Base: Gin, Oak moss, Tonka bean

L’Humaniste announces itself with a truly splendid burst of citrus and spice. This is a fresh fragrance with a truly fizzy quality. Sure, there is a whiff of alcohol among the notes, but the cocktail-esque nature of the composition allows even this aspect of the perfume to shine. It truly does recall an expensive organic cocktail instead of a chemical composition. This core idea allows L’Humaniste’s brightness to shine and simmer instead of grating against the nose.

If this was another dime-a-dozen aquatic fragrance, L’Humaniste would die off shortly after its opening fanfare. In colder climates, it very well might, but in high temperatures, L’Humaniste presents the sort of journey that similar fragrances fail to offer. The aforementioned opening fanfare transitions elegantly into a herbal, oakmoss-grounded heart before winding its way toward an enchanting skin scent. It’s akin to spending a day in a lovely summer garden. As the initial refreshment fades, the rougher, earthier edges emerge, then soften into something akin to comfort. It’s a wonderfully elegant example of mainstream perfumery given enough care to transcend its familiar scent profile.

 This is the sort of balance that makes a perfume a true classic. L’Humaniste is sharp, lush, friendly, and detailed all at once. It’s as unlikely to offend, and yet it carries a true capacity to bewitch. Wear it on a warm summer’s day and you’re likely to enjoy its comforting presence over and over again. Wear it on a blazing one and it can swell to form its own enchanting world.

The Fandomentals “Fragdomentals” team base our reviews off of fragrances that we have personally, independently sourced. Any reviews based off of house-provided materials will be explicitly stated.

L'Humaniste
3.8 Reviewer
0 Users (0 votes)
UnisexFor
Fresh SpicyType
Pros
L'Humaniste is a wonderful fragrance for warm weather that offers far more than most of its peers.
Cons
This is an expensive, fleeting fragrance that doesn't quite offer much value in moderate to low temperatures.
Summary
Look beyond its gin-and-tonic associations and L'Humaniste contains a symphony of citruses, spices and herbs that are sure to add dimension to any summer day.
Blending
Performance
Value
What people say... Leave your rating
Sort by:

Be the first to leave a review.

User Avatar
Verified
{{{ review.rating_title }}}
{{{review.rating_comment | nl2br}}}

Show more
{{ pageNumber+1 }}
Leave your rating

Your browser does not support images upload. Please choose a modern one

Have strong thoughts about this piece you need to share? Or maybe there’s something else on your mind you’re wanting to talk about with fellow Fandomentals? Head on over to our Community server to join in the conversation!

Author

  • Jade

    Jade is the Lifestyle Editor at the Fandomentals, where they obsess over perfume and underground music. Their wacky poetry is floating around the internet - beware! Follow them for fragrance and poetry content @johndarrextreme on Instagram.

    View all posts

Latest Posts

‘Brothers’ Feels Like a First Draft

Movies like Brothers are a stark reminder of the...

The Curse of the Golden Flower

Thad, Kara, and Jeremiah discuss Zhang Yimou's near Gothic-tale...

Time to Turn Really Blue with The Smurfs Roleplaying Game

The Smurfs Roleplaying Game is a new chance...

Five New Board Games To Bring To Your Holiday Gatherings

The holidays are upon us yet again, which means...

‘Woman of the Hour’ Struggles With Respectablity

True crime documentaries and podcasts are a bane of...