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229 286
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Ylang-Ylang

Molton Brown

houdini

Decent. Quite linear and not really possessing the exoticism I expect from Ylang Ylang but very nice all the same and the floral opening masks just how much vanilla there is in the base! Jeez the musky/vanilla drydown is long lived. I liked it and it’s not even my scene.

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7 years ago

Oud for Greatness

Initio Parfums Prives

houdini

I absolutely adore this! Going to have to really sample it to make sure but initial spray had me bowled over. Not much in the way of Oud synthetic or real, certain not real but I don’t doubt it’s there because there’s a woody, amber heft to this fragrance. It’s warm and stunning in the opening with quite a sweeter saffron note and I get nutmeg in there too, it’s a heady brew of stuff I like. Hugely powerful and having said all this nice stuff about it and loved it so much am I left mouth agape standing back in awe of this thing...well No. Not really. I love it. I’d like to wear it and own it and I know that love would grow into a real fondness but does it have the wild chemical attraction of a love at first sniff? Not quite. That kind of relationship is doomed to fail anyway so maybe this is ‘the one’ for me? Just a sensible one. I will update this when I acquire proper samples.

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7 years ago

Divine Attraction

Initio Parfums Prives

houdini

I really like this fragrance. Uncompromisingly about vetiver. Opens with that wet stone/cement to drier flint/gunpowder facets, into a plume of slightly moist, autumnal leaf mulch being burned. It's kinda fresh and alive underneath that orchard floor though, not quite green but just nice. Dries down a bit cleaner and more cedar maybe some synthetic woods come out, it's very warm and lovely as a skin scent. Performance being acceptable but surprisingly not amazing considering how it goes on and projects early on. Now having dabbled in perfumery recently I can say that vetiver is one of my go to materials. I have smelled several different types and they are very changeable and superb in their own right. The isolate I'm using at the moment is vetiveryl acetate and as much as I liked vetiver before I embarked on making my own perfumes, it wasn't the material I was itching to get cracking with. I favoured stuff like the rockstars of Rose, Iris, Oud....etc... which in hindsight are actually very hard to get right and it's a costly learning curve. In any case, Vetiver has become one of my favourite basenotes and I have a newly reinvigorated love of it shall we say. Also I can see just how special this composition is, because it's quite hard to minimally compliment and support the smokey, earthy tones of vetiver. I think this does a really good job with the top notes.

7 years ago

I've journeyed full circle with this fragrance and I've got to say that I've arrived at a happy middle ground. I like it quite a lot, after initially being bowled over by it, I think I was a little hasty. It opens with a super smooth, cosmetic leather note, not dissimilar to iris/orris but then becoming more patent/faux leather and plastic like. I attribute that perhaps to the saffron, having that plastic nature but with smooth opulence and non of the earthier character. It has sweet facets but not in a traditional sense, this is a fragrance with quite an artificial feel. I don't know whether it's the generally creamy, powder of the heart of this fragrance, the sweet custard vanilla nuances or the aldehydes in the opening but something says oreintal chypre and Chanel to me. Not any specific Chanel....just the overall vibes. It's kinda fresh but has warmer substance too, and although vanilla is not listed in the notes nor is tonka or benzoin or anything vanilla like I'm still inclined to believe it's there. It's more clinical and less dirty than real vanilla it's more of a vanillin, which I love anyway. It also has a quality I like to call, 'carpet shop' new carpet complete with a hint of rubbery underlay. This was how I described Amouage Honour Men but I don't think these two are all that similar. I thought the performance was going to be a let down but it's actually a secretly tenacious scent. I have reapplied it but not because it was flagging, more to remind myself of how it opened for review purposes. The drydown gets more diffuse and opens up, becoming a bit like Boucheron Jaipur homme or something of that ilk. No Rules is a very interesting fragrance, unique but not quite as special as what I initially thought.

7 years ago

This fragrance is so bizarre and I will be updating after I’ve worn my sample but the initial spritz I had the other day in store and I was treated to a somewhat green opening with sweet facets. After this blows over the fragrance Abruptly changes and I mean like night n day and it really doesn’t take long it’s literally on a knife edge...then bang! The most beautiful labdanum note, it’s calm and has a naturally aspirated sweetness. This prominence put me in mind of a recent Eldo fragrance, Attaquer de Soillel and I even pointed out the similarity to the SA and she reached over to where the ELDO’s were kept and concurred. This was only an initial try but the resinous quality of this fragrance can’t help but appeal and if the other elements are not as fleeting I suspected, then this is another interesting fragrance on my radar.

7 years ago

If I’m not mistaken this is the Floyd/67 festival one? I’ve gotta say...way to capture that vibe. This has a hippy dippy vibe to it from a patchouli bias but that’s not the whole story by any stretch, the sweetness and rounded body, accented by vanilla and sandalwood. It’s a grievous fragrance with a good heart and ties in with the darker 90’s grunge one. This has more Optimism about it, as did the 60’s (if you don’t count the wars and the civil unrest!) and this is more representative of the free love and musical revolution. It’s not psychedelic or wacky though and the drydown might be a little ordinary but I enjoyed the ride.

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7 years ago

Boss Bottled Oud Aromatic

Hugo Boss

houdini

I was impressed with this. It’s a synthetic, distinctly designer affair with a heavy emphasis on a resinous, woody accord or group of accords that I’m going to call Oud. You get the waxy orange flower which is balanced well against the generally darker hue, and this effect is lasting into the drydown. I then get a softer more rounded vanilla touch to this to finish off... I was initially wowed by this and saffron but as they settled actually started to annoy me a little before redeeming themselves. They are loud, brash and unapologetic but warm and oriental in keeping with the BOSS Bottled line in that regard. I think I need to spend more time with both (and revisit the original Oud) to make sense of what is happening here?

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7 years ago

Boss Bottled Oud Saffron

Hugo Boss

houdini

Let’s not fixate on the ‘oud’ in Everything with Oud in the title, I used to do that but I’ve come to realise to treat Oud like amber, as a concept. Ironically there’s quite a prominent sharp, resinous note that I could associate with some synthetic Oud materials but the prominent accord is one of saffron. Yet again...I don’t think it’s real saffron, doesn’t have the earthy facets, it’s very sharp and harsh but also oddly smooth when settled, what it does have is the leathery feel. So this sounds negative so far but let me assure you that the opening is fantastic, then it becomes cloying and even a little annoying, deeply dried down it’s a sublime skin scent. I’m conflicted because it’s unapologetically designer in feel but the price doesn’t reflect that so...yeah. A bit of a mess but a glorious mess. If it’s ever heavily discounted I’d pick up a bottle.

7 years ago

I'm slightly conflicted about this fragrance because it's all a little bit too 'surface' for me, with not nearly enough depth. The surface for what it's worth is gorgeous, opening with a boozy warmth which almost evaporates off like you just flambed your skin...in a good way. Then the overriding feeling is rum & raisin ice cream but less rounded out and cosy, perhaps a little thin? The dried fruit aspect of this is dominant right the way into when it settles, and that usually works perfectly with the dark, bitterness of tobacco. Sadly the tobacco in this isn't all that bitter and is quite clean, almost floral, what is sometimes referred to as white tobacco and not the 'cigar' that the name of this release suggests. I find the drydown has slightly more of a classic masculine smell, a touch of leather on amber but primarily still a reasonably lighthearted & fruity scent. I'd actually say it's unique because it isn't the tobacco trope I was expecting and to infer that's it's lacking depth might be a bit harsh? Gigar Rum is actually suited to the lovely warm weather we are having in the UK at the moment. Perhaps, it's that left turn that has thrown me? In any case I enjoyed it but it didn't quite take it to the next level and the performance is a little suspect, retreating to my skin very quickly.

7 years ago

My interpretation of this fragrance was that it's actually a lovely natural floral and although it goes on a little feminine has actually matured into something wearable for me. The opening has a green, lush floral effect like wild flowers but then becoming more like lily of the valley and more tradtional powdered fair in the drydown. That green opening too has a touch of fig to it which works perfectly and the drydown is actually a bit like a clean musk, soapy vetiver. It's not as overtly, indy or artisan as some of the others in this line and I think that works in it's favour giving a nice balance. Not massively strong either but clings to clothing nicely. I liked it.

7 years ago

This is an odd perfume. I actually found something curiously reminding me of slow explosions, despite this having a vaguely gourmand opening and in truth smelling nothing like it, they both evoke a Chinese quality. I don't expect you to understand what that means because I barely do myself! It's not five spice or fireworks (or any other stereotypes I could perhaps blunder into?) in this perfume, more a lactonic, unusual creamed fig note, which definitely opens with tonka and continues that way. Yesterday haze is a pretty apt name as there's something particularly hazy about the whole affair and does have the complimentary combo of coconut and fig and kinda creamy woods. It has a slightly plastic quality to me, unsettling and with a hint of earth... maybe why it reminds me of saffron and slow explosions? I know not to expect the norm from Josh and he's delivered something here which might not have had any impact in another perfumers hands. I'm enjoying it but it's simply not to my taste really.

7 years ago

Okay so there's a reason why I haven't reviewed this yet and it's because the branding of the products offered by Escentric Molecules, is so dull and inconsequential they all blend into one. I'm not even talking about the fragrances tehmselves because largely they are great and despite the seeming simplicity, most are delicately choreographed collections of aroma chemicals. Escentric 02 starts out with a sharp citrus type grapefruit and lime also dry and bitter a bit maybe juniper and pink pepper facets too. This progressed into what can be best described as an ambroxan biased, powdery, woody/amber accord with vetiver/Cedar Iso E vibes but but those less so & warmer etc... So in that respect, somewhat similar to everything from this line and pretty much Schoen too. Not a criticism in any way because they all smell great and side by side very different. To honest Escentric 02 has even more appeal to me than say Molecule 02 because it's less dry and woody and more on the amber spectrum. Not interested in owning this fragrance but wearing it again recently I thought it was alright.

7 years ago

I’m not going to talk about this fragrance for long...it doesn’t require it. It would be impossible not to mention Aventus or a masculine, Woods, citrus/pineapple effect in the top notes. I hate batch talk and I want to avoid that too, I will merely say that this seems a bit Aventus lite, and certainly not as smoky or full on as the Creed I have, but as I said talking about exact degrees of this or that or smokier ones or whatever is the most boring subject I could possibly think of. It has the tenacity and fixative qualities of Ambroxan or the Sauvage effect of you will? coupled with the linear top notes and lack of progression, again all not bad things necessarily. This is not nearly as ferocious and nuclear as Sauvage though and I don’t find that the smell grates on me. I’m not cynical enough to assume premeditation on any brands part when producing eerily similar fragrances but It’s not hard to guess why they might, the by product of which might be to emulate said fragrances success as well as it’s smell. The bottle is nice, slightly Dunhill-ish and maybe a bit like those cylindrical Mercedes ones?

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7 years ago

Emporio Armani Stronger With You Intensely

Giorgio Armani

houdini

Crazy, muddled opening, over sweet, caramel/tonka/vanilla accord with what I perceive as more feminine fruity notes. It’s subtlety spiced which I like and when settles all the way down, although quite cloyingly sweet, pleasant enough. I actually preferred the original version and that was an audible ‘meh’ of a fragrance. This ‘sexy’ nighttime, faux gourmand phase was something I thought had ended a couple of years back but remains resurgent. Don’t get me wrong there are worse olfactory trends but designer gourmands have to be something original or show some restraint to capture my imagination and this doesn’t do it for me. Opening made me slightly regretful of spraying on my skin as it’s loud, soupy and projects like crazy but then as I inevitably knew it would, becomes softer and nicer but it’s not enough. Update: Just looked at my review of the original and it turns out I didn’t actually like it all that much and said hauntingly similar things about it.

7 years ago

I have very little to say about this. Profumo was a little darker a flanker than this one but it’s in the same vein of a ‘sexy’ nighttime oriental. That thick tonka accord and vanilla with woody amber and characteristic. The drydown is very nice when all the way almost gone, it’s a nice benzoin vanilla smell. I wasn’t mad at it, but I definitely wasn’t mad about it.

7 years ago

I’ll start by saying that I have preconceived bias about this brand as I think Bella Crane is very talented and I haven’t tried a single fragrance that I didn’t think had merit or was treading some interesting olfactory ground, this is no exception. A sweet, sweet opening not the kind of annoying stuff you get in sweet leathers (because this buttery orris root has a hint of very clean leather) what will be polarising is the raspberry/cherry note which smells like a whole sweet shop of confectionary. Very sweet vanilla joins proceedings and could be argued is more dominant than the orris but something keeps all that sweetness in check somehow and overall I love the effect. It doesn’t smell like a typical iris or vanilla or fruity perfume it’s a pretty unique proposition.

7 years ago

Aspects of this perfume wow me, namely the general originality of Battito d’Ali and the openings top notes. To me it smells quite gourmand, sweet, creamy and virtually ‘cakey’ with an orange citrus note that is very pleasant indeed. It’s immediately after that (a matter of minutes) the heart becomes waxy and intensely powdered, almost soapy with an orange blossom, countered with the intensely sweet, boarderline cloying coconut/vanilla. Myrrh is listed here and without smelling the note directly as such, I can see how it might conspire in this fragrance to bond the accords together. It’s an interesting fragrance, I kinda wish I loved it because it would make life and reviewing it easier, but it’s a challenge and I like that. Another wear might be in order to make a solid decision on it.

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7 years ago

Gershwin

Maria Candida Gentile

houdini

Well, this is another fragrance I really should've got around to reviewing before now, but wearing Gershwin again today is an uplifting experience for sure and worthy of writing about. I will begin by saying that although the overall vibe of the fragrance is very familiar the delivery has more sweetness and life than anything I might make comparisons to like Avignon, Birley, Missiones, full incense, Heeley etc. etc....but from those you can tell it's a crudely frankincense based fragrance. Gershwin is alive with citrus in the opening mainly lemon and grapefruit but sweet not saccharine and anything but bitter, with a hint of peppery woods. The fizzy, translucent resins of mastic, elemi, galabanum and above all Olibanum are perfectly rendered and so bright and happy, such is their effervescence. I'm not sure this smell evokes Porgy and Bess or Rhapsody in Blue for me, but it clearly did for gentile. The drydown is very subtle, supremely clean and not the biggest projector or performer in the world, when compared to the incense comparisons I made above. Some fragrances you allow some concessions because of the way they make you feel, this certainly was an enjoyable experience for me today.

7 years ago

I've been neglecting my Fragrantica duties recently in favour of pathetic social media platforms so it's about time I reviewed something on here and got my mojo back, so to speak. What a way to do it too with a new(ish) fragrance from a brand I really love. I was so excited about Bois Mystique but I also try to manage expectations when it's something so highly anticipated. Well...I've not been disappointed because this is a solid release and somewhat close to what I expected. It's a take on your frankincense and myrrh. Peppery, oily incense and woods but with a touch of a deeper, darker hue. This is a category of fragrance that has many proponents and could perhaps be difficult to stand out, but Houbigant manage it. It has the sweet sharp opulence of labdanum with a touch of smoke (perhaps from guaiac wood?) it's lovely. It didn't blow my socks off but I'm very much enjoying it and the bit I spritzed on my arm the other day lasted really well, and so far so good today. I would categorise this in a want list with some others like Bruno Fazzolari Lampblack which in fairness is a little more flamboyant and original than this. Also LM Parfums Malefic Tattoo which is suitably fantastic as well, I have that trio on my radar and would say they are equally brilliant perfumes. (I AM NOT AN 'INFLUENCER' OR AFFILIATE OF THE BRAND) Houbigant's customer service is fantastic too, having no quibbles about sending me a discovery set, facilitating trying, before inevitably buying. Sadly they forgot to include this sample so I bought one, still I really appreciate the gesture of all their other samples.

8 years ago

When I originally tried this TF exclusive it was in passing so to speak and I really didn’t pay it all that much attention but upon revisiting I have to say that I really like it, especially the muted, sweeter tones of the drydown. I say that because London opens with a swathe of animalic musk, leathery castoreum like vibe, which morphs into a mixture of realistic and synthesised woody notes and warm resins. It’s clearly an Oud accord with a spicy undertone of fresh sweat from cumin. Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing floral about this woody/incense perfume but the way the muskiness is sort of hints to classic perfumery and a kind of floral musk. The way it comes together in the drydown is not massively impressive but has absolutely hooked and constantly sniffing myself and what more could you ask for really? Perhaps a little more performance? It’s by no means a shrinking violet and lasted okay, but not super well. London is a winner in my book though, masculine, interesting, modern yet classic, eventually cosy and full to the brim with stuff I like, incense/wood/spices/. I would add it to my collection over other private blends, simply because it’s one of the more unknown ones.

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8 years ago

Pacific Rock Moss

Goldfield & Banks Australia

houdini

So this was my first experience of a reasonably trendy house that was moving and shaking in the social media IG YouTube circles for the last year or two. Many folks attributed this to the constant, seemingly endless plugs from a certain Demi Rawling and other reviewers telling me she was plugging it, which in effect was plugging it themselves... anyway. I'd held off trying them, thinking they are about as far as you can get (geographically speaking) away from me and hadn't seen them in UK shops. Apparently they are in Selfridges or Harvey Nicks now but I opted to get some samples to see what all the (mixed) fuss was about Pacific Rock Moss and my review couldn't be anymore mixed either. The open just made me think...'I can tell why this is mass appealing' modern, aquatic but with almost cotton candy sweet vibes rather than overtly salty seaspray but still a kind of herbal, cleanliness about it. There's something slightly off putting but not unpleasant, then growing with steady progress is the Tree/oak/cedarmoss that I had hoped for from the name. There it is in all it's glory, not too mossy so it becomes Marmite but well observed and perfectly fitting for the rest of the composition to impart a definite marine quality of moss and seaweed covered rocks. Now I've not smelled synthetic oakmoss materials in isolation, so I can't really comment but friends of mine tell me that they pale in comparison to the real stuff, to which I'm well acquainted. I'm assuming it's not the real deal considering restrictions dictate that such small amounts be used, you likely wouldn't smell it anyway but if this is the synth stuff to me it's smells of oakmoss and this could be very clever work on the part of the perfumer to create this effect or me not knowing what I'm smelling in here. I really enjoyed this middle stage of the progression, not long after the inital opening and lasting perhaps 2 hours before losing my interest and reverting back to a much more safe, mainstream feeling in the base as I got from the opening. It's a bit of shame that it started to grate on me ever so slightly but I have to take my hat off, I was expecting something much worse than what I got. Update: I was in two minds writing this original review but not anymore. Having worn this again I have to say, I don’t like it. The sweetness in the opening is coconut from a lactone or methyl laitone, actually quite an interesting combo with citrus but with the rest of this composition just adds to the unsettling feel. I have to say that the few G&B I’ve tried have all been real unique propositions which is good, I just don’t like this one.

8 years ago

If it's coming out this colour something is seriously wrong with your diet. They could've and should've done a proper poo fragrance with castoreum, civet and a particularly skanky oud although that would just be encouraging them. The fact that these even exist is a damning indictment of our failing civilisation. Not even my beloved world of perfumery is safe from the detritus. Having said that the monkey one is cute and I want it.

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8 years ago

E for Women Green Fougere With Aromatic Lavender

Clive Christian

houdini

I found green fougere to be 'green' in the same sense that their green bottles of 1872 (the originals) are green, and that the smell is entirely green but in a fruity, sweeter way than the grassy/galbanum/cis 3 Hexanol sort of thing one might normally describe as 'green'. This sweet, gummy green is not the entire story of this fragrance though because that story is one of earthier floral elements. It's the reminiscent spring time 'wetness' of narcissus, as the daffodils are in full bloom here in Wales. It's a massive dose of what I perceive as oakmoss or cedarmoss in the opening giving a really thick texture to an aromatic, herbal lavender, which smells more wild than refined or atypical. It's that sweetness of top note which is just enough to carry through into the heart and balance the fragrance. Green Fougere possesses that narcotic quality that Clive Christian can capture sometimes, it's intoxicating and original, vaguely floral, yet very masculine leaning to my nose. I'd be surprised if this is well received by the masses, I think this is due to the fact there's a slightly, fermented feel, an almost hoppy, beer maybe even whisky characteristic to it. In a tobacco or boozy, leather fragrance you might think fair enough but in here it just makes me think....where's it coming from? That's the magic of perfume and this one captures it, and if you hadn't guessed by now I absolutely LOVE IT! Superb. The usual caveats apply though....Am I ever going to buy it?...No too expensive. Do I think there's things that are problematic about CC as a brand? Yes. Do I think they are capable of delivering the luxury, high standards and special experiences they promise? Yes. People must accept that some brands were simply not aimed at you. Roja, Clive, Fragrance du Bois, Spirit of Dubai....and there's more and more popping up all the time catering for clientele who want more or at least they want to be sold the perception that they are getting more. I personally don't have that much of a problem with it, but I get why the average fragrance fan feels alienated by the exclusivity. I have to say that their customer service is excellent, and I received a bumper package of samples from them to review, which I really appreciate.

8 years ago

This smells like the base of a fragrance at first, the combination of fixatives to create a quiet, resonant hum, upon which the 'real' notes of the perfume sit. However, in this case there are no 'real' notes and instead Another 13 presents them as the finished article, as per such industry precedents as the essentric Molecules line. I have to say though that this fragrance has a silky feeling of cashmere, warm muskiness and the dry, woody, sugar paper aspect of ISO E super or timbersilk but then brought to life by the ambroxan and possibly real ambergris used to further the rich effect. I think if I tried to knock this up myself I'd fail miserably despite it being seemingly simple. I have a reaffirmed respect and admiration for fragrances as modern and minimal as this and the facts are simple Another 13 smells excellent and is in many ways more appealing to me than some of their other offerings. It's good stuff, very quiet and low to the skin as you'd expect but actually has very tenacious lasting ability.

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8 years ago