Now as a rule-compliant comment 3.0
Since the content was a bit too harsh for one or another moderator for the third time and got deleted, here is the child-friendly FSK 6 version filled with comments from other perfume reviews on scents that have not been deleted due to their "inappropriate language"
This makes the comment less authentic, but I want to adhere to the rules, right?
If this comment gets deleted again, it will truly be pure arbitrariness. I apologize in advance for the more than cheeky headline and the possibly ensuing emotional outbursts!
Disclaimer: Actually, one shouldn't have to state this, but some sensitive souls might feel attacked by what follows, which is certainly not my intention!
You can already rant about the real deer musk. (even though Mr. Russian claims that these animals were not killed for perfume production and that they were shot under strict regulations anyway)
However, the Siberian deer, also known as the Siberian musk deer, is among the endangered species whose population has been driven to the brink of extinction over the decades due to excessive hunting and poaching. (I don't even want to talk about the attempt to keep the musk deer in captivity!)
It would now be tedious to answer the school question... are the poachers, the countries Russia and China that have looked the other way for years, traditional medicine, the perfume industry, or even the consumer himself?
Who am I to dare to address such a complex topic in a perfume comment?
Each of the mentioned bears some partial guilt....but am I the right one to raise a finger and direct admonishing incantations at everyone?
Certainly not, as I am also complicit, no question...(I test the scent and provide it a platform)
What would be the right way now?
A boycott? Stricter penalties? Looking away? Turning a blind eye? Pointing fingers?
I can't answer that myself.
But what can I answer?
Is it a good perfume?
What is the measure for that?
I tried to put it this way...
On one side of the scale, I have a cow pat weighing 1kg....on the other, one weighing 500g
The only thing that changes is the weight of the dung,
but it remains what it is... dung!
No matter how much or little I dose... the overdose of deer musk in almost all scents from Areej makes it an experience in my nose and the noses of my fellow humans that is simply disgusting.
In my eyes, this has little to do with fine and distinguished perfume art; it is rather the type of scent that shamelessly flaunts its own genitals and displays its swelling masculinity - completely regardless of whether others find it disgusting.
It is obscene, intrusive, and "kinky"
For me personally, animalic scents have something to do with a sensual, physical but also wild and, as the name suggests, animalistic experience... but, and this is the crux of the matter, always in a certain context.
A "Musc Ravageur" shows me very well how great and balanced perfume art can be, which can enhance a sensual experience and, with the right dosage, can also pass as a normal scent.
War and Peace Part II, however, slaps you with its full sexual excess from left to right whether you want it or not and enjoys it like a 7-year-old who just had his first sugar rush from cola!
Therefore, in my eyes, the scent can only be worn privately or in a certain circle of people who are all clearly aware of what they are getting into.
I am by no means prude, but I do not want to be olfactorily "pleasured" in my scent openings all the time in public (at the office, while shopping, in the waiting room, etc.)!
Of course, everything is a matter of perception, but do I want to completely block out the first 9 hours and wait until the scent develops into a rough, stripped leather and becomes wearable?
I don't think so; I have to evaluate it for what it is, and that is, in my nose and in the noses of the people I asked, a smoky; steaming; rough/doggy abomination (and please take abomination literally!)
If the scent is supposed to capture the struggle between death and life, then it is a clear concept scent that tends more towards "art direction," and with art, it is often the case.... for one, Joseph Beuys' "Fettecke" is a revelation, for another, "garbage" that can be thrown away.
What I have learned over the years is that you can't please everyone, and an opinion should also stimulate discourse, which might be more important now than ever.
Craft-wise, everything may be great, the raw materials ancient, authentic, and we live in a time (whether that's good or not) where everyone can do what they want... but it is not bearable and not publicly acceptable!
ps: Here is just a quote for his latest creation Cuir de Russie, where my goodwill eventually runs out: (Without source citation, as linking is not allowed)
The leather here rapidly becomes far too thickly musky, smoky, dirty, and animalic to resemble that - which brings me to Cuir de Russie’s “beaver tail oil.” I asked Russian Adam what it was; I knew it couldn’t be castoreum because the latter comes from beaver castor glands. I’ll spare you the precise details but Adam said the materials were ethically sourced from beavers that were killed within legal limits and were not killed for perfumery, and that the ensuing, extracted oil smelled “like a castoreum times ten with a delicious faucets of fermented hindi oud…”
Super delicious, I can only say!
pps. I love you all, and the moderators can trust you to be capable of discussing reasonably.
ppps: Unfortunately, the comment is now quite distorted, but I wanted to publish it anyway because it was important to me!
That seems like quite a heavy scent. I don't know the fragrance, and after everything I've read here, I probably don't really want to test it... although...
I find it unacceptable when animals have to give their lives for perfume. Your comment reads pleasantly to me, and even though you avoided any vulgar terms or obscenities, I understood exactly what you meant.
If you have principles and it bothers you, which I completely understand as an animal rights advocate, then you shouldn't test it. That's just my opinion, without any criticism.
Moreover, you just have to trust the manufacturer that everything is "ethically correct." Who checks that? Sure, these fragrances might be great in their own way... but it's just too creepy for me.
It's true that beavers are primarily bred for their fur, and castoreum is also used as an attractant in hunting. Whether one finds this ethical is likely a matter of personal belief and should be considered in the context of one's overall stance on consuming animal products. Everyone has to decide for themselves, but for me, the fun really stops when it comes to endangered species just for the sake of perfume.
I don't know the scent or your previous versions, but I think it's great that you bravely address the topic! You can really get bashed for this here. It's completely absurd that musk animals are not killed for their musk. Just because it's technically legal in some cases, I still find it totally wrong. Importing into the EU is only allowed under strict formal requirements with proof of origin. But I'm sure the documents are included with every shipment from the manufacturer.
After experiencing version 2 (luck?), I have to say I prefer version 3. Just because the scent is bold doesn't mean the comment has to be too (and it's still juicy enough :)
I actually find your thoughts on the deer musk more interesting than the scent itself, and I completely agree! Nobody needs that, and the synthetic substitutes aren't recommended either (just Google it).
So, in the truest sense, a very helpful comment!
After I've thoroughly washed the sprayed area with a nice-smelling soap, it's bearable. But I just don't understand why anyone would want to smell like this. Thank goodness I'll probably never find myself in a situation where I have to experience this scent up close.
I also found "War and Peace Part I" quite exhausting and can definitely relate to the perceptions in the comment. In my opinion, Part II is much smoother and more enjoyable, so I think the comment is a bit harsh. However, I agree that I would never wear it in public, only for myself in private. Have you smelled both? Or just Part II? If you don't know the first one, you would probably be blown away :D
I was wondering today why I received multiple email notifications but there were no comments to read. :-D
Every nose finds different scents great. This fragrance wouldn't be my thing either, and I'm definitely not a fan of animals having to die for perfume (he has to prove the opposite first). You can achieve animalic nuances in other ways too.
I don't think your comment is distorted. For my part, I certainly don't like being bombarded with fecal and obscene erotic expressions. You don't have to do the same to your readers as you criticize in the fragrance. As I said, I prefer this version. The content clearly conveys what you want to say here as well.
I find it unacceptable when animals have to give their lives for perfume. Your comment reads pleasantly to me, and even though you avoided any vulgar terms or obscenities, I understood exactly what you meant.
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!
I actually find your thoughts on the deer musk more interesting than the scent itself, and I completely agree! Nobody needs that, and the synthetic substitutes aren't recommended either (just Google it).
So, in the truest sense, a very helpful comment!
In my opinion, Part II is much smoother and more enjoyable, so I think the comment is a bit harsh. However, I agree that I would never wear it in public, only for myself in private.
Have you smelled both? Or just Part II?
If you don't know the first one, you would probably be blown away :D
Yes, I really hope this comment can stay up now.
I apologize to all my readers for the inconvenience!
Every nose finds different scents great. This fragrance wouldn't be my thing either, and I'm definitely not a fan of animals having to die for perfume (he has to prove the opposite first). You can achieve animalic nuances in other ways too.