Rebrodè smells like a riff on the Kirke/Erba Pura scent profile to my nose, which makes it a no for me. It opens with this ambiguous accord of ‘fruity notes’ just like Erba Pura does, it’s very synthetic, screechy and messy without any clear direction to it. From here you get a load of vague and synthetic florals boasting their presence loudly, alongside a juicy passion fruit and some hints of vanilla and musk in the background. It’s supposed to be refreshing, but just comes across thick and cloying. Overall this is not a fragrance which exudes luxury or high quality perfumery, instead it screams cheap, synthetic materials which is a big let down considering some of the other scents from this line are really nice.

From the note breakdown, Lonestar Memories is one of those fragrances I thought I would love, but in actual fact I can hardly stand it. All in all this is a thick and heady leather scent, but not in a good way - in fact it smells like putrid medicine to put it bluntly. It’s got this green, herbal and balmy opening of clary sage which is coupled with a very fecal and off-putting leather accord. From here you’re blasted with an overdose of myrrh which adds to the thick, cloying nature of the fragrance. This is one of those fragrances where all the notes are fighting for attention all at once, there’s no harmony or balance it’s just a screeching mess. As I said above this comes across very medicinal and just simply smells off.

Oud Masira was one of those unexpected discoveries which really surprised me, in a fantastic way. This scent is primarily based around the rich darkness of leather alongside brooding oud. Initially however, it opens with a slightly boozy plum and smoky birch which is insatiably addictive I must say. From here this is where the leather starts to shine - it’s intensely rich and masculine, yet smooth and sophisticated to perfectly match the gentle, dreamy oud in the base. It almost smells like incense should be listed here too as I find it very smoky overall. There’s a very subtle nutty sweetness coming from tonka, and a hint of spicy nutmeg, but overall it’s all about the oud and leather here. This is a really lovely scent overall but I feel like the longevity should be a bit better considering how powerful it comes across in the opening.

Usually I’m no stranger to wearing scents that lean feminine or are marketed to women, but Elixir goes way too far down that feminine path for me personally. However, if I smelled this on a woman it would be incredible. This scent is dominated by a fruity core - juicy, tart raspberries combined with powdery, fuzzy peaches is both delectable and alluring, with an ever so subtle fizz coming from bergamot. This fruitiness is then married by an array of thick and powdery florals; most notably rose, violet and heliotrope. Elixir is the scent of a young woman in my eyes. The attention-grabbing fruitiness contrasted by the traditional powdery florals combines perfectly when smoothed out by creamy vanilla, orris and musks. Overall this is a delicately beautiful scent.

Macramè opens with a gorgeously refreshing cocktail of juicy pear, zingy bergamot and soapy apple blossom before the sweet and airy rose starts to take over. From here the fruitiness is subtly elevated through redcurrant, with powdery hints of musk whispering through the base. The scent profile of this fragrance isn’t very complex, innovative or anything new really - but it does smell very nice. The juiciness of the pear with the gentle touch of rose is very satisfying and enjoyable to wear. I imagine this would work very well in the summer, the light and airy nature of this scent would be perfect for a high heat/humidity environment. Overall this is a pleasant scent but I wouldn’t spend the money for a full bottle of this.

Spring 21 is absolutely phenomenal, and fast becoming one of my new favourite scents for the summer - I guess the limited and exclusive nature of Ffern’s releases is bittersweet. This scent is dominated by a refreshing yet bitter orange throughout its life which is both vibrant and incredibly addictive. The refreshing nature of the orange is backed up by hints of ginger, bergamot white florals and pink pepper, whilst the bitter masculinity is supported by juniper and vetiver. Alongside the orange, the other main note is a green and aromatic basil of the highest quality. This scent is stunning - the quality of materials is insanely good, everything smells so natural and effortless. This does a perfect job of refreshing you on a hot day and whilst the longevity isn’t the best, you can’t expect that from natural citrus notes. I love this stuff and I can’t wait to use it more in the summer.

When I first saw the notes for MeltmyHeart, I thought it was going to be one of my favourite fragrances of all time - I must say it didn’t live up to my expectations, however is an incredible scent nonetheless. Many people describe this as an overdose of chocolate and orris, but I actually find it to be quite tame. The opening to me is dominated by this refreshing medley of mandarin, ginger and bergamot which takes the lead initially. It’s from here that a dry, dusty and earthy cacao is paired with a beautifully soft, powdery and musky orris root. This scent is stunning, but not as gourmand as I was expecting it to be. MeltmyHeart is the epitome of romance, it’s warming and sensual however I think overall Roja Ti Amo does the whole cacao/orris scent profile much better. I’ve also noticed some differences in scent between my 15ml bottle, and the bigger 50/100ml bottles which seem to be much more focused on the cacao and orris rather than the ginger and mandarin.

As the name suggests, Damber Wabsolute is a recreation of the long discontinued Amber Absolute by Tom Ford - and what a beauty this is. A true embodiment of everything you could ever want from a dark and brooding amber scent, this fragrance is incredibly commanding and alluring. Despite having a strong presence of an Amber accord, I feel this scent is dominated by two signature notes - a rich, leathery and slightly bitter labdanum, contrasted by a dry, smoky frankincense. This scent actually has a lot of similarities to Roja’s PDLN1, however this heads in a more incense-forward direction. Recently I was able to try Tom Ford’s Amber Absolute in Harrods - the Reserve Collection re-release. I’m not sure how it compares to the original stuff but I think Damber does a better job of this scent profile than the re-release of Amber Absolute. I adore this fragrance, it’s one of my biggest staples for the winter.

Plum Harajuku is a recreation of the long-lost Plum Japonais by Tom Ford, and by god it does a good job of resurrecting such an amazing scent profile. Initially from the first spray, it doesn’t come across quite as refined as the Tom Ford however this is only fleeting - within a few minutes this scent starts to shine fantastically. An overdose of sweet, sticky, juicy plums and elegant florals are contrasted by the comforting warmth of intense cinnamon and a hint of dark woodiness. These notes are what dominate the overall scent profile - this fragrance smells like Christmas Day to me, in the best way possible. Not long ago I actually got a decant of the original Plum Japonais and whilst it’s fantastic, I actually like this version better. The plum and the cinnamon seem to jump out at you even more, encapsulating the very essence of plum and cinnamon together. As usual with Insider Parfums the quality greatly surpasses what the amazingly low price might suggest - this is fantastic.