Diptyque Philosykos Perfume Oil Roll-On

Ever since I had the pleasure of owning the (heartbreakingly) limited edition L'Occitane Figuier & Osmanthus fragrance three summer's ago, I've been hooked on fig scents. In fact, I was so disappointed when I learned that it was limited edition and sold out, that I emailed L'Occitane HQ in the vain hope that they had a few bottles stashed away somewhere that I could secretly purchase (they didn't).

You know how scent has that amazing ability to take you back and remind you of certain places, events and people? For me, that figgy fragrance from L'Occitane will forever remind me of the week I spent in Alghero with my boyfriend for my 30th. Partly because I sprayed it liberally over the duration of our stay (before I realised the precious juice was limited edition!) and partly because the outdoor eating area where we enjoyed breakfast everyday was lined with fig trees with huge, ripe fruit hanging from the branches. Sigh.
Anyway, believe it or not, this post isn't about that scent, but my latest fragrance purchased recently in an effort to curb my olfactory appetite for all things fig.

Diptyque Philosykos is pretty much a cult perfume, and for very good reason. It's rich and woody with the tiniest hint of fruitiness and basically smells exactly like those fig trees in Alghero. According to Diptyque, the scent of Philosokos is: woody raw materials: fig leaves, fig tree sap, fig tree wood and black pepper which is a pretty spot on description really. It's not a gourmand by any stretch but to me it still manages to have precisely the right amount of fruity sweetness. I have the roll on oil version of the fragrance for three reasons - it's very travel friendly, it's easiest on the purse strings and because it's oil based it's perfect for clear summer days when alcohol based fragrances might irritate the skin a little when the sun hits it.

In terms of longevity and heaviness, i find it to be surprisingly light for such a woody-based scent and though it does linger on the skin, I think of it as a fragrance i wear for myself to enjoy rather than for others to catch a whiff of, if that makes any sense at all? The size of a chunky pen, the heavy glass 7.5ml perfume roll on comes complete with a suedette pouch emblazoned with Diptyque for an extra special touch. I'll be wearing this all summer while imagining I'm lounging in the sun somewhere in the Mediterranean when in reality I'll probably be nursing a teething baby.
You can find it online at Diptyque and stockists including Space NK for £35.