Neonatura Cocoon by Yves Rocher : Perfume Review

The first days of March seem to be harsher, darker and colder than the last half of February, which hardly comes as a surprise, because as we all know, March has a reputation to uphold... So what better scent to kick off the patchouli themed series of reviews, than Yves Rocher’s Neonatura Cocoon? In case the name wasn’t suggestive enough already, this is a supremely comforting perfume. Cleverly, the comfort experienced by using this scent already begins at the bottle: smooth and pebble shaped, it fits perfectly into one hand. It is even rather fun to use – its spray mechanism neatly hidden under a soft silicone cover that feels soft to the touch. (Side Note: Leaving it on your desk might lead to confusion… I keep mistaking it for my ergonomic cordless mouse while writing this!!)

First brought to my attention by readers of Fragrance Bouquet, I sought this out at the Yves Rocher boutique and fell in love. That is, I fell in love when I actually managed to identify it! It is rather problematic, but Neonatura Cocoon comes in exactly the same bottle as Neonatura Souffle, with only color differences to set them apart! Both bottles have the name Neonatura clearly marked, but neither is marked as “Cocoon” or “Souffle”! Taking a look at the website, one can eventually find that the lighter colored bottled (sand-beige tones) is Souffle and the dark, coffee-bean brown bottle is Cocoon. Phew!

Now, on to the scent itself: Like most delicious comforts in life, simplicity does it. Yes, Neonatura Cocoon is rather simple. Not only is it rather linear with little to no development over time, it is also a scent which focuses on few notes only, as though entirely made of warm, enveloping base notes. Extremely yummy, it gently hugs the skin with the scent of vanilla, cacao, patchouli and coffee. The central aspect is of course patchouli, which is in this case extremely earthy, moist and slightly chocolate-nuanced, mirroring the scent of my preferred patchouli essential oil that I use for perfuming my nourishing home-made body oils. As time goes by, I find that the patchouli becomes stronger and attains a slightly dirty character which I enjoy. The vanilla is sweet and delicious, adding definite sensuality and “glossiness” to the scent, if that makes any sense. Even though the vanilla itself is sweet and rather edible, it is used so considerately among the other notes, its sweetness only serves to give the fragrance roundness and voluptuousness, rather than rendering it a sweet gourmand. The cacao note in turn, is minutely powdery and beautifully dark, pure and round, perfectly complementing as well as intensifying the chocolaty nuances of the patchouli. As for the coffee, well, the official website doesn’t officially list it, but it is definitely there to my nose. Exuding the tantalizing fragrance of a mild, slightly caramel nuanced roast, the scent of coffee underscores the rising dirtiness of the patchouli and adds a masculine edge to Neonatura Cocoon. In fact, I think that this comforting and sensual warm fragrance will suit both men and women equally beautifully.

Neonatura Cocoon comes with a host of ancillary products, including a cute, rose colored solid, marketed as “Neonatura Cocoon Cream Perfume”. I would most definitely hesitate to try the deodorant (that’s a little friendly hint for the readers who do not have Yves Rocher boutiques nearby and are ordering from catalogues!) since I can’t quite imagine the slightly dirty aspects of patchouli and coffee being ideal for the armpit area…. However, I have tried the bath/shower gel, and it is definitely worth looking into if you love the fragrance. While its scent is neither as long-lasting nor strong enough to perfume my clothes (as do other ancillary products I have tried from brands such as Prada, Mugler and YSL), it is simply a pleasure to shower with it in winter time. It really feels luxurious to have the bathroom filled with this warm, sensuous fragrance. It does leave a lovely whisper of the signature scent on the skin and I find that immediately applying the perfume afterwards creates stronger sillage and improves the longevity.

Images: www.yves-rocher.com and Flickr by Dave_Boyer