Musc 25, the Los Angeles Le Labo exclusive is MKK's sunnier more lovable sibling. It's a warm, fuzzy and slightly dirty creature, just as the one from Uncle Serge, but Musc 25 doesn't necessarily belong in dark rooms. It's a bit salty and at times reminds me of a sesame paste, not that I can explain why.
Musc 25 is both naught and nice, perhaps it's related to Frederic Malle's Dans tes Bras more than to MKK. The musk is almost scrubbed clean, modern and easygoing, except that it isn't. The Le Labo guys did it on purpose as they commissioned perfumer Frank Voelkl to create an "angelic whiteness with a core of sin". Supposedly, Musc 25 includes " a synthesized representation of human semen", but before we all barf together at the memory of Secretion Magnifique, this is not that thing. I consider this elusive note a gimmick, as to my nose the dirties part in this Le Labo is civet (that's the MKK reference), while the rest of the perfume is skin musk, sea salt and vetiver; somewhere in the very late dry-down there's ambergris and a distinct ambery leftover on my scarves.
The sun and salt are definitely L.A., as are the tanned legs. I find Musc 25 delightfully easy to wear even on the hottest and haziest summer days, thanks to its very modern airiness. It's completely free of gender restraints and stereotypes, which is another thing I love in Le Labo's vision.
Notes: aldehydes, amber, patchouli, musk, vetiver, lily-of-the-valley, cedar and rose.
Musc 25 is exclusive to the Le Labo Los Angeles boutique (8385 West 3rd street).
Image: stirredstraightup.blogspot.com
I love Musc 25. This is one of those fragrances that is not nearly as edgy as the copy would have you believe, but it is really beautiful. Frank Voelkl is sort of genius, I think.
ReplyDeleteI am very jealous that you were able to get a sample of this! I do wish this would have been the NYC exclusive instead of Tubereuse.
ReplyDeleteI really like this one a lot.
ReplyDeleteBTW: I was told by Barneys that all the City Exclusives are going to come to there for the holidays. Hope they aren't full of old shoes, as my mother would say.
Tom - I've heard that too (from another source). SO it might be true! I was planning on buying into a small split of Poivre 23 and Aldehydes 44.
ReplyDeleteJust laughing really hard at the vision of synchronized barfing...
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of musk, and love MKK and Dans tes Bras, will have to give this one a spritz to see. I didn't realize there was a salty/vetiver note, I'm officially intrigued!
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