The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Réflexions Sur La Seine arrived in 2023 from Dominique Preyssas, a fragrance built around Yu Parfums' stated composition notes. The listed notes combine Incense, Ambrette, Vanilla, Cedar, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Ambrette Seed, Cashmere, Frankincense and Musk. Together, they create a layered impression of dry resin, warm wood, pepper and a soft amber-like sweetness. The incense and frankincense give the composition a smoky, contemplative character, while cedar contributes structure and the peppers add a clean brightness. Ambrette and its seed introduce a rounded, powdery nuance, and vanilla lends a warm veil over the darker materials. Cashmere and musk soften the composition without obscuring its resinous and woody core.
The interesting part is the handoff between materials that usually live apart. Incense and frankincense bring a dry, resinous haze, while black and white pepper sharpen the edges. Cedar gives that haze a wooden spine. Then vanilla, ambrette and musk pull everything toward the skin, adding sweetness without turning the composition into a simple dessert scent. Cashmere adds another tactile register, soft but not weightless. The result is a study in contrasts: smoky and clean, warm and cool, powdered and peppered.
The evolution
The opening feels dry and atmospheric, with incense and frankincense establishing a resinous haze. Black pepper and white pepper put a clean point of heat through the middle, giving the softer materials a sharper edge. Cedar gives the composition structure, so the smoke feels woody rather than shapeless. As the fragrance settles, ambrette and its seed bring a pear-like, powdery softness that smooths the sharper spice. Vanilla then arrives not as sugar, but as a warm, woody veil. Musk carries the final phase close to skin, mixing with cedar and cashmere until the whole scent feels quieter and more tactile. The progression moves from dry smoke and pepper toward warmer wood, rounded amber tones and a soft, musky finish, with each note changing the texture of the composition.
Cultural impact
Réflexions Sur La Seine can be discovered through its composition rather than a fixed label. Incense and frankincense establish a dry, smoky atmosphere, while black pepper and white pepper introduce brightness and heat. Cedar reinforces the woody character, and ambrette, ambrette seed, cashmere and vanilla soften the sharper edges with powdery, tactile and warm nuances. Musk shapes the final impression, leaving the fragrance rounded and close to skin as the different materials settle into one another.
The House
Yu ParfumsYu Parfums is a London fragrance house founded in 2020 with a focus on scented narratives and a unisex collection. Its fragrances are built around places, moods and moments, with names such as Aurora Borealis, Yosemite Rush, Kashmir Embrace, Tokyo by Night, Monteverde Mist and Ubud Retreat. The house also organizes its range as chapters, including Chapter II and Chapter III, extending the sense of a fragrance collection as a story unfolding over time. Yu Parfums has attracted attention through its direct-to-consumer subscription model, which introduces customers to its own-brand scents on a recurring basis. The brand operates in a crowded category of independent perfume houses, yet its identity rests on a clear proposition: fragrance as a personal story, offered for exploration and collection.
The Creator
Dominique PreyssasDominique’s signature technique rests on precise accord construction. He builds foundations with classic French ingredients—bergamot, jasmine, sandalwood—then introduces subtle twists of rare absolutes or modern synthetics to add depth.
