With a name like that, I knew I had to get it, even if it means buying it blind. Etat Libre d'Orange (Free State of Orange) is a niche perfumery founded by the suave Etienne de Swardt who brought pop art, bold language and fragrance together. According to ELdO, Sécrétions Magnifiques contains accords of iodine, adrenaline, blood, milk, iris, coconut, sandalwood and opoponax. It's no rocket science that this perfume intends to shock (or educate) and buying it blindly certainly added more suspense.
My first spray shouted 'chemical cocktail!'. It was a very haute couture type of opening. Unexpected, a little strange, slightly familiar yet distant and definitely not a everyday prêt-à-porter. The top starts sharp, astringent, oily, aldehylic, metallic, greenish-mushroom and a little aquatic. It was a little hard to describe the metallic notes, but I can paint you the perfect sensation. Stick a spoon into your mouth and let it touch the metal amalgam and stick your tongue there. You get this metallic twang and it makes your mouth waters. That's how it feels and if you still can tolerate this, what you will find next is more agreeable as it unfolds and reveals the milk and floral. Still, it's not your usual creamy goodness or rose garden, but more like milk with iron powder and anodized iris. Once you get the top notes out of the way, it is actually rather pleasant when the lactonic notes dominate and the sandalwood and opoponax performs.
This is definitely not something for the first date, job interview, or any occasion that requires you to leave a safe impression. It is wearable and non-offensive, but only if there's at least an hour gap between time of spraying to first contact with other persons. The sillage and tenacity is monstrous so less is more and I cap it at 2 sprays max.
Rating: ***
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