My thoughts are off a bottle from the mid-90's but I imagine this could apply to versions from the 80's-2020 or so, and simply put they are that this is beautiful men's perfume. On my skin I get the herbs and myrrh that opens up in to a rose that is not to floral and then the castoreum hits and I can't get enough of it. It is just what an elegant man should smell like with a hint of rouge or rebelliousness in his attitude. I wish I was the image of what I envision the man who wears this is, however, guess I will just have to settle with smelling like him.
Spicy cola vibes right out of the gate...then...nothing.
Such an opulent, vinatge smelling perfume! And so much better, to me, than the OG Shalimar.
L'Homme Ideal EDP is my favorite from. The line. That cherry note, along with the creamy almond has me popping the cap to take a whiff almost every day. It's in my top 3 fragrances, in my collection. The others in my top three... Pasha de Cartier Parfum and Givenchy Gentleman Reserve Privée.
I cannot get enough of Reserve Privée. One of my most complimented fragrances. Love the bold Iris, along with the chestnut & whiskey note
Pasha de Cartier Parfum is one of my favorite fragrances.
A true chic fragrance. Very effortlessly chic, soft, with an edge. Very unique and i absolutely love it.
Opens with a beautiful sultry resinous vanilla before becoming a patchouli bomb. Absolutely love those resinous vanilla notes and hope they'll become stronger once given some time to macerate
Got this for $35 at a local shop, and i can say that it was probably the best $35 I've spent. So much better than CDNIM, not offensive or rough to the nose like cdnim can be in the opening. smells similar to creed but definitely not the same. wish it performed better though. 8/10
The sweetness and the mint can be a bit too much, but the dry down is lovely imo. thinking of buying another bottle of this. 8/10
Love at first sniff. will definitely buy another bottle of this when it's done. the mango and black currant twist on the leather is perfected here in my opinion. 9.4/10
Simply, a masterpiece. timeless, and also lasts a decade. 9/10
Probably my favorite vanilla scent, especially for the price and performance you get out of it. strong vanilla and mandarin in the opening, but it turns into a more leather - iris or powdery smell. Can't go wrong with a bottle of this. 8.6/10.
This absolutely stinks, but in a good way. performance is insane, can still smell it on my clothes the next day. smells very close to jubilation after the opening, as its settling you can smell something woody and fruity and that amber hits you. 8.3/10
Very lovely sweet Guerlain-like opening fading to powdery tonka. It's lovely but not at all original, and does smell somewhat dated. It reminds me of a dusty parisian shop selling dolls and mirrors and such, powdery vanity realness from a bygone era. Not at all like Shalimar to my nose except for the general guerlinade element.
Smells like a nasty, cheap, designer sports fragrance. Massive calone with all of the most generic men's aquatic elements from the 90s.
The original Iommi scent has received an endless amount of hype, however it’s never been a love for me. The scent itself is different enough, which I must say is refreshing amongst flankers these days, but I find myself wanting more from many Xerjoff releases, this one included. An overwhelmingly sweet pairing of warm, honeyed saffron and juicy green apples leads the way, which is quite nice actually. This saffron is furthered by touches of rose and a patchouli base, alongside warm spicy cinnamon. Leather makes this smooth and balanced. I will admit, I like this more than the original Iommi, it’s undeniably inviting and alluring. However as I mentioned, it leaves me wanting more. I don’t find my eyes rolling back in my head when I smell it, but instead simply finding it satisfying - which for me isn’t worth paying hundreds for.
I’ve been keen to get my hands on Libertine Neroli for a while now, and it has definitely met my expectations. Neroli is not a favourite note of mine, I’ve often found I struggle to find one I enjoy, but this is easily one of my favourites - likely due to the pronounced chypre style it adopts, which speaks to my heart. The neroli is light and airy, gently cleansing the air around you like the finest French soaps, but it is grounded heavily by a dense overdose of oakmoss and leather. The petitgrain and bergamot balance this dichotomy between light and dark, giving the scent a much needed freshness. It’s the oakmoss which draws me in further, tending my love for the scent. This scent epitomises what I love about Francesca’s work, that is perfume which is heavily inspired by classical French perfumery. This scent has a strong association with old white floral chypres, yet retains a dense powdery facet, characteristic of her creations.
Rubeus Bleu is a scent I’ve been itching to try after hearing a good degree of hype online about it, and when something costs over £800 for 50ml you immediately expect greatness. That’s not to say it’s not great, because it does smell lovely, but the price has got to be a publicity stunt surely; there are countless fragrances which are absurdly priced, but this takes the cake. It’s a perfectly enjoyable powdery leather scent, a dusty Iris note leads the way which is at once soft and creamy, yet reminiscent of old face powder. The leather is soft and gentle, bolstered by a bitter, rindy array of citrus fruits, giving the scent a masculine fresh facet. It smells like a distinguished Italian man, nothing more, nothing less; it smells classy and sophisticated, but not nearly as expensive as it actually is. I simply cannot wrap my head around how this costs more than £16/ml - it’s absolute insanity. To think you could get yourself a 75ml of Henry Jacques for less money, owning this fragrance has the same social effect as a gaudy Gucci t-shirt. Smells very nice though.
The original inspiration for the Blazing Mr Sam
This is the most beautiful gourmand i ever smelled. But doesn't last long.
Opens with pear and freesia and a sparkling sensation that reminds me of champagne before becoming soft, cozy, and warm like a luxurious piece of velvet. It's a beautiful skin scent with just the right amount of sweetness. Sit's very close to the skin perfect to wear for yourself or when you're with someone you love. Gives princess vibes while also feeling incredibly chic.
Gheorghe, my first encounter with Strangers Parfumerie, as I delve deeper into the work of Prin Lomros. This is a rather odd scent, not in a bad way, it’s just unlike anything I’ve smelled before - there is so much going on all at once, and yet there is a harmony to it, a smooth balance. This gorgeously sweet note of whiskey kicks things off, made delicious and inviting through the addition of vanilla, tonka and elemi before delving into a dark base. A dense, peaty tobacco emerges which is at once damp and earthy, as it is warm and inviting, with a slight spicy facet from the presence of carnation, clove and woods. All of this rests on a bed of subtle creamy florals, providing that balance. I actually find myself enjoying this quite a lot, it’s far more appealing and easy to like than the other works of Prin I’ve tried - it’s lovely. I’m not sure I’d buy a bottle however, simply because it’s not my usual taste - great creation though.
I have tried a handful of Prin’s work in-store before, but Nocturnal Poetry is my first experience with his house on skin. There’s so much going on in this wondrously complex scent that it’s hard to unpack, it’s like a dazzling cacophony of animal musks, spices, and flowers. Cumin is most prominent to my nose, so powerful it’s like stuffing your nose in a jar of the stuff - made even more piercing with the urinous facet of civet screaming in your face. A soft leathery sweetness through beeswax emerges soon after, elevated and given a much needed delicate brightness by way of jasmine, violet leaf and rose. Despite the busy nature of this scent, cumin prevails above all else which makes it rather polarising. I quite enjoy it to be honest - it’s not something I would own because I simply wouldn’t wear it day to day, for it doesn’t match my personal tastes. But as an artistic creation, it’s fabulous, a scent so rugged and unique it truly makes you feel something, which is rare these days.
