I really don't understand why this fragrance has got such bad votes on here and it's not even my cup of tea! That's presuming the majority of contributors are voting on the smell of the perfume and not how offended they are by the flacon. Very briefly on that...I don't know about the issue enough to pass comment really? I will say this I'm not someone who enjoys the unnecessary suffering of animals nor would I argue that it's a necessity to eat them or parade around wearing them but there's many things in the world I don't like or agree with but endure them anyway. I hope that doesn't sound ignorant or could be accused of hypocrisy, I simply don't know enough about the specifics of the issue concerning this perfume to form an opinion. Anyway...A Rebours is not what I'd expected. It's a strong floral musk which is animal in nature but no where near to the extent I was anticipating. The opening is one of orange blossom, freesia, carnation and powder, the musk is strong as well but never sours the florals, well blended stuff. The over all feel is one of a talc, powdery, white floral and with a hint of violets. From this I was waiting for a dirty animalic dry down like that of Amouage Gold Man but it never came thank heavens! The civet and castoream are tame and just give a warm comforting base to what is a pretty unremarkable scent given all the hype and controversy. Lasting power is good but not epic like I previous thought and projection is pretty big when first applied then settles down. So there you have it A Rebours is a perfect marriage between musk and flowers and it gets the balance right for me. Not my scene but worth checking out if you like this sort of thing.
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A Rebours is a scent I expected more from if I’m being honest, given the extensive and complex note breakdown. And whilst it’s not unpleasant by any means, it just comes off rather simple - leaving me wanting more. I should be clear in saying that this is not animalic, in any sense - I’m not sure why these notes are even listed when in fact it’s very easy-going. It’s a sort of fresh-metallic violet leaf paired with bitter-green florals and a soft soapiness, alongside a gentle whisper of leather and cumin. It’s not unpleasant as I said, it’s rather nice if anything. But it doesn’t stand out as anything special for me, I was expecting a lot more especially considering how unusual and unique the bottle is.