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Some kind of freak art
The "Leather" series of Memo are all experimental and interesting. This series reinterprets and modernizes the historical and local characteristics of scents. And I'd like to say that this series is not appealing people who just find a wearable perfume, it's attracting the attention of perfume otakus.
Anyway, Italian Leather is a very unusual freak in the Leather series. If Irish Leather or African Leather are the Tarantino style of cool homage to Hong Kong noir films, Italian Leather can be likened to the Jim Jarmusch style of deliberately randomly rearranging codes of Japanese samurai films.
The "Italian" scent that this perfume presents, is a parody that goes beyond a ridiculous joke and is almost an insult, and is a tremendously exaggerated green smell set in sweet vanilla, especially the image of the first one hour is like a rustic man, dressed in green, from fedora to suit and shoes. Or an image like Dipsy in Teletubbies, surely dressed in all green.
As time goes by, the scent of leather combined with bitter galbanum is revealed. No, it's more like the smell of nasty sweat than leather. This is not luxurious leather at all, but rather a tired and pathetic way home of the country working class. And the tiny labdanum touch adds an impression of a cheap cigarette smell in a sweaty shirt.
Certenly this perfume is not good to wear (in my opinion), it is vulgar, and it will makes you feel unpleasant many times. But there is still the dry down. After the smell of sweat has finally disappeared into thin air, while the lingering of the exaggerated green smell remains, it suddenly becomes an antique, resinous, beautiful scent centered on opopanax and myrrh. This dry down cannot be explained by the word "beautiful" and would rather be described as "holy" or "sacred".
As if to compensate for the unfamiliar and eccentric prank of the opening part, the last scent of this perfume is so finely organized that it gives a different pleasure every time you wear it. Sometimes it's like a plain savory nuts, sometimes it's like very expensive vanilla chocolate, and sometimes it's like fresh fruit filled on a old truck what soiled by gasoline. But somewhere in all that impression, there is an air of idyllic or piety. Or you could say it's Catholic.
Like other perfumes in the Leather series, Italian Leather has excellent performance and lasts really long. Also, as I said earlier, this is for perfume otakus who have already experienced at least hundreds of perfumes. Every time I wear this, I feel ashamed and offended, but at the last I am struck with admiration. If this is not called art, what else is art?
Anyway, Italian Leather is a very unusual freak in the Leather series. If Irish Leather or African Leather are the Tarantino style of cool homage to Hong Kong noir films, Italian Leather can be likened to the Jim Jarmusch style of deliberately randomly rearranging codes of Japanese samurai films.
The "Italian" scent that this perfume presents, is a parody that goes beyond a ridiculous joke and is almost an insult, and is a tremendously exaggerated green smell set in sweet vanilla, especially the image of the first one hour is like a rustic man, dressed in green, from fedora to suit and shoes. Or an image like Dipsy in Teletubbies, surely dressed in all green.
As time goes by, the scent of leather combined with bitter galbanum is revealed. No, it's more like the smell of nasty sweat than leather. This is not luxurious leather at all, but rather a tired and pathetic way home of the country working class. And the tiny labdanum touch adds an impression of a cheap cigarette smell in a sweaty shirt.
Certenly this perfume is not good to wear (in my opinion), it is vulgar, and it will makes you feel unpleasant many times. But there is still the dry down. After the smell of sweat has finally disappeared into thin air, while the lingering of the exaggerated green smell remains, it suddenly becomes an antique, resinous, beautiful scent centered on opopanax and myrrh. This dry down cannot be explained by the word "beautiful" and would rather be described as "holy" or "sacred".
As if to compensate for the unfamiliar and eccentric prank of the opening part, the last scent of this perfume is so finely organized that it gives a different pleasure every time you wear it. Sometimes it's like a plain savory nuts, sometimes it's like very expensive vanilla chocolate, and sometimes it's like fresh fruit filled on a old truck what soiled by gasoline. But somewhere in all that impression, there is an air of idyllic or piety. Or you could say it's Catholic.
Like other perfumes in the Leather series, Italian Leather has excellent performance and lasts really long. Also, as I said earlier, this is for perfume otakus who have already experienced at least hundreds of perfumes. Every time I wear this, I feel ashamed and offended, but at the last I am struck with admiration. If this is not called art, what else is art?
Sadly good vintage-like
Personally, I think it's a great masterpiece, but there are some sad perfumes that didn't get good feedback from ladies. For example, Terre D'Hermes(9 out of 10 Korean ladies really hate this!), Aramis Pour Home, Davidoff Zino, and so on, and Lalique Lion is one of them.
Lion has a heavy barbershop vibe that feels a little rusty, and it evokes for me, an image like leather seats in a vintage car, an image like a villa made of logs in the woods, and old movies featuring Clint Eastwood. They are intricately intertwined, and the senses are both very old-fashioned and in fact really sophisticated. The slightly cold lavender and herb accord harmonize with mild spices and moderately sweet vanilla-sandalwood accord. This is a late '90s piece of work but incredibly '70s style, so it can be said that it has such a conservative masculinity.
But it's like... Lion is comparable to the legendary vintage perfumes that many fragheads spend a lot of money and time searching for. The quality of it is just amazing, and it's exceedingly cheap! It's an item that's outstanding for the diversity of the collection, and the bottle design is the best of the best in the perfume market to match Lalique's reputation.
The only problem is, if I spray it in my room, my wife in the living room runs with holding her nose and gets angry. Female employees in my office do the same thing. Too sad.
BGM - Leonardo Ringo "A sad man belong in corners"
Lion has a heavy barbershop vibe that feels a little rusty, and it evokes for me, an image like leather seats in a vintage car, an image like a villa made of logs in the woods, and old movies featuring Clint Eastwood. They are intricately intertwined, and the senses are both very old-fashioned and in fact really sophisticated. The slightly cold lavender and herb accord harmonize with mild spices and moderately sweet vanilla-sandalwood accord. This is a late '90s piece of work but incredibly '70s style, so it can be said that it has such a conservative masculinity.
But it's like... Lion is comparable to the legendary vintage perfumes that many fragheads spend a lot of money and time searching for. The quality of it is just amazing, and it's exceedingly cheap! It's an item that's outstanding for the diversity of the collection, and the bottle design is the best of the best in the perfume market to match Lalique's reputation.
The only problem is, if I spray it in my room, my wife in the living room runs with holding her nose and gets angry. Female employees in my office do the same thing. Too sad.
BGM - Leonardo Ringo "A sad man belong in corners"
1 Comment
Habit Rouge's twin brother
I love L'Eau as much as the original Habit Rouge. Also I wear it as often as I wear the original one. But L'Eau is not the summer version of the original, nor is it lighter than the original. L'Eau is a slight change just in the opening citrus, which gives it a brighter feel. Some may say this is a modernised version of Habit Rouge, but I think L'Eau is still much closer to classical elegance.
In fact, L'Eau not only shares the DNA of Habit Rouge, but in many ways it's extremely similar. They're like twin brothers with only different hairstyles. So if you already have a Habit Rouge EDT and it's a big bottle of 200ml or 500ml, you won't have to have an additional L'Eau. But if you're crazy about Habit Rouge and you're someone like me who can't live without this scent, you must have L'Eau. Of course you already have this before reading my comment.
L'Eau, just like the original, is something you can wear anywhere, almost anytime. I tend to choose L'Eau over the original when I wear a light colored shirt or casual outfit, but actually it's not consistent. It's just that I enjoy two types of things that I really like (three including EDP, but EDP is a bit different). If you want to make some more changes, I recommend you try Shalimar Piltre. It is closer to Habit Rouge than Shalimar, in my opinion. It was released for women, but nevertheless, Piltre is a gentleman's very fine fragrance, with a very soft lavender and a little rose.
Oh well, as I mentioned at first, I don't think L'Eau is for summer, just like the original. It doesn't matter if it's a dark evening or an air-conditioned indoor environment, but it's still not the best choice to wear during the daytime in midsummer. I'm still looking for Guerlinade-style fragrances for the summer season. I hope someone to give me some advice. These days I usually wear Chanel Paris Riviera, but there's still something that doesn't fill up.
In fact, L'Eau not only shares the DNA of Habit Rouge, but in many ways it's extremely similar. They're like twin brothers with only different hairstyles. So if you already have a Habit Rouge EDT and it's a big bottle of 200ml or 500ml, you won't have to have an additional L'Eau. But if you're crazy about Habit Rouge and you're someone like me who can't live without this scent, you must have L'Eau. Of course you already have this before reading my comment.
L'Eau, just like the original, is something you can wear anywhere, almost anytime. I tend to choose L'Eau over the original when I wear a light colored shirt or casual outfit, but actually it's not consistent. It's just that I enjoy two types of things that I really like (three including EDP, but EDP is a bit different). If you want to make some more changes, I recommend you try Shalimar Piltre. It is closer to Habit Rouge than Shalimar, in my opinion. It was released for women, but nevertheless, Piltre is a gentleman's very fine fragrance, with a very soft lavender and a little rose.
Oh well, as I mentioned at first, I don't think L'Eau is for summer, just like the original. It doesn't matter if it's a dark evening or an air-conditioned indoor environment, but it's still not the best choice to wear during the daytime in midsummer. I'm still looking for Guerlinade-style fragrances for the summer season. I hope someone to give me some advice. These days I usually wear Chanel Paris Riviera, but there's still something that doesn't fill up.
1 Comment
The scent of thousands of roses
I bought Eau Capitale last year and I've already emptied a bottle, although I shared it with my wife. It's not only wearable but also outstanding in every way, originality and performance. I'm considering it to be the best work of Diptyque and going to put it back in my collection in soon.
Now let's compare this with L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, which is very well known rose perfume, among Diptyque's existing works. L'Ombre Dans L'Eau is a complete representation of the scent of a wet red rose, so to speak. That contains all the green fresh scents of leaves and a stem, in addition to the colorful and seductive scents of a rose and a bud. By comparison, this one, Eau Capitale is the scent of thousands of roses what are blooming in a moist greenhouse. As soon as you open the greenhouse, you can feel the scent of many flowers with strong vitality. They are young buds just about to bloom, firmly rooted in the oily soil, and in pretty ceramic pots. That is my impression of Eau Capitale.
Eau capitale is a type of perfume that not only satisfies myself but also pleases others. We can divide the compliments that we hear when wearing some perfume into several levels. Words just like "You smell good" or "What perfume are you wearing?" can be mere ceremonial greetings. But if someone sniffs constantly and repeat "Somewhere smells incredibly good!", so it means your smell is really good. I heard a lot of compliments at that level when I wore the Eau Capitale, and I could see cultured and sophisticated people walking around me and repeating compliments like that. Of course it's because of the scent of Eau Capitale itself that anyone can easily enjoy, but it's also because there are still very few people who wear it.
I've been wearing this steadily for the past year, so I'll also be able to comment on the weather and season. Eau Capitale works well at any time, except on cold days when temperatures drop below zero Celsius. However, even in winter, there's no problem if you wear it indoors. What I would like to say in particular is that this is more affected by humidity than temperature. Eau Capitale, like L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, gives off a much more vivid scent in wet weather: the scent of REAL roses. I think it's the best weather to wear Eau Capitale on a drizzling day, a dark cloud day, and a thick fog day.
Eau Capitale can be worn regardless of gender and age, but it has a very fancy and showy scent, so it may not be appropriate for casual attire or frugal gatherings. But surely that's not to say at all it's too formal perfume. And, blind buy? If you like the scent of rose or have already tried L'Ombre Dans L'Eau and like it, you won't fail. But only if you like the glamorous flower scent and the scent of nature with the strong projection. What if you already have another rose perfumes? Eau Capitale is very original perfume with no alternative, at least so far now in 2021, so you'll never feel bored.
Despite my poor English writing, I hope this review will help someone.
Now let's compare this with L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, which is very well known rose perfume, among Diptyque's existing works. L'Ombre Dans L'Eau is a complete representation of the scent of a wet red rose, so to speak. That contains all the green fresh scents of leaves and a stem, in addition to the colorful and seductive scents of a rose and a bud. By comparison, this one, Eau Capitale is the scent of thousands of roses what are blooming in a moist greenhouse. As soon as you open the greenhouse, you can feel the scent of many flowers with strong vitality. They are young buds just about to bloom, firmly rooted in the oily soil, and in pretty ceramic pots. That is my impression of Eau Capitale.
Eau capitale is a type of perfume that not only satisfies myself but also pleases others. We can divide the compliments that we hear when wearing some perfume into several levels. Words just like "You smell good" or "What perfume are you wearing?" can be mere ceremonial greetings. But if someone sniffs constantly and repeat "Somewhere smells incredibly good!", so it means your smell is really good. I heard a lot of compliments at that level when I wore the Eau Capitale, and I could see cultured and sophisticated people walking around me and repeating compliments like that. Of course it's because of the scent of Eau Capitale itself that anyone can easily enjoy, but it's also because there are still very few people who wear it.
I've been wearing this steadily for the past year, so I'll also be able to comment on the weather and season. Eau Capitale works well at any time, except on cold days when temperatures drop below zero Celsius. However, even in winter, there's no problem if you wear it indoors. What I would like to say in particular is that this is more affected by humidity than temperature. Eau Capitale, like L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, gives off a much more vivid scent in wet weather: the scent of REAL roses. I think it's the best weather to wear Eau Capitale on a drizzling day, a dark cloud day, and a thick fog day.
Eau Capitale can be worn regardless of gender and age, but it has a very fancy and showy scent, so it may not be appropriate for casual attire or frugal gatherings. But surely that's not to say at all it's too formal perfume. And, blind buy? If you like the scent of rose or have already tried L'Ombre Dans L'Eau and like it, you won't fail. But only if you like the glamorous flower scent and the scent of nature with the strong projection. What if you already have another rose perfumes? Eau Capitale is very original perfume with no alternative, at least so far now in 2021, so you'll never feel bored.
Despite my poor English writing, I hope this review will help someone.
A familiar, clean, mineralic scent
I was quite looking forward to it even before it was released. I tested it on my skin yesterday and also brought a scented paper. Now I have to say that it is a thorough mainstream aquatic perfume but not boring. Explorer Ultra Blue can still be included in the same category with Sauvage, Y, or so, but it is not a shower gel type, rather a perfume with marine mineral elements such as Bvlgari Aqva, D&G LB Swimming In Lipari, or Invictus Legend.
We already know that Montblanc is not a brand of originality or artistry in the perfume market. Their value is to finely predict consumer demand and join the trend at the right time. But they couldn't join the ambroxan festival of the 2010s. They must have been very concerned about how to inherit the trend as a latecomer in the market, and the result is this, Explorer Ultra Blue. They didn't make the scent more luxurious or special at all. Instead, they took note of the phenomenon in which other designer brands began to accept the salty mineral use. That salty mineral use is something that niche houses have tried first, something that has already been known to the point of safety, but has not become very popular yet.
Anyway, the early opening of Ultra Blue is a fruity cocktail-like scent, which is not very refreshing but also not sticky. This opening provides sweetness for teenage consumers but does not follow the pattern of mainstream men's perfumes. Anyway, the opening disappears quickly, soon after, a salty bergamot pops out. Pepper doesn't stand out very much, but adds a little bit of sharpness to this. And the ambroxan bomb, which is already supersaturated in the market, begins, and it followed the trend of men's perfumes in the 2010s, but emphasized the salty one. It is not necessary to mention the synthetic patchouli and leather that remain in the drydown. They are not materials for a good scent, they are just to increase the longevity, I think.
However, I think there's a reason why mineralic thing can't be completely mainstream, like ozonic thing. Ozonic perfumes make citrus brighter and more beautiful under certain conditions, but when it's not very hot, they also smell like cheap wipes. Likewise, Mineralic perfumes can give different experiences depending on the wearer, but sometimes it evokes horrible unpleasant memories for a person like me. I was born in a conscription country and had to be conscripted regardless of my will. Soldiers there disinfected always, whether was cleaning a camp or grooming equipment, with iodine solution. So the mineralic perfume is the smell of iodine solution used in the army for me. Whether it calls mineralic, marine or seaweed, whatever.
Nevertheless, Explorer Ultra Blue may be the first Mineralic perfume I'll buy. It scents more familiar and wearable than other perfumes with mineral notes to express the cold smell of the sea. it's more recent than Bvlgari Aqva. Nor is it overly sweet like Invictus Legend. It's definitely more masculine than D&G Light Blue Swimming In Lipari. It lasts longer than Valentino Born In Roma and has a little more clean feeling. But surely Ultra Blue won't be my most favorite perfume, and even if I buy it, it'll be time to sell at a discount store very cheaply. Sometimes others simply abbreviate these words as "Nothing Special", but I thought this perfume was pretty good than "Nothing Special". That's because It have made the kind of smell what I hate as acceptable as possible.
PS 1: Very little resemblance to Explorer original. The original wasn't even a literally original anyway, you know, so please stop your hasty expectations about Ultra Blue.
PS 2: If it's the same price range, of course ADG Profondo is much better. However, if the price of Explorer Ultra Blue goes down to 1/3 of Profondo, the evaluation will be different.
PS 3: I'm sorry for my childish English.
We already know that Montblanc is not a brand of originality or artistry in the perfume market. Their value is to finely predict consumer demand and join the trend at the right time. But they couldn't join the ambroxan festival of the 2010s. They must have been very concerned about how to inherit the trend as a latecomer in the market, and the result is this, Explorer Ultra Blue. They didn't make the scent more luxurious or special at all. Instead, they took note of the phenomenon in which other designer brands began to accept the salty mineral use. That salty mineral use is something that niche houses have tried first, something that has already been known to the point of safety, but has not become very popular yet.
Anyway, the early opening of Ultra Blue is a fruity cocktail-like scent, which is not very refreshing but also not sticky. This opening provides sweetness for teenage consumers but does not follow the pattern of mainstream men's perfumes. Anyway, the opening disappears quickly, soon after, a salty bergamot pops out. Pepper doesn't stand out very much, but adds a little bit of sharpness to this. And the ambroxan bomb, which is already supersaturated in the market, begins, and it followed the trend of men's perfumes in the 2010s, but emphasized the salty one. It is not necessary to mention the synthetic patchouli and leather that remain in the drydown. They are not materials for a good scent, they are just to increase the longevity, I think.
However, I think there's a reason why mineralic thing can't be completely mainstream, like ozonic thing. Ozonic perfumes make citrus brighter and more beautiful under certain conditions, but when it's not very hot, they also smell like cheap wipes. Likewise, Mineralic perfumes can give different experiences depending on the wearer, but sometimes it evokes horrible unpleasant memories for a person like me. I was born in a conscription country and had to be conscripted regardless of my will. Soldiers there disinfected always, whether was cleaning a camp or grooming equipment, with iodine solution. So the mineralic perfume is the smell of iodine solution used in the army for me. Whether it calls mineralic, marine or seaweed, whatever.
Nevertheless, Explorer Ultra Blue may be the first Mineralic perfume I'll buy. It scents more familiar and wearable than other perfumes with mineral notes to express the cold smell of the sea. it's more recent than Bvlgari Aqva. Nor is it overly sweet like Invictus Legend. It's definitely more masculine than D&G Light Blue Swimming In Lipari. It lasts longer than Valentino Born In Roma and has a little more clean feeling. But surely Ultra Blue won't be my most favorite perfume, and even if I buy it, it'll be time to sell at a discount store very cheaply. Sometimes others simply abbreviate these words as "Nothing Special", but I thought this perfume was pretty good than "Nothing Special". That's because It have made the kind of smell what I hate as acceptable as possible.
PS 1: Very little resemblance to Explorer original. The original wasn't even a literally original anyway, you know, so please stop your hasty expectations about Ultra Blue.
PS 2: If it's the same price range, of course ADG Profondo is much better. However, if the price of Explorer Ultra Blue goes down to 1/3 of Profondo, the evaluation will be different.
PS 3: I'm sorry for my childish English.
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