Corpalium

Iris is often described as powdery and elegant. MARLOU Corpalium digs deeper, down to the earthy root, dry hay, and equine warmth.

Iris and ambrette open the composition dry, grainy, and slightly musky. Powder exists, but it lacks a clean cosmetic softness; it’s more reminiscent of dust kicked up from the ground.

Fenugreek introduces an unusual aroma that can evoke hay, dry leaves, and a mild tartness. With iris, it creates an almost tobacco-like impression, though the composition doesn't need to resort to a literal tobacco leaf.

Stéphanie Bakouche then adds guaiac wood and cedar. The woods are dry, cool, and somewhat terpenic-sharp, like the interior of an old barn or a saddle stored after a long day.

Castoreum in the drydown leaves a leathery, animalic trail. Iris doesn't completely retreat but becomes more bodily and warm, squeezed between wood, fur, and dry vegetation.

Corpalium is not a refined iris for a silk shirt. It is iris root with fenugreek, dry wood, and castoreum — powder on an animal's skin, not on a vanity table.