Product Review: L'histoire de Parfum 1969 Perfume

Spring and summer are always the seasons in which I struggle to like perfumes. Personally, I like very earthy -smelling florals, ones that are a far cry from the often powdery, light and airy bouquets frequently marketed for this time of year. Or else, I enjoy woody, spicy concoctions that, in spite of how good they smell can sometimes be difficult to pull off in the warmer months without them becoming cloying or overpowering, especially since I live in a humid climate.

Enter 1969 by L'histoire de Parfum, the answer to my hot-weather fragrance quest. Inspired by the revolutionary, free-spirited attitudes of the youth in the late 1960s (1968 being the year of the "summer of love") 1969,is a sensual blend of notes of peach, rose, and white florals mixed with dark gourmand notes of chocolate, cardamom, and coffee. In the deepest underbelly of the fragrance there is the smallest hint of patchouli, but in spite of the fragrance reference to the 60s and, therein also, the hippie movement, the patchouli is neither prominent nor smoky. Instead, 1969 harnesses the softer, sweeter side of the note just for a little taste of it. I personally love a really smoky, lush, wet patchouli smell, but many people seem to have a negative association with the smell of patchouli for those qualities. So if you normally avoid patchouli scents and fear this one could be too heavy on that note, I still recommend giving it a whiff.

How this fragrance reads on me is a very sophisticated fruity-floral grounded by coffee. By farm, the peach note stands out the most to my nose, giving the impression of shimmering sunshine and adds a honeyed sweetness to the coffee note that comes out strong in the base. Rose and jasmine play supporting roles here and almost just give a faint mention of flowers rather than stating outright which flowers they are. But what they give the fragrance is a very natural earthy vibe, and they keep the fragrance from being overly sweet or smelling too synthetic at ;east to me. The note of chocolate comes out most at the end of the fragrance's life to give one last burst of sweetness on the skin before the scent dissipates.

When I wear this fragrance, I feel joyful, happy, carefree, and sensual. Just give me a crown of flowers and let me romp in the meadow. It is fun to go through the day having this little bit of playful friskiness putting a spring in your step.

Because this perfume is so multi-faceted, I think it is definitely worth sampling if you are a floral lover, a fruity lover, or prefer gourmands. This blend has something I think most people will gravitate towards, and while it will get noticed by others, it is so not so strong to possibly offend anyone. On me, the total wear time lasts about 5 hours on average with about 2-3 sprtizes.

Currently, like most fragrances from L'Histoire de Parfum, 1969 is available in both a 1/2 ounce travel spray bottle for $35 USD, a 2 oz bottle for $105 USD, and a 4 oz bottle for $185 USD. For the full-sized bottles, it is an expensive perfume, but the bottles are double or more the size of most other perfume brands I've seen, and the sprayers spray judicious amounts and the fragrance lasts a long time with each wearing. So the bottles themselves should last for quite awhile. Samples are also available on the L'histoire de Parfums website to try before you buy, I happen to love this and think I will be feeling the love for 1969 for years to come.