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A Beauty and a Beast
I was about to pull the trigger on a bottle of Eternal Voyage when Auphorie announced their new trio of Extraits. When I saw Binturong, a vegan animalic perfume, I simply had to make it mine. Bought it instead, blindly, and I adore it!
Binturong is indeed very animalic. What I get upfront reminds me of ambergris, a bit of barnyard stank going on with a beautiful dark smokiness. I thought of castoreum as it smells faintly leathery. I get a touch of incense with woody notes and a subtle, nearly imperceptible note of bitter coffee.
As it develops, Binturong takes on more iris and caramel as well as a mysterious floral note. I have to assume it's cannonball flower, but I have never smelled the real thing. This floral note smells a bit like an exotic white flower, but it is not intense or heady in comparison to, say, jasmine or gardenia. Might be more along the lines of champaca or even plumeria (frangipani), which are also exotic but not screechy.
The drydown, after several hours, takes on an animalic muskiness that reminds me most of civet. At this point there is a lot of amber too. A nice, silky powderiness develops as well. It's not powdery like aldehydes or baby powder but more like the feel of suede. I think I get a lot of iris because this is how perfumes that are heavy on iris always behave with my chemistry. It's fantastic.
When I wake up the next morning (longevity is forever on me), it smells like it could be a Chanel perfume, something similar to 28 La Pausa. I still get tons of iris, all the way into the drydown, when all traces of caramel and animalic notes have dissipated.
It is hard to truly characterize Binturong. It's like a floral-woody-musk that is heavy on amber and animalics and has gourmand accents. At times it seems like an oriental.
The animalic notes work great on my skin, never overbearing or gross or even teribly funky. I can see it being too much for some people, but if you are like me, with a "bring it on!" attitude, then you should seek out Binturong. I am so glad I own this one!
It's truly a testament to the saying "where there's a will, there's a way." These guys are totally against animal cruelty, and I am astounded at the animalic accords they have been able to create and showcase in such a magnificent, complex perfume such as Binturong. It's like a classic iris perfume kicked up a few notches. Super avante-garde and exceptionally clever.
Binturong is indeed very animalic. What I get upfront reminds me of ambergris, a bit of barnyard stank going on with a beautiful dark smokiness. I thought of castoreum as it smells faintly leathery. I get a touch of incense with woody notes and a subtle, nearly imperceptible note of bitter coffee.
As it develops, Binturong takes on more iris and caramel as well as a mysterious floral note. I have to assume it's cannonball flower, but I have never smelled the real thing. This floral note smells a bit like an exotic white flower, but it is not intense or heady in comparison to, say, jasmine or gardenia. Might be more along the lines of champaca or even plumeria (frangipani), which are also exotic but not screechy.
The drydown, after several hours, takes on an animalic muskiness that reminds me most of civet. At this point there is a lot of amber too. A nice, silky powderiness develops as well. It's not powdery like aldehydes or baby powder but more like the feel of suede. I think I get a lot of iris because this is how perfumes that are heavy on iris always behave with my chemistry. It's fantastic.
When I wake up the next morning (longevity is forever on me), it smells like it could be a Chanel perfume, something similar to 28 La Pausa. I still get tons of iris, all the way into the drydown, when all traces of caramel and animalic notes have dissipated.
It is hard to truly characterize Binturong. It's like a floral-woody-musk that is heavy on amber and animalics and has gourmand accents. At times it seems like an oriental.
The animalic notes work great on my skin, never overbearing or gross or even teribly funky. I can see it being too much for some people, but if you are like me, with a "bring it on!" attitude, then you should seek out Binturong. I am so glad I own this one!
It's truly a testament to the saying "where there's a will, there's a way." These guys are totally against animal cruelty, and I am astounded at the animalic accords they have been able to create and showcase in such a magnificent, complex perfume such as Binturong. It's like a classic iris perfume kicked up a few notches. Super avante-garde and exceptionally clever.
Don't take the name too literally
Baruti Chai impresses me. Considering it has so many things in it that have the potential to overwhelm (e.g. cinnamon, pepper, leather), it never does. It could be a study on the subtle use of spice in perfumery. If Opium, Cinnabar and Jungle l'Elephant are rough, Chai is smooth and polished.
Chai is more like a suggestion of the beverage, rather than the literal beverage. This is preferable to me because as much as I adore authentic masala chai, I'd rather not smell like I bathed in it. Instead, what I get smells like strong sandalwood and something wonderfully smoky, like a singed piece of bark. The perfume is marvelously sandalwoody on me, and I am baffled that there is no mention of woods anywhere on the internet because it is perhaps more sandalwood on me than anything else (works for me!).
There is something like mint in it, but it blends beautifully with the other notes, perhaps to imbue the scent of fresh, green cardamom husks. I don't actually detect any cardamom; one of my favorite spices to cook with, I am quite familiar with the scent. I also notice fresh ginger from time to time as well as gentle hand of Saigon cinnamon and a hint of savory black pepper.
Then there is my favorite part--one of the most perfect and gorgeous *non-vanillic* creamy accords I have ever smelled, and I can not get enough of it! It smells like a cup of warm, sweetened milk. It was at the 10-hour mark that I felt there could be any vanilla at all.
It projects well enough for my liking for hours, though never a sillage monster, heavy, or cloying. Longevity is excellent.
I don't take this as the literal scent of chai, nor did I ever expect it to be based on the notes, which list things that I have never seen in any authetic chai recipe, much less drunk: leather, rose, musk, cocoa. It does not even read as gourmand on my skin, rather a floral-woody-musk.
In any case, Chai is a definite winner that makes me curious about the rest of the line.
Chai is more like a suggestion of the beverage, rather than the literal beverage. This is preferable to me because as much as I adore authentic masala chai, I'd rather not smell like I bathed in it. Instead, what I get smells like strong sandalwood and something wonderfully smoky, like a singed piece of bark. The perfume is marvelously sandalwoody on me, and I am baffled that there is no mention of woods anywhere on the internet because it is perhaps more sandalwood on me than anything else (works for me!).
There is something like mint in it, but it blends beautifully with the other notes, perhaps to imbue the scent of fresh, green cardamom husks. I don't actually detect any cardamom; one of my favorite spices to cook with, I am quite familiar with the scent. I also notice fresh ginger from time to time as well as gentle hand of Saigon cinnamon and a hint of savory black pepper.
Then there is my favorite part--one of the most perfect and gorgeous *non-vanillic* creamy accords I have ever smelled, and I can not get enough of it! It smells like a cup of warm, sweetened milk. It was at the 10-hour mark that I felt there could be any vanilla at all.
It projects well enough for my liking for hours, though never a sillage monster, heavy, or cloying. Longevity is excellent.
I don't take this as the literal scent of chai, nor did I ever expect it to be based on the notes, which list things that I have never seen in any authetic chai recipe, much less drunk: leather, rose, musk, cocoa. It does not even read as gourmand on my skin, rather a floral-woody-musk.
In any case, Chai is a definite winner that makes me curious about the rest of the line.
I'm tired of rose, but not this one!
A lush, velvety, extremely sensual, crimson rose. I smell moist hay, sticky balsams, a civet-like animalic note, and honey-dipped rose petals. Tobacco Rose is a celebration of the night. It is a perfume I would wear if I were going to see a show at the Moulin Rouge. It makes me picture velvet curtains, elegant black dresses, and skin illuminated by candle light.
Tobacco Rose stayed on my skin for 14 hours before I went to sleep for the night. A few hours in, the hay note faded, and the perfume headed down the rose confiture road. I happen to like jammy roses. What sets this one apart from the rest is the ever-present animalic note that gives it a certain edge.
I adore the entire Papillon collection and wear every single one of them. I crave them. While Anubis, Salome, and Angelique are equally beautiful and sensual in their own ways, when I wear Tobacco Rose, I start having thoughts like, "I am a beautiful woman!" There is just something about this juice that makes me want to get my hair, makeup, and nails done and just bask in the glory of being a woman. It's so unlike me to talk like that! This velvety red scent will be perfect for the turning of the leaves and the crisp breezes. Dark rose perfection.
Tobacco Rose stayed on my skin for 14 hours before I went to sleep for the night. A few hours in, the hay note faded, and the perfume headed down the rose confiture road. I happen to like jammy roses. What sets this one apart from the rest is the ever-present animalic note that gives it a certain edge.
I adore the entire Papillon collection and wear every single one of them. I crave them. While Anubis, Salome, and Angelique are equally beautiful and sensual in their own ways, when I wear Tobacco Rose, I start having thoughts like, "I am a beautiful woman!" There is just something about this juice that makes me want to get my hair, makeup, and nails done and just bask in the glory of being a woman. It's so unlike me to talk like that! This velvety red scent will be perfect for the turning of the leaves and the crisp breezes. Dark rose perfection.
Sublime smoky animalic
Phenomenal! This might sound strange, but I took the day off today and headed to my favorite Indian restaurant for lunch, with my sample of Anubis in tow. I figured in an Indian restaurant, nobody would notice I dabbed perfume on. When I applied it to my skin, the gorgeous scent immediately blended into the atmosphere. It smelled like it belonged there, almost like nag champa but exponentially finer.
The listed notes throw me off. I don't know about the florals. Anubis is very well blended and has a syrupy texture. Imagine a sweet amber syrup with hints of saffron, yet surprisingly animalic too. This is right on the border of too animalic for me, it pushes the limits of what I can handle. But the other notes create such harmony that I find myself craving its note of sweaty horse hair. Sweet animalic syrup, like Arabian horse hooves dipped in ambrosia. So strange, but it's gorgeous!
The base notes are like a ceremonial incense used in Ancient Egypt. It smells faintly of ancient stones. Anubis is from another time, another world! It is an extremely sophisticated work of art, yet it is so approachable. It is not quite transcendental. I think the word is SPIRITUAL. It is grounding, carnal, soulful.
Edit: Anubis also reminds me of a Filipino sweet called pastillas. They are water-buffalo milk candy, covered with a thin layer of crunchy sugar. It is milky and sweet, but it tastes "game-y", as we say, and would not suit most Americans' palates unless they are a little more adventurous. I love the stuff, personally. Also, when I wrote my review I had no idea that the perfumer was trying to evoke Ancient Egypt, so I am amazed that I certainly picked up Ancient Egypt in this perfume. Liz Moores is a Master!
Update: It turns out this perfume house is cruelty-free! I love a perfumer who knows how to make an animalic perfume without using the real essences. That makes Liz Moores even more talented in my mind.
The listed notes throw me off. I don't know about the florals. Anubis is very well blended and has a syrupy texture. Imagine a sweet amber syrup with hints of saffron, yet surprisingly animalic too. This is right on the border of too animalic for me, it pushes the limits of what I can handle. But the other notes create such harmony that I find myself craving its note of sweaty horse hair. Sweet animalic syrup, like Arabian horse hooves dipped in ambrosia. So strange, but it's gorgeous!
The base notes are like a ceremonial incense used in Ancient Egypt. It smells faintly of ancient stones. Anubis is from another time, another world! It is an extremely sophisticated work of art, yet it is so approachable. It is not quite transcendental. I think the word is SPIRITUAL. It is grounding, carnal, soulful.
Edit: Anubis also reminds me of a Filipino sweet called pastillas. They are water-buffalo milk candy, covered with a thin layer of crunchy sugar. It is milky and sweet, but it tastes "game-y", as we say, and would not suit most Americans' palates unless they are a little more adventurous. I love the stuff, personally. Also, when I wrote my review I had no idea that the perfumer was trying to evoke Ancient Egypt, so I am amazed that I certainly picked up Ancient Egypt in this perfume. Liz Moores is a Master!
Update: It turns out this perfume house is cruelty-free! I love a perfumer who knows how to make an animalic perfume without using the real essences. That makes Liz Moores even more talented in my mind.
I think this is my favorite lipstick & powder compact perfume
Heavy violet, a touch of rose, and a little musk. Very feminine and playful. Smells like violette pastilles mixed with waxy lipstick. Wonderful!
The first burst of fragrance, which is short-lived, is a beautiful, sweet, realistic blend of raspberry, peach and lychee. Smells like candies for a second or two.
I love lychees, and I don't care if they are fresh or canned. If I see them, I gobble them. Every single time I come across a perfume that claims to have a lychee note, it is not realistic at all. Misia is the first time I ever smelled lychee that was 100% accurate. While the other fruit notes fade away, the scent of lychee remains on my skin the entire time. It blends effortlessly with the scent of violet. I am amazed at the genius of that pairing. On my skin, and to my excitement, lychee is one of the strongest notes. I LOVE that and will probably buy a bottle just for the lychee!
It absolutely belongs in the Chanel lineup. It is a finely crafted perfume and seems destined to become a classic.
The first burst of fragrance, which is short-lived, is a beautiful, sweet, realistic blend of raspberry, peach and lychee. Smells like candies for a second or two.
I love lychees, and I don't care if they are fresh or canned. If I see them, I gobble them. Every single time I come across a perfume that claims to have a lychee note, it is not realistic at all. Misia is the first time I ever smelled lychee that was 100% accurate. While the other fruit notes fade away, the scent of lychee remains on my skin the entire time. It blends effortlessly with the scent of violet. I am amazed at the genius of that pairing. On my skin, and to my excitement, lychee is one of the strongest notes. I LOVE that and will probably buy a bottle just for the lychee!
It absolutely belongs in the Chanel lineup. It is a finely crafted perfume and seems destined to become a classic.
