The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Côte du Paradis, coast of paradise. The name alone suggests a sun-warmed stretch of beach, a terrace where time slows down, a moment of unearned grace. This fragrance doesn't reference a specific memory or named place. It reaches for something more universal: the idea of paradise as a default state, something you can return to. The composition translates that into warm almond and heliotrope at the opening, a creamy almost-marzipan sweetness that settles into whipped cream and soft woods at the heart. Vanilla and tonka bean carry the base, with cedar and guaiac wood providing a woody counterweight that keeps the sweetness from tipping into confection.
What makes Côte du Paradis stand apart from other warm gourmand fragrances is the heliotrope. It adds an almost powdery, slightly almond-cherry softness that rounds the opening into something that feels familiar without being predictable. Combined with whipped cream in the heart, the result is a fragrance that captures edible warmth without crossing into dessert territory. The woody base of cedar and guaiac wood does the work of keeping it grounded, preventing the sweetness from reading as pure candy while still allowing the gourmand character to shine through.
The evolution
Almond and heliotrope open together, and the effect is immediately intimate, a marzipan-like sweetness that arrives close to the skin rather than announcing itself across a room. There's no dramatic top note moment here. The fragrance opens already formed, already warm. After 30 minutes, the whipped cream and woods arrive, softening the marzipan into something creamier and more rounded. The cedar and sandalwood keep it from becoming too sweet, a grounding hand that prevents the composition from floating away entirely. By the second hour, vanilla and tonka bean take over. This is the payoff. Warm, sweet, slightly powdery, with the cedar and guaiac wood providing a woody counterweight that prevents it from becoming cloying. The result is a lingering warmth that stays close to the skin, like a soft memory that doesn't fully fade.
Cultural impact
Côte du Paradis stands out in the Lake & Skye line as the house's full commitment to the gourmand category, warm, sweet, and close, where most of the line leans fresher. It occupies a specific space within the brand's offerings, leaning into comfort and warmth rather than brightness or projection. The fragrance is sweet and intimate, offering that warm gourmand character without being loud or overwhelming.
The House
Lake & SkyeLake and Skye is a clean fragrance brand founded in 2015 by Courtney Somer. The label takes its name from Somer's two daughters, a personal origin that reflects the intimate, intentional ethos woven through every product. Rooted in the belief that fragrance can serve as a tool for well-being, the brand bridges the worlds of scent and wellness, creating perfumes and body care designed to uplift and center rather than simply scent. The brand gained recognition through its signature 11 11 fragrance, which developed a devoted following and established Lake and Skye as a notable presence in the clean fragrance space. In January 2025, after nearly seven years of partnership, Tru Fragrance acquired the brand, marking a new chapter while preserving its founding vision. The line is now available at Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom, and Blue Mercury, among other retailers.
The Creator
Courtney SomerSomer's stylistic sensibility remains difficult to pin down publicly because Lake & Skye works with multiple perfumers rather than a single in-house nose, though she maintains close creative involvement in brief development. What she has established publicly is a preference fo…
