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Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Le Parfum

Le Male Le Parfum

Jean Paul Gaultier

I like it. It’s a really gorgeous interpretation of the iconic Fougere, Le Male. If you like any of the edge and brutality of the older versions of Le Male (to anyone who owned a bottle in the 90’s) then you will probably think this is a sanitised sweetheart iteration of even the current formula. It’s softer, sweeter, vanillic coumarin and the musks are really beautiful with a light vaguely fruity top note I mean it’s a modern Fougere accord of powdery sweetness and barely there lavender, what’s not to like. Safety first from Bisch and Garcia-Cetto but it’s just a pleasant fragrance, much in the way those ones with the angular bottles were, but this is much closer to the origins of this classic. Dull opinion but I’d wear this perfume, it’s nice. I might even buy it.

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6 years ago

Hermès H24

I usually write much more detailed reviews on here than I do elsewhere but today I'm not sure I can be bothered saying much about this, and that kinda speaks volumes about the fragrance generally, not that I've completely made my mind up on it, let's see how we get on shall we? So I'll start with somewhat of a conclusion I've reached regarding H24. That is the answer to...'does it stand up to Hermes' usually pretty stellar output?' and the answer is... not really. Then I thought about it and really I'm comparing masculine output like for like, 'is this the new Terre d'Hermes' basically? Because I was never very keen on Voyage and then the other masculine Hermes fragrances are thin on the ground Equipage and then Rocabar I think is not specifically masculine (could be wrong?) anyway they are knocking on in years, not like they aren't great. (wow this was supposed to be short!) I guess I'm saying that I've heard much talk of how innovative this is and how it's not just another boring 'freshie' but only from Hermes themselves, marketeers and mouthpieces who all have a vested interest in shifting units for the man. But I'll give it to you straight! The top notes are a kind of greenish, vague citrus and I get cassis base. Then the 'hot iron' accord really does become prominent, making for a polarising effect. I'm not saying I recognise materials or I know how this is achieved, just that I definitely get hot iron. Furthermore I do know that Habanolide (a musk material I'm very familiar with) which to me is the woodier end of the soft, clean musk spectrum, and gives this effect. It's noted by the authors of scent and chemistry that Alberto Morillas pioneered this 'hot iron' accord in the late 90's early 00's combining habanolide, helvetolide and galaxolide (probably a host of others too) and probably in overdose, to achieve this steamy effect. I think in H24 the steam has a strange dry quality and is a bit more woody and harder, bostered perhaps with cashmeran, woody ambers etc... and while there's a rouhness or edge, it's stylistic because the blending is clearly, seemless. There's a 'modern' base to it giving clean, fixation and an occasional suggestion of fougere qualities of the new wave, Sauvage variety. (Again style wise this smells nothing like the Dior to me) So there's good and bad. I mean while I don't 'like' it, there's nothing particularly likeable about it. H24 doesn't bring me joy or revulsion the way a perfume should, it doesn't really illicit much of a response. It's not even in the sense of Dior Homme (2020 version) which this is being compared to because it's a major houses, designer release, which no one asked for. However, despite not extensively sampling it I quite liked it and all the vitriol about it was a little unnecessary all because Dior made the huge faux pas of sticking it inside the same bottle as their beloved classic Dior Homme. This Hermes is slightly more challenging because no one is doing a vaguely green opening, musky hot iron perfume, at the moment so technically it is 'a bit different' and they've opted for a new aesthetic release instead of insulting our intelligence with yet another limp and lifeless flanker. So I guess there's that. The wannabe perfumer in my finds something technically interesting (but still not really) and the artisanal loving, overly emotional perfume fan in me is left unsatisfied by a slightly souless release. I'm not sure what to make of it basically??? I think enjoyment of a perfume can grow but this would have to grow at an unprecedented rate to become a Terre d'Hermes or whatever? Jury is still out. I'm going to wear it more and see.

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6 years ago

By Kilian Angels' Share

For anyone that really studies fragrances, some comparisons seem reductive or inaccurate, it's often the subtle differences and not the similarities in a fragrance, (especially your favourite fragrances) which make it what it is. So having said all this Angel's share is slightly derivative of the fragrances it's compared to here, but it's those little differences I just mentioned like it's top notes for example I get a good dose of a sweet orange and oakwood (a particularly good material for boozy effects) it's also more gourmand, with a caramel note. However the ultimate effect of Angel's share renders it redundant because I own Oajan and a refined version of this vibe in Ambre Narguile. Because it does go to that spiced, tobacco, mild cherry which could also be Herod or Tobacco vanille and also the honeyed character of Back to black, the dirty vanilla dried right down even starts to yield licorice facets, maybe Lempika? Again referential, it's a bit this or a bit that....but perhaps that is what makes this so wildly popular or to use a popular 'Fragcomm' term....'HYPEBEAST'!!! I'm so down with the kids. ( I utter as my son walks 10ft in front of me, pretending not to know me) The only reason I'm not on board with this is probably the gourmand focus of the formula & probably the price, the fact that Oajan is a massively louder, more spicy and bombastic, slightly less sickly version of this. I really loved the opening of Angel's share and despite being boozy I don't think it captures what I assume is the brief of recreating the Angel's share (Something Sarah McCartney has done recently) and it's objectively quite a nice perfume but I was bored with it after 10 mins to be honest not because it's unpleasant just that large portions of this formula are extremely familiar, not in a bad way...just nah!

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6 years ago

Guerlain Insolence Eau de Parfum

Insolence Eau de Parfum

I had such high hopes for this. I love violet, but I tend toward the leaf rather than flower. Was kind of excited by the reviews mentioning that it smelled like violet candies (LOVE Choward Violets) but this is not that. What it IS (on me, anyway) is an absolute doomcloud of powder. It's not dusty, but it's THICC to the point of being oppressive. I'm typically a heavy sprayer, but only 2 spritzes and I'm gasping for breath. What's left behind that is an extremely artificial scented toy (raw umber says My Little Ponies, and that seems apt). I completely get why some people are smitten by this, but chemistry or otherwise is rendering this putrid on me.

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6 years ago

Cuba Paris Cuba Jungle Tiger

Cuba Jungle Tiger

Harsh root beer blast up front that quickly softens. Not particularly fizzy, just soft and sweet after the initial olfactory assault. Definitely NOT citrus aromatic at all. It's gourmand, if anything. Notes here are WAY off. Fragluxe site says: "This fragrance has a blend of wood, vanilla, and fresh, spicy amber."

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6 years ago

Mona di Orio Oudh Osmanthus

So Mona di Orio was one of the early niche/indy brands I tried, certainly dating back to the older flacons which I think I remember seeing in Harrods possibly?. However, due to my overload and frankly the saturation of the market, I never really bothered to revisit them and frankly back then I probably didn't understand the sophistication of the works by the late Mona di Orio. However, visiting them afresh with discovery set in hand, I'm being treated to a masterclass in perfumery vibes which don't conform to stereotype. This is a later release, and is it really an Osmanthus or an oud? Well it's sort of neither and it's sort of both. Yeah. What it is, is a pretty perfume which opens with a fresh, powdery, chalky, fresh, lightly peachy osmanthus which is immediately unlike the style of a recent osmanthus I tried, the latest from Crivelli. However, it immediatley reinforced with a hazy, creamy woody musk accord, and light ambery effect. It's blending of the very best, not a angular jut or a steep slope in sight. It immediately makes me scan about for oud and it's a very well behaved oud, anyone expecting anything hardcore will be disappointed, but the tenacity and undercurrent just points in an oud direction, and while you don't get the characteristic 'cheese on the breeze' of even the most politely behaved work from a Ormonde Jayne containing real oud, you do get the sense that it's there but never manifests completely, and some will be happy with that. I actually thought of M7 myself, so to see others think too (plenty of down votes as well) is completely understandable. It conjures the same vibes while smelling nothing like it, so don't get your panties in a bunch it's not misleading to compare to the YSL in terms of style. As I wear this today, I'm really falling for it, truly I think while it's instantly impressive, it's also a bit of a quiet grower, steadily charming me. It's as a perfume should be, every present, evolving but never overstepping it's bounds and I think the orangey/peachy freshness and floral quality (which permeates top to base I feel) in there gives this a really lovely feel. Very Impressive stuff.

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6 years ago

Maison Crivelli Santal Volcanique

Santal Volcanique

Maison Crivelli

Okay so Immediately I said, ooooooh I like that!!!! Because this is a real blast from the past. My past the 90's my formative years immediately I proclaimed with a degree of certainty "Santal Volcanique smells like Gucci Envy!" I stick to that but as I think back with jaded and faded recollections of Envy, another fragrance (from the same era) looms into view and it's D&G By for Men.because they are both crudely, milky, luminescent sandalwood's from an era of hope, an everything's gonna be alright sort of time. These came after the aquatic, goldrush and have been touched on in niche and peripheral designer scents since, but never really had a full-on renaissance. This is fantastic and immediately transported me back to a trip to Scotland as a teenager, amazing what fragrance can do. I get lime (and perhaps the listed ginger??) in the top but it's not a caricature or even very prominent, and a kind of gentle spices I associate with Kenzo Jungle (also sort of of the period) on a majestic sandalwood, it's musky powdery but with a masculiity, creamy woods given masculine bite with cashmeran or something perhaps? The blending is superb and the fact it evokes two great fragrances in Gucci and D&G but this is even more refined I feel. Take Floris Santal for example a fragrance with similar attributes this seems to be much fuller and thicker. This one and the iris are both top spot from the house for me. Brilliant!

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6 years ago

Maison Crivelli Papyrus Moleculaire

Papyrus Moleculaire

Maison Crivelli

So here's the thing I don't like this kind of papyrus fragrance, it's that wet, fresh, but with a haunting background of incense type papyrus, rather than a big dark nagamotha/cypriol. This vibe/accord was made popular by Santal 33 from Le Labo and the association is instant and it would be so easy for Crivelli to copy, however I'd actually say that this has a different character. It does! It's a wholly palatable and in depth study of this note/accord and whether my tastes are changing or what I don't know, but I can appreciate it for what it is without wanteing especially to wear it. There's a fresh cucumber/celery note in here with coriander seed, it's oddly spicy, herbaceous fresh and just like santal 33 gets better the more it wear on. I think if you're a fan of this genre you'll appreciate the similarities but also the differences.

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6 years ago

Maison Crivelli Fleur Diamantine

Fleur Diamantine

Maison Crivelli

Again, I'm blinding sniffing at this and the name made me expect carnation (no Idea why?) but no. You are however treated to a really beautiful floral, not quite watery or green enough to be flower shop or hyacinths nor is it indolic or characteristically exotic or waxy enough to be anything else. Not having a great repertoire of florals I'd say this is a white floral, muguet, gardenier perhaps? in the opening at least because as it wears on becomes more like a light jasmine but I've got to say it's cliche free. This kept my attention and excitement throughout, in the centre in leans towards a kind of benzaldhyde, cherry/almond note, which comes out of nowhere frankly. Then into that pale aloof jasmine that real jasmine lovers probably won't dig because it's not full blooded enough. As a modern 'white floral', I found it excellent, truly worth checking out and a fresh, floral I'd gladly wear in the height of summer or something? I wouldn't buy it though. Bertrand and Crivelli have done well here.

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6 years ago

Maison Crivelli Bois Datchaï

Maison Crivelli

Hah!!!! No way! I haven't smelled Feminite du bois for years, but I did recently acquire a formula for it and made it up. Bois datchai instantly reminded me of it and I made the comparison to FdB in a recent review on IG not knowing whether the formula I had made really did smell like the Shishedo/Serge fragrance (I recalled a much more plummy cedar but like I said genuinely couldn't remember it) but seeing others have made the connection here makes me feel vindicated and props to my pal who sent me the formula. Anyway, this is clearly much more refined and subtle than the one I knocked up, but the overriding sense is of a black tea in the opening and a progressively spiced wood, based around that kind of Sheldrake, cedar architecture. The freshness and greener quality is essentially from rosewood, which is rich in natural linalool which works across the board with everything in this. ie: tea/wood I really like it, I love that it doesn't rely on musks (particularly) or sweet or pleasantly palatable perfumery notes, and yet it's not challenging either. The Femininte du bois references could be reductive too because I've not smelled it for so long but this stands it's ground and regardless revisiting that era/corner of perfumery might not be such a bad idea? If you're a fan of L'Artisan perfumer or Serge Lutens this is nod in your direction.

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6 years ago

Maison Crivelli Citrus Batikanga

Citrus Batikanga

Maison Crivelli

Wow! My sniffer is spot on!!! Fenugreek! Sorry for blowing my own trumpet, but I'm like a cold reading psychic, when I hit, I have to brag about it. Immediately the top notes of this perfume are extremely muted. It's a grower not a shower, and this bergamot/lime smell has no really typical citrus tropes, it's not lend sharpness or sweetness by it's surrounds. That's a good thing for me, makes it a different prospect from your average citrus. I think it has an aspect of lime pickle (the Indian condiment) it's a flat bergamot impression like a dhm or bergamal. but again I like it, it's different.

0

6 years ago

Maison Crivelli Absinthe Boréale

Absinthe Boréale

Maison Crivelli

Okay so a total blind sniff for me, I made a video last night and the notes here seem to correspond with what I thought, and seeing Artemisia here I'm like 'of course' the herbal elements of this are obscured from the traditional by the presence of artemisia. Basically this is a lavender forward, fougere fragrance, complete with a warm coumarin development. It's very modern though and a brilliant twist on the genre. I mean me saying 'it's a lavender fougere' while true and immediately apparent, doesn't do this perfume justice. Bravo to the perfumer and the house, taking a classic genre and giving it more than just a little tweak. I really liked it. UPDATE: 02/10/21 This is a reminder to myself that I should really wear all perfumes before reviewing them, (I sprayed on my arm and strips a few times to do the above review) especially when they are delicately nuanced, as is the case here. Well I wore it today and the freshness of the opening is truly very nice, a kind of zing of lemon, and a brush of lavender sage, but sort of hazy. I was reminded of the 90’s (as is the case with a couple of other Crivelli’s) you feel the herbal nature of this perfume but don’t get the spice until (well I didn’t) until I walked outside of my house, into cooler autumnal air. I get that comparison to transparent, Ellena type work, and it’s praise indeed. I think it’s a very accomplished and enjoyable fragrance. I can totally take onboard each of the herbal elements listed in the notes but the blending is biased toward not one individually, which I guess is the best kind of perfume. I think absinthe fans could be mislead by the name (but love it anyway) because it’s not characteristically wormwoody. It’s great though, it’s dry and aerated like their osmanthus one or that tea like Feminite du Bois type one, I’m really enjoying it today, top marks for a top brand.

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6 years ago

Maison Crivelli Iris Malikhân

Maison Crivelli

One of the most complex things I've smelled in ages, the notes seem to have effected the fabric of the space-time continuum and are running out of order. By that I mean I'm experiencing green, sharp, resinous, galabnum notes right in the heart of this perfume evoking French Lover by Malle. YES!!!! IT DOES. Enough about that though the opening is unlike any cacao I've smelled but is that of orris butter or resinoid, giving a mixture between, chocolate, sweet, powdery, leather and carrot notes. Then it becomes cloaked with a peppery Virginain cedar note which grows and grows (reminds me a little of natural base from PCW called cedar/iris funnily enough) then as all this is going off the galbanum I mentioned above starts to pop, then all bets are off!!! Leave it on your skin for several hours and you'll be treated to the dirtied, vanillic base, which is long lasting and subtly beautiful but modern. What a fragrance! Absolute tour de force. I want to buy it. I think I need it in my life.

0

6 years ago

Les EAUX Primordiales Couleur Primaire

Couleur Primaire

Les EAUX Primordiales

Woah! This is brave. and polarising I suspect. You have to like ozonic air and aldehydes for sure. Specifically Aldehyde C11, which has an incredible, fizzy, soapy, top note character to it, and it's evident in this perfume for sure. What I like about it is the fact that when you use small amounts of C11 it can still penetrate and easily be recognised and in fact is very easily overdone. To have a perfume where there's really nowhere to hide, it's not being added in traces to give citrus a little push (although this may have a citrus note also) or give some sparkle effect to a fruity accord or top note. This is a laid bare, green/blue ozone perfume which to me does represent a spectrum of primary colours, so in that way it's clearly quite clever. I'd never opt to pick something like this up if I had prior knowledge of what it was all about, well I wouldn't be drawn to it, put it that way. I was pleasantly surprised by it. I haven't worn it enough properly to experience how the musks behave in the latter phases and such but I think this perfume stands out.

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6 years ago

Essential Parfums Nice Bergamote

Essential Parfums

On Essential parfums: Every now and again a brand comes along that really hits on every level. Essential parfums is one those brands. Superb perfumes, nothing superfluous or irrelevant in the lineup, a nice number of releases, Frederic Malle style focus on perfumers (all of which are fantastic master perfumers) with their name (and picture) pride of place on the bottle and marketing materials. A commitment to sustainability, in terms of perfume materials and packaging, transparency about natural naturals used and their source, and the really important thing to most consumers an pledge to keep prices affordably low without sacrificing quality. So a brand that truly adds value and brings a lot to the table. I have huge admiration and respect for them and they should be applauded for the whole concept of the brand. Nice Bergamot? Nice? What like Nice the place in France? or just like.... Nice? Either way it works. This is a pleasant, citrus floral, very well blended and lovely and all that. However, it's not quite what I like in a bergamot, I like a touch more zing and bite, This feel a touch muted, which is fine it's a lovely thing and a subsequent wear might have me loving it, and I'm not one of these people who finds it impossible to get up for a simple citrus scent because getting them to behave like this take a lot of skill from a perfume, more than moronic so called critique, gives them credit for. I think my ultimate citrus scents, well the best Bergamot lets say is Le Labo for me which is simulatiously sweeter, sharper and perhaps more musky or something? However, AGAIN, Look at the price and what you're getting here, if you love citrus don't pass this by! Despite how obsequious and what an arselicky shill type I've seemed over this brand (yes it makes me sick too!!!) I don't secretly work for or have any affiliation with them whatsoever. I paid for my discovery set and bottles, & gladly to be honest. I'm bigging them up so much because I genuinely want folks to get the scoop on perfume which isn't reinventing any wheels or breaking new ground in terms of the smell of the perfume itself but I want to pass on to you the value for money on the good (and sometimes great) perfumery and products on offer here.

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6 years ago

Essential Parfums Mon Vetiver

Essential Parfums

On Essential parfums: Every now and again a brand comes along that really hits on every level. Essential parfums is one those brands. Superb perfumes, nothing superfluous or irrelevant in the lineup, a nice number of releases, Frederic Malle style focus on perfumers (all of which are fantastic master perfumers) with their name (and picture) pride of place on the bottle and marketing materials. A commitment to sustainability, in terms of perfume materials and packaging, transparency about natural naturals used and their source, and the really important thing to most consumers an pledge to keep prices affordably low without sacrificing quality. So a brand that truly adds value and brings a lot to the table. I have huge admiration and respect for them and they should be applauded for the whole concept of the brand. Mon Vetiver is really great. I can't fault it's themes, might put some on the back foot as there's a controlled jibe of woody amber in the opening (moreso on a strip) but when applied to skin the vetiver aspect comes alive!!! It's fresh top notes, effervesce with juniper and quinine vibes, so the G&T association is there as is the classic pairing of grapefruit and vetiver, sharing that bitter edge. I think it's great, it's a minimal piece but considering Bruno does a few for Malle, he's not phoning it in here. I'm picky about vetivers and this although really decent doesn't fully do the job for me, as in recent years I've started to prize (Vintage) Guerlain vetiver as my favourite vetiver as it has a little more grit than something like this. however if I was ever was in the market for a functional, synthy, vetiver I'd get this over many others as I love the brand and feel that the value on offer here is just too hard to pass on. This is a must for vetiver lovers to at least check it out, because you will be seriously impressed I'd say.

1

6 years ago

Essential Parfums Orange X Santal

Orange X Santal

Essential Parfums

On Essential parfums: Every now and again a brand comes along that really hits on every level. Essential parfums is one those brands. Superb perfumes, nothing superfluous or irrelevant in the lineup, a nice number of releases, Frederic Malle style focus on perfumers (all of which are fantastic master perfumers) with their name (and picture) pride of place on the bottle and marketing materials. A commitment to sustainability, in terms of perfume materials and packaging, transparency about natural naturals used and their source, and the really important thing to most consumers an pledge to keep prices affordably low without sacrificing quality. So a brand that truly adds value and brings a lot to the table. I have huge admiration and respect for them and they should be applauded for the whole concept of the brand. The comparisons here on Fragrantica are literally crazy!!! Bigarade,? okay, the Candida I'm not familiar with, blood oranges I have and like but NO!!! & Clinique happy??? are you off your rocker??? I sort of love that fragrance but it's an insult to compare it to this quite frankly! Sure when I got the samples and heard the name I thought, I bet I know what that will smell like and it largely delivers it a orange top over creamy sandalwood, does exactly what it says on the tin!!!! and yet it's so much more. For sheer enjoyment factor it's much nicer than a Happy or a Blood oranges, I own both and I'm telling you now this is a totally different experience. For starters the orange accord in here is wonderful. Bitter pith and sweet orange oil conspire to give a realistic but not too real orange, it's still a perfume orange. All the while this is being propped up and exalted by a great sandalwood accord which is not nutty, or weird as they can somtimes be and it's not too heavily reliant on one synthetic sandalwood (like Javanol for example) contains sandalwood from Australia to give it that je ne sais quoi. Wear it though and you'll discover a lovely, lasting, orange on top of a soft skin scent of pleasant santal. The smell still hasn't surprised me but how much I like it certainly has. UPDATE 17/05/21: Okay so I think my nose was on the blink when I first sniffed this or I didn't wear it (in fact I know I didn't and perhaps that's why you should before reviewing) properly just tried on a strip and my arm. Because it's basically a spicy sandalwood, with a brushy, modern incense feel and doesn't smell dissimilar to santal 33 only with a markedly more mild papyrus note. However, it's there and despite the true loveliness of the orange note in the opening, it's still a trendy Le labo crossed with some 90's sandalwood designers like D&G or Gucci. The thing is I don't hate santal 33 but I really don't care for it either, it gets on my nerves for about 80% of the wear time (clearly too much) and this has similar tenacity and timbre. So it's a no. I don't think it's a deliberate attempt to make a copy or anything but there's a finite amount of sandalwood materials and ways to bring them together and there's inevitably going to be intersections. The orange is a nice touch though and actually really compliments the fragrance.

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6 years ago

Essential Parfums Rose Magnetic

Essential Parfums

On Essential parfums: Every now and again a brand comes along that really hits on every level. Essential parfums is one those brands. Superb perfumes, nothing superfluous or irrelevant in the lineup, a nice number of releases, Frederic Malle style focus on perfumers (all of which are fantastic master perfumers) with their name (and picture) pride of place on the bottle and marketing materials. A commitment to sustainability, in terms of perfume materials and packaging, transparency about natural naturals used and their source, and the really important thing to most consumers an pledge to keep prices affordably low without sacrificing quality. So a brand that truly adds value and brings a lot to the table. I have huge admiration and respect for them and they should be applauded for the whole concept of the brand. Rose Magnetic Gorgeous!!! Lovely, mellow, not overly sweet rose. There's been some really lovely roses along the lines of this recently, beautifully supported, natural smelling roses. Velvet rose, propped up in all the right places by musks and warmth and lovely complementary top notes, like pink pepper or here there's Litchi listed in the notes. I'll buy it! Kinda fresh top, sure litchi okay. cool. I mean why would you bother with a screeching JAM, from Montale or a cheapo, crude PEA & rose crystal affair for a more money from a 'niche' brand? So good for the money and another example of a lovely rose accord which probably only uses a tiny amount of rose absolute but gets a hell of a lot out of it, with careful balance, Bravo Sophie Labbe. Comes highly recommended.

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6 years ago

Essential Parfums Divine Vanille

Essential Parfums

On Essential parfums: Every now and again a brand comes along that really hits on every level. Essential parfums is one those brands. Superb perfumes, nothing superfluous or irrelevant in the lineup, a nice number of releases, Frederic Malle style focus on perfumers (all of which are fantastic master perfumers) with their name (and picture) pride of place on the bottle and marketing materials. A commitment to sustainability, in terms of perfume materials and packaging, transparency about natural naturals used and their source, and the really important thing to most consumers an pledge to keep prices affordably low without sacrificing quality. So a brand that truly adds value and brings a lot to the table. I have huge admiration and respect for them and they should be applauded for the whole concept of the brand. So, I'd only tried the musc at first and for a good while nothing else from the brand, then I got the sample set and now I'm on Divine vanille which seems to be the most talked about from essential parfums. I can see why in a sense, it's an impactful, full blooded, vanilla fragrance. The comparisons to Herod are somewhat understandable but also a bit misleading too, the intent of this fragrance is quite different. The tobacco or cherry/almond facet is minimal, just an artefact from the kind of balsamic vanilla this is and I find quickly dissipates. I found the opening hour or two to be a mildly boozy, cocoa butter, caramelised vanilla, which while not unpleasant I don't necessarily associate with massively 'high quality' or a good mimick of vanilla absolute. This is a scent which unfolds over time and becomes more and more pleasant, releasing those woodier qualities. It's still sweet but I can enjoy it and I get why it's popular. Then BAM!!!! I'm confronted by a mild, dry, floral accord/note which for me marries beautifully and if it wasn't there my appraisal of this scent would be quite different I suspect, so it kinda makes the perfume. I've no idea what it is but they feel like dry, velvety, slightly decayed rose or geranium perhaps? I've no clue, and subtle to the point I could be imagining of perceiving it. It's still primarily vanilla and gets, softer and more supple still, but subdued, which is preferable to how it opened. This is a really good, long lasting deep vanilla, but on a personal level, they're just not my thing.

1

6 years ago

Essential Parfums Bois Impérial

Essential Parfums

On Essential parfums: Every now and again a brand comes along that really hits on every level. Essential parfums is one those brands. Superb perfumes, nothing superfluous or irrelevant in the lineup, a nice number of releases, Frederic Malle style focus on perfumers (all of which are fantastic master perfumers) with their name (and picture) pride of place on the bottle and marketing materials. A commitment to sustainability, in terms of perfume materials and packaging, transparency about natural naturals used and their source, and the really important thing to most consumers an pledge to keep prices affordably low without sacrificing quality. So a brand that truly adds value and brings a lot to the table. I have huge admiration and respect for them and they should be applauded for the whole concept of the brand. So Bois imperial is instantly recognisable as that Bisch vibe of incense that he has so brilliantly crafted for Barrois, Penhaligons and ELDO to name a few. Superb, strong, otherworldly modern resin perfume, with a twinkly aura. There's green aspects, with rough barbed incense, labdanic, olibanic fruitiness in the top notes, with futurist leather and dense woods, it effervesces out of the bottle . This perfume is amazing and for £65 for 100ml (and potentially cheaper with a discount code) this is a must have and no brainer for those who love Barrois Ganymede and the likes. The problem is, while I accept this is a five star, out of this world perfume and I think Bisch has hit on a rich vein of creativity with these perfumes I really do...It gets on my nerves a bit. I hate to say it. My love of the opening is masked after a few hours, too much of a good thing perhaps? Maybe it's the long and complex change & my tastes are mutating? It's a bit like growing old or something, swapping the excitement of staying out all night clubbing (Bois Imperial) for more sedate, grown up activities and to bed yearly with cocoa and question time. (The Musc) My appreciation of great perfume goes beyond what I would wear myself (not saying I'm not going to buythis because I'd be foolish not to) but into things that I can appreciate because of the novelty of the formula or other more 'technical' rationale.

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6 years ago

Orlov Paris Walk on the Wild Side

Walk on the Wild Side

Please don't evoke the Velvet underground classic to try to sell me this perfume. I'll be the judge of what's wild thankyou very much indeed. I assume the 'wild' refers to a hefty glug of parched IBQ leather accord with sweet piercing cassis and musk. I quite like the fragrance (so why the negative tone??? I'm such a dick!) for the simple juxtaposition of sweet/fresh and smokey/oily/dirty/herbal. It's very 'synthetic' smelling and I rarely say that sentence because most people band it about as a derogatory term with overtones of 'natural is better' & not really understanding of what a synthetic material is....but anyway! You're in safe hands here, I mean Anti-nature, if that's something art is striving to replace the beauty of? not that everything should strive to emulate nature but you have to round out a fragrance so it doesn't smell like a collection of familiar, chemical beats. I'm not even saying this necessarily is that either, it's pleasant and wearable for me as I broadly dig the vibe or at least think it's okay, but I don't have a preference for it. So it did remind me of a Memo fragrance Irish/Italian/Swedish....what they on now? Mozambique leather? I have a fragrance I blind bought called Ambergris showers by Rasasi and it's like a clumsy, Montale version of this, but I still quite like it in a strange masochistic way. This is clearly more refined so, It's a like. I don't know if this review reads that way but I'm not saying this is bad. I think if you like Aventus (oddly enough) you will enjoy this fragrance.

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6 years ago

Orlov Paris The Best of Me

I'd say this has the schmaltziest name out of them all & that's saying something. However, the opening to me was the most unique of the collection in my opinion. Shame the perfume as a whole is just not impactful enough to leave a lasting impression. Competent perfume again but I've just got very little to say about it. Sorry.

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6 years ago

Orlov Paris Sun Drop

Okay so. Sun drop. I've no issue with the name, in fact I'm quite intrigued. The fragrance itself is a big, thick spicy opening and strange earthy saffron and leather, always familiar though, because resinous, labdanum and almost gourmand notes of cinnamon and ibq laced, oud accord are conspiring to make this smell like a few Carner Barcalona's and a touch of Black Afgano, Terenzi etc.... you know the vibes. The cinnamon actually reminds me of Molton and Brown mesmerising oudh accord and gold...except this clearly has more going on and for it. So I like it. It's very nice. It's like a kind of sexy biscuit. but a fashion that is at least 8-10 years old? But it's flaw is that it's nothing new. In the context of the collection that's totally in keeping.

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6 years ago

Orlov Paris Burning Desire

"Let me stand next to your fire...." "Let me stand next to your fire....Let me stand baby... Oh hi! It's you. I was just singing some Jimi Hendrix, because I might as fucking well! Y'know keep myself entertained. The name says this to me. Fire!!! Passion. All that stuff... the perfume says... Nothing burning. Nothing particularly desirable. I'd like to be all melodramatic and leave it there but in truth this is a nice, fruity, floral perfume (sound familiar to the rest of the femmes in this line?) which smells a touch tropical for a moment, the accord even hints at the fleshy, juiciness of mango or something. Ultimately though it's nondescript. Warmed through with musks, it's pleasant but pointless to me. Take a fragrance which is very similar in terms of style, Parle moi de parfums, Chypre Mojo, that thing demands that you take note of it and it's kookiness. This next one is a slightly worse example because the combo with lavender is inspired but....Malle's Music for a while, the pineapple note in that is like syrup, it sticks in my mind and I can't help but be impacted by it. I doubt I'll remember what this smelled like tomorrow. See I'm not apposed to light fruity florals and if that's all this brand wanted to achieve with this release then fine, but I believe hardcore perfume fans will demand a little more. That's By Orlov's market isn't it? I can see these being heavily discounted at some point.

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6 years ago