Charade took me by surprise, as I was testing my way through the Sarah Baker range for the first time in Jovoy. It captured my heart in an instant, and within that moment I knew I had to buy a sample at the very least, to fully explore and appreciate this masterful scent. Since then, it currently sits right at the top of my wishlist and is easily my favourite from the house. This is a powerful tuberose scent, but not as you might know. The sweet, fruity facets of this wonderful flower are heightened by the deliciousness of honey, resting on a buttery smooth base of warm amber, and a creamy marriage of ylang, sandalwood and oakmoss. However, leather is what makes this scent what it is. It gives it a somewhat rugged thickness preventing the tuberose from becoming too soapy or bubblegum-like. I can honestly say I think this is an utter masterpiece. Tuberose and leather is a pairing which can smell out of this world if done correctly, and here it is perfect. This scent made me realise tuberose is one of my favourite notes if done correctly.
I am an absolute fiend for the lush, fevered va-va-voom of tuberose, and it's always a good time to see how that is interpreted through the lenses of different perfumers. Sarah Baker's Charade bursts onto the stage with a ditzy dame of a tuberose, not the classic, opulent diva you might have been expecting. This one's all mischievous effervescence; imagine the voices of Queenie Goldstein or Betty Boop, breathy, giggling champagne and honey whisper. But plot twist! While our dizzy tuberose distracted you with her artful, ambrosial chicanery, a vegetal ferniness emerges, and a Lothlorien elf steps out of the shadows, a sylvan arrow aimed at your heart. The luxuriance of the tuberose intertwines with the verdant notes, vining our two stars together, creating a captivating tension. Ylang-ylang adds a softly decaying languor, while styrax and benzoin weave a faint trail of smoky, balsamic sweetness. The leather accord seems like it would be out of place, but it’s the earthy, oily leather fanny-packed director holding this unlikely theatrical production together