Trouble by Boucheron : Perfume Review

Boucheron released Trouble in 2004 and it has been marketed as a sensual, provocative floral-oriental. Trouble is indeed an oriental scent, but unfortunately it does not have the come-hither potential most of its oriental siblings possess. It starts out with a strong burst of citrus that quickly takes on a sugared quality that brings to mind strong, rich lemon hard-candy. The citrus continues to develop undeterred, like scratched lemon rind and combines with the herbaceous smell of digitalis, the poisonous foxglove also known as witch’s bells. There is a certain essential oil quality in this stage, with traces of crushed citrus leaves. The flowery middle note of jasmine is only a hint, overshadowed by the addition of rosewater and vanilla. The woody base notes are also discernible quite early on, and along with the blue cedar, I can definitely smell sweet palisander wood, which is possibly the sexiest note in the mixture. It is a very strong perfume and a little goes a long way. I get a lot of sillage out of it and its staying power is excellent. I see this as a fragrance with no age restrictions. Truth be told, this is how I feel about most perfumes, with very few exceptions. But I felt I should note this especially for Trouble, as the term “oriental” often serves as a deterrent for younger girls. I feel this is a good initiation perfume in the genre, which can be worn equally comfortably (and with as much success) by both very young and older women.

All in all, Trouble starts out very gourmand, not fully living up to its marketing claims. The dry-down is certainly sexy, but not overtly so. I would not label it as nondescript; it is certainly an interesting perfume, albeit not overly idiosyncratic. To me, this is the perfect perfume to reach for when one needs an oriental in warm weather, as it is both fresh due to its intense citrus character, but also spicy and warm. Having said that, it would still be too rich for daywear. I recommend it as a summer nighttime fragrance.


Image Sources: Lemon Tree, my own. Picture of Trouble factice bottle courtesy of www.auntjudysattic.com.