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Baby & Toddler Bath Toys
If I imagine something angelic, the purity, naivety and tenderness of a newborn comes to mind. “Baby Scent”, which is similar to the smell of dolls, smells of pure, good, baby skin, clean and talcum powder! Well, surely many of you have your eyes closed right now and are wandering in your memory in that dusty cloud that enveloped you as children? It’s a baby’s perfume, and it’s angelic. At the first test run, I had put this perfume aside, thinking that the presence of the almond aroma could create problems for me like its predecessor "Hypnotic Vanilla | Zara", which I purchased and returned. Too much resemblance to "Hypnotic Poison (Eau de Toilette) | Dior", which I struggle with. When I got home, the scent took on those fresh, dry, slightly powdery, nutty undertones, which I assume are due to the rice notes. From research, I found that rice is almost odourless, except for the aromatic Basmati and Thai Jasmine varieties. Don’t think that the latter smells like jasmine since its name is due to its pure white colour. Therefore, I assume that perfume oil from one of those varieties has been added to the Angelic Vanilla fragrance, which makes it wearable and different from Hypnotic Vanilla/Poison for me. Sometimes it’s fresh, it's boozy, it’s bitter, and it’s powdery, although it never becomes cloying. I bet this perfume is polarizing.
About Angelic Vanilla. At first, a gust of wind hits my face, quite alcoholic, tasting like soft rubber, talc and sake. I close my eyes, inhale and my mind flies to mini baby toys, soft animal bath companions, which delicately smell of talcum powder. It is a sensation that arouses powerful emotions, memories of childhood, of puppies, of newborns. You must like this aroma to fully appreciate the Angelic Vanilla scent, as it will be the common thread of the entire trip. The alcoholic accord of sake, or Chinese rice liquor, vanishes after a few moments, giving way to a delicate almond blossom mixed with a creamy bergamot zest. Delicate like rice powder and butter, without too much nuttiness or spiciness. The Almond tree is now in full bloom in Southern Italy. At least those that are found in sheltered places are, and it is a pleasure for the eyes and the senses. Their scent is subtle and sweet, similar to cherry blossoms.
Soon, Angelic Vanilla enters the heart phase and a hint of a rose emerges from a dark, tart background. However, it is not a dominant or pronounced rose, like the one we can find in the Chapter No.8 Rose collection. Instead, the rose is somewhat dimmed by the coalition of dusty rice and resinous myrrh. I like this myrrh, it’s not sugary and opulent as often happens in fragrances that use it. For example, I can’t stand the rich and sticky puffs of "Mirra | Tesori d'Oriente", it makes me feel nauseous. That starchy, angelic aura I go through could be the fruit of the rice starch, which I don’t think I have yet encountered in other fragrances I own or have tested. I’ve read that some people find it too strong and annoying, while I perceive it as pleasant on the nose, to my liking, intriguing and not at all disturbing. After an hour, the unsweetened myrrh pleasantly takes control.
In the end, coumarins come into play, maintaining a semi-sweet trail without invading the gourmand territory of cakes, puddings and biscuits. Likewise, the rice doesn’t smell like rice pudding. There is soft, warm wood, probably sandalwood or cedar. However, blond woods without smoky or leathery tones are soft and gentle. The dusty note of rice starch remains in the background, which is the signature of this perfume, along with nonsweet and musky tonka and vanilla.
Overall Angelic Vanilla is an intimate perfume, not at all brash or aggressive. Given the notes present, it should perform better, but both projection and longevity are below average on my skin. Let’s say it performs well for half a day, then it fades. It is healthy, and absolutely genderless, for all lovers of vanilla perfumes, and for those like me who don’t prefer gourmand vanillas. Furthermore, the powdery aspect I’ve highlighted several times is not what we get from the orris, for example, but something more sophisticated, dry, velvety, and starchy. Its freshness makes it ideal for the middle seasons, certainly autumn and spring, on winter days, but also on the cooler summer evenings.
Layering Tip: If you have "Mystic Rose | Zara" I suggest you try layering them. You will get a perfume poised between hell and heaven, the devil caressing holy water. A chiaroscuro rose, the result of the fusion of the two roses present in the original perfumes, with dirty, musky, bitter and powdery facets. I’ll call it Angelic Rose!
I’m expressing my opinion based on a bottle I’ve owned since February 2024 (BC 40162).
-Elysium
About Angelic Vanilla. At first, a gust of wind hits my face, quite alcoholic, tasting like soft rubber, talc and sake. I close my eyes, inhale and my mind flies to mini baby toys, soft animal bath companions, which delicately smell of talcum powder. It is a sensation that arouses powerful emotions, memories of childhood, of puppies, of newborns. You must like this aroma to fully appreciate the Angelic Vanilla scent, as it will be the common thread of the entire trip. The alcoholic accord of sake, or Chinese rice liquor, vanishes after a few moments, giving way to a delicate almond blossom mixed with a creamy bergamot zest. Delicate like rice powder and butter, without too much nuttiness or spiciness. The Almond tree is now in full bloom in Southern Italy. At least those that are found in sheltered places are, and it is a pleasure for the eyes and the senses. Their scent is subtle and sweet, similar to cherry blossoms.
Soon, Angelic Vanilla enters the heart phase and a hint of a rose emerges from a dark, tart background. However, it is not a dominant or pronounced rose, like the one we can find in the Chapter No.8 Rose collection. Instead, the rose is somewhat dimmed by the coalition of dusty rice and resinous myrrh. I like this myrrh, it’s not sugary and opulent as often happens in fragrances that use it. For example, I can’t stand the rich and sticky puffs of "Mirra | Tesori d'Oriente", it makes me feel nauseous. That starchy, angelic aura I go through could be the fruit of the rice starch, which I don’t think I have yet encountered in other fragrances I own or have tested. I’ve read that some people find it too strong and annoying, while I perceive it as pleasant on the nose, to my liking, intriguing and not at all disturbing. After an hour, the unsweetened myrrh pleasantly takes control.
In the end, coumarins come into play, maintaining a semi-sweet trail without invading the gourmand territory of cakes, puddings and biscuits. Likewise, the rice doesn’t smell like rice pudding. There is soft, warm wood, probably sandalwood or cedar. However, blond woods without smoky or leathery tones are soft and gentle. The dusty note of rice starch remains in the background, which is the signature of this perfume, along with nonsweet and musky tonka and vanilla.
Overall Angelic Vanilla is an intimate perfume, not at all brash or aggressive. Given the notes present, it should perform better, but both projection and longevity are below average on my skin. Let’s say it performs well for half a day, then it fades. It is healthy, and absolutely genderless, for all lovers of vanilla perfumes, and for those like me who don’t prefer gourmand vanillas. Furthermore, the powdery aspect I’ve highlighted several times is not what we get from the orris, for example, but something more sophisticated, dry, velvety, and starchy. Its freshness makes it ideal for the middle seasons, certainly autumn and spring, on winter days, but also on the cooler summer evenings.
Layering Tip: If you have "Mystic Rose | Zara" I suggest you try layering them. You will get a perfume poised between hell and heaven, the devil caressing holy water. A chiaroscuro rose, the result of the fusion of the two roses present in the original perfumes, with dirty, musky, bitter and powdery facets. I’ll call it Angelic Rose!
I’m expressing my opinion based on a bottle I’ve owned since February 2024 (BC 40162).
-Elysium
The Nightingale And The Rose
‘Give me a red rose,’ she cried, ‘and I will sing you my sweetest song.’ But the Tree shook its head. ‘My roses are white,’ it answered; ‘as white as the foam of the sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain. But go to my brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you what you want.’
‘Give me a red rose,’ she cried, ‘and I will sing you my sweetest song.’ But the Tree shook its head. ‘My roses are yellow,’ it answered; ‘as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden who sits upon an amber throne, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the mower comes with his scythe. But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student’s window, and perhaps he will give you what you want.’
‘Give me a red rose,’ but there is no red rose around. This is the pink rose. It’s true, there’s no doubt about it. The delicate scent of the pink rose is tangible, in all its purity and delicacy, fresh, joyful, and young. It’s a simple rose, reminiscent of rose-based skincare products used to tone the skin like Roberts’ “Acqua alle Rose”, created with pure Rosa Centifolia essential oil and distilled spring water. Pure pink blossoms, semi-sweet and semi-fresh, with a hint of tart citrus.
C’est La Rose is a slightly classic fresh and spicy rosé fragrance. It opens with pink pepper that is bold and right in your face. It’s there, noticeable. You don’t need a trained nose to recognize it if you’re familiar with the true spice, but it’s not so pronounced, long-lasting, or overwhelming to result in obnoxiousness. Fresh spicy, and nearly piquant, the initial accord takes a few moments before transforming into something fruity and juicy. There is a sort of freshness and savouriness in the opening, although it has nothing in common with the fresh dark soapiness of "Mystic Rose | Zara". I can get the creamy bergamot peel, velvet-like, intertwined with the pink berries. The sensation I experience is like when I crumble the pink berries between my fingers and then mix them with citrus juice to prepare a dressing.
Slowly, the spicy and citrus aspect settles down and gives way to something distinctly flowery. The rose appears creamy, sweetish, naïve, mixed with other indolic and mellifluous flowers, with shades of jasmine, iris, and lavender. All the flower scents are well balanced, and a robust greenish geranium supports the rose. In the heart, the floral aspect is well perceived. The iris adds the right dose of powderiness with no baby talcum sensation, while the lavender intensifies the freshness without appearing too herbaceous or too aromatic. And then there is jasmine, I think the night jasmine, so creamy and luminous. At a certain point, I capture the lemony vibe of the Marsiglia soap, which I bet is coming from lemongrass or whatever it is. Not bothering at all, but just giving that sense of cleanness.
When C’est La Rose approaches the dry down, soft woody accords emerge, with resolute salty and musky overtones. The woods produce dry and smoky nuances, a little released by the resinous cedar with pencil shavings tinges and a little by the guaiac wood, balsamic and slightly smoky scent with honeyed-sweet tones. Besides the mix of woods, you can also feel in the background the clean touch of laundry that comes from the white musk. The delicate rose, the white flowers and the clean musk form the trail that accompanies me until it becomes a skin scent.
There are no dirty, animalic, or seedy notes in there. It is simply pink, clean, clear, and pure. No trace of oud, patchouli, resins, or any other dark or sticky accord. The lightness and freshness make the perfume ideal for warm seasons, and spring mornings, a safe daily fragrance for the office. Both projection and longevity are moderate, and those looking for subtlety can find it in C’est La Rose. It projects well in the early hours and lasts at least half a day. The overall development, apart from the peppery opening, revolves around the floral area, which gives the perfume a more feminine edge. I bought it for the pink pepper, although overall the scent doesn’t have the virility of "Mystic Rose | Zara".
I'm basing my experience on a bottle I've owned since February 2024.
-Elysium
‘Give me a red rose,’ she cried, ‘and I will sing you my sweetest song.’ But the Tree shook its head. ‘My roses are yellow,’ it answered; ‘as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden who sits upon an amber throne, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the mower comes with his scythe. But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student’s window, and perhaps he will give you what you want.’
‘Give me a red rose,’ but there is no red rose around. This is the pink rose. It’s true, there’s no doubt about it. The delicate scent of the pink rose is tangible, in all its purity and delicacy, fresh, joyful, and young. It’s a simple rose, reminiscent of rose-based skincare products used to tone the skin like Roberts’ “Acqua alle Rose”, created with pure Rosa Centifolia essential oil and distilled spring water. Pure pink blossoms, semi-sweet and semi-fresh, with a hint of tart citrus.
C’est La Rose is a slightly classic fresh and spicy rosé fragrance. It opens with pink pepper that is bold and right in your face. It’s there, noticeable. You don’t need a trained nose to recognize it if you’re familiar with the true spice, but it’s not so pronounced, long-lasting, or overwhelming to result in obnoxiousness. Fresh spicy, and nearly piquant, the initial accord takes a few moments before transforming into something fruity and juicy. There is a sort of freshness and savouriness in the opening, although it has nothing in common with the fresh dark soapiness of "Mystic Rose | Zara". I can get the creamy bergamot peel, velvet-like, intertwined with the pink berries. The sensation I experience is like when I crumble the pink berries between my fingers and then mix them with citrus juice to prepare a dressing.
Slowly, the spicy and citrus aspect settles down and gives way to something distinctly flowery. The rose appears creamy, sweetish, naïve, mixed with other indolic and mellifluous flowers, with shades of jasmine, iris, and lavender. All the flower scents are well balanced, and a robust greenish geranium supports the rose. In the heart, the floral aspect is well perceived. The iris adds the right dose of powderiness with no baby talcum sensation, while the lavender intensifies the freshness without appearing too herbaceous or too aromatic. And then there is jasmine, I think the night jasmine, so creamy and luminous. At a certain point, I capture the lemony vibe of the Marsiglia soap, which I bet is coming from lemongrass or whatever it is. Not bothering at all, but just giving that sense of cleanness.
When C’est La Rose approaches the dry down, soft woody accords emerge, with resolute salty and musky overtones. The woods produce dry and smoky nuances, a little released by the resinous cedar with pencil shavings tinges and a little by the guaiac wood, balsamic and slightly smoky scent with honeyed-sweet tones. Besides the mix of woods, you can also feel in the background the clean touch of laundry that comes from the white musk. The delicate rose, the white flowers and the clean musk form the trail that accompanies me until it becomes a skin scent.
There are no dirty, animalic, or seedy notes in there. It is simply pink, clean, clear, and pure. No trace of oud, patchouli, resins, or any other dark or sticky accord. The lightness and freshness make the perfume ideal for warm seasons, and spring mornings, a safe daily fragrance for the office. Both projection and longevity are moderate, and those looking for subtlety can find it in C’est La Rose. It projects well in the early hours and lasts at least half a day. The overall development, apart from the peppery opening, revolves around the floral area, which gives the perfume a more feminine edge. I bought it for the pink pepper, although overall the scent doesn’t have the virility of "Mystic Rose | Zara".
I'm basing my experience on a bottle I've owned since February 2024.
-Elysium
The Elixir Of Dreams
These days ZARA is offering us four new fragrances dedicated to the queen of flowers, the rose, which inaugurates a new chapter, Chapter No. 8. I like to call them the Four Roses, like the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey “Four Roses”. Mystic Rose is the third fragrance I tried in the store, after "C'est la rose | Zara" and "Rose Temeraire | Zara", and it is the one that impressed me the most with its austere, dense, animal musk, earthy, and woody character. Reading the first reactions, I am pleased with how perfumes are so subjective. Given that I adore the rose, both as a flower and as a perfume, and I appreciate how it works in modern fragrances, unlike other people who have already tried and described it, Mystic Rose has a very masculine impulse. A dark, amber, mystical rose, with a woody background soiled by camphoraceous patchouli. There is no trace of sweetness or creaminess, which makes it very desired and coveted by lovers of purple roses, not cloying and not gourmand.
Mystic Rose announces itself with fresh, sour, slightly citrusy, slightly soapy, but mostly acidic accords. Not sweet at all, blueberry is bright, tart, and bitter, and perfectly balances all the sweetness that rose and other unknown ingredients can provide. I got the slightest bit of fruitiness from the blueberry, but not sweetly. The wild berries add a delicate mix of fruity, green, and woody notes. I let a few minutes pass, and the perfume changes, releasing humid, dewy notes of wet and musky earth. It shares the same feeling as the Middle East attars. The participation of amberwood is clearly perceived, with that facet that resembles patchouli, and which mixes in unison with the velvety petals of the rose, damask I would say. My feeling is that there is also pure patchouli oil besides the amberwood, modern and not saccharine. A purple, camphorous rose, sometimes soapy, but with no caramelized or gourmand trace. Although they are two totally different perfumes, the combination of blueberry berries and rose petals brings to mind the extraordinary "L'Ombre dans L'Eau (Eau de Toilette) | Diptyque" that unique sensation of acid and greenish rose.
When the perfume enters the central or heart phase, the presence of the rosy nuances is accentuated by a touch of geranium, which strengthens the rose without sweetening it too much. Now the fragrance takes on implications midway between the odour of cloves and turpentine. There is something that makes it herbaceous, woody, and terpy with camphoraceous and thymol notes. The rose is now vivid, real, and fresh, like a bouquet of freshly cut red roses in the early morning in which we can smell the flowers, the leaves, the cut stems, and the stiffness.
In the dry down, the spicy woods came off a bit smoky to me, with a clean sweet musky floral woody odour. The muskiness is that of animalic, green, and musty underwood, and not the white and laundry musk. Other than amberwood, the woodiness comes from cedarwood, which appears woodsy, balsamic, and earthy with just a touch of sweetness. The powerful presence of patchouli that I felt at the beginning now occupies a place in the second row, but remains clearly perceptible. What remains is a pink, woody, and earthy trail.
After studying it for a few days, my first impression is confirmed. Mystic Rose for me is the one that, of the four roses, meets my tastes the most. Dark, dirty, earthy, and woody, this rose is well suited to the evening and night events of the spring and autumn months. Like most rose essences, the performance is adequate. I would say between four and six hours of duration in which you can perceive the variations. I haven’t had the chance to test it on myself yet. The climate outside is still a bit harsh. As soon as the first warm days of spring appear, I will put it to the test. That said, from start to finish, it remains a genderless fragrance, with a virile impetus that could also appeal to a male audience. Mystic Rose is not a sweet scent, so those of you who dislike sweet scents can safely wear it. A rose well done!
My impressions are based on a bottle I’ve owned since February 2024 (BC 40330).
-Elysium
Mystic Rose announces itself with fresh, sour, slightly citrusy, slightly soapy, but mostly acidic accords. Not sweet at all, blueberry is bright, tart, and bitter, and perfectly balances all the sweetness that rose and other unknown ingredients can provide. I got the slightest bit of fruitiness from the blueberry, but not sweetly. The wild berries add a delicate mix of fruity, green, and woody notes. I let a few minutes pass, and the perfume changes, releasing humid, dewy notes of wet and musky earth. It shares the same feeling as the Middle East attars. The participation of amberwood is clearly perceived, with that facet that resembles patchouli, and which mixes in unison with the velvety petals of the rose, damask I would say. My feeling is that there is also pure patchouli oil besides the amberwood, modern and not saccharine. A purple, camphorous rose, sometimes soapy, but with no caramelized or gourmand trace. Although they are two totally different perfumes, the combination of blueberry berries and rose petals brings to mind the extraordinary "L'Ombre dans L'Eau (Eau de Toilette) | Diptyque" that unique sensation of acid and greenish rose.
When the perfume enters the central or heart phase, the presence of the rosy nuances is accentuated by a touch of geranium, which strengthens the rose without sweetening it too much. Now the fragrance takes on implications midway between the odour of cloves and turpentine. There is something that makes it herbaceous, woody, and terpy with camphoraceous and thymol notes. The rose is now vivid, real, and fresh, like a bouquet of freshly cut red roses in the early morning in which we can smell the flowers, the leaves, the cut stems, and the stiffness.
In the dry down, the spicy woods came off a bit smoky to me, with a clean sweet musky floral woody odour. The muskiness is that of animalic, green, and musty underwood, and not the white and laundry musk. Other than amberwood, the woodiness comes from cedarwood, which appears woodsy, balsamic, and earthy with just a touch of sweetness. The powerful presence of patchouli that I felt at the beginning now occupies a place in the second row, but remains clearly perceptible. What remains is a pink, woody, and earthy trail.
After studying it for a few days, my first impression is confirmed. Mystic Rose for me is the one that, of the four roses, meets my tastes the most. Dark, dirty, earthy, and woody, this rose is well suited to the evening and night events of the spring and autumn months. Like most rose essences, the performance is adequate. I would say between four and six hours of duration in which you can perceive the variations. I haven’t had the chance to test it on myself yet. The climate outside is still a bit harsh. As soon as the first warm days of spring appear, I will put it to the test. That said, from start to finish, it remains a genderless fragrance, with a virile impetus that could also appeal to a male audience. Mystic Rose is not a sweet scent, so those of you who dislike sweet scents can safely wear it. A rose well done!
My impressions are based on a bottle I’ve owned since February 2024 (BC 40330).
-Elysium
The Kingdom of Resins
And leave me behind, like everything that is different… Those like me, who are regular visitors to ZARA, will have noticed that the Spanish brand has recently increased the number of launches of new perfumes and entire collections on the market. Before Christmas, we witnessed the releases of the series dedicated to tobacco (TOB/), water (EAU/), wood (WO/) and finally leather (LTH/), each composed of three distinct scents. And a few weeks ago, a new series dedicated to metals, Sensitive Metallics. In recent days, ZARA has added new pieces to the collections already released in the past, including one in Chapter No. 4 Oud, and two in Chapter No. 7 Vanilla, namely Angelic Vanilla and Sensual Vanilla. Even a brand new series named Infusion is now on the shelf. But it is precisely about Sensual Oud that I want to tell you something today. After seeing the description on the official website, I already knew that it would be an exceptional fragrance and a delightful combination of oud, patchouli, and rose that I would not despise. For this perfume, the master perfumer did not hold back in dosing the precious resin. I can say that I was wrong when I thought “Bohemian Oud | Zara” was the hardest of the collection because Sensual Oud dethroned it by taking first place on the podium.
Sensual Oud is a demon full of warm spicy, leathery, woody, earthy, floral, and animalic accords, which immediately fills the air with a true camphorous, medicinal, and barnyard leathery oud, reminiscent of the scent associated with medicinal balms or liniments, slightly turpentine-like. Saffron is rough and arrogant, with strong leathery and animalistic hints, dirtied by a warm, bitter, and spicy clove; a bed of oud that will always remain present supports this prodigious mixture. There is little of the gentle flower and a lot of the rocky dried red pistils, with its characteristic tarred nuance, a little medicinal, astringent. The blend of these two spices is the closest thing to cough syrup, very sour but not citrus fruit, more in a camphoraceous way. The camphor-like smell is bold with a tame minty edge, though it is smooth and does not itch the nose, not to be confused with mothball odour or naphthalene. For admirers of light perfumes, Sensual Oud might be scary at first. It is powerful, brazen, like a punch in the stomach, more in your face. It is difficult to identify the bergamot, while underneath there is a strong oud sap, one of those that makes their edges feel more skanky and barny. Virile is the opening, and the perfume has a masculine momentum in the first stages of life. The projection is powerful, and the strong opening point is the saffron and oud pair.
The camphor nuances slightly fade after several minutes, revealing a glimpse of rose petals and patchouli leaves. The rose gains strength. It is dewy, dry, powdery, and at times decadent, without a single hint of gelatinous and mellifluous notes, thanks to the contribution of the dirty patchouli which dampens its gourmand edges without being too dominant. This combination is by no means unique, but together with saffron and oud, they offer something that continually changes and evolves around a sensual sphere. Even though I can recognize it, the rose remains in the background and never takes centre stage. This is not the prominent rose we find in “Perpetual Oud | Zara”. Meanwhile, in the backdrop, the medicinal and camphorous scents of the opening spices persist. The stage is all for them. Besides the rose, I sense another indolic white flower, which I bet is the night jasmine. There is also a woody and creamy facet, courtesy of a smidgen of precious blonde sandalwood. In the central phase, the chords alternate like a seesaw between the masculine and the feminine. Now the oud competes for the stage with a dirty and rosy patchouli.
As the scent settles in, landing on a soft, sensual, leathery, amber, musky base. The dry-down highlights the leathery aspects that take the place of the spicy and floral ones, combined with the majestic oud resin. Projection is still fairly strong, but the fragrance has now settled into something smooth and well-rounded, a wonderful blend of wood, floral, and amber sweetness. You can sense the smooth and savoury aspects of amber and the woody aspects of musk, much more tending towards powder and less towards soapy. Perhaps even a whisper of vanilla pushes forth. The trail that remains is mostly composed of leather and oud, sensual, camphoraceous, and musky.
There is no doubt that Sensual Oud is a polarizing perfume that captures the essence of forbidden desire, mysterious and deep. The spices provoke and tempt, the flowers and woods add a timeless charm, and the leather creates an intoxicating trail. Saffron oud camphor pod made from pure camphor creates a positive aura and connects to spirituality. It is a fragrance that requires cold weather to be appreciated, to be used in the evening and night events of late autumn and mid-winter. A fragrance that feels good both in contact with the body and on clothes, scarves and coats. For an intimate dinner, or a crazy night. Perhaps the duration is not amazing, yet enough for an event, but the projection is intense in the first hours after the application.
I’m basing my opinion on a bottle I’ve owned since February 2024 (BC 32220).
-Elysium
P.S. I heard through the grapevine that the perfume resembles, or rather is inspired by, "Oud Ispahan | Dior" and I think it's not just gossip. Any opinions on this?
Sensual Oud is a demon full of warm spicy, leathery, woody, earthy, floral, and animalic accords, which immediately fills the air with a true camphorous, medicinal, and barnyard leathery oud, reminiscent of the scent associated with medicinal balms or liniments, slightly turpentine-like. Saffron is rough and arrogant, with strong leathery and animalistic hints, dirtied by a warm, bitter, and spicy clove; a bed of oud that will always remain present supports this prodigious mixture. There is little of the gentle flower and a lot of the rocky dried red pistils, with its characteristic tarred nuance, a little medicinal, astringent. The blend of these two spices is the closest thing to cough syrup, very sour but not citrus fruit, more in a camphoraceous way. The camphor-like smell is bold with a tame minty edge, though it is smooth and does not itch the nose, not to be confused with mothball odour or naphthalene. For admirers of light perfumes, Sensual Oud might be scary at first. It is powerful, brazen, like a punch in the stomach, more in your face. It is difficult to identify the bergamot, while underneath there is a strong oud sap, one of those that makes their edges feel more skanky and barny. Virile is the opening, and the perfume has a masculine momentum in the first stages of life. The projection is powerful, and the strong opening point is the saffron and oud pair.
The camphor nuances slightly fade after several minutes, revealing a glimpse of rose petals and patchouli leaves. The rose gains strength. It is dewy, dry, powdery, and at times decadent, without a single hint of gelatinous and mellifluous notes, thanks to the contribution of the dirty patchouli which dampens its gourmand edges without being too dominant. This combination is by no means unique, but together with saffron and oud, they offer something that continually changes and evolves around a sensual sphere. Even though I can recognize it, the rose remains in the background and never takes centre stage. This is not the prominent rose we find in “Perpetual Oud | Zara”. Meanwhile, in the backdrop, the medicinal and camphorous scents of the opening spices persist. The stage is all for them. Besides the rose, I sense another indolic white flower, which I bet is the night jasmine. There is also a woody and creamy facet, courtesy of a smidgen of precious blonde sandalwood. In the central phase, the chords alternate like a seesaw between the masculine and the feminine. Now the oud competes for the stage with a dirty and rosy patchouli.
As the scent settles in, landing on a soft, sensual, leathery, amber, musky base. The dry-down highlights the leathery aspects that take the place of the spicy and floral ones, combined with the majestic oud resin. Projection is still fairly strong, but the fragrance has now settled into something smooth and well-rounded, a wonderful blend of wood, floral, and amber sweetness. You can sense the smooth and savoury aspects of amber and the woody aspects of musk, much more tending towards powder and less towards soapy. Perhaps even a whisper of vanilla pushes forth. The trail that remains is mostly composed of leather and oud, sensual, camphoraceous, and musky.
There is no doubt that Sensual Oud is a polarizing perfume that captures the essence of forbidden desire, mysterious and deep. The spices provoke and tempt, the flowers and woods add a timeless charm, and the leather creates an intoxicating trail. Saffron oud camphor pod made from pure camphor creates a positive aura and connects to spirituality. It is a fragrance that requires cold weather to be appreciated, to be used in the evening and night events of late autumn and mid-winter. A fragrance that feels good both in contact with the body and on clothes, scarves and coats. For an intimate dinner, or a crazy night. Perhaps the duration is not amazing, yet enough for an event, but the projection is intense in the first hours after the application.
I’m basing my opinion on a bottle I’ve owned since February 2024 (BC 32220).
-Elysium
P.S. I heard through the grapevine that the perfume resembles, or rather is inspired by, "Oud Ispahan | Dior" and I think it's not just gossip. Any opinions on this?
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Glorious Golden Flowers Of The Sun
Gold Oddity turns around a smooth suede-leathery tone that makes it intriguing, with an unconventional set of nuances that range between mineral, ozonic, and salty. I’ve read many reviews and watched some videos, but I can admit I didn’t grasp its true essence until I tried it on my skin. The first impression is that this piece is the best of the ZARA Sensitive Metallics collection, so full of contrasts and oppositions. Oddity is not an option since this perfume is truly amazing. With its beautiful cleanliness and soapy aroma, it's perfect for fragrance enthusiasts who crave a comforting experience.
The perfume, once sprayed, fills the air all around you. It’s gorgeous. It is slightly sharp and boozy from the alcohol, but in a few seconds, it reveals its raw mineral side. The chords of stones, concrete, stardust, and pebbles are extremely evident. I seem to smell the stones kissed by the sun and wet by the water, a little brackish and a little salty. There is certainly something metallic, perhaps molecular or perhaps because of the presence of the peel of the unsweetened mandarin, with that characteristic smell that distinguishes it from other small citrus fruits. More than from the peel, the metallic smell is what the green leaves release when they are rubbed or broken. There is a small gap during the opening where a very familiar smell appears. Do you know that odour you smell in the air when you iron a woollen item and protect it with a damp cloth? That cloud of hot steam brings with it the smell of cooked wool. It’s so intimate and familiar. The next one that comes up is the saffron flower, very spicy and slightly leathery, but soft. it is a flowery saffron without those overly dark or medicinal notes that this beautiful and precious flower can sometimes have. There may be other spices in the mix since I feel the sweaty notes of cumin, never dirty or disgusting, rather something dusty and mineral very close to warm curry powder, the mild variety, the less spicy one. Maybe it’s just the result of the notes mixing. Another aroma that I can smell close to my skin is that of dried grass, of a bunch of wildflowers dried by the sun.
Slowly, the leathery notes emerge. It is not a bursting, raw, rough, smoked, or inked leather that smells of animals. Instead, here we are talking about suede, elegant, smooth, and sophisticated. At times I smell something greenish and dewy, which makes me think of violet leaves, represented here by its alpha-isomethyl ionone synthesis. There is a beautiful dynamic in this perfume, which alternates the airy, ozonic, and watery nuances of violet, with the floral and fruity ones, and then ends with something herbaceous, all supported by soft leather. The mineral essence prominent in the opening now takes the lead in the composition but never ventures into the aquatic territory.
Once past the opening and heart phases, the fragrance takes on bitter woody tones, as if there were a pinch of cleaned-up modern patchouli, not as dense as real patchouli. It is reminiscent of patchouli, but has spicy and earthy reflections, without overpowering the other accords which feel great as a background. And a pinch of ambroxan couldn’t be missing, with its salty and lasting touch.
Gold Oddity is a novelty among ZARA perfumes. It has never been launched in the past, and it also seems unique among the perfumes in circulation, closer to something niche, refined, particular and mixed interestingly. It’s a type of perfume I’ve never smelled. A leathery genre that remains airy without ever approaching the animal world, as happens in perfumes such as "Ombré Leather (2018) (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford", Memo series and so on. It is a very transparent leather scent. I rarely take out my leather perfumes on a summer day. However, I can’t wait to happily wear it on a summer evening. Ideal for spring, autumn and winter, safe for work, leisure and night out. The mineral, spicy, and leathery nuances project well and last for many hours, which is not bad for a ZARA fragrance. This fragrance will not appeal to everyone; it’s certainly not a scent you’ll smell on every other person.
I'm writing my thoughts based on a bottle I've owned since February 2024 (BC 33340).
-Elysium
The perfume, once sprayed, fills the air all around you. It’s gorgeous. It is slightly sharp and boozy from the alcohol, but in a few seconds, it reveals its raw mineral side. The chords of stones, concrete, stardust, and pebbles are extremely evident. I seem to smell the stones kissed by the sun and wet by the water, a little brackish and a little salty. There is certainly something metallic, perhaps molecular or perhaps because of the presence of the peel of the unsweetened mandarin, with that characteristic smell that distinguishes it from other small citrus fruits. More than from the peel, the metallic smell is what the green leaves release when they are rubbed or broken. There is a small gap during the opening where a very familiar smell appears. Do you know that odour you smell in the air when you iron a woollen item and protect it with a damp cloth? That cloud of hot steam brings with it the smell of cooked wool. It’s so intimate and familiar. The next one that comes up is the saffron flower, very spicy and slightly leathery, but soft. it is a flowery saffron without those overly dark or medicinal notes that this beautiful and precious flower can sometimes have. There may be other spices in the mix since I feel the sweaty notes of cumin, never dirty or disgusting, rather something dusty and mineral very close to warm curry powder, the mild variety, the less spicy one. Maybe it’s just the result of the notes mixing. Another aroma that I can smell close to my skin is that of dried grass, of a bunch of wildflowers dried by the sun.
Slowly, the leathery notes emerge. It is not a bursting, raw, rough, smoked, or inked leather that smells of animals. Instead, here we are talking about suede, elegant, smooth, and sophisticated. At times I smell something greenish and dewy, which makes me think of violet leaves, represented here by its alpha-isomethyl ionone synthesis. There is a beautiful dynamic in this perfume, which alternates the airy, ozonic, and watery nuances of violet, with the floral and fruity ones, and then ends with something herbaceous, all supported by soft leather. The mineral essence prominent in the opening now takes the lead in the composition but never ventures into the aquatic territory.
Once past the opening and heart phases, the fragrance takes on bitter woody tones, as if there were a pinch of cleaned-up modern patchouli, not as dense as real patchouli. It is reminiscent of patchouli, but has spicy and earthy reflections, without overpowering the other accords which feel great as a background. And a pinch of ambroxan couldn’t be missing, with its salty and lasting touch.
Gold Oddity is a novelty among ZARA perfumes. It has never been launched in the past, and it also seems unique among the perfumes in circulation, closer to something niche, refined, particular and mixed interestingly. It’s a type of perfume I’ve never smelled. A leathery genre that remains airy without ever approaching the animal world, as happens in perfumes such as "Ombré Leather (2018) (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford", Memo series and so on. It is a very transparent leather scent. I rarely take out my leather perfumes on a summer day. However, I can’t wait to happily wear it on a summer evening. Ideal for spring, autumn and winter, safe for work, leisure and night out. The mineral, spicy, and leathery nuances project well and last for many hours, which is not bad for a ZARA fragrance. This fragrance will not appeal to everyone; it’s certainly not a scent you’ll smell on every other person.
I'm writing my thoughts based on a bottle I've owned since February 2024 (BC 33340).
-Elysium
