The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The Other Side of Me, nicknamed TOSOM, was launched in 2021 as the second fragrance in La Fleur by Livvy's Impressions Collection. Its inspiration was the Impressionist painter Frederic Bazille, and Andrej Babicky composed the fragrance with Olivia Larson. The name reaches beyond a simple description of scent. It suggests the unseen self beneath the composed surface: bright and articulate at first, then fragrant, guarded, and quietly complex as the day unfolds. On the skin, Japanese yuzu lends a clean, brisk opening, sharpened by black and pink pepper. Violet leaf, mimosa, lavender, and jasmine shape a green floral heart with herbal freshness and creamy white-flower depth.
What makes TOSOM interesting is the tension between its polished opening and shadowed foundation. Japanese yuzu and two kinds of pepper bring a clean, brisk edge. Violet leaf, mimosa, lavender, and jasmine bring a green floral center, but patchouli, angelica, styrax, labdanum, and vanilla keep that florality from turning sweet or innocent. As the scent settles, the citrus brightness softens and the floral notes become more textured, with green leaves, cool petals, and a faint creamy quality moving over warm resin and earthy woods.
The evolution
The first impression is quick and articulate: Japanese yuzu cuts through black pepper and pink pepper with a clean citrus flash, more invigorating than sweet. That brightness soon gives way to the greener register of Egyptian violet leaf and Grasse lavender. French mimosa softens the herbal florals, while jasmine adds a creamy, white-flower depth that feels composed rather than ornamental. The composition then takes a darker turn. Angelica root, Honduran styrax, Indonesian patchouli, and Nagarmotha create an earthy, resinous base, while Spanish labdanum and vanilla settle the edges into warmth. By the drydown, the sharper opening has become a close, musky floral impression: floral skin, damp soil, and sweet resin. The yuzu gradually recedes, leaving pepper's liveliness behind, while violet leaf and lavender retain a cool green character.
Cultural impact
TOSOM belongs to La Fleur by Livvy's Impressions Collection, where fragrance is connected to artistic ways of seeing. The composition invites wearers interested in fragrance as a form of personal authorship, especially those drawn to art, botanical materials, and contrasts between brightness and depth. Its opening pairs Japanese yuzu with black and pink pepper, creating a crisp, articulate entrance before violet leaf, mimosa, lavender, and jasmine introduce a green floral heart. Angelica root, Honduran styrax, Indonesian patchouli, Nagarmotha, Spanish labdanum, and vanilla then give the fragrance a darker foundation.
The House
La Fleur by LivvyLa Fleur by Livvy is a small-batch natural perfume house founded in 2013 by self-taught artisan Olivia Larson in Grand Junction, Colorado. The brand specializes in handcrafted fragrances made entirely from natural ingredients, with a signature focus on floral compositions that reflects the founder's deep appreciation for flowers. Over the past decade, the house has developed an extensive catalog spanning more than a dozen distinctive scents, ranging from romantic florals like Fleur d'Innocence and Fleur De Mystere to more complex compositions such as Spicy Surrender and Puck's Potion. Each fragrance emerges from Larson's personal creative vision, developed in her Colorado studio and produced in strictly limited quantities to maintain quality control. The brand operates as an independent, self-distributed perfume house without retail partnerships, connecting with customers primarily through online channels and occasional local appearances in the Grand Junction area. La Fleur by Livvy has gained recognition within natural perfumery circles, particularly for its commitment to botanical ingredients and its founder's journey from curious beginner to established artisan perfumer.
The Creator
Andrej Babicky & Olivia LarsonBabicky's materials come from the botanical world, with natural perfume serving as his primary language. His published work includes writing on enfleurage, an extraction method in which fat captures fragrance from fresh blossoms, suggesting an interest in historic craft as wel…
