Found: best strawberry perfume! Venom Incarnat by Stephane Humbert Lucas

M Meet my summer fragrance crush! Name: Venom Incarnat from the new La Collection Serpent by Stephane Humbert Lucas, a seductive strawberry-amber-berry-leather. The genre defies a traditional definition – it’s a bold new style!

What does it smell like? An irresistible accord of very life-like wild strawberries (their flavor incomparably more intense than that of your regular supermarket ware), embedded in warm caramel, spices (cinnamon, vanilla), woods and a touch of bitter leather that balances the sweetness. In an unexpected development, the strawberry starts slow and gains power and depth with time, making the experience ever more fascinating.

The image that I get when smelling it is a cauldron full of little ripe red berries with caramel stirred by a beautiful dark arts witch, the warm ambery fire softly glowing and crackling next to the magic wand that’s resting in its leather case. It’s fruity with a touch of darkness and mystery, hooking you and not letting you go.

Venom Incarnat is intoxicating, has all the potential to become your new perfume addiction (it certainly has already become mine).

This fragrance is a generous gift to all frustrated strawberry lovers who have already given up hope of finding a fragrance that features this note and is worthy of being called a Perfume with a capital P. Strawberry has a weird rep in perfumery in general, and has been frowned upon in artistic perfumery until recently – it almost always feels artificial and as pink as a piece of bubble gum that got stuck to your shoe in Disneyland while your kid was visiting the Barbie counter. Not here. This wild strawberry is not only real, but also part of a fantastically blended composition that a fragrance connoisseur can wear with pride!

(Actually, I’ve been seeing more artistic brands release perfumes featuring a prominent strawberry accord with varying degrees of success over the last couple of years. So while I’m not officially calling strawberry a new niche fragrance trend just yet, I’m definitely keeping my eyes open to see how things develop.)

What wowed me most after smelling the collection for the first time in Cannes last year before it was released, is how different all perfumes were compared to the signature style Stephane Humbert Lucas is known for. Until the Snake Collection hit the shelves, his creations were revolving around the ambers, woods, and spices of the Middle East. So much so that this sultry and luxurious oriental style has almost become synonymous with SHL brand. Like O Hira – probably the best amber perfume the world has ever seen.

Enter the new collection. All five new scents (the sixths, Mortal Skin, has been one of the bestsellers for a while already) are a pretty radical departure from Mr. Lucas’ style as we’ve known it. It’s mind-blowing, how THE Master of oriental can also do a sparkling white floral, a tropical mango fantasy, a sensual leather, a genius gourmand chocolate and also the hands-down best strawberry-themed fragrance out there. Some perfumers just have a talent so big and versatile, they create perfection whatever idea they decide to peruse. Venom Incarnat is proof.

By the way, the name Venom Incarnat sounds more menacing than the perfume is. There is definitely a dash of danger in here. (Can you name a single perfume by Stephane Humbert Lucas that is 100% tame? You can’t because daring, seductive energy is part of the brand’s DNA). But the tone is friendly, warm, and magical in the best possible way! It’s a love potion, not a deadly poison.

My overall opinion about Venom Incarnat is that it’s among the best new fragrances to try in 2022. And I don’t say things like this lightly. It’s really that good!

Now to the practical side of things. Everything sounds good in theory and in blogs reviews, right? The real question is, should you be spending your money on it or not? I’ll put it this way. If you are a fan of Stephane Humbert Lucas – it’s a must-have you won’t regret blind-buying. If you are not into intense fragrances with strong character, try first – this is a stunning composition, but definitely not your average light and breezy “skin scent”. Venom Incarnat has power and energy.

Where to buy your bottle? Stephane Humbert Lucas is present in several high-profile perfumeries around the world, so there is a chance you can find a place near you to experience the new collection live. Here is the list of their sales points. If you don’t live near one of the stores, then the official website of the brand is the safest way to get your hands on the red bottle. And if you are in Germany, beauty-concept-shop.de is a great option (they have international shipping too, of course). The code YANA5 will get you a 5% off at the checkout there (and some additional samples to go along with your purchase).*

Have you tried the new Serpent Collection yet? And what is your favorite perfume by Stephane Humber Lucas so far? What about strawberries in fragrances, do you know of any good examples?

*Disclaimer: It’s a code that I’m happy to offer you as a service without getting any monetary or other compensation by the shop. I’d be glad if you used it, though, as I like beauty-concept-shop and would only refer my readers to an online store with excellent reputation and great customer service. The bottle was generously provided for review by the brand.

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