Comparing FREDERIC MALLE: Iris Poudre Pierre Bourdon (2000) and STÉPHANE HUMBERT LUCAS: Panthea Iris (2019) (Review made earlier) These two clear, sophisticated and soapy scents are in the same category. Both has a clean white musky base and they are very subtle, elegant and refined. They are airy and dry. They are powdery but it’s rather sharp and cold powder than soft and warm compared to those “baby vibe” powdery scents. Iris Poudre is even colder and drier than Panthea Iris. There is a lot of aldehydes in IP and it creates a frosty, super fresh and bright nuances. In Panthea Iris there are pink berries in the top notes which gives a hint of the sweetness to the scent and Orris butter in the base softens the whole concoction a little bit. Do I need the both? Yes. But I don’t know if it’s necessary- try them and decide. 💙 Iris Poudre: Top: Rose - Violet - Ylang-Tlang Heart: Iris (Aldehydes) Base: Sandalwood - Musk - Tonka bean Panthea Iris: Top: Pink Berries - Italian Bergamot and Tangerine - White Tea Heart: Iris Absolute - Jasmine - Violet Base: White Musk - Tonka bean - Sandalwood - Patchouli - Iris butter Thank you for reading and if you want to follow me on IG: @ninamariah_perfumes
Very incense leaning amber perfume, has that bright, freshness of olibanum/elemi/mastic in the opening and beginning of the experience but that could just be an expression of the labdanum here. Clearly it’s a classic accord of amber in that it does have something of a dryness, warmth and gentle rounding of vanilla but feels less the stuffy ‘old book’ vibes and much more radical, and spaciously uncluttered. I like it. Etro do smell something of yesterday, even feeling a little ‘aged’ (possibly because they are now?) but with a freshness to them (in terms of ideas) and quality. Yeah I like it, I mean I wouldn’t go too mad, it’s an amber perfume at the end of the day and isn’t trying to be super complex or artistically challenging, but for a perfume connoisseur who fancies something a bit more scarce and unusual from a collecting point of view, Etro is a brand which garners some Kudos there as well.
Horrible sickly nightmare.
Smells very close to Tom Ford Rose de Russie, but with too much cypriol and vetiver. It's pickley from the start and once the top notes fade it's eternal pickle juice costing more than liquid gold. Update: the cypriol is indelible, lasting on skin well into the next day after washing, and preventing the use of other perfumes. Too much! I do live the opening but I don't like what I'm left to deal with.
Despite the fact that I hate weed and the smell of weed, I love this perfume. And boy, it really does smell like weed, but only if you get in close with your face on your skin. It's very gingery and rich, but what I love most is the lack of any discernible patchouli or vetiver, which would have made it sharp and/or pickley. It's a journey too, with epic performance, and the real treat is the very far drydown (like, next day) which has the vanilla come to the fore. Can't stand Oud for Greatness but this is top.
I finally managed to replace my Parfum Cologne with the original Enigma Parfum, and I’m very glad I did. On initial spray, that iconic coca-cola scent profile overpowers your senses - it’s spicy, fizzy and intensely alluring. I find that in the parfum, those opening notes of black pepper, bergamot and neroli are more noticeable, whilst only fleeting. As this settles on the skin, a dry and smoky tobacco emerges alongside a refreshingly spicy and delicious ginger. Whilst the Parfum Cologne continues this cola vibe throughout the life of the scent, the parfum soon calms down and leaves you with the true, intended iteration of Enigma. That gorgeous amber base of vanilla and benzoin mingles perfectly with the cognac and tobacco leaving you with something you’ve definitely never smelled before, sparkling in the air around you. I absolutely love the parfum version of Enigma as it’s such a unique creation, but I have to be in the right mood to wear it.
Reckless was a blind buy that blew my mind in an instant. It opens straight away with an explosion of the highest quality cinnamon I’ve ever smelled, alongside refreshing notes of bergamot, lemon and lavender. The unique note of bay leaf soon emerges which is dry, herbal and slightly vegetal. I picture this fragrance structured like a trident. On one side you’ve got traditionally masculine, fougere qualities from the lavender, cypress, bay leaf and citruses - and on the other side are gentle Chypre qualities from the creamy oakmoss and leathery labdanum. Then right in the middle, the spicy oriental profile takes charge with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and incense. This is incredibly unique and yet so comforting to wear, this fragrance has endless amounts of depth - if you spend time searching for the bottom you will never reach it. I’m absolutely in love with Reckless and this is fast becoming one of my favourite fragrances of all time.
Sahraa is simply beautiful. From the first spray you notice the powerful, compelling, natural oud which is smooth yet bitter, gentle yet with slight animalic qualities. This sits alongside a refreshing grapefruit which is only fleeting, as well as a trio of fresh flowers - rose, geranium and jasmine. There’s an addictive sweetness in the base primarily coming from saffron, but there’s also a soft Amber accord whispering in the background. The oud in here seems to be exactly the same type of oud used in Oud Noir Intense and while they share noticeable similarities, I find this one to be more seductive and suited to evening wear. For me, Sahraa bridges the gap between traditional and western oud. The oud used in here smells natural, high quality and definitely not something the mainstream market is used to, but the overall scent is very gentle, easy to wear and mass appealing. This fragrance is expertly crafted with exceptional blending and quality of ingredients.
Harrods Pour Femme is one of my favourite powdery fragrances of all time. It initially opens with an incredible medley of powdery florals including rose, magnolia, ylang, tuberose, orange blossom, neroli and above all, violet. The violet in here is some of the best I’ve ever smelled. From here the main note of the fragrance, palma rosa, makes its entry - this is a very unique note that is very reminiscent of traditional rose, but with subtle green and vegetal nuances. Bergamot lingers softly in the background to add a citric sharpness, offsetting the florals slightly. All of this rests on a ghostly Amber accord, alongside gentle woods, sweet vanilla and cherry. This fragrance smells exactly like the Haute Parfumerie in Harrods and if you’ve ever been there, this scent will instantly transport you as though you’re standing there in person.
Phantom is a straight up abomination to the world of perfume, a disgustingly synthetic mess. You’ve got this overdose of sneeze-inducing lavender combined with a very earthy apple and vanilla. There’s a head-pounding lemon in there too just to make you more nauseous. I don’t even know why I’m taking the time to review this fragrance but words cannot describe how much I dislike it. This fragrance is probably the laziest, dullest and simply the worst excuse for a scent I’ve ever come across. As usual with Paco Rabanne the quality of ingredients is abysmal and the blending is atrocious. This truly is a disgusting fragrance made for 13 year old boys who are enamoured by a tacky robot bottle.
Carmine to me smells undoubtedly like a much more affordable version of Aoud by Roja Dove. It opens straight away with that iconic combination of geranium, lemon and saffron which is sharp and captivating as it is smooth and seductive. From here a smooth leather, oud and rose sets in to darken the scent. It definitely smells like there is ambergris in here, although not listed. That for me is what brings it closer to Aoud, the soft and salty ambergris is incredibly addicting and works perfectly with the oud and saffron. For the price I am very impressed with this fragrance, it is undeniably close to Aoud and so you can save a lot of money by getting this instead. Of course the quality doesn’t quite match up to the Roja, and the blending isn’t quite as impressive but it still smells beautiful and considering the difference in price you really can’t complain.
Gravitas Pour Homme is a seemingly standard fresh spicy fragrance, but with an underlying stink. Initially it opens with bergamot and mandarin, which to me come across fairly cheap and abrasive, coupled with a pretty good lavender I have to admit. From here however, things take a downward turn. There’s a sharp kick of black pepper, alongside cardamom and coriander which I’m assuming are the culprits to this smelly undertone reminiscent of body odour. Personally I do not find this to be a very pleasant fragrance due to this, but even without its strange body odour it would still be a boring and lifeless perfume.
I remember trying this few years ago and the power of the scent was overwhelming. It was so harsh and brash that I didn’t know when to wear it even if I loved it a lot. That time I wore quite crowd pleasing scents. I don’t like when so many (almost all) scents are diluted nowadays and they are just a shadow of their former glory. I have to admit that now Ambre Sultan is very wearable, it’s sophisticated and the notes are performing charmingly yet still opulent. Anyway it’s too bright compared to the older formulation - not only the color but the nature of the juice as well and what is, or what was, Serge Lutens dna, is gone. Almost all adjectives how to describe this are the opposite like it used to be and sorry to say but this new formula is somewhat redundant in my collection. I think I will give this one to my husband since it performs darker and denser on his skin while it still remains light enough for everyday use. Ambre Sultan is warm mix of Resins, Myrrh, Benzoin, spices, herbs and Amber with Vanilla and Patchouli which is quite hidden in the new formula. Vanilla in the new formula is more prominent than in the old one and it’s the note which makes this smell too generic. Old formula is very complex whilst the new one is linear. Some day I will try to find a very old vintage bottle just because it’s a splendid and sublime piece of history what comes to Amber scents. Thank you for reading and if you want to follow me on IG: @ninamariah_perfumes
There's something giving off some herby skank in the opening, I think it's the combo of jasmine, lily of the valley and rosemary, and it's both strange and compelling. The herbal note is slightly reminiscent of Granville by Dior, but it's less piney (although there is a piney nuance here). The amber, patchouli and oakmoss are very pronounced, forming a sort of sweet, warm, slightly pissy undertone (good though). As this is astoundingly cheap, I say perfume enthusiasts should snap it up, then give it a few mins before judging, it's growing on me by the second. Good alternative to Bois du Portugal.
The most nuclear freshie I've ever found, except 724 by MFK which is on a par. This is a lovely scent. Honeyed flowers and tea create a warm aura. Despite the summery notes, I find it's too much in summer, and works better in autumn and winter. Don't overspray!
I don’t own so many gourmands and I wear them rarely but Lira is absolutely one of the best truly gourmand vanillas out there. I like that they offer these small sizes as well since it’s a perfect size for people like me. I want to enjoy the mellow delicious scent of it but I don’t wear it anywhere else but home. There are three main notes in Lira - Vanilla, Citrus and Licorice - which makes me to think a thick, smooth and delicious cake. The concoction is very mellow and “edible” in the most realistic way. Lavender is balancing the sweetness with Cinnamon but those notes are not so obvious. There is musky base but some times while wearing this the base feels a little bit woody as well. This is sweet for sure but I don’t feel this so overly sweet than you could imagine because of Caramel which is mentioned. It’s very restrained. Luckily Bergamot in the opening fades away quickly and it changes into Licorice which slowly disappears and the delicious Vanilla is left. I think the hype around this is definitely deserved even if the gourmands are not my favorite category of perfumes. And I think the reason is that I don’t eat any cakes, any pies, any sweet things. 😅💁🏽♀️ Thank you for reading and if you want to follow me on IG: @ninamariah_perfumes
While reading about Francesca Bianchi’s perfumes for the first time I knew that I would fall in love them. These scents are like a poetry, true niche. This perfume is gorgeous blend of familiar notes but the result is something very unique and different. It feels like I have found it from my grandmother’s cosmetic pouch - in a good way. It makes me think the past time when women was wearing corsets and voluptuous dresses made from velvet. I think the scent is very unisex though. Angel’s Dust is a sparkling yet dusty, it’s even musty but in a attractive and addictive way. You can find amazing contrasts in this scent. It’s like a dry powder soaked in a little bit sweet ambery and musky syrup. A sophisticated sweetness is definitely not sugary or synthetic and it’s a result of balsamic Benzoin, Tolu Balsam and Vanilla which all of them together together with Sandalwood and Musk wrap Iris, Rose and Mimosa in a warm hug. It is overloaded, voluptous and glorious sensuality in the bottle, great for intimate moments whilst the soft nature to stay close to the skin makes it easy to wear anywhere you want. It leaves a mysterious sexy trail after you, it’s like a complete addiction. This was an easy and safe choice from me from FB but as these scents are really unique I recommend to sample first. Thank you for reading and if you want to follow me on IG: @ninamariah_perfumes
Probably my favourite from the brand. This is a delectable concoction of the most refined caramel with sweet florals, musks and vanilla. The portfolio of scents Sophia Bardelli has created for Electimuss is stellar. Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest
Stunning. Vixere is probably in my top three from the brand. Chunky dollop of iris, with sweet citrus, an almost Parma Violet sweetie crushed to a fine powder, with musk and amber. That Sophia Bardelli does know how to mix them <3 Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest
I blind bought Alexandria II due to the immense hype surrounding this fragrance, I mistake I won’t make again as I soon sold it on. This opens with an intensely synthetic and almost plastic combination of apple, lavender and rosewood. There’s some cinnamon and florals in there but they’re quite subtle. Onto the dry down - it doesn’t take a genius to work out that Xerjoff doesn’t use real oud, but this smells like some of the cheapest synthetic oud I’ve ever come across. It’s bitter, rubbery and abrasive - almost smells like a badly kept old man’s basement. This was a very disappointing fragrance for me and I can’t understand all the love for this scent, especially considering how much it costs. I think there are far better offerings from Xerjoff and far better oud-based scents for a similar price on the market.
When thinking about popular notes combined with Rose you find all of them in this scent except Oud. In Cairo - there are Saffron and Rose, Cypriol Oil, Patchouli and Labdanum blended nicely with Vanilla in a woody base. This is very balanced scent what comes to those notes and none of them is actually dominant. This is not overly sweet, it’s not so “jammy” like those ones with just Rose with Vanilla. It’s not dark scent either. Cairo is as well somewhat restrained if thinking the performance and comparing for example with gorgeous beast Radical Rose which fills the room immediately (I love it a lot). It’s not weak, don’t get me wrong, but it just doesn’t scream to get attention and the notes are in a perfect harmony with each others. Different combinations of the notes mentioned above has been done hundreds of times and considering uniqueness, it’s not found here. Anyway while searching the scent with all these notes in one I found this one being the best. The blend is not complex, nor difficult to understand which makes it very versatile and safe to wear. The longevity is great. Wonderful scent for everyday wear during autumn and winter. I can wear even a dense ouds during summertime but I think it’s leather which makes this too heavy for hot days imo. Thank you for reading and if you want to follow me on IG: @ninamariah_perfumes
Some confusing takes on this fairly simplistic, yet very attractive rose. It’s not unique and doesn’t stray from a successful profile, however it does it really really well. The rose is soft and airy, with sweetness from the raspberry and saffron bringing its chic leather quality. I don’t typically like rose, but I know people who do and I would confidently recommend this to them. Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest
I would describe this as a naughty green leather. The patch is overdosed here, and really showcases the darkness and depth of natural patch oil. Loads of pepper, bright citrus, and loads of dark labdanum which pairs with the patch so well. And then a dash of cast’ lending it an animalic edge. A riotous success.
Not for me, but then I’m not a huge fan of fruity notes. This opens with a heavy dose of litchi which is certainly novel. It helps drive the rose along with the sweet strawberry. I think it’s actually the apple I’m not agreeing with here, or the geranium, which is quite forward from after the initial opening. Now it’s turning more biscuity and yeah, still a no from me. But I’m certain this will be very popular amongst the crowds of people who like fruit bombs. Follow me on Instagram: @TheScentiest
