The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Ulla Lala arrived from Nickel in 2008 as part of the house's playful trio of masculine fragrances named for female archetypes. The idea behind Ulla Lala was the Lolita of that group: gentle, innocent, and more intriguing than first appearances suggest. That brief fits the composition neatly. Mint supplies a clean, brisk opening, while anise introduces a sweet, faintly licorice-like edge. Musk softens the whole affair and gives it a powdery closeness, and cedarwood adds a dry, steady structure underneath. Nothing shouts for attention. The effect is more like a private joke worn with a straight face, which is very Nickel's thing.
Anise and mint make an unusual pairing because one is crisp and cooling while the other feels gently sweet and faintly herbal. That tension gives Ulla Lala its personality without making it loud. Musk rounds the edges, moving the scent from fresh air toward clean skin, while cedarwood keeps it from floating away entirely. The result is a simple, readable aromatic composition, but not a dull one. Its charm lies in the handoff between cool brightness and woody softness.
The evolution
The first impression is mint's clean snap, sharpened by the aniseed brightness that follows. It feels airy and immediate, the sort of scent that gives you a clean start without announcing an entrance. As the opening settles, the composition turns softer. Musk pulls the notes toward skin and adds a quiet powdery sweetness, while cedarwood brings a measured, dry grain underneath. By the drydown, the green lift has faded into something calmer: musk over cedar, with the sweetness of anise still lingering like a trace. Expect moderate projection and a typical wear that varies with skin and application. The next-day impression is likely to be the woody, musky part rather than the brightest mint.
Cultural impact
Nickel's catalogue lives in underground perfumery, where the appeal is curiosity and personal taste rather than department-store polish. Ulla Lala sits within that playful, collectible context as the gentle Lolita archetype among Nickel's named feminine inspirations, a useful counterpoint to the house's sharper metallic and spicy experiments.
