On Thursday of last week the fashionistas came to Liberty of London for the launch of Bella Freud’s latest fragrance – Psychoanalysis. I think that Psychoanalysis is a great name for a fragrance. I had high hopes that this fragrance would reflect the discomfort and subsequent clarity that therapy can provide. I had visions of a polarising fragrance. Something that the fragrance world would love to hate and that really played with the olfactory system. Bella Freud, the great granddaughter of Sigmund Freud however decided to take a different route.
The Concept
A man so intelligent and deep holds your happiness but can never fulfil it. The smell of the leather couch is reassuring; the fragrance of cigars and orange blossom opens your mind and your heart
For the house of Freud, Psychoanalysis an ode to love. Obsessive love, but nonetheless love. I have to say, I don’t agree – look at the notes:-
- Neroli
- Petitgrain
- Tobacco Flower
- Resin
- Cedarwood
- Amber
- Musk
I received a 2ml sample at the launch and I have been wearing the fragrance for three days straight. When I read the concept behind the fragrance, I thought they were talking about a completely different perfume!
In Reality
I love neroli and petitigran but there is none of the pheromone inducing heavy white flower sexiness that these notes combined can provide. There is a freshness and lightness about this fragrance that in my opinion does not sit well with an obsessive love story. Despite being an eau de parfum, this fragrance never takes you by the shoulders and screams look at me. I don’t get leather couch vibes. The image of an intelligent man does not run through my mind when I smell this fragrance.
On the Skin
The opening of Psychoanalysis makes me think of black tea every time I wear it. The fresh opening is quickly followed by the resin and cedarwood with the amber and musk following about three hours later. It is marketed as a female fragrance. The imagery is very ‘fashionista’ with illustrations from Sina Sparrow. Whilst the drawings are striking, I actually think that this is quite a gender neutral fragrance. It is not running through a meadow girly. It is a contemporary fragrance with minimal projection and sillage.
Psycholanalisys for me is a reflective fragrance. I would go as far to say contemplative. It is a confident yet introverted fragrance. Despite my completel rejection of the obsessive love concept, I really like this fragrance. It is office appropriate, worked equally well for a lunch date and dinner with my girls. If Psychoanalysis were a woman should be would interesting and confident and observant and stylish and independent. Should would not be obsessing over a man!
If you are looking for alternative to the popular musk based white floral scents, you need to give Psychoanalysis a whiff. When you head to Liberty check out the windows of the beauty department where Sinna Sparrow ‘s illustrations for brand are on display.
Psychoanalysis is available from Liberty, (100ml fragrance for £165.00)
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