Carlitos01
[short review]
You may love it or hate it, but Bleu de Chanel is a blue fragrance landmark. Of all the versions, the one I prefer is the Eau de Parfum concentration and there is a number of reasons for it.
- First of all, the citrus. In the opening there is a citrus accord that smells like a mix of deep yellow lemon and grapefruit. Very refreshing and very attention grabbing.
- Second strong impression. The not strong balsamic and smoky incense/amber base notes frame that actualy makes this fragrance a bit less blue and stresses the woody facet of it. Due to this accord, the fragrance gains performance but above all, it excell in the wearability and versatility domains.
- Third remark. The wood notes are superb although not dominant. They add a lot of class and masculinity to the dominant "bleu" panorama.
- Fourth and last reasoning. As a masculine and manly perfume, the scent must please the ladies around us. And it does it quite well.
I do have other designer blue fragrances that I probably wear more frequently, like Mauboussin Private Club or even Versace Dylan Blue. But to complement a light wool dark suit, a white collar shirt and a silk tie, Bleu de Chanel EdP cannot be beaten.
Music: Frank Sinatra "Blue Moon"
Top Rated Reviews of the last 7 Days
Darkbeat 3 hours ago3 Awards
Rose & Amber
This Ambre Nuit is an extremely refined perfume, which oozes delicacy, quality and a certain air of elegant femininity, but that does not fool your name, this is a tribute to the rose and not to amber (resin) as I thought.
For me, this perfume has three notable ingredients, bergamot, rose and amber, the others, or are not, or I do not perceive them and they are only to provide ephemeral nuances. It is a linear aroma with two clear phases, the beginning and the rest of the fragrance. From the beginning the rose and amber are quite clear, only that, at the beginning they are wrapped in a thin layer of fresh and sparkling bergamot, which cushions the fragrant rose and the sweetness of amber, to make the fragrance something more refreshing in your start. This start is short-lived and then there is only rose and amber, but do not think of a resinous, sweet and woody amber, because the shots do not go there, it is gray amber, and it feels half dusty, semi-sweet and vaporous, very mystical and gaseous , creating an aura around, elegant and refined, exquisite, an ideal complement to a deep velvety, beautiful rose. A perfume of roses without more incentive, yes, very beautiful and elegant.
It has a more than acceptable performance, of good longevity, between 7 or 8 hours, with a moderate projection at all times, it is not a beast, but it has enough to be noticed.
It is a unisex perfume, but it seems a bit more feminine to me, but well, to taste the colors, I will dress it equally until it is over. Perfume of fresh and temperate climates, and for the night, although it could also be used during the day.
Regarding the perfume itself, it is a beautiful aroma that oozes quality, but it is not worth what it costs even as a joke, it is a beautiful and elegant rose without more, I do not know what is exclusive about this fragrance to ask € 300 for it. If you have money left over and you like it, go ahead, but everyone else try it before buying, there are aromas of rose, in the market, much cheaper, everything is a matter of finding the right one.
For me, this perfume has three notable ingredients, bergamot, rose and amber, the others, or are not, or I do not perceive them and they are only to provide ephemeral nuances. It is a linear aroma with two clear phases, the beginning and the rest of the fragrance. From the beginning the rose and amber are quite clear, only that, at the beginning they are wrapped in a thin layer of fresh and sparkling bergamot, which cushions the fragrant rose and the sweetness of amber, to make the fragrance something more refreshing in your start. This start is short-lived and then there is only rose and amber, but do not think of a resinous, sweet and woody amber, because the shots do not go there, it is gray amber, and it feels half dusty, semi-sweet and vaporous, very mystical and gaseous , creating an aura around, elegant and refined, exquisite, an ideal complement to a deep velvety, beautiful rose. A perfume of roses without more incentive, yes, very beautiful and elegant.
It has a more than acceptable performance, of good longevity, between 7 or 8 hours, with a moderate projection at all times, it is not a beast, but it has enough to be noticed.
It is a unisex perfume, but it seems a bit more feminine to me, but well, to taste the colors, I will dress it equally until it is over. Perfume of fresh and temperate climates, and for the night, although it could also be used during the day.
Regarding the perfume itself, it is a beautiful aroma that oozes quality, but it is not worth what it costs even as a joke, it is a beautiful and elegant rose without more, I do not know what is exclusive about this fragrance to ask € 300 for it. If you have money left over and you like it, go ahead, but everyone else try it before buying, there are aromas of rose, in the market, much cheaper, everything is a matter of finding the right one.
Elysium 4 days ago2 Awards
I've Got You Under My Skin
First things first, Abelmoschus moschatus also known as ambrette seeds, Musk mallow, or Musk seeds is an aromatic and medicinal plant native to India. The ambrette seeds have a sweet, flowery, heavy fragrance similar to that of musk, and derives its name due to the musk-like fragrance of its flower. The seed is processed by either steam distillation, carbon dioxide or solvent extraction, producing an extract that is distinctive and musky with waxy undertones, almost like human skin, sweet, nutty, slightly floral and salty all at once.
The first time I met ambrette was when I came across B. by Balenciaga. That mysterious woody musky odor captivated me instantly, it was something I had never smelled before. The strength of ambrette seed cannot be understated, its flavor can be detected in a blend at just one part per ten million and its aroma can be detected throughout the entire drydown of a perfume!
Even so, what is White Soho all about? The ZARA official website mentions three main notes, i.e. musk mallow, iris, and blond woods. White SoHo opens with a musky-powdery duet that I adore, the accord from iris and ambrette is so noble and brave at the same time, they are like the Beauty and the Beast, excellent for one another, giving the overall tone of an earthy iris scent. There is a tad of ink and ash in there, a sort of cold and dark aspect. Sniffing the primary dusty note of the orris one might be induced to liken this cologne to Dior Homme Intense or Valentino Uomo Intense, but White SoHo is not akin to any of the two. Here the iris does not smell as buttery as lipstick or makeup stuff, a signature of the aforementioned designer colognes, yet it is woodier and muskier thanks to the ambrette seeds that have a sweet, flowery, heavy fragrance similar to that of musk, ain't no animal musk, sometimes a bit boozy with nuances of fine cognac. I surmise, but I am not sure, that musk mallow seed oil here is mostly replaced by various synthetic musks due to its high cost, i.e. ambrettolide.
Then it has a woody character with musky tones, it's much softer. The drydown introduces the other core components in the development of this creation: a lovely delicate powdery iris, unique and fairly rich in texture, very clean, with a touch of sweetness, but still musky and woody. It also has a soft buttery leather quality, a mild smokiness, and creaminess from the cashmeran, sandal, guaiac wood, or "white woods" as mentioned in the pyramid note. Hence, the dry down is an incredibly complex mix of "furry" textures that are woody, dry, spicy, clean, slightly vegetal and mildly animalic, sometimes smoky, sometimes leathery, sometimes buttery, kind of sexy and very dark and then leading to much cleaner soapy musk, and back again.
I get moderate sillage, which is spot-on for rocking the cologne at work, and moderate longevity on my skin, maybe a new application might help if you like to smell good up to the evening. Whilst this rather simple autumnal scent is not hiding a considerable use of synthetic notes, they are done not too badly, and they are very smoothly blended. White SoHo is overall a dry, masculine scent that is a little too underwhelming in cold weather, but in early autumn it shines. I like my cold weather scents a bit sweeter, amber, leathery, and smoky.
Side note: if you are familiar with ZARA fragrances, you will find a similitude between the masculine White SoHo and the feminine A Perfume in Rose, the woody muskiness is identical.
-Elysium
The first time I met ambrette was when I came across B. by Balenciaga. That mysterious woody musky odor captivated me instantly, it was something I had never smelled before. The strength of ambrette seed cannot be understated, its flavor can be detected in a blend at just one part per ten million and its aroma can be detected throughout the entire drydown of a perfume!
Even so, what is White Soho all about? The ZARA official website mentions three main notes, i.e. musk mallow, iris, and blond woods. White SoHo opens with a musky-powdery duet that I adore, the accord from iris and ambrette is so noble and brave at the same time, they are like the Beauty and the Beast, excellent for one another, giving the overall tone of an earthy iris scent. There is a tad of ink and ash in there, a sort of cold and dark aspect. Sniffing the primary dusty note of the orris one might be induced to liken this cologne to Dior Homme Intense or Valentino Uomo Intense, but White SoHo is not akin to any of the two. Here the iris does not smell as buttery as lipstick or makeup stuff, a signature of the aforementioned designer colognes, yet it is woodier and muskier thanks to the ambrette seeds that have a sweet, flowery, heavy fragrance similar to that of musk, ain't no animal musk, sometimes a bit boozy with nuances of fine cognac. I surmise, but I am not sure, that musk mallow seed oil here is mostly replaced by various synthetic musks due to its high cost, i.e. ambrettolide.
Then it has a woody character with musky tones, it's much softer. The drydown introduces the other core components in the development of this creation: a lovely delicate powdery iris, unique and fairly rich in texture, very clean, with a touch of sweetness, but still musky and woody. It also has a soft buttery leather quality, a mild smokiness, and creaminess from the cashmeran, sandal, guaiac wood, or "white woods" as mentioned in the pyramid note. Hence, the dry down is an incredibly complex mix of "furry" textures that are woody, dry, spicy, clean, slightly vegetal and mildly animalic, sometimes smoky, sometimes leathery, sometimes buttery, kind of sexy and very dark and then leading to much cleaner soapy musk, and back again.
I get moderate sillage, which is spot-on for rocking the cologne at work, and moderate longevity on my skin, maybe a new application might help if you like to smell good up to the evening. Whilst this rather simple autumnal scent is not hiding a considerable use of synthetic notes, they are done not too badly, and they are very smoothly blended. White SoHo is overall a dry, masculine scent that is a little too underwhelming in cold weather, but in early autumn it shines. I like my cold weather scents a bit sweeter, amber, leathery, and smoky.
Side note: if you are familiar with ZARA fragrances, you will find a similitude between the masculine White SoHo and the feminine A Perfume in Rose, the woody muskiness is identical.
-Elysium
Remusan 7 days ago1 Awards
sharp clean citrus
Very natural citric clean smell for everyday wear. Excelent performance, soapy, and authentic lemony smell, casual, and for my nose is blended very well. Among with Dior Homme Cologne is must for summer rotation
Remusan 7 days ago1 Awards
Santa simplicitas!
fantastic, natural and simple smell, iced zesty lemonade! Slighty sweeted by lemon, decent performance, super clean feeling and crowd pleasing. It is one of the easiest to wear fragrance for summer!
Elysium 7 days ago1 Awards
L'Homme Intense’s manner is full of appeal and bonhomie
My first Prada perfume was Amber pour Homme. I still remember when that light purplish water came to store, its powdery-sweet-soapy-fresh accord drew me instantly. There were no iris in there, yet the dustiness, creaminess, and butter-ness were so dominant, the kind of redolence that floods the room where you stayed, with no comparable siblings at that time. In hindsight, I realized I was going through Nirvanolides molecule, with its intense musky, fruity, powdery, soapy odor with lactonic nuances.
So, today I have another record from the Prada range of men’s fragrances, and one of the flankers to the original Prada L’Homme: Prada L’Homme Intense. A more deep version of the original fragrance, this is an alluring woody scent for men, floriental I would say. It's creamier, for one, and much more pungent and heady while the first was light and almost ethereal. It has the equivalent DNA of the original, yet three assertive notes stand out, viz leather, patchouli, and roasted tonka. Even though the last years saw new original releases from the major designers (Dior Sauvage, Saint Laurent Y, Prada L’Homme), they have been tormented with practically no creativity. We’ve been seeing the same focus-group approved crowd-pleasers that smell mostly the same, with main notes that turn around synthetic ambroxan and iso-e super. Of course, I love both, yet the different designer scents, in the end, result in a sort of deja-vu.
L'Homme Intense begins with that familiar buttery iris note, with its powdery aroma, and a glowing amber accord plus smoothly rich leather, which makes it fascinating. More, there is a touch of patchouli and the blend smells unusual in a good way. It’s very nice and has a striking darker profile than does the original L’Homme. The initial notes of L’Homme Intense smell surprising good. The quality iris is unmistakable in the opening.
The middle notes of leather and patchouli give it a distinctly masculine smell. It’s so classy and smooth, with the leather and amber, being the next most powerful notes. Though, I’d put the amber at number three. From here, it is pretty linear and doesn’t develop much beyond this.
Further along in the wear, I get to hit a base of sandalwood and tonka bean that finish it out with a hint the orient. Sweet tonka takes over. The accord is pleasant but I didn’t expect it to dominate the composition so quickly. I really appreciate how subtle these later notes are and how they simply enhance the overall vibe of an already fantastic smelling cologne. Unexpectedly, I detected a faint scent of creamy iris. It's subtle and unobtrusive. Anyhow, I smell a stronger presence of vanilla, likely the listed amber accord.
This scent is clean, warm, and sweet with the inclusion of a roasted tonka bean note for good measure. I like how dry the composition is and how the amber sort of soaks the iris. Projection wise, I find the sillage to be on the upper end of moderate. It’s not a heavy scent, but it projects well, just not crazy so. The performance is very good, regardless, and you or other people will notice this juice on you. The longevity for me hits around several hours, which is great for just about any purpose. Seasonally, L’Homme Intense strikes me as a cold-weather scent, with the ability to be worn in more mild warmth. I do feel it is a bit more limited than the original L’Homme, in this regard, but if you want to wear it at its absolute best, it should be colder. I think it is an amazing fragrance. It’s got enough closeness to the original to be familiar, while also adding new elements, to stand on its own.
-Elysium
So, today I have another record from the Prada range of men’s fragrances, and one of the flankers to the original Prada L’Homme: Prada L’Homme Intense. A more deep version of the original fragrance, this is an alluring woody scent for men, floriental I would say. It's creamier, for one, and much more pungent and heady while the first was light and almost ethereal. It has the equivalent DNA of the original, yet three assertive notes stand out, viz leather, patchouli, and roasted tonka. Even though the last years saw new original releases from the major designers (Dior Sauvage, Saint Laurent Y, Prada L’Homme), they have been tormented with practically no creativity. We’ve been seeing the same focus-group approved crowd-pleasers that smell mostly the same, with main notes that turn around synthetic ambroxan and iso-e super. Of course, I love both, yet the different designer scents, in the end, result in a sort of deja-vu.
L'Homme Intense begins with that familiar buttery iris note, with its powdery aroma, and a glowing amber accord plus smoothly rich leather, which makes it fascinating. More, there is a touch of patchouli and the blend smells unusual in a good way. It’s very nice and has a striking darker profile than does the original L’Homme. The initial notes of L’Homme Intense smell surprising good. The quality iris is unmistakable in the opening.
The middle notes of leather and patchouli give it a distinctly masculine smell. It’s so classy and smooth, with the leather and amber, being the next most powerful notes. Though, I’d put the amber at number three. From here, it is pretty linear and doesn’t develop much beyond this.
Further along in the wear, I get to hit a base of sandalwood and tonka bean that finish it out with a hint the orient. Sweet tonka takes over. The accord is pleasant but I didn’t expect it to dominate the composition so quickly. I really appreciate how subtle these later notes are and how they simply enhance the overall vibe of an already fantastic smelling cologne. Unexpectedly, I detected a faint scent of creamy iris. It's subtle and unobtrusive. Anyhow, I smell a stronger presence of vanilla, likely the listed amber accord.
This scent is clean, warm, and sweet with the inclusion of a roasted tonka bean note for good measure. I like how dry the composition is and how the amber sort of soaks the iris. Projection wise, I find the sillage to be on the upper end of moderate. It’s not a heavy scent, but it projects well, just not crazy so. The performance is very good, regardless, and you or other people will notice this juice on you. The longevity for me hits around several hours, which is great for just about any purpose. Seasonally, L’Homme Intense strikes me as a cold-weather scent, with the ability to be worn in more mild warmth. I do feel it is a bit more limited than the original L’Homme, in this regard, but if you want to wear it at its absolute best, it should be colder. I think it is an amazing fragrance. It’s got enough closeness to the original to be familiar, while also adding new elements, to stand on its own.
-Elysium
Elysium 5 days ago1 Awards
The Art of The Shoeshine
First things first, I'm not wired, people. I'm serious. I'm sitting here polishing some shoes and it occurred to me that I like the smell of shoe polish. I mean, I don't go around 'huffing' it and there is such a thing as too much, but this stuff is so damn good. You may be wondering what shoe polish has to do with all this, and you will find out right soon if you stay with me.
That said, Cool Heights belongs to the ZARA New York trilogy collection, together with White SoHo and Greenery. The opening of Cool Heights is all about fruity and citrus accord, it is fresh, I get a sort of sweetish berries, cherries, and plenty of oranges citrus peel and juice aroma. After trying it at the store, it took me 2-3 hours to figure out what this is similar to. Albeit I've seen many people comparing this with Paco Rabanne Black XS, that feeling is only at the opening for a little while. There is even a spicy edge in the opening, the Sichuan peppercorn characteristic smell stands out. Then, Cool Heights takes a different path and vibe and turns into a fragrance full of woody and smoky subtleties.
About 10 minutes later, the heart begins unveiling its notes, a watery violet appears with fresh and wet facets, yet not aquatic in a salty or marine manner. And here I got the biggest surprise, Cool Heights emanates a lovely mild leather odor, which is ain't reminiscent of a leather jacket or suede glows, but a kind of like freshly polished boots. There is a hint of shoe polish or boot polish odor, smelling like turpentine, tasting like gum, something akin to carnauba wax and Stoddard solvent, with the chemicals so strong that inhaling them produces dizziness and giddiness as huffing gasoline. I hope I haven't frightened you because this feeling is anything but unpleasant.
The dry down is supposed to be nothing but sweetish amber since one of the listed notes is the roasted tonka. Though, at least on my skin, Cool Heights releases a trail full of smoky, dry, and sulfurous woody accords. None of the following notes are listed, yet I get a blending among fumy incense, mild spices, and gentle patchouli which over the fruity notes unfold their effects to mold the ultimate aroma. After a slew of hours, a more comfortable incense vibe keeps rising in the air, yet not a church-like olibanum. The very final trail reminds Vibrant Leather, the leather note is alike.
I have to be honest, this is way more quality smelling than what I expected and it is one of the longest-lasting Zara I’ve ever tried, the performance is around all day long if you wear it as an office scent, whereas the sillage is pretty much close to the skin. I sprayed a few whiffs yesterday evening before going out for dinner, and with my big surprise, it was the first thing I smelt when I woke up this morning and took off my t-shirt. In my humble opinion, Cool Heights is for women and men alike. A natural composition that speaks of culture and wisdom. A scent that is deep, elegant, glorious, and sophisticated, a fragrance for lovers of niche houses with complex, dark, smokey nuances. Of course, cool months of Autumn are the best period for wearing this violet juice, both during the day and evening.
-Elysium
That said, Cool Heights belongs to the ZARA New York trilogy collection, together with White SoHo and Greenery. The opening of Cool Heights is all about fruity and citrus accord, it is fresh, I get a sort of sweetish berries, cherries, and plenty of oranges citrus peel and juice aroma. After trying it at the store, it took me 2-3 hours to figure out what this is similar to. Albeit I've seen many people comparing this with Paco Rabanne Black XS, that feeling is only at the opening for a little while. There is even a spicy edge in the opening, the Sichuan peppercorn characteristic smell stands out. Then, Cool Heights takes a different path and vibe and turns into a fragrance full of woody and smoky subtleties.
About 10 minutes later, the heart begins unveiling its notes, a watery violet appears with fresh and wet facets, yet not aquatic in a salty or marine manner. And here I got the biggest surprise, Cool Heights emanates a lovely mild leather odor, which is ain't reminiscent of a leather jacket or suede glows, but a kind of like freshly polished boots. There is a hint of shoe polish or boot polish odor, smelling like turpentine, tasting like gum, something akin to carnauba wax and Stoddard solvent, with the chemicals so strong that inhaling them produces dizziness and giddiness as huffing gasoline. I hope I haven't frightened you because this feeling is anything but unpleasant.
The dry down is supposed to be nothing but sweetish amber since one of the listed notes is the roasted tonka. Though, at least on my skin, Cool Heights releases a trail full of smoky, dry, and sulfurous woody accords. None of the following notes are listed, yet I get a blending among fumy incense, mild spices, and gentle patchouli which over the fruity notes unfold their effects to mold the ultimate aroma. After a slew of hours, a more comfortable incense vibe keeps rising in the air, yet not a church-like olibanum. The very final trail reminds Vibrant Leather, the leather note is alike.
I have to be honest, this is way more quality smelling than what I expected and it is one of the longest-lasting Zara I’ve ever tried, the performance is around all day long if you wear it as an office scent, whereas the sillage is pretty much close to the skin. I sprayed a few whiffs yesterday evening before going out for dinner, and with my big surprise, it was the first thing I smelt when I woke up this morning and took off my t-shirt. In my humble opinion, Cool Heights is for women and men alike. A natural composition that speaks of culture and wisdom. A scent that is deep, elegant, glorious, and sophisticated, a fragrance for lovers of niche houses with complex, dark, smokey nuances. Of course, cool months of Autumn are the best period for wearing this violet juice, both during the day and evening.
-Elysium
Darkbeat 4 days ago1 Awards
Oud Rose Royal
The quality of this elixir is superb, both scently and materially. A fragrance of clear oriental inspiration, forceful and exquisite.
From the beginning you can perceive the rose and the oud, with some saffron and even a small smoky hue, very elegant. This beginning is very woody, spicy, a balsamic tad, and somewhat smoky, with a velvety rose, beautifully sprinkled with sensuality and elegance. The rose is extremely well fused to the other notes, and does not feel as blunt as in other perfumes based on this threshed mixture of oud-rose. Then the rose and saffron begin to falter, and the aroma begins to take shades of sandalwood and amber, feeling the creamy aroma, warm and sweet, rejoicing very well to oud and incense, which provide the final tandem to recreate a beautiful aroma of creamy, spicy, resinous, smoked, sweet and warm wood that makes mouth watering to lovers of this type of perfume, truly a perfume that exudes exclusivity and luxury.
Its longevity is quite good, in my case it has lasted about 9 hours, with a moderate projection from the beginning, although the first hour was somewhat more remarkable, anyway, it is not bad performance. It is a nocturnal fragrance for cool and temperate times, although in an event, special or formal, daytime, it would not clash at all.
The aroma looks something like Incense Oud by Kilian.
From the beginning you can perceive the rose and the oud, with some saffron and even a small smoky hue, very elegant. This beginning is very woody, spicy, a balsamic tad, and somewhat smoky, with a velvety rose, beautifully sprinkled with sensuality and elegance. The rose is extremely well fused to the other notes, and does not feel as blunt as in other perfumes based on this threshed mixture of oud-rose. Then the rose and saffron begin to falter, and the aroma begins to take shades of sandalwood and amber, feeling the creamy aroma, warm and sweet, rejoicing very well to oud and incense, which provide the final tandem to recreate a beautiful aroma of creamy, spicy, resinous, smoked, sweet and warm wood that makes mouth watering to lovers of this type of perfume, truly a perfume that exudes exclusivity and luxury.
Its longevity is quite good, in my case it has lasted about 9 hours, with a moderate projection from the beginning, although the first hour was somewhat more remarkable, anyway, it is not bad performance. It is a nocturnal fragrance for cool and temperate times, although in an event, special or formal, daytime, it would not clash at all.
The aroma looks something like Incense Oud by Kilian.
Mozart1756 4 days ago1 Awards
Vaseline Baby
I can understand why people saying= baby powder, pampering cream. This smells to me= Vaseline Baby. If you wanna use it; you have to be woman and like powdery smell. Almond in here is not zingy, bitter. Supports powdery air of the scent. Safe, comforting, relaxing, soft, smooth, bedtime. When I smell, sometimes reminds childish things such as barbies, playdough. :) lemony opening quickly fade away. Totally feminine. Violet is star in Linstant Magic. Suitable for bedtime scent after bath. Ohh relaxing. I feel myself comfortable when I sniff this.
Lescentofman 3 days ago1 Awards
Morocco's historical city in the Atlas mountain in a bottle
Having not been to Ouarzazate myself, let alone Morocco, I have to place in the perfumer’s shoes and nose, reimagining the scene as it played out in my mind. With the inspiration laid out in front of me, the scent transported me to the historic city itself.
The fragrance placed me in a busy Kasbah of Taourirt, setting up on the high atlas mountain city upon the first sniff. It was bustling with trading activities among the merchants in the middle of an arid and bracing day, with fine sand picked up by winds brushing against my skin. To my left, the residents welcomed the sight of the travelling caravan that just arrived from Timbuktu, herding a flock of camels and slaves carrying precious cargo of spices and gold. To my right, a few people sought refuge in a makeshift tent, sipping tea in ornate cups.
As I navigated through the bustling area, I picked up the abundance of spices in the air, well in this case, on my skin. I detected the bracing note of pepper caressing my skin, complementing well with the almost spicy-sweet aroma emanating from the nutmeg. What draws me most to the top notes of Ouarzazate was the incredible and yet, the mystical balsamic smell of incense. The smoky profile permeated through the air, exuding the mysterious vibe of Arabia as the merchants warmed this precious ingredient on a burner nearby.
Ouarzazate’s heart notes transitioned past the half-hour mark due to the visible presence of clary sage. A herb that Morocco is known for, it emitted out a distinctive herbaceous, earthy aroma on my skin. The introduction of wenge wood, a legume tree native in the Republic of Congo, elevated the perfume profile to be very woody. Also, the direction the fragrance takes me became incredibly darker, suggesting one of the cargoes the camels were carrying were being traded to the carpenters for decorative types of furniture.
My curiosity got the better of me while I scoured through the goods merchants were bringing in from the middle east, before discovering several cargoes containing precious vanilla pods and priceless musks. These elements were fairly noticeable on my skin, adding complexity to Ouarzazate’s middle scent profile with a subtle sweetness and powderiness respectively.
With the sun setting across the horizon, it was my cue to seek out food. As I proceeded out of the bazaar, I walked past a small merchant selling imported leather goods and hides from his table. The labdanum’s scent profile attributed this image when Ouarzazate metamorphosised on my skin to its base notes after the four-hour mark.
This, combined with the soothing properties of Kashmir wood, left my pulse points some warmth remnants from the evening sun. The blond wood’s existence was a genius move by the perfumer himself, suggesting it harmonises well with the other prominent notes such as frankincense and clary sage.
All in all, I am generally happy with the perfume’s overall structure and performance of Ouarzazate on my skin. While I do have a slight complaint on its persistence and concentration (I wish for it to be in the Eau de Parfum strength), my takeaway for this perfume would be to bring the bottle (or a decant) with you to freshen up during a warmer and humid climate. In theory, it should perform well on a slightly arid and calmer landscape. But, it all boils down on your body’s chemistry and preference.
Rating: 8.5/10
Read the rest of this post on my perfume blog found on my Parfumo page.
The fragrance placed me in a busy Kasbah of Taourirt, setting up on the high atlas mountain city upon the first sniff. It was bustling with trading activities among the merchants in the middle of an arid and bracing day, with fine sand picked up by winds brushing against my skin. To my left, the residents welcomed the sight of the travelling caravan that just arrived from Timbuktu, herding a flock of camels and slaves carrying precious cargo of spices and gold. To my right, a few people sought refuge in a makeshift tent, sipping tea in ornate cups.
As I navigated through the bustling area, I picked up the abundance of spices in the air, well in this case, on my skin. I detected the bracing note of pepper caressing my skin, complementing well with the almost spicy-sweet aroma emanating from the nutmeg. What draws me most to the top notes of Ouarzazate was the incredible and yet, the mystical balsamic smell of incense. The smoky profile permeated through the air, exuding the mysterious vibe of Arabia as the merchants warmed this precious ingredient on a burner nearby.
Ouarzazate’s heart notes transitioned past the half-hour mark due to the visible presence of clary sage. A herb that Morocco is known for, it emitted out a distinctive herbaceous, earthy aroma on my skin. The introduction of wenge wood, a legume tree native in the Republic of Congo, elevated the perfume profile to be very woody. Also, the direction the fragrance takes me became incredibly darker, suggesting one of the cargoes the camels were carrying were being traded to the carpenters for decorative types of furniture.
My curiosity got the better of me while I scoured through the goods merchants were bringing in from the middle east, before discovering several cargoes containing precious vanilla pods and priceless musks. These elements were fairly noticeable on my skin, adding complexity to Ouarzazate’s middle scent profile with a subtle sweetness and powderiness respectively.
With the sun setting across the horizon, it was my cue to seek out food. As I proceeded out of the bazaar, I walked past a small merchant selling imported leather goods and hides from his table. The labdanum’s scent profile attributed this image when Ouarzazate metamorphosised on my skin to its base notes after the four-hour mark.
This, combined with the soothing properties of Kashmir wood, left my pulse points some warmth remnants from the evening sun. The blond wood’s existence was a genius move by the perfumer himself, suggesting it harmonises well with the other prominent notes such as frankincense and clary sage.
All in all, I am generally happy with the perfume’s overall structure and performance of Ouarzazate on my skin. While I do have a slight complaint on its persistence and concentration (I wish for it to be in the Eau de Parfum strength), my takeaway for this perfume would be to bring the bottle (or a decant) with you to freshen up during a warmer and humid climate. In theory, it should perform well on a slightly arid and calmer landscape. But, it all boils down on your body’s chemistry and preference.
Rating: 8.5/10
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