Secret Mission Baldessarini 2012 Eau de Toilette

The new fragrance from Baldessarini is hard to overlook; you inevitably stumble upon it among the Turquoises. Essentially, the perfumes of this brand are a blight, and we cannot agree with the intentions behind them. In the generation of those over 50, many have experience, developed preferences, and their own style, even in dealing with perfume. Is the hope justified that it may not succeed in lowering the taste of the silver lions to the level of the little boys? That seems to be the secret mission Baldessarini has been on for years.

Secret Mission picks up the silver lions in the same place the industry does with the younger crowd: in the shower. We have in our minds the memory of the musky synthetic scents of gels and soaps - admittedly in an attractive and exciting form. I was spontaneously reminded of the brilliant A*Men Pure Shot; perhaps both fragrances share a common ingredient. However, the direct comparison with the excellent Thierry Mugler scent reveals just how weak Secret Mission actually is. It lacks any bite; even the usually popular citrus freshness has been used excessively subtly. At first glance, it seems stylish. One feels as if they have stumbled upon a particularly pleasant shower gel, but that’s about it. After 10 minutes, a hint of spice flashes briefly, but then Secret Mission quickly dilutes into that powdery-woody base we find in so many inexpensive perfumes. What is perceptible as a subtle remnant after an hour can hardly be called a base note; it is both weak and interchangeable.

Secret Mission is a pretender, like we haven’t had in a long time: a very attractive top note, a passable middle, and pure boredom in the base. Before any potential (mis)purchase, I highly recommend comparing it with 7 de Loewe or A*Men Pure Shot, two characterful fragrances whose style I personally find adjacent to Secret Mission.