Shiro Parisienne Favourite Fragrance

[unpaid/sample] I’ve been intrigued by Japanese beauty brands since the popularity of Google when I could easily see what the rest of beauty world was doing – it was an absolute revelation to see the diversity of products that I’d never known about before. Shiro is only 10 years old and falls into the pure, simple and pared back arm of Japanese beauty, focusing on purity of ingredients and quiet elegance.

I’ve got the three newest Shiro fragrances to review and I’m starting with Parisienne Favourite for obvious reasons! One of the things that struck me when I was in Tokyo a couple of years ago is that Japanese people are obsessed with Paris (we found ourselves on a road that was a replica of a Paris street – complete with piped French musak, a Paul’s Bakery and bistros serving horse meat… it was like being in an alternative universe and we ate croissants, not a poor pony). This isn’t what I was expecting from a Japanese perfume which generally tend to be soft and light.

The first blast is surprisingly strong – heavy on vanilla and amber and quite a big note of cassis. However, the dry down is much less fulsome and settles to something quieter and more easily wearable. Jasmin, iris and orange blossom are present, as is a berry note so it’s juicy and floral. If I can make a food comparison, it’s the sorbet version of the full-on ice-cream and less apparent as the day goes on. For me, that’s ideal with these notes – it makes them more wearable while still having a fragrant boom at the outset. What sets Shiro apart in fragrance world is the use of distilled yuzu and lily of the valley water instead of actual water as the base.

So, ultimately, I don’t know if Parisienne Favourite is my favourite of the Shiro fragrances but it’s certainly an interesting blend. It’s not cheap at £135 – really, they could do with a sampler set because if you don’t know the brand, there are some exciting perfumes to discover but it’s risky at the price to hope you like it. Find it HERE.