New Fragrance of the Week — Hypnôse Senses by Lancôme

I cannot stop smelling my wrist! As I'm sure you all know, I'm a fragrance hound. One of my favorite pastimes is going to the fragrance counter at Shoppers Drugmart (yes, you'd be amazed at their selection) and smelling as many perfumes as I can. Of course, the heady florals and spicy Orientals can overwhelm the senses; thankfully, the addition of coffee beans at most locations can easily double my daily intake.

But which fragrance is lucky enough to actually make it onto my wrist? While I may spritz several cards, wave them back and forth and nod my head in approval as the salesperson is explaining the gift with purchase, only one lucky scent makes it onto my body for the full day. Yes, one scent graduates to the true test — how will this perfume smell in eight hours?

It is 10 AM and I just sprayed Hypnôse Senses by Lancôme onto my wrist; however, my first impression of the famous French cosmetics house's latest offering comes before I click the atomizer: The glass bottle — reminiscent of a twisting female form — fits perfectly into my hand, and the soft-pink liquid inside promises to be as feminine as the bottle. (Please note that I will wear any fragrance — women's or men's — in the name of Be-spoken.)

The scent that emerges as I spray is slightly unexpected, though. It's spicier than I had anticipated, nothing like the peony-pink waft I thought I'd get. Instead, a deeper, more mysterious fragrance is left on my wrist. Suddenly, I'm a little classier than I was at 9:59.

At the heart of Hypnôse Senses is a combination of patchouli and osmanthus. The patchouli gives it an earthy, woodsy feel, while the osmanthus (a flowering shrub native to warm-climate regions of Asia) provides a unique blend of apricot and leather. Rounding out the fragrance are top notes of peppercorn, rose and mandarin, and base notes of benzoin and vanilla. While the fragrance is categorized as a chypre (woodsy, mossy fragrances that usually feature a citrusy top note), it's really a modern twist to the category, with added hints of sweetness and florals.

This perfume is made for the woman who wants to steer away from the new-wave crop of single-note scents on the market to a more traditional-yet-modern perfume that is at once complex and mysterious. While this is not the scent your mother wore, it is a little bit nostalgic of the days when women had signature scents, and were remembered by them. Isn't that what we all hope for — to be remembered?

The ad campaign for Hypnôse Senses — courtesy of artistic director Fabien Baron (also responsible for provocative campaigns for Calvin Klein) and photographer Mikael Jansson — certainly leaves a lasting impression. It features Canadian supermodel Daria Werbowy as a vixen with tousled hair looking mischievously into the camera. I imagine the setting to be a Parisian apartment, and Daria is about to put on her lover's white dress shirt and make coffee to drink in bed... Why do I equate coffee with sensuality?

Bottom line: I could see Hypnôse Senses being the fragrance a young woman would buy the day before she starts her first big job. While she doesn't want to give up her girly, youthful ways, she does want to make a serious first impression. To some, her scent would say, "I'm a confident young woman," and to others it would say, "I like to flirt." She could go from the office, straight to dinner, then dancing and her perfume would be fitting for all occasions.

Hypnôse Senses 30 ml - $52

Hypnôse Senses 50 ml - $70

Hypnôse Senses 75 ml - $92

Available at Shoppers Drug Marts across the country,

and at www.lancome.ca