A SAILOR’S SCENT
Written By: Lauren Cunningham
Sorbet sniffs out Jean Paul-Gaultier's Le Male Elixir
What first comes to mind when you think of a sailor’s scent? Sea, sweat, or maybe an over-abundant fragrance of fish? Either way, we’re sure it isn’t all that appetizing unless you’re, say, a sea lion. But just how much would your answer change if we added Jean Paul Gaultier to the beginning of that sentence? Well, thanks to the new House fragrance, these questions are no longer as useless as a Christmas quiz, as Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male Elixir has erupted onto the shelves of Sephora, and we at Sorbet are excited.
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While the sailor has been a strong inspiration behind many a Jean Paul Gaultier creation, including not one but now five fabulous men’s fragrances, the iconic figure seems to be always evolving, and this latest launch is the newest recruit. Long-term fans most likely remember the blue-and-white striped body of the original Le Male filled with scents of shaving soap, mint, lavender, and vanilla that first graced our necks back in 1995. Then came Le Male Capitaine, a more potent perfume following similar notes held inside an all-black bottle; the Ultra Male that played with pear and wood; Le Male Pride 2023, in an ode to the LGBTQ+ community with a rainbow-hemmed T-shirt to match, and the new Le Male Elixir, which also happens to be the most intense option of the lot.
In fact, the brand labels it “a very intense fragrance form smokin’ hot skin”, so those who spritz it are certainly sure to make a statement, both to themselves and to those who get close enough to take a whiff. But what makes it so different from the original? Quentin Bisch, perfumer and author of this new sexy scent, gave us all the answers.
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“Le Male Elixir is an elixir because it plays on very rich ingredients. We take elements from the original and combine them with new notes that are warm and textured. Each component is tangible. It is true to Le Male, but it is a new chapter expressing a new sensuality,” he began, setting it apart from its now humble-sounding roots.
Adding to the tangibility of this new scent, it seems it’s not some unnamed sailor who served as the inspiration for the elixir but a Brazilian model with a fiery gaze and tattooed torso named Rapahel Diogo. One look at his Instagram is sure to explain why any creator could be captivated by this being. His glistening golden skin inspired the new bottle design: the same sexy chest of Le Male’s that came before, bottom and bulge in exaggerated proportions and black stripes emblazoned across the textured gold surface. Even the famous tin packaging has been remodeled into a gorgeous gold color, showing the star’s effect across all aspects of the brand. But what does this new color translate to in terms of ingredients? “If gold were an ingredient, it would obviously be amber. Amber is an iconic accord in classic perfumery, but we reinvent it her”, explained Bisch.
But amber is far from being the sole key ingredient. “I wouldn’t say there is a key ingredient. I would say it is a duo of ingredients that is a key because it is the dialogue between lavender and amber, deriving from labdanum (the resin from the rockrose plant), that creates a vibration in the note. This brings a contrast between the freshness of the lavender and the warmth of the balms, plus all the sensuality embodied by this Male Elixir” explained Bisch. And once you add tonka bean, mint, vanilla, and benzoin, the woody aroma is sweet and salty, just like the sea breeze the sexy sailor relies upon.
To sum it up in just a couple of sentences, Bisch had quite the expert answer. “It’s a smoldering fragrance, even before you open it, with this golden radiance and this striped design. You can see and feel the texture of the scent just by holding the bottle. I think there is a matching game between the fragrance notes and this bottle.” We couldn’t agree more. It certainly feels like the perfect package, made only more special if hand-delivered by Raphael Diogo himself. Here’s hoping, as it’s our big birthday wish.
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