Diptyque – Philosykos

I love the Diptyque line for its ability to marry earthy, natural scents with a refined minimalist elegance. Most of the house’s fragrances work equally well on a man or a woman, and Philsykos is no exception.

Rather than creating an uber-fruity, over the top syrupy fig, Diptyque seems to draw its inspiration from the tree as a whole. From the earthy bark and woody stems, right to the green and slightly dusty fruit. Like other Diptyque fragrances it possesses a fairly realistic green note, reminiscent of wet blades of grass and takes me back to childhood summers spent outdoors.

The drydown has Olivia Giacobetti written all over it, from the soft veiled layers of fig with coconut, with a gentle hint of sweetness which is never overpowering, even on the most humid of days. While Philosykos is a wonderful summertime scent, it works equally well in the winter months, a reminder of things to come. While I adore the extra sharp bite of the EdT, the EdP concentration is quite lovely, though perhaps a bit rounder than the original – think Sauvignon Blanc versus Chardonnay.

It’s astounding to think that this 1996 release is nearly twenty years old, but perhaps this timeless quality is what makes Diptyque fragrances so successful. Ironically, the Diptyque collection just showed up at my local Nordstrom’s, finally making this house available to a wider audience.

Woods

Notes: Fig Leaf, Fig, Coconut, Green Notes, Cedar, Woody Notes, Fig Tree.