It smells like Los Angeles. Not the smoggy, bumper-to-bumper traffic on the 405 sort of L.A., but the crisp, early-morning air in a canyon where someone is watering their garden. That's the vibe of You or Someone Like You perfume. It is, quite honestly, one of the most polarizing "fresh" scents on the market today. People usually come for the mint, but they stay because the fragrance feels strangely alive.
Etat Libre d’Orange (ELDO) is a house known for being provocative. They’re the ones who made Secretions Magnifiques, a scent that famously mimics blood and sweat. So, when they released a perfume inspired by a novel, people expected something weird. Instead, they got something hyper-realistic. It’s green. It’s biting. It’s almost aggressively botanical.
If you're tired of perfumes that smell like a chemistry lab or a bowl of sugar, this is the one you need to pay attention to.
The Weird Fiction Behind the Bottle
Most perfumes are created to evoke a feeling or a place. You or Someone Like You perfume was created to evoke a person who doesn't actually exist. Her name is Anne Rosenbaum. She’s the protagonist of a novel by Chandler Burr, who also happens to be the former scent critic for The New York Times.
Burr collaborated with perfumer Caroline Sabas to bottle the essence of Anne. Here’s the kicker: Burr refuses to list the notes. He thinks listing notes is like listing the ingredients in a meal—it ruins the magic. He wants you to experience the scent as a whole, not as a checklist of "top, heart, and base."
But let’s be real. We have noses. We know what’s in there.
What You’re Actually Smelling
Even though the brand is secretive, the scent profile is impossible to hide. The first spray is a violent burst of mint. It’s not toothpaste mint. It’s not "gum" mint. It is the smell of ripping a fresh leaf off a mint plant in the sun. It’s cool, slightly peppery, and incredibly green.
Beneath that, there’s a massive dose of grapefruit and bergamot. It provides a sour, sparkling acidity that keeps the mint from feeling too medicinal. As it wears down, you start to notice a "garden" quality. It smells like crushed stems, tomato leaves, and maybe a hint of rose. It’s fresh, but it has a backbone. It’s not a "pretty" floral; it’s a "dirty" garden.
Why Most People Get This Scent Wrong
A lot of people buy You or Someone Like You perfume thinking it’s going to be a refreshing summer body spray. They expect a light mojito vibe. They are often shocked.
This fragrance is deceptively strong. It has a high concentration of synthetic musks in the base that help it stick to skin for eight hours or more. On some people, the mint stays crisp. On others, the musk takes over and turns into something metallic or soapy.
It’s also surprisingly cold. There is zero warmth here. No vanilla, no amber, no heavy woods. It is an ice cube in a glass of herbal tea. If you want a perfume that makes you feel "cozy," look elsewhere. This is for when you want to feel sharp, alert, and maybe a little bit unapproachable.
The Performance Reality Check
- Longevity: Surprisingly high. Most citrus/mint scents disappear in two hours. This lasts a full workday.
- Sillage: Moderate. It won't fill a room, but people walking past you will definitely smell the "greenness."
- Gender: Completely unisex. It doesn't lean masculine or feminine; it leans "botanical."
How It Compares to Other Green Heavyweights
The "green" category of perfumery has been having a massive moment lately. People are moving away from the "clean girl" aesthetic of smelling like laundry and moving toward smelling like a greenhouse.
If you’ve smelled Heeley Menthe Fraiche, you’ll find You or Someone Like You perfume much more complex. Menthe Fraiche is a photorealistic mint, but it fades quickly. ELDO's creation has more "perfume-y" structure.
Then there’s Diptyque’s Philosykos. While Philosykos is creamy and milky thanks to the fig, You or Someone Like You is sharp and acidic. They are cousins, but one lives in a lush Mediterranean grove while the other lives in a high-end L.A. backyard with a sprinkler system.
The Secret Ingredient: Hedione
While the brand won't tell you the notes, those in the industry know that You or Someone Like You perfume relies heavily on a molecule called Hedione.
Hedione was first used in Dior’s Eau Sauvage back in the 60s. It doesn’t necessarily have a strong smell on its own—it smells a bit like airy jasmine—but it acts as a "radiance" booster. It makes the other notes feel like they are floating. This is why the mint in this perfume feels so three-dimensional. It isn't flat. It feels like it’s vibrating on your skin.
The Best Ways to Wear It
Because this scent is so specific, how you apply it matters.
- The Morning Pivot: This is arguably the best "wake up" scent in existence. If you have a hangover or just didn't sleep well, the blast of mint and grapefruit acts like a shot of adrenaline.
- Layering: It sounds like heresy to some, but this is a fantastic layering piece. If you have a rose perfume that feels too "old lady," spray some You or Someone Like You perfume over it. The mint and green notes will modernize the rose instantly.
- The Heat Factor: This performs best in high humidity. When the air is thick, the coldness of the mint cuts through the "muck" of the weather.
Who Is This For?
It’s for the person who likes The Virgin Suicides aesthetic but lives in a modern apartment. It’s for the person who buys expensive candles but never lights them. It’s for people who want to smell clean without smelling like soap.
If you hate the smell of cut grass or if you find mint too "culinary," stay away. But if you want to feel like a character in a movie who just finished a morning hike and is now drinking an expensive green juice, this is your signature.
Final Verdict on the L.A. Vibe
You or Someone Like You perfume is a masterpiece of modern perfumery because it achieves something very difficult: it is wearable but weird. It doesn't smell like "perfume" in the traditional sense. It smells like a memory.
It captures that specific California light—the bright, unforgiving sun that makes every leaf and petal look neon. It’s a bit aloof, a bit sophisticated, and entirely unique. You won't smell like anyone else in the room, unless they also happen to be an ELDO fan.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re interested in trying You or Someone Like You perfume, don't blind buy a full bottle. It is too reactive to skin chemistry.
- Order a 2ml sample first. Places like ScentSplit or Luckyscent always carry it.
- Test it on a hot day. The mint behaves differently in the cold; you need heat to see the "sparkle."
- Don't judge it in the first five minutes. The opening is sharp, but the dry down is where the "Someone Like You" part of the name really comes to life—it becomes a soft, musky skin scent that feels incredibly personal.
Check the batch code if you buy from a discounter. While ELDO scents have a long shelf life, the citrus and mint top notes are the first to degrade if the bottle has been sitting in a hot warehouse for three years. Stick to reputable retailers to ensure you get that "snap" of fresh mint.
