The Diptyque line of incredible fragrances and candles are finally available in South Africa at Skins Cosmetics in Sandton City – a beauty destination that will, quite literally, take your breath away!

The Diptyque brand was founded more than 50 years ago in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres district in Paris and is renowned for producing some of the best, and most unique fragrances and candles in the world.

The moment I smelt the iconic Diptyque Philosykos EDT (R1600 for a 100ml) it took me straight back to my granny’s garden and the many afternoons I spent reading under her fig tree. If you’ve ever even walked under a fig tree in bloom, you’ll know that heady, unmistakable smell that’s really hard to describe: sweet, earthy, lush and green. Perhaps it was the familiarity of this scent that made me fall totally in love with it.

Philosykos is categorized as a Woody Aromatic and can be worn by both men & women. It was launched in 1996 and holds the accolade of being one of the best fig scents ever created. It is also the best selling EDT fragrance in the Diptyque stable.

The fragrance pyramid is made up of top notes of fig and fig leaf; middle notes of coconut and a green accord; and base notes of fig tree, woods and cedar.

I’m not usually a fan of fig scents, as I find them way too sickly sweet and fruity. However, Philosykos is NOT your typical fig scent. Yes, the juice is unmistakably fig in its character, but the addition of creamy coconut and dry woods enhances the fruits sensuality, making the fragrance very sophisticated and elegant.

The top notes are very lush and green and I adore the realistic, bright, (somewhat milky) fig accord that smells very natural. As the scent develops, the creaminess of the coconut comes through, while the dry woody notes gives it a beautiful earthy fullness. This is not an overwhelming scent, and I love the subtle, scented trail it leaves behind. Because of this, it’s not the kind of scent that will overwhelm at a boardroom meeting, making it a safe bet for just about anyone. I would say it’s more of a day scent, probably best worn in the warmer months and has a lasting time of around 4 hours.

I also love the simple, classic and oh-so-elegant bottle design. The glass flacon is sturdy, almost masculine in its design and I like how the label is simple black and white with a sketched visual of a figs. When you turn the bottle around, there’s another black and white sketch of what looks like a Roman bath, with water spouting forth out of a Greek God’s mouth (not sure which one). The bath is placed in the shade of what I imagine must be a fig tree in full bloom.

Diptyque fragrances and candles are available at Skin Cosmetics in Sandton City. You can also shop online at skins.co.za