Vintage 1973 Joy extrait, black snuff bottle (cute as hell btw) My jasmine benchmark! Elegance is simplicity. Joy is elegance in a bottle. For all complexity of the formula, which arrived sealed and perfectly preserved, this is a stunning jasmine simply warmed by the real civet and musks inside. It’s not dirty, it’s not extravagant in a more contemporary way (think 70’s/80’s stunners); it’s simply beautiful. Jasmine and I have a love/hate relationship. I adore the flower itself, the smell in the air, sucking the stem and savoring the nectar. I grew among jasmine trees and at night, especially summer, the scent was intoxicating. For me, not one perfume has captured that smell. Some have come close and some are real beauties. Joy here is a trip to my childhood and I finally smell the real thing. Jasmine flower bottled and preserved in a little bottle that serves as perfume history. Beauty from a time, not so long ago, when quality was the measure up and houses like Patou produced ART, even if the financial gains where next to nothing. Who would today, in their sanity, bottle a perfume so expensive to make, that there is zero profit from sales? Aside from this little story, what predominates on my skin other than the jasmine, is a shy rose. Shy because my skin doesn’t bring it forward. The star is jasmine, while all the other notes simply enhance it. It feels and smells rich, rounded, warm, well put together. Nothing screams, nothing smells out of place. The sandalwood is creamy, real sandalwood, the oakmoss albeit not strong, is wonderful. And the civet, my beloved civet, has manners, simply providing the necessary warmth that Joy needs to shine. And the musk, beautiful sexy musk! I didn’t think it’d be this good, and I’m happy to report it holds up to its status. Times like these I wish I could time travel and buy perfume from when everyone thought it would be this good forever. Trust me, if you come along bottles that have the baudruchage seal intact, invest. Perfumes so well made that stand the test of time decades later, willing to unfold under a perfume lovers nose! Obviously, the Joy made today it’s not the same. IFRA happened, laws about allergens came into play, many ingredients became banned or simply disappeared, naturals are very expensive, and tastes changed. But the edp I own from 2013, from Designer Parfums, is very near, very true to what Joy is all about, and given the circumstances exceedingly well made. Yes, it’s a bit more shrill, more commercially friendly, but it still smells like it, and I’m happy to see that, at least now, Patou is in good hands and that it’s perfumes haven’t followed the footsteps of other once glorious brands. My little snuff bottle will serve as my drug, when only the costliest perfume in the world will do!
The notes sound great! I’m hugely nostalgic about the original Tommy so news of this release is welcome in this camp.
When this opened I thought to myself...oh no! It's a hugely generic, messy modern blob of designer crap! My attitude has mellowed slightly because it is indeed a quality perfume but still not entirely to my tastes. Comparisons to oud minerale and Armani BT are fair enough, you get that salty sea vibe which I equate to an ambergris smell, kinda warm but with salty undertones. The clary sage is very obvious and the usual juxtapostion you get in Piguet fragrances of dumping a load of tonka, orris and vanilla in for good measure adds to the designerish versace eros maybe even a little Invictus type vibe this has. Basically many cooks conspiring to spoil the broth...but that's the fashion. The drydown is a lot more of that hand cream, fresh but off putting smell that you get in these sea breeze fragrances, but clearly some people love this vibe. I've got to say that this stuff is strong and long lasting I had one of those feeble cardboard sample things which dispensed a meagre 0.3 of a ml of fragrance and it's enough for me. I don't want to blast it too much because it does have complexity, and depth and somethings which I like about it...but it's not a keeper.
I didn't know what to expect from this fragrance, I'd seen it and it stood out due to the fact it's not in the usual FM label format. I've always been limited to trying FM fragrances as I have to order samples because no stores near me stock them. Thankfully that has changed now so I got to finally try this and I have to say it's very nice. The style is similar to both Musc Ravegeur and the custard like vanilla of Guerlain's L'Art a Matiere line. However this has a sensual and slightly brutal floral kick in the form of strong musk (at least in the beginning) and saffron. When this earthy, slightly rough, musky nature is curdled into a soft creamy, gourmand, milk with touches of nutmeg and tonka on a sandalwood base, it becomes something very special indeed. In the same way I feel about Musc Ravageur, as much as I enjoyed it, Dries van Noten is one of those 'when do I wear it?' type of fragrances. I own Musc Rav but it doesn't get worn very much, I suspect this is slightly more versatile and I am genuinely considering adding it to my wardrobe because I really liked it.
I thought I had written a review on Salome but I guess I was too busy wearing and enjoying it. Papillon as a whole, is one of the few brands that keep my faith in indie, niche, and artisanal perfumery. While long time players have been going mainstream for the last 5 years or so, Liz Moores goes slowly and steadily towards curating a line that is both fascinating and rewarding. Salome is just an example. The concept behind, and the inspiration, was an old photograph from the turn of the century. And the scent itself could easily belong there, as it follows the footsteps of Shocking and even Femme; sepia toned, glowing warmth. Gentle spices, a French floral heart and a chypre backbone, Salome bends olfactory families and draws the best from them; expertly blended, it’s hard to pinpoint the notes. There’s effervescence in the opening from sparkling bergamot, spicy florals in the heart with a beautiful rose and carnation like you don’t smell anymore, and a beautiful animalic drydown that mixes civet, castoreum and hyraceum with musk and smoky patchouli. Just like older fragrances, the animalic notes enhance and magnify the whole composition, and don’t scream just for the sake of it. While dirty and skanky at times, mostly from the touch of cumin, the animalic notes make the scent far bigger than the sum of its parts. Here is where Femme comes into play; Salome feels like a worthy Roudnitska descendant in the best possible way. One relies on the erotic qualities of ripe fruit (plums, hence Prunol base) while Salome relies mostly on ripe florals past their prime. The spices are gentle and warm, merely glowing forever, and there’s a strong oakmoss bone that transcends standard orientals and chypres. Salome is art, expertly conceived, translating into pure pleasure to wear. Long lasting, noticeable for hours, and unabashedly sensual when worn, and sexual when smelt. In this time and age, when IFRA is the big bad wolf that has forever destroyed many beloved masterpieces, fragrances like this show that while there are restrictions, quality perfumes can still be made, as long as there is a coherent vision, zero focus groups and marketing, and no need for ass kissing big aromachemical corporations. As long as there is talent and people who believe in perfumery, there are still many more Salomes to come. And while IFRA will only get more restrictive, perfumery isn’t yet dead. Not by a long shot. Turkish Rose, Jasmine, Carnation, Oakmoss, Castoreum, Civet, Hyraceum, Styrax, Tobacco, Orange Blossom, Patchouli, Sweet Hay, Bitter Red Orange, Bergamot, Cumin, Clove Bud, Birch Tar and Vanilla. These are the full notes according to Liz herself. Also included is the proprietary blend of musks used in every Papillon creation. Also, Hyraceum makes up 4% of every 50ml bottle.
So 'Chasing the dragon' (or 'smoking heroin' as it's less colloquially known) has a feminine side and it's just as intoxicating as the name would suggest. The opening is very nice indeed and you get more of the subtle warmth and nuance before it becomes a combination of white and yellow flowers. Ylang ylang can be a really lovely thing and there's a jasmine note in here but it's not typical. I'll be honest I don't know what Muguet or Narcissus are, but I get a nearly tuberose smell from this, it's basically a very heady floral scent. There's a smooth vanilla type feel super creamy and nice. I'm not one to complain about price but I believe these are right up there in price, but I think value will very much be in the eye of the beholder. I liked it, and I like the way Euphoric tied in with Hypnotic which I felt had similar floral notes in as well. I think the quality is good but it wasn't the super strong and lasting scent I thought it would be from the opening. Don't get me wrong performance is very good, just not atomic like some white/yellow florals of this calibre.
So this was the last one I tried from Michel Almairac's brand and probably had the most lasting impression. He's somebody I recently wrote about as not really a one hit wonder but someone who hasn't been as prolific as some perfumers. Maybe this is just because he's done lots of stuff that I wouldn't neccesarily gravitate towards. (most scents marketed for women) If you look at his back catalog he's been consistantly working but considering the fact he created one of the most seminal fragrances of the last 30 years, maybe I wrongly expected to have had more hits from him? However, Parle Moi de Parfum is a really eclectic showcase of his talent. This being a prime example. Now I'm a sucker for a tropical, fruity notes in perfume but it's rare that they don't end up smelling like cheap shampoo, Chypre Mojo just about manages it though. The mango note is MASSIVE and grows from the initial spritz of bergamot and lighter weight citrus into a full grown, fleshy tropicana juice of a fragrance. I was really excited when the SA told me that it was mango and carnation but although clearly floral I didn't get a typical carnation experience from Chypre mojo. Carnation is pretty complex though and The overriding quality smell in here is almost one of resins, maybe labdanum? something in there driving it anyway. I absolutely loved it though, maybe more feminine leaning and totally bonkers really but if you enjoy a cocktail or a fruity smelling fun fragrance but with serious quality this could be for you?
A darkly spiced, dry vetiver, the oud is a cleaner base for the potent earthy, herbal scent to sit upon. This is another surprising Papyrus (a note I thought I didn't like incidentally) along with Clive Christian E I've tried recently. This has much more of a traditional origin in things like GPH1 and CdG 2 Man and more pariferally Wonderoud and Encre Noire. To be fair to this it actually transitions further than any of the ones mentioned above, changing from an obvious masculine oud opening to spicy smoked woods and then earthy drydown. There's clearly incense and maybe hints of patchouli with papyrus and vetiver looming large. This stuff is great. I really enjoyed it.
A massively sharp citrus and cedar fragrance in the opening, really unrelenting and woody as hell. The cedar starts to turn a trifle pissy for me but it's no where to the extent of some other intense cedars I've tried. Woodpecker seems to just about keep it in check before drying down further to a lovely but slightly lacking, warm woody drydown. On skin it was a nice transition but at no point was I wowed, the card I sprayed and put in my car actually still smells superb. I couldn't really get the iris but the card one, doesn't smell entirely of cedar so I've no reason to doubt it's there. I could see why some might rave about this, I'm less enthusiastic but I liked it somewhat.
Now could it just be the fact I saw name before I sampled it but I reckon this perfume does a very good job of evoking Christmas vibes. Although it's through a means I wouldn't necessarily associate with the festive season, ie: Orange blossom. The custard like feel of vanilla and orange blossom's smoothness do work extremely well together and give an almost eggnog vibe. There's a hint of fruitiness at the back of Guimauve de Noel and a caramel/toffee gourmand nature throughout, and then deep into the base. I'll be honest I never thought I would be but I'm actually quite taken with this. Simple composition but executed with clarity, I'm guessing gourmand fans would like it and white floral lovers wouldn't kick it out of bed either. If Francis Kurkdjian did a gourmand, I think it would probably come out like this.
Hmmmm...there’s no way these are the only notes. I got the promotional material with them and I don’t recall it listing notes but I should double check really. I think both the male and female versions of this release have incredibly opulent openings, complex floral and sensual in the extreme. I get why people are slightly against them, due to price and performance etc...but I think this is a brand where if price is an issue you really ought not to be considering them. The opening to me is a kind of intense, boozy, gourmand, definite warm spices in there and the cherry element does come through backed with a heart of florals. I’d say jasmine or tuberose or something, definitely more feminine leaning to my nose. The drydown is a soft vanillary, smell with more of that cherry edged vibe, but it’s definitely not what I was expecting. Hypnotic is broadly speaking more woody and masculine In the base than Euphoric. I’d say both the perfumes in this release fulfill the promise of an intoxicating, narcotic experience if only limited to the opening 30 mins or so because although I only applied a tiny amount and am still yet to wear properly, Hypnotic was fairly short lived. On the whole I really liked the mixture of gourmand and floral spices it was certainly like nothing I’ve tried before and that to me at least counts for something.
I absolutely loved it. Every note shines. I need to eat some humble pie about this brand, not that I’ve ever slagged them off and I’ve only really tried Burning Barbershop which I thought was a good concept but I wasn’t that fond of it. The name is probably a reference to the pixies song, considering the kind of hipsterish origins of the brand, I think it’s likely. I love the way it opens, uncompromisingly green, slightly tinged with fruit and citrus but evolving into a positive fig smell. The note starts to become more creamy, a milky fig with a hint of coconut. The soft woods and iris in the base finish it off perfectly travelling from a sharp, leafy, green fragrance, to a natural fig that’s a little mouth watering and philisykos like, into milky summery coconut woods and then a kind of grown up quality base which smells great after several hours. I thought debaser was smooth and a superb concept, vividly realised. I don’t have many fragrances like this so I reckon this is going on my list.
To me this is a very nice combination of three elements for me, sharp citrus in the opening a touch green, then the patchouli comes on stronger and although prominent might be one that non patch lovers might like. The base to me is amber and cacao although that chocolatey effect might be coming from the patchouli. I thought it was pretty damn nice and the quality shone through.
Wow! As a big Prada and Andrier fan I was so glad to try this line and discover that not only are they a departure from the usual, clean stylised sophistication iv come to expect from both, these are supremely interesting, different (for Prada) and really well crafted. The opening of Moonlight shadow...carried me away..(eeeekkk!) no it really did, it’s out of control, sweet, figgy chocolates with a robust smoky spice undoubtedly coming across like oud or something to me. Really bravo on that opening. However, the drydown doesn’t quite live up to it. Don’t get me wrong it’s pretty amazing, just loses some of the complexity of the opening but I’m being harsh because what perfume doesn’t? The scent a big dry, dark cedar woods leather and that cumin really lasting. Great stuff.
This is probably my favourite creed that I've worn. The performance is not great, let's get that straight out of the way. I usually find scents last well on my skin and I'm more into close, skin scents than beast mode, WMDs anyway, but it's weak after 2 hours even for me. Now we've dealt with that, the scent itself is glorious. The opening is absolutely fantastic, the lime and watery mettalic smell, which I would guess is the blackcurrant mixing with something else, is beautiful and fragile. Very glass-like. As it settles it moves more into a soft, slightly mettalic, icy, floral scent, it isn't going to challenge in my opinion but it just smells good. I feel like some might find it boring in the dry down, but I see it more like doing a fundemental with an absolute class and precision. Beautiful. 100% unisex imo. Love it in the spring and summer but I enjoy it on a fresh winters day too. Occasion, I think it's more of a daytime scent but dressed up or down works. Maybe a little dapper and clean for a grungy look, but it works well with more smart-casual or smart dress.
A tea fragrance that I've worn a couple of times now but for some reason haven't reviewed? The bright slightly peppery, bergamot opening is soon joined by the tea note. Tea is strange, I love it but it's a mysterious smell, kinda cerebral and like all the best things, multi-faceted both bad and good. The pendulum seems to swing perpetually between, stale and awkward, to sharp, smokey and sublime. 12 wouldn't be out of place as a Duchaufour or L'artisan creation. The vetiver and tea works very well together but not exactly bringing anything new, which is fine. Not every fragrance can be a breakthrough and It has undoubted quality but the longevity wasn't great and I feel this is just one for the tea lovers, because if you don't like tea this ain't gonna work for you.
An absolute KO!!! Rituals have made the ultimate meditation on an oriental woody fragrance here. The smell is as complex as it is simple...if that makes any sense at all? The biggest note in here for sure is a sweet creamy bed of sandalwood and resin, accented perfected with incense and pepper in the opening. The picture that denotes 'Oriental notes' on here pretty much sums up Elixir d'Orient in one image. A kind of shimmering pool of golden, warm beauty. It starts to evoke hints of orris and leather such is the powdery smoothness and sweet hint of pencil shavings on a bed of amber and vanilla. I know there's plenty of reference points in feminine perfumery for this stuff and I'm sure I wanted to say Dior hypnotic poison but my knowledge of ladies designer stuff is pretty dire. References I'm more comfortable with are things like Donna Karen Fuel for Men and Atelier Cologne Santal Carmin both of which have this sort of vibe. Elixir d'Orient is very gentle natured in the same way, staying close to skin with occasional wafts reminding you just how nice it is. This is soft, sure, this feminine...absolutely and nothing you haven't smelled elsewhere before, but consider for a moment the price, the quality and the CRAZY longevity (I've showered, washed my hands god knows how many times and can still smell it about 20 hours later, albeit incredibly softly) I got from this scent and it's all shaping to be an absolute winning formula. Bravo to Rituals. Update: The longevity on this perfume is simply the most persistent I've experienced of any perfume I can remember anyway. It was nuts! I sprayed 6 sprays on the back of my hand, now hands are usually not a good place as they get washed and used to do stuff more than other parts of the body so I was amazed that this lasted about 3 showers and multiple hand washes per day. I swear I could still smell the faint, warm vanilla from application Thursday afternoon to Sunday! Completely insane! It's a very subtle and slight fragrance even when first applied but lasted really well.
My first introduction to Rituals was an advent calendar I got for the missus and ended up going 'wow that smells nice.' to many of the products. The one I liked best was the Rosewood and pine but unfortunately they don't do a perfume of that, but when I visited my local store to discover as much, I sampled some of their perfume offerings and I've gotta say I was impressed. The therapy vibe is extremely apparent in everything, and I have to say they all make you sigh a little sigh of comfort such is the cerebral nature of the creations. This one, Bleu Byzantin is probably the most accessible and has a more fresh approach. The juniper note at the beginning of this is really big and unlike the usual dry, g&t, quinine vibe it comes across as watermelon and salty aquaticness circa 1992. This could be a distraction but the herbal pine in the base is very zen, soothing and with a touch of mint it all comes together to make something vaguely familiar but extremely well executed. This wasn't my favourite from the line by any stretch but the solid, salty sea and woods drydown was pleasant even if the fragrance itself is perhaps a little shortlived. The price is great and packaging and overall look of the stores made me think their products were far more expensive than they are.
Oh, Layton... You're very expensive for a fragrance that's so similar to a lot of other, cheaper fragrances. I'm not going to rag on this too harshly though and I think it's actually a gorgeous scent, so stick with me. The opening I find to be very loud and very jumbled and it reminds me instantly of the spicy, sickly sweet designers that are a bit of a trend as club bangers. It calms down quickly though, within one or two minutes it elevates itself and shows its class a bit more. It still sits in that very sweet category for me, but it's lighter, fresher and for that, infinitely more wearable as I just can't do heavy, sweet fragrances at all. The vanilla, cardamom, apple and sandalwood stick out to me instantly, but I don't get too much pepper until later in the dry-down where its soft and sits nestled right in the heart of the scent. I feel like the orange note is one of the keys to making this a lighter wear than most sickly designers, it sits really hidden away but small wafts seep up out of the undercurrent in the sillage for me and it really shows what a classy, well-blended fragrance this is. Outside of work, I think this fragrance would work anywhere, dressed up or down, though if I was dressing up, I personally might reach for something that sits a bit closer. I absolutely would not wear it in the summer, but for fall, winter and maybe the cooler days of spring it would be a bit of a crowd pleaser I'm quite sure. Layton is definitely one of the more easily likeable niches in my collection and a great fragrance that has made me want to try Herod from the same house next. EDIT: alright, I've been wearing this almost every day for a week straight. Very quickly turning into one of my all time favourites. Gorgeous scent with one of the best, sweet dry downs of all time.
Really nice fragrance. I picked this up because I was interested in a chestnut scent but I actually found the cloves to be the real gem note. The opening is really one of my favourite openings ever. The smoke is soft, round and not as dry as some smoke. No spikey ashtray vibes at all. As it settles down, the sweetness in the vanilla rounds it out, it's not an overly sweet, cloying vanilla, just soft and comforting. It's not on the level of Guerlain, whose vanilla notes I think are fantastic, but it's not hyper-synthetic either, it just about sits right. I have one problem with this fragrance and I'm surprised it's not been mentioned in the reviews yet, but in the middle, as the sweet vanilla rounds it out and the smoke dies out a little, I get a very strong, cheap, sandalwood incense stick vibe which reminds me of bong shops from the 90s and it really puts me off. The one saving grace is the clove note which hangs out of this soft round bubble and snags you, drawing you in. It also separates it entirely from the cheap incense vibe. Overall I can look past this stage, as it reaches it late dry-down it drops this and returns to a soft, comfortable blanket. I can see this working really well on cosy nights with a partner, or even really well on a date night, when you don't want to come across as a sex-driven alpha, rather, someone more sensitive and pleasant to be around. Overall, great fragrance. Absolutely love it. Probably one of my favourites for fall/winter casual wear.
Limoncello has a very distinct taste and smell, not just lemons but yest, lemon oil, those compressed lemon pastes they have in north African cuisine and obviously booze and a frosted effect from being chilled in the freezer. Lacoste L.12.12 Eau fraiche really doesn't possess these qualities to my nose at least. Yes there's a delicate citrus in the top notes coming across cold and refreshing, not disimilar to that D&G Light blue Zest edition that came out in the summer. However Eau fraiche is a bit weirder than that and has far more in common with unusual modern, woody perfumes like escentric molecules, than it does with citrus and edc type fragrances. Don't get it twisted, I don't mean it's an ISO E Super fragrance or anything but it does have a stale, cedarish bed and a very slight nature to it, which sits incredibly close to the skin. I found it interesting and not really the fragrance I had expected to find from the notes. It's no Eau de Lacoste Blanc but it definitely warrants further investigation and is more than I'd bargained for. I've gotta say the bottle looks nice with that fade effect too.
This fragrance is insane, for anyone worried about "reformulation" and it being weak.. Well, I dread to think what the original was like. I bought a new bottle today and one spray is enough to fill a room easily. As for the fragrance, it's absolute class. I get the feeling of the earthiness from Terre d'Hermes without any of the brighter edges. This smells like the frag dug down into TdH, ripped out its heart and carried it back off to the forest in a dirty rag. I get a touch of spice which I'm guessing is the Cashmir, other than that, it's all earthy, woods and vetiver. Completely unapologetic in its raw-ness. I think for that you'll either love it or hate it. As a fan of vetiver, I'm firmly in the love crowd. It's deep, rich and well-rounded. Absolutely masculine, but it does have a softness to it, there are no hard edges in sight. If you think you might like the smell of a forest fire, you'll love it. It won't be for everyone, but it's unique and a deep, interesting, enrapturing frag. For the price you can grab this at online, it would be rude to not own this imo.
Fate Woman was the last Amouage that I loved. But while Fate was mostly an homage to vintage Bandit, Shalimar and Opium on my skin, Imitation Woman is completely new. I’ve been scratching my head to try and figure if it reminds me of anything, and it doesn’t. There’s a general vibe, a nod to genres and a way of saying ‘this is how they used to make em’, but Imitation is a beauty on its own, at least for me, although I’m sure this won’t be one of the popular ones. It’s too weird, too ‘in your face’. Maybe that’s why I absolutely love it! The inspiration behind is 70’s New York, but for me is mostly late 70’s to early/mid 80’s. Early 70’s were still pretty much green, chypre fragrances, and hazy dreamy florals. Think Halston, Scherrer, Chloé, Anaïs Anaïs, Private Collection; fragrances were tough just like the women and the conditions in New York, but there was space and time for a more dreamy world, seen through a haze of erotic florals. Imitation lands somewhere between 1977 and 42nd street; seedy, gritty, colorful and bright just like a neon sign on Times Square. The opening aldehydes (not as big as I wished for, but there for most of the duration) give room to the blackcurrant, the juiciest, highest pitched, most authentic blackcurrant that I have smelled. It’s uber sweet and gives fruitiness a whole new meaning. It’s fruity in the same way vintage Poison or Black Orchid are fruity; not the same by a long shot, but the same carnality and sensuality, hidden behind a playful façade. The licorice, which usually is my nemesis comes soon after, but it is done in such a beautiful and mature way, I keep wanting more of it. There’s a ‘secret elixir’ feel to it, just like a shot from an unnamed bottle served to you at Studio 54 while you’re chatting with Grace (Jones of course)! She would have rocked it back then. The heart brings a honeyed orange blossom and skanky jasmine together, creating a more extravagant 80’s floral heart, with patchouli (earthy and heady), incense (dry and smoky), and sandalwood instead of long gone animalic notes. The beauty and the beast. ‘Pretty’ florals along ‘dirty’ base notes with rough edges to remind us that Bright Lights Big City is also dangerous. Imitation feels like a girl that lives somewhere uptown. There’s a different feel than living downtown, and a bigger sense of security. But she loves to party, and she knows that the real living is somewhere along midtown, Coney Island or the Bronx. She doesn’t mind getting dirty, but she always has perfectly manicured red almond nails and a healthy supply of hairspray. And when she leaves the comfort of her suburban enclosure, she lights up a cigarette, gets of at Times Square, and follows the flow. It might not be Studio 54 every Saturday, but she always finds the right place. Imitation smells bright, ‘happy’. There’s a certain innocence underneath, a sensation that youth is eternal and the world is one big bite, that Saturday nights last forever and the sun will always shine brighter this side of the Brooklyn bridge. Slightly ambiguous, Imitation manages to blend the beauty with the grittiness. It is both clean and dirty, and it’s New York before the Giuliani cleanup that eliminated, along with murder and crime, the rogue diversity that made Manhattan. There’s a scene in The Deuce’s second season opening (HBO, highly recommended) where we see Candy walking along pimps, prostitutes, drug dealers and hustlers. She’s wearing a fur coat and a white silk ensemble that looks like Halston. While she smiles to some familiar faces on her way to a new disco, there’s a melancholy reminding her that some years before she was on those streets asking 30 plus 10 for her services, and a strength that shows her that she’s past those years, somewhere better, but not quite there yet; there are still obstacles in her way. It’s Christmas 1977, the snow is falling, and Candy smells of Imitation. She might not have the uptown living just yet, but she embodies the scent perfectly! My favorite release of 2018.
I have to give it a like because I don't dislike the smell and I'm not going to be one of those guys who says 'No leather AT ALL here.' in my review because I suppose this sweetened, oriental mass does pose as what constitutes leather notes in many fragrances, however I would sympathise with that guy. The truth about this line is that they are good and better than expected from one aspect due to Ferrari's earlier efforts. On the other hand due to all the hype they've received, they actually fell sort for me. Bergamot and bright Neroli are fairly nice and decent value for money, as I'm sure Noble fig will be. However, I'm not convinced about this leather one. It's too sweet and icky, just an baggy composition of crowd pleasing spice laden oriental stuff. It's like spicebomb without any of the bomb, or the spice really! Cinnamon and clove yes, on a woody/gourmand/sweet leather/vanilla base. I'm oldskool, I like my leather to be leathery and masculine. I can enjoy Tuscan leather although that's really quite sweet, because it has real smoky leather facets and luxurious ingredients, this just seems lacking and certainly not in the league of the king. In some respects I'm glad it's not another TF clone. Sorry, I really hoped this would be a good budget leather, it does smell good but good as a throwaway oriental fragrance, the leather in the name and on the bottle threw me, oh and the performance isn't too good either, maybe another wear is in order?? I wasn't overly impressed anyway.
