Ébène, from Pierre Balmain was released in 2024. The perfumer behind this creation is unknown. The notes are Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Ebony Tree, Geranium, Incense, Myrrh, Tobacco, Vanilla.
I like what Balmain(Estee Lauder) have done with this collection, a combination of revamped classics (Vent Vert, Ivoire), new stuff (Sel d'Ambre) and surprising Tweaks and switcheroo's (Ebene>Carbone) Let's hope they are in The EL discount store soon because the prices are a little too rich for my blood. This is not specifically a criticism of this collection but a reflection of the entire industry and this designer label BS of... can we get away with charging more? Well we charge £200-£300 for a pocket square or a beanie hat, why should the perfumes be any different? Gone are the days when perfume was the relatively, (I'm not rose tinting the whole thing) affordable, aspirational purchase, you know? You can't afford a Chanel bag or a Cartier watch but you can still have an entry level piece of the pie in the form of a luxurious perfume. Now it seems to be an arms race for who can charge the most and all it's doing is driving the clone markets, which have also increased in price. Anyway... Ebene has a lovely deep, sepia tinged opening of spicy woods and dark peppery incense, and that peculiar sweetness of myrrh. It settles fairly quickly but largely the description from the opening persists throughout into a modern, slightly tweaked, airy based version of something like a Gucci PHI or that Bentley (but this is a bit smoother and longer lasting) I feel a little vanillic rounding and aerated amber effect in the base. I don't think this is all the way Carbone de Balmain which was marketed towards Men in the 2010's maybe? But it's closer to that than I imagine the old Ebene (never smelled it, but judging by the comments of folks who have) and the new Carbone which is NOTHING like I remember. This is good outing, it's nothing special but what I like is the balance of these compositions not too intriguing, but not too flat or lacking in personality by the same token.
I like what Balmain(Estee Lauder) have done with this collection, a combination of revamped classics (Vent Vert, Ivoire), new stuff (Sel d'Ambre) and surprising Tweaks and switcheroo's (Ebene>Carbone) Let's hope they are in The EL discount store soon because the prices are a little too rich for my blood. This is not specifically a criticism of this collection but a reflection of the entire industry and this designer label BS of... can we get away with charging more? Well we charge £200-£300 for a pocket square or a beanie hat, why should the perfumes be any different? Gone are the days when perfume was the relatively, (I'm not rose tinting the whole thing) affordable, aspirational purchase, you know? You can't afford a Chanel bag or a Cartier watch but you can still have an entry level piece of the pie in the form of a luxurious perfume. Now it seems to be an arms race for who can charge the most and all it's doing is driving the clone markets, which have also increased in price. Anyway... Ebene has a lovely deep, sepia tinged opening of spicy woods and dark peppery incense, and that peculiar sweetness of myrrh. It settles fairly quickly but largely the description from the opening persists throughout into a modern, slightly tweaked, airy based version of something like a Gucci PHI or that Bentley (but this is a bit smoother and longer lasting) I feel a little vanillic rounding and aerated amber effect in the base. I don't think this is all the way Carbone de Balmain which was marketed towards Men in the 2010's maybe? But it's closer to that than I imagine the old Ebene (never smelled it, but judging by the comments of folks who have) and the new Carbone which is NOTHING like I remember. This is good outing, it's nothing special but what I like is the balance of these compositions not too intriguing, but not too flat or lacking in personality by the same token.