Daisyvision

A warm, spicy & magical patchouli potion. Unlike the syrupy-sweet and accessible type you may find in fragrances like Flowerbomb.. This patchouli is instead, a dark, earthy and slightly dirty offering. The thick resins come off as incensey, and form an oh-so very bohemian cloud of smoky sillage (that will likely last for more hours than you are awake in a given day!).

After about an hour of wear, the dirtiness wanes, while the sticky sweetness seeps out. It becomes almost... edible (yet never approaches the cloying territory). If you're fond of patchouli, you simply must try this one - there's nothing quite like it. It's advertised as for women, but it's neither feminine or masculine, it just makes for a great fragrance for anyone.

Judging by the name and gorgeous bottle design, Opium is exactly what I expected it to be: Deep and smoky, ancient and exotic... It immediately evokes imagery of ancient Egypt, Myrrh and Frankincense. Even though I've only just tried Opium for the first time, it's extremely nostalgic for me. It smells exactly like 'Earth Lore' - The smoky, incense-laden shop I frequented as a curious teenager, which was stocked with small Egyptian & Buddhist trinkets, crystals, and books on witchcraft. Opium has the same mystical elements, and is an utterly phenomenal aromatic experience.

There's a hint of sweetness in the opening, but it settles into bitter citrus before fading away shortly after. Very, very little sillage/longevity on me - I couldn't smell it at all unless my nose was directly on my skin. I'm a big fan of tuberose, so I was hoping for more from this one, but I could barely detect it. The quality of this one reminded me a lot of Hypnotic Poison Eau Secrete by Dior, which was all citrus before dissipating almost immediately.

I decided to try A La Nuit after reading various blogs and articles about Indolic perfumes. The name kept popping up and it piqued my curiosity since, though I've probably smelled indolic scents, I'm not sure I could identify which ones are or aren't. So, I bought a sample based on the name alone, without even knowing what was in this. I assumed it was either jasmine or other white florals of some kind - I just wanted to see what made this different from other white florals. If it truly was 'dirty' or 'fecal'...

Right off the bat, it's a very powerful scent. A sweet and smoky burst of jasmine, accompanied by pleasant green notes. I'm still not sure I understand indoles, but what I do get out of A La Nuit is a very believable, deep floral experience. It's like sniffing actual jasmine in a dewy, grassy field. But those green, grassy notes quickly dissipate and it develops into something much sultrier.

Whew, there's that smoke again! I can tell it's the cloves causing the back of my throat to tingle, because it's exactly the same sensation as being around second-hand smoke from clove cigarettes. (Which luckily reminds me of my late teens, hanging around in clovey smoke-filled concert venues). That smoky quality also dies down a little bit, and leaves just a lingering trail of smoke and spice, like an incense stick burning out. Ahh...

If this indeed features indoles, fear not - this isn't fecal at all. Is it 'dirty'? Well, maybe in the way that soil can have a rich, pleasing earthy scent. Also worth noting - various types of African/Indian jasmine were used in this composition, and it shows. It's absolutely exotic and fascinating.

My first impression was that it felt like a sort of simple, straightforward vanilla gourmand (However, gourmand lovers seem disappointed by the lack of sweetness here). The vanilla upstages the subtle floral notes in this one, and I find it very similar to Un Bois Vanille by Serge Lutens - A true, pleasant, and slightly 'waxy' vanilla (probably the tonka bean). It seems like a great perfume for layering with other scents. If you're seeking a no-nonsense vanilla that is lovely, warm, comforting, and a little delicious, too - be sure to give this one a try. However, if you're looking to make a statement, this may not be bold enough.