Photolog 2019: Day 207 of 365

VT x BTS L'Atelier des Subtils Eau de Toilette in Eau de Poudre, Eau de Citrus, Eau de Coton, and Eau d'Océan
VT x BTS L'Atelier des Subtils Eau de Toilette in Eau de Poudre, Eau de Citrus, Eau de Coton, and Eau d'Océan
VT x BTS L'Atelier des Subtils Eau de Toilette in Eau de Poudre, Eau de Citrus, Eau de Coton, and Eau d'Océan
VT x BTS L'Atelier des Subtils Photocards
Officially, the VT x BTS L'Atelier des Subtils perfumes are only being sold in certain countries, but as Canada is not one of them, I've looked up other retailers or vendors that are selling them and shipping them worldwide. The retail price for one bottle is ₩58,000, which is about $65 CAD, but the cheapest I've seen them for online is $85 USD (about $112 CAD). My friend Jaewon had put them up on his IG store for $75 USD each, so I asked if I could order four from him and he said he'd go to the VT x BTS L'Atelier des Subtils pop-up store to get them for me. But he took down the perfume listing shortly after because perfume containing alcohol (which is basically all commercial perfumes) technically can't be shipped internationally or mailed domestically using air transportation. Essentially, any vendor that is selling and shipping them internationally is just taking a risk. But he said he'd send them to me, anyway, and if they got returned to him, he'd refund me the money and take the loss of the shipping costs. (Sometimes it's worth it to be a loyal customer!)

I'm glad to report that they arrived with my big shipment this week with zero problems. (The key is to ship the perfumes with other things and not put "perfume" on the declaration sheet.) As I went off of the official descriptions from their website, I had ordered with the ones that sounded the most wearable to me: Eau de Poudre (Jimin), Eau de Citrus (J-Hope), Eau de Coton (Jin), and Eau d'Océan (Jungkook). Here, my summaries:

• Eau de Poudre is described as "sweet" and "cozy," with top notes of clover and bergamot; middle notes of geranium, heliotrope, and clove; and base notes of patchouli, labdanum, vanilla, sandalwood, and ambergris. It's a warm, spicy, vanilla scent in the Oriental Fougere category, and though vanilla and baby powder are two main notes, it isn't overly sweet. It is strong, though, so too much can seem cloying, but the right amount gives a soft, nostalgic, comforting warmth. This one is nice for fall and winter, especially at night. Leans more feminine.
  
  
• Eau de Citrus is described as "fizzy" and "citrus," with top notes of lemon, elemi, bergamot, and parsley; middle notes of nutmeg and algae; and base notes of white musk, ambergris, pine, and moss. It's a fresh, sparking, citrus scent in the Citrus Aromatic category. It has a sweetness to it that makes it casual and breezy, but the underlying spice and woody notes keep it crisp and zesty. Perfect for hot summer days. Truly unisex. Reminds me of Chanel's Allure Homme Sport Cologne, which I also love and wore regularly in my early 20s.
  
  
• Eau de Coton is described as "delicate" and romantic," with top notes of bergamot, black currant, apple, and melon; middle notes of jasmine, rose, plum, and violet; and base notes of sandalwood, cedar, and white musk. It's a soft, fruity, floral scent in the Oriental Floral category, though to me, it leans more sweet and fresh than warm or powdery and is more in line with the Floral Fruity category. Can be worn well all year round, though ideal for spring and summer because of its lightness. Definitely leans more feminine.
  
  
• Eau d'Océan is described as "fresh" and "woody," with a top note of bergamot; middle notes of algae, rose, and lily; and base notes of moss and cedar. It's a fresh, light, oceanic scent in the Aromatic Aquatic category. There's a sweet, clean, floral note to it that really does bring to mind a blue ocean on a clear summer day. It reminds me of The Body Shop's Oceanus or Clean's Simply Soap, but woodsier, thus keeping it more unisex. Perfect for summer, but it's great any time you just want to smell sweet and clean.

Of the four, the only one that isn't really up my alley is Eau de Poudre, as I lean more towards light, fresh, citrusy scents like Fresh's Sugar Lychee (which I've been wearing for over a decade). But I do think that I'll enjoy it in the winter, when I want that warmer, spicy, vanilla scent, like Diptyque's Eau Duelle (which I like to wear on occasions when it's cold out). Either way, I like that all four of these scents smell distinct and different from each other, and I think that overall, Frederic Burtin (graduate of ISIPCA, head chemist for LVMH group for 15 years, R&D manager for Parfums Christian Dior, and R&D Innovation for Guerlain) did a great job in creating these perfumes. What I really appreciate is that these perfumes are not your typical "celebrity fragrances." They're not sugary or overly fruity or super generic; these are complex, adult fragrances with thought behind them. The bottles aren't childish or garish; they're in sleek, simple bottles with a clean label design. While BTS is just representing the brand (seven perfumes were created for each of them), I do think that each scent was created with the member's personality and characteristics in mind, and I like that they took this endeavour seriously in collaboration with a reputable cosmetics company.