Like all great discoveries, I stumbled upon Portrait of a Lady, the bestselling Frederic Malle fragrance, by chance. A soft bouquet of roses, a trail of patchouli - it was elegant but contemporary. Floral and yet still fresh. A sort of timeless sensibility and still the kind of scent that might blow up on TikTok.
And it has. Portrait of a Lady has been capturing the hearts of pretty much everyone, no matter their age or olfactive inclination, ever since it launched back in 2010. And along with the likes of Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Baccarat Rouge, Glossier's You and YSL's Black Opium, it’s been garnering a loyal (and large) perfume fan base on social media too.
So much so, fighting for centre stage with the world's favourite flacons, it's racked up millions of views on TikTok with countless viral videos proclaiming it to be one of the most head-turning scents of all time. So what's all the fuss about, then?
Portrait Of A Lady Eau De Parfum 100ml
What does Portrait of a Lady smell like?
Much like its perfume counterparts, there's something mysterious about this perfume. The intense Turkish rose is instantly recognisable and yet it's not overpowering or easy to tire of - impressive given there are 400 flowers bottled into every scent. It sits on a woody base of sandalwood and frankincense, paired with the earthy aroma of patchouli. 'It's just so addictive,' as the TikTok world will tell you.
The top notes feature raspberry, rose, clove, blackcurrant and cinnamon, while the middle notes veer between sandalwood and spicy incense, culminating with musk, amber and benzoin.
What's the story behind Portrait of a Lady?
Created by Parisian-born master perfumer Dominique Ropion (the nose behind Carnal Flower), the creation of Portrait of a Lady was in fact a happy accident. Inspired by another Frederic Malle scent, Géranium Pour Monsieur, which was launched in 2009, its musky and warm finish became the driving force to create an altogether new scent; this time centred around the Nahema rose accord.
'Portrait of a Lady is a fragrance with the mysterious power to reveal one's personality,' says Frederic Malle. 'It is personal and charismatic. It is an olfactory masterpiece of pure elegance, baroque opulence, and splendour that people will ask you about.'
Though there aren't usually a ton of luxury perfumes filtering into the sales, this year the elusive and ever popular Portrait of a Lady - as well as some of TikTok's favourite scents - have a rare reduction. From Glossier's acclaimed skin scent to the addictive Baccarat Rouge, and not forgetting Tom Ford's Lost Cherry, now is exactly when to see what all the fuss is about. Plus, there are only few hours left to snap up the best perfume deals for Cyber Monday...
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 Eau de Parfum
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium
