It’s funny but never had I associated jasmine with anything dirty before I tried this bombshell. Lust was created by Mark Constantine, Lush co-fouder and artful perfumer who’s been working his craft  for over 20 years.  And let me tell you, Lust is one dirty jasmine BEAST.

Seriously, just one little spritz and BOOM! Firmly aimed at jasmine lovers, Lust delivers an almost freakishly strong oriental wave of jasmine mixed what what smells like a cross between burnt sugar and cigarettes. Weird, right? There’s definitely a skanky edge here with a daring intensity to it. I repeat, this is not for the faint of heart or anyone looking for a quiet, subtle scent.

I was guessing that the ingredient used here is jasmine sambac, which is known for its sharp, borderline unpleasant,  indolic quality. It certainly wasn’t the creamy, sweet jasmine that is heaven to me. The hint of something resembling rubber confirmed it for me. Yep, jasmine sambac for sure.

The Lush website describes Lust:

Unabashedly carnal jasmine

It’s virtually unheard of for a perfume to be this sexy. Lust is a heady mash-up of rich florals and a warm, woody base that lasts on the skin for hours and hours. It’s a multi-layered fragrance made up of jasmine, ylang ylang, rose, vanilla and sandalwood making it (and you, by association) unabashedly sexy. Resistance is futile.

I’m still wondering where the ylang yang, rose and vanilla (three of my favorite scents) disappeared to without a trace. It’s possible that the cigarette smell was coming from the sandalwood, I suppose, or they managed to sneak tobacco in there and not list it (far less likely).

It takes someone more bold than I to rock this perfume, but it is an interesting, quirky scent once it settles down. It’s certainly worth a try if you’re a person who loves jasmine and are looking for something really different.

A 1.0 oz. bottle is around $43.