Refined, luxurious and bold. One of the few Middle Eastern leaning perfumes I enjoy wearing. Very rose heavy, patchouli gives a dirty base to it with the fig creating an airy sweetness to the fragrance. Can see why people would think it leans feminine however I find it’s one that really morphs with the wearer and comes across masculine on me. I haven’t had another rose patchouli match it yet.
It’s a grower from my experience. I love the entire Dior homme line (Iris versions and cologne) and this is the most “special” of the bunch. The combination of leather with the Iris homme DNA gives a slight vintage feel to the scent, its bold and big with epic sillage. I wouldn’t say it’s my most worn as it feels you need to be dressed accordingly but I find myself just having a spray at home often because I love the scent so much. In short if you like iris it’s a no brainier, the more I wear it the more I love it.
Just beautiful. Soft, elegant and refined. Simultaneously modern and timeless. You obviously have to love Iris but if you do then this is truly a grail level Iris. The entire Dior homme Iris line is stellar, if you were to take only one this would probably be my choice as it’s very versatile outside of high summer.
Beautiful barbershop scent. Gentlemanly, clean and refined. Was my first introduction into penhaligons and is still one of their best. Suits a suit and tie, even though I find it very lovely I don’t wear it very often due to this. That being said, if think it will always be in my collection as it’s my favourite fougere.
There's something about Quentin Bisch's ongoing collaboration with Marc Antoine Barrois that continues to deliver perfumes elevated above the norms of the industry, and Tilia is not an exception. With a fairly linear design, the sixth perfume by the brand is pure happiness, bottled. Yes, detractors might suggest Tilia is one more in a line of releases where the perfumer is ploughing an already ploughed field, that it's Bisch returning to his old book of tricks. And in truth, there is the well used formula of sparkly astral twinkles. No one claims that a new Chypre on the market is a cheap cash in on the success of previous Chypres, these days at least. And I could argue Bisch has succeeded in creating a sort of genre all of his own, 'The Bisch'. Perhaps in future, perfume historians might remark of 'Bischyness'. Oddly, the best 'Bisch' might not even by signed by the man himself, eventually. Anyway, similarities aside, Tilia is so much brighter, sunnier, and happier than the previous five. It's potent and lasting. as are all his works for the brand. It bursts forth with the most solar of blossoms and a confectionary, opiate, nectar. It's no normal nectar, but that of the gods; honeyed, sweet, and airy. There's an ounce of aldehydic powder and it does feel a little like clean linen upon drying down on skin, however don't be fooled. This is not your regular washing detergent smell, look to L'eau Papier or 312 St Honore for that. This here is the smell of fresh laundry, laundered in heaven's laundrette by Apollo himself and left out to dry on the line next to the linden trees. It's a stunning release and one perfectly timed for the seasonal shifts that bring the more summery side of perfumery into play. Enjoy! Follow me on Socials: @TheScentiest
It's like Oud Essentiel with better ingredients. The oud accord is exactly the same ashy, incensey affair, with the rose here being slightly more pronounced. I like them both, but this smells more expensive and possibly slightly more like real oud, although to be honest it doesn't seem to contain any real oud to my nose.
After owning a vintage bottle of Femme Parfum, I was curious to see how the modern formulation held up as I’d never tried it. I blind bought a bottle of the EDT, and unfortunately it was a bitter disappointment to put it bluntly. The vintage version revolves around the beautifully soft, smooth and seductive composition of creamy oakmoss and dark leather alongside cinnamon and sweet plum. The current EDT has completely lost the oakmoss and the leather, and seemingly the cinnamon too. This can only be described as a cumin bomb, it’s absolutely overpowering with the only saving grace being the sweet plum in the background. I’m not sure where this cumin has come from, this doesn’t smell anything like the original. You might as well save your money and cover yourself in curry powder rather than buy this, or better yet just find yourself a vintage bottle which is a masterpiece.
I had a vague recollection of the fragrance from sniffing it at TF counters and at the time, I liked many of those Private blends but didn't buy them all, unfortunately Moss breches was one of those. In hindsight or if I had a time machine, I'd have rinsed the shelves of every bottle and kept them in mint condition the last decade because I saw a 50ml of this (OK not sold, but on eBay currently) for over £2k!!! Silly Silly money. So I managed to get a sample from a very kind pal, so I could revisit it and see whether any degree of hype or price inflation is worth it, and I'm pleased to tell you that Moss Breches is a FANTASTIC fragrance! I mean I really love the stuff, it's a superior, complex, woody aromatic scent, with a signature Tom Fordness about it, velvety rich, truffle like earth of patchouli with a opening of cinnamon tinged cypress and leathery man musk. I'd say it combines amazing qualities of Halston Z14 (or Italian Cypress by TF if you must) Zino Davidoff (probably looming the largest) The original Tom Ford for Men and the Tom Ford For Men Extreme, (retrospectively) Noir for Men and hints of 80's powerhouse masculinity. I wouldn't quite so as far as calling it 'butch' because it has a certain modernity, metrosexuality and even femininity in terms of it's overall vibe.... but yeah it's superb. Like I said... I wish I bought it back in the day for £130 or whatever? and as a vintage unicorn if that was swelled to £400-500 now I'd have no problem saying if you really wanted to treat yourself to this, then COOL! I might even be tempted myself if I was feeling flush but that one I saw on eBay is outrageous and cannot be justified.
It’s seriously become my favourite perfume in such a short amount of time. I’ve been testing it for 3 days now. It’s sweet and floral. Super juicy with a strong pear note initially but it dries down sweet and powdery. It truly smells like the easy bake powder with added pear. Longevity is great but the sillage isn’t huge. It’s a creamy type of floral like Narcisos Poudree but much sweeter than Narciso. I don’t find it resembles Valentino’s Poudre as that is very dry and nearly dusty smelling. Easy bake is sweet, creamy, juicy and flowery. It’s a good mix of La Belle and Narcisos Poudree but honestly it’s unique. I’ve never smelt anything like it.
I love this daffodil! I tried it at the Tom Ford boutique on Harrods sixth floor yesterday. It's only available in flagship stores and is NOT discontinued as some below have suggested, although you do have to spend on it. It's only available in the 250ml format, but they will throw in a luxurious 50ml travel spray when you buy. I'll never ever need 250ml of anything so it's a pass from me. Follow me on Instagram - @TheScentiest
What a useless release, honestly what is the point of this scent even existing. Okay it doesn’t smell bad, fair enough, but this has got to be one of the most boring scents I’ve ever come across. As soon as you smell it you’ve instantly forgotten it. I will never understand how they’ve managed to make vanilla smell like shower gel. Oh unless they just bombarded the composition with a barrage of sickly chemicals that they found in the garbage of the local pharmacy. That will be it. This is simply just a bad fragrance. What happened to the iconic ingenuity of the original Boss Bottled, when did they lose their way so much?
I’ll be honest, if TikTok hadn’t hyped this scent up to death, I don’t think Le Male Elixir would be nearly as popular as it is. Don’t get me wrong it doesn’t smell ‘bad’ but I wouldn’t say it smells good either, it just feels lifeless. I’ve never been a huge fan of Jean Paul Gaultier, but Le Male Le Parfum I quite enjoyed. This scent feels like they took everything good about that fragrance, and mixed it with 1 Million or something. It’s just an overload of synthetically sweet and plasticky vanilla and nothing else. There’s no interest present here, it’s simply a cash grab designed to capture the attention of teenagers with a flashy bottle, which I must say is hideously tacky. Overall this is just a bad release in my opinion.
I don’t even know what to say about Born in Roma Intense, how did we get here? What happened to the gorgeously seductive and sophisticated allure of the original Valentino Uomo? It seems the brand has lost all creativity and ingenuity unfortunately. You can look at the note breakdown all you want, it’s just marketing. The scent doesn’t smell even remotely similar to what the notes suggest, it’s just an explosion of messy synthetic aroma chemicals going down the path of harsh and screechy shower gel. There’s no rhyme or reason behind the composition. It feels like this fragrance was slapped together with the cheapest possible ingredients by a 5 year old. I honestly cannot fathom how such a poor scent can be so popular.
Highly synthetic smelling, smells like coconut shampoo or some sort of lotion. Sickly sweet and juvenile. Hard pass from me.
I visited the boutique today near Place Vendôme, and yes, I lost respect for the brand when I saw the typo on the bottle. The sales assistant (who was bilingual, like me) said she hadn't noticed it before and seemed mortified. Epic fail, I believe people would have said ten years ago. The perfume is OK, I smelled many of them and nothing grabbed my attention.
The original Bal a Versailles has been a firm love of mine for a long time now, earning a strong place in my top 5 for life. The Eau de Cologne was a blind buy for me and I was worried it would be a redundant purchase, I have never been so happy to be wrong. This iteration of the scent follows the same overall scent profile of urinous civet, thick balsams and warm amber. However, the overall feel is much brighter, softer and very airy - this is much more wearable and versatile than the standard parfum or EDT. The ylang shines blissfully like shimmering sparkles of sunlight, alongside soft powdery white florals which brighten up the dark filth laying beneath. There’s also a noticeable prominence of Vetiver here, giving the scent a refreshing touch of green earthiness. I adore this perfume, it’s simply glorious. I don’t think it’s obsolete to own this as well as the original, as this is far more wearable in the warmer months despite not straying too far from the original scent profile. The EDC and parfum are definitely closely related, but simply lean towards different aspects of the creative idea. The parfum envisions the scent of a 17th century ball at the Versailles palace, whereas this scent conjures the same idea but perhaps held in the summery gardens of said palace.
Roja is not known for making particularly oud-heavy scents, but this is something else. This is rich, dense, raw and primal at its core whilst maintaining an incredibly smooth and sophisticated allure about it. Majestic, is the perfect word to describe this phenomenal scent. Upon initial spray I pick up the thick, musky and slightly sour cheesy oud which reminds me ever so slightly of the oud used in Oud Noir Intense by FDB. This is elevated by the green aromatic herbaceous strength of rosemary and patchouli before the cypriol starts to take over. As this begins to settle on the skin, the surge of oily cypriol dominates the senses - in a strange way it feels almost apple-ey, reminding me of Frederic Malle’s Promise. The muskiness is furthered by sharp civet and dirty castoreum which compliments the earthy nature of the scent beautifully. There’s a lot going on here but essentially it boils down to a cypriol bomb which feels very unconventional for a Roja creation, in a good way. I can understand why this was discontinued: if not for changing regulations on certain materials, but for the fact that this scent is a brave step away from what Roja’s usual clientele is used to. I do not agree with the statements others have made saying that Roja has tried to substitute using real oud by replacing it with cypriol. It is clear to my nose that whilst yes the oud is subtle, the cypriol is there as its own individual - not a substitute. This is one of the greatest cypriol scents I’ve ever come across but of course it’s not worth the insane prices it’s being sold for these days. I was very lucky to find a low partial at a good price.
Rochas Femme is a timeless masterpiece and one of the all time greatest perfumes ever created in my opinion. I have a vintage bottle of the parfum and it’s just glorious in every way. Immediately you’re whisked away by the warm spiciness of cinnamon and clove, contrasted by a juicy yet dry combination of peach and plum. That iconic floral medley in the heart soon begins to shine, with carnation at the forefront like so many other great chypres. All of this lends to a generous dose of creamy oakmoss and smooth leather resting on a warm amber base, creating one of the most refined and comforting scents I’ve ever had the pleasure of smelling. It’s skanky and lustrous despite no animalics being listed, wearing it makes you feel oh so empowered and attractive. With this scent, Edmond Roudnitska took the idea of a classical leathery, mossy Chypre and amped it up a whole bunch. Rochas Femme took the idea of a fruity, spicy take on Chypre introduced by Mitsouko, and elevated it to something far better in my opinion. I adore this.
Incredible oud perfume. Aside from the listed notes I get a booming whack of cheesey aldehydes sort of akin to Dior New Look (maybe as they share the incense accompaniment). This is a proper serious oud perfume, no BS, none of this gentle oud for people who don't like oud etc. No. This one is frômagetastic, sick-bay at the farm, balls to the wind oud, and it's wonderful. Someone below said they couldn't understand how anyone could wear such a scent, but also said they hadn't worn it, they'd just smelled it on card. Please try this on skin before passing judgement... ça n'a rien à voir, as the French say.
Soft spices, but I get no cedar on my skin. It’s definitely more distinct than anything at the Macys counter though. I’m figuring out though that I’m not into sandalwood notes. Gave it to a friend though, and he loves it. It’s his signature scent and the way it makes him feel makes me really glad I bought it.
Sexiest grown fragrance I've smelt!
Everyone talks about Satin Mood, but where’s the love for Silk Mood? For me, it’s easily the superior out of the two. It takes that classic rose-oud combination and twists it into a bright, airy and refreshing daily wear which is easily signature scent worthy. The rose is very gentle and airy, sweet and dense and yet never becomes overpowering despite dominating the scent profile. The oud is gentle and subtle, the synthetic accord joining guaiac wood in a very smooth manner. Hedione is what makes this scent so addictive, the fresh white floral aspect is incredibly diffusive and gives you that clean linen feel which compliments the somewhat darker notes perfectly. I’m not usually a huge lover of MFK, and even here I don’t think the quality of materials is massively impressive, but I can’t deny that this scent simply smells damn good. It’s nothing flashy or revolutionary, but it’s such a satisfying wear.
At it’s core, Baniyas feels intensely regal and middle-eastern with a western, mass appealing spin. All in all this is a geranium and oud focused scent with all the power and intensity you could expect from such a scent, and yet feels surprisingly smooth and modest. The geranium gives the scent this jammy, rosey nuance with some green aromatic touches from lavender and earthy patchouli. This compliments the oud very well, which smells very likely synthetic but comes across very smooth and easy on the nose. The sandalwood and synthetic oakmoss in the base add to the creamy sleek nature of the scent, making for an interestingly easy wear. I greatly enjoy my sample of this, I feel it would thrive in the autumn months where the air has a bite, but the flowers are still thriving. Overall a lovely scent but I don’t feel compelled to buy a bottle, it’s not a true love for me.
Cloud Illusions has one of the strangest note breakdowns I’ve come across, everything seems so random and out of place, and yet it weirdly works in the most spectacular way. I’m no lover of mint fragrances, in fact I usually hate them, but this is a brilliant creation. The mint is definitely prominent - it’s green and bitter with a slight toothpastey feel to it, but it’s sweetened and smoothed out by this incredible bubblegum accord. It really makes the scent feel thick, rubbery and chewy whilst the sweetness is elevated by salty ambergris, blueberries and a touch of Iris. The mint is then furthered by an aromatic whisper of earthy cypress to give it some edge. This is such a unique creation, and an absolutely phenomenal scent. I can’t picture when I’d wear this but it’s not like I’m going to own it anyway what with it being so damn expensive. I’ll enjoy and savour the small sample I have.
