Arcane
Reviews
Filter & sort
Arcane
A welcome winter infusion of summery southern citrus
The Dutch designer brand Van Gils has a few fine men's fragrances in its portfolio. All of them are about cool elegance, with I For All being no exception. This Eau de Toilette is all about the zestiness of chinotto and mandarin orange enriched with a gin & tonic note plus a whiff of lavender.
After its rather explosive opening (you'll have to wave that spark of alcohol away for a second or two), the citrus comes straight at you. It's as if you'd just stuck your nose into a handful of freshly picked chinotti. Mandarin follows, joined by that note of gin & tonic; full longdrink glass bubbling, lemon slice zinging. As it dries down, a lavender note is added. Then it becomes a bit soapy as well (something I do not really care for in fragrances). Projection is average (meaning there will be no death-by-citrus cases). About three hours in, it becomes a skin scent, albeit a subtly citrusy-lavendery one with just that tad of bitterness. The wood notes listed I do not get at all from my skin, but perhaps that is just my untrained nose.
As with most citrus-focused scents, the very unisex I For All does, alas, not last, and for some proper sillage you'll need a few sprays more (adding one or two on your clothes perhaps). This notwithstanding, the scent itself could not be more Italian - and this, mind you, from a Dutch designer. Fresh and uplifting, summery and mediterranean.
Regarding presentation: the box is a bare-bones affair, the wonderfully Kermit-green bottle an understated joy to behold. Be wary of the cap, though: as pleasant as it is to look at, it does not really stick. The atomiser, on the contrary, is first class. For 25-29 euros a bottle (50 ml) you can do a lot worse.
I For All should be of interest to anyone into all things citrusy-zesty. If you like Blu di Roma from Laura Biagiotti, or Acqua di Parma's Chinotto di Liguria from their Blu Mediterraneo line (both have about the same projection and longevity on my skin), then you could give this one a try. And please bear in mind that sillage-wise, I For All will probably perform better during the sunnier seasons. For me, this has been a pleasant little surprise in the festive season. Perhaps a few of you out there will enjoy it as well.
After its rather explosive opening (you'll have to wave that spark of alcohol away for a second or two), the citrus comes straight at you. It's as if you'd just stuck your nose into a handful of freshly picked chinotti. Mandarin follows, joined by that note of gin & tonic; full longdrink glass bubbling, lemon slice zinging. As it dries down, a lavender note is added. Then it becomes a bit soapy as well (something I do not really care for in fragrances). Projection is average (meaning there will be no death-by-citrus cases). About three hours in, it becomes a skin scent, albeit a subtly citrusy-lavendery one with just that tad of bitterness. The wood notes listed I do not get at all from my skin, but perhaps that is just my untrained nose.
As with most citrus-focused scents, the very unisex I For All does, alas, not last, and for some proper sillage you'll need a few sprays more (adding one or two on your clothes perhaps). This notwithstanding, the scent itself could not be more Italian - and this, mind you, from a Dutch designer. Fresh and uplifting, summery and mediterranean.
Regarding presentation: the box is a bare-bones affair, the wonderfully Kermit-green bottle an understated joy to behold. Be wary of the cap, though: as pleasant as it is to look at, it does not really stick. The atomiser, on the contrary, is first class. For 25-29 euros a bottle (50 ml) you can do a lot worse.
I For All should be of interest to anyone into all things citrusy-zesty. If you like Blu di Roma from Laura Biagiotti, or Acqua di Parma's Chinotto di Liguria from their Blu Mediterraneo line (both have about the same projection and longevity on my skin), then you could give this one a try. And please bear in mind that sillage-wise, I For All will probably perform better during the sunnier seasons. For me, this has been a pleasant little surprise in the festive season. Perhaps a few of you out there will enjoy it as well.
