L'Artisan Piment Brulant

Today was another muggy day, requiring the kind of scent that cuts through the humidity and makes one feel alive and fresh. Or, at least, less icky.

My choice was Piment Brûlant from L'Artisan Parfumeur. It's an unusual scent with its sharp bite of hot red peppers at the top. Not a mainstream note, for sure, as it can be quite scary. After all, who wants to smell like salsa? The peppery notes are very foody, the red pepper is all there, skin and seeds, fresh, sharp and unmistakeable. I was almost put off by it the first time I tried it on. But, just when I thought it was too much something that goes into a ratatouille and too little a scent that goes on my neck, the capsicum began withdrawing and was replaced with something airy and floral.

The official notes promise chocolate, but it's not dark or rich. Just a note that smooths and rounds the fruity notes. The red pepper doesn't go away. Sometimes it's touched with chocolate, sometimes it's more floral. When I like it, it's a fun, fresh scent with an unexpected edge. But sometimes the pepper fruitiness is too much and I wonder if that's a real perfume or something I'd rather roast and make into a topping for bruschetta.