Kxnaiades

Aldehydes on steroids, of sinus clearing intensity right at the first spritz. After my head cleared, my nose registered a heavy floral scented powder following behind the aldehydes and remaining like this for the rest of its lifetime on me. It's not a light dusting of powder, it's like how the aristos in Versailles laid on the powder to hide their body odours since showers were a rarity. I get the comparisons with No. 5 but they are unique in their own ways and both deserve a place in the wardrobe of an aldehyde lover/old school(not old lady)floral powder+aldehyde lover. I cannot stress enough that there is no escaping the aldehydes and I would not have grouped this perfume under floral. It's much much more fizzy than floral. I don't personally categorize scents into day or night but this is too much of a powerhouse to be worn in my line of work, besides being a waste of a gorgeous beauty. Massive sillage and moderate longevity on me.

Salted chocolate in a bottle. I adore Lindt and Godiva sea salt chocolate bars and this is the closest I've come to it in a scent. The chocolate here is a dark chocolate but more 70% not 90% dark. Next to my bar of chocolate is an affogato, the vanilla ice-cream swirling lazily in the rich expresso. The coffee note here is not the sweet coffee experience of I Love New York for All, it is darker and richer than Bond. With the addition of cardamom, it smells like Turkish coffee brewing. I agree that this is heavenly. The sillage and longevity are excellent even with just a couple of drops applied to my clothes, it clocked over 12 hours. I would recommend this to those who would enjoy a twist to their coffee or chocolate scents, it may not be enough of both or either note for the hardcore gourmandies though. This is definitely a love for a sea salt dark chocolate lover like me.

Captured in Amber is the fraternal twin to Cafe Cacao from the En Voyage trio of gourmands. They both share a salted chocolate base but where Cafe Cacao has the gene for Turkish coffee, Captured in Amber has the gene for Stoned by Solange Azagury-Patridge/Lyn Harris. The marine saltiness that represents ambergris is amped up in CIA(lol) compared to its supporting role in CC. Captured in Amber also has the buttery suede effect like Stoned, possibly from the labdanum and patchouli on me. The overall feeling is a balmy, relaxing gourmand scent. Fantastic sillage and longevity, all from a couple of drops applied on clothes. I recommend for oriental lovers who enjoy a gourmand splash.

I smell violet powder and musk. The violet powder reminds me of Besame's pressed powder compact and there is so much of it that one might sneeze at the first whiff. The musk is a clean soapy white musk and the overall effect of the notes gives an elegantly old-fashioned vibe. This fits a lavender boudoir with lots of frills and feathers, impractical but beautiful bijou and ornaments decorating the unmistakably feminine abode. Sillage and longevity are excellent as with the other two members of this gourmand series, this being non gourmand to my nose though, try as I might to smell the white chocolate note. I would recommend to lovers of violet powder and vintage vixens.

Vanitas is a gourmand delight and an olfactory antidepressant. The vanilla smells rich and decadent, with a citric sweetness from the orange blossom and some smokiness loaned by the myrrh. Vanitas would be the centre of attention not because of a unique personality but for being as delectable as a caloric-infested, caramelized sugar bundt cake and as sweet and charming as Snow White circa 1937 (especially the part where she sings Someday My Prince Will Come and the animals are dancing around her, every living creature as high as a kite). Sillage is soft but the longevity of this is ridiculously tenacious, no fear of it ever disappearing unless soap is applied with a strong arm. On the "interesting" scale, this lies at the polar opposite to Mona di Orio's Vanille, with Lutens' Un Bois Vanille in the middle of the scale and Tihota in Vanitas' camp. Vanitas would satisfy cravings for sweets whereas Mona's Vanille would enter a debate with you regarding the same.