01/21/2023
Elysium
809 Reviews
Elysium
2
A Secret That Everyone Knows
I have known LPDO products for many years. I used to try them and buy them in a well-known commercial chain that sold them at a discounted price compared to the retail price. But then they stopped selling, and now I can only blindly buy them online. And Voyage Secret was one of the latest purchases, along with Folies d'Épices. Until now, these perfumes have never let me down; the quality is good, even if I don’t get the phenomenal performance advertised. But it doesn’t matter. The low price and the faithful similarity allow me to experience the thrill of wearing more expensive perfumes without spending a fortune.
Voyage Secret is an amber, spicy, and woody scent based on a powdery and fruity rose with a combination of oud that has a leathery and camphor lean. However, I am very familiar with the rose-oud variety. I own a lot of fragrances with this pairing, and this is not that type. Not too heavy on the oud, and a little understated, although you must at least like it because it is one of the significant players that is noticed. The fragrance welcomes me with an explosion of saffron and labdanum with balsamic, leathery, and resinous undertones. The balsamic touch of gurjum adds a warm, sweet, dry, balsamic and resinous touch with hints of pine, patchouli and camphor. Also, the saffron-rose combination reinforces the benefit of mothballs. Leather isn’t a note listed anywhere I can find, so indeed, it’s the saffron blending in with the other notes that give off that vibe. And, for the first few minutes, I seem to get a fruity aroma from something like red berries, a tangy, semi-sweet note.
After the initial burst, a distinguishable Arabic-like rosy medicinal accord emerges from the oud-rose combination. With a hint of green geranium, the heart translates into slightly earthy and leafy edges. Although not clearly specified, the quality of the rose is similar to the precious rose-red flower Taif, one of the Damask species, with its intense but soft, powdery and honey-like scent. As I mentioned at the beginning, it’s not the typical rose-oud mix we’re used to. Maybe saffron makes all the difference, and I’m getting the saffron-rose-oud trio here. The middle chords hit me with the aroma of incense and oud wood in the background. It’s smoky and thick with that distinct dark oud aroma, not animalistic or obnoxious, but a little medicinal, dirty and even a little inky, taking centre stage. Much less of a pure mix of oud and rose and much more of a dry and slightly sweet freshness.
The final dry-down for me basically lacks that opening gurjum. Incense is making a comeback with that slightly smoky, slightly leathery aroma, little oud and a hefty dose of benzoin. I want to point out that the leathery note is not animalistic but somewhat similar to something vegetable, like the bark of white birch wood. Also, incense is not mentioned, but its smoke and ash are present throughout life. Smooth skin, incense, with a resinous finish. The last trail is centred around smoky and woody accords. Overall, the oud is not faecal, just medicinal, smoky, and just a little backyard but in a charming way.
I would classify Voyage Secret as a linear fragrance. Yes, I can pick up a lot of notes and nuances, but the overall scent doesn’t change too much from start to finish. I would summarize it as a fragrance with dominant smoky, leathery, woody tones with a prominent oriental. Seasonally, this is for the cooler months, an autumn and winter scent through and through. It projects very well but doesn’t feel totally heavy while wearing it. Both feminine and masculine, perhaps leaning towards a more masculine flavour. More for outdoor use, it might annoy other people if worn for an indoor event. And it suits more special evening and nighttime occasions than everyday or a signature scent. On my skin, both projection and longevity are moderate to average. Perhaps, people around me or passing by me may catch it many hours later, even if I get addicted after the first few hours. In conclusion, Voyage Secret is a beautiful perfume worth owning, especially for the value of money.
I'm basing my opinion and review on a bottle I've owned since August 2020 (BC 2001188A).
-Elysium
Voyage Secret is an amber, spicy, and woody scent based on a powdery and fruity rose with a combination of oud that has a leathery and camphor lean. However, I am very familiar with the rose-oud variety. I own a lot of fragrances with this pairing, and this is not that type. Not too heavy on the oud, and a little understated, although you must at least like it because it is one of the significant players that is noticed. The fragrance welcomes me with an explosion of saffron and labdanum with balsamic, leathery, and resinous undertones. The balsamic touch of gurjum adds a warm, sweet, dry, balsamic and resinous touch with hints of pine, patchouli and camphor. Also, the saffron-rose combination reinforces the benefit of mothballs. Leather isn’t a note listed anywhere I can find, so indeed, it’s the saffron blending in with the other notes that give off that vibe. And, for the first few minutes, I seem to get a fruity aroma from something like red berries, a tangy, semi-sweet note.
After the initial burst, a distinguishable Arabic-like rosy medicinal accord emerges from the oud-rose combination. With a hint of green geranium, the heart translates into slightly earthy and leafy edges. Although not clearly specified, the quality of the rose is similar to the precious rose-red flower Taif, one of the Damask species, with its intense but soft, powdery and honey-like scent. As I mentioned at the beginning, it’s not the typical rose-oud mix we’re used to. Maybe saffron makes all the difference, and I’m getting the saffron-rose-oud trio here. The middle chords hit me with the aroma of incense and oud wood in the background. It’s smoky and thick with that distinct dark oud aroma, not animalistic or obnoxious, but a little medicinal, dirty and even a little inky, taking centre stage. Much less of a pure mix of oud and rose and much more of a dry and slightly sweet freshness.
The final dry-down for me basically lacks that opening gurjum. Incense is making a comeback with that slightly smoky, slightly leathery aroma, little oud and a hefty dose of benzoin. I want to point out that the leathery note is not animalistic but somewhat similar to something vegetable, like the bark of white birch wood. Also, incense is not mentioned, but its smoke and ash are present throughout life. Smooth skin, incense, with a resinous finish. The last trail is centred around smoky and woody accords. Overall, the oud is not faecal, just medicinal, smoky, and just a little backyard but in a charming way.
I would classify Voyage Secret as a linear fragrance. Yes, I can pick up a lot of notes and nuances, but the overall scent doesn’t change too much from start to finish. I would summarize it as a fragrance with dominant smoky, leathery, woody tones with a prominent oriental. Seasonally, this is for the cooler months, an autumn and winter scent through and through. It projects very well but doesn’t feel totally heavy while wearing it. Both feminine and masculine, perhaps leaning towards a more masculine flavour. More for outdoor use, it might annoy other people if worn for an indoor event. And it suits more special evening and nighttime occasions than everyday or a signature scent. On my skin, both projection and longevity are moderate to average. Perhaps, people around me or passing by me may catch it many hours later, even if I get addicted after the first few hours. In conclusion, Voyage Secret is a beautiful perfume worth owning, especially for the value of money.
I'm basing my opinion and review on a bottle I've owned since August 2020 (BC 2001188A).
-Elysium