I had a possibility to try this Fendi’s new collection and this one immediately stood out from the rest of the line. There are very nice scents but this one was love at the first sniff. La Baguette is captivating combination of stunning minimalist beauty, elegant powdery deliciousness without being gourmand and a dreamy soft pampering texture. Iris is delicate and vulnerable but it’s not too dry, cold or make up like because of tender Vanilla which is not too sweet nor sugary. The most refined leather joins to this dreamy, slightly creamy, classy and luxurious concoction. Sometimes, for a fleeting moment, it feels like a delicious treat. It’s not easy to make an iris fragrance, especially something as simple as this, that would be somehow special but Anne Flipo managed to do it. La Baguette was an instant love and it developed quickly into an obsession since it doesn’t only make me feel confident and beautiful but it also creates amazingly cozy and calming vibes. Thank you for reading, I hope you liked my review. I would appreciate if you follow my IG: @ninamariah_perfumes It gives me a lot of motivation to write more. 🤗
A cosy lactonic chai that envelops and comforts
Awful harsh synthetic replication of oud. This just smells like aggressive chemicals. The opening smells ok but it quickly descends into scratchy headache territory.
To my nose, This is a patchouli, chocolate, spiced lactonic vanilla. A little almond in the opening.
A lovely scent, the notes I'm getting remind me of a Mugler DNA. This could fit in well as an A*Men flanker.
Sexy, sensual, erotic, mysterious, animalic, sweet, naughty Musk Aoud is one of my favorite Rojas from Aoud Collection and it has a very special place in my heart since it was my first scent from Roja Parfums. I bought it blindly and its enchantment has never faded. The color of this crystal cap is the most gorgeous of all! 💎 I think that this scent is totally underrated but I understand that it's not so easy to wear for many. I can’t get enough of this deep and complex scent. It's so sexy, sensual, erotic and mysterious. It's slightly animalic woody musky juice which is blended into perfection like all perfumes from Roja. You have to like oud and musk but it is not so challenging which you could think. The aroma of the scent is Roja's sophisticated and classy style without any roughness or pungent and brash nuances. Musk and Oud are not edgy here but noticeable ones and appropriately naughty but so pleasant in the same time. This will grow on you easily. Flowers play a supporting role in this fragrance rather than bringing a really floral aspect to it. After this settles down it turns so soft, a little bit powdery and a little bit sweet. It’s like the sexy smell of the skin! Vanilla, Nutmeg, Ambrette and Tonka they each bring their own "neutral" and natural sweetness to the fragrance, without being in any way comparable to sugary sweetness. The spiciness is really soft, and it doesn't remind of any food because the traditional oriental spices are missing. One note which can be challenging for me is leather but I never have that problem with Roja's style to do it. This is totally unisex since it doesn’t have so obvious “man” or “woman” characteristics. There is a little difference in the opening between dark and crystal juice but after 10 minutes those are totally same. The difference can be as well because of the age of the bottles. The longevity is eternal. I simply love this, I can't praise it enough and I need to add a big bottle of dark one as well. So sad that this is discontinued. 😭 Again one Roja's scent which doesn't have any similar competitor in the market. Just a note: dark juice stains light clothes From their website (when it was available) Top Notes: Lemon, Bergamot Heart Notes: Rose de Mai, Jasmin de Grasse, Ylang Ylang Base Notes: Nutmeg*, Patchouli*, Oakmoss*, Precious Wood Notes, Sandalwood*, Aoud*, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Birch, Labdanum*, Leather*, Ambrette*, Musk* *Main notes Thank you for reading, I hope you liked my review. I would appreciate if you follow my IG: @ninamariah_perfumes It gives me a lot of motivation to write more. 🤗
I have to mention straight away that I’m not a fan of citrus based perfumes. I don’t like those on my skin and I don’t like to smell those on anyone. I find those boring, extremely uncharming and all of those has been done a million times. 🍊🍋 Roja Parfums Burlington 1819 IS THE ONE AND ONLY citrus scent which I love and even like. 🍊🍋 Burlington opens up with an amazingly natural smell of fresh Grapefruit and Lime with a hint of Mint and it never gets synthetic. That smell of citruses is so realistic, so bright, uplifting and delightfully different than those million others and it lasts long time. I can even say that citruses are delicious here. In Burlington all used different citruses are blending with a delicated smokiness and beautiful mossy woody base. Tobacco is not dirty nor too dry but it's easily noticeable. I like how the fresh nature of the fragrance, thanks to both citrus and spices, is combined with warm notes like Vanilla and Benzoin which is a note reminiscent of it. Those together with Labdanum and woody notes create a more interesting fragrance with depth, power and numerous unique tones. On my skin this scent is more simple, let's say more feminine as well, and as I test all of my scents nowadays on my husband’s skin as well I can say that the performance on his skin is deeper, darker and stronger and a bit more interesting than on my skin. What seems to be hidden on my skin is Ginger and Rum and overall the beautiful complex drydown with dark nuances is somewhat lighter on my skin - amazing anyway. Airy Saffron is barely detectable. I enjoy this scent a lot in both kind of ways how it performs but I have to admit that if it’s admirable on my skin, it’s totally unique experience on warmer skin. Most of citrus dominated scents try to imitate Lemon or Citron (in the bad way) and I think it’s lack of imagination since there is many different citrus to use - most common ones being Bergamot, Sweet Orange, Orange Bigarade (Bitter Orange), Mandarin, Clementine, Yuzu, Lime, Lemon, Citron, Verbena and Grapefruit. Roja has chosen the best ones imo into this scent while Yuzu being my favorite as a note in perfumes from other olfactive families. If you love citrus scents this is something which you really need in your collection. This is just simply AMAZING, so special. Thank you for reading, I hope you liked my review. I would appreciate if you follow my IG: @ninamariah_perfumes It gives me a lot of motivation to write more. 🤗
Opus XI with a dash of Encre Noir, awesome!
Northman by Alexander. The Northman did not come to fuck around. Have you ever seen the video of the techno viking dancing through the streets? He's wearing Northman. I guarantee it. The initial hit from the fragrance is bewildering. Yes. It's an incense - smokey and austere. But wait. Is that? What? It's a huge hit of absinthe. Have you ever drank absinthe? That shit will ruin your weekend. This smells very absinthe-y! But what starts terrifying actually gently smooths out into a sweet smokey eternal base that is vaguely but only vaguely reminiscent of Interlude. I don't know that this is necessarily the most versatile perfume you'll ever try but it sure as hell kicks up a stink. Eau De Techno Viking. Bravo.
Épices immediately called to mind Audition's Asami, that icon of patient malice and elegant vengeance, trading her torture kit for a spice collection. She conjures a pristine hostess in her leather apron, each pocket meticulously lined with strategically curated powders and preparations: cardamom's strange cooling caress, coriander's numbing bite. Her cedarwood spoon dissects the mixture with surgical precision, stirring sweet-sharp resins and honeyed smoke into something exquisitely lethal. When the spices settle, they leave behind a slow dreamy surrender of soft musk and patchouli's eerie earthiness - even the deadliest hostess exacting her long game of vengeance knows the art of perfect measure.
Wear this several times, then several times more before deciding whether you like it. Most likely you'll start with a gasp and a grimace but end up with a lifelong love story.
Old non-magnetic cap is a magical spice explosion that dries down wonderfully to a creamy sandlewood heavy base, newer version is still good, but nowhere near as magical. As this one didn't survive long enough to get the flat boxes, you have to be careful which one you buy (especially with the prices now). I have 100ml of newer version, which, OK fine I'll wear it, no problem, and 25ml of the precious, wondrous original vintage with clip cap. I'll be heartbroken when that's gone.
I bought this assuming it also had sweet pea (like the OG Pleats Please) but has none. It's a very fresh/green/clean rose that feels almost grassy (surprised that's not one of the notes). Not picking up on the pink pepper, but there is a hint of clean neroli. Becomes a skin scent rather quickly. Musk seems to be the only base note to show itself. A very fast fade. Pretty linear and boring. The green note isn't sharp per se, but has a bit of a zesty quality that can get tired over time (it lingers throughout).
A syrupy, heavier floral that is rather artificial. Wishing the freshness of the sweet pea wasn't so drowned out by these elements. I would have liked to see a fresher pear note and a lighter touch on the indole/vanilla. That said, it's not horrible, but is maybe only marginally more special than a lot of fruitchouli florals available. Has substantial, but not beast mode sillage.
Straightforward Vetiver frag. Despite the sea of notes listed it's really not very complex. Performance is borderline terrible.
When Roja Dove set out to create Rose Parfum, he explained he wanted to make his take on a very modern rose - if that truly was his goal, then it’s safe to say he failed, for this is one of the most beautiful and magical vintage-style roses I’ve ever smelled. With May Rose at its core, this scent is beautifully bright and supple; the rose is dewy and pulpy, with subtle green stemmy nuances in the background, likely from the galbanum and citruses. Geranium and pepper add to this, providing you with a pronounced kick at the back of your nose, with a dense and slightly salty effect which is incredibly subtle. This is a rose perfume for rose lovers. You won’t get that horrible scratchy rose water effect here, this transports you to a royal garden filled with rose bushes on a warm spring day. I’m very picky when it comes to rose, but this is my absolute favourite and I imagine it always will be.
“There are only two good Fougère’s, Jicky and Mouchoir de Monsieur - all the rest are for truck drivers” - Jean-Paul Guerlain. A bold statement from the man himself, and a clearly biased one, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Mouchoir de Monsieur is one of the greatest Fougère’s ever made. Released 15 years after the revolutionary Jicky, perhaps to give society enough time to adjust to such an outrageous scent, this beauty was born. This retains a lot of similarities to Jicky, with many describing it as the masculine counterpart. Lavender is front and centre, alongside copious amounts of citrus, bergamot and lemon in overdose. It also utilises the same base of coumarin and vanillin to provide some sweet creaminess, but lacks the sandalwood and rosewood which Jicky has. Overall, it really does smell like a more masculine version of Jicky. It’s intensely aromatic and herbal with sharp citrus to compliment, but with the softness in the base toned down - you’re left with something much more bold and daring. It smells far more dry and almost dusty, as though the scent of an old eau de cologne lingers on a vintage suit gathering dust. Absolutely impeccable perfumery.
Whilst Fougere Royale was the first fragrance to incorporate a synthetic material - coumarin - it was Jicky which took this idea and transformed perfumery as we know it. At the time of its release in 1889, most of polite society would have worn some sort of basic eau de cologne, and so the introduction of Jicky was truly outrageous and initially was too revolutionary for many. Jicky has a pronounced Cologne style, made up of hefty amounts of bergamot, lavender, basil and bay, underscored by a dominant note of rosemary. The lack of a central heart note creates a strange paradoxical effect, as though the entire composition is made up of radiant citrus and aromatic herbal notes. But after some time, you begin to detect the softness of the sandalwood, complimented by the sweet creamy nature of the coumarin and vanillin - delicately bolstered up by hints of civet. This is the first time a perfume would become sexual, abstract, and no longer would make the wearer smell like lemons or a bouquet of flowers. I absolutely love it. My bottle is only a few years old so I can only imagine how enchanting the original formulation must have been, but smelling this truly feels like experiencing a piece of history. The first ever fougere for women, but easily unisex by today’s standards. A staple lavender in my collection.
As with most Nasomatto, the precise notes aren't listed.
Quickly this made me think of the Blazing Mr Sam from Penhaligon's although not the same of course.
It's spicy - maybe cinnamon, clove, pepper? It has the dark sweet spiced twang of patchouli, lingering over sweet leather and tobacco.
It also made me think of Ombrè Leather.
There are dark woods, with a slight oud tint to them, maybe something warming like Amber.
A truly beautiful scent
Milky, custardy pudding delicately spiced with cardamom's weirdness and melancholic orange blossom water and kooky sugared pistachios, and damn if this isn't a low-key melodramatic goth rice pudding on its way to a Cure concert.
Panda begins with an intense, dewy green accord and hints of peppery warmth that is soon followed by orange blossoms and lilies, and finally comes to rest at earthy roots and damp mosses. This is less the roly-poly panda himself and more a chronicle of his slow stroll as he journeys from mountain springs to bamboo groves, munching on stalks and leaves, and basically just living a very low-key, low-stress, serene Panda lifestyle. Much later there is the barest whiff of sandalwood; perhaps the last stop in his travels is a shadowy temple at sunset, to light a stick of incense and thank the gods for his good fortune.
This is a lush, vivacious offering brimming with a kaleidoscope of opulent fruits and honeyed florals, it calls to mind a tea party in a bright spring garden; effervescent personalities flit and flirt, while poetic dalliances occur amongst the softly blooming lilac and sweetly musky honeysuckle. Delicate nectars and sweet ambrosia is served, and later that night you dream of the sunlight glimmering through the season’s fleeting apple and plum blossoms.
Les Lunatiques is a cupped palm of night air: softly flickering mothwings at midnight, a dewy mist of cloud floating across the moon, shadow-draped blooms furled in upon themselves and dreaming, the holy gleaming poetry of cosmic light reaching us from stars long dead, and the sweet murmuring exhalations of a slumbering grove of saplings.
Glass Blooms by Regime des Fleurs is absolutely exquisite and I wish I could come up with the words to tell you just how exquisite it is but instead, all I can tell you is that it conjures the essence of the most beautiful woman in the world, or at least I thought she was, in 1982 when I was 6 years old. And also she wasn’t a woman, she wasn’t even human, she was a plastic doll made by the Kenner brand. A Glamour Gal. Her name was Shara. You can smell the pearly musk mallow, milky ambrette and cognac in the memory of her lustrous, opalescent hair and in her sleek shimmery gown, a vision of frosted starlight, cool, aloof lily of the valley and pale peony, delicate and dappled with dew on a spring morning when the chill is still bright and hard in the air. When I wore Glass Blooms this evening, I felt every bit as elegant and enchanting as I felt it must feel to be a Glamour Gal like Shara. Who, though Kenner has been defunct since 2000, I can find still-in-package on eBay for 24.99…which is a better deal than a bottle of Glass Blooms, at $225. If I’m being honest, though, I think I need both of them
Tubéreuses Castane is such a beautiful, fabulous fever dream of a cocktail... an elderflower-forward sparking sweet Riesling with a musky, caramelized chunk of amber floating in the wine, along with a luxuriant dollop of rich chestnut puree and a generous dash of spicy ginger liqueur. It's heady and hypnotic and a little weird but it's not too cerebral or precious about it and lordy be, it is a friggin glamazon
Deep, dark, and strong.
Leather and spices burning over a Hinoki campfire.
I have a lot of animalics and don't get much from this. Certainly not filthy, especially if compared to Sadonaso from Nasomatto.
