Maison Margiela recently launched two new oil-based fragrance primers designed to nourish skin and layer with the Replica Eau de Toilettes to create your own mix of scents. There is a Replica Filter Glow and Replica Filter Blur ($55 each for 50 ml/1.7 fl oz, made in France). I have been obsessed with both. These launched as an online exclusive to Sephora months ago and I waited patiently for weeks until they were released in store so I could smell in person first. With these two I would have ended up being perfectly happy ordering sight unseen as both are right up my alley. I’ve been wearing them alone for a more natural effect that is like a soft fragrance but one that works really well with your own skin, like you but better. They also do work well layered with the other Replica scents. Many have asked if they extend the wear of perfume as the description “primer” implies that it might. I do find they do as the oil adheres to the skin and although I have no scientific proof or studies to back up this thought I feel like it helps pull the scent from the layered perfume and extend the wear. At any rate, I find Replica fragrances last quite long on me anyways.
Replica Filter in Blur is a described as having Cotton, White Musk Accord, Gray Amber Accord.It does have a slight powder cotton like feel but it’s not too powdery and the musk rounds it out. It has a Byredo Blanche kind of feel with the lightness but sometimes Blanche can feel a bit sharp on me. Replica Filter Blur is softer with a more well rounded feel. Granted it’s an oil-based spray versus a full strength perfume so I don’t know that I should really compare the two. I like layering the Blur one with Replica Beach Walk the most.
Replica Filter in Glow has citrus notes and neroli. This one is my favorite of the two (if I had to pick one). It sounds odd to describe this scent as sunshine but it feels like that to me. It’s a bright but mellow citrus that smells like skin to me. I love this one with anything – Replica Beach Walk, Lipstick On (c/o), Flower Market (c/o) and alone.
Both are winners and the price points aren’t too bad in my opinion. I think fragrance is so personal – so many factors go into what one thinks smells good. If you ask me what kinds of scents I like I always have a hard time pointing out notes or kinds of scents so I have to simply name a few that I like to give one an idea. I like to switch things up quite frequently – I don’t think I really go more than 2 days wearing the same scent while my husband sticks to 2 or 3 regular colognes in his routine.
A few past rotations by season here:
A few of my favorites below, also not shown but Flower Market is love for me – it’s one of the best pure but modern florals that won’t make you smell like potpourri. If you’re one who thinks “I don’t like straight up florals” but have always wanted to try one I think you should give it a spritz the next time you see it at Sephora or Nordstrom.
Today I’m wearing Filter Glow + Flower Market and it did some serious mood shifting for me by lifting my grumpy morning mood. This morning was one of those times where I simply did not want to get out of bed and thought about staying there for the entire day. I pulled myself together and while fragrance almost always lifts the mood or gives you that finishing polished touch, I am really surprised at how much more awake yet calm I feel with this scent combination.
As you might be able to tell from the rotations linked above there is a lot that I’ve explored. Out of all the scents I’ve tested, I feel like the Replica Filters are the ones that feel most like me. I like that they are softly nourishing on the skin too. Since they are oil-based they will feel emollient and I spray and massage in the skin like you would any other body oil. To date I haven’t really experimented layering these with other perfumes. I’m having a hard time thinking about what I would else I would combine them with because the Replica perfumes are just so perfect with these.
Bottom line is that I highly recommend and I’m very pleased with both. You can find them for $55 each at Sephora and Nordstrom.
Have you tried these yet? What did you think?
