Empire des Indes is all about Heliotrope and Nag Champa but as well beautiful resinous base. Heliotrope feels almost liquor like, even almondy with Cherry like aroma. It's deep, intoxicating and a tad vintage like, which is understandable of course because we are talking about Legrand's perfume. The texture is powdery but not too dry and the scent is sweet in an utterly natural way. There is something very special in this scent and it makes me feel so damn gorgeous! By the way, did you know that Heliotrope is also called Cherry Pie Flower? I have started to love scents where Cherry is not one of the actual notes but where the scent of Cherry is coming from Heliotrope and/or Almond. In that kind of way it's not synthetic nor overly, sickly sweet. And with Nag Champa and other balsams and resins it's so amazing - beautiful and very unique scent. I hadn't seen Nag Champa until I bought this perfume so I wanted to find some information about it to understand Empire des Indes better. Nag Champa belongs into balsams and resins. It's hypnotic and calming. This aromatic Indian incense has sweet floral notes and an earthy base. That all you can smell in Empire des Indes. Nag champa has a mild floral fragrance with a hint of earthly scent from the Mysore sandalwood. They provide a tranquil ambience that will help to lift your spirits. This maybe makes you think some cold fragrance but Empire des Indes maintains the warmth until the dry down. Because of their sacred fragrance, Champa flowers are usually used in prayers and religious rituals. The aroma of this flower is rich, fruity and intensely floral with slightly musky undertones. The name "Nag Champa" comes from two words in Sanskrit: "nag," meaning "snake," and "champa," meaning "flower." The name is thought to refer to the Nagara tree, also known as the Indian Champaca tree. So Nag champa is a natural fragrance of Indian origin. It is made from a combination of sandalwood and either champak or frangipani. When frangipani is used, the fragrance is usually referred to simply as champa. If you love Heliotrope and Almond liquor like Cherry, you will love this perfume. The longevity is great. 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 little bit updated 💜 Once again, First I do a simple approach to a very complex beautiful scent. 💜 So the most describing words which comes straight away in my mind: Powdery Fluffy Violets Mossy Vanilla Woody Top: 
Aldehydes*, Lemon, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Orange

 Heart: 
Lily of the Valley, Geranium, Jasmine, Cistus, Heliotrope*, Violet*, Peach*, Red Champaca

 Base: 
Coriander, Ginger, Pepper, Moss Notes*, Patchouli*, Vetiver, Casmir Wood, Amyris, Sandalwood, Benzoin*, Vanilla*, Tonka Bean, Peru Balsam*, Orris*, Frankincense, Labdanum*, Ambrarome Absolute,
 Civet*, Musk* * Dominant imo but all blended absolutely perfectly in Roja's style so nothing pop out. Most of Rojas are very versatile for me and it’s really difficult to find an occasion where I definitely couldn’t wear them but RDHP15 is one of the most glamorous, glorious, solemn and impressive for sure. There is a certain kind of sophistication in it but in the same time it’s enormous, regal scent. It’s charming, luxurious and glamorous, it reminds me of lavish velvet dresses from the Baroque era. Still there is some coziness in it, especially in the dry down. RDHP15 opens up with a little bit sharp sparkling aldehydes but quickly settles down into surprisingly warm scent and surprisingly since Violets and Iris are very present but not in a cold way at all - and still - the color of the metal plate and cap describes perfectly this scent. Sweetness of Peach and warmth of Champaca works together with amazing base creating that heavenly fluffy and powdery feeling which is palpable. Balsamic and ambery notes add not only the deepness but the warmth as well whereas Civet and Musk bring the sensuality to the scent. Special mention for the incredibly skillfully crafted mossy note which is present throughout the entire life cycle of the scent. This perfume gets clearly deeper and somewhat even more polished when time goes by. The longevity is easily 12 hours and it projects a lot. 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. 🤗

This scent is a little piece of paradise like is Tamarindo beach, it’s brilliant sunsets and the surrounding areas of vibrant jungles in Costa Rica. It’s a tropical punch which gives me an energy in the middle of the grey Finnish winter - yes, this winter has been gray not white. The scent is fruity and sweet but in the same time so elegant and classy. Pineapple in the opening is deliciously juicy and the floral heart with delicate Peach is absolutely ravishing. The base is warm and the creamy texture reminds me of Piña Colada and Coconut even if it’s not there. “Tamarindo is lined with lush wilderness, surrounded by turquoise waters beyond the primal forest and mountains. Giant tamarind trees are home to colourful parrots, their cries ringing through the jungle, the warm forest air made humid with forgotten scents. A round of captivating notes, a dizzying dance beneath the sun. Tamarindo is a well-guarded secret, a joyful landscape, a trail of happiness, a solar scent.” Syncopated dance of drums, oil of jasmine, soft graze of Guanacaste leaves, as green as emeralds. Pineapple catches the light with each facet. It blossoms like a flower beneath the Cardamom sun, caressed by the frothy spray of bergamot. Vanilla takes on a soft, red glow. Though I’m swept away by the benzoin wind, though the breaking waves turn my heart patchouli, I return to Tamarindo where the jungle is a show of art. Between the giant spiders and the happy lizards, inspiration takes on a heady scent. If you find Tamarindo too tropical or too sweet, I recommend you to try "Madurai | Memo Paris" which is more Jasmine scent with a subtle hint of Peach (the review made). It has creamy, woody base. Or if you want a tad similar vibe but something more intimate I recommend to try "Flåm | Memo Paris" . TOP: Pineapple, Orange essence, Bergamot, Green notes HEART: Jasmin absolute Sambac, Peach, Freesia BASE: Benjoin resinoid Siam, Patchouli essence, Vanilla absolute, Amber 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 was wearing this perfume many times before I wrote my statement and every time I experienced this scent in the same kind of way. Luckily after a couple of days a sample was still on the table and I was thinking "now I try it one more time because I can't understand my opinion which differs so much from other people's opinions". And I'm so happy I gave it one more chance. This was originally my short statement: "Sadly on my skin Clary Sage, Marigold and Curcuma dominate so it’s herbal, spicy, aromatic, a tad bitter instead of fruity, white floral beauty." I rated the scent as 5 instead of the current 9. I described the scent with the following words: sharp, spicy, herbal, aromatic, unpleasant and now it's totally opposite so please give it another chance, or even the 3rd, 4th or 5th. Suddenly subtle sophisticated Peach emerged from the scent, as did beautiful white florals on a creamy base. Peach is very realistic and juicy first but but it fades away quite quickly and stays in the background the rest of the time. Jasmine is gorgeous, it's so pretty and I like that it's prominent instead of Tuberose. This scent is primarily a velvety soft Jasmine scent. There is a little bit of same kind of vibe here than in "Tamarindo | Memo Paris" but Tamarindo is distinctly tropical because of Pineapple and it's sweeter because of Vanilla and Benzoin in the base. Madurai never gets too sweet since the base is woody with a delicate hint of Suede. In Madurai Peach is barely there after the opening whereas in Tamarindo Peach is in the middle notes and it's detectable until the dry down. This is very elegant and attractive scent, suitable for office work since it's hard to imagine it would bother anyone. About the connection between the scent itself and the place: Madurai is one of the many temple towns in India. Madurai offers a captivating blend of natural beauty and cultural heritage. Beyond the magnificent temples and bustling streets, this region is blessed with picturesque waterfalls, lush forests, majestic hills, and charming hill stations, beckoning nature enthusiasts from all corners of the globe. Now I absolutely love this beauty and I need a bottle of it. I will get my bottle of "Flåm | Memo Paris" tomorrow so I think I will compare that one as well with Tamarindo and Madurai later. They are definitely the different kind of scents but the vibe in them is somewhat same Flåm being the most intimate one. 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. 🤗

The balance and the harmony between bizarre and beautiful I find this confusing, a bit bizarre perfume pleasant yet definitely not for moments when you want to relax. I see myself wearing this when I get some weird idea in my head that I want to immortalize on a canvas or even compose a tragicomic song in minor rather than major. Or maybe I need some special energy to set a record on the bench press in the gym. Whatever this scent brings to mind, it's something artistic or pushing physical performance to the limit. Yet, I find this composition beautiful as well. On my skin at least, I like how the notes perform and maybe I'm lucky since like "Thousand Lakes | V/siteur" this as well evoke good memories from my childhood. I used to swim a lot in the sea and I used to dive a lot. I love the smell of seaweed and sea salt on the skin. The sea here in Finland is much murkier and it clearly smells of algae so that’s why the water for example in Mediterranean Sea is utterly fresh to my nose. This is fruity and fresh and maybe because I'm not a fan of traditional fresh scents, I love this style. It's different, it's unique. Tropical fruits are not the most realistic ones, maybe even synthetic a bit but it doesn’t bother me here and this wouldn’t be “bizarre” if all the notes would be natural smelling, right? They are very well done regardless and together they achieve the right amount of strangeness that is sought in this fragrance. Cannabis note is tame here and Pathouli is gentle. Like in all perfumes where Ambergris is nicely done, there is some sensuality in the dry down. All in all, I love this perfume and all what I have tried for now, this not the most bizarre at all. Sun and fun (TOP): gardenia, ylang-ylang, lime, tropical fruit and sea salt. Anxiety strikes (BASE): seaweed, cumin, cannabis, patchouli and ambergris. 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. 🤗

Skinny Dip (Top): birch leaf, vegetal accord, black currant, mineral accord and rhubarb. Sauna Session (Base): warm woods, musk, smoke, leather and steam Sometimes the descriptions of fragrances by the houses themselves are not entirely realistic and the impression they give is wrong. That is not the case with this fragrance. “Running naked through newly cut grass, surrounded by silver birch trees. Jumping into the cold, black lake without a moment’s hesitation. A delicious shock of the freezing water. Goosebumps all over. Rushing back into the steaming heat of the sauna. Fire and smoke. Fresh birch leaves sizzle on the hot stones. The scent of warm skin. Oh, the nostalgia!” (From the brands website) I am Finnish and spent my childhood living in the countryside, by the sea, in Finland, and that is exactly the image that comes to mind when I smell it, although a lake is a sea to me. I can smell large leaves on birch trees and birch branches in the sauna bring a soothing aroma as the liquid evaporates from them. Blackcurrant bushes and rhubarb grew in my grandparents' garden and were eaten straight from the bush. Those aromas here are very realistic and delicious. As the scent develops, it transforms into the atmosphere of a wood-burning sauna: gentle steam and smoke from burning wood, salty skin after swimming. The scent is unique and intense, but at the same time surprisingly easy and beautiful. The smoke is something that is not familiar from any previous scent, although I love that note. The whole composition is special and makes you want to smell your wrist again and again. The scent is addictive and I would say sensual in its own way. I recommend Thousand Lakes to anyone who has memories of this all, and if you don't, you can use this splendid scent to try to sense a piece of beautiful Finnish tradition. This is all this in the same time: unique, artistic, pleasant, interesting and above all the idea of scent is brilliant. 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. 🤗

First I want to mention: personally I don't like dense leather scents anymore but my husband does. I have an endless experience of deep, dark leather scents and earlier I even loved to wear them myself, for example "Cuoium | Orto Parisi" used to be the one of my favourites. The name of a fragrance sometimes guides first impressions, and that was the case with this fragrance. My initial impression of Leatherize was "wow, what a strong dirty leather". Anyway after smelling it more closely, the leather is not the most authentic one and I don't even get that unpleasant feeling which I used to nowadays when smelling some dark (pungent or smooth, it doesn't matter) leather scent. The note which plays a major role is Cade oil (Juniper): It's extremely tar-like and smoky quality is confusingly natural, intoxicating, and reminds me of a sticky, melted tar pastille candy. At the same time, the middle notes bring an intense earthy nuance to the fragrance, which strengthens the already tarry scent. I don't find any gourmand nuances here because of Butterscotch but it's possible that it makes this concoction easier. Somewhere behind all this, there is surprisingly soft, tender and smooth leather, not the dirty leather saddle which was an immediate association. As the scent develops it becomes more and more pleasant and easy going, but it doesn't change much otherwise. It doesn't have any distinct phases, as the middle and base notes are very clearly present from the start. Only the Iris and Castoreum develop slowly, creating a powdery and intense, yet refined and sensual animalic note to the aroma. It is very, very innocent though. If thinking the quality of the scent, I would say it's good. It's nicely blended and it smells completely natural. Anyway it's nothing groundbreaking nor ingenious but I can't name anything completely similar either. My husband fell in love with it but to my nose it's still too leathery and above all too tarry. I don't necessarily want him to smell like this, even though the smell is not unpleasant in any way. TOP Leather, Cistus Cubeb, Butterscotch HEART Cypriol, Saffron, Iris pallida BASE Cade juniper, Myrrh, Castoreum 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. 🤗

Short review in based of my sample: This is quite classy and sophisticated yet cozy and resinous blend with Vanilla like aroma from Benzoin. The style resembles quite much first Van Cleef & Arpels’ compositions with a delicate Vanilla in them but this one is heavier because of many reasons. As the scent develops the differences are more pronounced and I just feel that I have smelled this kind of resinous Vanilla like scent dozens of times. Aroma of Vanilla comes from Benzoin so it’s not as sweet nor “delicious” here as in VCAs (in VC&A it’s not edible either). Ambery notes and Myrrh makes this much deeper and honey makes it a bit sticky. it’s not as refined nor luxurious as VCAs. Even if this differs more and more during the time it’s on my skin and this is not something which I would wear frequently and as an easy reach like my VCAs, I still I get the similar feeling. It’s strange since the compositions are totally different. Yet, I was surprised: there is not any synthetic nuances here and the scent is pleasant - worth to try if you like resinous blends with reminiscent of Vanilla. This is not leathery at all imo. Some scents which are in the same category but not the same though: "Material | Amouage" "Grand Soir | Maison Francis Kurkdjian" "Lune Féline (Eau de Parfum) | Atelier des Ors" 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. 🤗

Not only fruity scent but a dense, vintage style rich floral with Ambery base This fragrance has received very mixed reviews, and some of the reasons I completely understand, some I don't. Of Roja's latest releases, Isola Sol (you can find my review) and this one are the ones that have caused a lot of emotional turmoil. I think the biggest reason in both cases is the name, although personally, the name Isola Sol fits the scent quite well (more on that in the review of that particular scent). Aoud Extraordinaire , on the other hand, as a name, gives a completely different picture of what the fragrance contains and if you are very inexperienced with Roja's fragrances, then I understand the disappointment. However, if you consider the other fragrances in the Aoud collection, then Aoud as a word in Roja's fragrances has never meant a heavy, challenging Oud, so why would it hear? Take Enigma Aoud (Parfum) for example, which is one of the most beautiful and elegant clear fruity fragrances: the amount of Oud in it is also minimal, but just right to bring the necessary depth to both the peachy scent and the peachy soft powdery character. I think the bigger issue is the word "Extraordinaire" since for many of us Chypré Extraordinaire is the best Chypre in that style, in that category ( Diaghilev , Femme Rochas, Mitsouko, Jubilation 25 Woman etc.) and the combination of those two words "Aoud" and "Extraordinaire" made many of us think and imagine some very special Oud scent, possibly distinctly oriental, and it led to huge disappointments and emotions because it wasn't. Aoud Extraordinaire opens up with an intense cocktail of fruits, with only Pineapple clearly standing out first. It also blends in very quickly with the others. As the fragrance develops, the clear fruity aroma fades slightly and the huge floral bouquet typical of Roja takes the stage. The heady scent of the flowers remains under the fruity veil for an hour, yet creating an elegant and adult style to the scent from the beginning. When you add to this a complex base, where depth and a subtle darkness as well as softness and sweetness come from many notes, it is very difficult to find a similar concoction (or even close) in existing fruity or floral fruity fragrances. I am happy to accept suggestions, because fruity fragrances have been difficult for me precisely because they are either too youthful, too clearly juicy fruity, too simple and/or shockingly synthetic. Most often, fruity fragrances combine all of the things I mentioned. If there is something comparable, it is unlikely to be at the cheapest end of the spectrum, and I personally don't need it, because quality rarely comes cheap. If this fragrance were a simple fruity scent, if it only had the top notes with some musky base, then it would be generic. However, this fragrance is much more than that. There are no three dramatically clear phases in the fragrance, but there is usually nothing more in Roja's fragrances, but all the scents are skillfully, elegantly and ingeniously mixed. However, those phases are always distinguishable. If you are familiar with Roja, Aoud in the name or Oud in the ingredients does not necessarily make the fragrance an Oriental, so I will mention it now so that this does not cause disappointment or misunderstanding. Don't expect overly sweet or clear Cotton Candy or Caramel either since they don't perform in that kind of way. Caramel for example is not like in Lost in Paris. As the fragrance progresses to the 1.5 hour mark, the abundance of fruit fades into the background, while still maintaining the irresistible, a tad tropical undertone like the vibrant and luminous vibe as well that fruits give to this style of fragrance. The scent is also extremely unisex, thanks to the deep, intense and Ambery base, and it is not too sweet at all, thanks to the floral heart. On my husband's skin, the leather and Vetiver come through more than on mine, which partly changes the experience of the scent. The texture is extremely thick but I don't find it creamy. Fruity scents can also easily be made too strong, making simple scents tawdry and somehow girly, while such a dense and rich scent like this would feel suffocating, even though the quality is the best. Although at first I myself thought that the scent should project more, this way it is more versatile, especially for the work environment. Personally, I love this luxurious, golden, energetic scent and especially the phase it develops into after an hour, which lasts 6-7 hours. On clothes, the scent lasts forever. Fruits are always welcome in my fragrances, as long as they are not clearly edible or drinkable and are part of a more complex blend like they are here. This is definitely not that typical feminine fruity scent and if you are sampling this one, please give it at least a couple of full wears. The magic really happens when the aroma of all those fruits fades. First, this didn't made that kind of wow effect like for example Turandot, Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie 15, Chypré Extraordinaire or some others did but there is not this kind of scent in Roja's catalog so after the initial astonishment I started to like it a lot and I found there some kind of vintage style complexity that you find in 80s floral fragrances. 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. 🤗