NoraTemple

The new Jo Malone fragrances from Zara had to move in with me as a blind buy (I am a Jo Malone Zara marketing victim and fan). First came Universal Oud as an absolute oud-flatterer of the really good variety. Then the scratchy and biting Leather Jardin (oh dear, it's fierce, let's see) and this one, the mandarin incense. Incense scents I'm always looking for, and I also found it in the metallic-bright L'Orpheline by Serge Lutens (bought at full price and never regretted it).

But this one, I had to write something: Great church incense mixed with tangy grapefruit, not so mandarinig, but rather pink, fruity, sporty. The incense comes through extremely right away, but the fruit competes, and they work great together. The Zara website initially said musk, but the English site said incense. Here, only two notes arrive in my nose: the fruit and the incense. While the smoky note competes strongly at first, the fruit becomes stronger and more bitter (a tangerine would be sweeter somehow, I think). I'm in love with shock and still blown away after hours. Universal Oud I like a lot, Leather Jardin rather not so, UO is rather unisex, LJ already very scratchy for me as a woman. This one, I mean, is sporty unisex. I love it. Great incense note on the skin. As a comparison, I really only have L'Orpheline as a metallic-bright shade. This one I find clear and bright yet with that light incense note that is so extremely present in oriental hammer scents. Lasts a long time on the skin. So beautiful!

Zara had this fragrance on sale. 10,99 Euro. Ok, no buying argument, but in this case finally a nice hit. Green incense in the forest.
When spraying on some fruit, barely vanilla, ambroxan and incense. With in the potpourri a lot of green, on first try a little strange conifer green (anyone who gardens knows what I mean...conifers have their own green, rather unpleasant scent about them - it softens somewhat with time), then the base becomes more incense-y and rounded. Sillage probably ok, but rather skin deep. I find this complex concoction quite compelling. Dark and woodsy, but not unpleasant. Not a floral park at all, but rather green-heavy and forest-mossy.

Definitely reminiscent of Lush Tramp, but much weaker yet present.

What remains: actually dark incense, very pleasant (artificial as in Serge Lutens Orpheline). The green remains, no vanilla is left, nothing floral, but rather dark-theatrical.
But if you want a hammer sillage of such a forest incense, you have to reach for Lush Tramp, which is sometimes too bulky for me. You have to dose the namely very carefully. This one sprays on well. For dark moments, unisex, lasts very long. For me, nothing fruity, nothing floral. The green coloring of the fabric in the purist bottle fits. Rather not so office appropriate if you are more reserved and colleague friendly. More like a reminder of the last walk in the woods with some medicinal hints. No everyday fragrance with floral lightness.
Song: Cure "A Forest"

"A masterpiece," writes the reviewer before me. I agree. Awesome. Yes, Zara has some real surprises in store. There are gorgeous fragrances in there, and I'm going to stay tuned here because I want to go on a journey of discovery.
This fragrance comes in the Jo Malone collaboration. I tried eight fragrances in the set and have to say I was very postively surprised. Most have compelling longevity, even though you often don't notice them on your skin. Staying. The scent here was very scratchy when first applied. Probably what they call "leather" in perfume. I ordered the roll-on and the original bottle right away (which I hope comes soon). So I don't know if the spray is the bomb, but the roll-on is!
Top notes: bergamot, lavender. The opening is not even very alcoholic, but already very spicy. Bergamot and lavender I could not untangle, the fragrance is immediately very aromatic.

The leather comes to the Oberlfäche and disturbs at first and scratchy. The "masculine" or typical for men's fragrances (iris) comes to the fore, which I like very much as a feminine woman (since "men's fragrances" have more Wumms than floral-fruity "women's fragrances"). This scent is not one dimensional. It still scratches a little, but not unpleasant.

In the end, you're left with an amber/oud note that smells very sophisticated and makes a definite statement. What does this remind me of? I have to try the fragrance again and again and come on it: even if you know it here much better than I, but I have Chanel's "Coromandel" EDP and compare both. The Zara one on the left, the super expensive Chanel one on the right. Chanel scratches a little more, but they end up so similar that I almost euphorically start a Zara order. I can barely tell the difference there, Chanel is a little greener, scratchier. But several times I try it. This czara scent reminds me so much that I can barely tell the difference. The base stays for hours and is vanilla, deep. Not cheap at all. What a discovery.

If Coromandel - this still too grown-up for me hammer fragrance - times empty, I buy it after. But the Zaraduft must me in the house. Absolutely class, I'm flashed!

Song: David Lynch something soundtrack, just great. Very good sillage, clearly smellable. For me, almost more wearable into the fall. Statement. Joy!

This fragrance comes in a line of blue bottles/designs meant to evoke maritime themes. In addition to the meaningful fragrances "Holistic Flow" (holistic is here only the simple fruit salad scent) and "Cozy Serenade" (vanilla / orchid bomb), this fragrance "Mystery Balance" (mysterious balance?!?) is supposed to contain something like sandalwood, musk and salty notes.
I write "supposed to." It is, unlike other very volatile zara scents, not there at all. Where is it? When I catch a molecule with my nose, it seems pleasant. But there's just....a nothing....yes, could be pleasant, because nothing stinks here. But the scent is a complete mystery because it...is...nothing.
Could be soft sandalwood, or musk? No lemon, no freshness, no dark scratchiness. Just a nothing. Could Zara have forgotten to mix anything into the broth here at all? It will remain a mystery...
I have the 10 ml roll-on. I see liquid in it, but can't smell anything. Might smell gently of Calone, but please, this is ridiculous even for Zara volatiles. My nose can barely detect anything here.
Song: Silence...

This Zara fragrance comes in a line of blue bottles/designs meant to evoke nautical themes. Here you get a passion fruit salad in orange. Fruit, fruit, fruit. Passion fruit, mandarin, some orange, passion fruit. Underneath, a little vanilla. Where is the sea? The beach?

The scent is not unpleasant, if you want to smell like orange fruit salad. Nice, really delightful. But that's all it is for me. I bought a roll-on (10 ml) and will certainly not buy the bottle.

Scent: Like Ice in the Sunshine. The scent of vanilla ice cream with passion fruit