One of the few aquatic fragrances that works on my skin. The new 2024 Parfum gets very close to this, so it’s not really worth paying ridiculous prices for. Easy signature scent for a man 25+ and it does get complimented.
A very underrated fresh, beachy summertime scent. The reason I like this so much, is because it’s a salty coconut fragrance that doesn’t smell much like sunscreen. Longevity could be better, but it’s fine at about 6 hours. Definitely beautiful for the warm months and makes me happy when I wear it. Highly recommend even getting a travel spray from Day Three.
Excelente compra a ciegas, oscuro misterioso elegante, tanto como para ocasiones especiales como para la oficina pero siento que sería un desperdicio.. perfume 10/10
Very smooth and masculine. Perfect for fall and winter nights, but I occasionally wear it to the office. Great iris woody scent.
Dry, woody, smokey, a little Spicy, with tart fruits. A soft musk helps soften and blend.
I don't reach for this as much as I used to, but it's still an easy grab and go.
Vastly overpriced now, and would recommend a dupe instead.
Salome is unspeakably impressive. It’s hard to find the words to describe such a scent, but for this is something that can only be experienced to be understood; though even then you never might. It takes the idea of chypre to regions uncharted, and yet still retains subtle characteristics of bygone masterpieces we know and love. The scent itself is very dry, surprisingly so, a central theme of warming carnation and tobacco find themselves leaning into their spicy facets through an outrageous dose of cumin, giving the scent this almost sweaty filth. Hyrax, hay and oakmoss further this dry dirtiness, whilst the sweet, dense nature of castoreum and vanilla create what seems almost fruity in its flair when combined with the indolic charm of jasmine, orange blossom and rose. There’s so much going on in this scent, it’s impossible to find where it ends. You’ll spend hours scrambling your way through this dusty boudoir, only to find dirtier secrets within, the longer you look. If any scent defines what a modern masterpiece means, it is this one.
I think Dior did a fantastic job at resurrecting their beloved classics, and Diorling is no exception. This scent is a jasmine and leather combination to die for, a scent which seems as though it was scent down from heaven itself. I am yet to experience the original formulation of Diorling unfortunately, but I can only imagine how stunning it is. As is frequent in contemporary marketing, the notes are very much trimmed to the basics. Jasmine is the leading note, with its airy, soapy qualities mingling beautifully with an ever so delicate leather note which is brisk and mellow. There’s a touch of green sharpness, perhaps hyacinth, alongside a whisper of oakmoss. I’ve fallen in love with this scent, more than most of my recent pick ups, which is ironic because it is also one of my cheapest. For a scent that I can spray care-free without worrying about running out, Diorling is perfect. I will always own this.
Edmond Roudnitska claimed Diorella as his proudest creation and although absolutely justified, I do not think it is his best creation. That aside, I adore this scent. Roudnitska created a new type of floral chypre with Diorella, one which was inspired by the great Eau Sauvage and to a lesser degree, Eau Fraiche. The airy freshness of jasmine, along with a rindy bergamot and lemon, is a major key in this composition. But he somehow removed the sweetness and headiness of traditional jasmine, amplifying the floral heart through carnation, rose and cyclamen which are given a natural feel through the inclusion of basil - whose aniseed warmth, alongside a traditional Chypre base, stops the scent from feeling cold. Whilst the current formulation is also beautiful, the restriction of certain materials over time, namely oakmoss, means that nothing will compare to the original formulation. This is such an incredibly unique take on a floral Chypre with it’s satisfying herbal freshness, a true masterpiece.
Muscat was a total blind buy during the Black Friday sales last year, during which I secured a brand new bottle for just £65 - an insatiable steal. I did not know what to expect, but I was very surprised by what I smelled, for it was instantly recognisable - Oud For Greatness by Initio. It’s got the exact same overwhelmingly sweet saffron note, so much saffron it fills a room with ease and hangs in your nostrils endlessly. However whilst OFG goes in a slightly spicy direction, Muscat leans into the dry, incense-y facet with more prominence, as well as the oud accord being more noticeable. Oud For Greatness was a scent I used to own and love, but eventually grew tired of the DNA and sold it on. It feels good to own this scent profile again, but one that feels improved and more refined whilst still retaining its impressive performance.
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. 🤗
I'm not sure if it's because I've grown accustomed to the much maligned EDP (which I love), but this seems ever so slight less challenging to me. The florals are more pronounced, as is the oud, and the seaside fishy guts and all evocation is slightly toned down, perhaps because this is oil, and so performs more discreetly. I absolutely love this, and the EDP, and will always have a small amount in my collection for those rare occasions when I crave its artistry. And OOOOH I get the truffle here, I could never detect it in the EDP.
Of all the oils, this is the most similar to its EDP counterpart. The original is so so sumptuous already, I don't think it could get any better. Of course, being an oil, this projects differently, and so I could say that the wearing experience is richer and more intimate. In any case I love them both.
I get more oud here than from the EDP, and it's richer of course, but overall there's not a great deal of difference between the two, which is fine by me because LIF is one of my all-time favourite masterpieces of perfumery.
I absolutely love the EDP, and it's not surprising now I'm wearing the oil, that it's a sumptuous, deluxe version of it (this came first, I believe it was their first ever product). It's the same perfume, but with more depth, more richness, more wood. Indeed, the sandalwood is more noticeable here. For me this is a violet oud perfume rather than a rose oud, and the violet is very long lasting. The oil becomes darker and more stinky as it goes on, unlike the EDP, which softens over time, and generally I find the oils becomes extremely strong and really projects after an hour or so. I will always need to have this scent in my life.
This one really surprised me.
The opening is intriguing for sure.
Inky plastic with a trickle of leather underneath.
An hour it settles into this sexy classic fragrance.
The rum, pepper and dark woods come into play.
Still the faintest hints of the vinyl behind it all.
If you test it out, don't try it on paper, spray it on your skin..
Wait one hour for it to settle and you'll fall in love with it..
The least expensive fragrance I own but by far my most complimented, a must have
Lovely, classic smelling. But €600 worth of lovely? Not by the furthest stretches of the imagination. If it was €150 euros I'd consider it.
Definitely a staple for me in the cold months. Spicy on first spray and gets sweeter as it dries down. A modern take on classic men’s fougere fragrances. This will get noticed, the strength of this fragrance is undeniable, and the compliments are pretty consistent. Any guy 25+ needs to heavily consider having this one in their collection.
Bengale Rouge exemplifies the seriously impressive ingenuity and talent Liz Moores holds as a self-taught perfumer. It’s inspired by the scent of her Bengal cat, whose warm, fuzzy fur is often imbued with the muffled cocktail of Liz’s many perfumes rubbing off as they cuddle. Whilst this is quite a niche and far-fetched idea, there’s something wholesome about it. This is a myrrh scent through and through, if you don’t like myrrh then don’t even bother with this. The myrrh is intensely dry, thick, dense and gummy, like a chewy, spicy wall and warmth complemented by the sharpness of rose. This is beautifully balanced by a smooth base of orris, woods and vanilla. Fragrantica lists honey, but this is not one of the official notes - but I understand where it comes from. It definitely has a sappy, honeyed effect. This is easily the best myrrh scent I’ve ever encountered, it’s so incredibly cosy and comforting. Definitely worth checking out, and easily one of the best from the house, this is a must have for me.
It seems like some people’s lives revolve around gourmands, I am not one of those people, however there are a select few gourmand scents that speak to me; Noir Extreme is one of them. This has always been one of, if not my favourite Tom Ford fragrance. The best word to describe it is addicting. The scent is dominated by this supposed kulfi accord, a dessert which I have never eaten personally, but I definitely get the association. An indulgent creamy, vanillic sweetness with a slight nutty facet to it, balanced beautifully by a hefty amount of cardamom and lots of vanilla. It just smells absolutely delicious, and there’s also nothing else on the market that smells like it. This is the sort of thing which made people love Tom Ford; imaginative and unique scent profiles which are still easy to like. I don’t care how popular this gets, this will always be a firm favourite for me and among the greatest gourmands ever made in my opinion.
Perfection. One of the best I own.
I have long-since adored the current formulation of Cabochard, but have always remained curious of a more vintage composition. And so I set out to find an old EDT bottle, and my god is it breathtaking. There are few classics which embody the idea of leather as Cabochard does, it is simply a master stroke of Bernard Chant’s genius. The scent is based upon a central leathery core of isobutyl quinoline as all great leather scents are, but it’s balanced beautifully by its violet-like ionones interplaying with rose and jasmine. It’s very dry in the base; patchouli, tobacco, Vetiver and spices mingle with the leather creating a bold and headstrong aroma, as the name Cabochard suggests. This truly is one of the great classics of French perfumery, a lesson to anyone bold enough to tackle the leather-chypre subfamily. Whilst the vintage is stunning, and well worth experiencing, I would still opt for the current formulation to wear day to day because of the much improved longevity.
Enslaved is the epitome of oriental Chypre, I’m gutted this magnificent beauty is no longer with us, but I understand its discontinuation, as this is a composition from a bygone era. It’s undeniably old school, classical French perfumery at its best. Warming and vintage in the most comforting way possible. Carnation is the star here - it’s dense and warming with its clove-like spiciness, thickened by a smooth base of leathery labdanum and oakmoss. I pick up a prominent rose and salty geranium combination in the background, alongside powdery florals and soft citruses. This is an utter masterpiece, it smells like travelling back in time 70 years, to the golden age of perfume. I managed to find an old paper label, plastic cap 30ml bottle and I will treasure it until I can find another. A must have!
Attaquer le Soleil creeps up on you. There’s something unsettling about it: an enigmatic, gothic atmosphere that’s both threatening and enticing, and it keeps me coming back for more. I saw someone else describe it as “liminal,” which feels accurate: imagine a disquieting dream in which you’re about to discover something secret and dangerous. The dark, coniferous woody opening transports me to an aristocratic alpine chalet enclosed by black trees. I wake alone at night. Called by some obscure premonition of pleasure, I venture out to explore the cold, candlelit hallway, walls panelled in polished ebony, until I come upon a dim study—a cabinet of curiosities stuffed with leatherbound books, strange insects encased in amber, and exotic devices of unknown purpose. Open on the desk is a massive antique volume with gilt edges, not meant for my eyes. Is it obscene pornography, an occult spell book, or a diary of monstrous crimes? My nose fills with the intoxicating fragrance of resinous incense as the fear mounts, undercut with a faint, powdery bitterness (camphor?). Do I hear footsteps in the hall? I try to peer closer at the forbidden book, catching a glimpse of illustrations of twisted bodies, but someone (or something) is drawing closer. I turn...and wake up. (All this is perhaps more seductive than it sounds.) Curiously, the only listed note for this fragrance is labdanum—supposedly it was a challenge that perfumer Quentin Bisch set for himself to make something focusing solely on a note/material that he dislikes. I don’t have a detailed sense of what labdanum is supposed to smell like, other than it’s a sweet, musky resin often used in incense—I associate it with CDG's trademark clean-incense base (as used in CDG Original, Blackpepper, and many others), which I sometimes find soapy or powdery. I’m sure there are a lot of things going on in Attaquer le Soleil other than pure cistus resin, but I really like how it seems to pull out so many different facets of the material: it’s a little smoky and woody, a little bit clean and powdery, a little bit musky and animalic (it smells very embodied, like skin), very resinous in a sweet, enveloping way, but cold and slightly bitter at the same time. It’s this interplay that keeps me sniffing myself over and over! Some people have written that this is too wearable for a Sadean perfume, but I find that there is something vaguely perverse about it, though it doesn't at all veer into smells that are overtly off-putting. It's a really excellent winter fragrance, especially for lovers of woody, leathery incense scents, or anyone who wants a non-churchy incense (it's definitely unholy). Incidentally, I first tried this right before trying Apoteker Tepe’s The Holy Mountain, and they have a lot of similarities: they’re both coniferously woody on first sniff before easing into an incense-heavy amber finish. The latter initially made a bigger impression—it’s showier, with a massive smoky opening and a glorious golden drydown—but Attaquer le Soleil has really grown on me. It's subtly dark and weird in a very addictive (but not overpowering) way that's led it to become one my most-worn cold-weather scents, quickly becoming an overall favourite. Moderate projection and good longevity, fwiw.
