Crazy, muddled opening, over sweet, caramel/tonka/vanilla accord with what I perceive as more feminine fruity notes. It’s subtlety spiced which I like and when settles all the way down, although quite cloyingly sweet, pleasant enough. I actually preferred the original version and that was an audible ‘meh’ of a fragrance. This ‘sexy’ nighttime, faux gourmand phase was something I thought had ended a couple of years back but remains resurgent. Don’t get me wrong there are worse olfactory trends but designer gourmands have to be something original or show some restraint to capture my imagination and this doesn’t do it for me. Opening made me slightly regretful of spraying on my skin as it’s loud, soupy and projects like crazy but then as I inevitably knew it would, becomes softer and nicer but it’s not enough. Update: Just looked at my review of the original and it turns out I didn’t actually like it all that much and said hauntingly similar things about it.
I have very little to say about this. Profumo was a little darker a flanker than this one but it’s in the same vein of a ‘sexy’ nighttime oriental. That thick tonka accord and vanilla with woody amber and characteristic. The drydown is very nice when all the way almost gone, it’s a nice benzoin vanilla smell. I wasn’t mad at it, but I definitely wasn’t mad about it.
I’ll start by saying that I have preconceived bias about this brand as I think Bella Crane is very talented and I haven’t tried a single fragrance that I didn’t think had merit or was treading some interesting olfactory ground, this is no exception. A sweet, sweet opening not the kind of annoying stuff you get in sweet leathers (because this buttery orris root has a hint of very clean leather) what will be polarising is the raspberry/cherry note which smells like a whole sweet shop of confectionary. Very sweet vanilla joins proceedings and could be argued is more dominant than the orris but something keeps all that sweetness in check somehow and overall I love the effect. It doesn’t smell like a typical iris or vanilla or fruity perfume it’s a pretty unique proposition.
Aspects of this perfume wow me, namely the general originality of Battito d’Ali and the openings top notes. To me it smells quite gourmand, sweet, creamy and virtually ‘cakey’ with an orange citrus note that is very pleasant indeed. It’s immediately after that (a matter of minutes) the heart becomes waxy and intensely powdered, almost soapy with an orange blossom, countered with the intensely sweet, boarderline cloying coconut/vanilla. Myrrh is listed here and without smelling the note directly as such, I can see how it might conspire in this fragrance to bond the accords together. It’s an interesting fragrance, I kinda wish I loved it because it would make life and reviewing it easier, but it’s a challenge and I like that. Another wear might be in order to make a solid decision on it.
Well, this is another fragrance I really should've got around to reviewing before now, but wearing Gershwin again today is an uplifting experience for sure and worthy of writing about. I will begin by saying that although the overall vibe of the fragrance is very familiar the delivery has more sweetness and life than anything I might make comparisons to like Avignon, Birley, Missiones, full incense, Heeley etc. etc....but from those you can tell it's a crudely frankincense based fragrance. Gershwin is alive with citrus in the opening mainly lemon and grapefruit but sweet not saccharine and anything but bitter, with a hint of peppery woods. The fizzy, translucent resins of mastic, elemi, galabanum and above all Olibanum are perfectly rendered and so bright and happy, such is their effervescence. I'm not sure this smell evokes Porgy and Bess or Rhapsody in Blue for me, but it clearly did for gentile. The drydown is very subtle, supremely clean and not the biggest projector or performer in the world, when compared to the incense comparisons I made above. Some fragrances you allow some concessions because of the way they make you feel, this certainly was an enjoyable experience for me today.
It took me almost a year to be able to grasp the beauty of N°19. While my vintage, early 70’s bottle was a wonderful discovery, and a wonderful experience every time it hit my skin, the golden liquid never unveiled its secrets to me. Yes, I could see the beauty of it, I could smell the marvel inside, but it didn’t resonate. I decided to give it some time. After all, galbanum galore! And all of a sudden, a month ago, I could finally understand. This is N°19 in all of its glorious beauty. In the beginning, I could smell the green splendor inside, the leather wrapping the iris..but now there’s a revelation. The star of the show, shines fiercely. There’s an intense verdancy that grabs me by the head and spins me around. The galbanum is simply stunning; piquant, spicy, herbal. Mesmerizing on its own, and stellar when surrounded by the hyacinth, the lilly of the valley and the warm narcissus. It’s a green bouquet with the flowers doing second act. The vetiver and the oakmoss serve as the forest canopy, the leather provides, along with the musk (nitromusks?), the animalic growl that warms this fantasy dreamland. There’s also a freshness all along; the neroli/bergamot duo feel as if a gentle mist, hovering above the skin until the late drydown, when a beautifully rich sandalwood engulfs my skin in creamy softness. It’s an edt, rich like an extrait, and made at a time when quality meant something. Unveiling its beauty, I’m transported back to the early 70’s with all of its dreams, big ideas and hazy beauty, ready to grab the world by the balls. N°19 has always been considered a ‘cold’ fragrance. I find it to be quite the opposite. Warm, radiant, pulsating from the skin, all while keeping a distance. It’s strong willed, stubborn, and yet serene. Perhaps the association with Coco influences our perception, and while I could never picture her wearing something like N°5, the image I have of her persona is absolutely N°19. And while I can’t comment on her as a person, this and the latter Coco give me an idea of what her personality might have been. N°19 belongs in the pantheon of lost beauties. My vintage bottle with all of its glorious Iranian galbanum, animal musks and rich absolutes, comes alive on skin like very few. The current, even in extrait, is a diluted watercolor painting that can only dream of such vivid green tapestry. Sillage is moderate, but longevity is from morning to evening. Absolutely and resolutely for every man and woman that loves green and chypre fragrances.
I've been neglecting my Fragrantica duties recently in favour of pathetic social media platforms so it's about time I reviewed something on here and got my mojo back, so to speak. What a way to do it too with a new(ish) fragrance from a brand I really love. I was so excited about Bois Mystique but I also try to manage expectations when it's something so highly anticipated. Well...I've not been disappointed because this is a solid release and somewhat close to what I expected. It's a take on your frankincense and myrrh. Peppery, oily incense and woods but with a touch of a deeper, darker hue. This is a category of fragrance that has many proponents and could perhaps be difficult to stand out, but Houbigant manage it. It has the sweet sharp opulence of labdanum with a touch of smoke (perhaps from guaiac wood?) it's lovely. It didn't blow my socks off but I'm very much enjoying it and the bit I spritzed on my arm the other day lasted really well, and so far so good today. I would categorise this in a want list with some others like Bruno Fazzolari Lampblack which in fairness is a little more flamboyant and original than this. Also LM Parfums Malefic Tattoo which is suitably fantastic as well, I have that trio on my radar and would say they are equally brilliant perfumes. (I AM NOT AN 'INFLUENCER' OR AFFILIATE OF THE BRAND) Houbigant's customer service is fantastic too, having no quibbles about sending me a discovery set, facilitating trying, before inevitably buying. Sadly they forgot to include this sample so I bought one, still I really appreciate the gesture of all their other samples.
When I originally tried this TF exclusive it was in passing so to speak and I really didn’t pay it all that much attention but upon revisiting I have to say that I really like it, especially the muted, sweeter tones of the drydown. I say that because London opens with a swathe of animalic musk, leathery castoreum like vibe, which morphs into a mixture of realistic and synthesised woody notes and warm resins. It’s clearly an Oud accord with a spicy undertone of fresh sweat from cumin. Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing floral about this woody/incense perfume but the way the muskiness is sort of hints to classic perfumery and a kind of floral musk. The way it comes together in the drydown is not massively impressive but has absolutely hooked and constantly sniffing myself and what more could you ask for really? Perhaps a little more performance? It’s by no means a shrinking violet and lasted okay, but not super well. London is a winner in my book though, masculine, interesting, modern yet classic, eventually cosy and full to the brim with stuff I like, incense/wood/spices/. I would add it to my collection over other private blends, simply because it’s one of the more unknown ones.
So this was my first experience of a reasonably trendy house that was moving and shaking in the social media IG YouTube circles for the last year or two. Many folks attributed this to the constant, seemingly endless plugs from a certain Demi Rawling and other reviewers telling me she was plugging it, which in effect was plugging it themselves... anyway. I'd held off trying them, thinking they are about as far as you can get (geographically speaking) away from me and hadn't seen them in UK shops. Apparently they are in Selfridges or Harvey Nicks now but I opted to get some samples to see what all the (mixed) fuss was about Pacific Rock Moss and my review couldn't be anymore mixed either. The open just made me think...'I can tell why this is mass appealing' modern, aquatic but with almost cotton candy sweet vibes rather than overtly salty seaspray but still a kind of herbal, cleanliness about it. There's something slightly off putting but not unpleasant, then growing with steady progress is the Tree/oak/cedarmoss that I had hoped for from the name. There it is in all it's glory, not too mossy so it becomes Marmite but well observed and perfectly fitting for the rest of the composition to impart a definite marine quality of moss and seaweed covered rocks. Now I've not smelled synthetic oakmoss materials in isolation, so I can't really comment but friends of mine tell me that they pale in comparison to the real stuff, to which I'm well acquainted. I'm assuming it's not the real deal considering restrictions dictate that such small amounts be used, you likely wouldn't smell it anyway but if this is the synth stuff to me it's smells of oakmoss and this could be very clever work on the part of the perfumer to create this effect or me not knowing what I'm smelling in here. I really enjoyed this middle stage of the progression, not long after the inital opening and lasting perhaps 2 hours before losing my interest and reverting back to a much more safe, mainstream feeling in the base as I got from the opening. It's a bit of shame that it started to grate on me ever so slightly but I have to take my hat off, I was expecting something much worse than what I got. Update: I was in two minds writing this original review but not anymore. Having worn this again I have to say, I don’t like it. The sweetness in the opening is coconut from a lactone or methyl laitone, actually quite an interesting combo with citrus but with the rest of this composition just adds to the unsettling feel. I have to say that the few G&B I’ve tried have all been real unique propositions which is good, I just don’t like this one.
If it's coming out this colour something is seriously wrong with your diet. They could've and should've done a proper poo fragrance with castoreum, civet and a particularly skanky oud although that would just be encouraging them. The fact that these even exist is a damning indictment of our failing civilisation. Not even my beloved world of perfumery is safe from the detritus. Having said that the monkey one is cute and I want it.
I found green fougere to be 'green' in the same sense that their green bottles of 1872 (the originals) are green, and that the smell is entirely green but in a fruity, sweeter way than the grassy/galbanum/cis 3 Hexanol sort of thing one might normally describe as 'green'. This sweet, gummy green is not the entire story of this fragrance though because that story is one of earthier floral elements. It's the reminiscent spring time 'wetness' of narcissus, as the daffodils are in full bloom here in Wales. It's a massive dose of what I perceive as oakmoss or cedarmoss in the opening giving a really thick texture to an aromatic, herbal lavender, which smells more wild than refined or atypical. It's that sweetness of top note which is just enough to carry through into the heart and balance the fragrance. Green Fougere possesses that narcotic quality that Clive Christian can capture sometimes, it's intoxicating and original, vaguely floral, yet very masculine leaning to my nose. I'd be surprised if this is well received by the masses, I think this is due to the fact there's a slightly, fermented feel, an almost hoppy, beer maybe even whisky characteristic to it. In a tobacco or boozy, leather fragrance you might think fair enough but in here it just makes me think....where's it coming from? That's the magic of perfume and this one captures it, and if you hadn't guessed by now I absolutely LOVE IT! Superb. The usual caveats apply though....Am I ever going to buy it?...No too expensive. Do I think there's things that are problematic about CC as a brand? Yes. Do I think they are capable of delivering the luxury, high standards and special experiences they promise? Yes. People must accept that some brands were simply not aimed at you. Roja, Clive, Fragrance du Bois, Spirit of Dubai....and there's more and more popping up all the time catering for clientele who want more or at least they want to be sold the perception that they are getting more. I personally don't have that much of a problem with it, but I get why the average fragrance fan feels alienated by the exclusivity. I have to say that their customer service is excellent, and I received a bumper package of samples from them to review, which I really appreciate.
Genny, from 1987 and originally released by Rivara Hanorah (considered quite expensive to make, according to Roberto Garavaglia from Diana De Silva), was created by Jean Delville from Firmenich. For better or for worse, it smells almost identical to Aromatics Elixir in its vintage formula. The notes listed here btw are wrong; those pertain to -I believe- the current version of Genny. It has absolutely nothing to do with the original of which I own a 1987 parfum de toilette. Correct notes: Aldehydes, bergamot, green notes, coriander, orange blossom, geranium, rose, Iris, lilly of the valley, jasmine, oakmoss, musk, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, civet and cistus. On my skin, Genny opens with a huge herbal blast; aldehydes fuel the coriander, there must be a bit of chamomile as well, and geranium. I get the sense the notes on parfumo are truer; I love geranium which I smell intensely, and cardamom which doesn’t quite please me, feels absent. Moreover, the rose/patchouli/oakmoss trifecta shines just like in Aromatics, but it smells a bit different; it’s stronger than I thought, it’s more dry, as opposed to powdery, and there’s more floral sweetness than Aromatics. The Iris shines more later on, and the orange blossom simply sweetens very slightly what would otherwise become very heavy. Musk and civet; they’re there, but in the background. Only in the late drydown do they become far more discernible in their dirty lick of skin, making Genny far more sensual than the opening would suggest. For better, Genny was launched when Aromatics was already well established and loved. It came when Italian perfumery was booming, when there weren’t briefs, and when only the best would do; Aromatics is the core, but in 1987 it is made stronger, bigger, and à la Italiana; far more sensual and animalic, never becoming shy. If you don’t enjoy Aromatics, the herbal masterpiece chypre, you won’t enjoy Genny. They’re the two sides of the same coin. For worse, like most perfumes of the golden decade, Genny was discontinued somewhere in the late 90’s to be replaced by the current version and flankers that bear no resemblance. The original, albeit hard to find, comes in splash and spray, in plain black boxes that state Genny. Rivara Hanorah and Diana De Silva versions, clearly written on the bottom of the box, are the ones to go for. As a side note, I don’t think of Genny as a copy; Opium was inspired by Youth Dew, Cinnabar and KL are very similar, Aramis and Cabochard are twins and Poison/Giorgio/Carolina Herrera play with the same theme of grape bubblegum tuberose in varying degrees. Aromatics is (was?) so unique, so recognizable, so one of a kind, that any fragrance similar to it, would be considered a copy. Genny simply showed a different version of it. Both are absolutely stunning, and both are a lesson in perfume history. Buy it while you still can! Mood: Sandra - Liitle girl video clip.
This smells like the base of a fragrance at first, the combination of fixatives to create a quiet, resonant hum, upon which the 'real' notes of the perfume sit. However, in this case there are no 'real' notes and instead Another 13 presents them as the finished article, as per such industry precedents as the essentric Molecules line. I have to say though that this fragrance has a silky feeling of cashmere, warm muskiness and the dry, woody, sugar paper aspect of ISO E super or timbersilk but then brought to life by the ambroxan and possibly real ambergris used to further the rich effect. I think if I tried to knock this up myself I'd fail miserably despite it being seemingly simple. I have a reaffirmed respect and admiration for fragrances as modern and minimal as this and the facts are simple Another 13 smells excellent and is in many ways more appealing to me than some of their other offerings. It's good stuff, very quiet and low to the skin as you'd expect but actually has very tenacious lasting ability.
Don't be fooled by the prominence of the smoke icon looming large at the top of the note votes. Odoon is surely a smoky perfume but it's not one of those where everything is dominated and bonfire sizzled by the smokiness. What impressed me about Odoon was the sheer commitment to the woody vibes in here, no jarring top notes for the sake of Indy originality, no quirk or gimmick just a perfumer taking a concept through to it's logical conclusion and ending up with a stunning perfume. For all that, it's not massively original, I think I've smelled stuff similar but can't place it, although I could be wrong because had I smelled this before I'd likely have procured a full bottle. I'm even going to go as far as saying that Odoon was the highlight of my perfume sampling from 2018. It's sublime. Heavy resinous woods, thick turpentine edged, with a brutal opening (as per everything Pekji) to the smoothest and most beautiful of landings. It's seeped in cedar wood, naturally smoky oak, sandalwood and perhaps vetiver too? This is a masterclass in how to do, smoky, dry woods that have impact but aren't too intrusive, this is a touch more wearable than some of the the others from the line which have a touch of the artistic, extrovert, savagery about them. I love Odoon and I want a bottle, it's as simple as that. Update: Wore this fragrance again today and I have to say I neglected to mentioned the curried, slightly sweaty note in here which I put down to coriander seed or caraway or something in my IG review. My mum said I smelled of celery and that's when it hit me that Odoon smells quite a bit like celery salt, that kind of concentrated celery aroma. Omer Pekji actually set me straight confirming that the spice that's so prominant in Odoon is actually fenugreek, a spice I don't think I've ever used in cooking? He also mentioned that newer formulations of Odoon with have the fenugreek content reduced by two thirds.
So I wrote the bulk of this review a few years back and haven't posted but I'm really glad that folks are generally so happy with Carlisle, because it's a very accessible fragrance. Having used quite a lot of cardamom in perfumes of my own recently I have to say that the spicy, soaped element you get when cooking with it is exactly what the raw material smells like. Now it's either that in the hands of a master perfumer, it becomes less spice and more of a smoothed out 'feeling' a feeling I get from many fragrances purported to have cardamom in. Or they simply don't have that much cardamom in. I've ranted in defence of PdM before so I'm not going to do that again but there's a perception that they are making clones and 'designery niche' fragrances to deliberately target an emerging market, of preppy type Creed Aventus wearers. I'm sure there's an element of that and frankly seeing that Yanni guy everywhere gets on my tits, but I think this house has merit and this fragrance epitomises the style I think they're going for. They almost have a basis in a kind of warm, slightly spicy, oriental centre that's soft and caressing. I only have oajan but a handful of them carry a similar vibe and Carlisle is somewhat a mixture of the big hitters. Aspects of Oajan, Byerly, Herod etc... (and actually the blueprint for Layton which wasn't released when I first penned this review.) but with an unassumingly smooth nature (could be the cardamom?) of almonds or something? A little sweet, woody but well balanced. I really liked it and thought it was highly wearable, but just a little safety first and if you're spending big cash then you want to be wowed.
I hate reviews which go completely against the trend and off on a tangent comparing the subject fragrance to others, of which it bares no resemblance. So I apologise in advance but hear me out. I think barbier has one of the most exciting openings I’ve smelled for sometime. It opens with juicy punch of citrus and tangerine peel, then starts out on this rive gauche like, barbershop affair and you think okay, I’m feeling this. Then comes a Dior (or should I say Christian Dior?) Fahrenheit type accord lurking through this powdery Fougere. I thought there has to be Violet listed in the notes and combined with a dirty, oily, diesel smell which wouldn’t be out of place in a Xerjoff fragrance and somewhat of a signature of theirs I think. These two elements conspire for a brief moment to conjure up an old formula Fahrenheit, with non of the vanilla sweetness and dumbing down that has crept in to recent batches. Call me crazy but Thats what I get . I consider myself somewhat of an authority on the older Fahrenheit and I can honestly say a smidgen of it’s spirit graces this fragrance. Can someone please tell me they smell it too and I’m not just imagining things? However, As it settles after the first 20 mins or so this fades completely and the majority is a dazzlingly well rendered mix of green notes, lavender, oakmoss, cardamom, all of which was there to start with but caught up in that opening it gets a bit lost and jumbled. Le Barbier de Tanger is lovely, really lovely and a preference for me over Invasion Barbare. (Which is also very nice) It becomes more and more powdered and less distinct very quickly indeed, retreating down to the skin with a warmth of resins in the base. This composition has been given some thought and although the resulting fragrance might be a touch disappointing when all is said and done, I like the brief but thrilling ride it gave when first applied. This sadly applies to the performance and silage as well, becoming a skin scent after less than an hour and not projecting very much at all. When it’s really settled I get the modern aroma chemistry, and something salty and of the sea. I know what Calone smells like but I wouldn’t of necessarily thought that was it. I need to wear this again properly to give a better appraisal, because it is one them but I’d say on the whole shows promise but doesn’t quite deliver. It might have gotten away with it too but when you’re paying top wack, expectations are sky high for a reason. UPDATE 14/05/21: When I look back at reviews like this I'm staggered by how similar my thoughts are (rather than how much different) because I largely stick to what I said above, there's nothing 'wrong' with what I'm saying here as such. However, I hadn't tried Invasion Barbare in a while here and it shows because that is WAAAYY superior to this, it's the best of that style of fougere, end of conversation about that! Barbier de Tanger starddles the wonderfully natural feel and the incredibly hollow, sensation of woody and ambrox base materials. The brilliance shining through on occasion but I'm not that taken with this fragrance, it's good, complex all the stuff I said above and I like it but I'll never love it.
This is one of those fragrances that smells dated and not resembling anything natural, it feels somehow like it's representative of a not so long bygone era, when we wore things like this. Do you know what though? I really enjoyed it. Blind bought very cheaply and although I may have a clean out of my collection, and this would get the boot, I was reminded that I can still derive pleasure from something like Iceberg Homme. It's got a feel of the typically clean, mens, powdery, musky body with a head of synthetic smelling lavender. Something about it is inviting and reminiscent of shaving products, it's a poor man's barbershop (being that's there's a fair few high end ones) fragrance. If I had to compare it to something it would be difficult, yet it feels so familiar at the same time. Maybe versace dreamer but without warmth or depth of tobacco, or Versace Blue Jeans but without the creamy sweetness...so like neither of those haha. Two people have said Fendi Uomo which as much as I've not trashed this fragrance, I still find an insult. I mean how could you even think they were remotely similar? Lasts pretty good and will likely get another wear before it gets tossed aside like so many others.
The amount of hype for this fragrance was nuts! Glad to see it's hardly got any reviews from the more discerning crowd here on Fragrantica and the like. Instagram 'Influencers' (pffft!) have been going mental, likely because the brand has been handing out bottles like there's no tomorrow. They became SO ubiquitous last year but I guess it's worked because despite not wanting to conform, inevitably my curiosity gets the better of me and to be fair to Byron they sent me samples of Pirates and 0.9 too. Mula Mula was the big one though and I wanted to hate it pretty badly because it was getting disingenuous, well at best hyperbolas reviews almost universally so from every bedroom reviewer out there. Hats off to Byron because it's likely worked and made them money but I suspect long term there will be a backlash against the support from Youtube and IG sef proclaimed 'influencers'. So what's it smell like? A big dense, boarderline sickly gourmand but it does have some interesting elements and despite a slightly muddled composition, I have to reluctantly say...I quite liked it. Syrupy , liqueur booze and caramel, with a definite berry and peach notes. The base is heavy woody and long lasting and although not clearly defined I wouldn't doubt there's oud as listed, there's definitely vanilla anyway. It's long lasting but as I said a bit cloying and cumbersome to wear for me. I like a gourmand like Frapin 1270, which style wise isn't a million miles away but in terms of pure finesse it makes Mula Mula look crude in comparison. Not bad then and if you love it, fine.
There's some nice, luxurious smelling fragrances in this men's line from Zegna and I wouldn't even say this is really one of them either but I was completely charmed by it. This smells strong and assertive to me, very much a power suited city boy off to his hedge fund (I don't even know what that is? but I heard it somewhere once and it sounds good) management job in some glistening, high-rise, building. I fact the overall tonality and feel of this line is one of manly success and dare I say a touch of the Trump about it. Don't worry I'm not getting political here, I'm talking about the pre-presidential, plain old, Multi millionaire, Apprentice, golfing, pussy grabbing, Trump... Just that guy. The opening is very familiar to me, seeming like a big, high quality fragrance but with a certain accessibility, and probably the reason some might think it lack lustre. It's a potent, clean, modern, herbal, leather opening, mutating into a hefty geranuim, slightly powdered but with none of it's usual slight mintiness. The drydown keeps giving with resinous warmth and some green aspects and flecks of the metallic. I found it strong and long lasting. I actually want a bottle, really.... but the price is is prohibitive. Again just let me state that I've spent more on a fragrance than this in the past and I don't usually moan about price, if you like something enough then you'll justify it to yourself. However, I just think that seeing as though this is going to replace the Essenze line (according to Zegna insider) they could have given them a comparable price point. Lot's of designer brands seem to be trying to get away with making these high end/exclusive lines in order to cash in on the niche boom and thoughts probably along the lines of...."Creed can fleece consumers...why can't we? We've been doing it with our clothing for decades and been missing a trick releasing comparatively 'cheap' perfume." Well people you've had it good for long enough now they are all out to charge you £200 plus for a bottle. So these are actually £195 for 50ml's which is more than the standard Tom Ford Private blends. The Essenze line were about £130 (I saw them for as little as £90) for 100mls which is much more reasonable and was this the case with Integrity and believe me I would've perhaps bought it then n there.
This is the best one from this line in my opinion and it's slow burner. That's not to say that I didn't immediately find it gorgeous because I did, a super minimal, sensual, warm ambrette note, soft cashmere texture, this kind of perfumery is so up my street, especially when the sledgehammer approach starts to get tired. All you need is a beautiful, sweet, musky, simplistic fragrance like this. Ambrette seed is VERY expensive and if this uses the real stuff (which I suspect it might) then the inflated price of this Mugler line is justified. Now.... not that I'm one to usually gripe about price or that these are even that expensive compared to some brands nowadays, but I feel slightly more comfortable paying top dollar for this than I would Hot Cologne for example. I am going to buy this fragrance at some point because it's so wonderful it grows fonder and fonder in my memory. Over the Musk is a triumph...just try it for yourself.
A very nice piece of work, lovely fresh edc type fragrance with a little complementary twist of ginger in the opening. Decent, functional but didn't wow me and there's many at a cheaper price point that I'd pick before this one. For reference You could say hot cologne is a bit like a mixture of Dior Homme Sport and 4711. Performance was okay, especially for a largely citrus fragrance with minimal white floral elements.
Do you know what? I'm not going to slate this. I thought it was quite nice and that's shocking considering the state of Mugler releases of late. Many people have said that it's because of Manfred himself no longer having ANY creative input whatsoever. I know he'd had a foot out of the door for a long time but this is well and truly a Clarins brand now. Not that this fact and the single word rebrand, should make all that much difference but in actual fact they've made this Alien Man flanker have more of the unique, heavy texture that the old Thierry Mugler stuff was known for. I mean it's not groundbreaking, the notes are barely discernible but not necessarily in a bad, chemical soup sort of way. I got a slightly warm cashmere/powdered/suede feel from the drydown and an opening that had me pleasantly surprised, because I feel I have to mention how appalling the first Alien was. I mean what a load of shit! That fragrance actually angered me! How could they release a whole new fragrance, especially trading off of the legacy of the Alien name, and make it so lack lustre and phoned in!?? They've redeemed themselves with fusion but only very, very, slightly because this doesn't have the showstopping impact, nor does it reach the dizzying heights that I hope Mugler can achieve again someday. Point is I liked it and it requires further investigation for sure. I will update this as appropriate.
Carolina Herrera is mostly a wonderfully deep and rich jasmine. Not green, fresh, screechy. It’s the deeply sweet and carnal variety, more like night blooming jasmine. The tuberose, present and strong lends its buttery fullness to the jasmine, while the other floral notes simply enhance and balance the formula. The base notes are rich and ambery, slightly dark, and the civet casts a slightly powdery/talcum veil that at once lends more carnality to the whole, and on the other hand creates a dreamscape. The vintage original formula is obviously stronger, richer, fuller; every note is amplified and feels decadent, while the base is darker, mossier, and far more animalic. It feels Beverly Hills, Rodeo drive shopping, New York businesswoman all at once. But at the same time, I picture a southern belle. Unlike other florals of the era, Carolina Herrera has a certain innocence, down to earth laid back attitude. She can be the perfect hostess, dress up for dinner, and unwind in her porch sipping spiked iced tea. Like a true 80’s fragrance it exudes class, sillage and power. It never smells artificial, but always mesmerizing and grand. The current formula is still quite good; it has a present sillage and longevity, the smell leans more towards a fresh green jasmine with a bigger dollop of tuberose to counterbalance, and the base is more woody. The cons? It’s lost it’s animalic beauty, the flowers smell more artificial (cellophane wrapped bouquet straight from the florists fridge) and the mossy feel is gone. The new one is similar to Gucci Bloom, albeit nicer. While it’s obviously different, it still smells like Carolina Herrera. If you can find vintage, go for it. Both edt and edp pack more than current edp. Review based on a mid 90’s edt, in the big black polka dotted box, and a 1988 edp.
Boy oh boy I loved this perfume. Now anyone who says 'just get some lavender essential oil' clearly doesn't get this perfume. It's Lavender dominant sure enough (at least at first) but comparing it to the raw material lavender (which depending on origin/extraction etc...can be very changeable) is just not fair. Neither is it fair to say it's remotely like a Caron Homme or Dior Eau Noire or any other lavender based fragrance. Now how can something with such lavender bias be so different...well for the reasons I mentioned above but more pertinently a great perfumer at the helm and complimentary surrounding notes. The opening is fresh, sweet and strange but anchored by a growing herbal lavender note which blooms quickly and does give a musician like feel (whatever that means?) I suppose a kind of creative, calmness. The main thing Music for a while does is transport me back to youth reminding me very vividly of some kind of gummy, jelly sweets, tropical fruits and the listed pineapple here makes absolute sense although I didn't immediately get that myself. I can understand why some folks would hate this, cloyingly sweet and pungent lavender and even I will admit it became a touch that way with the candied, fruit juice sweetness and generally artiness, but it accessed something within me and lovingly tickled it. Carlos Benaim is an interesting perfumer but this was a touch unexpected but then in hindsight, absolutely his style. I want it, but not at FM retail price.
